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Work begins on Animal Hospice and Palliative Care Centre after months of delay

Leopard attacks five people in Hassan, Forest Department captures animal

Kerala Forest Minister unveils 100-day action plan to tackle rising human-wildlife conflict

Department will embark on efforts to assess the carrying capacity of State’s forests to address public concerns regarding animal overpopulation

Birds Do It Too: New Study Says Masturbation In Animals Is More Common Than We Think

Researchers found that masturbation is widespread among birds and should be viewed as a natural and healthy part of their sexual behaviour.

Government launching animal-centric breeding to boost dairy farmers’ income, says Collector

Participating in an awareness campaign for livestock farmers, Himanshu Shukla urges farmers to take advantage of the opportunity and achieve further development in the Animal Husbandry sector

Extreme heat tests India's record milk production

Extreme heat means cows ‌eat less, make less milk, struggle to conceive and produce fewer live offspring, experts say, while farmers spend more trying to keep animals cool and fertile

Upset by animal sacrifice on Bakrid, Muslim man embraces Hinduism

Upset by animal sacrifice on Bakrid, Muslim man embraces Hinduism

India-Oman trade deal goes live June 1

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman is set to come into force on June 1, marking a significant milestone in bilateral economic relations. Both nations will formally announce the decision on Monday.This marks the fifth free trade agreement (FTA) implemented under the Modi government since 2014. It follows trade pacts rolled out with Mauritius (April 2021), the UAE (May 2022), Australia (December 2022), and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA—comprising Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway in October 2025). India has also signed deals with the UK (July 2025) and New Zealand (April 2026), alongside concluding trade talks with the 27-nation European Union (EU) on January 27 this year.CEPA vs FTAModern trade pacts typically span around 20 chapters. These encompass comprehensive regulations across trade in goods, trade in services, investment, intellectual property rights, customs procedures, and dispute settlement mechanisms.Similar bilateral frameworks are also designated as Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements (CECA), Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreements (CETA), or Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreements (ECTA).Also read: India-Oman CEPA to strengthen energy security, trade resilience and export growthIndia-Oman tradeBilateral trade between the two nations reached USD 11.18 billion during 2025-26, up from USD 10.61 billion in 2024-25. India’s exports stood at USD 4.02 billion, while imports from Oman were valued at USD 7.16 billion.In the services domain, India's exports to Oman expanded from USD 397 million in 2020 to USD 665 million in 2024, driven primarily by telecommunications, computer and information, transport, and travel sectors. Conversely, services imports from Oman grew from USD 101 million to USD 197.7 million over the same period, led by transport, travel, telecom, and other business services.What does India gain? The deal unlocks 100% duty-free market access for Indian exports to Oman, covering 98.08% of Oman’s tariff lines, which represents 99.38% of the trade value (based on the 2022-23 average).Immediate Concessions: All zero-duty access comes into effect from "Day One" of the agreement. Currently, only 15.33% of India’s export value (11.34% of tariff lines) enters Oman duty-free under the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) regime.Price Competitiveness: The pact eliminates the current 5% import duty on Indian goods worth USD 3.64 billion.Growth Drivers: Key sectors poised for immediate advantages include textiles, agricultural products, transport equipment, precision instruments, processed food, and gems & jewellery.New Horizons: The agreement unlocks fresh export windows for Indian minerals, chemicals, base metals, machinery, plastic, rubber, automobiles, clocks, instruments, glass, ceramics, marble, and paper.India-Oman CEPA: Key sectoral gainsOman will grant immediate zero-duty access to crucial Indian industrial segments, including:Iron and steelElectrical and industrial machineryMarine products and copper goodsFurthermore, the removal of the 5% tariff is set to directly bolster the competitiveness of Indian vehicles in the Omani market, while securing binding zero-duty access for key finished medicines and vaccines.India protects sensitive sectorsTo insulate local industries and farming communities, India has placed 2,789 tariff lines on its exclusion list.Excluded Categories: Key domestic sectors shielded from tariff concessions include transport equipment, major chemicals, cereals, fruits, vegetables, spices, coffee, tea, and products of animal origin.Manufacturing Safeguards: High-value manufacturing chains including rubber, leather, textiles, footwear, petroleum oils, and mineral-based products remain protected.Agricultural Shielding: Strategic segments such as dairy products, meat, oilseeds, vegetable oils, sugar, and food-processing residues are entirely kept out of the liberalisation purview.Service sector stands to gainWith Oman’s total global services imports standing at USD 12.52 billion in 2024, India’s current share of 5.31% presents significant room for expansion.Oman has made robust commitments regarding the temporary entry and stay of Indian service professionals. Notably, the Intra-Corporate Transferees (ICT) ceiling has been raised from 20% to 50%, allowing Indian firms to deploy a higher volume of managerial and specialist personnel.Additionally, for the first time in any FTA, Oman has locked in specific commitments for professional service providers, benefitting Indian talent in IT, accounting, engineering, medical, education, construction, and consulting fields.Gains for India's agri sectorIndian agricultural exports such as natural honey, potatoes, cashews, boneless meat, and bakery items will secure immediate duty-free entry into Oman.Oman has agreed to dismantle tariffs—which currently range from 5% to 100%—on an array of items. These include cheese, curd, milk, cream, frozen fish, butter, meat, yoghurt, pastries, cakes, chocolate, sugar confectionery, mineral water, alongside animal and vegetable fats and oils.In return, Indian consumers will benefit from cheaper imports of Omani dates, with India granting zero-duty access for up to 2,000 tonnes of the commodity annually. New Delhi is also extending tariff concessions to Oman’s traditional products: Gum Arabica (utilised in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics) and Frankincense (utilised in the incense and perfume sectors).Oman to benefit from tariff concessionsIndia is extending tariff concessions across 77.79% of its total tariff lines (equivalent to 12,556 lines), which encapsulates 94.81% of India’s total imports from Oman by value.For items that hold significant export value for Oman but remain sensitive for domestic industries in India—such as dates, marbles, and specific petrochemical products—liberalisation will be managed via a controlled Tariff-Rate Quota (TRQ) mechanism.India strengthening presence in Middle EastThe Oman CEPA serves as another pillar in India's deepening trade ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), following its May 2022 pact with the UAE. New Delhi is set to commence trade talks with Qatar soon, and has already inked terms of reference (TOR) to initiate broader trade pact negotiations with the entire GCC bloc (comprising Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain).Despite its size, Oman commands vast geopolitical importance as it borders the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint heavily relied upon by Asian enterprises for oil trade. The nation serves as a strategic gateway for Indian goods and services into the broader Middle Eastern and African markets.Currently, nearly 7 lakh Indian nationals reside in Oman, sending home approximately USD 2 billion in annual remittances. Over 6,000 Indian establishments operate within Oman, and India has clocked USD 615.54 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from Oman between April 2000 and September 2025. Notably, this CEPA is the first bilateral trade pact Oman has signed with any nation since its agreement with the United States in 2006, cementing its position as India’s third-largest export market within the GCC.

