Daily Excelsior

DUBAI, Mar 18: Irans judiciary reported on Wednesday that an attack hit southern Iran, killing and wounding civilians and judicial staff. The judiciarys Mizan news agency reported the attack at a judiciary site in Larestan County in Irans Fars province. The site was targeted in an attack by the enemy, Mizan said. A number of staff members and civilians were martyred and injured; the exact number is still unknown. It wasnt clear if the attack was an airstrike or an [] The post Irans judiciary say

MUMBAI, Mar 18:Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended nearly 1 per cent higher on Wednesday, extending their winning run to the third day in a row, amid a slight drop in crude oil prices and a firm trend in global peers. A rally in IT stocks also led to the optimistic trend in the domestic markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 633.29 points or 0.83 per cent to settle at 76,704.13. During the day, it soared 929.38 points [] The post Stock markets extend winning run to 3rd day; Se

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: A total of 129 trackable space debris originating from Indian satellite missions are in orbit as of March 2026, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the minister said in low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), there are 23 and 26 defunct satellites, respectively. There are also rocket bodies remaining in orbit from PSLV (40), GSLV (4) and LVM3 (3), and debris generated due to [] The post 129 Trackable Space De

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Immune cells within a brain tumour could be taking control of sugar metabolism, breaking down fructose to suppress immune responses and promote tumour growth, a study has found. Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study is the first to identify a sugar metabolism driving immune suppression in glioblastoma, an aggressive, rapidly growing malignant tumour in the brain, researchers said. They suggested blocking how fructose gets broken do

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, accompanied by a delegation of small truck and bus body builders from Rajasthan, met Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and urged him to resolve their grievances. Prior to meeting Gadkari, the delegation met with Rahul Gandhi and claimed that the governments new standards and excessive fees could drive many small manufacturers out of business, thereby threatening the livelihoods

SRINAGAR, Mar 18: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has disposed of a batch of writ petitions in the high-profile case of Gulmarg hotels land lease after petitioners sought withdrawal to pursue resolution with the government. A bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal, earlier this month allowed the withdrawal, noting that the petitioners intend to approach the government with representations to settle the dispute. In 2022, the union Territory administration

KATRA/JAMMU, Mar 18: An elaborate security net has been cast over the trek leading to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills for the Chaitra Navratras, an official said on Wednesday. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) CEO Sachin Kumar Vaishya said the entire shrine area, including the Bhawan and surrounding premises, has been decorated with flowers ahead of the nine-day festival. A heavy influx of pilgrims is expected to visit the shrine during the period, which [] The pos

DUBAI, Mar 18: Israels defence minister said on Wednesday that the Israeli military killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. Israel Katz announced Khatibs killing and said that significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all the fronts, without elaborating. Khatibs killing follows Israel killing top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards all-volunteer Basij force. (AP) The post Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Kha

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a small hydro power development scheme with an outlay of Rs 2,585 crore to boost the development of 1,500 MW of renewable capacity. Small Hydro Power Development scheme approved by the Cabinet with an outlay of Rs 2,585 crore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters after the meeting of the Union Cabinet here. The minister stated that this is an important decision from an environmental perspective for the country. The [] The post

THE HAGUE (Netherlands), Mar 18: Rwanda told a panel of international arbitrators Wednesday that Britain still owes it 100 million pounds (USD 115 million) under a controversial refugee resettlement deal that Prime Minister Keir Starmer scrapped immediately after taking office in 2024. The 2022 deal struck by Starmers predecessor Rishi Sunak involved sending migrants who arrive in the UK as stowaways or in boats to the East African country. It included arrangements for payments to Rwanda to help

SINGAPORE, Mar 18: Singapores iconic Indian vegetarian restaurant, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosted to a meal by then-Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has been closed for nearly two months, with intense speculation surrounding the future of the eatery in the Little India precinct here. One of the oldest Indian-origin businesses here, Komala Vilas prolonged closure for renovations has sparked a discussion on Facebook about whether the restaurant has shut for good. The Komala

