Daily Excelsior

NEW DELHI, Mar 24: Indias transportation fuel demand growth is expected to slow sharply in the second half of 2026 as government-led fuel conservation measures, elevated crude oil prices and a weakening rupee weigh on mobility and consumption trends, according to energy analysts. Petrol and diesel prices have been hiked by about Rs 5 per litre each in three instalments since May 15 as oil companies passed on a part of soaring international oil prices to consumers. The price hikes [] The post Fue

NEW DELHI, May 24: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said his party will not rest until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns and a foolproof system is put in place to prevent paper leaks like in NEET. He shared a video of students protesting in Hyderabad, highlighting the NEET paper leak and demanding Pradhans resignation. They also raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pradhan. When millions of youth are on the streets, the future of 22 lakh children [] The post

NEW DELHI, May 24:The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the appointment of Justice Meenakshi M Rai, a judge of the Sikkim High Court, as the next Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. The recommendation was made in view of the retirement of the incumbent chief justice on June 4, according to a statement uploaded on the apex court website. The collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, held its meeting on May 22, it said. The Supreme [] The post SC collegium recommends Justice

NEW DELHI, May 24: State-owned Indian Railway Finance Corporation is planning to mobilise USD 2 billion through external commercial borrowing, primarily in Japanese yen, to fund business growth in the current financial year. The external commercial borrowing (ECB) is part of the Rs 70,000 crore resource mobilisation plan approved by the board of Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) for the ongoing financial year. We have just signed a loan agreement with the consortium of banks for raising

NEW DELHI, May 24: State-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has emerged as the highest profit-making firm in the Indian financial sector in the March quarter, netting a little over Rs 23,400 crore. Even among Central Public Sector Enterprises, the Corporation maintained the number one position for fourth-quarter profit for FY26. Last week, LIC reported a 23 per cent jump in net profit to record Rs 23,420 crore in the just concluded March quarter as compared to Rs 19,013 [] The post

MUMBAI, May 24: Overseas travel spending by Indians, including holiday trips, declined by USD 212.43 million to USD 1.09 billion in March compared to February, according to the Reserve Bank data. The outward remittances for travel were at USD 1.3 billion in February and USD 1.65 billion in January this year. The RBI data on Outward Remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) for Resident Individuals shows overseas spending by Indians under different categories, including travel, ma

NEW DELHI, May 24: Realty firm Knowledge Realty Trust (KRT) will invest Rs 700 crore over the next three years to develop 1.4 million sq ft of office space in Bengaluru as part of its expansion plan, a top company official said. KRT is a real estate investment trust (REIT), sponsored by realtor Sattva Group and investment firm Blackstone. In an interview with PTI, KRT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shirish Godbole said the company is looking for the acquisition of [] The post Knowledge Realty Tru

NEW DELHI, May 24: The combined market valuation of 6 of the top-10 most valued firms surged by Rs 74,111.57 crore last week, with Reliance Industries emerging as the biggest gainer. Last week, the BSE benchmark climbed 177.36 points, or 0.23 per cent. Markets ended the week with marginal gains amid a highly volatile and range-bound trading environment. Benchmark indices witnessed sharp intraday swings throughout the week, driven by persistent rupee weakness, mixed global cues, sectoral rotation

BENGALURU, May 24: Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, chief of IAF, has emphasised self-reliance as a strategic necessity for developing resilient indigenous defence capabilities. He was speaking during the 48th Flight Test Course graduation ceremony here on Saturday. Eleven test pilots and six flight test engineers of the 48th Flight Test Course graduated from the Air Force Test Pilots School (AFTPS) on completion of a rigorous 48-week multidisciplinary training curriculum. According to an official s

SRINAGAR, May 24: The people of Ladakh have achieved in seven years what Jammu and Kashmir could not do in 70 years, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para said on Sunday, a day after the Centre made an offer of constitutional safeguards to Ladakh. There is a lesson in it for Jammu and Kashmir, Para said in a post on X. The Centre has made an offer for constitutional safeguards under Article 371, instead of the Sixth Schedule, and [] The post Ladakh Achieved In 7 Years What J&K Could Not

