Thailand's Ministry of Transport was exploring the implementation of a congestion charge program to alleviate chronic traffic problems in the capital, Bangkok, improve air quality and promote the use of public transportation.

Inspired by successful models abroad, a comprehensive study on the congestion charge will examine various factors, including optimal areas to impose the charge, appropriate fee structures, payment methods and potential economic, social and environmental impacts, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The counter-narcotics police have discovered a huge quantity of illicit drugs, including heroin, and arrested nine alleged drug traffickers in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province, provincial police spokesman Mullah Asadullah Jamshid said on Wednesday.

The contraband, which includes 3 kg heroin, 122 kg opium poppy, 2 kg hashish and more than two tons of material used in manufacturing heroin, was discovered during a series of recent operations, the official said.

Police also destroyed 2.5 acres of hashish farm recently, the official said, adding that no one would be allowed to produce or smuggle illegal drugs in the province, according to news agency.

The Indian stock market closed on a bearish note on Wednesday with significant declines across major indices.

The Sensex fell by 984 points or 1.25 per cent to settle at 77,690, while the Nifty dropped 324 points or 1.36 per cent to close at 23,559.

This week so far, Sensex was down 1,795 points or 2.26 per cent and Nifty was down 589 points or 2.44 per cent.

Sectors such as Metal, auto and banking faced substantial selling pressure, contributing to the overall market decline.

An encounter started on Wednesday between the security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district.

Officials said that a joint party of the security forces was laying a cordon around Badimarg village in Yaripora area of Kulgam district when hiding terrorists fired at them triggering an encounter which is still going on.

An encounter took place on Tuesday also between the security forces and the terrorists in Nadimarg area of Bandipora district.

Wednesday’s gunfight is the 6th back to back encounter in the Kashmir Valley. This is in addition to the one in the Kishtwar district of Jammu region where one JCO of the army’s 2 Para was martyred and 3 other soldiers injured.

A man has been arrested after allegedly shooting at police officers in Melbourne in Australia's state of Victoria, local police said.

Victoria police said in a statement on Tuesday night that the man was arrested following a siege that lasted for several hours on Tuesday afternoon, news agency reported.

The statement said that police were monitoring a vehicle believed to have been stolen on Tuesday afternoon when the armed male driver got out of the car and fired shots at officers before entering a house in Weir Views, about 35 km west of Melbourne, where a man and toddler unknown to the offender were inside.

Following negotiations between police and the offender, the man and toddler were able to leave the address with no physical injuries.

Total two-wheeler sales in the country surged by a robust 14.2 per cent to 21.64 lakh units in October this year, compared to 18.96 lakh units in October 2023, according to figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) on Wednesday.

Passenger vehicle sales, including cars and SUVs, also increased to their highest ever monthly level of 3.93 lakh units in October which represents a 0.9 per cent rise over a high base figure of 3.9 lakh units for October 2023.

Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM said that “October 2024 saw two major festivals Dussehra and Diwali, both occurring in the same month, which traditionally drive higher consumer demand providing a significant boost to the auto industry’s performance”.

Passenger vehicles (PVs) posted its highest ever sales of October in 2024 of 3.93 Lakh units, with a growth of 0.9 per cent, albeit on a high base of last October.

The average number of daily e-transactions to access public services in India has increased by 56 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year while there has been a transfer pf Rs 6.9 lakh crore through the digitally-powered Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) under 314 schemes, benefiting 176 crore beneficiaries in the financial year 2023-24, RBI deputy Governor Michael Patra said on Wednesday.

Addressing the conference on ‘Digital Technology, Productivity and Economic Growth in India’, Patra said over the years, these DBTs have resulted in estimated cumulative cost savings of Rs 3.5 lakh crore up to March 2023.

The RBI deputy governor further stated that India is uniquely positioned to unlock new growth avenues and optimise existing ones with its digital public infrastructure (DPI), a vibrant information technology (IT) sector and a burgeoning youth population, including one of the largest AI talent bases.

On October 29, the reactor was reactivated for the first time since the 2011 earthquake, but was shut down again earlier this month due to a malfunction that occurred while inserting measurement equipment into the reactor as part of preparations to resume power generation, news agency reported.

The issue was traced to a loosened nut in the piping system, according to the company. After completing inspections, the reactor restarted at 9 am local time on Wednesday.

The company plans to resume power generation by November 19, and begin full-scale commercial operations in December.

The Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant was seriously damaged in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in 2011, losing most of its external power supply and experiencing flooding in underground facilities.

More than 4 in 5 Indians, or 86 per cent of Indians living with diabetes have experienced anxiety, depression, or another mental health condition as a result of their diabetes, according to a report, ahead of World Diabetes Day, on Wednesday.

The report based on a global survey of seven countries including India, by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), reveals that diabetes impacts mental well-being more than previously thought.

The mental health conditions among diabetics were driven commonly due to the fear of developing complications (76 per cent). Other factors included daily diabetes management (72 per cent), accessing support from a healthcare professional (65 per cent), and accessing medicines and supplies (61 per cent).