Author: Agencies
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday alleged that Census 2027 has gotten “totally perverted” with its intent “very dubious” and content at times “worthless, superfluous and diabolical”. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh’s attack on the government came over a media report which stated that the government’s decision to advance the Population Enumeration phase of Census 2027 in four poll-bound States, coupled with the introduction of several new questions in the Census schedule, has prompted some former Census officials to raise concerns regarding the quality of data that is to be collected and the potential links between the Census,…
NEW DELHI: With world leaders beginning to arrive in India for the 18th BRICS Summit, three Russian transport aircraft were spotted landing at Noida International Airport on Thursday, ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s scheduled visit to the national capital. Putin is set to arrive in New Delhi to attend the BRICS Summit, scheduled to be held on September 12 and 13. His visit is also expected to feature a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, likely on Friday, September 11, ahead of the multilateral engagement. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, speaking to reporters during a virtual briefing from Moscow,…
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described Tokyo sending its fighter aircraft to participate in Exercise Veer Guardian, taking place in Jodhpur, as a “significant milestone” for India-Japan defence partnership. In a post on X, he underlined that the maiden visit of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) fighter aircraft to India reflects the growing trust and shared commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. He recalled the “highly productive discussions” with his Japanese counterpart in New Delhi last month, and noted how mutual exchange of visits such as Exercise Veer Guardian further strengthens this synergy. The Indian Air…
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday attacked the Modi government over the auction of the Tara coal block in the biodiversity-rich Hasdeo-Aranya ecosystem in Chhattisgarh, saying it is yet another example of an “ecocide” being executed with the full support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Tara coal block covers an area of about 5000 acres, of which over 4000 acres is dense forest and no amount of compensatory afforestation, a “bogus idea” to begin with, can ever make up for the wanton destruction of such a huge natural forest area.…
MUMBAI: Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan was honoured with the prestigious Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award at the 62nd Maharashtra State Film Awards ceremony in Mumbai on Wednesday. On his behalf, the award was received by his wife and veteran actor Helen, who expressed immense gratitude for the recognition and the audiences’ love. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, Helen shared, “I am grateful for this award for Salim sahab. He says thank you very much to all you lovely people who have been trailing him and following him, and he thanks you. All his films are…
JAMMU: The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) on Thursday demolished around 20 shops at Satwari Chowk, sparking sharp resentment among affected shopkeepers who alleged that the decades-old commercial establishments were razed without prior information or proper notification. The affected traders said the shops had been functioning at the site for nearly 50 years and claimed that they had regularly paid monthly rent to the municipal authorities. They alleged that the demolition was carried out without providing them adequate notice, leaving them little time to remove their belongings or make alternative arrangements. The demolition has also brought the long-pending issue of rehabilitation…
US President Donald Trump reiterated his remarks of renaming the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz as the “Trump Strait”, saying Iran’s leadership would be “thrilled” by the move, as he vowed that Washington would not allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon amid the ongoing US-Iran war. Speaking at the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday, Trump said the US was “winning” the war with Iran and linked the conflict to oil prices and the strategic waterway through which a significant share of global energy supplies passes. “I think we should call the Strait of Hormuz the ‘Trump…
As India and Australia continue to deepen their naval partnership, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, interacted with the Commander of the Australian Fleet and discussed opportunities for enhancing interoperability between the two navies. The details were shared by the Spokesperson of the Indian Navy in a post on X. It said, “Adm Krishna Swaminathan, CNS, interacted with RAdm Anita Williams, Commander Australian Fleet, COMAUSFLT at HMAS Kuttabul, Sydney.” As per the post, the discussion of the leaders covered the Australian Navy’s evolving fleet capabilities and future inductions, along with opportunities for enhancing interoperability and operational interaction between…
MUMBAI: Market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty were trading on a flat note in early deals on Thursday as elevated crude oil prices above USD 100-per-barrel mark, amid persistent geopolitical tensions, kept risk appetite subdued. The 30-share BSE Sensex was marginally up 38.07 points to 74,809.95 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty advanced 9.85 points to 23,439.20. Among the 30 Sensex firms, Tech Mahindra, Axis Bank, State Bank of India, Power Grid, ITC and Infosys were the winners. Mahindra & Mahindra, Adani Ports, Reliance Industries, Sun Pharma, InterGlobe Aviation and Bharat Electronics were among the laggards. Brent crude, the…
NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday assured immediate relief and rescue operations following the collapse of a structural slab at an active construction site in the Kudasan area of Gandhinagar, confirming that all injured workers have been hospitalised and are receiving medical care. In a post on X, Shah stated that he spoke directly with the Gujarat Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister regarding the emergency response, noting that local administrative and disaster management systems immediately launched rescue operations at the site. “In connection with the incident of a slab collapse at a construction site in Kudasan,…