Daily Excelsior

JAMMU, May 26: Massive forest fires raged on in parts of Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur and Rajouri districts on Tuesday, with personnel from multiple departments and locals engaged in extensive dousing operations to prevent the blaze from spreading, officials said. The fires, intensified by soaring temperatures and strong winds, have affected vast stretches of forest land in Ghordi area of Udhampur and the Nowshera belt of Rajouri, posing a serious challenge to firefighting teams. In Udhampur, a m

NEW DELHI, May 26: The Congress on Tuesday termed as mere speculation the talk about any leadership change in Karnataka and asserted that the day-long discussions between the central and state top brass were solely focused on the upcoming elections to the Rajya Sabha and the state legislative council. Though Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had convened a meeting to decide party candidates for the two elections, the point of interest remained the protracted leadership tussle between Chief M

NEW DELHI, May 26: India on Tuesday strongly rejected unwarranted references to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement issued by China and Pakistan, reiterating that the Union Territory and Ladakh have been, are and will remain an integral part of the country and that no other nation has the locus standi to comment on it. Indias position is consistent and well known to the concerned parties, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. India categorically rejects unwarranted refe

SRINAGAR, MAY 26: To help applicants make informed choices ahead of final seat allocation for UG admissions 202627, the Higher Education Department, J&K, has enabled Tentative College Allotment and indicative cut-off trends on the admission portal, https://jkadmissions.in, generated from current application data. The trends, presently based on General/Open Merit data, are meant only to give a fair idea of the likely competition across programmes and colleges. Applicants of all categories, includ

JAMMU, May 26: The Deputy Commissioner Jammu has directed all Government employees and officials in the district to complete self-enumeration under Census 2027 through the official online portal within the notified period. See Order Copy Click Here The post Jammu Govt Employees Asked To Complete Census Self-Enumeration appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Jammu, May 26: Jammus most wanted gangster allegedly escaped during a police operation in the posh Gandhi Nagar locality after a brief exchange of fire with security personnel, officials said on Tuesday. According to police, acting on a tip-off about the gangsters movement in the Green Belt area of Gandhi Nagar, teams of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and Jammu Police launched a special naka operation in the area. A team of Police Station Gandhi Nagar along with an SOG [] The post Wanted Gan

Chandigarh, May 26: Lieutenant General Harjeet Singh Sahi assumed the appointment of Chief of Staff, Western Command headquarters at Chandimandir military station on Tuesday. He succeeds Lieutenant General Puneet Ahuja, who has proceeded to assume the appointment of Director General Strategic Planning at Army headquarters, an official statement said. Lt Gen Sahi, who has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal and Sena Medal, as

Doda, May 27: A woman labourer was killed and 12 others injured on Tuesday after an under-construction culvert collapsed during slab pouring work near Ghill Kunan Road, around two kilometers from Gandoh sub-division in Jammu and Kashmirs Doda district, officials said. The accident occurred while construction work was underway on the culvert, officials said, adding that the structure suddenly gave way during slab laying operations, trapping workers at the site. The injured were immediately rescue

SRINAGAR, MAY 26: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday extended warm greetings to the people on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, wishing peace, prosperity and happiness for all. In his felicitation message, the Chief Minister said that Eid-ul-Adha reflects the values of sacrifice, compassion, generosity and complete faith in Almighty Allah. He said the holy occasion inspires people to strengthen the spirit of brotherhood, kindness and selfless service to humanity. Rec

Srinagar, May 26: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday extended warm greetings to the people on the eve of Eid-ul-Adha, wishing peace, happiness and prosperity for all. In his message, the Lieutenant Governor conveyed his heartfelt felicitations to the people and described Eid-ul-Adha as a festival symbolising sacrifice, unity and brotherhood. He said the sacred occasion reminds humanity of the timeless values of love, compassion and forgiveness, while encouraging people to strengthen comm

