After a gap of about ten years, India and New Zealand on Sunday announced resumption of negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement to boost economic ties, moments after Kiwi Prime Minister Christopher Luxon landed in New Delhi. Luxon on Sunday began a five-day visit to India with a focus on deepening the bilateral trade and economic ties. India and New Zealand began negotiating the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in April 2010 to boost trade in goods, services, and investment. However, after nine rounds of discussions, the talks stalled in 2015. “The two nations are pleased to announce the launch of negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations,” the commerce ministry said. “The India-New Zealand FTA negotiations aim to achieve balanced outcomes that enhance supply chain integration and improve market access,” it said. “With bilateral trade continuing to grow steadily, surpassing $1 billion during April-January 2025, the FTA negotiations aim to unlock new avenues for businesses and consumers, fostering mutual growth and prosperity of our nations,” Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said in a post on X. New Zealand's average import tariff is just 2.3 per cent, compared to India's 17.8 per cent, it has said. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $873.4 million (exports $538.33 million and imports $335 million) in 2023-24 as against $1.02 billion in 2022-23. Raisina Dialogue PM Modi will on Monday throw open the three-day Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics that will be joined by delegates from 125 countries. PM Luxon, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha are among those attending the 10th edition of the conclave. In a first, a delegation, including a senior security official, from Taiwan is also attending the deliberations reflecting growing cooperation between the two sides in the last few years, people familiar with the matter said. The Raisina Dialogue is being hosted by the leading think-tank Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The theme of this edition of the Dialogue is “Kalachakra - People, Peace and Planet”. It will witness the participation of representatives from about 125 countries. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
17 March,2025 08:45 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesUnion Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Congress made fun when the BJP-led government signed the Bodo accord, but it brought peace and development in the region. Addressing the 57th annual conference of the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in Assam’s Kokrajhar, Shah said the Centre gave R1,500 crore for the development of Bodoland, which has a population of 35 lakh. He said 82 per cent of clauses of the Bodo accord has been implemented and the remaining will be done in the next two years. Amit Shah also exhorted the Bodo youths to start preparing for the 2036 Olympics, which is proposed to be held in Ahmedabad. Bodo youths now carry the tricolour in their hands instead of guns and this has been possible due to the signing of the peace accord in January 2020, Shah said. “This has been possible due to the role of the ABSU, a signatory of the accord, in bringing peace to the region,” he said. “The Congress may have laughed at us that there will be no peace in BTR but 82 per cent clauses of the Bodo Accord have been implemented with 100 per cent to be completed in the next two years”, he said. The NDFB, also a signatory to the peace accord, have given up arms and both the central and state governments have taken several initiatives to rehabilitate them, he added. He said that the BJP governments at the Centre and the state are committed to translating the dreams of ‘Bodofa’, who was born in Dotma, into reality. What is the Bodo peace accord? The Tripartite Bodo Accord is a peace treaty signed on 27th January 2020, between the Assam government, Central government, and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland. The objective was to stop separatist demands from the Bodo-Kachari community and bring peace. The first Bodo Accord signed in 1993 led to the formation of the Bodoland Autonomous Council. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
17 March,2025 08:40 AM IST | Assam | AgenciesTheatre groups, producers, artists, and event managers staged a strong protest on Sunday at the Bal Gandharv Rang Mandir premises in Pune against the local civic body's newly launched booking app. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) launched the ‘Rangyatra’ mobile application for online booking of municipal theatres on its 75th anniversary on March 15. Alleging that the system is impractical and detrimental to local artists, a collective of theatre professionals has formally demanded scrapping of the app. There are 15 auditoriums in the city, and among them, four theatres in the city area experience tremendous booking pressure. Babasaheb Patil, Maharashtra state president of the Nationalist Congress Party's movie, art, and culture wings, told mid-day, “Since it is an online system, anyone can book the theatre from anywhere. Large event companies may dominate the booking system, leaving small and local theatre groups at a disadvantage. Instead of this, the civic administration should focus on providing proper basic amenities like clean washrooms and drinking water in the auditoriums.” Marathi actor Prashant Damle said, “The distribution