Amritsar: Five people were injured when they were attacked by a rod-wielding man in the Golden Temple complex in Punjab’s holy city of Amritsar, police said, adding the assailant was later arrested and the situation was under control.

Panic gripped as the assailant began the attack near the community kitchen (Guru Ram Das langar) where many devotees and locals were present.

The injured comprised two sewadars (volunteers) of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

One of the injured has been admitted to the Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Amritsar.

Police have arrested the assailant and his accomplice after they were overpowered by people on the spot. The police said the accused surveyed the crime scene before the attack. “The second accused allegedly conducted recce along with the one who attacked devotees,” a police officer told the media.

The prime accused went out, came back armed with an iron rod and attacked the SGPC staff and the devotees who tried to intervene. Four people, including the two SGPC sewadars, were injured.

Station House Officer Sarmel Singh said the accused was identified as Zulfan of Haryana. He said he was also injured in the incident. An investigation was on to find the motive behind the crime.

Police said that there was no need to panic.

The incident sparked outrage among the Sikh community. The SGPC, considered the ‘Mini Parliament’ of the religion, has filed a police complaint against the assailant.

The incident has also raised concerns about the security of devotees.

Earlier, a man had opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at the entrance of the Golden Temple in December last year.

The assailant, later identified as Narayan Singh Chaura, was taken into custody after being overpowered by one of the security men of Badal.

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude to several world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, for their continued attention to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

During a press briefing Thursday, Putin acknowledged the efforts of these leaders and others for their commitment to seeking peace in the war-torn region, despite the many global challenges they face.

“I would like to start by offering my sincere thanks to President Trump of the US for his focus on the Ukraine situation. Many state leaders, including President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister Modi of India, and the Presidents of Brazil and South Africa, have been dedicating significant time to this issue. We appreciate their contributions, as it is all for the noble cause of stopping the conflict and preventing further loss of life,” Putin stated.

Prime Minister Modi has been stressing and reiterating about bringing peace to the region, thereby clearly setting India’s stance on the Russia- Ukraine conflict. During his recent meeting with Trump at the White House, PM Modi made it clear that India was not neutral in the matter, emphasising that India sides with peace.

“This is not an era of war but of dialogue and diplomacy,” PM Modi had said, underscoring India’s commitment to diplomatic efforts. PM Modi has also maintained open channels of communication with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, repeatedly stressing the need for peaceful resolution.

The US has proposed a 30-day ceasefire, urging Russia to accept the deal without any conditions.

Putin, while expressing support for a ceasefire, acknowledged there are “nuances” that need to be addressed, adding that he had “serious questions” about how the proposal would be implemented.

In response, US President Donald Trump referred to Putin’s comments as “promising” but also noted that the statement was “not complete”, suggesting that further discussions were necessary.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has agreed to the ceasefire proposal during talks held in Saudi Arabia earlier this week, following mounting pressure after a meeting between Trump and Zelensky in February.

The war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has caused immense devastation, with hundreds of thousands dead or injured and millions displaced. The conflict has led to severe economic and geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West, with the ceasefire discussions now offering a glimmer of hope for a resolution.

IANS

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he agrees in principle with a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, but the terms need to be worked out, and he emphasised that it should pave the way to lasting peace.

“So the idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it,” Putin told a news conference in Moscow. “But there are issues that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to discuss it with our American colleagues and partners.”

He noted the need to develop a mechanism to control possible breaches of the truce. Another issue, he said, is whether Ukraine could use the 30-day ceasefire to continue mobilization and rearmament.

“We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from the assumption that the ceasefire should lead to lasting peace and remove the root causes of the crisis,” Putin said.

Putin noted that while it appeared that the US persuaded Ukraine to accept a ceasefire, Ukraine is interested in that because of the battlefield situation, noting that Ukrainian troops that launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region would be fully blocked in the coming days.

“In these conditions, I believe it would be good for the Ukrainian side to secure a ceasefire for at least 30 days,” he said.

Referring to the Ukrainian troops in Kursk, he said: “Will all those who are there come out without a fight?”

Putin thanked US President Donald Trump “for paying so much attention to the settlement in Ukraine.”

He also thanked the leaders of China, India, Brazil and South Africa for their “noble mission to end the fighting to casualties,” a statement that signalled those countries’ potential involvement in a ceasefire deal.

Russia has said it will not accept peacekeepers from any NATO members to monitor a prospective truce.

AP

Chennai: Amid its spat with the Centre over the National Education Policy (NEP) and other issues, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has decided to remove the official rupee symbol from the state’s Budget 2025-26, replacing it with the Tamil script equivalent.

This marks the first time a state has rejected the national currency symbol.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu will present the 2025-26 Budget Friday.

Tamil Nadu has consistently refused to implement key aspects of NEP 2020, particularly the three-language formula. As a result, the Central government has withheld ₹573 crore in education assistance under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). According to policy guidelines, states must comply with NEP provisions to receive SSA funding, with the Centre covering 60 per cent of the allocation for states like Tamil Nadu.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin recently led a statewide protest against the Union government March 11, condemning both the NEP and the proposed delimitation exercise, which he described as a threat to South India.

