New Delhi, Dec 21: The Congress on Saturday hit out at the Election Commission for tweaking an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage, asking why the poll panel was afraid of transparency. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the party would legally challenge amendment. If there was ever a vindication of our assertions regarding the rapidly eroding integrity of the electoral process m

KYIV, Dec 20: A Russian ballistic missile attack on Ukraines capital Kyiv early Friday killed at least one person and injured nine others, officials said. Moscow claimed it was in response to a Ukrainian strike on Russian soil using American-made weapons. At least three loud blasts were heard in Kyiv shortly before sunrise. Ukraines air force said it intercepted five Iskander short-range ballistic missiles fired at the city. The attack knocked out heating to 630 residential buildings, 16 medical

COLOMBO, Dec 20:Sri Lanka will soon formulate a national policy on allowing visits by foreign research vessels, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said here on Friday, amidst frequent docking requests from Chinese surveillance ships which raised concerns in India. Heraths comments came days after Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayakes visit to India. In January, Sri Lanka enforced a year-long moratorium on foreign marine scientific research survey vessels operating in its waters and the Ex

New Delhi : Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo and former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala passed away in Gurugram on Friday, December 20. He was 89. Om Prakash Chautala was last seen publicly during the voting of the Haryana Assembly election, which took place on October 5 this year. He was seen at a polling booth in Sirsas Chautala village. Om Prakash Chautala, son of former Deputy Prime Minister of India Chaudhary Devi Lal, served as the [] The post Former Haryana CM Om Prakash

NEW DELHI, Dec 19: The representation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the central government workforce is as per the prescribed limit, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. According to the information provided by the ministries/departments, as on January 1, 2024, the number of employees belonging to SCs, STs and Other Backward Classes, OBCs, is 5.47 lakh, 2.82 lakh and 8.55 lakh, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. [] The po

NEW DELHI, Dec 17: Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya flagged off the Fit India Cycling Drive at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Tuesday. Close to 500 cycling enthusiasts joined the three kilometres ride from the stadium to Raisina Hills and back, the initiative aimed at promoting cycling as a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation. The event was flagged off by Mandaviya in the presence of Raksha Khadse, the minister of state (Sports), MP Tejasvi Surya, as well [] The post

NEW DELHI, Dec 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi favoured detailed discussion at every level on the one nation, one election bill and wanted it to be referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday. Shah made the remarks in Lok Sabha when the House was hearing objections to the introduction of the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill that seeks to usher in simultaneous polls to the Lower House and state assemblies. When One Nation, One [] The post PM Favoured R

New Delhi, Dec 17: Incumbent Rohan Jaitley comfortably defeated former India cricketer and Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad to be elected as the President of the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) for a third successive term. The 35-year-old Rohan, son of former Union Minister late Arun Jaitley, secured 1,577 votes compared to Azads 777 in the race to the top position, which comes with a three-year term. His father had served as DDCA president for 14 years. As many [] The post Rohan Jaitley e

LUCKNOW, Dec 15: BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday attacked the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, saying they should not speak on reservations as they colluded in opposing legislation giving quota in promotions to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) when the Congress-led UPA was in power. Addressing a press conference, she also backed the Centres bills on one nation- one election, stressing it will reduce expenses and ensure public welfare works continue uninterrupted. She urged other pa

NEW DELHI, Dec 15: After AAP released its final list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Delhi, party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who will contest from the New Delhi constituency, took a swipe at the BJP, alleging that the saffron party has no chief ministerial face. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday released its final list of 38 candidates for the Assembly polls due in February, fielding Kejriwal from New Delhi besides repeating Chief Minister Atishi from Kalkaji. [] The post AAP re

NEW DELHI, Dec 15: Punjabi singing sensation Diljit Dosanjh dedicated his Chandigarh concert to D Gukesh, praising the newly crowned world chess champion for turning his dream into a reality. Indian Grandmaster Gukesh on Thursday became the youngest world chess champion at 18 years after beating title-holder Ding Liren from China. Diljit, who performed a show in Chandigarh on Saturday as part of his Dil-Luminati India Tour 2024, shared a video from his speech on his official Instagram page. Toni

CHANDIGARH, Dec 14: Haryana security personnel fired teargas shells and used a water cannon to disperse a group of protesting farmers from heading towards Delhi at the Shambhu border point on Saturday. A few farmers who were injured and taken to a nearby hospital in ambulances stationed at the protest site, officials said. The action came after a jatha (group) of 101 farmers, who resumed their foot march to Delhi shortly after 12 noon on Saturday from the Shambhu [] The post Dilli Chalo march:

