Daily Excelsior

SRINAGAR, May 22: Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Karra on Friday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi lowered the dignity of the office he holds. Referring to the viral video showing Prime Minister Modi gifting a packet of toffee to his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, Karra said such actions were unbecoming of a countrys leader. If we have to talk about Modis casual governance, then it can be talked about in volumes. But Modi has lowered the esteem of [] The post Modi Lowered D

SRINAGAR, May 22: Father of Pulwama attack mastermind Burhan Hamza who was shot dead by unknown assailants in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Friday said his son got what he deserved for treading the wrong path, but the family should not be persecuted. Arjumand Gulzar, alias Burhan Hamza, alias Doctor, a designated terrorist and the mastermind behind the 2019 terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in PoK on [] The post He Got What

NEW DELHI, May 22: India on Friday successfully test-fired short-range ballistic missile Agni-1 from the integrated test range at Odishas Chandipur, the defence ministry said. The launch validated all operational and technical parameters, it said. The test was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command, the ministry said. The Agni 1 to 4 missiles have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km and they have already been deployed. (Agencies) The post India Successfully Test-Launches Agni-1 B

JAMMU, May 22: The Traffic Department on Friday issued a fresh advisory for May 23, cautioning commuters about possible slow traffic movement on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) due to single-lane stretches, movement of nomadic herds and ongoing road construction works. Officials said traffic remained sluggish on NH-44 from May 21 to May 22, especially between Marog and Kishtwari Pather, because of single-lane road conditions, breakdown of two heavy motor vehicles at Dalwas and moveme

Jammu, May 22 : Police and civil administration said they demolished an alleged illegal commercial property of an drug peddler in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur district as part of an ongoing crackdown against narcotics trafficking, officials said. The drive targeted shops allegedly built on government land near Dewal bridge along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in the Samroli area. Officials said the properties belonged to Trilochan Dutt who has allegedly been involved in multiple drug smuggli

SRINAGAR, May 22: Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone, V.K. Birdi-IPS, reviewed security and logistical arrangements during a meeting held at PCR Kashmir to assess preparedness for upcoming festivals and the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (SANJY). During the meeting, District SSsP gave detailed presentations regarding security preparedness, deployment plans, traffic regulation, crowd management measures, and other logistical arrangements concerning Eid-ul-Adha celebrations and the forthcomin

CHANDIGARH, May 22: To provide relief to people amid the scorching weather conditions, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced revised working hours for all Punjab government offices, schools, and colleges. Under the new schedule, working hours will change from the existing 9 am to 5 pm to a new slot of 7.30 am to 1.30 pm. This change will apply to all schools and colleges within the state. According to sources, government offices will not have lunch breaks following [] The post Punjab

New Delhi, May 22: The Union Health Ministry has asked all states and Union territories to step up surveillance, hospital preparedness and screening of international travellers following the WHOs declaration of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). In a letter to chief secretaries and administrators of UTs on May 21, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said countries bordering DRC and Uganda, in

KISHTWAR, May 22: The Jammu & Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered a disproportionate assets case against AEE Hydraulic Sub-Division Chhatroo, Kishtwar, alleging possession of assets far exceeding his known sources of income, officials said. They said searches were conducted at multiple locations in Doda and Kishtwar following court-issued warrants. Further investigation is underway. A spokesperson said the J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered FIR No. 01/2026 under Section 13(1)(b)

SRINAGAR, May 22: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today chaired the 5th meeting of the Multi Disciplinary Committee (MDC) on Traffic Management System to review the implementation of a comprehensive action plan aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving mobility in the twin cities of Jammu and Srinagar. The Chief Secretary highlighted the significance of the recommendations put forth by the committee headed by the Principal Secretary, Home, and called for a time-bound action plan for their ef

SRINAGAR, MAY 22: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary today chaired a meeting of the Sub-Committee constituted to examine the issues related to Gair Mumkin Khads in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting, held at the Civil Secretariat Srinagar, was attended by Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmad Rana and Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperatives and Elections, Javid Ahmad Dar, who are members of the Sub-C

NEW DELHI, May 22: Observing that with educational and economic empowerment there is social mobility, the Supreme Court on Friday questioned the continued grant of reservation benefits to children of economically and educationally advanced families within backward classes. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing a plea challenging a Karnataka High Court judgment which upheld the exclusion of the petitioner, whose parents are both state government employees, from reservati

NEW DELHI, May 22: All central government administrative offices located in Delhi shall remain closed on May 28, on account of Eid-ul-Azha, the personnel ministry said on Friday. Earlier, the Centre had declared a holiday on Eid-ul-Azha on May 27. Central government administrative offices located at Delhi/New Delhi shall remain closed on 28th May, 2026, on account of Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) (in place of 27th May, 2026), it said in a statement. The post Central Govt Offices In Delhi To Remain Closed

