INDIA

Lothal (Gujarat), April 16 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday visited the historic site of Lothal in Gujarat and reviewed the progress of the ambitious National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC), envisioned as a global centre to celebrate India’s seafaring legacy.EAM Jaishankar began his visit at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site in Lothal, a major city of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization.Guided by the Additional Director General of ASI, the External Affairs Minister was briefed on the archaeological significance of the site and the ongoing excavation work, which continues to shed light on the maritime and urban excellence of ancient India.He then proceeded to the NMHC project site, where officials presented a detailed overview of the complex’s prog...

Bhubaneswar, April 16 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) President and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said on Wednesday that the central investigating agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) should be shut down if misused.“Agencies like ED should be shut down if misused for a political vendetta. I would also appeal to Congress to demand that agencies like ED should be closed down,” said the former Chief Minister while addressing a press conference in Odisha on Wednesday. While answering a query on ED’s chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in National Herald Case, the SP President said that the ED Act was originally brought in by Congress. “Back then, many parties had raised concerns. Now the ED is being misused,” he said.Akhilesh also cl...

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, has recommended the appointment of two judicial officers as J&K and Ladakh High Court Judges. The recommendation for the appointment of judicial officers Sanjay Parihar and Shahzad Azeem was earlier made by the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues. "The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on 16th April, 2025 has approved the proposal for appointment of the following Judicial Officers, as Judges of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh: (i) Shri Sanjay Parihar, and (ii) Shri Shahzad Azeem," said a resolution uploaded on the website of the apex court. As per the memorandum of procedur...

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) India's exports of textiles & apparel have attained a growth of 6.32 per cent during the current financial year ended on March 31, 2025, as compared to the previous year with the apparel segment being the main growth driver, according to an analysis by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI)A detailed analysis shows that this growth in exports of textile and apparel is driven mainly by apparel exports which grew significantly by 10.03 per cent during the current fiscal year.CITI Chairman Rakesh Mehra said: "The robust performance in apparel exports and steady growth in textiles amid global headwinds highlight the resilience, adaptability, and global competitiveness of the Indian textile and apparel industry."He further credited this to the growing...

Hyderabad, April 16 (IANS) The Telangana Police have issued a notice to senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal for reposting an AI-generated Ghibli image on social media regarding the bulldozing of the 400-acre land near Hyderabad Central University.Cyberabad Police have served notice under section 179 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to Smita Sabharwal, principal secretary of Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture.The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer on March 31 had reposted a tweet from the ‘Hi Hyderabad’ handle with an image depicting bulldozers in front of the Mushroom Rock on Kancha Gachibowli land, with a peacock and two deer looking on in Ghibli style.The 2001-batch IAS officer had re-posted the content amid the protests by HCU students, environment activists and ...

Gandhinagar, April 16 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a high-level review meeting of the Gujarat State Road Development Corporation (GSRDC) in Gandhinagar on Wednesday, and approved development works worth Rs 247.35 crore for key road infrastructure projects across the state.An official said that these projects aim to boost connectivity, ease traffic flow, and support industrial expansion, particularly in rapidly developing regions.He said that one of the major approvals was for the expansion of the Shantipura to Khoraj section on the Ahmedabad–Viramgam–Maliya road into a six-lane highway.“This project, estimated to cost Rs 800 crore, is expected to significantly benefit the Sanand industrial belt, providing better access to GIDC zones and encouraging further inves...

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) Following the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet against seven individuals, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, in the National Herald case, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya stated on Wednesday that if the Congress truly respects the law and the Constitution, its leaders should be prepared to face the legal consequences of corruption allegations.Speaking to IANS, UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya reacted to the ED's recent action.“The ED has filed a chargesheet in the National Herald case. If Congress respects the law, its leaders should accept the legal process and be prepared to face the consequences. The law will take its course, and no one involved in corruption will be spared. The ED has charged Sonia G...

Gandhinagar, April 16 (IANS) Gujarat BJP Vice President Gordhan Zadafia on Wednesday accused the Congress of evading accountability despite nearly four years of investigation into the National Herald case and claimed that the party is attempting to play the “victim card.”“Congress party is attempting to play the victim card rather than offering a satisfactory explanation to the investigating agency. The case, which began in 2011-12, involves serious concerns around ownership, financial dealings, and misuse of public trust,” said Zadafia while addressing a press conference along with BJP’s state media convener Yagnesh Dave and Spokespersons Shraddhaben Rajput, Jayrajsinh Parmar, and Zubin Ashra.Zadafia said that the National Herald was originally established to support India’s freedom str...

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed May 14 for hearing on a clutch of petitions challenging the law passed by the Parliament, which excludes the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the process of appointment of top officials of the Election Commission. After advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing on behalf of NGO, the Association for Democratic Reforms, mentioned the matter for urgent hearing, a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant said that it would hear next month the pleas challenging the validity of the Chief Election Commissioner and the other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Condition of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. On March 19, the Justice Kant-led Bench fixed April 16 for hearing, saying that it would ensure that not many urgent cases are listed ...

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) will play a crucial role in making India the world's third-largest economy, Union Labour and Employment Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said here on Wednesday.He highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, global expectations from India have grown significantly since the launch of the IMEC initiative in 2023.Dr. Mandaviya explained that this corridor is not just about the exchange of goods, but also about the exchange of culture and values."Our policies and culture show that this corridor will connect not just economies, but also civilizations,” he said while speaking to at the IMEC event in the national capital.Looking at history, he added that India has always been at the centre of ...