ADVERTISEMENTThe government will eliminate a 5 per cent tax on electricity consumption, according to the report. A government spokesperson declined to comment ahead of the press conference announcing the measures, set for 11 a.m. local time(1000 GMT). European countries, which are heavily dependent on energy imports, are taking action to curb an expected rise in inflation. The reported measures could help prevent sharp rises in fuel prices from causing inflationary pressure on other goods but would primarily help private car owners, who tend to be wealthier, economist Antonio Gonzalez said. Spain's electricity prices have been among the lowest in Europe this year due to abundant rains filling hydropower reserves, high electricity generation from wind and solar and nuclear power enabling it to rely less on gas than other countries.

In a massive crackdown against illegal gambling and betting websites, the government has blocked 300 such websites and applications, sources said. The blocked sites and apps are related to online sports betting platforms; online casinos offering slots, roulette, live dealer tables; betting exchanges functioning like P-2-P betting marketplaces. ADVERTISEMENTAction was also taken on satta/matka gambling networks, and real-money card and casino game apps, the sources said. The government has blocked 300 such websites and applications, as it came down heavily on illegal gambling and betting websites, they said. About 8,400 such websites have been blocked so far, and the majority (about 4,900) were blocked after passage of the Online Gaming Act, the sources added.

Kuwait — Mina Al-Ahmadi refineryIranian drones struck Kuwait’s largest refinery in multiple waves, sparking fires at the Mina Al-Ahmadi complex. Saudi Arabia — Ras Tanura refineryDrone strikes targeted Saudi Aramco’s key Ras Tanura facility, the kingdom’s largest oil export hub. Iraq (Kurdistan) — Erbil energy facilitiesA drone strike triggered a fire at a processing plant in Erbil, forcing a temporary shutdown. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also confirmed Trump's claim, stating that Israel acted alone during the attack on Iran's largest oil refinery. Obliging to Trump's request, Netanyahu declared that Israel would hold off against attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure.

Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit said on Friday she regretted her friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, seeking to contain one of the biggest scandals to hit the country's royal family. The U.S. Justice Department's release of millions of Epstein documents has sent shockwaves around the world, revealing the disgraced financier's ties to prominent people, including the crown princess and top Norwegian politicians, business executives and diplomats. ADVERTISEMENT"I was manipulated and deceived," Mette-Marit said in a tearful interview with public broadcaster NRK screened on Friday morning. The 52-year-old crown princess, who apologised to King Harald and Queen Sonja in a February 6 statement, has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing. When asked about the email by NRK, Mette-Marit said she could not remember why she wrote it.

लेखक के बारे में दिल प्रकाश दिल प्रकाश, नवभारत टाइम्स डिजिटल में असिस्टेंट एडिटर है। वह 20 साल से भी अधिक समय से पत्रकारिता से जुड़े हैं। इस दौरान उन्होंने खेल, राजनीति, संसद, रक्षा और बिजनस जैसे कई विषयों पर रिपोर्टिंग की है। दिल प्रकाश पांच साल से भी अधिक समय से एनबीटी डिजिटल के साथ जुड़े हैं। इससे पहले वह यूनीवार्ता और बिजनस स्टैंडर्ड में काम कर चुके हैं। साथ ही उन्होंने बीबीसी में भी आउटसाइड कंट्रीब्यूटर के रूप में काम किया है। दिल प्रकाश ने नई दिल्ली के भारतीय विद्या भवन संस्थान से पत्रकारिता में पीजी डिप्लोमा किया है।... और पढ़ें

A 40-year-old man who was taking his son for treatment at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata died after being trapped in a lift of the trauma care centre of the government healthcare hub early on Friday. Bandyopadhyay died on the spot but his young son and wife are reported to be safe. The hospital authorities didn't listen to me. After the incident came to light, some relatives of patients expressed anger against the hospital authorities. KMC Deputy Major and local MLA promises actionDeputy mayor and Kashipur-Belgachhia MLA Atin Ghosh held a meeting with the hospital authorities.

लेखक के बारे में वैभव पांडे वैभव पांडेय, नवभारत टाइम्स ऑनलाइन में सीनियर पत्रकार हैं। वे करंट अफेयर्स, ह्यूमन नेचर, क्राइम, सोशल और पॉलिटिक्‍स से जुड़ी खबरें बनाते हैं। मीडिया में उन्‍हें 18 सालों का अनुभव है। इस दौरान हुए यूपी विधानसभा चुनाव, लोकसभा चुनाव और पश्चिम बंगाल विधानसभा चुनाव 2021 का कवरेज कर चुके हैं। स्‍वतंत्र चेतना (लखनऊ), अकिंचन भारत (आगरा), देशबंधु (दिल्‍ली), आज समाज (इंडिया न्‍यूज ग्रुप, दिल्‍ली) और दैनिक जागरण (नोएडा/लखनऊ) जैसे संस्‍थानों में काम कर चुके हैं। करीब सात साल से NBT (Digital) के यूपी/उत्‍तराखंड टीम में कार्यरत हैं। उन्‍होंने डॉ. राममनोहर लोहिया अवध विश्‍वविद्यालय से जनसंचार एवं पत्रकारिता की पढ़ाई की है।... और पढ़ें

AP/PTIAPThe dangerous heat wave shattering March records all over the US Southwest is more than just another extreme weather blip. Experts said unprecedented and deadly weather extremes that sometimes strike at abnormal times and in unusual places are putting more people in danger. Flood maps, surge models, heat records - events kept showing up outside the envelope we built systems around. He listed five others in the last six years: a 2020 Siberia heat wave, the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave that had British Columbia warmer than Death Valley, the summer of 2022 in North America, China and Europe, a 2023 western Mediterranean heat wave and a 2023 South Asian heat wave with high humidity. That's the biggest anomaly recorded, said weather historian Chris Burt, author of the book "Extreme Weather."

