Kolkata/Bhubaneswar: India’s overall large-carnivore population has increased, but the east-central region does not appear to have kept pace. A recent Wildlife Institute of India (WII) study found that leopards continue to face threats such as habitat destruction, poaching and human-wildlife conflict. Sponsored by the Odisha Forest Department, the study showed a declining trend in leopard and prey...

ARINDAM GANGULY, OP Bhubaneswar: As the Capital City gets ready to welcome Goddess Durga, puja committees across the City are racing against time to give their pandals finishing touches. At Bomikhal, the celebrations are set to take visitors on a journey to the glittering skyline of Dubai. The Bomikhal Durga Puja Committee has chosen the UAE city...

PRATAP CHANDRA SWAIN, OP Mahakalapada: The population of the rare blue-blooded horseshoe crab, which comes to the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary along the Kendrapada coast for mating, is reportedly declining, raising concerns among environmentalists over the species’ survival. The Gahirmatha and Bhitarkanika areas of Kendrapada are home to several rare marine species. The coastal areas of the Mahanadi...

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Journalists’ union (OJU) has demanded a high-level probe into the alleged assault on journalist Kshirod Chandra Das in Mayurbhanj, saying he was attacked in retaliation for his news reports. Das, an OJU member and correspondent of a local vernacular daily in Sarasakana block, was allegedly attacked at Jamsola September 27. He sustained serious head...

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police have intensified action against criminals, anti-social elements and illegal activities across the state as part of the special ‘Daman’ operation launched ahead of the upcoming festive season. According to the State Police Headquarters, the operation, launched September 21 on the direction of DGP Binaytosh Mishra, has so far resulted in the execution of 1,448...

Bhubaneswar: Setting aside the premature retirement of a senior OAS officer, the Orissa High Court has directed the state to treat him as having continued in service until his normal retirement date and extend the consequential retirement benefits. Quashing the premature retirement order, the Court held that the government had failed to follow mandatory service code guidelines...

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Sunday launched the second edition of the ‘Jibana Jindabad’ awareness campaign in Bhubaneswar, calling for a stronger collective fight against substance abuse and urging young people to stay away from addiction. Addressing the ‘Jibana Jindabad 2.0’ programme organised by the Commissionerate Police at the Railway Auditorium, Majhi said the state...

India’s markets are in a tizzy. Prices of pakoras have reportedly appreciated by 40%, samosas by 33%, while costs from fuel to paint are also rising. Policies meant to tame prices appear increasingly unable to contain the pressure on household budgets. Dalal Street, meanwhile, has suffered a bruising correction. Between January and September 2026, investors have seen...

Bilateral trade agreements appear to be shaping the future. The interim trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay), which has been applied provisionally since May 2026, may set standards for a new wave of deals. Mercosur is already pursuing trade talks with Canada, Japan, and others, while the EU is conducting...

India’s air-power shortcomings are becoming harder to ignore. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, very publicly, flagging Pakistan’s collaboration with China for a fifth-generation fighter jet should be seen as a matter of concern for the country. “It is a cause for worry,” he said speaking to the Press ahead of the Air Force Day. The Indian Air...