MELBOURNE, May 26: Two planes carrying 19 Australian women and children linked to the Islamic State group in Syria landed in Melbourne and Sydney on Tuesday, despite Australias government warning that the returnees could face charges. The government earlier confirmed seven women and 12 children were heading home on Qatar Airways flights, less than three weeks after a group of 13 people in similar situations returned to Australias two largest cities. Two women with seven children flew to Melbourn

BUGGENHOUT (Belgium), May 26: A crash between a bus and a train travelling at high speed in northern Belgium killed four people, including two children, and injured five other children, prosecutors said Tuesday. The injured children were taken to the hospital in a serious condition, spokeswoman Lisa De Wilde said at a news conference. The accident happened at a level crossing during the morning rush hour near the town of Buggenhout, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) northwest of the capital, [] The

LAHORE, May 26: Giving in to the pressure of some extremist elements, Pakistans Punjab government has deferred its plan to restore original historical names of roads and several streets in Lahore aimed at reviving the citys pre-Partition heritage, an official said on Tuesday. The Lahore Heritage Areas Revival (LAHR), in its recently held meeting, jointly presided over by PML-N President and three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, gave a

JAMMU, May 26: The Directorate of School Education Jammu (DSEJ) on Tuesday announced a special holiday on May 29, 2026, in view of Eid-ul-Azha celebrations across the Jammu Division. According to an order issued by the Directorate of School Education Jammu (DSEJ), In view of celebrations on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Azha, all Government as well as recognized Private Schools of Jammu division shall observe special holiday on 29-05-2026 (Friday). The post DSEJ Announces Additional Eid-ul-Azha Holiday

New Delhi, May 26: The duration for which one remains depressed may impact how severely the mental disorder makes changes in the brain, according to a study. Researchers from the University of So Paulo in Brazil and University of Oxford in the UK analysed brain images from 46 patients with major depression. Results, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggest that the duration of depressive episodes is associated with differences in functional brain connectivity. The findings could help

BIKANER, May 26: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the government is in the process of installing anti-drone systems within the next six months as part of increased vigilance to curb the smuggling of narcotics and weapons through drones. However, he stressed that since drones land in the Indian territory, close coordination with the local police and civil administration is essential to identify those receiving such consignments and to neutralise the threats effectively. A multi-

NEW DELHI, May 26: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail from June 25 to June 30 to jailed Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid to enable him to attend his fathers post death rituals. A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Madhu Jain, however, asked Rashid to surrender on June 2 after the expiry of the interim bail granted to him on May 18 to attend his fathers last rites. Rashids senior counsel urged [] The post High Court Grants Interim Bail From June 25-30 T

SRINAGAR, May 26: Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat on Tuesday reviewed security arrangements for Eid-ul-Azha and Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. The meeting was attended by senior officers of the J-K Police, CRPF, ITBP, traffic police, railways and various security agencies, a police spokesman said. The DGP chaired a meeting at Police Control Room Kashmir to review security arrangements for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha and Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 (SANJY-2026) at PCR Kashmir, th

JAMMU, May 26: A drone was found in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting security agencies to heighten surveillance and launch a probe, officials said on Tuesday. They said the drone was found near Govindsar railway station road in Hatli belt of the district on Monday night. Last night, we received information that a drone had been spotted under the jurisdiction of Hatli police station. Immediately, our team reached the spot and seized the drone, Additional Superintendent of Police []

LEH, May 26: The Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has handed over the additional charge of Director General of Police (DGP) to Koshal Kumar Sharma, an IPS officer of the 2012 AGMUT batch. According to an official order issued by the Home Department on Tuesday, Sharmawho is currently serving as the DIG of the Leh-Kargil Rangewill hold the top post until a regular incumbent is permanently posted. This decision followed the relieving of the current DGP, Mukesh Singh [] The post Kosha

