Daily Excelsior

New Delhi, May 25: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has postponed the Common University Entrance Test Undergraduate (CUET-UG) 2026 examinations scheduled for May 28 in both shifts following a change in the Bakrid holiday date. The agency said revised examination dates for the affected candidates will be announced later. In a public notice issued on Sunday, the NTA said the decision was taken in view of the Department of Personnel and Trainings (DoPT) office memorandum issued on May 22 regarding

NEW DELHI, May 25: Petrol and diesel prices were raised by Rs 2.61-2.71 per litre on Monday, marking the fourth increase in less than two weeks, as state-owned firms continued to pass on rising international prices to consumers. With the latest revision, cumulative increases in petrol and diesel prices are almost Rs 7.5 per litre since fuel rate revision resumed on May 15 after a prolonged freeze. Petrol price was increased by Rs 2.61 a litre to Rs 102.12 per [] The post Petrol, Diesel Prices Ra

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 24: A delegation of Traders Association Central Lal Chowk, Srinagar led by its President Feroz Ahmad Baba called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and put-forth various important issues of traders community. The post Traders of Central Lal Chowk call on LG appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

*Calls for strict punishment to culprits Excelsior Correspondent BUDGAM, May 24: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo today visited the bereaved family in Budgam to express solidarity and condolences following the tragic incident that has shaken the area. Interacting with the family members, the Minister conveyed deep sorrow over the unfortunate incident and assured them that the Government stands firmly with them during this difficult time. Sakee

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 24: The triennial conference of the Punjab & Sind Bank Employees Union, Jammu & Kashmir, affiliated with the All India Bank Employees Association was held here today. The conference witnessed participation of around 20 delegates and observers representing various branches, along with guests from different bank unions and the Jammu Province Bank Employees Federation. During the conference, new office bearers of the union were elected unanimously. The newly elect

Ajay Singh I knew his name before I knew what heroin could do to a person. He was from Ghazipur, one of the brightest students in our hostel at Banaras Hindu University. Sharp, funny, full of ambition. Then, gradually, he wasnt. The transformation was not sudden. It crept in quietly, the way these things always do, until one day it was complete. He was one of thousands around the BHU who had been consumed by a trade that operated brazenly, [] The post In J&K, healing the festering wound of drug

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 24: Aimed to bring together dealers and in recognition of working for the last more than 30 years, Nayyar Electrodes Pvt Ltd, Bari-Brahmana (NEPL) organized a business meet with dealers, here today. The event served as a platform to showcase Nayyar Electrodes commitment for the growth of all types of Welding Electrodes and Hinges (Iron & Steel) under the Brand Name SPARC. The interaction generated significant interest among Dealers who appreciated the commit

Maj Gen SK Sharma shiv_k_sharma@yahoo.co.in Members of around 15 Dogra organizations met in Jammu some time back to discuss the reasons for lack of pride among Dogras, specially those who are residing in Jammu city or around. The main two categories in focus were the Dogra bureaucrats/officer community as well as the owners of the private schools in Jammu province. Dogra Bureaucrats and Officers There are hundreds of Dogra bureaucrats working in various govt. Departments. They are the ones who [

Anil Anand a.anil.anand@gmail.com Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), mentor and strong umbilical link of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), advocating peace efforts with Pakistan! And that too one year after Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces in retaliation to the April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed lives of 26 innocent civilians and tourists. It might sound unbelievable under the gaze of the hardline and anti-Pakistan and Hindut

KARWAR (Karnataka), May 24: At least 10 members of a family, including seven women, drowned while two others were reported missing after a group attempting to collect freshwater mussels was swept away by strong currents in the Tatte Hakkalu river in Uttara Kannada district, police sources said on Sunday. Expressing grief, President Droupadi Murmu said the incident was very distressing. I extend my deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray for speedy recovery of the injured,

BEIJING (China), May 24 : Rescuers in northern China looked for survivors Sunday after the countrys deadliest coal mine explosion in recent years killed at least 82 people. An Associated Press reporter witnessed police and security guarding the entrance to the mining facility located in Qinyuan county in the city of Changzhi as emergency vehicles were on site. Hundreds of rescuers and medical personnel were sent to help with rescue efforts, state media reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping call

MUMBAI, May 24:Rajasthan Royals rode on Jofra Archers all-round brilliance to book the fourth and final play-off berth with a 30-run victory over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League here on Sunday. Archer returned with splendid figures of 4-0-17-3 after his 15-ball 32 helped Royals reach a fighting 205 for 8 after 20 overs. It was 73 runs in the last five overs bowled by Mumbai Indians which proved to be decisive as Mumbai Indians could manage only 175 [] The post Archer powers RR into I

