After 25 years, Microsoft shuts shop in Pakistan, officials see it as 'troubling sign'
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Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bellad seeks electric buses under PM's e-Drive scheme to North Karnataka cities
Deputy leader of Opposition in the assembly Arvind Bellad (BJP) has written to Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy urging him to allocate electric buses under the PM's e-Drive scheme to North Karnataka cities like Hubballi-Dharwad , Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Ballari and Vijayapura. While Bengaluru has rightly received 4,500 e-buses, other regions also deserve attention. These cities have growing transport needs, existing KSRTC infrastructure, and in some cases BRT systems—making them ready for an efficient e-bus rollout, Bellad, who represents Hubballi-Dharwad West in the assembly, has said in his letter. Such a move will reduce regional disparities, curb emissions, create local jobs, and boost the EV ecosystem in underserved areas. A more balanced approach to green mobility will ensure true inclusive development across Karnataka, the BJP leader has said. Kumaraswamy had, in May, announced that Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Surat cities will get 10,900 brand new electric buses under the PM's e-Drive Scheme over the next two years. The PM e-Drive initiative aims to deploy 14,028 electric buses with a total financial outlay of Rs 10,900 crore over a two-year period from April 2024 to March 2026. The scheme represents one of the world's largest national efforts to electrify public transport at scale.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Masood Azhar not in Pakistan? Bhutto points to Afghanistan for housing one of India's most wanted terrorists
In a revealing interview with Al Jazeera, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Islamabad does not know the whereabouts of Masood Azhar , the UN-designated terrorist and Jaish-e-Mohammed chief. Bhutto suggested Azhar may be in Afghanistan and challenged India to provide actionable intelligence if it believes Azhar is in Pakistan. 'As far as Masood Azhar is concerned, we have been unable to arrest him or identify him given his past within the Afghan Jihad context. It is our belief that he is in Afghanistan,' Bhutto said during the interview. Masood Azhar is accused of being responsible for several deadly attacks, including the 2019 Pulwama bombing , and India has repeatedly called for action against him. New Delhi has a long-standing claim that Pakistan protects terrorists and thr terrorist attack in Kashmir in April was linked to the rival neighbour. Islamabad had, however, denied the charges by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 3 minutes, if you own a mouse Undo Bhutto also responded to ongoing U.S. concerns, including a 2022 U.S. State Department report that cited continued operations of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan. 'I could contest that with you. But suffice to say it's beyond that now,' he told Al Jazeera. Bhutto defended Pakistan's steps to meet international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), referring to convictions in terror-financing cases and the shutdown of over 90 institutions linked to extremist groups. Live Events On Hafiz Saeed , the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and another key figure wanted by India, Bhutto said, 'That's factually not correct… He is in the custody of the Pakistani state.' The interview comes as Pakistan faces increasing pressure following the release of the Global Terrorism Index 2025 . The report ranked Pakistan as the second-most terrorism-affected country, citing a 45% spike in terror-related deaths. The rise has been linked to the resurgence of militant groups near the Afghan border. Why is Masood Azhar 'wanted' in India? Masood Azhar has long been one of India's most wanted terrorists. He was released from Indian custody in 1999 in exchange for hostages on the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814. Soon after his release, Azhar founded Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which has been linked to several attacks on Indian military and civilian targets. Azhar has been on the run after being said to be the mastermind behind the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, among others. These attacks led to the deaths of dozens of Indian security personnel and civilians, and escalated tensions between the two neighbours. India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to take action against Azhar and hand him over. On May 7, 2025, India launched missile strikes on terrorist camps inside Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. One of the targets was Jaish-e-Mohammed's camp in Bahawalpur. Following the strike, the death of ten of his family members, including his sister, nephew, nieces, and other close relatives was confirmed. India flags terror funding risk in IMF aid to Pakistan Following the May 7 strikes, India accused Pakistan of rebuilding the very terror infrastructure that had been destroyed. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh raised concerns about Pakistan's intent and international financial support to it. 'Pakistan will spend the tax collected from its citizens to give around Rs 14 crore to Masood Azhar, the head of Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist organisation, even though he is a UN-designated terrorist,' Singh said. He also alleged that the Pakistan government announced financial aid to rebuild the terror bases of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Muridke and Bahawalpur. The defence minister also called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reconsider its recent $1 billion assistance to Islamabad. 'Certainly, a large part of IMF's one billion dollars assistance will be used to fund the terror infrastructure. Will this not be considered indirect funding by IMF, an international organisation? Any financial assistance to Pakistan is no less than terror funding. The funds India gives to IMF should not be used, directly or indirectly, to create terror infrastructure in Pakistan or any other country,' Singh had said.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
When Microsoft founder Bill Gates said this bad habit he developed at Harvard was hard to break
Microsoft founder Bill Gates admitted that procrastination was one of the bad habits he had to overcome during the early years of his years. Speaking at a 2005 Q&A session alongside investor Warren Buffett at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Gates told students that he developed this habit while studying at Harvard University . I liked to show people that I didn't do any work, and that I didn't go to classes and I didn't care,' he then said. Gates added that he would get serious about exams at the last minute, sometimes just two days before the test. 'People thought that was funny,' he said. 'That was my positioning: the guy who did nothing until the last minute.' However, things changed after he entered the business world. 'When I went into business that was a really bad habit and it took me a couple years to get over that,' Gates said, drawing laughter from the audience. Bill Gates' best memory at Harvard In a 2016 Ask Me Anything Reddit post, Gates was asked about his best memory at Harvard. He said: 'I decided that I would be different and never attend any class I was signed up for but always attend a class I wasn't signed up for.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo When asked how he managed to pass his classes, Gates replied that he simply studied 'really hard' during reading period- the time given just before final exams. Gates said that by following tis strategy, he always received As. In an organic chemistry class, faulty video recordings of lectures led him to a C+. 'That spooked me,' he admitted. Going into business was a reality check: Bill Gates During a panel discussion at the University of Nebraska, Gates admitted that going into business was a sobering reality check. 'Nobody praised me because I would do things at the last minute,' he said. Consequently, he tried to 'reverse' his habit and become more like other students 'who were always organized and had things done on time.' Google Pixel 9 Pro After 1 Year: Still a Flagship Worth Buying in 2025? | Long-Term Review AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
