Author: Agencies
NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) directed its executive engineers (building) across all zones to inspect structures under their jurisdiction and submit comprehensive reports by September 10, following the deadly building collapse in south Delhi’s Satya Niketan killing seven people, officials said. Officials said the information collected during the inspections would be incorporated into an affidavit to be filed before the Delhi High Court within 10 days. The inspections and submission of reports will be personally monitored and supervised by the additional commissioners concerned in each zone, according to the order, they added. In a separate administrative arrangement…
United States President Donald Trump utilised his Labour Day proclamation to champion a proposed levy concerning H-1B visa applications, asserting that the measure would incentivise domestic firms to prioritise local employment before seeking personnel abroad. “To ensure we are hiring and training American workers, we are proposing a new fee on H-1B visa petitions that will encourage companies to invest in qualified Americans before looking overseas for labour,” Trump stated in the Monday proclamation issued in local time. By incorporating this stance, the presidential address directly integrated the highly scrutinised H-1B framework into a broader address centred on industrial production,…
BENGALURU: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr V Narayanan said ISRO is not being privatised and that concerns raised by some employees over the government’s space sector reforms will be addressed. His comments came after some ISRO employees sought an official clarification on the government’s policy regarding privatisation or transfer of ISRO’s manufacturing and operational functions, the future role of the space agency and the impact of the changes on serving employees and future generations. “The space sector reform was rolled out six years back. As per that, we are supposed to handhold the private sector and grow the…
NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi has launched a sharp attack on the BJP government over the building collapse at Delhi’s Satya Niketan, alleging that authorities act only after tragedies occur instead of taking preventive measures. Citing recent incidents in Saidulajab and Hauz Rani, Gandhi accused the government of failing to ensure accountability. In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that the BJP government follows a “shameful pattern” of failing to take preventive measures before accidents and then blaming lower-level officials after such incidents. Every time, the BJP government follows the same shameful pattern…
NEW DELHI: India is set to host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, marking a pivotal moment for the rapidly evolving intergovernmental forum of major emerging market economies and developing nations. Initially established as the BRIC alliance comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which convened its first Foreign Ministers’ meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2006 and held its inaugural summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009, the group expanded to BRICS following South Africa’s admission in 2011. The grouping has since undergone a transformative expansion, welcoming Egypt, Ethiopia,…
NEW DELHI: India is gearing up to host a major diplomatic gathering as leaders from the expanded BRICS grouping prepare to assemble in the national capital for the 18th Leaders’ Summit, marking two decades since the foundation of the bloc. With New Delhi taking on the chairship, discussions will focus on steering international cooperation across trade, digital technology, finance, energy security, and global governance reform. The two-day summit will bring together heads of state and government from member nations, alongside invited international participants and senior officials, at Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan on September 12 and 13. Preceding the main…
SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today formally raised the curtains on the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK)-2026 here at INOX Multiplex marking a significant new chapter in the Union Territory’s engagement with the world of cinema. Being held under the theme of “Rang-e-Cinema”, the festival brings together filmmakers, cinema enthusiasts and creative professionals from across India and the world, providing Jammu & Kashmir a distinctive platform to strengthen its position as an emerging destination for filmmaking and film tourism. During this inaugural ceremony the Chief Secretary was accompanied by Commissioner Secretary, Information; Commissioner Secretary, Education; Divisional Commissioner,…
SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today met a delegation of UNICEF India, representatives of the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), Business Network International (BNI) Jammu Kashmir and the organising team of TEDx NIT Srinagar here at Raabita. The UNICEF delegation comprising Deputy Representative, Programme, UNICEF India, Jesper Moller; Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF India Country Office, Sharmila Ray; and Child Protection Specialist and J&K Outpost Coordinator, Hilal Ahmad Bhat, called on the Chief Minister to discuss strengthening collaboration between UNICEF and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir in child-focused development. The discussions focused on child protection, prevention of…
SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated the first International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), marking a new chapter in Jammu & Kashmir’s long and enduring relationship with cinema. The four-day festival brings together filmmakers, artists, delegates and cinema enthusiasts from across the world, with participation from over 30 countries and more than 130 films being showcased during the festival. Describing the inaugural edition of IFFJK as more than a celebration of cinema, the Chief Minister said the festival shall portray Jammu & Kashmir’s as a vibrant and alluring destination for…
CHICAGO: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday addressed the IIT (BHU) Global Alumni Meet in Chicago, Illinois, highlighting India’s technological ambitions, the importance of responsible artificial intelligence and the transformation of Jammu and Kashmir. Paying tribute to Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Sinha recalled his visionary contribution to engineering education and India’s industrial development, saying his ideals continue to inspire generations to advance technology, strengthen the economy and serve society. Speaking on the growing role of Artificial Intelligence, the Lieutenant Governor said AI would be a major driver of economic growth by combining human potential with machine intelligence. He stressed…