DUBAI, Mar 18: Israels defence minister said on Wednesday that the Israeli military killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. Israel Katz announced Khatibs killing and said that significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all the fronts, without elaborating. Khatibs killing follows Israel killing top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards all-volunteer Basij force. (AP) The post Iranian Intelligence Minister EsmailKhat

AHMEDABAD, Mar 18: Indian-flagged tanker Jag Laadki, carrying around 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil, arrived at Mundra Port in Gujarat on Wednesday amid the West Asia conflict, officials said. A day earlier, LPG carrier Nanda Devi arrived at Vadinar port in Gujarats Devbhumi Dwarka district, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) navigating through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, another vessel Shivalik carrying LPG docked at Mundra Port. Adani Ports, which ope

Dubai, Mar 18: Iran launched strikes toward Israel and neighbouring Gulf countries early Wednesday, with explosions heard in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and interceptions reported in Saudi Arabia. The attacks came hours after Iranian state media confirmed Israels military killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani in an overnight strike, as well as Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guards Basij force, known for its role in suppressing protests. An Israeli ai

New Delhi, Mar 18 : Over 1 crore public grievances have been received in the last five years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. These grievances were received on the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), which allows citizens to raise complaints online. As many as 1,11,89,384 public grievances were received between 2021 and February 2026, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. Of these, 20,00,590 grievances were receiv

CHANDIGARH, Mar 18: The Punjab government will seek royalty from Rajasthan for providing it water, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Wednesday as he worked out an unpaid amount of Rs 1.44 lakh crore while referring to a 1920 tripartite agreement under which the neighbouring state started getting water. Mann also said that Rajasthan gave royalty to Punjab for water till 1960, but it stopped after that. Addressing the media here, Mann mentioned the 1920 tripartite agreement involving the Britis

Jammu, Mar 18: A house belonging to a notorious drug peddler was attached in Samba district on Wednesday, police said. The house of Masoom Ali alias Kala was attached at Rakh Barotian in Vijaypur tehsil, under section 68-F of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, a police spokesperson said. Valued at about Rs 40 lakh, the property, he said, was bought with proceeds from illegal jobs. Masoom Ali has been named in five FIRs registered at three different [] The post Drug Peddle

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Burger Singh has raised Rs 82 crore in a funding round led by venture capital firm Artal Asia Pte Ltd, at a valuation of Rs 520 crore. The Series B funding round also saw participation from new and existing investors, including Negen Undiscovered Value Fund, and Aurum Rising India Fund, the company said in a statement. The company will use the fresh capital to strengthen the systems, processes, and infrastructure required to build Indias most scalable [] The post Burger Singh

NEW DELHI, Mar 18:Power solutions provider Powerica Ltd on Wednesday said its Rs 1,100-crore initial public offering (IPO) will open for subscription on March 24, with proceeds primarily to be used for debt reduction. The price band has been fixed at Rs 375-395 apiece, valuing the company at nearly Rs 5,000 crore. The companys IPO is a combination of fresh issue of shares worth Rs 700 crore, along with an offer for sale (OFS) of shares valued at Rs 300 [] The post Powericas Rs 1,100-cr IPO to op

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Axis Bank on Wednesday said it has approved the proposal to infuse Rs 1,500 crore in its NBFC arm Axis Finance Ltd (AFL) via rights issue over next one year to fund business growth. The Acquisitions, Divestments and Merger Committee of the Board of Directors of the bank at their meeting on March 18, 2026, has approved the proposal to infuse Rs 1,500 crore in AFL in one or more tranches before March 31, 2027, Axis [] The post Axis Bank to infuse Rs 1,500 cr in NBFC arm over nex

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Vedanta Ltd on Wednesday said it has recycled or reused nearly 15 million tonnes of waste in FY25. Additionally, it has maintained 100 per cent utilisation of fly ash a high-volume industrial byproduct since FY21, reflecting sustained progress across its operations. This milestone reaffirms the companys commitment to sustainable development and responsible waste management, underscoring its focus on building a robust circular economy, the company said in a statement on the o