NEW DELHI, May 22: The Delhi High Court on Friday granted three-day interim bail to activist Umar Khalid, who is in custody in a case under anti-terror law UAPA concerning the larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots in the citys northeastern parts. A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Madhu Jain permitted Khalid to be released from June 1 to June 3 to enable him to meet his mother who has to undergo a surgery. The bench noted [] The post Three-day interim bail for Umar Khalid in UAP

SRINAGAR, May 22: A political storm erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after the BJP circulated online Omar Abdullah missing posters in a bid to mock the chief minister. The BJPs J&K unit shared the missing posters on its social media handles, seeking information about Abullah and claiming that he has been missing for the last ten days. The saffron partys criticism comes amid reports that the chief minister is outside Jammu and Kashmir on a personal visit. Reacting to the [] The post Omar Abdullah Mis

HELSINBORG (Sweden), May 22: NATO allies and defence officials expressed bewilderment on Friday at US President Donald Trumps decision to send 5,000 American troops to Poland just weeks after he had ordered 5,000 troops to be pulled out of Europe. It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters at a meeting she was hosting of her NATO counterparts, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. US defence officials were also

KATHMANDU, May 22: Two Indian mountaineers who summited Everest have died while descending, an official said on Friday. The climbers have been identified as Arun Kumar Tiwari and Sandeep Are. It appears that Are summited on Wednesday and Tiwari on Thursday around 5.30 pm, said Rishi Bhandari, secretary general of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal. The guides worked really hard but were not able to save them, he told PTI. Are died on Thursday and it is not clear [] The post Two Indian

PESHAWAR, May 22:Pakistani security forces killed 23 terrorists during a series of operations conducted on Wednesday and Thursday in the countrys restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the militarys media wing said on Friday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said troops carried out intelligence-based operations at multiple areas, including Datta Khel, Spinwam and Bannu, and engaged terrorists in intense exchanges of fire. As many as 23 terrorists were killed in these operations, it said.

SINGAPORE, May 22: World Bank President Ajay Banga has called for the deployment of Small AI locally deployed artificial intelligence running on inexpensive hardware, speaking local languages and solving daily problems for farmers and rural communities. Speaking at the ATX Singapore 2026 technology summit on Thursday, Banga cited the example of a farmer in Indias Uttar Pradesh sharing a photograph of a diseased crop leaf through an old mobile phone and receiving diagnosis and treatment advice f

NAIROBI, May 22: The United States has sanctioned Tanzanias police chief and barred him from entering the US, citing alleged human rights violations committed by the police force. The sanctions announced Thursday followed a general election in October in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan won a full term with 97% of the vote after a crackdown on opposition figures. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in December said the country was reviewing its ties with Tanzania over repression and [] The

TORONTO, May 22: Canadas oil-rich province of Alberta will hold a referendum in October on leaving Canada, but the provinces premier said it wont actually be a vote on whether to separate. Danielle Smith said voters instead would be deciding whether its time to hold a referendum on quitting Canada. I want to be clear. I support Alberta remaining in Canada, and this is how I would vote on separation in a provincial referendum. It is also the position of [] The post Alberta province plans public v

MUMBAI, May 22: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday injected Rs 81,590 crore transient liquidity into the banking system through a three-day variable rate repo (VRR) auction. Transient liquidity is temporary cash flow fluctuations in a financial or banking system, while a Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction is a monetary tool used by the RBI to inject short-term liquidity into the banking system. In a release the RBI said the funds were infused at a 5.26 per cent [] The post RBI injects Rs 81

JAMMU, May 22: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said that drugs and terrorism are two sides of the same coin in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that investigations have revealed direct links between narcotics smuggling networks and terror organisations operating in the region. Addressing a programme on the drug-free Jammu and Kashmir campaign, the LG said evidence gathered during various investigations has shown the involvement of the neighbouring country in promoting drug smuggling to f

NEW DELHI, May 22: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 60,000 kg of smuggled foreign-origin areca nuts in the north-east region and arrested five persons, the finance ministry said on Friday. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI conducted operations in Mizoram and Assam, which led to these seizures. Initial investigations revealed that foreign-origin dried areca nuts were smuggled into India from Myanmar through the Myanmar-Mizoram border. In one of the operations, DRI was a

JAMMU, May 22: A 22-year-old woman allegedly set herself ablaze here after her boyfriend did not respond to her phone calls, police said on Friday. The incident occurred near the Tawi bridge area on Thursday when the woman allegedly poured an inflammable substance on herself and set herself on fire in a fit of rage, they said. Passersby immediately rushed to her aid and managed to douse the flames before police personnel admitted her to a hospital for treatment. The [] The post Jammu Woman Sets

