Washington, Aug 6 (IANS) A former senior US official, Robert Joseph, said that he is not ruling out the possibility of the United States accepting North Korea’s possession of nuclear arms, as Washington can deter the recalcitrant regime’s nuclear threats. Robert Joseph, the former under secretary of state for arms control and international security of the US, from 2005-2007, made the remarks during an online seminar hosted by The Washington Times Foundation, as North Korea has rejected any dialo…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) Backing the Election Commission’s decision to begin a Special Summary Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in West Bengal, senior BJP leader Jagdambika Pal said that only Indian citizens have the constitutional right to vote, and those living illegally must not be included in the voter list.Speaking to IANS, Pal said the Election Commission is fulfilling its constitutional duty to ensure free and fair elections through a transparent electoral roll, similar to the proces…

Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Aug 6 (IANS) Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, appeared before the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa, Jharkhand, on Wednesday in connection with a criminal defamation case filed over his remarks against the then BJP national president, Amit Shah.The court granted him bail on the condition that he would cooperate with the trial proceedings.Rahul Gandhi appeared in person before Judicial Magistrate Supriya Rani Tigga. The court granted him re…

Mumbai, Aug 6 (IANS) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced on Wednesday that it has decided to standardise and simplify the procedure for settlement of claims in respect of deposit accounts of deceased customers of banks so that bereaved families do not face any hardship in getting the money or valuables due to them. Currently, the procedure for settling claims in respect of deceased customers varies across banks. The RBI has decided to streamline and standardise these across all banks to fa…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha witnessed fresh turbulence on Wednesday as Deputy Chairman Harivansh declined to admit 35 notices submitted under Rule 267, triggering protests from Opposition members.The notices, which sought suspension of regular business to discuss urgent public issues — including electoral roll revisions and exam irregularities — were deemed non-compliant with procedural norms.“None of these notices adhere to the requirements of Rule 267 as enunciated in the past,…

Chennai, Aug 6 (IANS) Chennai is set to expand its electric bus fleet with the launch of 135 new electric buses from the Perumbakkam depot on August 11, nearly a month after rolling out 120 e-buses from the Vyasarpadi depot.The new fleet includes 55 air-conditioned buses and will operate across 13 routes, significantly improving connectivity along the IT corridor, including the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR).Key routes include Siruseri to Chennai Airport (MAA 2), CMBT to Kilambakkam (570), Broadwa…

Patna, Aug 6 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for Deshratna Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s Bihar Gaurav Udyan, a themed park to be developed near Bans Ghat on the banks of the Ganga River in Patna. The Chief Minister paid floral tribute at the statue of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President.The upcoming park will be constructed on 10 acres of land and is inspired by the concept of ‘Waste to Wonder’, where installations will be crafted using industrial…

Shimla, Aug 6 (IANS) In a major rescue effort, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), in coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), rescued 413 stranded pilgrims from the Kinnaur Kailash trek route in Himachal Pradesh after two makeshift bridges on the trail were washed away due to torrential rains and cloudbursts. Heavy rainfall in the region triggered cloudbursts and caused a bridge over the Tangling drain to be swept away on Wednesday morning, leaving scores of tourists an…

Patna, Aug 6 (IANS) At least seven Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were suspended in Bihar by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday, for alleged dereliction of duty and refusal to follow the stipulated guidelines.The BLOs were suspended by the Patna District Election Officer cum District Magistrate, with immediate effect.The reasons cited for the BLOs’ suspension include their absence from duty, ignorance of standard procedure and arbitrary decision-making, and no consultation with sen…

Palakkad, Aug 6 (IANS) A 32-year-old man was arrested in Palakkad, Kerala, on charges of brutally killing a cat and posting the cruel acts on social media, officials said on Wednesday.The accused, identified as Shajir, a truck driver from Muthukulam-Paramba near Cherpulassery, was arrested on Tuesday evening following a complaint lodged by a local animal rescue volunteer.According to the police, Shajir allegedly lured the cat with food before killing it inside his vehicle.He posted the visuals o…