Category: India

An Odisha man, who worked at a plastic factory in Al Fashir since 2022, was kidnapped last month. A video showed him flanked by Sudan rebels, while one of them ask him if he knows Shah Rukh Khan.

In a disturbing video from war-torn Sudan, armed men can be seen flanking an Indian national from Odisha and asking him, “Do you know Shah Rukh Khan?” The captive, identified as 36-year-old Adarsh Behera from Jagatsinghpur district, has reportedly been abducted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group battling the Sudanese army in the country’s ongoing civil war.

The clip shows armed RSF soldiers around Behera. While one of them asks if he knows Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, another orders him to say on camera, “Dagalo good,” referring to their commander.

Behera, who worked at Sukarati Plastic Factory in Al Fashir since 2022, was kidnapped last month and is believed to be held in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, a known RSF stronghold. The group is led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.

In a video shared by his family, Behera is seen sitting on the floor with folded hands, pleading for his life.

“I am here in Al Fashir where the situation is very bad. I have been living here for two years with great difficulty. My family and children are very worried. I request the state (Odisha) government to help me,” he says.

FAMILY APPEALS FOR INTERVENTION
Behera’s wife, Susmita, who lives in Jagatsinghpur with their two sons aged eight and three, has appealed to both the Odisha government and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to intervene.

“My husband had been working there for the last three years in a plastic company. Around October 20, his phone calls suddenly stopped. Then, on October 24, I got a call from an unknown number — it was my husband. He was crying. He said he had been abducted by terrorists while returning from work with his boss,” she said.

“He told me that if the embassy or the Red Cross spoke to them, they would release him. They were attacking him brutally,” she added.

Her father-in-law, Khetrabasi Behera, said the family has not been able to contact Adarsh for the past eight days.

ODISHA CM WRITES TO CENTRE
Following the family’s appeal, the Odisha government has written to the MEA, seeking urgent intervention. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed officials to coordinate with the Indian Embassy in Sudan and ensure Behera’s safe release.

A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said the Director General of Intelligence has already written to the MEA, and the Resident Commissioner in New Delhi is in touch with the ministry for updates.

Majhi has assured the family that “all necessary measures” are being taken to resolve the situation.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik said on X,“Deeply concerned to know that Adarsh Behera from Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha has been kidnapped by paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s Al Fashir. Urge Indian government and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene into the matter with urgency and coordinate with officials of Sudan for his early release.”

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sudan-rebels-ask-kidnapped-odisha-man-who-is-shah-rukh-khan-viral-video-2813654-2025-11-04

Pak DG ISPR says, “India must know that this time our response will be stronger.” “Pakistan is rattled and this just shows their strategic anxiety,” say top intel sources

India’s tri-services exercise Trishul, at a time when the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has reached Islamabad, has left Pakistan worried.

Lieutenant General (LG) Ahmed Shareef Chaudhry, Director General (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), media and public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, vowed strong action during an informal interaction with journalists at Rawalpindi.

“India must know that this time our response will be stronger,” he said, according to sources.

“Pakistan is monitoring India’s tri-services exercise. India is preparing another false flag operation in the Arabian Sea,” he said.

According to top Indian intelligence sources, Pakistan is rattled and this kind response to India’s tri-service exercise reflects strategic anxiety. “They have already disturbed their political scenario due to Rawalpindi. The DG ISPR’s statement is just a narrative. Their aim is to ensure domestic consolidation even as they have lost internal control.”

The ISPR is trying to project unity at a time when the TTP has reached their capital and Baloch are attacking them on a daily basis, said sources.

Beginning November 3, the tri-services mega drill, Exercise Trishul, has brought together the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force in a large-scale, multi-domain wargame expanding from the Arabian Sea to the skies above. This is the first exercise of its kind after Operation Sindoor, which will go on till November 13. The large-scale drills simulate integrated warfare, rapid mobilisation, and maritime dominance operations.

The exercise, while routine in nature, has reportedly prompted Pakistan’s heightened state of alert.

Pakistan recently issued a second Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) within five days — a move that intelligence sources describe as a signal of “panic and precaution” triggered by India’s ongoing Tri-Services Exercise Trishul 2025. The latest NOTAM, effective from November 1 to November 30, closes large portions of Pakistan’s airspace, particularly over its southern and coastal regions.

Meanwhile, Pakistan in early October also announced a strict crackdown on Afghan refugees, with the government declaring that all Afghan nationals residing illegally in the country will be deported “as soon as possible”.

