Daily Excelsior

New Delhi, Jan 31: India on Saturday conveyed to Arab League member nations that zero-tolerance for terrorism must be an uncompromising universal norm as the two sides deliberated on the shared priority of advancing the Gaza peace plan and ways to navigate the current geopolitical environment. The issues figured at the second India-Arab foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi that saw participation of 19 member nations of the Arab League, considered as an influential grouping. The participants in

New Delhi, Jan 31: Night temperatures settled below the freezing point across Kashmir on Friday, but rose in most areas, while a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms has been issued for Himachal Pradesh. Saturday marked the beginning of Chillai Khurd in Kashmir and the end of the harshest winter period. The Meteorological Department has forecast light to moderate rain or snow, especially in the higher reaches, they said. The minimum temperature in Srinagar city settled at minus 0.1 degrees C

JAMMU, Jan 31: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo today conducted surprise inspection of Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and took detailed appraisal of healthcare delivery and patient-centric services at the facility. During the visit, the Health Minister undertook an extensive review of various healthcare facilities within the institution, including emergency wards, inpatient wards, diagnostic units and other critical departments. She as

JAMMU, Jan 31: Under the patronage of Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh (Patron-in-Chief, J&K Judicial Academy), Arun Palli and guidance of Chairperson and members of Governing Committee for J&K Judicial Academy, the Jammu & Kashmir Judicial Academy today organised a one day orientation programme on ICT and e-Courts Induction Programme for the newly recruited Civil Judges (ECT-17-2025) and Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on Judiciary at J&K Judicial Academy, Janipur,

JAMMU, Jan 31: Anti-Corruption Bureau, Jammu today produced charge-sheets in two cases before the Honble Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Jammu regarding illegal transfer of huge chunk of state land situated in Nagrota in favour of beneficiaries and issuance of ration in favour of non-existent BPL/AAY families in village Khandwal Jammu respectively. As per the statement issued, the charge-sheet in case FIR No. 09/2020 u/s 5(1)(d) r/w 5(2) J&K PC Act, 2006 and section 120-B RPC pertaining

New Delhi, Jan 31: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will on February 1 present her ninth straight Budget, which is expected to unveil measures to sustain growth momentum, maintain fiscal discipline, and contain reforms that could buffer the economy from global trade frictions, including US tariffs. The presentation of the Budget for April 2026 to March 2027 fiscal (2026-27) will be on Sunday, a first in independent Indias history. Sitharamans sweeping income tax and GST cuts, together with sp

MUMBAI, Jan 31: Sunetra Pawar, 62, the wife of late NCP chief Ajit Pawar, was on Saturday sworn in as Maharashtras first woman deputy Chief Minister at a ceremony in Mumbai. Following her husband, deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawars death in an air crash in Baramati on January 28, the Nationalist Congress Party, a constituent of the Mahayuti government, elected her as the leader of its legislature wing. A letter to that effect was submitted to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, [] The post Sunetra

Raipur, Jan 31: Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said the Centre will soon introduce new agricultural laws to provide strong legal protection to farmers. He asserted that exploitation of farmers through fake seeds, spurious fertilisers and counterfeit pesticides will no longer be tolerated, and warned of strict and punitive action against those harming the cultivators interests. Chouhan made the remarks during his one-day visit to Chhattisgarh, dur

Chandigarh, Jan 31: Emails threatening bomb blasts at the Dera Sachkhand Ballan and five schools in Jalandhar were received on Saturday, a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis scheduled visit to the headquarters of the sect. Nothing suspicious was found during extensive security checks at the schools, which were closed on account of a holiday related to Guru Ravidas Jayanti, officials said, adding that Dera premises are already under tight security due to PM Modis visit. The emails were []

Jammu, Jan 31: A search operation, which has been underway to neutralise three holed-up Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar, has been narrowed down to a specific area following an encounter on Saturday morning, officials said. The gunfight began when army troops re-established contact with the terrorists in Kishtwar district early Saturday, according to officials. Kishtwar has seen six encounters in the past seven months as forces continue their crackdown on Pakistan-based