Addressing a public rally, Stalin said: “We oppose NEP because it will completely destroy Tamil Nadu’s education system. The policy disregards reservation, which is the foundation of social justice. It denies financial assistance to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).”

Tamil Nadu has long viewed the three-language formula as an attempt to impose Hindi. Stalin accused the Centre of using funding as leverage against states that refused to implement central policies.

“Is there a greater example of anarchy than saying, ‘If you do not adopt Hindi, we will not provide funds’?” he asked.

He reaffirmed that Tamil Nadu would continue its two-language policy (Tamil and English), which has been in place since 1968.

Criticising the Union government’s approach, Stalin urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to focus on the country’s development rather than promoting Hindi. He questioned the financial investments in Sanskrit, a language he claimed had limited speakers, while Tamil, a language spoken globally, was being sidelined.

Stalin’s comments came after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused the DMK of using the language issue to revive its political standing.

Pradhan called the DMK’s stance on NEP’s three-language formula “hypocritical” and a “mere political strategy”. Responding to Pradhan’s remarks, Stalin asserted that “the Tamil people do not need a lecture on democracy from him”.

IANS

New Delhi: A British woman was allegedly raped and molested by two men at a hotel in Delhi’s Mahipalpur area, a police official said Thursday.

Police have arrested both men and informed the British High Commission about the incident that happened Tuesday night.

The British national came to India a month ago and stayed in Maharashtra for some time, before travelling to Goa. Tuesday, she came to Delhi allegedly to meet the 24-year-old Kailash who had befriended her on Instagram recently, a senior official said.

She was allegedly first molested by a housekeeping staff member in the hotel’s lift. Later, she met Kailash who allegedly raped her in a hotel room, he said.

“Separate cases have been registered in both matters. They are not related to each other,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (South West) Surendra Chaudhary said.

She visited a hospital Wednesday, and police were then informed about the incident, a police officer said.
The woman first spoke to the accused on a social media platform a month and a half earlier and after that, they talked frequently, he said.

According to police, Kailash, a resident of east Delhi, struggled to speak English and used some translation application to communicate with her.

When the woman came to India, she and Kailash made plans to meet each other in Delhi, the officer said.
The victim travelled from Goa to Delhi and booked a room in a hotel in Mahipalpur. When Kailash came to meet her, she alleged that he raped her, the officer added.

Police teams are checking CCTV footage of the hotel to determine the sequence of the events.

A special team, led by an ACP and under the overall supervision of the DCP, has been formed to probe the case. Police have seized the accused’s phone and will check if he has contacted any other women on social media.

Islamabad: The standoff between the fighters of the Baloch Liberation Army’s (BLA) Majeed Brigade and the Pakistani military after the massive attack on Jaffar Express passenger train in Bolan district has finally ended after more than 24 hours, several reports indicated Wednesday evening.

Sources confirmed that the military operation to neutralise the attackers and rescue the hostages has concluded and a clearance operation has been successfully conducted in which at least 346 hostages have been rescued and around 50 attackers neutralized.

The train, on its way from Balochistan’s capital Quetta to Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), was hijacked by BLA militants and over 400 people were taken as hostages.

“Operation concluded, site has been cleared. All hostages released. Total rescued 346 – 168 last night and 178 rescued today. 50 terrorists eliminated,” confirmed a reliable security source.

Security sources stated that the militants were using women and children as human shields.

“The clearance operation was carried out with extreme caution and skill, resulting in many lives being saved. The number of passengers who had fallen victim to the brutality of terrorists is being determined,” the source added.

It was also revealed that the handler of the attackers, the mastermind behind the attack, was in active contact with the militants from Afghanistan.

The BLA separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack, along with multiple unverifiable claims of releasing all women and children, and keeping over 200 hostages, who hailed from Punjab province and were working with the security forces. BLA also claimed to have killed at least 20 of the abducted security personnel after checking their IDs.

Tuesday, a large number of BLA militants forced the Jaffar Express passenger train to come to a halt after blowing off the track in the Dhabar area of Bolan Pass in Balochistan.

Security forces and the railway authorities confirmed that the train had come under attack near Tunnel No. 8 of the Bolan pass.

Pakistan military launched a clearance operation reaching the site through cargo trains. Sources say that the hostages released in the initial stage had to walk at least seven kilometers to reach the nearby railway station where they were received by the security personnel.

“We came under attack from all sides. They were everywhere. We could hear gunshots fired from everywhere. Passengers were putting clothes over themselves to hide. It was horrific,” said a rescued hostage who detailed his ordeal during the whole incident.

“We all walked for about three-and-a-half hours, and about seven kilometres before reaching the Panir railway station. The militants told us to not look back and keep walking. Some of the ladies, who have come here, have had to walk hours without their shoes on to reach the Panir station,” he added.

The attack has been condemned by several countries, including the United States, Iran, and Germany.

Balochistan Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting on law and order where he was briefed about the Jaffar train attack.

“They want to impose their ideology with guns and violence. Should we allow them to take people off buses and kill them?”, questioned Balochistan CM Sarfaraz Bugti.

