Seoul: North Korea appears to be speeding up the construction of its third 5,000-tonne Choe Hyun-class destroyer, a South Korean lawmaker said Thursday, as Pyongyang has been seeking to strengthen its naval power. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered the construction of another 5,000-tonne multipurpose destroyer by the ruling party's founding anniversary October 10, after the...

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to take oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha April 10, according to sources from the Chief Minister’s residence. He is likely to travel to Delhi April 8 or 9 to complete the formalities in the Upper House of Parliament. Following his return to Patna, Kumar is expected...

Washington: President Donald Trump said US forces will keep hitting Iran "very hard" in the next two or three weeks and bring the country "back to the Stone Ages," even as he touted the success of US operations and argued that all of Washington's objectives have so far been met or exceeded. Trump said Iran would continue...

Raipur: With just one day of track and field competitions left, second-placed Odisha continued to chase the table toppers with four gold on Day 8 of the Khelo India Tribal Games Wednesday to take their overall tally to 17 gold, 10 silver and 16 bronze medals. Dayanidhi Munda (men's 800m), Roshan Khadia (men's 400m hurdles), Dipa Kisan...

Pottangi: The district administration Tuesday celebrated the 90th Odisha Day (Utkal Divas) in the disputed Kotia panchayat area of Koraput district, reaffirming the state’s linguistic and cultural identity among border residents. The event was held in front of the Kotia panchayat office, a region at the centre of an ongoing inter-state boundary dispute. Marking the occasion, the...

Koraput: Serious concerns have been raised by villagers of Kankadaguda under Nandapur block in Koraput district over ongoing quarrying and mining activities in the nearby Chikima hills, which they allege are destroying both their homes and livelihoods amid administrative inaction. Kankadaguda, located in the remote tribal belt of southern Odisha, is surrounded by dense forests, hills, and...

Dhenkanal: An 18-year-old youth died due to alleged medical negligence at the district headquarters hospital here Wednesday morning, his family claimed. The deceased, Alok Samal of Malpura village in Bhuban block, had sustained severe abdominal injuries Tuesday after falling into a latrine tank. He was admitted to the hospital in the evening. Family members alleged that after...

NARENDRA RAUT, OP Koraput: Mohanpada village in Koraput district is grappling with a severe drinking water crisis, exposing years of alleged administrative neglect and unfulfilled promises. Despite repeated assurances, nearly 1,400 residents continue to struggle to meet their basic water needs. Many villagers wake as early as 3am to queue for water, often waiting until late morning,...

Nabarangpur: At least 25 cattle have died after allegedly consuming contaminated water discharged from a maize processing unit in Nabarangpur district, triggering tension and protests in the area. Residents of Bamuni and Kusumpali villages under Rajoda panchayat of Kosagumuda block alleged that toxic effluents released from the Vijayanagar Biotech maize factory near their villages led to the...

Manguli/Jagatpur: A strong demand for conferring the Bharat Ratna on Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, the chief architect of a separate Odisha state, gathered momentum on the occasion of Odisha Day. Marking the celebrations, a large bike rally was organised by Madhupremi members from Tangi in Cuttack district to Satyabhamapur, the birthplace of Madhusudan Das, under Jagatpur police...