Author: Agencies

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,…

JAMMU: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in close coordination with the Jammu & Kashmir Police and Punjab Police, has successfully traced and apprehended Aqib Bashir, a notorious drug trafficker who had fled from NCB custody in Jammu. The arrest followed a three-day sustained search and tracking operation spanning Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, backed by continuous intelligence gathering, real-time information sharing and coordinated field efforts by the three agencies. According to officials, after fleeing from Jammu, Bashir initially attempted to evade the search teams by taking shelter under the cover of darkness and hiding in a forested area near Narwal…

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening the capacity of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and announced that the two countries will work together to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) lab for the Sri Lankan Army. Speaking at a deck reception onboard INS Udaygiri in Colombo as part of his three-day visit to the island nation, Singh said India remained committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s defence capability enhancement and responding to the requirements and priorities of its armed forces. “Let me reiterate that India remains a committed partner for the capacity enhancement of the Sri Lankan…

As the race to the midterm elections picks up pace, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday (local time) that he would issue every adult citizen in the United States a USD 5000 dividend if Republicans secure victory in November. He made the remarks during the 2026 Republican Convention while delivering its keynote address. Trump in his remarks, said that the US economy has grown by leaps and bounds under his administration. He announced the USD 5000 pay-out, claiming that the US is “making so much money”. “Because we have done so well and because our country is making so much…

PATNA: More than 40 lakh people have been affected by floods in 14 districts of Bihar, with several rivers flowing above the danger mark at multiple places, officials said. According to the Disaster Management Department (DMD), around 41.45 lakh people in 517 gram panchayats across 84 blocks have been affected by the floods, triggered by incessant rains over the last five days. Among the affected districts were Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur and Begusarai. “Incessant rain in various districts caused rivers and streams to overflow. Besides, heavy rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal has also led to rivers flowing above…

AHMEDABAD: Fifteen workers were rescued, and 12 of them were hospitalised after a large metal slab collapsed at an under-construction site in Gandhinagar, officials said. The incident occurred in the Kudasan area at around 9 pm on Wednesday when the slab crashed during ongoing construction work. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi visited the site after the accident and said 12 of the rescued workers were admitted to Gandhinagar Civil Hospital, while three others who did not suffer major injuries were discharged. “According to the report received from the Gandhinagar Civil Hospital Superintendent, all 12 individuals hospitalised are safe, and…