NEW DELHI: India has evacuated more than 4,400 Indian nationals from Iran and Israel so far in 19 special flights under Operation Sindhu launched on June 18 to bring home its citizens amid the ongoing conflict between the two countries, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. A fresh batch of 173 Indians evacuated from Iran reached Delhi late Thursday night in a flight from Armenian capital Yerevan, the MEA said in a post on X. #OperationSindhu A special evacuation flight from Yerevan, Ar

NEW DELHI: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station has been postponed to June 22, to allow NASA to evaluate the operations on the orbital lab after the recent repairs in the Russian section, Axiom Space announced on Wednesday. The Axiom-4 mission, which marks the return to space for India, Hungary, and Poland, was earlier scheduled for lift-off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 19 onboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. NASA, Axiom Spac

DEHRADUN: A helicopter crashed near the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand early Sunday, killing all seven on board. Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar told PTI that the accident took place above the forests of Gaurikund amid poor visibility due to bad weather. The dead included six pilgrims and the pilot. The helicopter took off from Kedarnath for Guptkashi around 5:30 am and crashed soon after. Sources said the chopper belonging to Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd crashed

AHMEDABAD: Apart from central and state government agencies, a team of the National Security Guard (NSG) has been deployed at the site of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad , where 265 people lost their lives. According to official sources, the NSG team is at the site to assist other agencies in relief operations, and they do not have any investigative powers. London-bound Air India flight,Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with 242 people on board crashed into a medical college complex in the Meghanina

NEW DELHI: Slamming the Modi government for its failed foreign policy, the Congress on Friday claimed that India has become isolated in global stage and our all-weather friends are distancing themselves from us. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said that the biggest failure of the governments foreign policy was its inability to arrange meetings of its delegations sent abroad with heads of states or influential people and asked what the country got out of the exercise. The Opposition allege

NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy will commission the first of the 16 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), INS Arnala, at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, on June 18. Eight more ASW-SWC warships are being constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi. The indigenous defence manufacturing augments the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the navy. The contract for the 16 craft was signed in April 2019. The Indian Navy on Friday said, The event marks the formal induction of the first

NEW DELHI: The process to vacate Shastri Bhawan and Nirman Bhawan home to at least 18 central ministries has begun to make way for the construction of Common Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings 4, 5, and 9 under the Central Vista redevelopment project. According to government sources, ministries and departments housed in these two prominent office blocks have been notified and asked to prepare for relocation by October-November. In the interim, some ministries are expected to temporarily move

First-time BJP MLA from the Kalapipal seat of Shajapur district, Ghanshyam Chandravanshi, has written to CM Mohan Yadav, urging him to lift the ban on the issuance of new arms licences in the state. In his letter to the CM, the legislator has emphasised the need to allow fresh armed licences in view of Operation Sindoor. Patriotism is reigning supreme, and the people of the state, particularly women, need to be trained in the use of firearms for self-defence, he stressed, adding, To that end, th

GUWAHATI: The flood situation in Assam improved further on Friday following a decline in the rains. No death was reported in the state during the past 24 hours but one person was reported missing. Manipur reported three deaths which took the Northeast flood and landslide toll to 53. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 4,43,560 people across 18 districts are still affected by the floods in Assam. Over 40,000 of them were taking shelter in relief camps. Cropland rem

DEHRADUN: As tourist numbers rise in Uttarakhand, the nearly completed Dehradun-Delhi Expressway is drawing attention not just for easing travel but also for its unique wildlife-friendly design. A major highlight of the expressway is a 14-km-long underpass that allows both people and animals to move safely through forested areas without disturbing each other. According to sources at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), camera traps placed around the underpass have captured clear images of elep

CHANDIGARH: A day after the state vigilance bureau issued a summons to the Congress candidate for the Ludhiana (West) assembly seat Bharat Bhushan Ashu in connection with an alleged Rs 2,400 crore scam, the Punjab government suspended Jagatpreet Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) at Ludhiana, claiming that he issued the summons in connivance with Ashu to benefit him in the ensuing bypoll. The summons issued by Jagatpreet Singh directed Ashu to appear for questioning on Friday. Th

NEW DELHI: Are you receiving messages or calls from hospitals or labs to get yourself tested if you are unwell, as COVID-19 cases are increasing in the country? If yes, you are among the hundreds of people in the country who are inundated with unsolicited spam messages. A latest nationwide survey has said that ever since COVID-19 cases have been increasing in India, nearly one in five people are receiving promotional communication from hospitals and labs where they took the COVID-19 vaccines or

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday claimed that the iggest failure of the government's foreign policy was its inability to arrange meetings of its delegations sent abroad with heads of states or influential people and asked what the country got out of the exercise. The opposition party alleged that India is being insulted all over the world due to the failed foreign policy of the Modi government. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said Canada did not invite India for the G-7 meeting, US Pres

Gujarat Congress Committee General Secretary Rajesh Soni was arrested over his controversial social media posts on Operation Sindoor.