SRINAGAR, May 24: The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today attended the Special National Integration Camp organised by National Cadet Corps (NCC) Directorate, Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh. During his interaction with NCC cadets from across the country, the Lieutenant Governor emphasised that this special camp is a living symbol of Indias spirit, where every cadet is not just witnessing history but actively shaping it. India places its hope and confidence in its youth, trusting that the young gener

NEW DELHI, May 24: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday said it will issue refunds to students who were overcharged during the class 12 post-result process due to technical issues. This comes a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sought a detailed report from the CBSE over complaints of technical glitches faced by students during the re-evaluation process. In a notice, the CBSE said that on May 21 and 22, certain technical issues led to incorrect [] The pos

NEW DELHI, May 24: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the Red Fort area car blast case in Delhi has found that a chargesheeted accused, linked to an offshoot of global terrorist outfit Al-Qaida, allegedly misused an artificial intelligence (AI) platform for terror engineering, official sources said on Sunday. They said the accused persons had also made rocket Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and tested them in the Qazigund forest in Jammu and Kashmirs Anantnag district. The gl

Karachi, May 24: At least 24 people were killed on Sunday in a blast targeting a train carrying military personnel in Pakistans turbulent southwestern province of Balochistan, a senior official said. A train suffered partial damage in the blast, while 10 vehicles parked in the area were also damaged, police said. The impact of the explosion shattered the windows and glass panels of nearby buildings, Geo News reported. The explosion occurred on Sunday (May 24) near Chaman Phatak railway station [

KARGIL, May 24: Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon today met Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju and discussed implementation of minority welfare schemes, tourism promotion and other developmental issues concerning the Kargil region. During the meeting, Dr Akhoon highlighted the need for effective implementation of Central minority welfare schemes in Kargil, includ

JAMMU, May 24: Security forces on Sunday intensified search operations and strengthened the cordon in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district with the deployment of additional troops to track down suspected terrorists believed to be hiding in the area, officials said. They said the operation in the Dorimal-Gambhir Moghla belt was expanded following a brief encounter between the security forces and the terrorists during an intelligence-based operation on Saturday. Search operations have been intensif

SRINAGAR, May 24: Security forces have recovered a cache of ammunition from a hideout in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Sunday. Police, Army and Central Reserve Police Force launched a search and destroy operation in Nilsar orchards in the Chandoosa area of Baramulla on Saturday based on information about the presence of a hideout there, the officials said. During the search, the security forces recovered 14 rocket-propelled grenades and nine boosters. Police have tak

CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, May 24: The body of a Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector with a gunshot injury was found near the Fatehgarh Churian-Majithia road in Amritsar on Sunday, an officer said. Senior Superintendent of Police, Amritsar (Rural), Suhail Mir Qasim said police received information about the body of ASI Joga Singh early Sunday. A police team, led by the Station House Officer of Majithia police station, reached the spot soon after the information was received. A forensic team also exa

JAMMU, May 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Transport Department has issued strict directions mandating reservation of seats for women and specially-abled persons in all Public Service Vehicles operating across the Union Territory, warning transport operators of strict action, including suspension or cancellation of permits, for any violation. According to Circular issued by the office of the Transport Commissioner, authorities observed that previous instructions regarding reservation of seats for wome

New Delhi, May 24: In light of the reported outbreaks of Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the World Health Organisation (WHO), under the International Health Regulations (IHR), 2005, on May 17, determined the situation to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has also officially declare

Washington, May 24: A person who approached a White House security checkpoint and began firing at officers has died, according to federal officials. The US Secret Service said in a statement late Saturday that, according to a preliminary investigation, the person approached a checkpoint shortly after 6 pm ET, removed a weapon from his bag and began firing at posted officers. Officers returned fire and hit the suspect, who was transported to an area hospital, where he later died, according [] The