of dates for plays is very close to the heart of any artist. Theatre artists overcome all sorts of hurdles to perform. PMC has been cooperative in the past. But this time, they made a decision without understanding our difficulties. Though they have launched the app, they should not implement it immediately. The authorities should organise a meeting with us, make necessary changes, and then relaunch the app.” Sunil Mahajan, president of the Kothrud branch of Natyaparishad, said, “The PMC's culture department did not take anyone into confidence before launching this app. PMC usually discusses new initiatives with us, but this time, they did not inform us. We met the authorities and requested them to refrain from launching the app, but they hurriedly did so on the PMC anniversary.” Additionally, veteran actors and producers such as Sharad Ponkshe, Bhagyashree Desai, Ashok Hande, and Meghraj Raje Bhosale (president of Bal Gandharv Rang Mandir), have also expressed their disapproval. The theatre community stated that online reservations are inconvenient for theatre managers, producers, artists, and folk performers, making it difficult to plan performances efficiently. They argued that PMC lacks the infrastructure to handle a high volume of online booking requests, raising concerns about mismanagement and technical issues. The requirement for advance payments is also a financial burden for many Marathi theatre producers. Until now, bookings for PMC-run theatres and cultural centres were made through physical visits to the cultural department. In an effort to modernise the process, PMC launched the ‘Rangyatra’ app on March 12, allowing for digital reservations. However, 15 major theatre organisations have opposed the move, stating that the new system is flawed and may lead to unfair advantages for larger event management companies. A delegation representing these organisations met with PMC’s cultural department head, Sunil Ballal, and submitted a memorandum expressing their concerns. The statement was endorsed by several key figures in the industry, including Sunil Mahajan (Sambad), Pravin Barve (Parag Publicity), Sameer Hampi (S H Enterprises), Satyajit Dhandekar (Rajeshwari), Mohan Kulkarni (Manoranjan), Baba Patil (Marathi Film Association), Vijay Patwardhan (Vijay Patwardhan Foundation), Shirish Kulkarni (Rangyatra), and Yogesh Supekar (All Artist Foundation).
17 March,2025 08:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Archana DahiwalAt least 60 persons were injured after being attacked by a swarm of bees at the famous Shivneri Fort in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday, a forest official said, reported the PTI. Of those injured, 50 were treated at a nearby hospital, he said. Legendary Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born at the Shivneri Fort, located in Junnar tehsil, about 90 km from Pune. Hundreds of people visit the historical site everyday. "The incident occurred near the Shivai temple at the fort. As per eyewitnesses, a group of youths hurled stones at a beehive, agitating the flying insects and triggering the attack," said Range Forest Officer Pradip Chavan from Junnar, according to the PTI. About 60 visitors sustained bee stings, with 50 requiring hospital treatment, he said. "Fortunately, all were out of danger and were later discharged," the official added. A similar incident had occurred on February 19, during the birth anniversary celebrations of Shivaji Maharaj, when 10 persons were injured in a bee attack. The bee attack had occurred around noon when several people had gathered at the historical site to participate in a function to commemorate the 395th birth anniversary of the legendary Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. As part of the event, a medical team and forest guards were deployed at the 'Kadelot' point of the fort, the officials had last month said. "Suddenly, some honey bees stung two doctors, two forest guards and five to six others. They were administered injections and sent to a nearby hospital. They are currently undergoing treatment," the official had earlier said, according to the PTI. Earlier on that day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar had also paid tribute to Shivaji Maharaj at the fort, the birthplace of the Maratha king. Shivaji Maharaj not only established 'Swarajya', but also ignited a sense of national pride, CM Fadnavis said while paying homage to the Maratha king at Shivneri Fort in Pune. A large number of followers of the Maratha king had gathered at the fort to take part in his 395th birth anniversary event. The legendary warrior king was born on February 19, 1630 in Shivneri in the district's Junnar tehsil. (with PTI inputs)
