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Former MP Thomas Kuthiravattam dies at 80

Senior Kerala Congress leader Thomas Kuthiravattam has died, party sources said on Tuesday, PTI reported. He was 80.

He died on Monday evening after a prolonged period of rest due to age-related ailments.

Kuthiravattam, a native of Kallissery in Chengannur, was a well-known face in Kerala politics and had a long association with the Kerala Congress.

He served as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from 1985 to 1991, during which he actively represented the interests of Kerala.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani condoled the demise of Kuthiravattam.

Rupee falls 5 paise to 90.22 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee weakened by 5 paise to 90.22 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday, amid a strengthening American currency, higher crude oil prices and incessant outflow of foreign funds.

An unprecedented geopolitical concern and global trade uncertainties have accelerated the dollar demand worldwide, adding strength to the greenback and putting pressure on the Indian currency, analysts said.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.24 and gained slightly to trade at 90.22 against the greenback in early deals, registering a loss of 5 paise from its previous closing level.

On Monday, the rupee ended 1 paisa higher at 90.17 against the US dollar.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which measures the strength of the greenback against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.11 per cent higher at 98.73.

ED searches at I-PAC chief’s residence: Neighbours to depose as Kolkata Police probes

The Kolkata Police are verifying identities of the ED officials who conducted searches at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its chief Pratik Jain, amid allegations of forced entry and theft of documents, a senior officer said.

According to the officer, the police have decided to record the statements of Jain's neighbours to ascertain whether they witnessed any part of the searches or the manner in which the ED officials entered the building located on Loudon Street here.

Notices have already been served to several residents, directing them to appear for questioning, he said.

"We want to know what the residents and neighbours saw that morning. Their statements are crucial to establishing the sequence of events," he said.

"The names of ED officials do not appear in the housing complex's security register. Investigators have found indications that the central agency officials allegedly entered the premises by pushing past security guards without following standard entry procedures," the senior Kolkata Police officer said.

German Chancellor to visit Bengaluru today

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will be in Bengaluru today, the second day of his two-day official visit to India.

During his visit to the IT city, Merz, along with his delegation, is scheduled to visit the India headquarters of German tech major Bosch at Adugodi.

He will then go to the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) at the renowned Indian Institute of Science, before emplaning from Bengaluru.

Hindu auto-rickshaw driver beaten to death in Bangladesh

A Hindu auto-rickshaw driver was beaten to death in Daganbhuiyan in Chittagong on Sunday night, media reports said on Tuesday. Samir Das, 28, was murdered with country-made weapons and beaten to death, police said. After the killing, the attackers stole his battery-operated auto-rickshaw.

"Sameer was murdered with country-made weapons and beaten to death. Prima facie, it appears to be a pre-planned murder. The perpetrators also looted an auto-rickshaw after the killing. The victim's family will file a First Information Report (FIR). The police have launched an operation to identify and arrest the culprits," police said.

US revokes over 100,000 visas in 2025, including 8,000 student permits

The US has revoked over 100,000 visas, including of around 8,000 students, in 2025 as part of its widespread efforts to crackdown on immigration citing criminal activity.

"We will continue to deport these thugs to keep America safe,” the State Department said in a social media post on Monday.

“The State Department has now revoked over 100,000 visas, including some 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialised visas for individuals who had encounters with US law enforcement for criminal activity," it said.

State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that in less than one year, the Trump administration has revoked over 100,000 visas.

“That includes revoked visas from thousands of foreign nationals charged or convicted with crimes, including assault, theft, and driving under the influence,” he said.

Death toll from Iran's protests reaches at least 646

The death toll from Iran's nationwide protests has reached at least 646 people killed, activists said Tuesday, with the number expected to rise further.

The toll comes from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency

Trump says Iran trade partners will face 25 pc tariffs

President Donald Trump has said that Iran's trade partners will face 25 per cent tariffs from the US as he looks to pressure Tehran over its violent protest crackdown that's left nearly 600 dead across the country.

The US president has repeatedly threatened Tehran with military action, if his administration found the Islamic Republic was using deadly force against anti-government protesters.

It's a redline that Trump says he believes Iran is “starting to cross” and has left him and his national security team weighing “very strong options.” Trump announced the tariffs in a social media posting on Monday, saying they would be “effective immediately.” China, Brazil, Turkey and Russia are among economies that do business with Tehran.

India, Germany sign 19 deals

India and Germany have unveiled measures to boost cooperation in areas of defence, trade, critical minerals and semiconductors, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowing to bolster overall bilateral ties to jointly navigate challenges arising out of geopolitical upheaval.

Following talks between Modi and Merz on Monday, the two sides inked 19 pacts, including a roadmap for defence industrial collaboration and another on expanding cooperation in the higher education sector. A separate pact was inked on engagement in the telecommunications sector.

The two leaders also pitched for early finalisation of the India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement to expand the overall trade basket. A visa-free transit for Indian passport holders for transiting through Germany was also announced to boost people-to-people ties.

The German leader, accompanied by a large business delegation, landed in Ahmedabad early this morning on a two-day visit to India. It is his first trip to Asia as the German Chancellor.

"The growing cooperation in defence and security is a symbol of our mutual trust and shared vision. I express my heartfelt gratitude to Chancellor Merz for simplifying the processes related to defence trade," Modi said in his media statement.

"We will also work on a roadmap to enhance cooperation between our defence industries, which will open up new opportunities for co-development and co-production," he added.