The clashes broke out after Pakistan reportedly launched cross-border airstrikes in Kabul on October 9, targeting TTP camps. Pakistan accused the Afghan Taliban of harbouring TTP militants, responsible for killing hundreds of Pakistani soldiers since 2021.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/hurt-by-indias-trishul-pakistan-vows-stronger-response-decoding-dg-isprs-remarks-exclusive-ws-kl-9677878.html

Campaigning for Bihar’s assembly elections intensified as prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Modi and Congress president Kharge, held rallies across the state. Voting in Bihar will be held in two phases – November 6 and 11, and counting of votes is on November 14.

Campaigning for the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections reached fever pitch on Monday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed rallies across the state.
With just one day left before the campaign silence begins, the country’s top political leaders crisscrossed Bihar, targeting each other and rallying support for their respective alliances.
Modi Attacks RJD-Congress Alliance
Prime Minister Modi addressed public meetings in Saharsa and Katihar districts, bringing his total campaign events in the state to eight, including a roadshow in Patna on Sunday.

Continuing his sharp attack on the opposition INDIA bloc, Modi alleged that the Congress had agreed to project RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as chief minister only after a “katta (country-made gun)” was pointed at its head by Lalu Prasad’s RJD.

He also claimed that RJD posters were deliberately leaving out images of party patriarch Lalu Prasad to “hide his sins.”
Shah Predicts NDA Sweep
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has already addressed more than a dozen rallies since the poll schedule was announced on October 6, held meetings in Sheohar, Madhubani, and Sitamarhi—districts bordering Nepal.
Predicting a decisive win for the BJP-led NDA, Shah said, “On November 14, the day of counting, it will be clear by 1 p.m. that the INDIA bloc has been wiped out.”
Later, Shah stayed back in Madhubani for a traditional Maithili dinner with JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha and local leaders, a video of which was widely shared on social media.

Kharge Slams Nitish, BJP
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge held his first rally of the campaign in Vaishali, followed by a press conference in Patna.
Kharge accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of “sitting in the lap of the pro-Manu Smriti BJP” and alleged a “conspiracy” by the BJP to deny Kumar another term. He pointed to the JD(U) leader’s absence at the prime minister’s rallies and roadshow as evidence of rift within the NDA.
JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad dismissed Kharge’s claims, noting that Tejashwi Yadav himself skipped Rahul Gandhi’s rally a day earlier.
Addressing a press conference, Kharge also questioned the “absence” of Kumar in Modi’s roadshow in Patna and poll rallies elsewhere in Bihar, and asserted that the BJP is not going to make him the CM again.
“PM Modi and Kumar have been in their posts for 11 and 20 years, respectively, still they talk about jungle raaj. Even after 20 years of running the government in Bihar, how can they talk about ‘jungle raj’. This shows that the PM has nothing to say about his works… what he had done for Bihar,” he said.
It appears that the Prime Minister has nothing to say about education, health, employment, price rise, MSP and investment, the Congress leader claimed.
“Kumar was not seen along with the PM in his rallies on Sunday. He was also missing from the PM’s roadshow in Patna. It’s clear that Nitish would not become the CM again. Modi does not talk about making Kumar the CM. This is Modi’s strategy to sink Kumar,” he claimed.
When asked about the PM’s ‘katta’ remark made on Sunday, Kharge said, “Was Modi present when it happened? What kind of language is the PM using? No one can intimidate Congress, nor is Congress afraid of anyone. Our grand alliance is moving forward with respect and friendship.”
Priyanka Targets PM Modi
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who addressed rallies in Saharsa and Lakhisarai and held a roadshow in Samastipur, took direct aim at the prime minister.
Accusing Modi of “whining” about insults from opposition leaders, she sarcastically suggested that he set up an “Apmaan Mantralaya” (Ministry of Insults) to handle his grievances.
Yogi, Akhilesh Exchange Barbs
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held four rallies in Bihar, where he used sharp humor to attack his rivals. Referring to Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Yogi dubbed them “Pappu, Tappu, and Akku,” and likened them to Mahatma Gandhi’s “three monkeys” who “can neither see, hear, nor speak of NDA’s good work.”
Akhilesh Yadav hit back on X, saying the monk-turned-politician had “changed his dwelling, attire, and even name,” and predicted Yogi’s defeat in Uttar Pradesh’s next polls.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/bihar-assembly-election-2025-pm-modi-katta-jibe-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-apmaan-mantralaya-swipe-dominate-campaign-article-153096377

Burari was in the “severe” category with a reading of 400, followed by Wazirpur, which recorded 390.

