Vadodara: Nine persons, including a child, were killed and nine others rescued after a portion of a four-decade-old bridge collapsed in Gujarat's Vadodara district Wednesday morning, officials said. A slab of the Gambhira bridge, located on Mahisagar river which connects central Gujarat to the Saurashtra region of the state, collapsed, killing nine persons, Superintendent of Police (Vadodara rural) Rohan Anand said. The bridge was located near
New Delhi: Employees and workers affiliated with 10 central trade unions went on a day-long strike Wednesday, but essential services remained unaffected. There were reports of the strike impacting a select few services in Kerala, Jharkhand, and Puducherry. The forum has claimed that 25 crore workers are being mobilised for the "general strike" in protest against the new labour codes, along with other issues. All India Trade Union Congress Gene
New Delhi: As former India captain Sourav Ganguly turned 53 Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) extended a warm greeting to its ex-president, highlighting his stats from his stellar career. After making his international debut in an ODI match against the West Indies in the 1992 Benson and Hedges World Series, Ganguly served the country for 16 glorious years. The left-hander batter went on to be recognised as one of the gre
Patna: In a significant move towards women's empowerment, the Bihar government Tuesday approved 35 per cent reservation exclusively for native women candidates in all categories of direct recruitment across all levels of government services in the state. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, which lasted for about an hour and cleared a total of 43 important proposals. Under the approved proposal
Puri: The sacred 'Niladri Bije' ritual, marking the return of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra to their abode, the Ratna Simhasan of the Shree Jagannath Temple, after their 12-day stay at the Gundicha temple, will be observed Tuesday. The deities will enter the temple from their chariots in the distinctive 'Goti Pahandi' procession. As part of the tradition, Lord Jagannath offers 'Rasagola' to Goddess Laxmi in a symbolic gestur
Mumbai: Legendary Indian wicketkeeper-batter Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the only captain in international cricket history to have won the ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy, turned 44 Monday. Lovingly referred to as "Thala" by his fans, Dhoni is one of the most admired cricketers in the world. He currently plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), considered one of the most successful teams in the IPL. Dhoni is known for his calm mindset,
Dubai: Indian media mogul Sanjog Gupta was Monday named the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Jay Shah-led International Cricket Council (ICC) following an elaborate recruitment process which began in March this year. Gupta, who was serving as the CEO (Sports & Live Experiences) at JioStar, will be taking charge of his new role with immediate effect. The ICC said it received more than 2,500 applications from 25 countries from which 12 ca
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday agreed to hear July 10 a batch of petitions challenging the decision of the Election Commission to undertake special intensive revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar. A partial working day (PWD) bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions of a battery of senior lawyers led by Kapil Sibal on behalf of several petitioners and agreed to hear the pleas Thurs
Puri: One devotee died, and more than 70 others were injured and hospitalised in various incidents in Puri where lakhs of people gathered to witness the 'Suna Besha' (golden attire) ritual of the Rath Yatra festival Sunday, officials said. The 52-year-old deceased, identified as Babaji Behera of Jagatsinghpur district, fell and suffered head injuries after he was disturbed by a monkey near the 'Singha Dwar' (Lion's Gate) of Srimandir. Accompanie
Nilagiri: Political tension has escalated in Nilagiri following a dispute between BJP MLA Santosh Kumar Khatua and senior BJD leader Lekhasri Samantsinghar. While several police stations across the state have received complaints from the BJD against Khatua demanding his arrest, the matter has taken a new turn with counter-allegations from the BJP side. Two days ago, a BJD woman leader filed a complaint against Khatua at Nilagiri PS. In response
Rourkela: A six-year-old elephant calf that was found severely injured in the Saranda forest near the Odisha-Jharkhand border last week has died despite sustained rescue and treatment efforts. A drone survey conducted June 27 as part of a forest security operation spotted the calf near the M canal with severe injuries to its left hind leg. Six teams of forest officials were immediately mobilised to initiate a rescue operation. By Saturday morni
Puri: Lord Jagannath and His Siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra were adorned with 208 kg gold ornaments during the 'Suna Besha' ritual on chariots Sunday, an integral part of the annual Rath Yatra festival in Puri. The devotees can have 'darshan' of the deities from 6.30 pm to 11 pm, said the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). According to temple sources, the deities adorn around 30 different designs of ornaments which includ
New Delhi: 'Metro...In Dino', directed by acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Basu, has collected Rs 9.5 crore nett at the domestic box office in two days. Featuring a star-studded cast of Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkana Sen Sharma, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta, the film released in theatres worldwide Friday. According to the tracking site Sacnilk, the film has collected Rs 6 crore nett at the dome
New Delhi: The X account of international news agency Reuters has been withheld in India 'in response to a legal demand,' according to a notice displayed by the platform. However, a government spokesperson clarified that no such legal directive was issued and said it is working with X to resolve the matter. Reuters' X account is likely to be restored soon. "There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters and we are con
New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina is set to make his acting debut with a Tamil film. Production banner Dream Knight Stories, which is also marking its debut project with the upcoming film, shared the news on its official X handle Friday. The post was re-shared by Raina on his handle. It read, "Welcoming China Thala @sureshraina3 ( on board for #DKSProductionNo1)." The cricketer is often addressed as Chinna Thala by Tamil cricket
