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Nitish hijab row escalates: Giriraj Singh says woman can 'go to hell', clamour for apology grows

If someone is going to collect an appointment letter, should they not show their face? Is this some Islamic country? Nitish Kumar acted as a guar

Brewing for profitability: Inside Third Wave Coffees FY2026 playbook

After attaining the 200-cafes milestone recently, Third Wave Coffee Roasters is planning to open a 100 more in FY2026. The focus will be on newer

Gold, silver prices today, December 19: Check city-wise rates in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and more

On December 19, 2025, gold prices in India range from Rs 13,485 per 1 gram for 24K gold and Rs 12,361 per 1 gram for 22K gold. Silver is priced a

Stock Market Live Updates 19 Dec 2025: Stock to buy today: Ashok Leyland

Sensex, Nifty, Share Prices Live Updates: The short-term outlook is bullish for Ashok Leyland. The stock has made a bullish breakout of its chann

Who was Sharif Osman Hadi? Anti-India Bangladesh youth leader who died in Singapore weeks after being shot in Dhaka

Sharif Osman Hadi, Bangladesh's youth leader, who was shot by masked men near a mosque in Dhaka in an assassination attempt, died in Singapore. H

The Hindus 10 best books of 2025 | Non-fiction

From loss, remembrance to hope, these books explore ideas that resonate with these fraught times

Nike stock fell 10% today after earnings: Why tariffs and falling margins spooked NKE investors

Nike stock today: Nike's stock plunged over 10% as gross margins declined for a second straight quarter, impacted by tariffs and inventory cleara

Morning Digest: Opposition sits on overnight protest in Parliament against passage of VB-G RAM G Bill; violence erupts in Bangladesh after wounded youth leader dies, and more

Here is a select list of stories to start the day.

Morning Brief Podcast: MSMEs and the 7.3 Trillion Rupee Payment Problem

Trump signs $1 trillion annual defence bill without fanfare

The sweeping legislation determines everything from how many ships, aircraft and missile systems are bought, to a pay raise for the troops, to ho

Here are some Christmas-themed books that inspire a kinder and greener celebration

These books invite intention, sustainability and generosity into our festivities

Reviews of Eric Chopras Ghosted and Sanjoy K. Roys Theres a Ghost in My Room

Two writers go in search of jinns and spirits wandering across Delhis monuments and homes

Protection from wildlife trade for manta rays | Green Humour by Rohan Chakravarty

Review of Lonely People Meet, novel by Sayantan Ghosh

Ghoshs writing avoids excess and highlights the small moments that count

POWERGRID and Africa50 to develop transmission infrastructure in Kenya

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: For the development of critical transmission infrastructure in Kenya, Power Grid Corporation of India Limi

Why intimate partner violence is an under-recognised public health crisis in India

For women in South Asia, intimate partner violence is a greater risk factor for poor health than obesity, smoking, or alcohol useplacing violence

Visibility and inclusion- advancing the case of children with disabilities

The cascade of other inadequacies in society that inhibits children with disabilities from achieving their full potential continues to be a call

Interview with Manish Gaekwad, author of memoir Nautch Boy

A son gets closure after writing about his mother and his life in the kothas

New life into old narratives | Review of Forgotten Footprints by Prateek Dasgupta

Dasgupta excavates stories of lesser-known civilisations from the past

LIC employees oppose 100% FDI in Insurance sector

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: Class-I Officers and Class-III & IV employees of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) held massiv

Max Hospital Dwarka launches Ortho, Cardiac Surgery OPD services in Jammu

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dwarka today announced the launch of its exclusive Cardiac Surgery and Orth

No Evidence Pillar Meant For Lighting Lamps: Tamil Nadu To Court On Deepam Row

Arguments concluded in the writ appeal over the Thiruparankundram hill lamp dispute, with the Tamil Nadu government opposing a single judges orde