A thick layer of haze enveloped the national capital on Monday, with the air quality remaining in the “very poor” category and very likely to deteriorate to “severe” on Tuesday.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 309 at 4 pm, indicating persistent pollution levels.

Burari was in the “severe” category with a reading of 400, followed by Wazirpur, which recorded 390. Additionally, 23 monitoring stations recorded “very poor” air quality, with readings above 300, as shown on the CPCB’s Sameer app.

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi, the wind speed dropped below 8 km/h from the northwest direction during the evening and night hours, reducing the dispersion of pollutants. It added that a ventilation index lower than 6,000 m²/s and wind speeds less than 10 km/h are unfavourable for pollutant dispersal.

The air quality is likely to remain in the “severe” category on Tuesday, AQEWS said.

The PM2.5 concentration stood at 155 micrograms per cubic metre and PM10 at 278. PM2.5 refers to fine inhalable particles with diameters that are 2.5 micrometres or smaller, while PM10 includes slightly larger particles up to 10 micrometres in diameter, according to the CPCB.

At such levels, these pollutants can cause breathing discomfort, especially among people with lung or heart diseases, children, and the elderly.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 to 100 “satisfactory”, 101 to 200 “moderate”, 201 to 300 “poor”, 301 to 400 “very poor”, and 401 to 500 “severe”.

Delhi’s maximum temperature was recorded at 31.5 degrees Celsius, 0.2 notches above the seasonal average, while the minimum temperature settled at 17.9 degrees Celsius, 1.9 notches above the season’s average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/haze-blankets-delhi-as-air-quality-remains-very-poor-9569741

OpenAI made the announcement last week, adding that users who sign up during the promotional period can access the otherwise paid Go version for free.

Big news for developers, students, and professionals: ChatGPT’s paid Go version will now be free in India, not for just a few days or weeks, but for an entire year. The free access begins Tuesday, November 4.

OpenAI made the announcement last week, and users who sign up during the limited-time promotional period can access the otherwise paid Go version for free for one year.

The Go feature was launched amid calls for an affordable option to access better features of ChatGPT. This version has increased message limits, image generation, and file upload capabilities.

Why OpenAI made ChatGPT Go free in India?
OpenAI’s flagship chatbot ChatGPT is a big hit in India, with paid subscribers in the country reportedly doubling within just a month of the service’s launch in August.

OpenAI’s announcement of free ChatGPT Go access in India aligns with its expansion plans in the country. The company says the move reflects its appreciation for the “enthusiasm and creativity” of Indian users.

“To celebrate OpenAI’s DevDay Exchange event in Bengaluru on 4 November, its first in India, OpenAI is making ChatGPT Go available free for one full year to all users in India who sign up during a limited-time promotional period, starting 4 November,” the company had said in a statement.

Inside ChatGPT Go’s enhanced user experience
Developers, students, and professionals rely on ChatGPT for help with projects, daily tasks, and brainstorming ideas. With the Go version now free, users can tackle more complex queries, generate more images, and access the chatbot’s advanced features without the limitations of the free version.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chatgpt-go-free-for-one-year-in-india-starting-november-4-today-all-you-need-to-know-101762203360122.html

DGCA drafts new rules letting air passengers cancel or amend tickets without extra charges within 48 hours of booking and mandates faster refunds.

In what could be a major relief for air passengers, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is drafting new rules that could allow travellers to cancel or amend their tickets without paying additional charges within 48 hours of booking.

The aviation regulator, which is proposing significant changes to ticket refund norms, has also suggested that when a ticket is purchased through a travel agent or online portal, the “onus of refund shall lie with the airlines as agents are their appointed representatives.”

According to the DGCA’s draft, airlines will be required to provide a “look-in option” for a period of 48 hours after booking.

“During this period, passengers can cancel or amend the ticket without any additional charges, except for the normal prevailing fare for the revised flight for which the ticket is sought to be amended,” the draft said.

However, the facility will not apply to flights scheduled to depart within five days for domestic routes or 15 days for international routes from the date of booking, when tickets are booked directly through the airline’s website.

“Beyond 48 hours of initial booking time, this option is not available and the passenger has to pay the relevant cancellation fees for amendment,” the draft Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) stated.