Jammu, Jan 31: A museum of the goddesses comprising replicas and representations of major devi pilgrimage sites from across India will come up at Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said it is the first-of-its-kind museum dedicated exclusively to goddesses and experts have been assigned to the project. I hope that work (on it) will begin soon. The first ever International Museum of Goddess in the country is [] The post W

SRINAGAR, Jan 31: Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF, GP Singh on Saturday emphasized a renewed focus on ensuring robust security, sustaining normalcy, and achieving the complete elimination of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. The DG was chairing a high-level security review with Valley-based senior officials and ground commanders of CRPF. The meeting was held at the CRPF Group Centre (GC) Srinagar during Singhs tour of Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said the DG CRPF was on

New Delhi, Jan 31: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG),established in 1977 with just seven surface platforms, has evolved into a formidable maritime force comprising 155 ships and 80 aircrafts, officials said on Saturday. The ICG will observe its 50th Raising Day with an event here on Sunday, marking five decades of dedicated, selfless service to the nation, they said. Raised on February 1, 1977, the ICG was envisioned to address emerging maritime challenges and safeguard Indias expanding marine intere

New Delhi, Jan 31: A Delhi court on Saturday listed the hearing of arguments for consideration of the Enforcement Directorates chargesheet against Al Falah Group chaiman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui to February 13. Additional Sessions Judge Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan deferred the matter after the defence counsel sought more time to review the chargesheet and related documents as they run up to 10,000 pages. Furthermore, they have not been able to meet Siddiqui as the crime branch has taken him into custo

Faridabad, Jan 31: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday said that artisans are the custodians of Indias civilisational heritage. He made the remarks while inaugurating the 39th edition of the Surajkund International Atmanirbhar Crafts Mela here. The crafts fair is being held from January 31 to February 15 and showcases the finest traditions of handicrafts, handlooms, culture, and cuisine from different states of the country, as well as from other countries, a statement said. Radhakrishna

New Delhi, Jan 31: Former vice president Hamid Ansari feels the countrys political process depicts ideological decadence where we have allowed money power in all its manifestations to distort electoral outcomes and failed to make them free and fair. In his new book Arguably Contentious: Thoughts on a Divided World, Ansari also writes: We have yet to succeed in eradicating electoral malpractices. We have allowed money power in all its manifestations to distort electoral outcomes and failed to mak

Jodhpur, Jan 31: Activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail since September 27, 2025, was taken to AIIMS Jodhpur for medical examination early Saturday morning, officials said. He spent approximately an hour and a half in the hospitals gastroenterology department before being escorted back to prison. According to AIIMS sources, Wangchuk has been having stomach-related issues and visited the hospital on Friday as well for tests. The Supreme Court, which

Jammu, Jan 31: Security forces launched a search operation following the sighting of a drone, suspected to be from Pakistan, along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmirs Samba district on Saturday, officials said. The drone briefly hovered over Indian territory along the IB near Chillyari village, they said, adding that the suspicious flying object returned towards Pakistan after hovering for a couple of minutes along the IB. A search operation was conducted by police and security f

Peshawar, Jan 31 : Six people were killed when a car fell into a ravine in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police said on Saturday. The incident took place on Friday in Mohmand district when the vehicle, en route to Yakka Ghund from Ambar tehsil, skidded off a mountainous track and fell into a ravine while negotiating a sharp turn. Police said there were eight people in the car at the time of the accident. Two of them died on the spot, [] The post 6 killed as car falls in ravine in Pakistans Khybe

Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip), Jan 31 : Hospitals in Gaza said Israeli strikes killed at least 12 Palestinians early on Saturday, one of the highest tolls since an October agreement aimed at stopping the fighting. The strikes hit northern and southern Gaza, including an apartment in Gaza City and a tent in Khan Younis, officials at the Nasser and Shifa Hospitals said. The casualties included two women and six children from two different families. Israels military did not immediately respond [] The