File Muda scam report involving Sidda by Dec 23, court tells Lokayukta police

Digital and determined: Uttarakhand's Gen-Z pradhans shatter stereotypes

Jim Hunt dies at 88: Four-term North Carolina governor and education reform champion passes away

Jim Hunt death: Former North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt, a champion of public education and a key figure in the state's economic transformation,

Zohran Mamdani Appointee Resigns Over Old Antisemitic Social Media Posts

One of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani 's appointees has resigned over social media posts she made more than a decade ago that featured

On a building spree: Consumer cos, auto inc push capex pedal

Major Indian consumer goods and auto companies are boosting manufacturing investments over the next two years. Firms like Nestle, Godrej Consumer

Several steps being taken against pollution, results to show in coming years: Bhupender Yadav

Bahraich wolf attacks | Terror before sundown

A series of wolf attacks in theBahraichdistrict of Uttar Pradesh has left 9 children and an elderly couple dead and 30 injured over the past thre

23-Year-Old Shooter Raped At Faridabad Hotel, 3 Arrested: Cops

Three people, including a woman, have been arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a 23-year-old female shooter at a hotel here, police s

PM Modi getting highest civilian honour of Oman grand endorsement of his statesmanship: Shah

NEW DELHI, Dec 18 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Thursday that Omans highest civilian honour bestowed upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi is

PM Modi highlights Indias Growth, Unity in Diversity, and Strengthening Ties with Oman

MUSCAT, Dec 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that 21st-century India takes bold and swift decisions, pursues ambitious goals, an

Indian Mens, Womens teams clinch 2025 Roll Ball World Cup Titles in Dubai

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: Bringing immense pride to the nation, the Indian Mens and Womens Roll Ball teams emerged victorious

India, Oman ink free trade agreement as PM Modi holds talks with Sultan Haitham

MUSCAT, Dec 18 : India and Oman on Thursday signed a free trade agreement, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tar

Trump and India

Harsha Kakar kakarharsha@gmail.com The recent tele-conversation between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump came while Trump was contemplating

Stock market today: Why S&P 500, Dow rebounds after 4-day slump, Nasdaq jumps 1.38% inflation eases and AI stocks rally, led by strong Micron earnings

S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq today: US stock market surged on Thursday, breaking a four-day slump as investors celebrated lower-than-expected inflation f

Silent Struggle of Indias Talented Youth

Dr Vikas Sharma drvikassharma20202020@gmail.com Across India, there are students who used to shine brightly. They were the toppers in their schoo

UN elects former Iraqi President Barham Salih as head of refugee agency

The United Nations General Assembly has approved former Iraqi President Barham Salih as the next head of the U.N. refugee agency, its first from

India have been better team in T20Is: Steyn

New Delhi, Dec 18: The ongoing India-South Africa series remains fiercely contested, with two possible outcomes before the final game: South Afri

Opposition Sits On Overnight Protest Against Passage Of G RAM G Bill

Opposition leaders staged a 12-hour overnight protest dharna in Parliament complex on Thursday night, while protesting against the passage of the

Vaughan urges England to avoid major overhaul

London, Dec 18: Former England captain Michael Vaughan has advised against sweeping changes to Englands playing group, even if their Ashes campai

England struggle in 3rd Ashes Test

Lyon moves to second on Australias all-time bowling list Adelaide, Dec 18: Nathan Lyon took two wickets to move past Glenn McGrath for second pla

BCCI to reassess North India fixtures amid fog concerns: Shukla

New Delhi, Dec 18: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to review the scheduling of matches in North India between December 15

Mustafizur gets NOC for entire IPL

Dhaka, Dec 18: Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in the entire Indian

Crashing Indian Rupee

Prof. Virender Koundal virender_koundal@rediffmail.com The Indian rupee has entered a phase of sustained weakness, triggering concern across fina