NEW DELHI, May 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a coal mine accident in Chinas Shanxi Province, and conveyed condolences to President Xi Jinping and the people of China. Ninety miners were killed in a gas explosion in the coal mine in north China, the official media in Beijing reported on Saturday, adding that 201 miners have so far been rescued. Saddened by the loss of lives in a mining [] The post PM expresses grief over coal mine accident

Over 1 cr people join anti-drug movement in J&K Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 23: The ongoing anti-drug campaign, Nasha Mukt JK Abhiyaan has recorded remarkable achievements and impact across awareness generation, rehabilitation, law enforcement, treatment, surveillance and prevention initiatives, reflecting an unprecedented whole-of-government approach against the menace of substance abuse in Jammu and Kashmir. As on today, the campaign has mobilized lakhs of citizens, strengthened inst

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 23: SCOPE Academy of Public Sector Enterprises (APSE) today organized an Executive Development Program (EDP) for Junior and Mid-Level Executives of CPSEs. The programme was inaugurated by Atul Sobti, Director General, SCOPE. Ayush Gupta, Director (HR), GAIL and Member, SCOPE Executive Board addressed the concluding session and distributed certificates to the participants. Themed The Career Journey to Personal Effectiveness and Leadership the program was attende

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 23: Punjab National Bank (PNB) today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) to provide customized salary account services and concessional interest rates on personal loans for its employees. The MoU was formally signed by PNB Circle Head, Jammu, Pankaj Kumar Verma and Additional CEO of SMVDSB, Alok Kumar Maurya during a ceremony attended by senior officials from both organizations. Under this partn

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 23: Des Raj, a retired Deputy General Manager (DGM) of NABARD today assumed charge as the Managing Director of the Jammu Central Cooperative Bank Ltd. (JCCB). Des Raj, son of Kamla Ram brings with him vast administrative and banking experience gained during his tenure with NABARD. His appointment strengthen the functioning of the Cooperative Banking sector in Jammu region and further to improve financial services offered by the bank. The Jammu Central Cooperati

Excelsior Correspondent CHANDIGARH, May 23: Central Bank of India today organized a Mega Retail Credit Outreach Camp at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Headquarters, Chandigarh. The programme was led by D P Khurana, Corporate General Manager, along with S K Singh, Zonal Head, Chandigarh and Ram Kumar Yadav, Regional Head, Chandigarh. The event was graced by the chief guest, Mayor of Panchkula, Shyam Lal Bansal. Om Prakash, Chairman, Shivalik Development Board, also marked his presence

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 23: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Transport Department to assess the progress achieved in road safety, traffic enforcement, technology integration and implementation of key recommendations aimed at improving traffic management and reducing road accidents across Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting besides ACS PWD and Principal Secretary, Home was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Health; Commissioner Secretary, Law;

Sameer Rekhi rekhi7sameer@gmail.com As a young officer, I served on the Patnitop-Jawahar Tunnel stretch in 2000-01, a difficult mountain stretch of the time. The roads were narrow, weather-beaten and vulnerable to heavy rain, fog, snow and landslides. Yet traffic discipline was not an impossible dream. It was enforced and therefore, it largely worked. Lane driving was strictly monitored. Over-speeding, dangerous overtaking, lane jamming and overloading were treated not as minor violations but a

Day-to-day hearing vital in national security cases *Special Court asked to prioritize trial, avoid adjournments Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 23: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has ruled that prolonged incarceration without timely conclusion of trial violates the fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, even in cases involving stringent anti-terror legislation such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Further, the High Court observed t

Inter-Zonal Sports Competitions Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU/UDHAMPUR, May 23: Under the aegis of the Directorate of Youth Services & Sports, Inter-Zonal District Level Competitions in Kabaddi concluded at MA Stadium and Khel Gaon Nagrota, while the District Level Inter-Zonal Tournament for Boys U-14 and U-17 was inaugurated at Subash Stadium. In Kabaddi Girls U-14, Jammu zone defeated Satwari, Gandhi Nagar beat Miran Sahib, Khour outplayed Akhnoor and Chowki Choura defeated Bhalwal in t