The DGCA has also proposed that airlines complete the refund process within 21 working days, as part of broader changes to the CAR provisions on ticket refunds.

In another key proposal, the draft states that an “airline shall not levy any additional charge for correction in the name of the same person when the error is pointed out by the passenger within 24 hours of making the booking, when the ticket is booked directly through the airline website,” according to the document accessed by the Press Trust of India.

The DGCA has further suggested that airlines may either refund tickets or offer a credit shell in cases where passengers cancel their bookings due to medical emergencies.

Source: https://www.news18.com/auto/cancel-flights-change-dates-for-free-dgca-planning-major-relief-for-air-travellers-ws-ekl-9678187.html

A LinkedIn post by Ankit Gupta about a job candidate attending an interview right after being discharged from the hospital has gone viral. His message urging recruiters to show empathy struck a chord with many users online. While most praised his compassion, some questioned the authenticity of the story.

The ongoing job market in India remains unpredictable, and the anxiety and overthinking caused by this uncertainty are often reflected on social media, where netizens share their personal experiences. Amid ongoing discussions about employment across industries, a concerning post has gone viral, in which a man shared an interview experience where a candidate showed up looking visibly tired because “he was discharged from the hospital the same morning.” The post has since ignited a conversation online.
The story was shared on LinkedIn by a user identified as Ankit Gupta. He wrote, “I was interviewing a candidate who seemed unusually low on energy. After a few minutes, I gently asked — ‘Are you okay?’ He quietly replied, ‘I was discharged from the hospital this morning.’ I paused for a moment and said, ‘If you want, we can reschedule the interview — it won’t affect your candidacy.’ But he refused, looking worried… because he really needed this job. That moment broke my heart.”
He further added a reminder for recruiters, “Empathy matters. Candidates are not just resumes — they’re humans, often fighting silent battles we know nothing about. Every resume carries a story.”

The post quickly went viral, sparking emotional reactions across social media. While many asked whether the candidate got the job, others questioned the authenticity of the story. One user commented, “Did he get the job?” to which Ankit replied, “Yes.”

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/man-attends-job-interview-right-after-hospital-discharge-employers-post-goes-viral-it-broke-my-heart-article-153095902

India is making significant strides in developing a hypersonic cruise missile, driven by advancements in scramjet engine technology. The missile, known as Project Vishnu, is expected to reach speeds of 8 Mach, translating to approximately 10,000 km/h.

With work on developing a scramjet engine going well, India has successfully negotiated the initial steps towards having in its arsenal a hypersonic cruise missile. Highly placed government said there has been “good progress” with the scramjet engine and the initial version of the missile will be at 8 Mach, almost 10,000 km per hour and currently, at least, it is impossible to stop.
This is Project Vishnu, currently before the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but there’s still initial work to be done. One challenge for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is countering the generation of heat– it must be ensured that “the structure does not melt,” which is why the thermal protection scheme will ensure that the titanium body of the missile will have a silica tile covering. Then, of course, there are wind-tunnel studies necessary– drag levels, that work against speed increasing, have to be looked at.
Sources said that while the initial version will have an 8 Mach speed, subsequent versions could be quicker, maybe touching Mach 10. Very few countries are working on such a weapon system. The Russians have something similar, but “their weapon glides in the final stages,” sources said. But they are working towards a complete hypersonic missile and are close to developing it. The Chinese missile also glides, sources added, after the initial thrust of the rocket motor and they are still the only countries close to developing one. “The Americans began work much earlier, but gave up. The technology wasn’t quite in place then,” sources added.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/india-eyes-10000-kmph-hypersonic-missile-under-project-vishnu-heres-what-we-know-article-153095945

Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asserted that renowned singer Zubeen Garg was murdered in Singapore, despite ongoing investigations into his mysterious death while swimming on September 19.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday claimed that celebrated singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg was murdered in Singapore, even as the official probe into the artist’s mysterious death continues.
The 52-year-old musician, known for his contributions to Assamese and Hindi music, died on September 19 while swimming in the sea in Singapore, where he had gone to attend the 4th edition of the North East India Festival (NEIF).
“I am not terming it an accident. The charge-sheet in Zubeen Garg’s murder case needs to be submitted by December 17. I have set a target to submit it by December 8. We are ready now,” Sarma told reporters in Tezpur, as quoted by PTI.