Excelsior Correspondent LEH, May 24: In the wake of an unprecedented pace of land degradation in Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has taken up an ambitious project of reversing land degradation and revitalising it into fertile ecosystems. On the directions of LG Saxena, nearly 800 acres of barren land has been identified near Spituk village in Leh, for the innovative pilot project. This land has been lying barren for hundreds of years. Under this project, the unutilised or excess [

NEW DELHI, May 24 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday flagged Indias concerns with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the Trump administrations changes to visa and immigration policies, saying legal mobility should not be adversely impacted by the new approach. Jaishankar made the remarks at a joint media briefing with Rubio after the two leaders held wide-ranging talks that focused on resetting bilateral ties that came under severe strain in the last one year, largely due []

NEW DELHI, May 24 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday asserted that the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will not affect tribals in any way and urged the community not to fall for conspiracies and misinformation being spread over the issue. Addressing a tribal conclave Janjati Sanskritik Samagam organised by Janjati Suraksha Manch to mark the 150th birth anniversary year of Birsa Munda at Red Fort grounds, Shah said special provisions have been made in BJP-ruled [] The post Amit Shah sa

PESHAWAR, May 24 : Terrorists killed four members of a local peace committee in an ambush in northwest Pakistan on Sunday, police said. The incident occurred in Kulachi tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan District in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to the police, the heavily armed terrorists opened fire on members of the peace committee. As a result, four peace committee members died on the spot, police added. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. The [] The post T

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, May 24: Bhupender Singh Bajwa, President of the Wushu Association of India, has been unanimously elected President of the South Asian Wushu Federation during the SAWF Congress held in Colombo. In the same elections, Vijay Saraf was unanimously elected as Treasurer of the federation, while Dronacharya Awardee Kuldeep Handoo has been appointed as Technical Chairman, marking a notable achievement for Jammu and Kashmir in international sports administration. The

NEW DELHI, May 24: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said India has committed to purchasing $500 billion worth of US goods over the next five years, with a focus on energy, technology, and agriculture. Rubio highlighted Washingtons expanding partnership with India during his ongoing visit, sharing photographs from meetings with senior Indian leaders and discussions focused on trade, security, and regional issues. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Huge thanks to @USAmbIn

Excelsior Correspondent LANGATE (HANDWARA), May 24: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today visited the residence of Member of Parliament Er Rashid and MLA Langate Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh to offer his heartfelt condolences on the demise of their father, Khizar Mohammad Sheikh, who passed away last week after a prolonged illness. Khizar Mohammad Sheikh, 85, breathed his last at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi where he had been undergoing treatment. Click here to watch video The Chief

BENGALURU, May 24 : In a politically charged message drawing clear strategic parallels with West Bengal, BJP National President Nitin Nabin on Sunday signalled a sharper street-level mobilisation strategy while stepping up his attack on Karnatakas Congress government for alleged governance failures and internal factionalism. Positioning the BJP as a disciplined cadre-driven force preparing for a renewed political battle in Karnataka, Nabin said the partys focus was on strengthening booth-level o

BEIJING, May 24: A joint China-Nepal scientific expedition has completed the first full-depth ice core drilling at the summit of Mt Everest to collect samples for understanding climate and environmental changes in ultra-high-altitude areas. Members of the joint expedition conducted scientific sampling work, including ice core drilling, on the worlds tallest mountain at an altitude of 8,848.86 metres. It took about two hours for the expedition team on Thursday to complete the first-ever full-dept

Patients to rely on costly private diagnostic centres *Lack of Nuclear Medicine Deptt, manpower add uncertainty Mohinder Verma JAMMU, May 24: The much-hyped announcement regarding installation of advanced MRI and PET-Scan facilities in the Government Medical Colleges of Jammu and Kashmir is unlikely to translate into reality in the near future due to acute shortage of funds, procedural bottlenecks and absence of specialized manpower. On February 6, 2026, the Union Territory Government announced

*After several days, max temp dips below normal Govind Sharma JAMMU, May 24: After days of intense heat and uncomfortable weather conditions, Jammu and several parts of Jammu & Kashmir witnessed much-needed relief today as cloudy skies, cool winds and light showers brought down temperatures across the region. The sky remained overcast for most of the day in Jammu city, while very light and negligible showers were reported from some areas during the early morning hours. Though the rainfall was []

