Daily Excelsior

Srinagar, May 27: The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of Chief Justice Arun Palli of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court as a Judge of the Supreme Court, superseding Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia. Both judges belong to the parent Punjab and Haryana High Court. The recommendation was made during the Collegium meetings held on May 22 and May 27, 2026, wherein five names were cleared for appointment as Judges of the [] The post Justi

LEH, May 27: The countrys first-ever rock check dam has come up in the Union Territory of Ladakh under a campaign aimed at addressing recurring seasonal water scarcity in the high-altitude region, officials said. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday launched the initiative Sindhu Jal Samriddhi Abhiyan with the inauguration of the dam over the Indus river at Upshi in Leh district. The eco-friendly rock check dam, located around 44 kilometres from Leh at an altitude of [] The post

Srinagar, May 27: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday directed the J&K Police and UT Administration to further intensify the crackdown against the narco-terror ecosystem operating within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Lieutenant Governor was chairing a high-level meeting with the senior officials at Lok Bhavan Srinagar. The Lieutenant Governor took appraisal of the progress of the ongoing Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyan and emphasized the need for a stronger anti-drug me

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, May 27: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted searches at the residences of former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family members as part of its money laundering probe linked to the CMRL case involving his daughter, officials said. A total of 10 premises in the capital city, Ernakulam, Kannur and Bengaluru (Karnataka) were covered under the raids that began around 7 am accompanied by a security escort provided by CAPF personnel. The searched premis

KATHMANDU, May 27: Sustainable tourism, responsible mountaineering and conservation of the Himalayan environment are the defining challenges of the day, Nepals President Ramchandra Paudel said on Wednesday. Addressing the Everest Summiteers Summit 2026 organised in Kathmandu, Paudel said Mount Everest was not only a geographical identity of Nepal but also the pride, prestige and an invaluable natural heritage of the country. The countrys economy has benefitted from the tourism sector through th

JAIPUR, May 27: Doctors have cautioned that symptoms such as recurrent fever, weakness and anaemia that persist despite treatment should not be ignored as they may indicate blood cancer. Ahead of World Blood Cancer Day, experts from Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital said early detection and timely treatment can help patients recover fully and lead normal lives. Blood cancer and bone marrow transplant specialist Dr Prakash Singh Shekhawat said early diagnosis plays a key role in successful treatme

NEW DELHI, May 27: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday told a group of civil servants that technology must be used not merely for efficiency but also for improving trust between citizens and institutions. Interacting with trainee officers of the 2024 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) here, he said modern governance no longer functions through rigid hierarchies and one-way communication. Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, encouraged the officers to remain open-minde

NEW DELHI, May 27: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved extension of Sarthak-PDS scheme, with an outlay of Rs 25,530 crore to provide assistance to state agencies for intra-state movement of food grains and modernisation of public distribution system. The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS (Sarthak-PDS) as an umbrella scheme, in the 16th Finance Commission cycle award period, with an

NEW DELHI, May 27: Government expenditure on healthcare has nearly tripled over the last decade to Rs 3.85 lakh crore in 2022-23, while out-of-pocket spending by households on treatment has declined significantly, according to the National Health Accounts (NHA) estimates released by the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday. The report showed that government health expenditure increased from Rs 1.30 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 3.85 lakh crore in 2022-23, stating higher public investment in the heal

MELBOURNE, May 27: An Australian state police force has worked to form a heavily armed rapid response team since gunmen killed 15 people and wounded three police officers armed only with handguns at a Sydney Hanukkah celebration in December, a government inquiry heard Wednesday. Testifying before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, which is investigating the spread of antisemitism in Australia ahead of the December 14 attack at Bondi Beach, New South Wales Police Deputy Com

TAIPAI (Taiwan), May 27: Chinese authorities have executed a man convicted of using poison to kill a billionaire gaming tycoon linked to the Netflix adaptation of The Three-Body Problem over a professional dispute, local media reported Tuesday. Xu Yao was found guilty of killing Lin Qi, the founder of the Shanghai-based Yoozoo Games, which holds the film adaptation rights for the blockbuster science-fiction trilogy known by the title of its first book, The Three-Body Problem. The sci-fi trilogy,

JERUSALEM/GAZA, May 27: Israel said it has killed the commander of Hamass military wing, Mohammed Odeh,in a strike in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday days after his predecessor was eliminated in a similar fashion. Mohammad Odeh was killed in an operation targeting a residential building in one of Gaza Citys busiest commercial districts, the Israeli military and domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet said. A statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet said: As part of the joint [] The po

WASHINGTON, May 27: US Senator Mark Warner criticised President Donald Trump for starting a new forever war and claimed that American military actions continue against Iran. In a post on X, the Senator, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused Trump of breaking promises and increasing costs. He wrote: Donald Trump keeps claiming the war is about to end but the truth is, America is still striking Iran. Hes breaking every promise, starting new forever [] The post

