Prices of commercial LPG – the one used in hotels and restaurants – were on Monday hiked by Rs 42 per 19-kg cylinder but there was no change in the rates of cooking gas used in household kitchens.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked to Rs 3,113.50 per 19-kg cylinder from Rs 3,071.50 in Delhi, industry sources said.
Rates for the 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder used in household kitchens remained unchanged at Rs 913.
Washington, Jun 1: The U.S. said it conducted “self-defense strikes” on Iranian radar and drone control sites in Iran’s Goruk and Qeshm Island at the weekend in what it said was a response to “aggressive” actions from Tehran.
The U.S. Central Command said in a post on X that Iran had shot down a U.S. MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters.
CENTCOM said U.S. fighter aircraft responded by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones.
It added that no U.S. military personnel were harmed.
The two countries had traded strikes last week as well with Iran targeting a U.S. air base after the U.S. military carried out what a Washington official said were strikes targeting an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz. (Agencies)
The results of JEE Advanced 2026 have been announced, with Subham Kumar from the IIT Delhi zone securing All India Rank (AIR) 1. He topped the examination with 330 marks out of a total of 360.
Arohi Deshpande of the IIT Delhi zone was the top-ranked woman candidate, obtaining 280 out of the 360 marks. She got the 77th rank in the Common Rank List (CRL).
According to an official release, Kabir Chhillar secured second place with 329 marks, and Jatin Chahar secured third place with 319 marks. The top three belonged to the IIT Delhi zone, marking a clear dominance of the zone in the exam results.
A total of 1,87,389 registered in JEE (Advanced) 2026, and out of which 1,79,694 candidates appeared in both papers 1 and 2 in JEE (Advanced), held on May 17. In this exam, 56,880 candidates have qualified. Of the total qualified candidates, 10,107 are female candidates.
Prof Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, extended congratulations to all the qualified candidates and encouraged them to participate in the counselling and seat-allocation process.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all candidates who have qualified JEE (Advanced) 2026. This achievement is a testament to their dedication, perseverance, and academic excellence. All qualified candidates are encouraged to participate in the JoSAA 2026 counselling and seat-allocation process, irrespective of their Class XII (or equivalent) marks,” he said.
“However, the final admission shall remain subject to the fulfilment of the percentage-related eligibility requirements and other applicable conditions prescribed in the JEE (Advanced) 2026 Information Brochure,” he added.
To access the JEE Advanced 2026 result, candidates must log in using their Roll Number, Date of Birth, and Registered Mobile Number. The scorecard includes important details such as the candidate’s name, qualification status, All India Rank (AIR), subject-wise scores, total marks obtained, category-wise rank, and cutoff information. (Agenciese)
By Staff Reporter
Doda, May 30: Noted social activist Ghulam Nabi Shah has taken a commendable step towards environmental conservation by planting Chinar saplings at the scenic Jantroon Dhar area of Bhallesa, while simultaneously advocating for the promotion of the region’s vast tourism potential.
Demonstrating his dedication to preserving the environment, Shah personally travelled from Doda to Kashmir Valley to procure Chinar saplings and later transported them to Jantroon Dhar for plantation. The entire initiative, including transportation, plantation, fencing and engagement of local labourers, was undertaken at his own expense. Protective fencing was also installed around the saplings to ensure their safety and proper growth.
Speaking on the occasion, Shah stressed the importance of afforestation and environmental protection, stating that preserving nature is essential for future generations. He urged people from all walks of life to actively participate in tree plantation drives and contribute towards maintaining the ecological balance of the region.
Shah also highlighted the immense tourism potential of Bhallesa and appealed to the Government, Tourism Department and district administration to take concrete measures for the promotion and development of tourist destinations across the region. He specifically referred to the breathtaking landscapes of Jantroon Dhar, Shahpura Joura, Eidgah Joura Khurd and the surroundings of the Tourist Hut, describing them as naturally gifted locations capable of attracting visitors from across Jammu and Kashmir and beyond.
He urged the authorities to organize tourism festivals, cultural events, trekking activities and awareness campaigns to showcase the natural beauty, culture and heritage of Bhallesa. According to Shah, the promotion of these destinations would not only boost tourism but also create employment opportunities and strengthen the local economy.
He further expressed his desire to collaborate with the Forest Department and other concerned agencies to launch large-scale plantation drives throughout Bhallesa and the Chenab Valley, combining environmental conservation with the promotion of eco-tourism.
