Effigy of Ravana burns during Ravana Podi celebrations at Baramunda in Bhubaneswar       Married women smear each other with vermilion during Vijaya Dashami celebrations at Kalibadi in Bhubaneswar, Wednesday       Women take part in the traditional vermilion game during Vijaya Dashami celebrations at Sheikh Bazar Puja Mandap in Cuttack, Wednesday      ...

Washington: The United States plans to establish a four-star Autonomous Warfare Command by October 1, 2027, as the Pentagon moves to fundamentally change how its military develops, purchases and deploys drones, robotics and other autonomous weapons systems in response to rapidly evolving battlefield threats. The initiative, outlined in a letter from the Department of War's Project Agincourt...

New York: The horse-drawn carriages driven by coachmen in black top hats through Central Park and nearby Manhattan streets, which long seemed like 19th-century relics, may soon be phased out as New York City lawmakers prepare to vote on a Bill to ban them starting June 1, 2028. The carriages have rolled through Central Park since the...

Bhubaneswar: Wielding traditional weapons and drawing on a martial legacy passed down through generations, the Paikas of Kandabindha village in Dhenkanal district brought their ancestral combat tradition into focus during the 42nd edition of Dhenkanal Heritage Walks (DHW), held during Durga Puja. Members of the Mallaluha Kabata Paika Yuvaka Sangha showcased the village’s martial heritage, highlighting the...

RABINARAYAN JENA, OP Bhubaneswar: In a move aimed at accelerating development and improving the implementation of government schemes, the state government has revised its administrative strategy, assigning senior officers greater responsibility for field visits and other key official duties. Chief Secretary Anu Garg has directed that senior officers will undertake field inspections and discharge important responsibilities, reducing...

Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has declined to impose a blanket ban on temporary religious pandals on public roads, observing that religious festivals may be held in the larger public interest as long as they do not completely obstruct traffic, restrict residents’ access to their homes or impede emergency vehicles. The court held that the larger public...

Bhubaneswar: The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) will organise the seventh Odisha Tourism Conclave at Swosti Premium here October 23, official sources said Wednesday. Addressing a press conference, HRAO Chairman JK Mohanty said the state needed to develop integrated tourism circuits, upgrade infrastructure and visitor facilities, strengthen domestic and international air connectivity, and expand hospitality...

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management (R&DM) Minister Suresh Pujari  Wednesday said the state government is committed to taking all appropriate measures necessary for an early and lasting resolution of the long-standing border dispute involving Kotia gram panchayat in Koraput district. The Minister’s remarks come amid renewed tensions over the Kotia panchayat in Pottangi block of Koraput...

Washington: The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to allow the Trump administration to immediately enforce new medical restrictions for transgender people in prison. The decision leaves in place a lower-court block on the policy. It was adopted after an executive order from President Donald Trump, who has taken several steps to roll back transgender rights during his second...

Washington: The United States Wednesday finalised a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, introducing requirements for financial reserves, redemption, risk management and supervision as the Trump administration seeks to strengthen American leadership in digital finance. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which regulates national banks and certain other financial institutions, announced the final rule...