Lucknow, Mar 18: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said a request has been sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Noida International Airport at Jewar on March 28. Addressing an event here, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh has significantly expanded its air connectivity in recent years. For connectivity in the country, especially air connectivity, Uttar Pradesh today has 16 domestic airports and four international airports. The fifth international airport in the country is

New Delhi, Mar 18: The Congress on Wednesday attacked the government after a Parliamentary panel recommended an urgent review of the Rs 1,000 minimum monthly pension under the Employees Pension Scheme, 1995, and demanded that it must take concrete steps for redressal. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh, alleged that over the nearly 12-year tenure of the Modi government, many social security schemes have gradually weakened or have been deliberately undermined. Even

JAMMU, Mar 18: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have issued a public notice seeking information, video recordings, and photographs from people who attended a marriage function where an assassination attempt was made on National Conference president Farooq Abdullah here. Police on Sunday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the recent incident of firing at Abdullah at a wedding function in the Greater Kailash area here on Wednesday. According to the notice issued by the Range Headq

Jammu, Mar 18: Kashmiri Pandits have renewed their resolve to celebrate Navreh, the first day of the New Year according to the Kashmiri Hindu calendar, in the Valley from next year, terming it a symbolic step towards reconnecting with their ancestral homeland, community members said. Navreh, which is celebrated by Kashmiri Pandits on the first day of the month of Chaitra, is traditionally dedicated to Goddess Sharika and marks the beginning of a new year in the Saptarshi calendar. The [] The pos

SRINAGAR, Mar 18: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary on Wednesday expressed hope that the judiciary will do justice with jailed MLA from Doda Mehraj Malik. Malik, who is the AAPs Jammu and Kashmir unit president, was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on September 8 2025, for allegedly disturbing public order and was subsequently lodged in the Kathua jail. We are hopeful that the judiciary will do justice in the case of Mehraj Malik as [] The post Hope J

In Odishas Parikuda village, devotees wade through the waters of Chilika Lake carrying idols of gods and goddesses during the centuries-old Panchu Dola Melana, a vibrant celebration of faith, community and Radha-Krishna devotion. IBNS-TWF photojournalist Rupak De Chaudhuri captures the moments In a striking spectacle of devotion and tradition, devotees carrying idols of gods and goddesses waded through the shimmering waters of Chilika Lake during the centuries-old Panchu Dola Melana festival in

For many modern couples a shared bed can become a battlefield. Is sharing a bed at night the ultimate proof of love between a couple? What about getting divorced for the night yet remaining committed? Anju Munshi explores this new trend The traditional imagery of a successful marriage is a shared bed symbolising intimacy. However, for many modern couples that shared mattress can become a battlefield, with weapons like snoring, restless legs and stolen covers. No wonder sleep divorce [] The post

Jammu, Mar 18: The General Officer Commanding (GOC), Rising Star Corps, Lieutenant General Rajan Sharawat on Wednesday reviewed operational preparedness of the troops in Jammu and Kashmirs Machhedi sector of Kathua district. The Bani-Macchedi mountainous belt in Kathua district has witnessed several attacks and encounters in the last two years. It is considered an infiltration route to Doda, Kishtwar and Udhampur districts from the International Border (IB). GOC Rising Star Corps reviewed operat

JAMMU, Mar 18: Security forces have launched search operations following reports of movement of suspected terrorists at different locations in J-Ks Rajouri, Doda and Poonch districts, officials said on Wednesday. A combing operation was launched at Khandli and its adjoining areas near Palma in Rajouri late Tuesday after a local reported movement of two suspicious individuals, the officials said. They said the suspected persons were seen moving through a nallah towards a nearby forest. No contact

DUBAI, Mar 18: Iran lashed out following the killing of one of its top leaders in an airstrike with attacks on its Gulf neighbours and Israel on Wednesday, using some of its latest missiles to evade air defences and killing two near Tel Aviv as the war in the Middle East showed no signs of slowing. Israel kept up intense pressure on Lebanon with strikes it said targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, hitting multiple apartment buildings in Beirut and killing at [] The post Iran lashes out with