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 24: Police today busted a terrorist hideout and recovered a cache of explosive materials in Nilsar Kandi area of Chandoosa in Baramulla district. A police spokesperson said that acting on a specific intelligence input generated by Police, a joint operation was launched by police along with 52 RR, CRPF 53 Battalion and SSB 2 Battalion on May 23, 2026. During the operation, security forces unearthed a concealed hideout and recovered 14 Soviet-made OG-7V fragme

CAIRO, May 24: The United States is close to reaching a deal with Iran that would end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with the details and timelines to be worked out later, regional officials told The Associated Press today. Iran has not publicly committed to giving up its uranium a key demand of US President Donald Trump and the sides have seemed close to a [] The post US close to deal with Iran appeared first on Daily Excels

PAHALGAM, May 24: Even as the NIA has filed a comprehensive chargesheet in the Pahalgam terror attack, investigators are aggressively tracing a global supply chain to determine how a US-manufactured GoPro camera supplied to China ended up in the hands of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit, senior officials said on Sunday. The high-tech camera recovered from the terrorists, who were neutralised in an encounter in Dachigam forests last July following the attack, has opened a critical new line of

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 24: A 12-year-old girl from Galwanpora in Budgam district, who went missing late Friday night, was found dead near her residence this morning, with police suspecting rape and murder and constituted an Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case. Speaking to reporters, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Budgam Hariprasad K K said Police Station Budgam received information regarding the disappearance of the minor girl at around 10 pm on May 23.

WASHINGTON, May 24: A man who opened fire yesterday near a White House security checkpoint is dead after being shot by officers who returned fire, the US Secret Service said. It was the third incidence of gunfire in the vicinity of President Donald Trump in the past month. The law enforcement agency said in a statement posted on X that the man was in the area of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue when he pulled a weapon from his bag [] The post Suspect dead after firing near White House appeare

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 24: Security forces continued search operations and strengthened the cordon in Gambhir Mugalan and surrounding areas of Rajouri district for second day today where two to three terrorists were spotted yesterday with the deployment of additional troops. The search operation at village Dorimal in Gambhir Mugalan area was expanded following a brief encounter between the security forces and the terrorists during an intelligence-based operation yesterday. Follow the

NEW DELHI, May 24: A Delhi court on Sunday sent accused Shubham Khairnar to judicial custody till June 6 in the NEET paper leak case. Special Judge Ruchi Aggarwal allowed the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) plea seeking judicial custody of the accused. Earlier, on May 14, a court had sent Khairnar and four others to CBI custody for seven days, observing that the allegations indicated the role of an organised gang involved in leaking and circulating confidential examination papers [] The p

Excelsior Correspondent KISHTWAR, May 24: In continuation to the 7-day Mega IEC Campaign Jan Bhagidaari Sabse Door-Sabse Pehle, the district administration Kishtwar on day-6 organised a series of Awareness, Tribal Welfare and Benefit Saturation Camps across remote tribal belts of the district to ensure inclusive governance and last-mile delivery of welfare schemes. The camps were held at various locations including Kither Block Bounjwah, Kwartanji Block Nagseni, Cherji Block Nagseni, Yordu Block

KATHUA, May 24 : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office, and Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that abrogation of Article 370 led to revival of development with change of mindset in Jammu & Kashmir. The Minister was addressing a training camp under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Prashikshan Mahabhiyan2026 at Lakhanpur on S

SRINAGAR, May 24: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said that India trusts its youth to lead the country to greater heights. Addressing the Special National Integration Camp organised by National Cadet Corps (NCC) Directorate, Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh, the LG said, India places its hope and confidence in its youth, trusting that the young generation will lead the nation to greater heights. NCC cadets must honour that trust by living the values of the NCC and [] The post

New Delhi, May 24: The recent talks between Ladakh representatives and the Centre marked a positive step, activist Sonam Wangchuk said, though he cautioned that trust-building in the region remained incomplete, citing unresolved cases from last years protests, seizure of personal devices and action against institutions linked to the movement. In an interview with news agency on Saturday following the latest round of discussions with a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sub-committee, Wangchuk said h

LANGATE (HANDWARA), May 24: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today visited the residence of Member of Parliament Er Rashid and MLA Langate Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh to offer his heartfelt condolences on the demise of their father, Khizar Mohammad Sheikh, who passed away last week after a prolonged illness. Khizar Mohammad Sheikh, 85, breathed his last at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi where he had been undergoing treatment. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Minister Javid Ahmed

