Daily Excelsior

LONDON, Feb 16 : The big artificial intelligence laboratories may be found in the US and China, but India and Britain can become the best places in the world for the adoption of AI, UK Minister for AI and Online Safety Kanishka Narayan has said. The Bihar-born Labour MP from Wales, who is in India to attend the AI Impact Summit, which opened in New Delhi on Monday, believes the technology presents huge benefits across the services, healthcare and life [] The post India, Britain can become worlds

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: Describing the Ol Chiki script as a powerful symbol of the Santhali identity, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said efforts should be made to preserve and promote this century-old script. Addressing a gathering to commemorate the centenary of the Ol Chiki script, Murmu also expressed happiness that the script is growing in the digital medium. In 1925, Pandit Raghunath Murmu created the Ol Chiki script. Since then, it has become a powerful symbol of the Santhal [] The post Ol

Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, Feb 16: Showcasing Indias growing strength in Artificial Intelligence-enabled healthcare and frontier science, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today. The Minister was witnessing the successful live demonstration of an indigenously developed Tele-Robotic Ultrasonography system linking AIIMS, New Delhi with Maitri

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: The Academic Council of the University of Jammu, which met today under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Prof Umesh Rai, deliberated upon and endorsed a wide range of academic, statutory, and institutional matters. Dr Neeraj Sharma, Registrar JU, presented the agenda items for deliberations before the Academic Council. These included the start of B Tech. (Electronics & Communication Engineering) at UIET, Kathua Campus; establishment of a Translation Cell

Dr Umang Jamwal secretary.ida.jammu@gmail.com The establishment of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) at Katra was envisioned as a landmark initiative in strengthening medical education and healthcare infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir. Conceived under the aegis of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), the institution was intended to complement the existing Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital and create a world-class teaching and

* Mega Youth Engagement drive to engage 80,000 students Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today underscored the need for timely and effective relief to disaster-affected families while chairing the 4th meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRR&R). Emphasizing the vulnerability of disaster-hit communities in Jammu & Kashmir, the Chief Secretary observed that families impa

Excelsior Correspondent Jammu, Feb 16: Adv. Abhinav Sharma, former President J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu and senior BJP Leader called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today. Daleep Singh Parihar, Member of Legislative Assembly from Bhaderwah also called on Lieutenant Governor. The post Adv Abhinav Sharma, MLA Bhaderwah call on LG appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Excelsior Correspondent CHANDIGARH, Feb 16: Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party from Jammu & Kashmir actively participated in the North Zone Workshop of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Prashikshan Mahabhiyan-2026 held in Chandigarh. Besides, BJP leadership from other states, the workshop was attended by BJP national general secretary and Prabhari J&K BJP, Tarun Chugh, J&K BJP president and Rajya Sabha, MP, Sat Sharma, along with senior leaders of the party from J&K. The workshop focused on st

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: Outstanding sportspersons who were not selected in the recently notified provisional selection list 2026 today raised serious concerns during a press conference held here, urging authorities to conduct an immediate and transparent review of the selection process. Referring to Notification No JK(YSS) of 2026 dated 11.02.2026, issued by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Youth Services and Sports Department, the athletes said that the provisional sel

The unfolding delay in finalising the statutory framework for urban growth in Jammu has become a defining governance failure with long-term consequences for the regions economic, ecological and social stability. A Master Plan is not merely a cartographic exercise. It is the scientific and legal backbone that determines how a city grows, how resources are allocated, and how future crises are prevented. The continued pendency of Master Plan 2032, despite statutory processes, public consultations,

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: Rakesh Kumar, World No 1 Para Archer and Arjuna Awardee from Natali village, Katra, has expressed disappointment after his name was missing from recently notified provisional selection list 2026 of outstanding sportspersons by the Government. He has submitted a representation to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, seeking a transparent review of the selection process. Rakesh Kumar, who has represented India at the Paralympics and won a bronze medal, has al

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: The J&K Open Men & Women Tennis Championship 2025-26 concluded on a high note with thrilling performances and an impressive display of sporting excellence, as emerging tennis star Hardeep Singh clinched the mens singles title in commanding fashion at MA Stadium. The championship, which witnessed enthusiastic participation from talented players across the region, culminated in an electrifying final in the mens singles category. Hardeep Singh delivered