Local residents appreciated Shah’s initiative and lauded his efforts to preserve the environment while drawing attention to the need for greater recognition and promotion of Bhallesa’s untapped tourism destinations.
American President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany visited the iconic Taj Mahal with her husband Michael Boulos on Saturday and spent about an hour exploring the monument, officials said.
Trump arrived at the Taj Mahal around 11 am along with Boulos and a few close friends. During her visit, she extensively toured the monument and clicked pictures at various locations within the complex.
Tourist guide Ramesh Diwan said she showed keen interest in the history and architecture of the monument and asked several questions about its construction.
After completing the visit, Trump praised the beauty of the monument, according to people present during the tour.
Police said she arrived in Agra from Delhi by a chartered aircraft and landed at the city’s Agra Airport. She then travelled by road to a hotel before proceeding to the Taj Mahal through the golf course route.
Elaborate security arrangements were made for the high-profile visit, with authorities creating a high-security corridor from the airport to the Taj Mahal. Additional police personnel were deployed along the route and around the monument, police said.
After visiting the Taj Mahal, Trump returned to her hotel with her husband. The couple is scheduled to stay overnight in Agra and then carry on with the rest of their India trip, officials said. (Agencies)
May 30: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of academician Madhu Purnima Kishwar in a case registered against her for allegedly retweeting a video clip on social media.
The bench of Justice Aman Chaudhary on Friday observed that there was a distinction between “constructive criticism and tweeting/trolling” and said that since Kishwar had a large following on social media, the repercussions could be huge.
The court, in its order, observed this was not a “solitary incident” and that Kishwar had been posting on “sensitive” matters.
The high court noted that the investigation is at a nascent stage and several aspects are yet to be brought out and dismissed Kishwar’s plea, seeking prearrest bail in the matter.
Kishwar had been booked on charges of defamation, promoting enmity and other offences by Chandigarh Police following a complaint alleging circulation of forged and misleading content on social media.
Kishwar, through her counsels Kapil Sibal and Sartaj Singh Narula, contended that the only allegation against her was that she had retweeted a 14-second video clip on social media platform X, which was innocuous and without any illintent.
The offence of forgery is not made out against her, as she is not the one who had prepared the video, according to the plea.
She is a seasoned academician, who has authored many books and has no criminal antecedents, her counsels argued.
They argued that her previous posts cannot be taken into consideration for this case as no action has been taken against her regarding those posts. She has no control over the comments others make on what she uploads/posts, thus cannot be held responsible for acts of others, the counsels submitted.
The counsel appearing for the Union Territory of Chandigarh contended that it would be wrong to say it was a mere retweet by Kishwar.
The video in question was first uploaded by another person on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Then Kishwar downloaded the video and uploaded it on her X, where she has a huge following, with 18 lakh persons, the counsel submitted.
“The same (video) got widely circulated and received 1,74,000 views, which would make her gain further popularity in such issues. Thus she not only aided in spreading misinformation, but also defamed the image of the head of the government,” the counsel submitted.
The court while referring to a status report in the matter, observed that even though the first notice was duly served to the petitioner at her Delhi address on April 20, she failed to appear before the investigating agency.
This continued for the notices dated April 26 and May 5, which by itself shows her conduct of non-cooperating with the investigating agency, the court observed.
“Apparently, the video under scanner, was uploaded on other social media platforms, however, as a matter of fact, it was only after the petitioner uploaded the same with her comment/s, that it garnered 1,74,000 views and speculations were made of it resembling the holder of a Constitutional post, which was confirmed when she further retweeted in that regard,” the court said in its order.
“There is, however, an obvious distinction between constructive criticism and tweeting/trolling to malign, cause aspersions and insinuations, and in (this) case, the same is by someone like the petitioner, who has a large social media following, the magnitude of the repercussions can be far from that can be fathomed,” the court stated.
“Such posts can create disharmony, encourage separatist sentiments and put the unity and integrity at peril. She, being a prominent social media personality and a scholar, as has been proclaimed on her behalf cannot be presumed to be oblivious to the impact of such a tweet, which created a stir, as it attracted not only 1,74,000 views but even comments by other co-accused and public at large,” the court observed.