NEW DELHI, May 26: The National Investigation Agencys (NIA) probe has found that the key accused in the Delhi Red Fort car blast case used a fake identity to procure off-the-shelf chemicals for manufacturing explosives, official sources said on Tuesday. The prime accused, Dr Umer Un Nabi, who was driving the explosives-laden car and died in the blast, researched offline and online resources related to various chemicals and had set up a makeshift lab in his flat at Al Falah [] The post Red Fort C

SRINAGAR, May 26: IRS officer Ankit Kaul from Jammu and Kashmir has been appointed Deputy Director in the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on deputation. Kaul, a 2015-batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Indirect Taxes), has been appointed to the post for a period of four years. He is an officer of the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination and underwent training at the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN), Faridabad. He holds a

Srinagar, May 26: Director General of Police J&K, Nalin Prabhat on Tuesday chaired a high-level security review meeting at the Police Control Room (PCR) Kashmir to assess preparedness for forthcoming Eid-ul-Adha celebrations and the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026. The meeting witnessed participation of senior officers from J&K Police, Army, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, CISF, Railways and Traffic Police. Among those present were IGP Kashmir Zone, IG BSF Frontier Headquarters Srinagar, IG CRPF Srinag

NEW DELHI, May 26: State-owned CIL on Tuesday allayed fears of coal shortage, saying it has built up a buffer of 168 million tonnes (MT) to meet increased demand during the summer season. The company said it has an adequate quantity to meet the generation capacity of domestic coal-based plants, even as daily consumption of the dry fuel by thermal power plants soared. In a statement, the PSU said its coal stocks at domestic coal-based power plants stood at 47.6 [] The post CIL allays coal shortag

NEW DELHI, May 26: Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Tuesday said it has secured multiple orders in India, including a contract from JSW Utkal Steel Ltd and two projects from Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). The orders have been bagged by L&T GeoStructure, a wholly-owned subsidiary of L&T. JSW Utkal Steela subsidiary of JSW Steel has placed a contract for piling work at its steel plant project in Paradeep, Odisha. Piling work is the deep foundation job where long [] The post L&T wins orders fr

BHUBANESWAR, May 26: Odisha could attract investments worth Rs 25,000-30,000 crore in the power sector over the next six to 12 months after the state moved to align with the Centres policy on concessional power allocation from thermal plants, an industry body official said. The state government is set to mandate the supply of 5 per cent of capacity from newly commissioned thermal power plants at variable charges, replacing its earlier policy that required developers to allocate 12-14 per cent []

HYDERABAD, May 26: US-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday announced plans to establish its GCC here which will be operational in the second half of 2026. The Regeneron Global Capability Centre (GCC) will support the companys mission of bringing new medicines to patients and expand its footprint in India, a leading global life sciences hub, a release said. The Regeneron GCC is expected to create hundreds of new roles in the coming years, it said. The Regeneron GCC in [] The post Regenero

NEW DELHI, May 26: Man Industries (India) has posted over 25 per cent dip in consolidated net profit to Rs 50.85 crore during the March quarter, impacted by decreased revenues. It had reported a net profit of Rs 68.15 crore in the same quarter a year ago, the company said in an exchange filing on Monday night. During January-March, the companys total income fell to Rs 1,165.51 crore from Rs 1,221.22 crore in the fourth quarter of the preceding 2024-25 [] The post Man Industries Q4 net profit dip

NEW DELHI, May 26: Union Bank of India on Tuesday approved raising of up to Rs 8,000 crore, which would include the issuance of equities worth Rs 3,000 crore. In a BSE filing, Union Bank said the board has approved raising of debt capital through Basel III-compliant additional Tier 1 bonds and/or Tier 2 not exceeding Rs 5,000 crore. Besides, the board has approved raising Rs 3,000 crore equity capital in tranches within the overall limit of Rs 8,000 crore, [] The post Union Bank to raise Rs 8,00

BEIRUT, May 26: An Israeli airstrike on a village in eastern Lebanon killed 12 people, state media said on Tuesday, as an Israeli official said the military had called up more troops to Lebanon. The strike hit the village of Mashghara in the Bekaa Valley late Monday, according to Lebanons state-run National News Agency. It came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he had authorised more intensive strikes targeting the Hezbollah militant group across Lebanon. The Israeli mili