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: In a major boost to sports infrastructure in Jammu North, MLA Jammu North, Sham Lal Sharma, today laid the foundation stone for a modern cricket playfield at Ward No 59, Top Paloura (Thatthariyan). The project, sanctioned under the Capex Budget with administrative approval of Rs 200.00 lakh and allotted at Rs 130.14 lakh, will be executed by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council and is expected to be completed within nine months. The planned [] The po

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: Jammu is set to host the 1st Jambu Lochan T20 Open (Men) Cricket Championship from April 1 to April 15, 2026, at MA Stadium. Organised by the J&K Master Games Association (JKMGA), the 15-day league-cum-knockout tournament aims to provide a competitive platform for emerging cricket talent in the region. As per handout issued the championship will feature 16 teams, selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Each team will play three league matches b

Excelsior Sports Correspondent RAJOURI, Feb 16: The T-20 Cricket Tournament concluded today at District Police Lines (DPL) Rajouri with enthusiasm and excellent sportsmanship. A total of 20 teams participated, displaying skill, energy, and team spirit throughout the competition. The final was contested between Kaleem Cricket Club and Thanamandi Sports Club, with Kaleem Cricket Club clinching the Championship title. Thanamandi Sports Club finished as the runner-up after a commendable performance.

*Auqib takes fifer; Samad, Paras slam splendid fifties Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: Mohammed Shami bowled a couple of incisive spells to get three wickets but Jammu and Kashmir did well enough to reach 198 for 5 against Bengal on the second day of the Ranji Trophy semi-final at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, Kalyani. Explosive Abdul Samad and skipper Paras Dogra unleashed splendid half-centuries, propelling J&K to a commanding 198/5 at stumps on day two. Earlier, Sudip Kumar

80 pc issues in JK, NE, Maoist-hit areas under control Eliminating cyber-terrorism, drug-free India priorities Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, Feb 16: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said that country will be free from Maoist violence by March 31, 2026 and from terrorism and insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and North-East by 2029. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp He made these important announcements while addressing 79th foundation day of Delhi Police in New Delhi this morning. Asserting

MUMBAI, Feb 16: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday directed the Pune civic chief to induct Asawari Jagdale, daughter of Pahalgam terror attack victim Santosh Jagdale, into Government service. A statement from his office said Shinde had assured the Jagdale family after the attack that Asawari will be inducted in Government service. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Accordingly, Shinde spoke to Pune Municipal Commissioner Navalkishore Ram. Shinde holds the Urban

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the 13th report of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee to President Droupadi Murmu on Monday, according to a statement issued by the government. Shah, along with the members of the committee, called on the president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here. According to the statement, the home minister said in order to accelerate its work and further strengthen and modernise the official language, the committee has submitted four reports

Suhail Bhat SRINAGAR, Feb 16: Serious irregularities and alleged favouritism have been flagged in the framing and implementation of the Information Technology (IT) Service Recruitment Rules-2016 and in the selective finalisation of the Common IT Service in Jammu and Kashmir, with computer professionals across multiple Government departments accusing the IT Department of excluding the vast majority of similarly placed employees. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A group of computer p

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Centre about the transcripts of videos submitted by it against climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and said the translations should be precise in the age of Artificial Intelligence. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale told Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj that it wanted actual transcripts of Wangchuks statements from the Government after senior advocate Kapil Sibal submitted that some of the words attributed to the acti

Joblessness up in both rural, urban areas NEW DELHI, Feb 16: The rate of unemployment in the country among persons aged 15 years and above rose slightly to 5 per cent in January this year from 4.8 per cent in December 2025, according to a Government survey released on Monday. The UR (unemployment rate) or joblessness recorded a marginal increase in January in both rural and urban areas, showed the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). The data also showed [] The post Unemployment rises sli

MUMBAI, Feb 16 : RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Monday said improving access to timely and adequate formal credit for MSMEs remains a key policy priority of the central bank. As a part of the Reserve Bank of Indias continued engagement with stakeholders, the governor held a meeting with select micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and representatives of MSME associations. In a statement, the RBI said Malhotra underscored the pivotal role of the MSME sector in Indias economic landscape, []

KOLKATA, Feb 16:Italy fought hard until the end but England clinched a 24-run victory to book their berth in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup from Group C, here on Monday. Chasing a huge 203, Italy replied with 178 all-out as Ben Manenti top scored with a 25-ball 60 (4x4s, 6x6s), Justin Mosca made a 34-ball 43 and Grant Stewart hit 45 off 23 balls (2x4s, 5x6s). Earlier, Will Jacks scored a brisk 53 not out late in [] The post England beat Italy by 24 runs appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday inaugurated a state-of-the-art Missile Integration Facility at Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru, flagged off the Akash 3rd and 4th Regiment Combat Systems, and unveiled the Mountain Fire Control Radar, marking a significant boost to Indias indigenous air defence capabilities. During the visit, he was briefed on advanced homegrown defence technologies and ongoing R&D initiatives, and remotely inaugurated BELs Centre of Excelle

