Puri: The chariots of Lords Jagannath, Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra began rolling, marking the much-awaited moment as the deities set out to meet their devotees. Braving the rain, thousands of devotees pulled the chariots with immense devotion. Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja was the first to roll towards the Gundicha Temple, followed by the other two chariots. Amid the...

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over reports that the government is now planning to reintroduce a Constitution amendment bill that would involve delimitation, urging him to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the revised proposals. In his letter to the PM, Kharge said during March and April, he had...

Puri: A devotee reportedly died and several others were injured amid heavy crowding during the world-famous Rath Yatra in Puri on Thursday while waiting to pull the chariots on the Bada Danda. According to reports, the devotee suffered suffocation and was rushed to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), where doctors declared him dead on arrival. The...

Lahore: Incarcerated former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's party Thursday gave a countrywide protest call August 5 to mark the day their leader completes three years in jail. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said the protest movement will begin August 5 and continue till their leader is released. Currently lodged in solitary confinement at the Adiala Jail,...

New Delhi: The government has proposed tighter fuel efficiency standards for passenger vehicles under the third phase of the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) regulations, including stricter carbon dioxide emission targets, incentives for cleaner technologies, and a market-based compliance mechanism. The Union Power Ministry Thursday released draft CAFE-III norms for stakeholder consultation, proposing the new norms to...

Mumbai: Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed almost unchanged Thursday, as profit-taking in blue-chip stocks such as HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries offset gains in IT shares amid geopolitical tensions. The 30-share BSE Sensex edged up 1.44 points to settle at 77,186.87. During the day, it climbed 394.26 points, or 0.51 per cent, to 77,579.69 but pared...

Dubai: The United States intensified its strikes on Iran early Thursday, hitting targets further north as American forces also fired into a ship it accused of trying to break its naval blockade on the Islamic Republic. Iran retaliated with missile and drone fire targeting US allies in the region before dawn and warned its attacks may escalate....

Puri: Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Divyasingha Deb Thursday performed the 'Chhera Pahanra' ritual, ceremonially sweeping the floors of the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. Devotees will begin pulling the chariots shortly. Clad in spotless white attire and carried in a silver-plated palanquin, the titular king of Puri arrived at the chariots, where he...

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Rukmini Mallick Thursday resigned from the Rajya Sabha, the fourth TMC MP to do so ever since the Mamata Banerjee-led party was ousted from power in West Bengal. Mallick met the Rajya Sabha chairman and tendered her resignation. I do hereby resign from the membership of the Rajya Sabha, which may please...

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday voiced concern over the introduction of a third language in Class IX under the CBSE curriculum, observing it would increase the stress level of students and suggesting it be introduced in Class V or Class VI so that students can cope with it. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R...