Goma (Congo), Jan 31 : At least 200 people were killed earlier this week when a landslide collapsed several mines at a major coltan mining site in eastern Congo, rebel authorities said on Saturday. The collapse took place on Wednesday at the Rubaya mines, which are controlled by the M23 rebels, Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, the spokesperson of the rebel-appointed governor of North-Kivu province, told The Associated Press. He said the landslide was caused by heavy rains. For now, there are [] The post

New Delhi, Jan 31 : Cube Highways Trust, managed by Cube Highways Fund Advisors Pvt Ltd, on Saturday announced distribution of Rs 551 crore to the unitholders for December quarter. The Distribution Per Unit (DPU) of Rs 4.10 includes Rs 2 per unit as interest, 77 paise as dividend and Rs 1.33 per unit as return of capital. Year-to-date FY26 distribution totals Rs 1,371 crore, with a cumulative DPU of Rs 10.20, a statement said. Adding to the continued robust [] The post Cube Highways Trust announ

New Delhi, Jan 31 : An additional excise duty on cigarettes and tobacco products, and a health cess on pan masala, over and above the highest 40 per cent GST rate, will come into effect from February 1. The cess and excise levies will replace the existing 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST), plus compensation cess, on such sin goods which was there on these items since GST was rolled out on July 1, 2017. Also, from February [] The post Additional excise duty on tobacco, health cess on pan m

New Delhi, Jan 31 : Indias sugar production rose 18.35 per cent to 19.50 million tonne till January 31 of the ongoing 2025-26 season on higher output in key states, industry body ISMA said on Saturday. Sugar output stood at 16.47 million tonne in the same period of the previous season. Sugar season runs from October to September. According to Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), 515 sugar mills are operational across the country, slightly higher than 501 mills [] The post

Kolkata, Jan 31: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, accusing it of providing shelter to infiltrators, institutionalising corruption and deliberately obstructing border security measures for electoral gains. Addressing a BJP workers meeting at Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas, Shah also asserted that the TMC government was certain to go in the upcoming assembly elections. He said formation of a BJP government in West B

Jammu, Jan 31: The Border Roads Organisation on Saturday restored road connectivity along the 112-kilometre stretch reconnecting Jammu and Kashmirs Doda-Kishtwar belt with Himachal Pradesh after intensive snow clearance operations carried out under extreme weather conditions last week. The Kishtwar-Sansari road, where the work was completed, links the Union territory with the Lahaul-Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh. Battling heavy snowfall, the organisation is also carrying out rapid snow-cleara

JAMMU, Jan 31: IAS officer Vivek Bhardwaj, who earlier served in Jammu and Kashmir in senior administrative roles, has been given additional charge as Secretary of the Department of Rural Development and the Department of Land Resources. As per an official order, the competent authority has approved the assignment of additional charge to Vivek Bhardwaj, IAS (WB:1990), presently Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, from January 31, 2026 to February 6, 2026, during the leave period of Shailesh K

JAMMU, Jan 31: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has reconstituted its existing Honble Judges Committees following the retirement on superannuation of Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul. Read this order for additional details The post High Court Reconstitutes Judges Committees After Retirement Of Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 31: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said that he only wished for the victory of his party and the UDF opposition led by it in the upcoming assembly polls in Kerala. Tharoor, speaking to reporters here, said that he will be campaigning for the victory of his party and the Front. He also reiterated that he has only one party the Congress and said that the media should stop asking him that question again and [] The post Only wish for Cong, UDF victory in assembly po

New Delhi, Jan 31: The government has made it mandatory for IPS officers of the 2011 batch and onwards to have a minimum of two years experience at the SP or DIG level on central deputation to be empanelled as inspector general (IG) at the Centre, an official order said. The move aims to ensure that senior officers have adequate ground-level working experience at the Centre, an officer in the know of the development said. In the order issued recently, [] The post 2-Year Central Deputation Mandat