Further, had it been a solitary incident, one may have still given it another thought, but as has been brought out, even on previous occasions, she had been tweeting with different hashtags material/posts of “sentimental sensitivity”, as is depicted in the status report, it said.
Given that, misconception and misinformation can be made to spread at lightning speed due to social media, “there comes greater social responsibility whilst creating content and forwarding the same,” it said. “Where seeing becomes believing, regulatory provisions are in an emergent need.” The court further observed that the peculiarity of the facts and circumstances of the present case being such that the investigation is at a nascent stage and several aspects remain to be unearthed.
“It is way too soon to rule out the element of criminality involved, as such this court is not inclined to grant the concession of anticipatory bail to the petitioner. Ex consequenti, this petition stands dismissed,” read the court order. (Agenciese)
Till 10-15 years ago, India’s identity abroad was primarily linked with Mahatma Gandhi but that has changed and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now the country’s “biggest brand ambassador”, says Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
The culture of India – its heritage, festivals and cuisine – is the country’s identity too, the Union culture and tourism minister said in an interview with PTI Videos.
The way India was perceived in the world had been “somewhat lacking”,he said.
“Till 10-15 years ago, if you went to any country in the world and if you asked a person, based on his appearance, whether he was an Indian, he would hesitate in calling himself an Indian. He would introduce himself as an Asian.
“Then, if you asked him, where in Asia he was from, he would say that I am an Indian,” the minister told PTI earlier this week.
Moreover, if a visitor would tell anyone abroad that he or she was an India, the answer would be, “India! Oh, Mr Gandhi”, Shekhawat said, adding that the image and identity of India remained “stuck with Gandhiji”.
“But today, and I say it with confidence, you can go to any country in the world… from the smallest Caribbean island to America, and from South Asia to West Asia, you can go anywhere, and if you tell someone that ‘I am from India’, you will see a bright smile on his face, and an exclamation, ‘India! Oh, Mr Modi’.” The minister was asked what was India’s bigger brand ambassador — culture and tourism or Bollywood.
“Nowadays, the biggest brand ambassador we have is our prime minister,” he replied.
“Otherwise also, this is not a political reply. I am saying this as a layman. Like we just said, till 10-15 years ago, Gandhiji was the brand ambassador of India for decades. And now Modiji is the brand ambassador of India. But the culture of India is the brand ambassador of India. And the culture of India is the identity of India in itself,” Shekhawat said.
While culture and heritage will remain the essence of a country and its identity, the image of a leader changes the image of a country abroad, he said. And when the image of a country changes, it inevitably impacts the country’s tourism, and the attraction towards that country gets augmented, the tourism minister argued.
The change that has taken place gives India leverage and gives the confidence and conviction that foreign tourist arrivals in India will grow from 10 crore at present to 100 crore by 2047, Shekhawat added.
If there is any beneficiary sector in India’s anticipated economic prosperity and the way world class facilities are being developed, it will be tourism. Should tourism be treated as a strategically important sector, just like the IT sector is? “If I compare, I feel that it has not got that much strategic importance, but the prime minister has worked at a very swift pace in this direction,” Shekhawat replied.
All the missions of India have been told that one of the parameters for assessing their performance will be the number of tourists coming to India from that country. So, now the missions are also on the job, and everyone is on their toes, he said.
If South Korea made K-Pop a brand identity and Thailand sold its hospitality sector as its identity, what is India’s global tourism identity? “It is Incredible India. And, now we are taking it to Inevitable India,” the minister said. (Agencies)
Outgoing Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Saturday said he had a “very satisfying and excellent tenure” as he bid farewell to military service after receiving a ceremonial Guard of Honour and laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in the national capital.
Reflecting on the conclusion of his service, General Chauhan said it was a great honour to receive the Tri-Services Guard of Honour and thanked the three services and Headquarters IDS.
“It’s a matter of great honour for me to superannuate with a tri-services guard of honour. I thank the three services and Headquarters IDS for it. With the conclusion of the guard of honour, I bid farewell to my colleagues in uniform, comrades in arms forever. I just laid the wreath at the War Memorial for the last time in uniform, as a humble tribute to those who laid down their lives in the line of duty,” he told reporters.
“After the wreath laying, I was welcomed by the friends, relatives and well-wishers. This is symbolic of my transition from uniform to civilian life. I had a very satisfying and excellent tenure,” Chauhan added.