Bugti said that the passengers in the train comprised of many soldiers headed home while on leave, emphasising that they were unarmed.

“There are rules in war and there are laws. What will history say? That innocent teachers, barbers, and doctors were murdered? Whoever commits acts of violence against the state, whoever tries to partake in it, whoever takes up arms, the state will punish them unequivocally,” he said.

“Terrorists can’t occupy even an inch. The terrorist attack aims to create an impression of a violent environment. The dream of anti-national elements to cut Pakistan like a cake can never be realised. We must rid ourselves of any confusion and fight the war against terrorism,” he added.

IANS

A rebel group in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province bombed a section of a railway track and attacked a train Tuesday afternoon, according to a video released by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The militant group, which has been behind a surge in violence in the province bordering Afghanistan and Iran, claimed responsibility for the assault.

More than 450 passengers were aboard when the rebels seized the train at the entrance of a tunnel in a remote frontier district. An unknown number of hostages remain in captivity. Pakistani security forces have launched a full-scale operation to rescue those still being held.

A one-minute, 23-second video shows passengers huddled on the ground against a mountain backdrop while armed rebels stand guard.

#BIG

THe first Visuals of #TrainHijack released by #BalochLiberationArmy.
Video show how BLA fighters hijacked he train #jaffar_express & took the #PakistanArmy troops as hostage.#BLA #ViralVideo #Balochistan pic.twitter.com/CG0qTj3s3k

— ARMED FORCES (@ArmedForces_IND) March 12, 2025

Over two days, Pakistani forces have freed 190 hostages from the besieged train.

Passengers who escaped described trekking for hours through mountainous terrain to reach safety.

The BLA has demanded an exchange of hostages for its imprisoned members.

Security forces have long battled a separatist insurgency in Balochistan, one of Pakistan’s poorest provinces. Violence has escalated across the western border regions since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021.

The BLA claims the region’s natural resources are being exploited by outsiders and has increased attacks targeting Pakistanis from other areas.

Also Read: Viral video: Toddler rides baby bike on wrong side of busy road; watch what happens next

Last year, the group carried out coordinated overnight assaults, including seizing control of a major highway and killing travelers from other ethnic groups.

Punjabi and Sindhi laborers, as well as security forces and foreign infrastructure projects, are often targeted in these attacks.

PNN & Agencies

Karachi/Islamabad: Pakistani security forces killed at least 27 militants and rescued 155 passengers from a train hijacked by Baloch insurgents in the troubled Balochistan province as they continued to battle rebels for a second Wednesday.

Security sources said 37 passengers were injured during the rescue operation and have been sent for medical treatment.

The Jaffar Express, with around 500 passengers on board in nine coaches, was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar when armed men intercepted it in a tunnel near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri in the Bolan area Tuesday afternoon.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Bolan is a mountainous area of more than 100 kilometres between Quetta and Sibi. There are 17 tunnels in this area through which the railway track passes. The speed of trains is often slow in the area due to the difficult terrain.

Security sources confirmed that in an ongoing gun battle with the militants, they managed to rescue 155 passengers, including women and children.Baloch insurgents

At least 27 militants have been killed by security forces so far.

According to security sources, the terrorists have positioned suicide bombers wearing suicidal vests very close to some innocent hostages.

In anticipation of possible defeat, the terrorists are using innocent people as human shields and the suicide bombers have taken women and children hostage at three different locations, they said.

Due to the presence of women and children with the suicide bombers, the operation is being conducted with utmost caution.

The security sources said the operation by security forces to eliminate the remaining terrorists is continuing.

“The militants have now formed small groups to try to escape in the dark, but the security forces have surrounded the tunnel and the remaining passengers will also be rescued soon,” a source said.

The Pakistan media reported intense firing and explosion near the tunnel, where the militants hijacked the train.

Pakistan Railways have set up an emergency desk at the Peshawar and Quetta Railway stations as frantic relatives and friends try to get some information about their loved ones on the train.

The rebels claimed that they had set women and children free but the claim was contested by officials and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said that the hostages were released by the security forces.

Rana Muhammad Dilawar, a district police officer in the area where the train was stopped, said the security forces had surrounded the area but there were reports that the militants had taken some women and children as hostages.

There were around four to five government officials on the train, he added.

Tariq Mahmood, a senior official of Peshawar Railway Station, said that people should not pay heed to rumours on social media and otherwise.

The BLA claimed it seized control of the train by derailing it. The group said it had killed six security personnel.

In a statement Tuesday, the BLA warned that if the Pakistan military launches an operation, “all hostages will be executed”. The group is banned in Pakistan, the UK and the US.

Balochistan has witnessed an uptick in terrorist attacks over the past year. In November 2024, at least 26 people were killed and 62 injured after a suicide blast ripped through a Quetta Railway Station.

Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups frequently carry out attacks targeting security personnel, government projects and the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in the oil and mineral-rich province.

Karachi/Islamabad: Pakistani security forces killed at least 16 militants and rescued 104 passengers from a train hijacked by Baloch insurgents in the troubled Balochistan province as they continued to battle insurgents for a second Wednesday.