Puri: On the sacred occasion of Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dashami, the grand Bahuda Yatra (return car festival) of Lord Jagannath was celebrated with great devotion in Puri. Lord Jagannath, along with His elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra, began their journey from the Gundicha Temple back to the sanctum of the Srimandir. The three majestic wooden chariots rolled forward through the sea of devotees. As per tradition, the chari
Bengaluru: Indian javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra Saturday clinched the inaugural NC Classic as he realised his dream of hosting and competing in a world-class event in front of the home crowd and family members. The 27-year-old double Olympic medallist emerged winner with his third-round throw of 86.18m at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium watched by his parents. This was his third straight title, having won in Paris Diamond League (June 20) and Gol
Mumbai: Actress Sanvikaa, known for portraying Rinki in the hit streaming series Panchayat, believes the show continues to preserve its core innocence even as it evolves with each new season. 5 years ago, when season 1 of 'Panchayat' was released, the show tugged at the heartstrings of the audience owing to its simple, flavourful storytelling and the innocence of its characters. However, as the narrative progressed, many elements made their way
Bhagalpur: Tight security arrangements have been made across Bhagalpur district for Muharram. The district administration has prohibited playing of disc jockey (DJ) and displaying of banned weapons during the Muharram processions, in view of the district being a communally sensitive. Magistrates and static police forces have been deployed at 416 places and police patrolling has been intensified in different areas under the supervision of SHOs of
Bhubaneswar/Berhampur: BJD chief Naveen Patnaik Saturday sought the personal intervention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for the early and safe release of an Odisha resident allegedly abducted by militants in the West African country of Mali. Patnaik sought Jaishankar's intervention after the mother of 28-year-old P Venkatraman lodged a complaint at a local police station in Hinjili, Ganjam district. Venkatraman is a resident of Patn
Puri: The return journey of Lord Jagannath and His siblings began Saturday in Puri as the Bahuda Yatra got underway, with the pulling of Lord Balabhadra's chariot starting ahead of schedule. The ceremonial 'Pahandi' -- the traditional procession in which the deities are carried to their chariots -- began around 10 a.m., earlier than the scheduled noon start. The ritual began with Chakraraj Sudarshan, followed by Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra an
New Delhi: In a development that could significantly impact the upcoming high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) filed a petition in the Supreme Court Saturday challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the poll-bound state. The petition alleges that the ECI's move is arbitrary and could potentially disenfranchise
Bengaluru: The India 'A' men's hockey team left for Eindhoven, Netherlands Saturday morning for the Tour of Europe, scheduled from July 8 to 20. Led by captain Sanjay and vice-captain Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, India 'A' will play eight matches in total across three cities in Europe. While India 'A' will play two matches each against Ireland, France, and the Netherlands in Eindhoven (Netherlands), they will play one match each against Englan
Mumbai: Filmmaker Anurag Basu-directed Metro...In Dino has raked in Rs 4.05 crore on its opening day at the domestic office, the makers said Saturday. Released Friday, the musical romance drama garnered mixed reviews from critics and audiences. "Exploring the dilemmas of love in today's chaotic world, 'Metro...In Dino' has taken a solid step forward at the box office with Rs. 4.05 Cr India nett on its opening day," the makers said in a statemen
Bhubaneswar: BJD leader Lekhasri Samantsinghar filed a police complaint Friday, accusing BJP MLA Sanotsh Khatua of making derogatory remarks against her. Accompanied by senior BJD leaders, Samantsinghar visited the women's police station in Bhubaneswar and filed a complaint against the MLA from Nilgiri in Balasore district. "Khatua has not only demeaned me but has cast aspersions on every woman of Odisha and India, as well as all the women poli
Puri: The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has recently recommended Environmental Clearance (EC) for the proposed Puri International Airport, a flagship infrastructure project of Odisha government, an official statement said Friday. The EAC has recommended environmental clearance for the project during its meeting held on June 26, the statement said. The project, aimed at tr
Mumbai/Jajpur: Tata Steel Friday said that it has received a demand notice of Rs 1,902.72 crore from the Deputy Director of Mines in Jajpur, Odisha. The notice relates to an alleged shortfall in the dispatch of minerals from the company's Sukinda Chromite Block. According to a stock exchange filing by Tata Steel, the demand is based on a revised calculation of average sale prices provided by the Indian Bureau of Mines. The mining authorities i
Bhubaneswar: Several low-lying areas in Bhubaneswar remained waterlogged Friday, causing disruptions for residents as the city continued to reel under the impact of rainfall. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) faced challenges in clearing the water due to an overwhelmed drainage system that failed to discharge the accumulated runoff effectively. BMC Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil visited affected localities, including Laxmisagar a
New Delhi: The Indian team, led by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, has returned from Washington after concluding another round of talks on an interim trade pact, but discussions will continue as certain issues in the agri and auto sectors still need to be resolved, an official said. The official said that the talks are in the last phase and its conclusion is expected to be announced before July 9. "Indian team is back from Washington. Negotiat
Bhubaneswar: The OAS Association called off its cease-work agitation following the arrest of BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan in connection with the assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo. Association president Jyoti Mishra said all officers will resume duty from Friday as their key demand has been met. Odisha police arrested Pradhan late Thursday night after he appeared at the deputy commissioner