Muslim group in Bihar raises demand on cow protection and ban on beef export

Members of the Muslim community in Bihar’s Darbhanga raised demands to declare the cow as the national animal and ban beef exports during a peaceful gathering after Eid-ul-Adha prayers. The event highlighted calls for respect, harmony, and social unity.

Elephant calf rescued after falling into water tank near Anthiyur in T.N.

Rescue personnel first pumped out the water from the tank using an electric motor. A JCB excavator was then pressed into service to breach a portion of the structure and create a passage for the animal to climb out

US Historian Audrey Truschke Denies Shiva-Pashupati On Harappan Seal, Says It Represents 'Lord Of Animals'

Historian Audrey Truschke disputes India's claim that Pashupati seal shows early Lord Shiva, saying it likely reflects a broader Lord of Animals motif, reviving scholarly debate

Id prayers shifted to Brigade Ground in Kolkata as Bengal govt. imposes fresh curbs on Bakrid celebrations

Morning namaz moved from Red Road to Brigade Parade Ground this year, while public animal slaughter and roadside festivities remain prohibited under the new rules of the BJP government in the State; Hindu cow owners complain of economic distress due to sluggish cattle sale.

Down the rabbit hole: Bangladeshi buffalo 'Trump' pardoned – brief history of animal sacrifices

We live in the era of viral animals, from Larry the Cat, the permanent fixture at 10 Downing Street, to Moo Deng, the cute pygmy hippo in Thailand, and Punch, the lonely monkey whose inability to make friends made the world go aww. Donald Trump the buffalo might be the latest addition to this pantheon. But long before the algorithm turned animals into celebrities, humans were already turning them into gods, omens, sacrifices, scapegoats and pardoned prisoners.

‘BMC must act’: BJP leader alleges illegal animal slaughter in Mumbai localities on Bakrid

Eid Al-Adha or Bakra Eid, which is being observed on May 28 this year, is a significant Islamic festival also referred to as the 'festival of sacrifice'.

Jamiat chief says do not sacrifice prohibited animals, avoid sharing slaughter photos on social media

Former Vice-President Hamid Ansari also appealed to Muslims not to slaughter cows during Id-ul-Fitr and urged the Centre to heed the Jamiat chief's suggestion to declare the cow as the national animal

Hyderabad Airport's Viral Dog Video — And A Nation Still Fighting Over What To Do With 52 Million Street Animals

The footage from RGIA is more than an embarrassing slip — it is a window into a national debate that has reached the highest court in the land.

Leopard rescued without tranquiliser from toilet at S.V. Veterinary University, Tirupati

The nearly one-year-old female was caught without tranquilising and moved to the Animal Rescue Centre at the S.V. Zoological Park for observation

No Animal Sacrifice At Public Places On Bakrid: Yogi Adityanath

Yogi Adityanath issued the directives during a review of security and administrative matters

Ahead of Bakrid, nodal officer appointed for protection of animals

Animal welfare activists attacked during cattle rescue operation