The Ayyappa awaits: Sabarimala supreme’s sanctum nears Supreme Court’s final verdict Before dawn breaks over the dense forests of Pathanamthitta, the chants begin. Barefoot men in black or blue dhotis, having observed 41 days of vratham, climb the 18 sacred steps with irumudi on their heads and a single name on their lips. Ayyappa! For…
Adityanath with Japan’s foreign affairs minister Toshimitsu Motegi NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath reached Tokyo on Wednesday as part of a visit focused on attracting investment and strengthening industrial cooperation.At an interaction with the Indian diaspora, Adityanath said India never allows any breach of the interests or security of its citizens and…
Australia’s $40 cigarettes and the rise of tobacco smugglersWhen cigarette prices began climbing across India in early February, the effect was immediate and oddly chaotic. Smokers paid different prices for the same pack on the same street. Retailers blamed wholesalers. Wholesalers blamed the new tax regime. What was framed as a clean public health reform…
NEW DELHI: Veteran CPI leader R Nallakannu passed away on Wednesday at the age of 101, hospital authorities said.Nallakannu was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital’s ICU on February 1. He suffered from multi-organ failure on Wednesday and was placed on life support. His condition detoriated on Monday.“He was not able to tolerate treatment…
Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal NEW DELHI: Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal, who played a key role in negotiating a trade deal with the United States, spearheaded the government’s response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “compromised PM” remarks, in which the rival leader levelled a series of serious allegations against Prime Minister Narendra…
NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath attended the Uttar Pradesh Investment Roadshow in Tokyo on Wednesday, where he presented Uttar Pradesh as a global hub for skilled labour and a massive consumption market with a population of 250 million. The minister noted that consistent policy reforms over the last nine years have turned…
NEW DELHI: Segregation is stunting ambition and limiting mobility among Muslims and Dalits, highlights a Feb 2026 paper — ‘Residential segregation and unequal access to local public services in India’ — released by National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), a US-based non-profit dedicated to advance economic understanding through policy-relevant research.This new report, conducted by researchers…
In the heart of Ajmer, the constant bustle and buzz of devotees at Ajmer Sharif Dargah is periodically broken by an unusual sound. It may catch visitors by surprise, but regulars at the shrine and people in the city at large know the unmistakable boom of Fauzia Khan’s cannon, which she has been firing off…
AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran (PTI image) NEW DELHI: AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran mocked his aunt VK Sasikala after she announced the launch of a new political party in Tamil Nadu, comparing the move to “instant sambar and instant idli.” He stated that the development would not impact the prospects of the NDA in…
Union minister of communication Jyotiraditya Scindia NEW DELHI: Union minister of communication Jyotiraditya Scindia strongly criticised a planned visit by Vivek Banzal, director (CFA) of the BSNL Board, to Prayagraj, which came under scrutiny for its highly detailed itinerary involving nearly 50 officials and extensive arrangements.Scindia condemned Banzal’s instructions as a “violation of established rules”…