Author: Indmedia
Representative image. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto The Income Tax Department on Saturday (August 15, 2026) notified a new voluntary disclosure scheme allowing small taxpayers to declare certain undisclosed foreign assets and income by paying an effective 60% tax, as the government seeks to bring overseas holdings into the tax net without exposing eligible taxpayers to further penalties or prosecution.The Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers-Disclosure Scheme (FAST-DS), announced in the 2026-27 Budget, will take effect from Sunday (August 16, 2026), with online declarations open until December 31, 2026, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said.The scheme is aimed at…
Iranian authorities on Saturday called for the release of three pilots they say were captured in Qatar during the West Asia war.”Three Iranian pilots were captured alive by Qatari forces after their Su-24 fighter jets crashed during the war,” said General Mohammad Bagherzadeh of the Iranian armed forces, Fars news agency reported.”Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian, and Omran Behraveshian have been held by Qatari forces for six months,” he said in a letter addressed to the International Committee of the Red Cross.In the letter, Bagherzadeh called for their release, saying the pilots had not been allowed to meet or contact their…
Dalit and progressive organisations protested against the hoisting of the national flag by a non-Raichur representative in Raichur on Saturday Raichur: Tension prevailed in the city on Saturday as members of Dalit and progressive organisations attempted to gherao district minister Ajay Singh during his visit for the Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony. The protesters demanded ministerial berths for Raichur MLAs and the appointment of a local legislator as the district minister.Raising slogans against the Congress govt, the protesters alleged that Raichur had been ignored in the allocation of cabinet positions and district minister posts.As the demonstrators tried to march towards Mahatma…
Mumbai: Sahar police arrested 20 agents from Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh for allegedly running a racket that provided passports using forged documents to Indian, Bangladeshi and Afghan nationals between March 2025 and Feb 2026, leading to a sharp dip in cases registered. Police said adding the name of the agent in an FIR is a deterrent, which was not the case earlier. The dip could also be because agents might have become alert and chosen airports other than Mumbai to send passengers overseas, the officials added.In the first seven months of 2026, Sahar police registered 37 cases, compared…
New Delhi: Around 150 students and parents logged in Saturday to hear JNU professor emerita Zoya Hasan speak on ’Why Pluralism Matters’, a day after her scheduled appearance as chief guest at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya’s Independence Day function was cancelled following protests outside the school. At the virtual Independence Day celebration organised by parents and students, Hasan delivered the address that she could not deliver Friday.Hasan was to hoist Tricolour, address and present awards to meritorious students as the chief guest, but after protesters gathered outside the school gate, the school’s managing body had replaced her.On Saturday, parents read out…
Bengaluru: Doctors in Bengaluru are reporting a rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents and young adults, prompting calls for greater awareness, comprehensive sex education and easier access to healthcare rather than moral judgement or stigma.Gynaecologists across the city say they are increasingly diagnosing STIs in patients as young as 17 and 18 years. The most commonly reported infections include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV) and syphilis. While most STIs can be effectively treated if identified early, delayed diagnosis and treatment can result in serious long-term health complications, including infertility, chronic pelvic pain and an increased risk…
Hyderabad: A 31-year-old woman from Kowkoor in Medchal Malkajgiri district was allegedly duped of ₹15.4 lakh by cyber fraudsters in a matrimonial and impersonation scam. In June, the victim created a profile on a matrimonial site. On July 4, she connected with an individual who identified himself as Nitin Bhaskar, an NRI who claimed to work as a senior manager at a UK-based company.They continued communicating over WhatsApp and, in the first week of Aug, Nitin shared his flight details with the victim indicating that he was travelling from London to India to meet her. On Aug 5, the victim…
COIMBATORE: At a time when writing by hand has given way to keyboards and touchscreens, a two-day pen exhibition in the city is drawing visitors ranging from curious children to senior citizens, reviving interest in the humble writing instrument.The India Pen Show by MPM Stationery began at Bharathi Park on Saturday. Around 26 traders, including three to four manufacturers from Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and other parts of the country, are showcasing their collections.About 80% of the exhibits are fountain pens, with handcrafted pieces, speciality nibs and customised designs attracting considerable attention.Nibs made of titanium and silver, along with pens…
Prior to going missing Smyth had contacted rescuers from Tiganesti to say he was disoriented and physically exhausted.At the time, rescuers said he was in a “very isolated and hard-to-access mountain area” and the weather conditions were extremely severe with strong winds, heavy snowfall, and dense fog.After news of his disappearance first broke, Smyth’s former school, Haberdashers’ Adams in Newport, said: “We are deeply concerned and saddened to learn that our much-loved and cherished former student, George Smyth, has been reported missing while hiking in the Bucegi Mountain Range in Romania.”Smyth’s rugby club, Newport (Salop) RUFC, had been following the…
A potentially uplifting planetary alignment occurs on August 15, when Mercury conjoins Jupiter in Leo. In astrology, Mercury is linked with communication, ideas and learning, while Jupiter is associated with growth, optimism and expansion. Their meeting in expressive Leo can put a spotlight on confidence, conversations and new possibilities.How the Mercury-Jupiter conjunction in Leo affects a few zodiac signs.According to a recent post by Cosmic Forecast Astrology on Substack, this alignment could bring a stronger sense of confidence and make certain ideas or conversations feel more important. The astrologer suggests paying attention to what begins to grow when you give…