CHANDIGARH: Breaking a 41-year-old tradition of the annual address on the anniversary of Operation Blue Star, Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the officiating Jathedar (High priest) of the Akal Takht (the highest temporal seat of Sikhs) did not deliver the customary message to the Sikh community. Instead, he only performed the ardas (prayer), and the event remained peaceful. Notably, he also refrained from felicitating the families of those who died during the operation. Meanwhile slogans of 'Khalistan Zin

PATNA: Bihar polices Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) carried out searches at five locations of a senior Bihar administrative service (BAS) officer in Patna, Katihar in Bihar and Prayagraj in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh in connection with a disproportionate assets case. The searches were conducted at the office and residential premises of Shweta Mishra, who is currently posted at the Public Grievances Redressal Cell in Katihar district. She was not present when raiding teams armed order of competent

REASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated Chenab bridge - the worlds highest railway arch bridge in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. Modi inaugurated the bridge in the presence of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, among others. After Chenab bridge, PM Modi also inaugurated country's first cable-stayed rail bridge over river Anji in Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister also flagged off a Vande Bharat train se

WASHINGTON: China is an absolutely impossible factor to ignore in India's latest confrontation with Pakistan, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said, emphasising that a thaw in relations between Delhi and Beijing over the past few months was seemingly making good progress before the conflict. Tharoor, who is leading a multi-party parliamentary to the US, said, I'm not going to mince my words, but we are aware that China has immense stakes in Pakistan. His remarks came during an interaction with

MUMBAI: In a bid to rebuild its crumbling grassroots network in Maharashtra, the Congress party has rolled out a democratic selection process inspired by corporate recruitment practices to appoint its 550 taluka presidents. Since taking over as Maharashtra Congress president, Harshvardhan Sapkal has been exploring various methods to rebuild the party, which was left decimated after the state assembly election results. For the first time in the partys history in Maharashtra, aspirants for the tal

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday said the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) is a powerful example of continuity in governance which it claimed is consistently denied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his perennial desire for self-glory. The opposition party's assertion came just ahead of Prime Minister Modi inaugurating the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). Stretching 272 km through the rugged Himalayas , the project has been built at a cost of Rs 43,780 crore. Cong

Languages are the lens through which we look at the world and navigate our lives. Without them, it is impossible for a child to cross the river of education. And with the increasing porosity of bordersboth within nations and beyond global citizenship is not just a distant vision, but a reality. It may not be possible to make good of it without multilingualism. The National Education Policy 2020 made a bold and futuristic statement when it provided for multilingual education through a variety of

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday clarified that Home Minister Amit Shah has, on more than one occasion, stated that the concerns of southern states will be addressed during the delimitation exercise and that the issue will be discussed with all stakeholders at an appropriate time. Responding to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalins concerns over the Census-linked delimitation exercise , an MHA spokesperson said in a series of posts on X: The Honourable Home Minister

NEW DELHI: A top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that US President Donald Trump played a role in stopping the armed conflict between India and Pakistan. The issue came up during a phone call between the two leaders, which lasted about 70 minutes and covered major global developments. Yury Ushakov, who previously served as Russias ambassador to the US, told reporters that the conversation included a range of topics, including Ukraine, the Middle East, and South Asia. Additionall

PATNA: Mukesh Rai, the prime accused in the alleged rape of an 11-year-old girl in Bihars Muzaffarpur district, surrendered before a local court on Thursday. His appearance in court came after a police team reached his house tasked with attaching his property following a directive from the competent court. Earlier in the day, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha had visited the victims family, assuring them of comprehensive support from the state. Sinha reiterated the government's stanc

As the sacred city of Ayodhya reverberates with chants and devotion during the grand Prana Pratishtha Mahotsav at the Ram Darbar, a remarkable gesture from the Diamond trading hub of Surat has added celestial splendor to the celebrations. In an offering marked by deep faith and dazzling opulence, Surat's jewellers have gifted a stunning collection of gold, silver, and diamond-studded ornaments to the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. The divine set, custom-crafted for Lord Shri Ram and Lord Lakshman, feat