NEW DELHI, May 24: India and the US are poised to soon firm up the much-awaited trade agreement that will be both beneficial and sustainable and will advance the mutual interests of both nations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday while asserting that the overall bilateral ties are set to witness an upward trajectory. Rubio, currently on a four-day visit to India, made the remarks after holding wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that focused [] The post

NEW DELHI, May 24: Indias Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal has been appointed as the countrys Chef de Mission for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, according to IOA sources. Ravi Bengani is the Deputy Chef de Mission, while Vandana Rao and Rahul Swami will travel with the Indian contingent as general team managers for the Games, scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 2. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P T Usha will be part of the [] The post Davis Cup skipper Rohit Rajpal

LEH/JAMMU, May 24: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Sunday launched an ambitious ecological restoration project to reclaim nearly 800 acres of barren land near Spituk and transform it into a productive ecosystem through innovative freshwater recharge techniques. This was a major initiative launched by the LG aimed at reversing land degradation in the cold desert region of Ladakh. Officials said that the pilot project has been undertaken on the directions of the LG Saxena after identifyi

ISLAMABAD, May 24: Irans Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said on Sunday that a positive stride was taking place, apparently towards a peace deal between his country and the US, following the latest mediatory efforts by Pakistan. He said in a social media statement that Pakistans interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, after returning from Tehran, congratulated me on the achievements of the negotiations with the officials of my country. With conservative optimism, we can hope that, if the oth

CANNES, May 24: Cristian Mungius Norway-set drama about political polarisation, Fjord, has won the Palme dOr, handing the Cannes Film Festival s top honour for the second time to Mungiu, the Romanian director of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. At a 79th Cannes Film Festival that saw few films cause a stir, Fjord found wide admiration for its engrossing tale of what Mungiu called left-wing fundamentalism. It stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as Romanian Evangelicals who move [] The post Norwa

MELBOURNE, May 24: A spearfisher was mauled on the Great Barrier Reef on Sunday in Australias second fatal shark attack in just over a week, police said. The 39-year-old man was with three friends diving from a boat at Kennedy Shoal off the Queensland state coast south of Cairns when he was attacked, Police Inspector Elaine Burns said. The man had been spearfishing when he was attacked and died from a critical head injury, Burns told reporters. The victim, a [] The post Spearfisher mauled on Gre

NEW DELHI, May 24: A worrying post-pandemic orthopaedic trend has emerged across India, with doctors reporting a significant rise in cases of hip arthritis and avascular necrosis (AVN), a painful condition caused by disruption of blood supply to the hip bone, particularly among younger and middle-aged adults. Experts at the 2nd DELHI HIP 360 Conference, held at Crowne Plaza New Delhi on Sunday, warned that the post-Covid era has accelerated hip joint damage and increased the demand for Total Hip

PAHALGAM, May 24: Even as the NIA has filed a comprehensive chargesheet in the Pahalgam terror attack, investigators are aggressively tracing a global supply chain to determine how a US-manufactured GoPro camera supplied to China ended up in the hands of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit, senior officials said on Sunday. The high-tech camera recovered from the terrorists, who were neutralised in an encounter in Dachigam forests last July following the attack, has opened a critical new line of

ISLAMABAD, May 24: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday praised Donald Trump for his diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in West Asia, underlining that the US President held a productive call with different leaders, including Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. Trump held a phone call on Saturday with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan and Pakistan. Trump had a telephone conversation with Pakistans Army Chief, Fiel

WASHINGTON, May 24: A man who opened fire Saturday near a White House security checkpoint is dead after being shot by officers who returned fire, the US Secret Service said. It was the third incidence of gunfire in the vicinity of President Donald Trump in the past month. The law enforcement agency said in a statement posted on X that the man was in the area of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue when he pulled a weapon from his bag [] The post Suspect dead after opening fire near White appeared

KARACHI, May 24: At least 20 people were killed and nearly 70 injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a shuttle train in Pakistans Balochistan province on Sunday, authorities said. The explosion occurred near Chaman Phatak railway station in Quetta. Pakistans Railways Minister, Hanif Abbasi, confirmed the explosion and said there were passengers on the shuttle train and the explosion had hit the engine and three bogies. The train was going from Quetta Cantt station to the City Railway

NEW DELHI, May 24: Brokerage firm Bernstein said concerns surrounding the Adani Group following the 2023 short-seller episode and subsequent US regulatory developments now appear largely behind the group, potentially paving the way for a revival in foreign funding and broader investor participation. In a report covering four listed Adani companies Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, Adani Green Energy, Adani Power and Ambuja Cements Bernstein said many global funds had stayed away from the

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