MANILA, May 27: A group led by a Roman Catholic bishop in the Philippines launched a fact-finding body Wednesday to document accounts of witnesses and other details of ex-President Rodrigo Dutertes bloody anti-drugs crackdown that the government can use to prosecute law enforcers. Duterte, who ended his stormy six-year presidency in 2022, was arrested last year and taken to the Netherlands, where he is facing trial before the International Criminal Court in The Hague for alleged crimes against h

KYIV, May 27: Russian bank staff and branches could be joining the fight against Ukrainian drone attacks under an ambitious plan approved by the countrys lower house of parliament. The banks would bear the cost of installing electronic jamming systems on their premises while selected employees would also shoot down incoming drones, according to the draft bill passed in its third and final reading Tuesday. The bill, which state news agency Interfax said was first presented last August and later [

BARCELONE (Spain), May 27: Spanish police are searching the headquarters of the ruling Socialist Party as part of an ongoing investigation into possible financial wrongdoing, the Civil Guard said Wednesday. The raid on the office in central Madrid is another blow to the party of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose Socialists have been hammered by a series of corruption scandals. The Civil Guard told The Associated Press that the police were under judicial orders to find material relevant to a []

LONDON, May 27: Britain and its allies risk losing a conflict in cyberspace against adversaries such as Russia unless citizens, corporations and governments treat cybersecurity with much greater urgency, a UK spy chief is warning. Anne Keast-Butler, director of the communications intelligence agency GCHQ, will warn Wednesday that Moscow is relentlessly targeting critical infrastructure, democratic processes, supply chains and public trust in Britain and Europe. In a speech at a World War II code

NEW DELHI, May 27: The monsoon has missed its expected onset date of May 26 in Kerala but has further advanced into some more parts of the southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area and Bay of Bengal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday. The IMD had earlier estimated that the monsoon would arrive in Kerala on May 26 with a model error of 4 days. The monsoon usually sets over Kerala around June 1, marking [] The post Southwest monsoon further advances i

LEH/JAMMU, May 27: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday said an MoU was signed between the ITBP Leh Frontier and the Union Territorys cooperatives department to create assured market linkages for local farmers, cooperative societies and farmer producer organisations (FPOs). The lieutenant governor said that the agreement was aimed at overcoming challenges faced by farmers in finding markets for their produce. Aimed at creating assured market linkages to local farmers, co

NEW DELHI, May 27: India needs to undertake measures such as tax moderation to boost export competitiveness, targeted import curbs on non-essential and demerit goods, and time-bound enforcement of trade-remedy measures to shield itself from the impact of the West Asia crisis, a report said. The global economic landscape faces a profound stress test and geopolitical volatility in West Asia is driving structural cost-push inflation across essential sectors energy, agriculture, and manufacturing,

NEW DELHI, May 27: A Singapore court sentenced Byju Raveendran, founder of Byjus, to six months in jail for contempt of court over alleged non-compliance with disclosure orders, but the entrepreneur said the ruling was procedural, denied wrongdoing and that he planned to appeal. The ruling marks the most serious legal setback yet for the founder of Byjus, once one of Indias most valuable startups, which has been battling investor disputes, debt litigation and operational turmoil following a shar

NEW DELHI, May 27:Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has held meetings with Canadas leading pension funds, sovereign and institutional investors, and invited stakeholders to partner with India in areas such as clean energy, technology, digital infrastructure, AI, and manufacturing. The minister is in Canada for a three-day official visit. Delighted to co-chair the Canada-India Investment Roundtable alongside Mr. @MSidhuLiberal, Minister of International Trade of Canada. Held extensive d

NEW DELHI, May 27: Global road safety body International Road Federation (IRF) on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the GST council to consider a substantial reduction or complete exemption of Goods and Services Tax on helmets, ambulances, and essential medical equipment. In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the president emeritus of IRF, K K Kapila, appreciated the governments ongoing efforts towards GST rationalisation and public welfare. He highlighted that several esse

NEW DELHI, May 27: The Income Tax Department on Wednesday enabled online filing of ITR-2 for the assessment year 2026-27 on the e-filing portal. Online filing and Excel utility for ITR-2 for AY 2026-27 are now enabled on the e-filing portal, the I-T Department said in a post on X. ITR-2 is filed by individuals and HUFs who do not earn any income from business or profession, but have receipts from capital gains. The department had, on May 15, enabled [] The post IT dept enables online ITR-2 filin

HYDERABAD, May 27: Reliance Jio on Wednesday announced the introducting of a new Rs200 Jio OTT Pass, offering access to 15 premium OTT platforms, more than 1,000 live TV channels on JioTV, 30 GB of high-speed data and unlimited 5G connectivity under a single 28-day pack. In a release, the company said the new pass is available from May 27 across online and offline channels for all Jio users with an active base plan. Positioned as a standalone entertainment offering, [] The post Jio launches Rs20