68th National Shooting: Ketan Malik strikes gold in womens 10m air pistol

NEW DELHI, Dec 18: Haryanas Ketan Malik overcame a strong field which consisted of Paris Olympic double medallist Manu Bhaker and Asian Games cha

Bombay HC raps police for flouting BNSS norms, seeks Centres explanation

The courtsayspoliceareacting in utter disregard to mandate of law;citizens are summoned under vague rules anddemandsclarity on BNSS applicability

Samrats gold-winning show at Worlds rated among top-5 by ISSF

NEW DELHI, Dec 18: Indian pistol shooter Samrat Ranas showing at the World Championships in Cairo last month has been rated among the top five pe

LG unveils logo of Destination Ladakh, Celebrate Ladakh calendar & STP Incentive Scheme

Excelsior Correspondent LEH, Dec 18 : Marking a major step towards strengthening Ladakhs tourism identity at national and global levels, the Lieu

Intense action in ongoing 29th Inter-District Billiards & Snooker Cship

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: The ongoing 29th Inter-District Billiards and Snooker Championship 2025 witnessed a day full of exc

FM likely to restore Rs 400 cr of budgetary cut of Ladakh, funds to be released soon

Will help Admn acquire land for projects Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, Dec 18: The Union Finance Ministry is likely to restore over Rs 400 crore of cuts

TikTok Signs Deal To Sell US Unit To American Investor-Led Venture

ByteDance's TikTok has signed a deal to sell its US entity to a joint venture controlled by American investors, according to a memo from TikTok C

Inter-Division UT Level Baseball held

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: The Department of Youth Services and Sports, District Jammu, today commenced Inter-Division UT Leve

68th National Shooting Cship Pistol Event concludes

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: The 68th National Shooting Championship Competition (NSCC) Pistol events witnessed a moment of pri

MLA SMVD calls on LG

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: Baldev Raj Sharma, Member of Legislative Assembly, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi called on Lieutenant Governor Ma

Budgam clinches title in Inter-District UT-Level U-17 Boys Cricket Tourney

Excelsior Sports Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Dec 18: The Inter-District UT-Level Under-17 Boys Cricket Tournament, organized by Department of Youth S

Javid Dar calls for vigorous awareness on Agri, allied schemes

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Departmen

NIT Srinagar students clinch Gold

Srinagar District Table Tennis Cship Excelsior Sports Correspondent SRINAGAR, Dec 18: Zainab, a 6th Semester B-Tech Civil Engineering student and

Jammu Sanskriti School shines at Cryptics 8.0 in Bengaluru

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: Jammu Sanskriti School, Jammu brought pride to the region with an outstanding performance at Cryptics 8.0,

DLSA Chairman visits Udhampur jail, inspects facilities for inmates

Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Dec 18: Principal District & Sessions Judge/Chairman DLSA Udhampur, Virinder Singh Bhou today visited District

It's Malpractice: US Moves To Cut Off Transgender Care For Children

The US Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday unveiled a series of regulatory actions designed to block access to gender-affirming c

Mehbooba asks Omar Abdullah to allocate unproductive land, not orchards to BSF

On one hand, there is unemployment, on the other such productive orchards were being handed over to the BSF. Where will locals go?, Ms. Mufti sai

CWC to meet on Dec 27

NEW DELHI, Dec 18: The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the partys highest decision-making body, will meet on December 27 to deliberate on the G

Capex Meet Exposes Faultlines

The District Capex Budget meeting is not a routine bureaucratic formality; it is the backbone of decentralised planning and grassroots developmen

Woman breaks down at Public Darbar over lack of road connectivity

Excelsior Correspondent REASI, Dec 18: A deeply emotional moment unfolded during a Public Darbar held in the remote village of ChanKanthi in Reas

GHMC Restores Mogulaiah's Painting

GHMC staffers removed the posters, cleaned the stains, and undertook repainting to restore the artwork to its original form and dignity.