NEW DELHI: French aerospace major Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd on Thursday announced firming up of a deal to manufacture fuselage for Rafale fighter jets in India. Under the partnership, Tata Advanced Systems will set up a cutting-edge production facility in Hyderabad to produce the key component of the combat jet. The first fuselage sections are expected to roll off the assembly line in the financial year 2028, with the facility expected to deliver up to two complete fuselage

NEW DELHI: As a wave of patriotic fervour washes over the nation following the success of Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday planted a sapling of natural Sindoor (vermilion), coinciding with World Environment Day. Sharing this on X (formerly Twitter), Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated: Today, on #WorldEnvironmentDay, we strengthened the #EkPedMaaKeNaam initiative with a special tree plantation drive. Speaking about the Sindoor sapling, the Prime Minister further mentio

NEW DELHI: India has reported 4,302 active COVID-19 cases, with an increase of 864 cases in the past 24 hours, official sources said on Wednesday. Officials said that most cases are mild and are being managed under home care. Since January 1, 2025, 44 deaths have been reported, primarily among individuals with pre-existing illnesses, sources added. As cases rise across the country, the Union Health Ministry has held a series of technical review meetings under the chairpersonship of Dr. Sunita Sh

NEW DELHI: India has reported 4,302 active COVID-19 cases, with an increase of 864 cases in the past 24 hours, official sources said on Wednesday. Officials said that most cases are mild and are being managed under home care. Since January 1, 2025, 44 deaths have been reported, primarily among individuals with pre-existing illnesses, sources added. As cases rise across the country, the Union Health Ministry has held a series of technical review meetings under the chairpersonship of Dr. Sunita Sh

NEW DELHI: With Pakistan set to chair a key committee of the UN Security Council and be the vice-chair of another panel of the world body, the Congress on Thursday described the development as the sad story of our own foreign policy collapse but questioned how the global community can continue to legitimise Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorism. Pakistan will chair the Taliban Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council for 2025 and will be vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the 1

WASHINGTON: The multi-party delegation of Indian parliamentarians had an extremely rewarding day meeting US Congressmen and Senators at Capitol Hill, briefing them about Operation Sindoor and India's fight against terrorism, leader Shashi Tharoor said. Spending a day on Capitol Hill has been extremely rewarding because we were able to meet many Congressmen, Senators, Tharoor said during a conversation at The National Press Club here on Wednesday. The delegation, which arrived from India on May 2

BENGALURU: Confusion over the victory parade, free passes, over crowding and limited seats at the Chinnaswamy Stadium are said to be some of the major reasons that led to stampede that left at least 11 people dead and over 30 injured. The initial chaos that later turned into a stampede began as several cricket enthusiasts who did not have entry tickets to the stadium tried to swarm into the premises along with those who had valid tickets, sources in the police said. During the chaos, some people

NEW DELHI: As the government has initiated the process for moving an impeachment motion against former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma during the Monsoon Session of Parliament next month, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha on Wednesday said that the government must provide the report of the three-member committee on the corruption allegations before moving the House proceedings. Last week, Tankha wrote a letter to Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, requesting to provide

NEW DELHI: The Centre has asked all the states and the Union Territories (UTs) to give financial assistance from a Central fund to poor prisoners, who are unable to secure bail or release from jails on account of their inability to pay the fine awarded to them by various courts due to their financial situation. In an identical communication to the states and the UTs, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has asked them to avail the funds made available by it from where they can draw an appropriate

GUWAHATI: Meghalaya Police on Wednesday confirmed that an Indore-based tourist , whose body was found in a deep gorge below the Weisawdong parking lot at Riat Arliang in Sohra, East Khasi Hills, was murdered. A machete, suspected to have been used in the murder, was recovered beside the body of Raja Raghuvanshi. A raincoat, believed to be that of his missing wife Sonam, was also recovered from a few kilometres away from where his body was recovered. Speaking to the presspersons, East Khasi Hills

CHANDIGARH: The faction-ridden Haryana Congress is all set to be revamped in a time-bound manner after more than 11 years, as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting with senior party leaders from the state and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) observers. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, held a series of meetings with senior leaders under the partys Sangathan Srujan Abhiyan - a campaign aimed at internal rejuvena

CHANDIGARH: A day after making One Nation, One Husband remark, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today questioned the union government claim on success in Operation Sindoor. He said that for the first time in the history that any government is sending its nominees across the globe to tell everyone that they have emerged victorious in a war. He added that labelling any idea opposite to BJP's propaganda as anti-national reflects the country's sorry state of affairs. After the cabinet meeting her