HONG KONG, Mar 18: Asia shares were mostly higher on Wednesday with benchmarks in Japan and South Korea jumping as oil prices fell back slightly despite a barrage of attacks by Iran on its Gulf neighbours. US futures rose 0.4 per cent after a session of moderate gains on Wall Street ahead of the Federal Reserves decision on interest rates later in the day. With higher oil prices feeding into other inflation, the Fed is widely expected to keep rates [] The post Asian shares gain, oil slips back d

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: The Government on Wednesday said airlines have been asked not to levy additional charges for 60 per cent of seats in a domestic flight from passengers. Besides, airlines have been asked to ensure that those travelling on the same PNR are seated together in a flight as part of the civil aviation ministrys efforts to strengthen passenger facilitation. Announcing the steps on Wednesday, the ministry said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines [] The p

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Realty firm Godrej Properties Ltd has acquired 20 acres in Bengaluru to develop a housing project with an estimated revenue of Rs 1,350 crore. In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, the company said it has acquired a 20-acre land parcel in East Bengaluru. Godrej Properties did not mention the land cost. The company plans to develop a premium residential project on this site with an estimated revenue potential of approximately Rs 1,350 crore, the company said. [] The post Godrej

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: High-resolution cameras installed in a Vande Bharat train, as well as AI technology, helped authorities catch the culprits who threw stones at the train in the Muzaffarnagar area of Uttar Pradesh, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The minister said that Vande Bharat trains are fitted with many safety features, including an anti-climbing feature that prevents one coach from climbing onto another. While mentioning the safety features in response

New Delhi, Mar 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to 59 members retiring from the Rajya Sabha between April and July, calling Parliament an open university and urging outgoing legislators to continue contributing to national life. Addressing the Upper House on the occasion of the biennial farewell, Modi said such moments naturally dissolve partisan divides. A shared sentiment emerges within us all the realisation that our colleagues are now moving forward to undertake o

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Seven members of a family, including three children, died after a fire broke out in a multi-storey residential building in southwest Delhis Palam area on Wednesday morning, officials said. Two people jumped from the building in a bid to escape the flames and were admitted to a hospital, they said. A massive firefighting and rescue operation was launched with 30 fire tenders after the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received a call regarding the blaze around 7 [] The post Three childr

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Shares of Urban Company surged over 13 per cent on the exchanges on Wednesday after SBI Mutual Fund has acquired nearly a 4 per cent stake for Rs 632 crore. The stock rebounded sharply, surging 13.20 per cent to Rs 124.35 apiece on the BSE and rising 13.01 per cent at Rs 124.43 on the NSE. The fund house picked up over 5.75 crore shares, or nearly a 4 per cent stake in Urban Company, through [] The post Urban Company shares surge over 13 pc after SBI MF buys stake for Rs 632 c

NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Industry body FFFAI has sought government intervention to resolve issues being faced after shipping lines decision to impose war risk surcharges on shipments in the wake of West Asia crisis. Shipping lines have started levying war risk surcharges (WRS) on cargo moving to and from certain destinations, Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations in India (FFFAI) said in a letter to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Seeking government intervention, the body said i

Srinagar, Mar 18: A few areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall, while rain lashed most parts of the Valley on Wednesday, leading to a drop in temperature, officials said. Reports of fresh snowfall were received from Pir Ki Gali along the Mughal Road in Shopian district, and from Sonamarg, even as most mountains in the Valley remained covered by layers of snow. The higher reaches of the Valley have been receiving intermittent snow since Sunday. The [] The post Higher Reach

JAMMU, Mar 18: Mughal Road, which was temporarily closed earlier in the day due to fresh snowfall, has now been reopened for light motor vehicles (LMVs), officials said on Wednesday. According to SSP Traffic Rural, Farooq Qaiser, the restoration of traffic is subject to fair weather conditions at Pir Ki Gali. Vehicular movement will be strictly regulated between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM as per the existing advisory, he said. Commuters have been advised to drive cautiously and strictly adhere [] The