Peerzada Farooq Shah chairs meeting of Committee on Petitions

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: A meeting of the Committee on Petitions held here today under the Chairmanship of MLA, Peerzada Farooq Sha

Federal holidays 2025 update: Trump gives 2 extra offs this year on Christmas eve and December 26 - here's what federal workers need to know

Federal holidays 2025: Federal employees are set for an extended holiday break this year. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order gr

Leh violence inquiry panel to record oral statements

Excelsior Correspondent LEH, Dec 18: The judicial inquiry commission to probe the September 24 violence in Leh will record oral statements from F

2-day district-level Philately Exhibition commences

Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Dec 18: A two-day District-Level Philately Exhibition Udhampex-2025, organized by the Department of Posts, comm

Jammu West set to become model constituency: Arvind Gupta

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: MLA Jammu West, Arvind Gupta kick started the long-awaited blacktopping work of the road from Munshi Chak

Dr Nikhil performs rare implantation of Leadless Pacemaker AVEIR at KD Hospital

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 18: Dr Nikhil Mahajan, along with his dedicated medical team, successfully performed a rare implantation of a

Trump Says Getting Close To Something Ahead Of Russia Talks On Ukraine

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he believes talks toward ending the war in Ukraine are getting close to something ahead of a US meetin

TG Announces Affordable Flats For Lower Income Groups

In a media statement, the Board described this as a bumper offer and those interested may apply through Meeseva Centres by January 3.

Ex-NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle, Family Among 7 Killed In Jet Crash

A business jet crash in North Carolina killed all seven aboard Thursday, reportedly including a former racing car driver, authorities said.

13.78 Crore Sanctioned For 39 Health Facilities In Sarvepalli

The projects include 35 Village Health Clinics (VHCs), three Block Public Health Units (BPHUs) and one Primary Health Centre (PHC). Sarvepalli ML

Lightweight Materials, Automation Make Aircraft More Reliable

Automation, digital manufacturing and Industry 4.0 are changing how aerospace systems are produced, making manufacturing smarter, faster and more

MPs Want Gollapudi As Satellite To Decongest Vijayawada Railway Station

During the meeting, the MPs made key proposals to ease congestion, improve safety and support growth with an integrated road-rail transport plan

Inside the Final Chapter of Four More Shots Please

As Four More Shots Please takes its final bow, director Arunima Sharma reflects on joy, creative calm, evolving womanhood, and the wellness of le

AP To Encourage More Child-Births

The government feels the state is ageing faster than the rest of the country and faces long-term economic and social risks due to a sharp decline

Trumps third country deportations pose risk of abuse and incarceration

As of October 2025, more than five lakh migrants have been deported from the U.S. since January. In this mass deportation scheme, Mr. Trump has a

IIM event draws 162 research submissions from 6 countries

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 18: The second edition of the International Conference on Leveraging Emerging Technologies and Analytics for Develo

Girl Student Ends Life Over Harassment by Schoolmate

The 14-year-olds parents have alleged that harassment by a fellow student and negligence by school management has driven their daughter to take t

Kennedy Center renamed to Trump Kennedy Center: Board member questions unanimous vote here's what happened

Kennedy Center: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has been renamed the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center follo

Researchers Likely To Develop Personalised Medicine Soon

Proteomics is the study of proteins structure, function, and interactions within a cell or organism.Metabolomics is the study of the small molecu

Youth body launches 20th-anniv celebrations with sports events

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 18: The Seng Samla Mawlai Pyllun (SSMP) on Thursday launched its 20th-anniversary celebrations with a series of spo

'Insurance companies own Democrats': Trump torches Obamacare subsidies, says give money to people

SC upholds man's will cutting off daughter for marrying 'outsider'

Islamic conference in Meghalaya focuses on youth empowerment

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 18: Meghalaya witnessed a significant gathering centred on education, character building and youth empowerment, as

Putin To Talk Of War And Peace At Marathon Press Conference Today

Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to send a signal to the United States and European powers on Friday over his appetite for peace or mor