JAMMU, May 27: Jammu and Kashmir Forest Minister Javed Rana on Wednesday reached out to people affected by the recent anti-encroachment drive in forest areas on the outskirts of Jammu city and said two separate inquiry committees have been constituted to probe alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act (FRA). Police and forest department teams on Tuesday carried out a major anti-encroachment drive in the Raika Bandi forest belt in the lower Shivalik range on the outskirts of Jammu city, [] The

AHMEDABAD, May 27: In a major drug haul, the Gujarat ATS and the Indian Coast Guard have busted an international trafficking network, seizing 115 kg of cocaine valued at nearly Rs 1,150 crore from a vessel off Mundra port, and apprehended three foreign nationals, officials said on Wednesday. The consignment travelled through Latin America, Mexico, the United States and Karachi (in Pakistan) before the cargo vessel Europe anchored near Mundra port in Kutch district, Gujarats Director General of P

By Ashok Bahan Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru remains one of the principal architects of modern India a statesman whose vision, intellect and democratic conviction helped shape the destiny of a newly independent nation. At the historic stroke of midnight on 15 August 1947, his immortal words, Tryst with Destiny, captured the hopes, sacrifices and aspirations of millions who had struggled for freedom. That speech was not merely an address to the nation; it was a solemn pledge to build an [] The post Tr

JAMMU, May 27: Amid tight security arrangements, Eid-ul-Azha was celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, with large congregations of Muslims offering prayers at mosques and eidgahs. Eid-ul-Azha, which commemorates the devotion and sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim, was observed with religious spirit across the Union Territory. The largest congregation was witnessed at the Eidgah on Residency Road in Jammu, followed by significant gatherings at Mecca Masjid Bathindi and Jamia Masjid Talab Kh

NEW DELHI, May 27: Veteran sports administrator and Indias first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died here on Wednesday after battling age-related ailments, marking the end of an era in the countrys sporting landscape on which he left a lasting impact in varied roles. Singh was 79 and had undergone hospitalisation for several days before breathing his last at his residence here. He is survived by his wife Vinita and three daughters Mahima, Sunaina and Rajeshwari, who [] T

Leh, May 27: In the wake of the alarming rise in cases of drug abuse in Ladakh and the growing concerns around it, Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, today chaired a comprehensive meeting with senior government officials, members of civil society organisations, religious organisations and NGOs to review the situation and the functioning of Drug Deaddiction Centres (DDACs) in Ladakh. In recent months, there has been an alarming rise in drug abuse cases in Ladakh, particularly among youth, m

NEW DELHI, May 27: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the authorities to strictly enforce a zero tolerance policy against illegal constructions within 15 km of the countrys borders and demolish all such structures that have come up over the years. The Ministry of Home Affairs has assigned enhanced responsibility to the district magistrates to ensure legal and financial compliance of banking transactions in the border areas by all banks, verify big business establishments, examine their f

NEW DELHI, May 27: An analysis has found that climate change is associated with a 10 per cent increase in antibiotic resistance genes in salmonella bacteria. Findings published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal show that 82 per cent of the countries studied saw increases in antibiotic resistance genes in salmonella, an enteric bacteria that can cause food poisoning and typhoid fever, with the strongest climate-associated increases occurring in the Middle East and North Africa, followed by S

NEW DELHI, May 27: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the CBSE examination results have been marred by massive irregularities and demanded an independent judicial inquiry and constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to unearth the truth behind the entire scam. Gandhi posed questions to the government, asking why the CBSE contract was awarded to COEMPT, which had previously been embroiled in controversies while operating as Globarena. He also asked what, precisely, is the na

Rising healthcare costs have become a major concern for people in India. As medical expenses rise, it is increasingly important to choose a health insurance plan that is both affordable and provides adequate coverage. For this reason, when buying health insurance, it is important to understand current premium trends and compare quotes. Why Comparing Health Insurance Quotes is Important Before you purchase health insurance, it is always wise to compare different health insurance quotes online. By

A stable income strengthens your personal loan application, but it is only a part of the bigger picture. Loan providers assess your repayment capacity based on how a personal loan integrates with your financial situation. They consider your Fixed Obligation to Income Ratio (FOIR), bank statement cash flows, repayment history, and existing financial commitments. This gives them a realistic idea of your ability to handle new debt. Read ahead for more insight into how these aspects are assessed. Wh

NEW DELHI, May 27: Air India will reduce up to 22 per cent of its domestic flights amid rising operational costs due to high fuel prices, according to sources. The loss-making airline, which is facing financial headwinds, has reduced international flights by around 27 per cent, the sources said. Air India operates around 4,400 weekly flights. Out of them, about 3,600 are domestic and 800 are international services. In continuation of our previously announced adjustments to select international s