The Jaffar Express, with around 500 passengers on board in nine coaches, was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar when armed men intercepted it in a tunnel near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri in the Bolan area Tuesday afternoon.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) later claimed claimed responsibility for the attack.

Bolan is a mountainous area of more than 100 kilometres between Quetta and Sibi. There are 17 tunnels in this area through which the railway track passes. The speed of trains is often slow in the area due to the difficult terrain.

Security sources confirmed that in an ongoing gun battle with the militants, they managed to rescue 104 passengers, including women and children.

“In the gun battle, which is still going on, 16 militants have been killed and many others injured,” one source said, adding the clean-up operation will continue until all passengers are rescued from the train.

“The militants have now formed small groups to try to escape in the dark, but the security forces have surrounded the tunnel and the remaining passengers will also be rescued soon,” the source said.

The other militants are said to have taken some of the passengers into the mountains with the security forces pursuing them.

The source said that the rescued passengers, including 58 men, 31 women and 15 children, had been sent to Mach (a town in the Kachhi district in the Balochistan province of Pakistan) by another train.

The security forces had earlier managed to rescue 80 passengers, including 43 men, 26 women and 11 children, said Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind.

Though the authorities have not given any more details, Rind said the security forces, including military troops, had reached the rough terrain where the tunnel is located shortly after railway authorities were alerted to the train being stopped there.

The Pakistan media reported intense firing and explosion near the tunnel, where the militants hijacked the train.

Rind said that they had dispatched rescue teams amid reports of “intense” firing at a Peshawar-bound passenger train.

Pakistan Railways have set up an emergency desk at the Peshawar and Quetta Railway stations as frantic relatives and friends try to get some information about their loved ones on the train.

Pakistan Railways had resumed train services to Peshawar from Quetta after a suspension of more than a month and a half.

The rebels claimed that they had set women and children free but the claim was contested by officials and Minister of State for Interior Talal    Chaudhry said that the hostages were released by the security forces.

Rana Muhammad Dilawar, a district police officer in the area where the train was stopped, said the security forces had surrounded the area, but there were reports that the militants had taken some women and children as hostages.

There were around four to five government officials on the train, he added.

Tariq Mahmood, a senior official of Peshawar Railway Station, said that people should not pay heed to rumours on social media and otherwise.

Official data on civilian casualties was not available, but security sources said that the train driver and several passengers were injured in the gunfire.

The BLA claimed it seized control of the train by derailing it. The group said it has killed six security personnel and taken over 100 people in custody, including security personnel.

In a statement, the BLA warned that if the Pakistan military launches an operation, “all hostages will be executed”. The group is banned in Pakistan, the UK and the US.

Balochistan has witnessed an uptick in terrorist attacks over the past year. In November 2024, at least 26 people were killed and 62 injured after a suicide blast ripped through a Quetta Railway Station.

Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups frequently carry out attacks targeting security personnel, government projects and the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in the oil and mineral-rich province.

PTI

Islamabad: The targeted attack of Jaffar Express passenger train by militants of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) at Mashkaf, Dhadar, Bolan, has now become a standoff between the security forces and the militants, who have taken over 100 passengers as hostages.

While BLA claims that it has taken at least 100 Pakistani military officials and personnel hostage after derailing the express train, Pakistani authorities said that the passenger train was carrying civilians and families, including women and children, who it says are under the custody of BLA militants after stopping the train in a tunnel.

“Terrorists have halted the train inside a tunnel to keep the hostages in control. Security forces have reached the area despite it being away from the roads. Terrorists are also in contact with their facilitators outside the country,” stated sources in the security forces.

Other sources revealed that Pakistani forces have conducted multiple attempts to carry out a rescue operation but have been forced to retreat after heavy clashes with the militants.

“Pakistani helicopters and drones continue to hover over the area and, at times, have done airstrikes also,” said a local source.

On the other hand, the BLA has warned the Pakistani forces that it will start executing the hostages if the airstrikes do not stop.

The BLA claims that it has taken personnel from the Pakistan military, police, ISI and ATF, who were going on leave to Punjab, into their custody. BLA also claims that it has already released women and children.

The BLA claims, however, have been rejected by the Pakistani forces, who say that the BLA militants have targeted civilians and their families, who are still held as hostage.

Tuesday’s attack is one of the biggest carried out by the BLA Majeed Brigade (Suicide Unit), with STOS, Fateh squad and Zarb Unit actively coordinating and resisting any military incursion.

The situation continues to remain highly critical, sources said.

Pakistani security forces have faced major resistance from separatist groups like the BLA in Balochistan, which has been carrying out targeted attacks and killings of security personnel from other provinces in the country, especially Punjab.

Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces have continued to be one of the most volatile regions of the country with militant groups carrying out targeted attacks on security forces.

Pakistan maintains that these militant groups are getting all their support from across the border in Afghanistan as the Taliban regime is supporting, funding, facilitating and harbouring anti-Pakistan elements and promoting them to spread unrest in the country.

Islamabad: A passenger train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province came under a major attack Tuesday, forcing the train to derail and allowing enough time for the attackers to take over 100 passengers hostage.