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: Even as digital payments scale new peaks, currency in circulation (CiC) in India has surged to an all-time high of nearly Rs 40 lakh crore, presenting what SBI Research has termed a puzzle of simultaneous growth in cash and UPI-led transactions. In its latest Ecowrap report released here on Monday, SBI Research said CiC touched around Rs 40 lakh crore for the fortnight ended January 31, 2026, marking an 11.1 per cent year-on-year growth, more than [] The post Currency in circu

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 16: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh today pulled up the UT Government for failing to file its response in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and warned that appropriate orders would follow in case of further default. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice Arun Mittal and Justice Rajnesh Oswal was heading the PIL filed by the Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi [] The

JAMMU, Feb 16: Three inmates, including two Pakistani nationals, escaped from an observation home in the RS Pura area on Monday evening after attacking and injuring two on-duty policemen. The incident took place at around 5:15 pm when the inmates allegedly assaulted the police personnel and managed to flee from the premises. The escaped inmates have been identified as Karajeet Singh alias Gugga, a resident of Dablehar in RS Pura, and Mohd Suna-ullah and Ahsan Anwar, both Pakistani nationals. Pol

New Delhi, Feb 16: Twelve candidates have bagged the perfect 100 score in engineering entrance exam JEE-Main 2026, with the maximum of them hailing from Rajasthan, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced on Monday. More than 13.04 lakh candidates had appeared for the first edition of the crucial exam. Among the candidates who have secured an NTA score of 100, three are from Rajasthan, two from Andhra Pradesh and one each is from Delhi, Bihar, Odisha, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and [] The

DE Web Desk JAMMU, Feb 16: At least three juveniles, including Pakistani nationals, escaped from an observation home in the RS Pura area on Monday evening after allegedly opening fire at police personnel inside the premises. The incident took place around 5:30 PM, police sources said. The juveniles reportedly managed to flee after firing at one of the police personnel. However, it was not immediately clear how they procured the weapon inside the observation home or whether anyone was injured []

Jammu, Feb 16: Three inmates of a Juvenile Observation Home escaped from custody in the R.S. Pura sector on Monday evening after allegedly assaulting two police personnel deployed on guard duty. Official sources said that at around today evening information was received that the inmates attacked the on-duty guards and fled from the facility. During the incident, 2 police person sustained injuries and were shifted for medical treatment. Police have launched a massive manhunt to trace the escaped

X down: Social network suffers major global disruption The post X down: Social network suffers major global disruption appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Jerusalem, Feb 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Israel on a two-day visit from February 25 to 26, sources said on Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu first broke news of Modis visit while addressing the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations on Sunday. Parliament address on the anvil. Whos coming here next week? Narendra Modi, Netanyahu told the gathering. Tremendous alliance between Israel and India, and we are going to discuss all sorts of

ED slaps Rs 184 crore FEMA penalty against news portal NewsClick and its Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha: Sources The post ED slaps Rs 184 crore FEMA penalty against news portal NewsClick and its Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha: Sources appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

New Delhi, Feb 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo here. He also interacted with startups participating in the expo. The prime minister visited various stalls and spoke with the companies participating in the expo. Expo features over 600 high-potential startups and 13 country pavilions showcasing international collaboration in AI ecosystem. Expo brings together global technology firms, startups, academia and research institutions, central and state gov

MUNICH, Feb 16: Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand discussed deepening cooperation and partnership opportunities between the two countries on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carneys likely visit to India next month. This marks the fifth meeting between the ministers since September 2025, reflecting the growing momentum in the Canada-India relationship, a statement issued by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) sa

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on e-commerce platform Snapdeal for selling toys that do not comply with mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards certification, violating the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020. A final order against Snapdeal (Ace Vector Limited) has been issued after taking suo-motu cognizance of the matter, CCPA Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare told PTI. The CCPA has also issued notices to other e-commerce entitie

MUMBAI, Feb 16: Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded sharply by nearly 1 per cent on Monday, driven by strong buying in power, banking, and financial stocks. Snapping its three-day decline, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 650.39 points, or 0.79 per cent, to close at 83,277.15. The 50-share NSE Nifty advanced 211.65 points, or 0.83 per cent, to settle at 25,682.75. PowerGrid emerged as the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising 4.45 per cent, followed by HDFC Bank, [] The post Market