New Delhi, Mar 18: The government on Wednesday said airlines have been asked not to levy additional charges for 60 per cent of seats in a domestic flight from passengers. Besides, airlines have been asked to ensure that those travelling on the same PNR are seated together in a flight as part of the civil aviation ministrys efforts to strengthen passenger facilitation. Announcing the steps on Wednesday, the ministry said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines [] The p

Srinagar, Mar 17: A Consumer Forum in Jammu and Kashmir has directed IndiGo airline to pay 1.19 lakh as compensation to two passengers after their checked-in baggage was lost during their return journey from Saudi Arabia. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Baramulla/Bandipora ordered the airline to pay 89,000 towards the value of the lost baggage, 20,000 for mental agony and inconvenience, and 10,000 as litigation expenses. The Commission further directed that the amount be paid

JAMMU, Mar 18: Authorities on Wednesday closed the Mughal Road for all types of vehicular movement following fresh snowfall and rainfall at Pir Ki Gali. SSP Traffic Rural, Farooq Qasier said that the decision was taken in view of safety concerns arising from inclement weather conditions along the route. No vehicular movement will be allowed on the road till further notice. Commuters have been advised to avoid travel on the route and follow official updates, he said. The status of [] The post Mug

Tehran [Iran], Mar 18: The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has reportedly struck over 100 targets in Tel Aviv in retaliation for the killing of Ali Larijani, a former top security official, according to state broadcaster Press TV. The strikes were launched in response to what Tehran described as unprovoked American-Israeli aggression. In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced that the targets were hit during the 61st wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4. Accordin

REQUIRED FULL TIME ACCOUNTANT REQUIRED FULL TIME ACCOUNTANT FOR HANS RAJ AND SONS AGENCIES, RESHAMGARH COLONY, NEAR SUPER SPECIALTY HOSPITAL, JAMMU. QUALIFICATION: B.COM WITH KNOWLEDGE OF TALLY, GST & ACCOUNTS HANDLING. EXPERIENCE PREFERRED. SALARY NEGOTIABLE. MAIL CV@SUSHILARORA2003@GMAIL.COM *STAFF REQUIRED* SAHYOG INDIA IS LOOKING FOR SPEECH THERAPIST, SPECIAL EDUCATOR ( SPECIAL B.ED / SPECIAL M.ED ) , OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, PHYSIOTHERAPIST & DRIVERS.* *LOCATION : TRIKUTA NAGAR, NEAR RAILWA

INDORE, Mar 18: Seven persons were killed when a fire broke out after an explosion at an electric car charging point outside a three-storey house in Madhya Pradeshs Indore city early on Wednesday, officials said. Some cooking gas cylinders inside the house also exploded, which further intensified the fire, they said. The blaze erupted at the house located in Brajeshwari Annex Colony between 3.30 am and 4.30 am, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kundan Mandloi told PTI. Seven persons were []

The ongoing expansion of the Jammu Airport marks a transformative phase in the regions aviation infrastructure and economic landscape. For decades, despite its strategic location and immense tourism potential, the airport remained constrained by outdated facilities and operational limitations. Historically, Jammu Airport faced multiple infrastructural challenges that restricted its operational capacity. The runway length was a persistent limitation, preventing the landing and take-off of larger

Vishal Sharma By far the greatest and most admirable form of wisdom is that needed to plan and beautify cities and human communities. Socrates A city is livable when its roads are straight, level and not bumpy; and most importantly, do not deform either under load or when exposed to rains; when its drains-small and big-crisscrossing within its neighborhoods and between them are clean, covered and soak up every water drop that falls from the sky and take it to [] The post Bumpy rides, cuss words

K N Pandita knp627@gmail.com The ongoing war has brought ruin to Iran. The slogans, which the Ayatollahs deemed their jugular vein, were like to hell with Zionists (seyhun ha be jahannam) and Death to America (marg bar America). These petrifying slogans became frequent that many mullahs, instead of beginning the sermon to the congregations with bismillah (in the name of Allah) began with one or the other abusive slogans against Israel and America. Why is the Iranian theocracy lethally hostile []