Islamabad: White House said in a statement that in light of the president's announcement that he was extending the ceasefire and awaiting a proposal from Iran, Vice President JD Vance and the US negotiating delegation would not be travelling to Pakistan Tuesday. The White House did not offer any additional updates on the possibility of in-person meetings....

Kedarnath: Doors of Kedarnath Dham were opened Wednesday amid Vedic chants and resounding cheers of "Har Har Mahadev", marking a significant moment in the annual pilgrimage calendar and allowing devotees to offer prayers at one of Hinduism's most revered shrines. The temple was adorned with nearly 51 quintals of flowers, creating a vibrant and spiritually charged atmosphere...

New Delhi: On the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday asserted that India will never bow to any form of terror and the heinous designs of terrorists will never succeed. The Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out an attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on this day last year, killing...

Islamabad: President Donald Trump said Tuesday the United States is extending its ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan's request as he waits for a unified proposal from the Islamic Republic. The announcement came as last-minute ceasefire talks between the US and Iran looked uncertain and a two-week truce was set to expire Wednesday. Earlier, the White House put...

Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) allotted houses to 138 families through a lottery system under its affordable housing initiative. The allotment was carried out Tuesday for residents from Ekamra Villa, Maa Bhagabati Basti, Salia Sahi, Bhoi Nagar, and Saraswati Basti. The selected families will receive homes in ‘Buddha Vihar Affordable Housing Project’ located in Patia. The event...

Bhubaneswar: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari Tuesday held a high-level review at Lok Seva Bhavan on Belpahar Municipality projects. During the review, he directed that works slated for 2024–25 and 2025–26 but yet to begin must have their work orders cancelled, with fresh tenders floated immediately and funds arranged in the 2026–27 budget to expedite...

Jharsuguda: Tension escalated at the ongoing protest in Jharsuguda district after villagers alleged that police are mounting pressure on them to withdraw from the demonstration against alleged unauthorised water extraction by SMC Power Generation Ltd. Hundreds of residents, mostly women from Hirma, Badmal, Jamra and Marakuta panchayats, have been staging a sit-in outside the company’s pump house...

Kendrapara: Restoration of the dilapidated drainage system in Kendrapara municipality has emerged as a persistent problem. While the civic body is prioritising drain cleaning, a long-term solution remains elusive as two proposed drainage water treatment plants by the state’s urban development department are yet to be implemented and remain pending under red tape. If the projects are...

Rourkela: National Institute of Technology Rourkela has developed and patented an advanced bio-ink for 3D bioprinting of tissue-like structures, marking a significant step in regenerative medicine. The research, led by Devendra Verma, along with research scholar Shreya Chrungoo and Tanmay Bharadwaj, addresses a key limitation in existing bio-inks — the lack of a single material combining mechanical...

By Arindam Ganguly, OP Bhubaneswar: As the world prepares to observe Earth Day April 22 (Wednesday) with renewed focus on climate action and community-led sustainability, Bhubaneswar presents a dual narrative—visible progress in urban waste management on one hand and the persistent challenge of plastic pollution on the other. The City’s experience reflects a broader national and global...