Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration’s (SJTA) decision to charge Rs 500 parking fee for four-wheelers at its guest houses for devotees here has triggered strong opposition from tourists, servitors and political leaders. In a notification, the SJTA said guests staying at its four Bhakta Nivases (guest houses) would have to pay Rs 500, including…
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday greeted External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on his birthday and lauded his role in strengthening India’s foreign policy. “Best wishes to Dr. S. Jaishankar Ji on his birthday. He has served the nation as a distinguished diplomat and is now playing a key role in strengthening India’s…
New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the appointment of senior IPS officer Anand Swaroop as the new Special Secretary (Internal Security) in place of incumbent Praveen Vashista, a government order said. Swaroop, a 1992-batch IPS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is currently working…
United Nations: India is projected to grow at 6.6 per cent in 2026, registering an “exceptionally high growth in a challenging global environment”, with resilient private consumption and strong public investment largely offsetting the impact of high US tariffs, the United Nations has said. The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 report released on Thursday…
M Shyam Sparsha India is no longer merely a market for aircraft sales; it is fast transforming into one of the world’s most consequential aerospace manufacturing and innovation hubs. Over the past decade, a convergence of skilled talent, cost efficiency, policy clarity, and strategic intent has propelled India into the global aerospace value chain—drawing the…
Jaipur: A “sons-of-the-soil” recruitment policy, specialised task-oriented weaponry and advanced training are key factors making the Bhairav Light Commando battalions of the Indian Army highly effective and agile, a commanding officer of one such unit has said, as the Army prepares to expand these elite formations further. These battalions have been raised to deliver swift,…
New York: Two Indians, living illegally in the US, have been arrested by federal authorities for smuggling more than 300 pounds of cocaine inside a semi-truck. Gurpreet Singh, 25, and Jasveer Singh, 30, were arrested by local authorities in Putnam County, Indiana on January 4 for narcotics trafficking. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)…
New Delhi: The Sports Ministry’s search-cum-selection committee to recommend names for the all-powerful National Sports Board (NSB) will be a five-member panel headed by the Cabinet Secretary. The committee will also include the Sports Secretary, a position occupied by IAS officer Hari Ranjan Rao, an experienced name from sports administration, and two national sports awards…
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said counter- terror operations targeting terrorist infrastructure and terror financing must continue in a “mission mode”, asserting that all the resources will be made available to achieve the goal of “terror-free” Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest. Chairing a high-level security review meeting on the Union…
Kathmandu: Nepal and the US on Thursday signed a landmark bilateral Cultural Property Agreement to preserve the Himalayan nation’s rich heritage and prevent the illicit trafficking of cultural property. The Cultural Property Agreement (CPA) was signed by US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R Thompson and Dr Suresh S Shrestha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture and…