New Delhi, Jan 31: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday inaugurate the civil terminal of the Halwara airport in Punjab and name the Adampur airport after Sant Ravidas. On the auspicious occasion of the 649th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas ji, the renaming of Adampur Airport honours the revered saint and social reformer whose teachings of equality, compassion, and human dignity continue to inspire Indias social ethos, a statement from the PMO said. The prime minister will visit []

BULAWAYO, Jan 31: Five- time champions India will look to avenge their humiliating Asia Cup final loss against arch-rivals Pakistan when the two teams lock horns in a Super Six match of the ICC Mens U-19 World Cup here on Sunday. India lost to Pakistan by 191 runs in the Under-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai, on December 21 last after winning the group match of the same tournament against the arch-rivals by 90 runs on December 14. And come [] The post U-19 WC: India Eye Asia Cup Final Revenge Against

Chennai, Jan 31: ISRO is working towards the first uncrewed mission of its ambitious Gaganyaan Mission scheduled for 2027, Chairman V Narayanan has said. The Gaganyaan mission is Indias first human spaceflight programme currently under development. It aims to send a three-member crew on a three-day mission to space and bring them back safely to Earth. Gaganyaan programme is planned in 2027. Before that, three uncrewed missions are planned. We are working towards the first uncrewed mission, he to

SRINAGAR, Jan 31: The night temperature settled below the freezing point across Kashmir, but rose in most areas, officials said, as Saturday marks the beginning of Chillai Khurd and end of the harshest winter period. The meteorological department, however, has forecast light to moderate rain or snow, especially in the higher reaches, they said. The minimum temperature in Srinagar city settled at minus 0.1 degrees Celsius on Friday night, down from the previous nights 1.3 degrees Celsius. This wa

New Delhi, Jan 31: A new study demonstrates how immune cells in the gut facilitate the spread of Parkinsons disease to the brain, pointing towards a potential target for therapy. Parkinsons disease a neurodegenerative condition characterised by tremors, stiffness, and slowness of movement, among others is thought to originate in the gut, as one of the first cranial regions to be affected is the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve which is directly connected to the gut. [] The post Study sh

BARAMATI, Jan 31: Amid reports that Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, will be sworn in as the Maharashtra deputy chief minister, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday distanced himself from the development, claiming he had no idea about it. Addressing a press conference in Baramati, Pawar said that he had found out about the swearing-in through media reports. We dont know about the swearing-in. We got to know about it through the news. I have no idea about [] The post No Idea About Sunetras S

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Dubai, Jan 31: The United Arab Emirates has welcomed the free trade agreement reached between India and the EU, describing it as a significant step towards promoting economic openness and supporting sustainable growth. India and the European Union on Tuesday sealed a landmark free trade agreement billed as the mother of all deals to create a market of two billion people with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leadership unveiling a five-year agenda to largely leverage [] The post UAE

JAMMU, Jan 31: Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena, has relieved two IAS officers to facilitate their joining in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Official sources said that IAS officers Anjali Sehrawat and Kumar Abhishek have been formally relieved from their respective posts in the Delhi Government. Anjali Sehrawat, a 2013-batch IAS officer, was serving as Director Higher Education and Director Tourism, Transport and Trade (TT&E) in Delhi, while Kumar Abhishek, a 2016-batc

JAMMU, Jan 31: The Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma visited Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar district on Saturday to review the counter-terrorism grid and commended the troops for their unwavering resolve in the ongoing anti-terror operation. A firefight is underway to neutralise a group of three holed-up Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists in the district. The visit of the Army commander to the mountainous district comes after a high-level security review of the evolving security dynamics in the