As per the latest reports, at least six people are confirmed dead, while several others have been injured in the terror incident.

The attack was carried out on the Jaffar Express passenger train when it was crossing from the Ab-e-Ghum area of Mach Town in the Kachhi district (formerly named Bolan District) of Balochistan province.

Details reveal that about six armed men opened fire on the train. The heavy firing forced the train off the track, spreading panic among the passengers.

Pakistan-based militant group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it had taken over 100 passengers as hostages.

“The Baloch Liberation Army has carried out a strategic operation in Mashkaf, Dhadar, Bolan, seizing control of the Jaffar Express by derailing it. During the resistance, six military personnel were killed while over 100 passengers have been taken into the BLA custody,” read a statement issued by BLA.

The latest attack is by far one of the biggest conducted by the BLA in recent times. The BLA claims of taking 100 hostages, the majority of them security personnel, have not been confirmed or verified by the security forces till now. A cleansing operation to take out the attackers and rescue the hostages from militant custody is underway.

Local media cited that railway officials have deployed emergency protocols and facilities in nearby hospitals activated as ambulances have been dispatched from Sibi.

“Security forces have reportedly surrounded the area Mach mountains, which is known for its difficult terrain. The authorities have deployed additional convoys to assist in the operation. Sources further indicated that explosives may have been used to damage the railway tracks before the firing began, and the driver was among those seriously injured. The gunmen have reportedly continued to fire sporadically, with ongoing efforts to free the hostages and secure the passengers,” reported Express Tribune.

IANS

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly Tuesday plunged into chaos when members of the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress scuffled in the well of the House leading to adjournment of the proceedings several times.

Tension erupted in the House during Question Hour when senior BJP lawmaker Jaynarayan Mishra rushed towards Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati, who was standing in front of Urban Development Minister KC Mohapatra when the minister was replying to a question.

The minister was giving the reply amid ruckus by Opposition BJD and the Congress members.

Earlier, Bahinipati attempted to climb the Speaker’s podium in order to stall the proceedings but failed, with Speaker Surama Padhy allowing Question Hour amid the din.

Thereafter, he approached the minister asking him to stop giving the reply as the Opposition members were protesting in the well.

“Mishra caught hold of my shirt collar and pushed me. I was requesting minister Mohapatra to stop giving a reply when the House was not in order. I requested him with folding hands. But, Mishra suddenly came up to me and caught hold of my collar,” Bahinipati told reporters outside the House.

Soon, other members of the treasury bench rushed to the well of the House and scuffled with the Congress members who were present there and raised anti-government slogans.

As the chaos prevailed, Speaker Padhy first adjourned the proceedings till noon and, later three more times.

While the BJP and Congress members were engaged in pushing one another, the BJD members, though present in the well, did not participate in the scuffle.

The opposition BJD and Congress members were protesting on different issues.

While the BJD members demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over Mishra’s remark referring to the merger of erstwhile Koshala with Odisha in 1936 as a “historical mistake”, Congress MLAs agitated over the alleged increase in the crimes against women in the state.

The Opposition members were also seen standing on the reporters’ table and raising slogans.

The Speaker later extended the adjournment for 10 minutes from noon, and then again till 2 pm.

When the House reassembled at 2 pm, several BJP members, including Irashish Acharya, Babu Singh, Laxman Bag and Upasana Mohapatra, demanded action against the opposition members for “continuously disrupting the proceedings and disrespecting the woman Speaker of the assembly”.

As the opposition protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 4pm.

Both the BJD and BJP legislature parties held separate meetings on the Assembly premises to chalk out their strategies.

While Majhi was not present in the House, Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo presided over the meeting where discussions were held on the situation arising out of the scuffle.

The Congress MLAs also staged a sit-in near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the assembly premises.

With the CM not coming to the House for the last two days, the BJD members, wearing black badges, launched a symbolic “search” for him on the assembly premises with a lantern. They also staged a sit-in in front of the CM’s chamber.

This was the second day that the House witnessed turmoil.

The Opposition members were irked as the Speaker allowed Question Hour for around 30 minutes amid protests.

“For the first time, women members were panicked by the situation in the Assembly today. The Speaker should not have allowed the proceedings when the House was in turmoil. Our senior leader was heckled by the BJP members,” Congress MLA Sofia Firdous alleged.

BJD member Arun Kumar Sahoo said, “We had never seen members of opposition and treasury bench clashing in the well of the House. This had never happened in the history of Odisha Assembly.”

BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathy said that the behaviour of the opposition members in the assembly was unacceptable.

“Opposition is part of a democracy. Limits should be drawn in the House. While the Urban Development Minister was replying to a question in the House, the BJD and the Congress MLAs tried to break the mic and took away the files from his table. This is not acceptable in a democracy,” Tripathy said.

The BJP MLA also alleged that the Opposition members threw posters at the Speaker.

They should apologise for their behaviour, he said.

PTI

New York: The US stock market’s sell-off is getting even worse Monday, and it’s on track for its worst day in years as Wall Street questions how much pain President Donald Trump will let the economy endure in order to get what he wants.

