Author: Agencies
NEW DELHI: Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been included in the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry, the BCCI announced on Wednesday. The Men’s Selection Committee has named separate squads for the two multi-day and three one-day matches against Australia A. Pandya is part of the 15-member one-day squad, which will be led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, with Devdutt Padikkal named as vice-captain. The one-day squad also features Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, Prabhsimran Singh, Gurjapneet Singh and Yash Thakur.…
JAMMU: Heritage School is celebrating a proud sporting achievement as Aksh Sharma of Class XI-D returned victorious from the North Zone II Cricket Cluster Tournament in the Under-19 category, helping his team secure the Gold Medal. The tournament was held from August 7 to 13, 2026, at DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8-C, Chandigarh, and witnessed the participation of approximately 2,000–2,500 Under-19 players from across the region. Aksh competed in the Under-19 selection trials, where he impressed with his cricketing skills, confidence and discipline amid stiff competition. Following a rigorous selection process, he was shortlisted among the promising players and…
BENGALURU: Group Captain and astronaut Angad Pratap on Wednesday said Gaganyaan will lay the foundation for India’s larger human spaceflight ambitions, including the Bharatiya Antariksha Station, stressing that the country’s ultimate aim should be to make space accessible to everyone and push the boundaries of knowledge for humanity. Speaking at the Space Expo session ‘The Next Chapter of Space: A Conversation on Exploration, Science and Innovation’, Pratap said Gaganyaan is about developing India’s independent capability to send humans into space and described it as a major technological milestone. “Gaganyaan is about acquiring the capability to launch a human to space…
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday alleged that the government’s decision to use open-ended questions instead of a drop-down list in the current format of the caste census is a “very serious flaw”, and said it seems that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the entire process to “fail”. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said his party has held 17 press conferences across the country in the last four days and reiterated the demand for conducting the caste census in the right manner. “A caste census is not just about counting castes, but about ensuring social justice. Right kind…
BENGALURU: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on Wednesday said India is “ready for the challenge” of building future space stations, while stressing that advanced technologies, autonomous systems and international cooperation will be critical as human spaceflight moves beyond the International Space Station (ISS). Speaking at the Space Expo session “The Next Chapter of Space: A Conversation on Exploration, Science and Innovation”, Williams said the next generation of space stations offers an opportunity to develop systems that can reduce dependence on Earth, including onboard databases, reliable 3D printing and autonomous scientific analysis. Reflecting on her experience aboard the ISS, Williams said astronauts…
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the complainant in the criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to file an application seeking an early hearing if he wanted the matter to be taken up urgently. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, said the procedure must be followed and emphasised that “everyone is equal before us”. Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, appearing for the complainant, submitted that Gandhi was not a VVIP and his appeal against the cognisance taken by the trial court had not been listed…
JAMMU: A 32-year-old man died after allegedly falling unconscious at a border police post in the R S Pura sector early Wednesday, official sources said. The deceased, identified as Uttam Chand, a resident of Rakh village, had reportedly been called to the Chakroi police post following a complaint by a woman neighbour over a property dispute, sources said, citing preliminary information. According to the sources, Chand fell unconscious at the police post and was subsequently taken to Sub-District Hospital R S Pura at around 4 am. He was later referred to Government Medical College Jammu but died on the way…
NEW DELHI: The BJP will organise the month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ across the country from September 17 to October 17 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years of public service and dedication, with a series of service-oriented activities planned during the campaign. The campaign will begin on September 17, which will be observed as ‘Seva Diwas’. Blood donation camps will be organised across the country on the occasion as part of the programme. On the evening of September 17, the BJP will also organise an ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ programme at every booth at 7 pm. People will light lamps…
SRINAGAR: Security forces on Wednesday busted a terror module allegedly operated by an ex-terrorist in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. According to a police spokesperson, Handwara Police received reliable information regarding the activities of an ex-terrorist who was allegedly operating as a “hybrid terrorist” as part of a module of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) in the Handwara-Kupwara area. Acting on the information, security forces launched an operation at the identified location in Handwara town. Following a meticulous security drill, the accused was apprehended and identified as Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Kruhmura, Handwara. Police said…
PATNA: More than 40 lakh people have been affected by floods across 14 districts of Bihar following torrential rains over the past five days, with several rivers flowing above the danger mark, officials said on Wednesday. “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 the danger level at several places,” an official said. According to a statement by the Disaster Management Department (DMD), around 40.21 lakh people in 514 gram panchayats across 84 blocks in 14 districts have been affected by floods.…