MUMBAI, Jan 31: Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar, who is all set to be sworn in as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister replacing her deceased husband and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in the state cabinet, reached Mumbai on Saturday. She reached Devgiri, the official residence of her late husband in south Mumbai, in the wee hours, accompanied by son Parth. The 62-year-old leader, who is not a member of either house of the Maharashtra legislature, will be elected as leader of [] The post Sunetra Pawar Reach

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 30: With the aim of promoting awareness about the importance of data protection and privacy, an awareness programme on Data Privacy Day 2026, organised by NHPC Limited was held here today The programme was organized in collaboration with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI). Bhupender Gupta, CMD, NHPC, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Director (Projects), Mahesh Kumar Sharma, Director (Finance) and Santosh Kumar, CVO along with senior officials were present during the

Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Jan 30: Marking a significant expansion of Kias footprint in the region, AM Group inaugurated the AM Kia Showroom along with the launch of the All-New Badass Seltos, followed by the inauguration of the AM Kia Workshop, here today. The unveil ceremony was held at AM Kia Showroom, Omara Colony, followed by the workshop inauguration at Plot No. 7, Industrial Estate, IID Centre SICOP, Udhampur 182104. The event was graced by chief guest MLA Pawan Gupta. [] The post

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Jan 30: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) today said that industrial growth in J&K cannot be achieved through excessive controls, repeated fees and endless permissions. It stressed that a trust-based, facilitative and entrepreneur-friendly regulatory framework is essential for MSMEs to survive, grow and generate employment. In a statement, FCIK sought the intervention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, saying that before speaking of Ease of D

Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, Jan 30: Union Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, today presented the second best tableau award to Brij Mohan Sharma, Principal Secretary, Culture, J&K, at Rashtriya Rangshala Camp here recognising J&Ks outstanding performance in the 77th Republic Day Parade. Renowned theatre personality and former Secretary of J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Balwant Thakur, who conceptualized the tableau, was present among other dignitaries. The tableau was p

Excelsior Sports Correspondent Jammu, Jan 30: Jammu and Kashmir posted a fighting total of 227 runs in their first innings against Jharkhand on Day 1 of the Mens U-23 CK Nayudu Trophy match at BSL Cricket Stadium, Jharkhand today. The innings was anchored by Basit Nazir, who played a superb knock of 111 runs off 265 balls, showcasing great temperament and class under pressure. His innings included 14 boundaries and a six.Udhay Partap Singh provided valuable support with a well-compiled [] The po

LONDON, Jan 30: An Indian-origin drug dealer has been jailed for 20 years by a court in north-west England for plotting a range of firearms and drugs offences. Naginder Gill, 47, used the handle indianoceon on the encrypted communications platform EncroChat in the plot involving 59-year-old Carl Ian Jones, and 29-year-old Harly Wise. While Jones was handed a 30-year sentence, Wise was jailed for 25 years at a sentencing hearing at Bolton Crown Court on Thursday. The UKs National Crime [] The pos

Alcaraz, Djokovic to meet in Australian Open final MELBOURNE, Jan 30: Olivia Gadecki and John Peers became the first team to win consecutive Australian Open mixed doubles titles since 1989 after beating the French pair of Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 on Friday. The Australians trailed 7-5 in the final-set tiebreaker before coming back to lead 9-7. On match point and with Peers serving, Guinard hit a backhand into the net to clinch victory for the home [] The post Olivia,

NEW DELHI, Jan 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary, saying his call for swadeshi is the fundamental principle for a developed India. The prime minister said Mahatma Gandhi always laid strong emphasis on swadeshi, which is also a fundamental pillar of the governments resolve for a developed and self-reliant India. My tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on his death anniversary, Modi said in a post [] The post V-P, P

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 30: Talented Shubham Singh Pundhir delivered a sensational innings of 165 runs off 311 balls, guiding Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) to a dominant position over Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy encounter at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium, Himachal Pradesh. Pundhirs knock, studded with 19 fours and a six, was the cornerstone of J&Ks strong batting performance. The innings was ably supported by Abdul Samad (61 off 82 balls, 34, 16), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (56 off 51 [