16 March,2025 09:18 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentTwo persons were killed after a private bus collided with their two-wheeler in Raigad district of Maharashtra on Sunday morning, the police said, reported the PTI. A police official said that the two men who were in their 20s were heading to a temple in Ombali village in Raigad when a bus coming from the opposite direction hit their two-wheeler on a narrow road. He said the victims, Rahul Shrirang Salunkhe and Siddhesh Ganesh Sakpal, were shifted to the Poladpur Rural Hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries. The official said that the bodies of the deceased men were handed over to their families, according to the PTI. The official said that a case has been registered against the bus driver, and a probe is underway. One killed, pillion rider injured in hit-and-run case in Pune; police launch manhunt to nab car driver One person was killed and a pillion rider was injured in a hit-and-run case in Maharashtra's Pune, an official said, adding that the police has launched a manhunt to nab the car driver involved in the incident, the ANI reported on Sunday. The police said that the accident took place in Pune's Undri area in the wee hours of Saturday. It said that in the incident, a 34-year-old food delivery rider Mazhar Jilani Shaikh was killed and his friend, who was riding pillion, is undergoing treatment at a hospital, as per the ANI. According to Senior Police Inspector Mansingh Patil from Kalepadal Police Station, the accident took place at around 3 am when an unidentified car hit their bike. The driver later fled the scene, the official said The Pune Police has registered a case and launched an investigation to track down the accused. "At around 3 am on Saturday, an unidentified car hit a bike in the Undri area on which 34-year-old Mazhar Jilani Shaikh and his friend were travelling, in the incident Mazhar Shaikh died at hospital while his friend was undergoing treatment," Patil said, according to teh ANI. The Pune Police have booked an unidentified suspect involved in the fatal accident at the Kalepadal Police Station and have commenced an investigation to locate the accused. Further investigations in the matter were underway, the police said. (with PTI and ANI inputs)
16 March,2025 08:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentUnion Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said that the country's infrastructure should be developed on par with international standards, reported the PTI. Gadkari inaugurated two supply hubs of GMMCO India, a CK Birla company, at Butibori and Hingna in Maharashtra's Nagpur district on Sunday. Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that the water, power, transport and communication are major infrastructure, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the highest priority to infrastructure development in the country. The minister highlighted the need for creating an economy focused on job creation and said that in the global scenario, everything was positive for India, and the country has a huge potential with many factors, such as manpower, technology and youth, in its favour, according to the PTI. Nitin Gadkari also pitched for the use of alternative and biofuels. Earlier this month, Gadkari had informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply that a total of 19,826 km of roads have been constructed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana so far, out of the 26,425 km that have been awarded. GMMCO India's integrated facilities feature world-class repair, rebuild, and parts distribution hubs, playing a crucial role in supporting customers across India, with a focus on Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Goa. GMMCO India's managing director Chandrasekhar V said that the company invested Rs 60 crore to expand the MRC (machine rebuild centre) and CRC (component rebuild centre) facilities in Hingna and Butibori to strengthen its presence across India, as per the PTI. GMMCO India, in a release, said the Butibori MRC facility, spanning 10 acres, houses a warehouse and supply hub, managing 30,000 plus line items worth Rs 210 crore and is expected to process 45,000 transactions monthly, the news agency reported. The Hingna CRC facility, spread over 4 acres, will have the capacity to rebuild/overhaul 750 engines and 400 transmissions annually. The release said that with more than 250 skilled personnel, industry-leading infrastructure, and seamless integration of service, parts, and rebuild capabilities, the Butibori and Hingna facilities will significantly enhance service response times, reduce repair turnaround, improve parts availability, and enable proactive machine health management, the news agency reported on Sunday. (with PTI inputs)
16 March,2025 07:22 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentArvind Singh Mewar, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Mewar and chairman of the HRH Group of Hotels, died in Udaipur early on Sunday after prolonged illness, his family said. He was 81. He is survived by wife Vijayraj Kumari, son Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar and daughters Bhargavi Kumari Mewar and Padmaja Kumari Parmar. A descendant of Rajput king Maharana Pratap, Mewar had been ill for a long time and under treatment at his residence in Udaipur's City Palace. His funeral will be held on Monday. As a mark of respect, the City Palace will be closed for tourists till Monday. Mewar was the younger son of Bhagwant Singh Mewar and Sushila Kumari. His elder brother Mahendra Singh Mewar died in November. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, his predecessors Ashok Gehlot and Vasundahra Raje, former BJP Rajasthan president Satish Poonia, Mewar's nephew Vishvaraj Singh Mewar and several other political and Rajput leaders expressed sadness at the erstwhile royal's passing. Sharma said he played a crucial role in promoting Mewar's "glorious legacy". Raje pointed to his efforts in promoting tourism in Udaipur and said his contributions would always be remembered. Gehlot, Poonia and several other leaders prayed for peace for his departed soul. Educated at the prestigious Ajmer's Mayo College, Mewar pursued hotel management courses in the UK and the US. He received training in various international hotels. He lived and worked in Chicago, US, for several years before building the HRH Group of Hotels as a professionally-managed corporate organisation. An avid cricketer, Mewar made his debut in the Ranji Trophy as Rajasthan's captain in 1945-46 and had an eventful two-decade career. He began to play polo in the 1970s before giving up the sport due to medical reasons. To showcase his commitment to professional polo in the UK, Mewar instituted The Udaipur Cup at the Cambridge and Newmarket Polo Club. In Udaipur, Mewar Polo was formed as a team of professional players who had been handpicked and specially trained for Indian tournaments. The Mewar Polo team lifted the prestigious President's Cup in 1991. Mewar was also an avid pilot and completed solo flights across India in a microlight aircraft. He was chairman and managing trustee of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur. He also headed other trusts. Mewar had become embroiled in conflict with his brother Mahendra Singh following the passing of their father regarding leadership of the house of Mewar and property. Bhagwant Singh had willed his property through a trust to Mewar, his younger son, and named him successor. He had also disinherited his elder son Mahendra Singh because he had filed a lawsuit against him. After Bhagwant Singh's death in 1984, Mewar assumed leadership of the house. At the same time, Mahendra Singh was coronated as the family's titular head. Following Mahendra Singh's death in November, his son Vishvaraj Singh, a BJP MLA, became the titular head. A controversy erupted when Vishvaraj Singh was prevented from entering the City Palace by his cousin Lakshyaraj Singh. The deadlock ended after Vishwaraj Singh was permitted to enter the palace to visit 'dhuni (sacred fire)' to offer prayers to the deity. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 March,2025 07:20 PM IST | Jaipur | PTIPM Modi on Sunday said that every attempt to promote peace with Pakistan has been met with hostility and betrayal, and he hopes that wisdom will prevail on the leadership in Islamabad to repair bilateral relations, PTI reported. In a podcast with Lex Fridman which aired on Sunday, PM Modi recalled that he had personally invited his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony back in 2014 in the hopes that the two countries could turn a page. "Yet, every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal. We sincerely hope that wisdom prevails upon them and they choose the path of peace," the prime minister said in his over three-hour interaction, PTI reported. PM Modi stated that he believes the people of Pakistan long for peace because they are tired of living in strife, unrest, and constant fear, where innocent children are slain and countless lives are destroyed. The Prime Minister described his first move to improve bilateral relations as a gesture of goodwill, PTI reported. "It was a diplomatic gesture unlike any in decades. The very people who once questioned my approach to foreign policy were taken aback when they learned I had invited all SAARC heads of state and our then President Pranab Mukherjee beautifully captured that historic gesture in his memoir," PM Modi said. "This was a testament to how clear and confident India's foreign policy had become. This sent a clear message to the world about India's commitment to peace and harmony, but we didn't get the desired outcome," he said, PTI reported. India slams Pakistan for 'unjustified' reference to Jammu and Kashmir in UNGA India has slammed Pakistan for its "unjustified" reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the UN General Assembly, with New Delhi asserting that such remarks will neither validate the country's claim nor justify its practice of cross-border terrorism. "As is their habit, the former foreign secretary of Pakistan today has made an unjustified reference to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir," India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, said in remarks on Friday in the General Assembly at the informal meeting of the plenary to commemorate the International Day to combat Islamophobia. Harish said frequent references by Pakistan will "neither validate their claim nor justify their practice of cross-border terrorism". "The fanatical mindset of this nation is well known, as also its record of bigotry. Such efforts will not change the reality that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and will always be an integral part of India," he said. (With agency inputs)
16 March,2025 06:35 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentOne person was killed and a pillion rider was injured in a hit-and-run case in Maharashtra's Pune, an official said, adding that the police has launched a manhunt to nab the car driver involved in the incident, the ANI reported on Sunday. The police said that the accident took place in Pune's Undri area in the wee hours of Saturday. It said that in the incident, a 34-year-old food delivery rider Mazhar Jilani Shaikh was killed and his friend, who was riding pillion, is undergoing treatment at a hospital, as per the ANI. According to Senior Police Inspector Mansingh Patil from Kalepadal Police Station, the accident took place at around 3 am when an unidentified car hit their bike. The driver later fled the scene, the official said The Pune Police has registered a case and launched an investigation to track down the accused. "At around 3 am on Saturday, an unidentified car hit a bike in the Undri area on which 34-year-old Mazhar Jilani Shaikh and his friend were travelling, in the incident Mazhar Shaikh died at hospital while his friend was undergoing treatment," said Patil, according to teh ANI. The Pune Police have booked an unidentified individual at the Kalepadal Police Station and have commenced an investigation to locate the accused. Further investigations in the matter were underway, the police said. Pune police crush 1,768 modified silencers in major crackdown Meanwhile, the Pune traffic police has launched a massive crackdown on bike riders installing loud, modified silencers. As part of this special operation, road rollers were used to crush 1,768 modified silencers. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar had ordered action against such modified silencers. Under the supervision of Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjankumar Sharma and Additional Commissioner of Police (Eastern Region) Manoj Patil, 1,768 modified silencers were seized and destroyed using a road roller. Manoj Patil said, “This is one of the major actions taken against modified silencer bikes in the city. The number of reckless drivers violating traffic rules in Pune has been rising. Many youths modify or replace the silencers of motorcycles and other two-wheelers, driving recklessly at high speeds on public roads and in residential areas, creating loud, disruptive noise both day and night to grab attention.” The drive was conducted jointly by the city police and traffic police at 70 checkpoints across the city. This deafening noise has been causing distress to senior citizens, women, and peace-loving residents. Numerous complaints from citizens prompted the city police to issue strict instructions for action against illegally modified silencers. “A dedicated campaign was initiated to regulate silencers, and moving forward, action will also be taken against garage owners selling or installing such silencers. We direct vehicle owners to follow proper traffic rules and regulations,” an official stated. (with PTI inputs)
16 March,2025 05:38 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentKulgam Police in Jammu and Kashmir has registered its first electronic First Information Report (e-FIR) following a complaint lodged via WhatsApp on Sunday, a senior officer said. The FIR was registered at the Qazigund police station. The complaint was filed by Bashir Ahmad Khanday, stating that on March 12, one unknown person, after monitoring his transition activity within the ATM at Chowgam, "quickly took out my ATM card and exchanged it tactfully." "After that, I received messages of deduction of an amount of Rs 22,000 from my bank account. The complainant requested legal action against the said unknown person and for recovery of his stolen money," the Public Relations Officer (Kulgam police) said. After examining the complaint, the police took cognizance of the matter and registered an FIR under section 303, 318 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station Qazigund, the PRO said, adding that the investigation of the case has been initiated. The statement further added that to strengthen public safety and justice, the government has introduced new criminal laws that enable citizens to register First Information Reports (FIRs) through social media platforms as this innovative initiative aims to make the process of reporting crimes more accessible, efficient, and citizen-friendly. "With the rising popularity of social media, this move is expected to revolutionize the way people interact with law enforcement agencies," the PRO added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 March,2025 05:19 PM IST | Kulgam | ANIPolice have arrested a student for allegedly offering namaz in an open area of a private university here in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, officials said on Sunday. Khalid Pradhan (Khalid Mewati) was arrested following protests by local Hindu groups over a purported video surfaced around Holi celebrations this week that showed a group of students offering namaz on the university campus. The university administration suspended Pradhan and three security personnel over the incident and called for police and administrative action against Khalid Pradhan, who allegedly uploaded the video. Circle Officer Sadar Dehat Shiv Pratap Singh on Sunday told PTI, "A video of offering namaz in the IIMT University campus was circulated on social media." Pradhan was arrested and sent to jail, he said. On Saturday, SHO of Ganga Nagar police station Anoop Singh said the case was lodged based on a complaint by one Kartik Hindu. A case has been filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008, he said. Earlier, IIMT University spokesperson Sunil Sharma said an internal investigation found that namaz was offered in an open area and its video was uploaded to "disrupt communal harmony". Local Hindu groups demanded the arrest of those involved, citing the large number of students in the gathering and the timing of the video's circulation during Holi. Holi celebrations this year coincided with the second Friday prayers of the Islamic holy month of Ramzan. Several controversial remarks by leaders had created a tense atmosphere in some places, with the UP administration tightening security measures, but the day went free of any untoward incident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 March,2025 04:53 PM IST | Meerut | PTIADVERTISEMENT