The S&P 500 was down 3.2% in afternoon trading, which would be its sharpest drop since the highest inflation in generations was shredding budgets in 2022. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1,042 points, or 2.4%, with just over an hour remaining in trading, and the Nasdaq composite was 4.6% lower.

The main measure of the US stock market is on track for a seventh swing of more than 1%, up or down, in the last eight days following a scary stretch dominated by Trump’s on-and-off-again tariffs. The worry is that the whipsaw moves will either hurt the economy directly or create enough uncertainty to drive US companies and consumers into an economy-freezing paralysis. The S&P 500 is down 9.1% from its all-time high set February 19.

The economy has already given some signals of weakening, mostly through surveys showing increased pessimism. And a widely followed collection of real-time indicators compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta suggests the US economy may already be shrinking.

Asked over the weekend whether he was expecting a recession in 2025, Trump told Fox News Channel: “I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing.” He then added, “It takes a little time. It takes a little time.”

Trump says he wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, among other reasons he’s given for tariffs. His Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has also said the economy may go through a “detox” period as it weans off an addiction to spending by the government.

The US job market is still showing stable hiring at the moment, to be sure, and the economy ended last year running at a solid rate. But economists are marking down their forecasts for how the economy will perform this year.

At Goldman Sachs, for example, David Mericle cut his estimate for U.S. economic growth to 1.7% from 2.2% for the end of 2025 over the year before, largely because tariffs look like they’ll be bigger than he was previously forecasting.

He sees a one-in-five chance of a recession over the next year, raising it only slightly because “the White House has the option to pull back policy changes” if the risks to the economy “begin to look more serious.”

“There are always multiple forces at work in the market, but right now, almost all of them are taking a back seat to tariffs,” according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley.

The worries hitting Wall Street have so far been hurting some of its biggest stars the most. Big Tech stocks and companies that rode the artificial-intelligence frenzy in recent years have slumped sharply.

Nvidia fell another 5.9% Monday to bring its loss for the year so far to 21%. It’s a steep drop-off from its nearly 820% surge over 2023 and 2024.

Elon Musk’s Tesla fell 15.1% to deepen its loss for 2025 to nearly 45%. After getting an initial post-election bump on hopes that Musk’s close relationship with Trump would help the electric-vehicle company, the stock has since slumped on worries that its brand has become intertwined with Musk. Protests against the US government’s efforts to cull its workforce and other moves have targeted Tesla dealerships, for example.

Stocks of companies that depend on US households feeling good enough about their finances to spend also tumbled sharply. United Airlines lost 8.4%, and cruise-ship operator Carnival fell 9.2%.

It’s not just stocks struggling. Investors are sending prices lower for all kinds of investments whose momentum had earlier seemed nearly impossible to stop at times, such as bitcoin. The cryptocurrency’s value has dropped below $78,000 from more than $106,000 in December.

Instead, investors have been bidding up US Treasury bonds as they look for things whose prices can hold up better when the economy is under pressure. That has sent prices for Treasurys sharply higher, which in turn has sent down their yields.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury tumbled again to 4.21% from 4.32% late Friday. It’s been dropping since January, when it was approaching 4.80%, as worries about the economy have grown. That’s a major move for the bond market.

All the uncertainty, though, hasn’t shut down dealmaking on Wall Street. Redfin’s stock jumped 64.7% after Rocket said it would buy the digital real estate brokerage in an all-stock deal valuing it at $1.75 billion. Rocket’s stock sank 17.2%.

ServiceNow fell 7.9% after the AI platform company said it was buying AI-assistant maker Moveworks for $2.85 billion in cash and stock.

In stock markets abroad, European indexes largely fell following a mixed session in Asia.

Indexes fell 1.8% in Hong Kong and 0.2% in Shanghai after China said consumer prices fell in February for the first time in 13 months. It’s the latest signal of weakness for the world’s second-largest economy, as persistent weak demand was compounded by the early timing of the Lunar New Year holiday.

AP

Bhubaneswar:  Opposition BJD and Congress legislators created a ruckus in the Odisha assembly Monday over a controversial remark of a BJP MLA and alleged rising crimes against women in the state, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House several times.

BJD members demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over BJP legislator Jay Narayan Mishra’s remark referring to the merger of Koshala with Odisha in 1936, while the Congress MLAs agitated over the alleged increase in the crimes against women in the state.

Addressing an official function in Sambalpur March 8, Mishra, also a former minister, courted controversy with his remark that people of the western region, Odisha assembly earlier known as Koshala, were neglected as the coastal districts (Utkal area) enjoyed benefits.

Mishra had said that Odisha was formed with the merger of Utkal, Kalinga and Koshala regions in 1936. He also said it was a “historical mistake” to get Koshala merged with Odisha.

The House witnessed uproarious scenes after the assembly paid homage to former minister Ananta Charan Das, who died Sunday.

Holding placards and shouting slogans, the opposition members trooped into the well of the House.

While the BJD members raised slogans from the well, senior Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati was seen climbing onto the Speaker’s podium.