NEW YORK, Dec 14: A 26-year-old Indian-origin former employee of the artificial intelligence giant OpenAI has died by suicide in San Francisco, authorities said. Suchir Balaji was found dead inside his Buchanan Street apartment in San Francisco on November 26, San Francisco police and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner were quoted as saying by The Mercury News. The medical examiners office determined the manner of death to be suicide and police officials said there is currently, no [] The

Brisbane, Dec 11: Its not just Usman Khawaja but the entire Australian top-order that is feeling the pressure despite the series-levelling win in Adelaide, reckons former opener David Warner. While the under-fire Marnus Labuschagne found form with a resolute fifty, batting mainstay Steve Smith and rookie opener Nathan McSweeney continue to search for runs in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. I think the pressure is on all the top order, not just Uzzie, the former Australian left-hander was quo

Perth, Dec 10: A battered and bruised India will look to avoid a clean sweep and address some glaring issues ahead of next years 50-over World Cup at home when they face Australia in the third and final womens ODI here on Wednesday. The three-match series against the seven-time defending world champions has served as a harsh reality check for India, who have faltered in batting, bowling and fielding, with each area contributing to their struggles. A record 122-run defeat [] The post India aim to

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: How does a farmers son from a Bihar village reach the pinnacle of his dreams in starry Mumbai where a million hopes are dashed and met every day. Manoj Bajpayee has the answer just be intelligently stubborn. The actor, who has successfully owned both commercial and arthouse cinema as well as the big screen and the small with roles as diverse as Bhiku Mhatre in Satya and Srikant Tiwari in The Family Man, says he [] The post I have been intelligently stubborn: Manoj Bajpayee on

NEW DELHI, Dec 3: Actor Anil Kapoor says he has completed filming for a key schedule of his upcoming film Subedaar. Subedaar, being directed by Suresh Triveni of Tumhari Sulu and Jalsa fame, was announced by Prime Video in March. The actor drama follows the story of subedaar Arjun Singh who grapples with civilian life, navigating a strained relationship with his daughter and societal dysfunction. It also stars Radhika Madan. Kapoor, who plays the titular role in the film, shared [] The post Anil

Bengaluru, Dec 3: The Indian junior womens hockey team departed for Muscat on Tuesday to defend its Asia Cup title which would also help the side qualify for next years FIH Junior World Cup. The Junior Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from December 7 to 15 and India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on Sunday. The top three teams in the showpiece will make the cut for the World Cup scheduled in Santiago, Chile. India will be [] The post India womens team heads to Oman for Junior Asia

GUWAHATI, Nov 30: Meitei radical organisation Arambai Tenggols supremo Korou Nganba Khuman and Kuki militants are under the radar of the National Investigation Agency, which has been tasked with probing four cases of attacks on security forces and an IED explosion in strife-torn Manipur. The cases include looting of arms and ammunition from the 1st Manipur Rifles complex in Imphal, attack on Indian Reserve Battalion post in Moreh and IED explosion in Bishnupur. The Counter Terrorism and Counter

NEW DELHI, Nov 29: As an actor who started her journey at the age of 15, Tamannaah Bhatia says she has a lot of respect for artistes working in cinema for a long time as the battle is not just to stay relevant but also memorable. Bhatia is in awe of actor Jimmy Shergill, her co-star in the upcoming Netflix film Sikandar ka Muqaddar, for his impressive career spanning almost thirty years. As an actor, I understand what it takes [] The post Tamannaah Bhatia on career: Youre trying to create someth

Sydney, Nov 28: Australia have added uncapped all-rounder Beau Webster to the squad for the second Test against India as cover for Mitchell Marsh, whose fitness remains a concern. Marsh had pulled up sore following Australias 295-run hammering in the series opener in Perth earlier this week. Webster, also a right-hand pace all-rounder like Marsh, has been the stand out performer in the Sheffield Shield over the past two years. The 30-year-old has collected 1788 runs including five hundreds and [

Dubai, Nov 28: The International Cricket Council finds itself in a spot of bother as its all-powerful board meets on Friday to thrash out the long-awaited schedule of next years Champions Trophy with an unyielding Pakistan refusing to consider the Hybrid model of hosting the event despite Indias refusal to play there. The meeting will be held virtually. Indias decision not to send the team to Pakistan and the PCBs defiant stand in not acceding to the hybrid system have [] The post Discussion on