The ceremonial farewell marked the culmination of General Chauhan’s tenure as the country’s top military officer. His extended tenure as CDS and Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet in September 2025, extending his service up to May 30, 2026.
Commissioned into the Indian Army in 1981, General Chauhan served for over four decades and held several key command and staff appointments during his distinguished military career. He has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.
During his tenure as CDS, General Chauhan played a central role in pushing jointness and integration across the three services. On Friday, he released the Joint Air Defence Doctrine, described by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff as a significant step towards greater integration, synergy and operational preparedness among the armed forces.
Earlier this week, he also chaired the concluding meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and launched the Tri-Services Tele Directory Web Application developed by the Directorate General of Signals to enhance coordination across the defence establishment.
General Chauhan had also addressed personnel at Headquarters IDS and the Department of Military Affairs, emphasising “JAI” — Jointness, Atmanirbharta and Innovation — as the guiding principle for transforming the Indian armed forces.
With the Guard of Honour at South Block and wreath-laying at the National War Memorial, General Chauhan formally concluded a tenure marked by a strong emphasis on tri-services integration, operational synergy and defence modernisation. (Agencies)
In a major crackdown on narcotics networks under the ongoing Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan, Srinagar Police on Friday attached immovable properties worth approximately ₹2 crore belonging to individuals allegedly involved in drug trafficking activities.
According to police, the action was taken under the provisions of the NDPS Act as part of sustained efforts to dismantle the financial infrastructure supporting the illegal drug trade in the Valley.
In the first case, Police Station Bemina attached immovable property worth around ₹1.5 crore belonging to accused drug peddler Mudasir Ahmad Pir alias Sahil alias Doge, a resident of Firdous Colony, Bemina. The attachment was carried out under Section 68F(1) of the NDPS Act after obtaining confirmation from the Competent Authority, SAFEMA, Government of India.
The attached assets include a double-storey residential house along with approximately four marlas of land situated at Firdous Colony, Bemina. Investigations established that the property had allegedly been acquired through proceeds generated from illicit narcotics trafficking.
In another significant action, Srinagar Police attached a residential house along with land worth nearly ₹50 lakh belonging to alleged drug peddler Shafiq Ahmad Khawaja of Dildar Karnah in Kupwara district. The attachment was executed under Section 68-F of the NDPS Act in connection with FIR No. 10/2024 registered at Police Station M.R. Gunj under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act.
Police said both attachment proceedings were conducted after following due legal procedures and establishing that the properties were acquired through proceeds of narcotics-related activities.
Officials stated that the action reflects the firm resolve of Srinagar Police to target and dismantle the economic foundations of drug trafficking networks by identifying and attaching illegally acquired assets.
Reaffirming its commitment to a drug-free society, Srinagar Police urged the public to continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies by sharing information regarding drug peddling and narcotics-related activities in their localities.
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said Operation Sindoor had set a benchmark for when national will was expressed with precision and resolve, defining India’s response to provocation.
Reviewing the passing-out parade of the 150th course at NDA, Khadakwasla, General Dwivedi said the world cadets were stepping into “does not pause for introductions” and threats today “do not always arrive in uniform or on a declared front”.
“From contested grey zones to high-velocity hybrid warfare, today’s security environment demands that those who serve must think sharply as they act,” he said while addressing the parade.
“Operation Sindoor demonstrated that and set the benchmark when national will was expressed with precision and resolve, defining how Bharat responds to provocation. That standard now belongs to you to uphold,” the Army Chief said.
He said that the integrated response seen in Operation Sindoor, India’s military exercise against terror infrastructure in Pakistan in May 2025, was built on the kind of jointness the NDA instils from day one.
“As our defence services deepen their integrated structures, remember, irrespective of the uniform we wear next, you will serve shoulder to shoulder again
Calling the occasion “a poignant and a particularly personal moment”, General Dwivedi recalled passing out from the same quarterdeck over 42 years ago. “Today, as I stand before you at the far end of a life in uniform, preparing to doff mine as you prepare to don yours, I can tell you with certainty: what you begin here endures forever,” he said.
He complimented the parade commander and cadets for an “impressive standard of drill” and extended special compliments to Cheetah Squadron for winning the banner.
He also acknowledged 24 cadets from 12 friendly foreign countries passing out with the course, saying, “You came from different soils, but you leave shaped by the same ground and the same values.” (Agencies)