NEW DELHI, May 23 : Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said the government does not interfere in exchange rates as these are determined by market forces and influenced by several global factors. However, he said, the government is always conscious of taking steps to promote exports, reduce import dependence and promote a greater degree of investment into India. The government does not interfere in the exchange rate. It is a matter of market forces, and it is [] The post Govt

NEW DELHI, May 23 : India and the US will continue to work closely for the global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed him on the West Asia crisis and bilateral cooperation in defence, strategic technologies, trade and energy security. Rubio, who met Modi shortly after landing in New Delhi, invited the prime minister on behalf of President Donald Trump to visit the White House in the near future, according [] The post Modi, Rubio di

Consumer court orders bank to pay Rs 48,400 to woman for failing to refund money of failed ATM transaction NEW DELHI, May 23 : A consumer court here has directed a bank to refund Rs 10,000 to a woman and pay additional compensation and litigation costs after a failed ATM transaction amount was not reversed for several months. The bench comprising President Divya Jyoti Jaipuriar and Member Rashmi Bansal of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held the Bank of [] The post Consumer c

LONDON, May 23 : An evening gown with zardozi work depicting Indias national flower, the lotus, is among the prized fashion items on display at one of the UKs largest royal exhibitions in memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The gown was designed by Norman Hartnell, Dressmaker to the Queen, for a state dinner hosted by then President Dr Rajendra Prasad in Delhi in January 1961. It forms the centrepiece of the Diplomatic Dressing section of the Queen Elizabeth [] The post Queen Elizabeth IIs za

Excelsior Sports Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 23: Different delegations called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today at Lok Bhawan, Srinagar. A delegation of Deaf Cricket Association J&K led by Umar Ashraf Beigh apprised the LG of issues related to promotion of deaf cricket. Another delegation witnessed presentation of a book titled Parmeshwari: Agitation of Kashmir authored by Dr Ashish Kaul, which was presented by his parents Rattan Kaul and Pushpa Kaul. The third delegation of the Save Yout

NEW DELHI, May 23 : The Congress on Saturday accused the government of burdening the common people with a post-poll fuel price hike and also denying them the benefits of falling crude oil prices during the past decade. Addressing a press conference, chairman of the Congresss research department Rajeev Gowda questioned the government on oil imports, inflation and strategic reserves. There is a race going on between fuel and the rupee as to which will hit the century first, he [] The post Govt bur

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 23: Delhi Public School Jammu under the guidance of Dr Ritu Singh, Pro-Vice Chairperson and Founder of DPS Jammu, Nagbani and Katra, hosted the grand inaugural ceremony of the three-day Zonal residential training programme in Mathematics under the aegis of the Delhi Public School Society-HRDC. The event was graced by chief guest Ansuya Jamwal, Additional Deputy Commissioner Jammu and guest of honour Prof. (Dr) Sartaj Ul Hasan, Dean Academics, Department of Math

NEW DELHI, May 23: Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Saturday said the government is focusing on ensuring all AIIMS institutions match the standards of AIIMS Delhi, while enabling them to mentor other medical colleges and healthcare institutions nationwide. Addressing the 23rd convocation ceremony of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) here, Nadda said that while the country had only one AIIMS till the end of the 20th century, six more were established during the tenur

Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar, May 23: A woman delivered a baby inside an 108-ambulance moments after being referred from District Hospital (DH) Bandipora to Srinagar today. The incident has led to allegations of medical negligence, prompting health authorities to order an inquiry. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The woman, identified as Kulsooma Begum, wife of Azad Ahmad Dar of Laharwalpora in Bandipora district, had been taken to DH Bandipora after developing pregnancy-relate

