Sunday, August 09
The Badrinath–Kedarnath Temple Committee has proposed restricting the entry of non-Hindus on Sunday, following a resolution passed by the local temple body.The move came after a meeting of the Shri Gangotri Temple Committee which resolved to bar non-Hindus from entering Gangotri Dham. The restriction is also set to also apply to Mukhba where the idol of Maa Ganga is worshipped during the winter months.Hemant Dwivedi, chairman of the Badrinath–Kedarnath Temple Committee said that the proposal to prohibit the entry of non-Hindus into both Gangotri and other temples managed by the committee would be placed before its board in an upcoming meeting.
As global markets grapple with volatility, shifting rate expectations and evolving growth narratives, investors are reassessing asset allocation across commodities, equities and themes like AI. In an interaction with ET Markets, Joanne Goh, Senior Investment Strategist at DBS Bank, shares her outlook on gold and silver, cautions against froth in parts of the AI trade, and explains where she sees value emerging across Indian and Asian equities.Edited excerpts from a chat:Do you see signs of euphoria building in the silver trade? It is much more volatile than gold and prone to wild swings. But are we at the beginning of a multi-year bull run, or do you think excessive optimism has made the upcycle shorter?We remain constructive on gold and silver, with structural drivers for precious metals
In the high-stakes theater of international diplomacy, silence is rarely just silence. When U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced this January that a landmark trade deal with India had stalled because Prime Minister Narendra Modi "did not call" President Trump to finalize the terms, the explanation was as convenient as it was implausible. To the casual observer, it painted a picture of bureaucratic hesitation. But to those watching the flow of global capital, the silence on the phone line masked a thunderous shift in the global economic order.While Washington focused on tariffs and trade deficits, New Delhi quietly engineered a financial mechanism that the United States has historically treated as a red line: the ability to buy oil without the dollar.A rigorous analysis of regul
Indian professionals working in the US are facing major disruption as no new H-1B visa stamping dates appear to be available this calendar year. In several cases, new interview appointments are being pushed to 2027. Visa offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata currently show no regular interview slots. The US State Department website lists the waiting period for the next available appointment as “not available” for petition-based visas such as H, L, O, P and Q at multiple locations, including Delhi and Kolkata. Immigration experts say there is little chance of improvement in the near future. According to a TOI report, applicants who had interview dates scheduled for January and February have also received emails from US consulates stating that their appointments have b
New Delhi: A total of 30 tableaux, including 17 from States and Union Territories and 13 from Ministries, Departments and Services rolled down Kartavya Path at the 77th Republic Day parade on Monday, presenting a visual narrative of India’s freedom legacy, cultural diversity and development journey. President Droupadi Murmu led the celebrations, with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen attending as Chief Guests. Also read: Republic Day 2026: Parade boasts Indian military might with Rafales, BrahMos, & Operation Sindoor tableauxRolling past the saluting dais, the state tableaux formed part of a total 30 tableaux and reflected the themes ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatma
For months, U.S. and Afghan officials have secretly negotiated the release of U.S. detainees -- a priority for President Donald Trump and a nonnegotiable prerequisite for any further diplomatic engagement with the Taliban.Yet even as at least five U.S. prisoners have been freed from Afghanistan over the past year, talks have stalled over the fate of remaining detainees, according to three people involved in the negotiations.While several U.S. prisoners remain in custody, Afghan officials say the release of the last Afghan inmate at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, rests with the United States and should be part of any further deal.The Guantánamo inmate's case and the whereabouts of a U.S. citizen in Afghan custody remain a central flash point between the Trump administration, which accuses Afghanis