International executive and former CHRO Athalie Williams on why the wrong framework is being applied to one of the most consequential questions in Australian business Artificial intelligence is now a fixture on Australian boardroom agendas. The question is whether it belongs where most boards have put it. Across the country, directors are approaching AI governance through existing frameworks: cyber risk, data privacy, IT oversight. It is an understandable instinct. These frameworks exist, they a

Three centuries of paintings, treatises, and one Stephen Jay Gould elegy, for an antelope Western science knew for only 34 years. The bluebuck spent only 34 years in the sights of Western science before it disappeared. Hippotragus leucophaeus was formally described as a distinct species in 1766 and shot out of existence by around 1800, the first large African mammal to go extinct in historical times. Three and a half decades. And yet, for an animal so few Europeans ever [] The post Painted Befor

Srinagar, May 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the tragic incident that occurred during the execution of work on the Bhargi to Kunan road in Block Gandoh of Doda district. As per Government Order No. 184-PW(R&B) of 2026 dated May 26, Engineer-in-Chief (Secretary Technical), Public Works (R&B) Department, Er. Purshotam Kumar, has been appointed as the Inquiry Officer to probe the incident related to the construction of a 6.00-meter span culv

NEW DELHI, May 27: Ola Electric has secured regulatory approval for a new electric scooter aimed at Indias commercial mobility market, according to a government certification document, signalling the company may be preparing to enter the fast-growing commercial EV two-wheeler segment as early as this quarter. The homologation, granted by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in February 2026 under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR), covers an L1-category electric scooter powere

NEW DELHI, May 27: KEC International has secured orders worth Rs 1,303 crore across business verticals in domestic and international markets. The transmission & distribution (T&D) business has received orders for projects across India and the Americas, the RPG Group company said in an exchange filing on Tuesday. The companys civil business has won an order for the construction of a press shop and associated facilities for an automobile factory in Northern India. The renewable business has got an

NEW DELHI, May 27: The Governments up to 2 per cent stake sale in Coal India opened for non-retail investors on Wednesday at a floor price of Rs 412 a share, which is expected to fetch around Rs 5,000 crore to the exchequer. Through the two-day offer for sale (OFS), the Government is selling over 12.32 crore shares or up to 2 per cent stake, including a green-shoe option of 1 per cent. Retail investors will bid in the OFS [] The post Coal India OFS opens for non-retail subscription, Govt looks t

BANGKOK, May 27: Asian shares were mostly higher on Wednesday and oil prices fell after the US stock market rose to more records. South Koreas Kospi jumped nearly 5 per cent and Taiwans benchmark also surged as the boom in artificial intelligence drove heavy buying of computer chipmakers and other technology companies. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 also was lifted by gains for tech-related shares, climbing 1.3 per cent to 65,816.62. It topped 66,000 for the first time in intraday [] The post Asian sh

NEW DELHI, May 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged citizens to take maximum precautions as the country is witnessing soaring temperatures, and said staying hydrated is key during such harsh weather. In a series of posts on X, the prime minister said that children, the elderly and those working outdoors are especially vulnerable to extreme heat and no one should ignore the warning signs of heat exhaustion as it can quickly turn dangerous and may even lead to [] The post PM Modi Ur

SHIMLA, May 27: Tourists are flocking to the key hill destinations in Himachal Pradesh to beat the scorching heat in the plains, with as many as 6,31,000 vehicles reaching Shimla in the past 24 days, including 70,000 in the last 72 hours, officials said. With the summer tourist season yet to reach its peak, Shimla, the Queen of Hills, is already choked with vehicles, leading to frequent traffic jams and prompting police to make a special appeal to tourists to [] The post Tourists Dash To Shimla

New Delhi, May 27: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the power of the Election Commission of India to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls, saying that it advances the constitutional imperative of free and fair elections. It cant be said that the poll panel acted outside statutory powers by exercising SIR, observed a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant. We are unable to conclude that the impugned exercise is a process resorted to solely [] The post SC U

New Delhi, May 27: The Congress on Wednesday paid rich tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary, with Rahul Gandhi saying that Indias first prime ministers visionary leadership will continue to guide us forever. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi paid floral tributes to Nehru at his memorial at Shanti Van here. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, A humble tribute to the countrys first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on his [] The pos

NEW DELHI, May 27: The CBI has arrested a Latur-based doctor and a member of the physics faculty of a coaching institute in Pune in the NEET UG paper leak case, officials said on Wednesday. The agency arrested Manoj Shirure for allegedly playing a key role in facilitating three students, including the son of Renukai Career Centre (RCC) founder Shivraj Motegaonkar, in getting the chemistry questions from NEET paper setter P V Kulkarni, they said. Motegaonkar, who ran the RCC [] The post CBI Arres

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