Unable to run the proceedings, Speaker Surama Padhy first adjourned the House from 10:43 AM to 12:09 PM, and later from 12:22 PM to 1 PM, and from 1:10 PM to 4 PM.

When the House reassembled at 4 PM, the opposition members continued their agitation, following which the Speaker convened an all-party meeting to bring normalcy to the House.

The Question Hour, Zero Hour and Adjournment Motion discussion scheduled for the day were washed away due to ongoing agitation by the opposition members.

Following the adjournment, the agitating BJD members staged a sit-in on the assembly premises.

Eight-time MLA and former BJD Minister R P Swain claimed, “Mishra’s statement was aimed to divide Odisha. The BJP came to power with the slogan of ‘Odia Asmita’ (pride). Is this ‘Odia Asmita’?

When the House reassembled after the all-party meeting, the Speaker allowed a discussion on the budget of SC & ST Development, Minorities & Backward Class Welfare Department, but Congress members strongly opposed Padhy’s decision.

Bahinipati climbed up to the podium and broke the microphone on the Speaker’s podium.

Later the Congress members staged a walkout and held a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue on assembly premises, claiming that no consensus was reached in the all-party meeting and questioning the Speaker’s decision to hold the discussion.

The House was later adjourned for the day.

Treasury bench member Babu Singh said, “The opposition has been disrupting the Question Hour, Zero Hour and discussion under adjournment motion. We are ready to discuss the alleged disrespect to Biju Babu in the House. But, the opposition has stalled the proceedings by agitation.”

Asked whether he and the BJP support Mishra’s controversial statement, Singh said it could be his personal opinion.

“The BJP does not support any statement or remark which is against the interest of Odisha,” he said, adding that the party’s state unit president or chief minister may speak more on Mishra’s statement.

Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJD and Congress legislators created a ruckus in the Odisha Assembly Monday over a controversial remark of a BJP MLA, and “rising crimes” against women in the state.

This prompted the Speaker to adjourn the House till 12.09 pm.

The BJD members demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over Jay Narayan Mishra’s remark referring to the merger of Koshala with Odisha in 1936.

While attending an official function in Sambalpur Saturday, Mishra, also a former minister, courted controversy with his remark that people of the western region, earlier known as Koshala, were neglected as the coastal districts (Utkal area) enjoyed benefits.

Mishra had said that Odisha was formed with the merger of Utkal, Kalinga and Koshala region in 1936. He also said it was a “historical mistake” to get Koshala merged with Odisha.

The Congress MLAs raised the issue of “rising crimes” against women across the state.

The House witnessed uproarious scenes as soon as the assembly paid homage to former minister Ananta Charan Das, who died on Sunday.

Holding placards and shouting slogans, the opposition members trooped into the well of the House. While the BJD members raised slogans from the well, senior Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati was seen climbing onto the Speaker’s podium.

Speaker Surama Padhy then adjourned the House till 12.09 pm.

Following the adjournment, the agitating BJD members staged a sit-in within the assembly premises.

Eight-time MLA and former BJD Minister R P Swain claimed, “Mishra’s statement was aimed to divide Odisha. The BJP came to power with the slogan of ‘Odia Asmita’ (pride). Is this ‘Odia Asmita’?

The Congress MLAs also held a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

PTI

Dubai: Skipper Rohit Sharma led from the front with an excellent half-century as a resolute India held their nerve to win an unprecedented third Champions Trophy title with a four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the final in Dubai Sunday.

Bowling first after Rohit lost his 12th straight toss, India’s spinners restricted New Zealand to 251 for seven in the allotted 50 overs, with Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/45) making significant contributions with the ball.

India completed the chase of 252 with six balls to spare after Rohit (76 off 83 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (48 off 62 balls) shone with the bat.

For New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell (63 off 101 balls), Michael Bracewell (53 not out off 40 balls), and Rachin Ravindra (37 off 29 balls) were the main contributors with the willow.

While chasing, India faced some anxious moments when they lost two wickets after being well paced at 183 for three after 38 years, but KL Rahul (34 not out off 33 balls) showed great composure to see his team through after Hardik Pandya’s breezy 18-run knock.

India won the trophy without losing a match, reflecting their dominance.

India’s previous title triumphs in the tournament came in 2002 and 2013. No other team has won the event thrice.

Brief scores:

New Zealand: 251/7 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 63, Michael Bracewell 53 not out, Rachin Ravindra 37; Kuldeep Yadav 2/40, Varun Chakaravarthy 2/45.

India: 254/6 in 49 overs (Rohit Sharma 76, Shreyas Iyer 48; Mitchell Santner 2/46, Michael Bracewell 2/28).

PTI

Dubai: New Zealand set India a target of 252 to win the Champions Trophy in Dubai Sunday.

Opting to bat, New Zealand were restricted to 251 for 7 with the Indian bowlers, especially the spinners, producing a clinical performance in the summit clash.

Daryl Mitchell top-scored for New Zealand with 63 from 101 balls, while Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips contributed 53 not out, 37 and 34 respectively.

