Author: Team Admin

New Delhi: Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has urged India to consider playing a diplomatic role in easing tensions between the United States and Iran, calling for an immediate ceasefire as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies. Speaking in an interview, Stubb suggested that New Delhi could help facilitate dialogue between the two sides. He pointed to recent remarks by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who has repeatedly called for de escalation and diplomatic engagement to stabilise the situation. The Finnish leader said a ceasefire was urgently needed to calm rising hostilities and indicated that India’s diplomatic outreach could…

New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has defended the proposed Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, saying the legislation is intended to prevent fraudulent religious conversions and protect individuals from coercion, inducement and deception. Speaking about the bill introduced in the Maharashtra Assembly, Fadnavis said the law was prompted by cases where women were allegedly lured into relationships, married and later abandoned, leaving them and their children facing serious social and legal difficulties. He said the proposed legislation seeks to address such situations by closing legal loopholes that could be misused. According to the Chief Minister, the bill is…

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump issued a strong warning against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, saying such a development could destabilise the region and trigger devastating consequences across the Middle East. Speaking about recent military actions, Trump defended the operations and argued that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons remains critical for global security. He claimed that if Tehran were to obtain such weapons, it would use them immediately and could trigger large scale destruction across the region. Trump said the leadership in Iran posed a serious threat and described them as violent and dangerous. He alleged that thousands of…

New Delhi: A massive airstrike in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul has triggered sharp tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after Afghan authorities claimed that hundreds of people were killed when a hospital was struck late Monday night. Afghan officials said the attack hit a large drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul at around 9 pm local time. The strike reportedly caused severe destruction to the facility, which has a capacity of around 2,000 beds. Authorities said the blast destroyed significant portions of the building and left a large number of patients and staff trapped under debris. According to Afghan government statements, at least…

India: Mount Everest Breweries Ltd. (MEBL), one of India’s fastest growing breweries and part of the Associated Kedia Group, has announced its expansion into Goa, marking its entry into the state as its 13th market of operations. The move supports the company’s broader goal of expanding its presence to 20 states by the end of FY26, with a long-term ambition of achieving a 10 percent national market share by 2029. Goa, widely recognised as India’s premier tourism destination, attracts a large number of domestic and international travellers every year. The market presents a strong opportunity for brands to engage with…

Team Goemkarponn PANAJI: The state’s commercial tax department has reported that 349 appeals related to Goods and Services Tax (GST) are currently pending before the appellate authorities of State GST (SGST) in Goa. However, the finance department has clarified that there are no outstanding tax dues despite these pending cases. Chief minister Pramod Sawant explained that under the GST system, taxpayers are required to clear their tax liabilities, including interest and late fees, before submitting their returns through Form GSTR-3B. He said the online portal does not allow the filing of returns unless all dues are paid, which ensures that…

Team Goemkarponn Panaji: The state government has generated more than ₹1,749 crore in revenue from the casino sector over the past five years through licence fees and other charges under the Goa Public Gambling Act, 1976. Providing details in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Home portfolio, stated that the government collected ₹1,749,32,43,907 from casino operations between April 2021 and February 2026. The figures show a steady rise in revenue following the pandemic years. Collections from casino licence holders were ₹186.35 crore in 2021–22 and increased to ₹353.78 crore in 2022–23. The revenue…