A domestic worker in Bengaluru’s Bagalur area brutally killed a puppy named Goofy by smashing it on the lift floor. CCTV footage exposed the act, showing the woman, Pushpalatha, carrying the dead pet after the assault. The pet’s owner, Raashi Poojari, filed a police complaint. The video’s viral spread sparked public outrage and an ongoing police investigation.

Bengaluru: A shocking incident has been reported from an apartment building in Bagalur, Bengaluru, on Monday, where a domestic worker brutally killed a puppy by smashing it to the floor inside a lift. The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Bagalur police station in Bengaluru.

Raashi Poojari, the owner of the deceased pet, lodged a police complaint against the maid involved in the act. The accused has been identified as Pupalatha, who was hired specifically to take care of the dog.

The woman was being paid for looking after the pet and had also been provided with accommodation and food at her employer’s residence.

According to the preliminary investigation, the accused committed this cruel act while taking the dog out for a walk. The incident took place on October 31 but came to light only recently. After killing the pet, the woman was seen in CCTV footage carrying the dead puppy in one hand and walking out of the lift.

Pupalatha had been working at Raashi’s home for a few months. The puppy, named Goofy, died as a result of the brutal act inside the lift. Once the CCTV footage surfaced, Raashi filed a police complaint. The footage showing the accused pulling the dog’s body by its leash and walking out of the lift has sparked public outrage.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in celebrating India’s first-ever ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title, hailing the team’s spirit and skill

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in celebrating India’s first-ever ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title, hailing the team’s spirit and skill after their 52-run victory over South Africa in a thrilling final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister wrote: “A spectacular win by the Indian team in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 final. Their performance in the final was marked by great skill and confidence. The team showed exceptional teamwork and tenacity throughout the tournament. Congratulations to our players. This historic win will motivate future champions to take up sports.”

It was indeed a collective team effort that powered India to their first-ever Women’s World Cup crown, ending a long wait for global glory in front of a packed and passionate home crowd.

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt’s dismissal in the 42nd over, followed by Chloe Tryon’s (9) wicket in the same over, effectively sealed the fate of the match. The Proteas were reduced to eight down with 78 runs needed off 48 balls, and despite Nadine de Klerk’s late resistance, India bowled out South Africa for 246 in 45.3 overs to script history.

Shafali Verma made a crucial impact with the ball in the summit clash, striking twice in quick succession to swing the momentum decisively in India’s favour. She dismissed Sune Luus in her very first over and then removed the dangerous Marizanne Kapp, tightening India’s grip before Sinalo Jafta fell as the fifth wicket.

Earlier, India’s breakthrough came via a moment of brilliance from Amanjot Kaur, whose sharp direct hit from mid-off ran out Tazmin Brits at the non-striker’s end. Brits and Wolvaardt had put together a brisk fifty-run opening stand during the powerplay, giving South Africa a solid start.

Debutant Sree Charani then trapped Anneke Bosch LBW in her first over. Despite early setbacks, Wolvaardt continued her fine form, notching her 39th ODI fifty and, along with Luus, steering South Africa past 100 to keep the chase alive.

However, captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to bring Shafali Verma into the attack proved inspired. The young all-rounder’s twin strikes broke the back of South Africa’s middle order and shifted the game squarely in India’s favour.

India’s batting brilliance sets the tone

Earlier in the day, India posted 298/7 in 50 overs – the second-highest total in a Women’s ODI World Cup final. A commanding 100-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana (45) and Shafali Verma (87) provided the ideal launch pad. At 223 for 3, India looked set for a 320-plus score before South Africa clawed back in the death overs to restrict them to just under 300.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/exceptional-teamwork-and-tenacity-prime-minister-narendra-modi-hails-indias-historic-womens-world-cup-triumph-9563521

After preliminary treatment, 3-4 critically injured victims were referred to Jodhpur for advanced medical care. Their condition is reported to be serious.

A tragic road accident occurred on Sunday night in the Matora area of Phalodi district, claiming at least 15 lives and leaving 3-4 people critically injured.

A tourist bus travelling from Jodhpur to Kolayat in Bikaner for religious darshan collided with a stationary trailer parked on the roadside. All the deceased are reported to be residents of the Sursagar area of Jodhpur.

The impact of the collision was so severe that the front portion of the bus was completely mangled. According to eyewitnesses, the bus was traveling at high speed when the driver suddenly lost control, causing it to ram into the trailer. Several passengers were trapped inside the wreckage, and local villagers along with police personnel worked extensively to extricate them.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/15-pilgrims-killed-several-injured-as-tourist-bus-rams-into-trailer-in-rajasthans-phalodi-video

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling has revived an old but often blurred distinction in Indian legal parlance – one between a ‘lawyer’ by qualification and an ‘advocate’.

Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi has said that future challenges are coming so fast that by the time you prepare for the current one, the next challenge comes at you adding that even US President Donald Trump doesn’t know what he’ll do tomorrow.

New Delhi: Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi has said that future challenges are coming so fast that by the time you prepare for the current one, the next challenge comes at you adding that even US President Donald Trump doesn’t know what he’ll do tomorrow.
Addressing students at TRS College in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi said that the challenges are such that one has to remain prepared across all fronts from space to cyber, to land, air, and sea.

How Will Future Challenges Be? Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi Explains
Giving food for thought to the students at Rewa’s TRS College, Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi talked about future challenges, saying they are coming fast and that we are completely clueless about what the future holds.

“Future challenges are coming. They’re instability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity… You and I are completely clueless about what the future holds,” the Army Chief said.

Taking a reference to the US President, he said, “What is Trump doing today? I think even Trump doesn’t know what he is going to do tomorrow. Challenges are coming so quickly that by the time you try to grasp an old challenge, a new one emerges—and the same security challenges our military faces.”
“Whether it’s on the border, terrorism, natural disasters, or cyber warfare. The new things that have started: space warfare, satellites, chemical, biological, radiological, and information warfare. The way rumours are spread. As you heard in Operation Sindoor — Karachi has been attacked. So much such news came, which seemed like news to us too. Where did it come from, who did it?… In the scope of all these challenges, you have to work on land, sky, water—all three,” said the Army Chief.

The Indian Army plans to integrate unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, into its tank and mechanised infantry regiments to enhance operational capabilities.

For the Indian Army’s tank and mechanised infantry regiments, a new weapon system is on the cards: unmanned aircraft systems or simply, drones.
Drones have become increasingly important in contemporary warfare. They were effectively used during the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and both Russia and Ukraine are using drones for both surveillance and strikes with great success. What the drones will give to the tank and mechanised infantry regiments is “extended reach,” high-level sources said. It will mean that the regiments will know what is 40-50 km ahead of them, a major benefit.
India’s 65+ tank regiments and the 50+ mechanised infantry regiments will know what threats are before them. As with infantry battalions, a group of the regiment’s soldiers— about 30– will be trained in the use and maintenance of drones.

Emergency procurement for the armed forces will continue till November 19 and 80 percent will go for buying drones and anti-drone systems. These will be bought from largely indigenous manufacturers.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/indian-army-goes-high-tech-drones-to-boost-surveillance-and-strike-power-of-tank-infantry-units-article-153091458

International fast food chain McDonald’s has added a swadeshi twist to its menu by rolling out the Millet Bun Burger.

The latest addition, prepared using a homegrown innovation developed with indigenous technology from the Mysuru-based CSIR–Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), has drawn praise from the Central government, which views it as a notable step in India’s efforts to promote millets as a mainstream, everyday food option.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh hailed the move as proof that “Videshi has turned Swadeshi,” calling it a proud moment for India’s food innovation ecosystem. In a post on X, Singh commended the global fast-food chain for adopting indigenous research and food technology developed within India.

“Videshi turns to Swadeshi” as the popular international food chain McDonald’s serves India’s “Millet Bun Burger”, prepared using indigenous technology developed by the Mysore based CSIR institute, the “Central Food Technological Research Institute “CFTRI,” he said on X.

He added that this is a “proud moment” showcasing how Indian innovation and traditional nutrition are reshaping global food trends.

The announcement has been highlighted as a reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push on millets as a superfood, under the broader initiative informally known as the ‘Millet Movement’.

“A grand vindication for India’s Millet movement which had gained momentum with the UN declaring 2023 as the ‘International Year of Millets’ at the behest of India with the personal intervention of PM Modi,” he added.

The Indian government has been actively promoting millets both domestically and internationally.

The United Nations General Assembly at its 75th session in March 2021 declared 2023 the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023), following a proposal spearheaded by India. Since then, policymakers have encouraged millet integration across welfare schemes, food security programmes, and commercial food markets.

