Vatican City: In a historic and unexpected development, U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected the next head of the Roman Catholic Church, becoming the first American pope in history. Upon accepting his canonical election, the 69-year-old chose the papal name Pope Leo XIV. White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney late Wednesday evening,…
Bhubaneswar, : In a significant stride towards modernizing railway infrastructure and boosting regional development, the Indian Railways has undertaken the redevelopment of several railway stations in Western Odisha under the Amrit Station Scheme. The initiative aims to transform key stations with world-class amenities, improved connectivity, and sustainable design—enhancing passenger experience and stimulating local economies. As…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo represented the state at the Kharif Abhiyan 2025 during the National Conference on Agriculture, held at the Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Kendra in New Delhi. The high-level event, chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, brought together agriculture ministers from across the country…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha is set to take a significant step towards strengthening its global presence with the launch of direct international flights between Bhubaneswar and Abu Dhabi from June 2025. The service will operate from Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) under the Centre’s Building Management of Aviation Assets and Network (B-MAAN) initiative. The announcement was welcomed…
New Delhi: Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply overnight as Indian Armed Forces carried out precise retaliatory strikes on Pakistani air defence systems following a series of attempted drone and missile attacks by Pakistan on Indian military installations. In a press briefing on Operation SINDOOR held on May 7, India had described its military…
Bhubaneswar: In a major push to strengthen rural infrastructure, the Odisha Cabinet on Wednesday approved the “Constituency Wise Allocation (CWA)” scheme—a ₹426 crore initiative focused on constructing and upgrading Rural Development (RD) roads across all 142 Assembly Constituencies in the state. The three-year scheme will be implemented from 2024-25 to 2026-27, with the goal of…
Puri: In a major boost to Odisha’s infrastructure and tourism ambitions, the proposed Puri Airport has been granted Greenfield status by the Government of India, officially placing the project on the fast track for development. This strategic milestone promises to transform Puri—one of India’s most sacred pilgrimage cities—into a globally connected spiritual destination. The approval…
Bhubaneswar: In a landmark decision aimed at transforming public transportation in rural Odisha, the State Cabinet has approved the rollout of the Mukhyamantri Bus Seva (MBS) — a comprehensive scheme designed to provide safe, reliable, affordable, and inclusive transport services to remote and underserved regions. The MBS initiative is poised to significantly enhance last-mile connectivity,…
New Delhi: The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and the CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly advance research and innovation in classical and quantum communication technologies. The partnership brings together C-DOT, India’s premier telecom R&D institution under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and CSIR-NPL, the nation’s…
New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic and cultural win, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has successfully secured the postponement of the auction of the sacred Piprahwa Buddhist relics, originally scheduled by Sotheby’s Hong Kong for May 7, 2025. The relics, believed to include bone fragments of the Historical Buddha, along with soapstone and…