The deceased, Dr Sameeksha Reddy (26), had been recently appointed on a contract basis, office of Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENTShe was attacked by the hippopotamus around 11.30 pm on Thursday while attending to the wild animal, it said. Calling it an unfortunate incident, the minister said the government stands with the bereaved family during this difficult time. The minister has ordered compensation to the family of the deceased doctor as per norms. Khandre further ordered an inquiry into the incident by a team comprising senior veterinarians and forest officials, and directed that a report be submitted within seven days.

ADVERTISEMENT50 hurt after massive fire at car parts factory in South Korea, firefighters battle blaze The National Fire Agency called for a national mobilisation to tackle the blaze in Daejeon, about 160 km (99.42 miles) south of the capital Seoul, Yonhap reportedADVERTISEMENT

India's government privately proposed in January that firms like Apple, Samsung and Google consider pre-installing its biometric identification app Aadhaar on phones, a move opposed by a group representing the smartphone giants, industry letters show. Aadhaar is a unique 12-digit identity number tied to an individual's fingerprints and iris scans, held by nearly 1.34 billion residents. It also argued that no other country apart from Russia mandates pre-installation of government apps on mobile phones. The new Aadhaar app, launched in January, allows users to update their personal details, manage profiles of their family members, and lock biometric details to prevent misuse. The letters reviewed by Reuters on the latest proposal show growing discontent among smartphone companies against app pre-installation requests by the Indian government.

Hindi NewsLocalRajasthanJaipurJaipur Insurance Head Suicide | Chaddar Noose, Suicide Note Foundजयपुर में इंश्योरेंस कंपनी के बड़े अधिकारी ने किया सुसाइड: घर में फंदा बनाकर लटके, लिखा- प्रोफेशनल लाइफ से थक गया हूंजयपुर 5 घंटे पहलेकॉपी लिंकजयपुर में आदित्य बिरला हेल्थ इंश्योरेंस कंपनी के रीजनल हेड ने सुसाइड कर लिया। उनका शव कमरे में बेडशीट से बनाए फंदे से लटका मिला। पुलिस को सुसाइड नोट भी मिला है। इसमें उन्होंने अपनी इच्छा से सुसाइड करने की बात लिखी है। मामला चित्रकूट थाना इलाके का गुरुवार शाम करीब 6 बजे का है।SHO प्रभु सिंह ने बताया- उदयपुर के ट्रेजर टाउन निवासी अजय अरोड़ा (45) पुत्र ओमप्रकाश ने सुसाइड किया है। करीब एक साल पहले उनका ट्रांसफर जयपुर हो गया था। वह जयपुर के चित्रकूट नगर में सेक्टर-9 में रह रहे थे। वहीं, उनकी पत्नी और बेटी उदयपुर में ही रहते हैं।पड़ोसी को सुसाइड का पता चलापुलिस के अनुसार, पड़ोसी के किसी काम से घर जाने पर अजय के सुसाइड करने का पता चला। शाम करीब 6 बजे सूचना पर पुलिस मौके पर पहुंची। पुलिस ने सबूत जुटाकर फंदे से शव को उतारा। शव कांवटिया हॉस्पिटल की मॉर्च्युरी में रखवाया गया।.

Canada’s top police official has said there is currently no evidence linking the government of India to clandestine activities or transnational repression within the country, signalling a shift amid efforts to stabilise bilateral ties. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme made the remarks in an interview with CTV News, addressing concerns over alleged foreign interference. ADVERTISEMENT“We’re not seeing any connection right now with any foreign entity, based on the criminal information, the investigations that we have presently,” he said while responding to a question whether “transnational repression by agents of India" was still a concern. Ties deteriorated further in October 2024 when India recalled its high commissioner and five diplomats after Ottawa attempted to connect them to the Nijjar case, prompting a reciprocal expulsion of Canadian diplomats. Liberal Party leader Mark Carney’s election victory last year helped initiate a reset, followed by the restoration of high commissioners in both capitals.

ICE arrested Estefany Maria Rodriguez Florez of Nashville Noticias in the Tennessee capital and her detention drew swift condemnation from human rights, immigration advocacy and press freedom groups. for five years and "frequently reports on stories critical of ⁠ICE," her lawyers say. Rodriguez Florez arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa, filed for political asylum, later married ⁠a ​U.S. citizen and has a valid work permit, her lawyers say. Trump's administration alleges she was not authorized to stay in the U.S. beyond 2021 on her tourist visa.

Musk said in January that solar power could meet all of the electricity needs of the United States - including the ever-increasing demand from a growing number of data centres. Job postings on the Tesla website said it aims to deploy 100 GW of "solar manufacturing from raw materials on American soil before the end of 2028". Some of the estimated 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) worth of equipment, including screen-printing production lines, will require export approval from Chinese regulators, according to the people. US gigaplant with Chinese equipmentAn order from Tesla would mark a big boost for Chinese producers of solar manufacturing equipment, which have struggled with weak demand because of a domestic production glut. Musk briefly worked for the Trump administration running the Department of Government Efficiency, which oversaw mass layoffs of federal workers to save money.