International Year of Millets was looked at as an opportunity to raise awareness of, and direct policy attention to the nutritional and health benefits of millets and their suitability for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic conditions. The Year promoted the sustainable production of millets, while highlighting their potential to provide new sustainable market opportunities for producers and consumers.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/mcdonalds-launches-millet-bun-burger-union-minister-hails-videshi-to-swadeshi-shift-ws-l-9675673.html

Varanasi gears up for Dev Deepawali 2025 with 10 lakh diyas, a 3D laser show, green fireworks, and tributes to Shiva, Parvati, Buddha, and others.

Varanasi Dev Deepawali: As the countdown to Dev Deepawali 2025 begins, the temple town of Varanasi is gearing up to dazzle the world once again with a spectacle of faith, light, and culture.

The city of Lord Shiva is once again poised to witness a grand celebration, as over 10 lakh diyas will illuminate the semi-circular ghats and waterbodies of Kashi on November 5, Uttar Pradesh Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

According to the press statement, the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, in collaboration with the UP Government and Varanasi Mahotsav Committee, has started large-scale preparations to ensure the celebrations unfold seamlessly. Diyas, oil, and wicks are being distributed from Raj Ghat, while the ghats and opposite banks have been divided into 20 sectors, each monitored by a nodal officer to oversee crowd control and coordination.

The festivities will also include the lighting of lamps on the ghats and on the opposite bank of the river.

Jaiveer Singh said this year’s Dev Deepawali will begin with the sound of shankhnaad and damru, symbolizing the divine rhythm of Lord Shiva and the eternal pulse of Kashi.

The grand evening will also feature a 25-minute 3D projection and laser show, ‘Kashi Katha’, narrating the spiritual and cultural evolution of the ancient city, followed by eco-friendly ‘green fireworks’ at the Ganga Dwar of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the statement added.

Source: https://www.news18.com/cities/varanasi/over-10-lakh-diyas-3d-laser-show-to-illuminate-varanasi-ghats-on-dev-deepawali-ws-l-9675726.html

ISRO launched its CMS-03 communication satellite, weighing 4,410 kg, to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) onboard the 43.5-metre-tall LVM3-M5 rocket.

The Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday reached a new milestone by launching its heaviest communication satellite on an Indian rocket and placing it in orbit.

ISRO launched its CMS-03 communication satellite, weighing 4,410 kg, to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) onboard the 43.5-metre-tall LVM3-M5 rocket, known as ‘Bahubali’ for its heavy-lift capability. The launch took place from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Station in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 5:26 pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan congratulated ISRO on the feat, lauding India’s excellence in space innovation. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said the space agency plans to carry out seven launch missions in the next five months.

A Historic Launch: Top Points

• The communication satellite CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite and would provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass, according to ISRO. It is also a replacement to the GSAT 7 series, launched in 2013.
• VM-3, previously known as Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (GSLV Mk 3), is a three-stage launch vehicle that includes two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110), and a cryogenic stage (C25). It is dubbed ‘Bahubali’ for its capabilities in launching heavier communication satellites up to 4,000 kg in GTO and 8,000 kg in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• All eight LVM 3 launches, including its experimental mission, have been successful, achieving a 100% success rate. ISRO scientists also demonstrated the re-ignition of the thrust chamber of the C-25 cryogenic engine after it placed the satellite in orbit.
• PM Modi congratulated ISRO, saying, “Powered by our space scientists, it is commendable how our space sector has become synonymous with excellence and innovation.”
• “This indigenously developed satellite will strengthen space-based communications, connectivity, and maritime domain awareness across the Indian Ocean Region, marking another proud milestone in Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” said VP Radhakrishnan.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/india-hits-new-space-milestone-by-launching-heaviest-satellite-on-bahubali-rocket-top-points-ws-kl-9675669.html

Jan Suraaj supporter Dular Chand Yadav was killed while he was campaigning for Jan Suraaj Party’s candidate and his nephew Priyadarshi Piyush in Mokama.

Former Bihar MLA Anant Singh, who has been fielded by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, was arrested early Sunday in connection with the murder of Jan Suraaj supporter Dular Chand Yadav.

Yadav, a gangster-turned-politician who was formerly associated with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), was killed while campaigning in Mokama on Thursday for his nephew Priyadarshi Piyush, who is fighting on a ticket of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party in these assembly polls.

Singh, the JD(U) candidate from Mokama and the husband of sitting MLA Neelam Devi, was arrested from his residence in Barh along with two other persons, Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram, who were also present when the incident took place.

“Police have arrested three persons — Anant Singh, Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram — in connection with the murder of Dular Chand Yadav,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Patna, Kartikeya Sharma, said while addressing a late-night press conference with Patna District Magistrate Thyagarajan SM.