NEW DELHI, Nov 27: Telugu cinema stars Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna have completed filming on their much anticipated movie Pushpa: The Rule, days before its release. Arjun is set to return as labourer-turned-sandalwood smuggler Pushpa Raj in the sequel to 2021s blockbuster film Pushpa: The Rise. Pushpa 2 is set to hit the screens on December 5. Arjun, who won the best actor National Film Award for Pushpa: The Rise, shared the update on his official X page on [] The post Allu Arjun, Rashmika

Perth, Nov 26: Yashasvi Jaiswal looks well-placed to carry forward the glorious legacy of batting excellence established by the likes of Sachin Tendukar and Virat Kohli, said former India coach Greg Chappell, waxing eloquent on the countrys cricketing infrastructure and planning. Writing in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald, Chappell said he was highly impressed with Jaiswal, who smashed a 161-run knock in the opening Test against Australia in Perth to be one among the architects of the v

HONG KONG, Nov 26: Hong Kongs top court on Tuesday upheld earlier rulings that favored subsidized housing benefits and equal inheritance rights for same-sex married couples, in a landmark victory for the citys LGBTQ+ community. The Court of Final Appeals dismissal of the governments appeals ended some yearslong legal battles over the differential treatment facing same-sex couples married overseas under Hong Kongs Housing Authority policies and two inheritance laws. The unanimous decisions are e

Perth, Nov 26: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has flown back to India with his family due to personal emergency and is unlikely to be present during the the two-day pink ball warm-up game in Canberra starting November 30. Gambhir, however, is slated to directly link up with the squad in Adelaide before the Pink Ball Test starting December 6. It is understood that Gambhir has sought permission from BCCI brass with regards to his return. He left with his [] The post Gambhir Flies Back Home For Pe

PHNOM PENH, Nov 25: The UN head, Pope Francis and others called Monday for nations to end the production and use of land mines, even as their deployment globally grows. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a message to delegates at the fifth review of the International Mine Ban Treaty, also known as the Ottawa Convention, that 25 years after it went into force some parties had renewed the use of antipersonnel mines and some are falling behind in [] The post UN chief, pope call for nati

NEW DELHI, Nov 24: Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and filmmaker Aditya on Sunday offered prayers at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The duo visited the famous gurudwara before starting the second schedule of their upcoming movie. Blessed, Dhar posted on Instagram alongside pictures from his and Singhs visit to the Golden Temple. The post Ranveer Singh, director Aditya Dhar offer prayers at Golden Temple appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

SINGAPORE, Nov 23: Aggression will be the name of the game when Indian youngster Gukesh, already an overwhelming favourite, and seasoned Ding Liren clash in the World championship match even as top players cautioned against writing off the formidable Chinese player. Starting Monday with the first game, the players are slated to play a maximum of 14 Classical games and the one to cross the 7.5 points marker first will be declared the winner in the USD 2.5 million championship. [] The post Gukesh

HAMIRPUR (HP), Nov 19: Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday called upon the six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries to contest assembly polls again from their seats after the High Court quashed their appointments, an official statement said. On Wednesday last week, the Himachal Pradesh High Court declared that the law under which the appointments were made was void. A division bench of the high court comprising Justices Vivek Thakur and B C Negi had also directed that all the [] The post

New Delhi, Nov 19: The Congress paid rich tributes to former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary on Tuesday with Rahul Gandhi saying that it is from his grandmother that he learnt that real strength is to fearlessly walk on the path of national interest. Indira Gandhi, often described as the Iron Lady of India, was born on November 19, 1917 in Uttar Pradeshs Allahabad. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi paid floral tributes to Indira Gandhi [] The post Indir

Excelsior Correspondent Jammu, Oct 19: The Government Railway Police (GRP) Jammu has recovered the body of an unidentified male from Jammu Tawi Railway Station. The deceased, believed to be around 30-32 years old, was found lying near track Km 94.31/32. According to GRP officials, it is suspected that the man died after falling from an unknown train. The deceased is described as fair-skinned, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, and wearing a red T-shirt and black jeans. Notably, he had [] The po

SRINAGAR, Sept 11: Security forces on Wendesday recovered arms and ammunition during a search operation in Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara district, official said. Based on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation by Indian Army & JKP was launched in Keran Sector, Kupwara today. Searches in the indicated area have lead to the recovery of a very large cache of arms ammunition and explosives including AK 47 rounds, Hand Grenades, RPG rounds, material for Improvised Explosive Devices & other war-