SEOUL, May 26: North Korea launched a close-range ballistic missile and other weapons toward the sea on Tuesday, South Koreas military said, days after the leaders of Russia and China voiced their opposition to Western pressures on North Korea. The missile fired from Jongju, a city near the Norths west coast, flew about 80 kilometres (50 miles), South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said. North Korea launched other kinds of projectiles, it said, but didnt elaborate. South Korean media, citing [] Th

COLOMBO, May 26: Sri Lankas central bank on Tuesday announced an increase in the policy rate by 100 basis points, bringing it to 8.75 per cent, saying the decision was made after carefully considering the evolving conditions and outlook on the domestic and global fronts. The increase in the policy rate has been the first in three years. Last time, it was raised in March 2023 from 14.5 per cent to 15.5 per cent. The Monetary Policy Board, at its [] The post Sri Lanka Central Bank hikes policy int

ISLAMABAD, May 26: Pakistan and China agreed to unswervingly safeguard and develop their bilateral relations by working closely to build a shared future, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday. The statement came at the end of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs official visit to China from May 23-26 at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang. The two sides signed a number of cooperation documents in various fields during Sharifs visit. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang separately met []

SEOUL, May 26: Three people were killed and three others were injured Tuesday when a decades-old overpass undergoing demolition partially collapsed in the South Korean capital, Seoul, fire officials said. The accident occurred during a safety inspection after workers halted demolition work upon noticing that a part of the structure had slightly sunk while concrete slabs were being cut, said Lee Jong-woon, an official at Seouls Seodaemun District Fire Station. The victims were crushed by debris a

WASHINGTON, May 26: The US military said Monday that it carried out self-defence strikes in southern Iran, including on missile launch sites and boats placing mines, even as President Donald Trump said on social media that negotiations with Tehran were proceeding nicely. The strikes were done to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces, but the military was using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire, Capt Tim Hawkins, the spokesman for the US militarys Central Command, said in a

SRINAGAR, May 26: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday handed over compassionate appointment orders to 52 beneficiaries. Chief Minister handed over appointment orders to 52 candidates under SRO-43 and the Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme (RAS), reaffirming the Governments commitment towards providing compassionate assistance to deserving beneficiaries, the CMs office said in a post on X. SRO-43 refers to the states compassionate appointment rules that allows for a government

New Delhi, May 26: In a significant administrative development, four senior IPS officers of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir cadre have been empanelled for appointment to Inspector General (IG) rank posts in the Government of India. The officers who have been cleared for empanelment include Vikramjit Singh, Abdul Jabbar, Sarah Rizvi and Tejinder Singh. The empanelment paves the way for their appointment to key positions at the Centre in various ministries, departments and central security agencie

SRINAGAR, May 26: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday visited the residence of the 12-year-old girl who was found murdered in Budgam and offered condolences to her family. The girl was found murdered in the Galwanpora area of Budgam district on Sunday, a day after she was reported missing. During his visit, Abdullah expressed profound grief over the incident and prayed for strength and patience for the bereaved family in their hour of sorrow. The chief minister [] The post

NEW DELHI, May 26: With the Reserve Bank announcing a record dividend of Rs 2.87 lakh crore to the government, the Congress on Tuesday claimed that the Centres finances are not as rosy as is being made out to be is proved by the fact that the RBI has done it a favour and given it a big bonus. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday announced a record dividend of Rs 2.87 lakh crore to the government for [] The post Govts Finances Not As Rosy As Made Out To Be; RBI Did It A Favour By Giving Big

BIKANER, May 26: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday praised the BSF for its role during Operation Sindoor, saying the force did not only guard the border firmly but also boosted the morale of the people living in frontier districts. Addressing BSF personnel at the Sanchu border outpost in Rajasthans Bikaner district, Shah paid tribute to more than 2,000 BSF personnel who have laid down their lives since the force was raised. He said BSF jawans have served in [] The post BSF Boosted Morale