NEW DELHI: Census exercise with caste enumeration will be carried out with the reference date of October 1, 2026, in snow-bound areas like Ladakh and of March 1, 2027, in the rest of the country, the Home Ministry announced on Wednesday. It has been decided to conduct Population Census-2027 in two phases along with the enumeration of castes, it said. The reference date for Population Census - 2027 will be 00:00 hours of the first day of March 2027. For the Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-s

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Cabinet has approved a major amendment to the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, aimed at reducing compliance burdens on 95 per cent of small businesses and enhancing ease of doing business in the state. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers held today at the Chief Ministers official residence. A spokesperson from the Chief Ministers Office said that, under this progressive amendment, all establishments employing up to 20 worker

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday alleged that the government has announced the start of the Monsoon session of Parliament 47 days before it is due in order to run away from the demand of the party and INDIA bloc for an immediate special session to discuss the Pahalgam attack and the Centre's failure to bring the terrorists to justice. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said the Monsoon session of Parliament will be held from July 21 to August 12. The Cabinet Committee o

CHANDIGARH: As the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star approaches on June 6 (Friday), the situation remains tense due to the possibility of the protest at the Akal Takht (Highest Temporal seat of Sikhs). The officiating Jathedar (High Priest) Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj is likely to address the sikh community on the anniversary. The Sikh hardliner group Damdami Taksal's chief, Harnam Singh Dhumma, has demanded that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) should stop Gargaj from doi

NEW DELHI: The Monsoon session of Parliament will be held from July 21 to August 12, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday. The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has recommended the dates, he told reporters here. The recommendation will be sent to the president for convening the session, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said. The announcement by Rijiju comes against the backdrop of a demand for special session by opposition leaders t

GUWAHATI: The Army on Wednesday said there was still no trace of six individuals, including a Lieutenant Colonel, reported missing after a major landslide in Sikkim. The landslide had struck a military camp at Chaten in North Sikkim on Sunday night. Search operations continue with urgency to locate the six individuals. The missing persons include Lieutenant Colonel Pritpal Singh Sandhu, Subedar Dharamveer, Naik Sunilal Muchahary, Sepoy Sainudheen PK, Squadron Leader Aarti Sandhu (Retd), wife of

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday demanded answers from the government on whether the proposed agreement between the Delhi Zoo and animal rescue and rehabilitation centre Vantara is the first step towards handing over the zoo to a private enterprise. Such an agreement done in a hush hush manner raises many questions and requires transparency, Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh said. The Delhi Zoo is under the direct control of the Union Ministry of Enviro

NEW DELH I: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought response from the Madhya Pradesh government on a plea filed by two journalists, who have alleged that they were beaten up in a police station in the state for reporting on sand mafia. A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma agreed to hear the plea filed by journalists Shashikant Goyal and Amarkant Singh Chouhan, and issued notice to Madhya Pradesh seeking its response. The counsel appearing for the petitioners urged the bench t

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday appointed former Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam as the chairman of the party's SC department, replacing Rajesh Lilothia. The appointment of Pal, a former Delhi minister who resigned from the AAP last year to join the Congress ahead of the assembly polls, comes amid a strong push by the party for its social justice agenda. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Gautam as the chairman of SC department with immediate effect, a party statement sa

NEW DELHI : Expressing concern over the US' decisions affecting foreign students, the Congress on Wednesday said China has reacted strongly regarding their students but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar have remained otally quiet on how Indian students are being affected by the move. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh pointed out that according to the Ministry of External Affairs, approximately 3,37,630 Indian students went to

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has summoned AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain over alleged graft in the construction of classrooms in government schools, an official said on Wednesday. Jain has been asked to appear before the ACB on June 6, while Sisodia has been summoned for questioning on June 9, he said. The summons come after an FIR was registered by the ACB on April 30 based on allegations of financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore

NEW DELHI: The Modi government is expected to move an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Courts during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, scheduled to begin between late June and mid-July. According to sources, senior BJP leaders have held several meetings in preparations for the proceedings against Justice Varma, in connection with a cash recovery case. On Tuesday, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda met with Vice-President J

When Lok Sabha MP from Jorhat Gaurav Gogoi took charge as the Assam Congress president on Tuesday, he couldnt help but take a not-so-subtle dig at CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has been lobbing one attack after another at him. Gogoi quipped, Had the Chief Minister not been so busy with me in the last two to three years, my party would not have entrusted me with this responsibility. His appointment as the partys state unit chief comes in the backdrop of serious allegations made by Sarma that Gogois