Will hold wide-ranging talks with EAM NEW DELHI, May 23: India and the US will continue to work closely for the global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed him on the West Asia crisis and discussed ways to bolster bilateral ties in crucial sectors, including defence, strategic technologies, trade and energy security. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Rubio, who met Modi shortly after landing in New Delhi, invited the [] The p

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty was in Kolkata to promote his upcoming film Aakhri Sawal, a politically charged drama framed as a high-stakes intellectual debate over the 100-year history and ideological legacy of the RSS. The Bollywood icon and Dadasaheb Phalke winner spoke about his son Namashis performance, politically conscious cinema and the changing political landscape in Bengal. Rajat Dhar reports Q. Your son is in the main cast. What do you think about his work in this film? A. My [] Th

Helicopters, drones pressed into service Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 23: Security forces today established contact with a group of suspected two to three terrorists at Dorimal in Gambhir Mugalan area of Rajouri district. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO The search operation was on when the reports last came in. Helicopter, drones and other surveillance equipments are being used by the troops of Romeo Force, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), SOG and police to eliminate the terrorists, who are

A verdant garden in bloom, birds chirping in the backdrop, a warm sun making its way across the horizon and lots of children of course. Indias favourite author is 92 and the celebration could not have been more Ruskin Bond-ish wisdom and wit wrapped into one perfect afternoon. Recovering from a spinal surgery and confined to a wheelchair, he is frail but the zest is intact as he regales his audience with stories about the time he had 20 [] The post Ruskin Bond@92 appeared first on Daily Excelsi

No new posts to be created without FD nod *Bans lavish official functions, foreign travel Govind Sharma JAMMU, May 23: In a major austerity drive aimed at enforcing fiscal discipline and reducing non-essential expenditure, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced a comprehensive set of expenditure-control measures, imposing strict restrictions on official functions, foreign travel, purchase of vehicles, creation of new posts and hiring of office accommodation. Follow the Daily Excelsior ch

NEW DELHI, May 23: Petrol and diesel prices were raised by 87-91 paise per litre on Saturday, taking the cumulative increase in retail fuel rates to nearly Rs 5 a litre in under 10 days as state-owned firms passed on soaring international oil prices. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Alongside, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) prices were raised by Re 1 per kg, marking the third increase in recent days and taking the cumulative hike to Rs 4 per [] The post Petrol, diesel, CNG prices hik

NEW DELHI, May 23: Several wanted terrorists based in Pakistan attended Hamza Burhans funeral in Islamabad on Friday. Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Sallahudin, a US-designated terrorist, and Al-Badr chief Bakht Zameen Khan were seen in visuals that have emerged from the gathering. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Arjumand Gulzar Dar alias Hamza Burhan, a top commander of the banned Al-Badr terror outfit who went by the codename Doctor, was wanted in India for spearheading an elabora

CHANDIGARH, May 23: In a breakthrough, the Punjab Police claimed to have foiled a major terror conspiracy in the state after arresting two alleged operatives linked to the Lakha gang and recovering two live military-grade hand grenades from their possession in Ludhiana. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The arrests were made during a joint operation conducted by the Ludhiana Commissionerate Police and Counter-Intelligence units against an alleged international criminal syndicate and

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 23: Government today announced schedule of summer vacations for all Government and recognized private schools falling in the summer zone of Jammu Division. According to an order issued by the Director School Education Jammu, primary classes shall observe summer vacations from June 1 to July 22, 2026, while classes 6th to 12th will remain closed from June 8 to July 22, 2026. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Earlier, Education Minister Sakeena Itoo,

Jammu, May 23: The Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express service has recorded more than one lakh passengers within 22 days of commencing commercial operations, marking a significant milestone in rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday. Passengers are paying Rs 730, excluding catering charges, for the journey, they said, asserting that the rail route is emerging as an affordable and comfortable travel option as airfares between the two cities range from Rs 9,000 to Rs 15,