JAMMU, May 26: Security forces on Tuesday launched a fire assault on specific hideouts and inducted additional troops as the operation to track down terrorists believed to be hiding in the dense forests of Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district entered the fourth day, officials said. The assault was launched on suspected hideouts in the Dorimal-Gambhir Moghla belt of Manjakote area amid intensified efforts to flush out the terrorists, they said. Officials said plumes of smoke were seen rising from

SRINAGAR, May 26: he Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) on Tuesday announced a special holiday on May 29, 2026, in view of Eid-ul-Azha celebrations across the Kashmir Division. As per an official order issued by the Directorate, all Government and recognized private educational institutions across Kashmir Division shall remain closed on Friday, May 29, on account of the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. The order, issued under Order No. 212-DSEK of 2026 dated May 26, stated that th

JAMMU, May 26: The Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh has postponed the holiday on account of Eid-Ul-Azha (Bakrid) from May 27 to May 28, 2026. According to an order issued by the General Administration Department, the holiday will now be observed on Thursday, May 28, instead of Wednesday, May 27, in partial modification of the earlier government order issued in November 2025. See Order Copy Click Here.. The post Ladakh Admin Postpones Bakrid Holiday To May 28 appeared first on Daily Ex

JAMMU, May 26: The Ladakh Administration has assigned additional charge of Deputy Commissioner (Headquarters) in the office of the Divisional Commissioner/Commissioner Secretary, Revenue Department, UT of Ladakh, to IAS officer Tushar Anand. According to an order issued by the General Administration Department, Anand, who is presently serving as Mission Director, National Health Mission, UT of Ladakh, will hold the additional charge with immediate effect in addition to his existing duties until

NEW DELHI, May 26: Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) on Tuesday said it has expanded its total operational Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity to 3.37 GWh at Khavda, Gujarat. The company has expanded total operational BESS capacity to 3.37 GWh, including 1.37 GWh added in March 2026 at Khavda, where it is building 30 GW renewable energy park, of which 9.9 GW is already operational, the Adani Group entity said in a statement. This is the worlds largest single-location [] The post Adani Gree

NEW DELHI, May 26: Bharti Airtel has defended its new Priority Postpaid service before a Department of Telecommunications (DoT) panel, asserting that the offering, powered by 5G network slicing, neither violates net neutrality norms nor degrades service quality for prepaid users. According to the submission made by Airtel in response to a clarification sought by the Committee on Communications and Information Technology, the company said not allowing the use of mainstream features of 5G to offer

NEW DELHI, May 26: India and Canada are looking at concluding the negotiations for a free trade agreement by end of this year, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said. Goyal is in Canada for a three-day official visit, starting May 25. Our prime ministers have tasked us not only with completing the free trade agreement with a comprehensive outlook before the end of this year or earlier and tripling our trade from a current USD 17 billion [] The post India, Canada looking at conclud

KOLKATA, May 26: The NIA arrested 14 more people in connection with the gherao of judicial officers ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengals Malda district, officials said on Tuesday. The arrests were made on Monday night following searches at multiple locations in Kaliachak and Mothabari areas of the district, they said. With this, 68 people have been arrested in the case so far, they adde According to investigators, those arrested had direct involvement in the alleged harassment and []

NEW DELHI, May 26: The Quad grouping on Tuesday expanded cooperation in critical minerals and energy while unveiling new measures to boost maritime surveillance and port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of Chinas growing military posturing in the region. The new measures were announced following a meeting of the groupings foreign ministers in New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio,

NEW DELHI, May 26: A burglary has been reported at the residential complex of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in north Delhi, where thieves allegedly decamped with jewellery, cash and other valuables worth several lakhs of rupees from the flat of a woman scientist, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place inside the high-security complex in the Timarpur area, they said. According to police, the scientist had left for Chandigarh on May 15 to meet her family. [] The