JAMMU, May 22: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the inter-cadre deputation of 1996-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer Mukesh Singh to the Manipur cadre for a period of 3 years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for deputation of Mukesh Singh has been cleared in relaxation of the conditions of inter-cadre deputation. The ACC has also waived the mandatory cooling off period [] The pos

NEW DELHI, May 22: Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist over the plains of northwest India, Central and East India, and parts of Peninsular India during the next six to seven days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday. The IMD stated that heatwave conditions are likely in isolated areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh from May 22 to May 28. Severe heatwave conditions over East Uttar Pradesh and East Madhya Pradesh are expected during [] The post Se

Choosing how to stash your cash in a Ulip plan can feel a bit like staring at an overly long restaurant menu. You know you want something thats going to satisfy your long-term hunger for wealth, but with so many fund options on the table, its easy to get a bit of choice paralysis. A Unit Linked Insurance Plan is a bit of a hybrid; its part life insurance and part investment. The beautyand the challengeis that the heavy lifting [] The post How to Choose the Right Fund Option in a ULIP Plan appear

Lets be real, the daily grind is absolutely hectic nowadays. One minute you are smashing a morning workout session, and the next you are running late for a massive corporate presentation. Who actually has the time to change their entire aesthetic every single hour? Absolutely nobody, which is exactly why your wrist game needs a major, versatile upgrade. Forget about those fragile, old-school timepieces. It is officially time to switch to digital watches that can effortlessly do both. These moder

NEW DELHI, May 22: The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Suhail Ahmad Thokar, who was arrested in a UAPA case for allegedly conspiring with proscribed terrorist groups to recruit hybrid terrorists, radicalise youth and execute acts of terrorism following the repeal of Article 370 of the Constitution. The Centre had on August 5, 2019 abrogated the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which bestowed a special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. A bench [] The post S

Udhampur, May 22: The District Administration Udhampur has imposed a strict ban on the movement of heavy vehicles, including trucks, tippers and dumpers, over the Salmey Bridge/Aqueduct citing serious safety concerns and threat to structural integrity. According to an order issued by Additional District Magistrate Udhampur Dr. Umesh Shan under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, the restriction has been enforced following reports from the Executive Engineer, Civil

JAMMU, May 22: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has nominated Justice Sanjay Dhar as the Judicial Nodal Authority for coordination with the Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee headed by Supreme Court Judge Justice Aravind Kumar. According to an order issued by the Office of the Registrar General at Srinagar, the nomination has been made in connection with furnishing information and questionnaires regarding judicial infrastructure assessment pursuant to a communication dated Ma

SAHARANPUR (UP), May 22: Police here have registered a case against Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan and several of her supporters for allegedly obstructing government work, blocking traffic, and violating prohibitory orders during a protest earlier this week, officials said on Friday. SP City Vyom Bindal said the FIR was lodged at Sadar Bazar police station on Thursday based on a complaint filed by sub-inspector Sanjay Kumar Sharma. Apart from Hasan, former state minister Mangeram Kashyap and 20 t

Chandigarh, May 22: A private bus overturned on the Amritsar-Pathankot national highway on Friday, leaving two students dead and five injured, police said. The deceased, both aged around 23, hailed from Jammu, Station House Officer Rajwant Kaur said. The deceased were students of a college in Punjab, she said, adding that around 10 students were among the passengers travelling in the bus. Five injured, including three who sustained head injuries, were shifted to a hospital in Gurdaspur, the offi

NEW DELHI, May 22: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the government will launch a smart border project in the next year to make the 6,000 km fronts with Pakistan and Bangladesh impenetrable and ensure that the conspiracy to change the demography of the areas is defeated. Delivering the annual Rustamji Memorial lecture hosted by the Border Security Force (BSF) here, the minister also reiterated that the government will find each and every infiltrator from the country and [] The post In

New Delhi, May 22: Declaring a zero-tolerance policy toward cross-border infiltration, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday announced that the Centre will launch a comprehensive Smart Border project within the year to seal the nations borders and deport every illegal migrant. Addressing the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at the BSF Investiture Ceremony 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi, Shah asserted that illegal migration is a deliberate conspiracy to engineer artificial demographic shifts

NEW DELHI, May 22: The Centre has extended the tenure of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) chief Anurag Garg till July next year, according to a Personnel Ministry order. Garg, a 1993 batch Indian Police Service officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, was appointed Director General of the NCB in September 2024. His tenure was to end on May 23 this year. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved extension in Gargs deputation tenure as DG, NCB, beyond May 23, 2026, [] The post Centre Extends

WASHINGTON, May 22: US President Donald Trump cancelled the signing ceremony of his executive order on artificial intelligence regulation, as it would reportedly slow the industrys development in the United States, ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang reported. Trump just called off the signing of his AI executive order hours before the Oval Office ceremony. The order was expected to allow the government to vet the most powerful AI models before public release. He scrapped it b