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: The Supreme Court on Monday granted a week to the UPSC to file its compliance affidavit on the proposed plan of action, timeline and modalities for the deployment and use of screen-reader software for visually-impaired candidates in examinations conducted by the commission. The apex court had on December 3 last year directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to incorporate in the notification for examinations a provision allowing eligible candidates to request a chang

NEW DELHI, Feb 16:Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd on Monday said it has secured an order worth Rs 27.67 crore from South Western Railway for annual maintenance and breakdown restoration of overhead equipment and power supply installations in Mysore division. The two-year contract covers 1,046 track kilometres of electrification infrastructure and associated electrical assets, the company said in a regulatory filing. Under the mandate, Texmaco will carry out routine, emergency and preventive maint

New Delhi, Feb 16: The Supreme Court on Monday said a boy and a girl before marriage are total strangers and they should be cautious while indulging in pre-marital physical relationships. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, which was hearing the bail plea of a man accused of rape on a false promise of marriage, questioned the woman why she travelled all the way to Dubai where they indulged in physical relationship. Its consensual. We may [] The post Dont trust anybody before mar

Sarno (Italy), Feb 16: Having made a voluntary switch from the mini to a much more demanding junior category, 11-year-old Indian racing prodigy Atiqa has shown the skill and maturity beyond her years to produce standout performances in the early part of her 2026 international karting season. In sub zero temperatures in Europe and on tracks she has little experience of, the only female in a world class WSK Super Masters grid, Atiqa announced herself in the paddock with a [] The post Lone Female O

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: The Congress on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has surrendered before US President Donald Trump in agreeing to the India-US interim trade deal, which, it claimed, will devastate the livelihoods of crores of farmers across states. Slamming the Centre, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said trade agreements should not become a path to slavery by sacrificing a countrys sovereignty. Trade agreements are the path to economic progress. The very foundatio

JAMMU, Feb 16: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday announced reopening of 14 closed tourist destination in the Union Territory. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor, in a post on X, After a thorough security review and discussion, Ive ordered reopening of more tourist spots in Kashmir and Jammu Divisions, which were temporarily closed as precautionary measures. 11 tourist spots in Kashmir Division- Yousmarg, Doodhpathri in Budgam, Dandipora Park in Kokernag, Peer Ki Gali

KANPUR (UP), Feb 16: A 51-year-old retired army personnel, who was a Kargil war veteran, allegedly shot his wife and 16-year-old son dead at their home here in Sen Pashchim Para, before dying by suicide on a nearby railway track, police said on Monday. The incident came to light on Monday morning when the police received information about a man being found dead on the railway track near the Kathogar-Imlipur underpass. The body, prima facie suspected to be a case [] The post Kargil war veteran ki

Jammu, Feb 16: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday stressed the need for a structured and time-bound disaster relief mechanism in Jammu and Kashmir while chairing the 4th meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRR&R). CS Dulloo underscored the need for timely and effective relief to disaster-affected families while chairing the 4th meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Department of Disa

JAMMU, Feb 16: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has reconstituted its Court Management Systems Committee in accordance with the directions of the National Court Management Systems Committee, Supreme Court of India. See Order Copy Click Here.. The post J&K High Court Reconstitutes Court Management Systems Committee appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Ganderbal, Feb 16: In one of the biggest cyber fraud crackdowns in Jammu and Kashmir, police have unearthed a massive transnational online investment scam involving over 209 crore, with a Haryana-based MBBS doctor identified as the alleged kingpin among nine persons arrested so far. Police successful cracked a transnational multi-crore online investment scam operating through phishing and fake trading platforms. The case was registered at Police Station Ganderbal following a complaint by a citiz

SRINAGAR, Feb 16: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has granted the Centre more than a months additional time to respond to petitions challenging the forfeiture of 25 Kashmir-related books. In an order dated February 11, the Court noted that objections from one of the respondents remain pending. A bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justices Rajnesh Oswal and Shahzad Azeem observed that while the union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has filed its response and [] The post J&K

LUCKNOW, Feb 16: Alleging large-scale irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday demanded action against those responsible and sought greater transparency in the process. Addressing a press conference at the party office here, Yadav said the SP would seek time from the Election Commission and submit a memorandum on Tuesday, urging it to clarify under which rules FIRs should be registered and action taken if a