For India, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets apiece while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami got one each.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand: 251 for 7 in 50 overs (Daryl Mitchell 63, Michael Bracewell 53 not out; Kuldeep Yadav 2/40, Varun Chakravarthy 2/45) vs India.

PTI

Dubai: In the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat first against India.

This decision aims to capitalize on favorable batting conditions and set a challenging target for the Indian team.

However, New Zealand faces a significant setback with the absence of their leading wicket-taker, Matt Henry, who has been ruled out due to a shoulder injury sustained during the semi-final against South Africa.

This injury necessitated a change in their playing XI for the final.

On the other hand, India has maintained a consistent lineup throughout the tournament and has opted to field an unchanged team for this crucial match.

Notably, this toss marks the 15th consecutive time India has lost the toss in One Day Internationals, a streak that continues under captain Rohit Sharma’s leadership.

The match is underway, with New Zealand aiming to post a formidable total, while India seeks to leverage their bowling attack to restrict the Kiwis and set the stage for a successful chase.

PNN & Agencies

New Delhi: A government delegation, led by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi, is set to participate in the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which is starting from March 10 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, it was announced Sunday.

The minister is slated to deliver the national statement at the Commission and participate in the Ministerial Roundtable, wherein the transformative initiatives of the government under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the holistic development and empowerment of all women and girls will be highlighted.

These will include initiatives for health and wellbeing, education and entrepreneurship, digital and financial inclusion, promoting women’s leadership and decision-making and reducing drudgery through a slew of initiatives.

During the visit, the Union Minister will also have an interactive session with the Indian diaspora in the context of International Women’s Day.

The minister will also participate in the discussions on various issues on empowerment of women and girls, including commitment to resourcing and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, said the ministry.

CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality, the rights and the empowerment of women.

A functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the forthcoming session of the Commission will be held from March 10-21.

This year’s session is momentous, as the year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark global guiding instrument on the empowerment of women and girls, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995.

The session will focus on the review and appraisal of its implementation, analysing global progress and challenges on the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and the full realisation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The minister will also be the guest of honour at a high-level side-event at the UN Headquarters attended by ministers and senior-level officials from various countries, along the sidelines of the Commission.

IANS

Koppal: In a major development, Karnataka Police arrested two persons Saturday in connection with the horrific incident of three persons committing gang rape on two women, a tourist from Israel, and a female local homestay owner and killing a male Indian tourist who was with them.

The incident was reported from the Gangavathi Rural police station located close to the UNESCO heritage site Hampi.

The arrested persons are identified as 22-year-old Mallesh aka Handi Malla and 21-year-old Chetan Sai Sillekyatar. Both are arrested by the Koppal Rural police. Both the arrested accused are locals and residents of Sainagar in Gangavathi taluk in Koppal district.

Another accused, their close associate has managed to escape from the police and the special teams have intensified the hunt for him.

The preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused approached the victims on the pretext of asking for money for petrol. The victims had given them Rs 20 and asked them to leave. However, the accused started an argument with them asking for Rs 100 and started assaulting them.

They attacked the tourists and locals, a group of five persons, with stones and hands. They had pushed three men into the canal and sexually assaulted two women, a female from Israel and a local homestay owner.

Two of the accused gang raped the local homestay owner, while the female Israel national was raped by one of the accused, sources stated. More details are yet to emerge regarding the exact sequence of events and the nature of sexual assault.

The victims had not known each other and had become friends after their arrival at the homestay.

Koppal SP Ram L Arasiddi stated Saturday that a woman from Israel and a home stay owner were sexually assaulted. The tourists had gone to the spot for star gazing, they had carried a guitar with them. Two tourists, one from Nasik in India and another from America, have managed to swim out of the canal after being pushed by the accused persons.

Another tourist from Odisha who had not come back from the canal has been found dead in the canal. His body was recovered from the canal at 10.30 am Saturday, he stated.

The rape victims are recovering at the hospital while the body of the tourist from Odisha was found in the Tungabhadra Left Canal near Sanapura village near Gangavathi town Saturday.

The deceased tourist has been identified as 40-year-old Beebas.

The authorities had launched a search operation for him after the incident came to light.

The other two victims, who were also pushed into the water, had managed to come back to the bank of the canal and saved their lives.

The incident had taken place Thursday night when the homestay owner had taken female tourists from Israel, and the US, a male tourist from Odisha and the deceased to the banks of Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal near Sanapura village near Gangavathi town for stargazing.

When the tourists were stargazing on the banks of the Tungabhadra canal, the accused who came to the spot on a bike, approached them on the pretext of asking for petrol and started demanding money from them.

After being refused money, they attacked the group with stones, pushed the others into the canal, and raped the women.

The 29-year-old homestay owner, one of the victims of the sexual assault, has filed a complaint with the police regarding the incident.

The accused have disappeared after committing the crime.

The police stated that medical tests have confirmed sexual assault on the victims.

Police sources state that the incident had taken place at 3 am in the morning and it has not come to the notice of the locals.

The police are also investigating whether the victims were high as they could not take on three persons even as they were five of them. Since the victims are in shock, the police are presently focusing on nabbing the rapists.

IANS