NEW DELHI, May 22: Vedanta Ltd has said that its subsidiary Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) has been held liable to pay approximately Rs 127 crore, plus applicable late payment surcharge, to Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) following a Supreme Court judgment. In a regulatory filing on Thursday, Vedanta said the Supreme Court has set aside the judgment passed by the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), and has restored the order passed by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Co

NEW DELHI, May 22: Fujiyama Power Systems on Friday said it is planning to set up a 1.2 GW TopCon solar cell manufacturing facility at Ratlam, in Madhya Pradesh. Currently, the company operates a 1 GW Mono PERC solar cell manufacturing facility at its Dadri plant, Uttar Pradesh. With the addition of 1.2 GW TopCon capacity at Ratlam, Fujiyama will substantially strengthen its integrated manufacturing capabilities across the solar value chain, the company said in a statement. The commercial operat

NEW DELHI, May 22: Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd on Friday said it has received final approval from the US health regulator for its generic version of levothyroxine sodium tablet indicated as a replacement therapy for hypothyroidism. The approval by the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) is for the Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) of levothyroxine sodium tablets of strengths 25 mcg, 50 mcg, 75 mcg, 88 mcg, 100 mcg, 112 mcg, 125 mcg, 137 mcg, 150 mcg, 175 mcg, 200 [] The post Alembic gets

NEW DELHI, May 22: Shares of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on Friday climbed nearly 5 per cent after the firm posted a 23 per cent increase in net profit in the March quarter. The stock rallied 4.78 per cent to Rs 839 on the BSE. At the NSE, the stock jumped 4.84 per cent to Rs 839. LIC on Thursday posted a 23 per cent increase in net profit to Rs 23,420 crore in the March quarter, helped [] The post LIC shares jump nearly 5 pc after Q4 earnings appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

NEW DELHI, May 22: Suzlon on Friday said it has secured a repeat order of 195 MW from Sunsure Energy, taking the total sales of its 3MW platform to nearly 9 GW. This milestone reflects strong and sustained market adoption of the Suzlon 3X platform, a company statement said. The order builds on the ongoing partnership between Suzlon and Sunsure Energy, bringing the cumulative partnership to nearly 300 MW across Maharashtra and Karnataka, and is expected to grow further. With [] The post Suzlon ba

Ten years of tracking reintroduced rhinos inManas National Parkof Assamhas revealed a promising story of resilience and adaptation. While the study shows encouraging signs of reproduction, it also highlights fascinating variations in breeding and movement patterns among different rhino groups. However, researchers warn that the job isnt over. To protect this growing population from the long-term risks of inbreeding,continued introductionsandsteadfast protectionremain the keys to a thriving, wil

NEW DELHI, May 22: The Congress on Friday said it was shocked over claims made by top NTA officials that the NEET exam paper was not leaked, and said both the Pradhan Mantri and the Mantri Pradhan must be held accountable for this cover-up. The Congress also said that the National Testing Agency (NTA) has become a National Trauma Agency and accused the government of colluding with the paper leak mafia to suppress the truth of irregularities and fraud. In [] The post PM, Education Minister Must B

Dr. Suman K Kasturi sumankasturi@gmail.com This book, titled Dashanan: di, represents a unique endeavour that involvedly weaves together elements of fantasy and Indian mythology. In the introduction, the author states, Dashanan is not a retelling and should not be mistaken for our itihasa. It is a resurrectionone that takes creative liberties to revive Dashanan. In my opinion, for any aspiring author, the innate fear and exulansis act as a blindfold that obscures the clarity of their spirit. Su

A Field Guide to Indian Drivers Nimit Suri nimitsuri150@gmail.com If my great-great-grandfather were to descend from heaven today, he would be pleasantly amused to discover that boxes on wheels have replaced the bullock carts and tangas of his time. His delight, however, would not last. One short ride through the modern Indian roads would be enough to turn his curiosity into exasperation, and his exasperation into prayer. He would witness the rich, the poor and the middle class converging in []

NEW DELHI, May 22: The Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear next week a plea challenging the CBSE policy which has made study of three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, compulsory for Class 9 students beginning July 1. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the matter before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi. This is an urgent PIL. The petitioners are students, teachers and parents. They are [] The post SC To Hea

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NEW DELHI, May 22: The Election Commission on Friday announced polls for 24 Rajya Sabha seats on June 18. In a statement, the EC said the elections for the Rajya Sabha seats will be held in 10 states where the incumbents are retiring on different dates beginning June 21 to July 19. The Rajya Sabha elections will be held in four seats each in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, three seats each in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, two seats in [] The post EC Announces Rajya Sabha Polls For 24 Seat