He said that Yadav’s post-mortem report shows that he died of cardiorespiratory failure due to shock caused by injury to the heart and lungs by a hard and blunt substance.

“Therefore, the post-mortem report and preliminary investigation suggest that it’s a case of murder,” he said.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Singh said he was “far away” from the spot where Dular Chand Yadav had an argument with his supporters.

“I do not know what exactly happened, but some of my people have complained that Yadav’s henchmen vandalised their vehicles,” he said.

He also blamed the husband of his RJD rival Veena Devi.

“It must be the handiwork of Suraj Bhan. He orchestrated the killing so that I get a bad name,” Singh said.

In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Anant Singh won the seat as an RJD candidate but was later disqualified after his conviction under the Arms Act in 2022. His wife, Neelam Devi, then won the bypoll.

The Election Commission on Saturday transferred Patna Superintendent of Police (Rural) Vikram Sihag following Yadav’s murder in Mokama.

It also ordered the appointment of new officials to replace the sub-divisional officer of Barh, who is also the returning officer of the Mokama assembly seat, sub-divisional police officer Barh-1, and sub-divisional police officer Barh-2.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nitish-kumars-party-candidate-anant-singh-arrested-in-prashant-kishors-jan-suraaj-worker-dular-chand-yadavs-murder-case-in-mokama-9559775?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The criticism followed Lalu Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya posting visuals of her children in Halloween costumes on Friday.

The BJP has hit out at Lalu Yadav over Halloween celebrations at his home, pointing out that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch had criticised the Kumbh festival. Sharing a news clip in which Yadav is heard calling Kumbh “meaningless,” the BJP said those who attack faith won’t get votes. Elections in Bihar are only days away.

The criticism followed Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya posting visuals of her children in Halloween costumes on social media on Friday. Yadav was seen posing with his grandchildren, who were dressed as a Grim Reaper and in other costumes. “Happy Halloween to everyone,” Acharya said in her post.

The BJP Kisan Morcha handle shared a split video of Yadav’s remarks on Kumbh and the Halloween visuals, noting that the RJD leader has no problem with celebrating a British festival.

Halloween traces its origins to Celtic roots and is celebrated with spooky decorations, parties, costumes, and trick-or-treating.

“Don’t forget, people of Bihar, this is the same Lalu Yadav who called the grand Kumbh of faith and spirituality useless and is celebrating the British festival Halloween. Whoever attacks faith, the people of Bihar will not vote for him,” said the BJP Kisan Morcha.

The two-phase voting for the Bihar assembly elections 2025 will be held on November 6 and 11.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lalu-yadavs-halloween-fest-with-grandchildren-draws-bjps-kumbh-reminder-9560284?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

BJP leader Manoj Tiwari was doing a roadshow in Bihar’s Dumraon for the upcoming assembly polls where the alleged attack took place.

BJP leader Manoj Tiwari has accused the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers of attacking him while he was campaigning for the upcoming assembly election in Bihar’s Dumraon on Saturday, saying that his convoy sped away to avoid any confrontational situation with the miscreants.

“Just a short while ago, at the Brahm Baba site in Dumraon Ariyav, when people were welcoming the roadshow with candidate Rahul Singh, some people tried to attack us while chanting RJD slogans. To prevent a confrontation, we sped up the vehicle and left. Why such thuggery by RJD in the campaign?,” he wrote in a post on X.

What happened at the roadshow?

Tiwari alleged that RJD workers ‘invaded’ his roadshow in Dumraon, Buxar, who then started sloganeering and someone even tried to install an RJD flag on their vehicle.

“RJD supporters began sloganeering. First, we were hooted at, and then someone tried to install the RJD flag on our vehicle. When we resisted, they tried to crush us and hurled abuses. To avoid what happened in Mokama, we instructed drivers to run away quickly,” he was quoted as saying news agency ANI. He further alleged that the miscreants hit their vehicles with sticks as he termed the attack a blatant crime.

“I am appealing to the Election Commission, administration, and Mahagathbandhan leaders – what kind of behaviour is this when contesting elections?… It is a blatant crime… We have lodged a complaint and spoken to the SP. A complaint has been forwarded to the Election Commission, and strict action should be taken against those behind this incident,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

What has the BJP said?

Commenting on the attack on Tiwari’s roadshow, Delhi Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh reiterated the ‘jungle raj’ jibe at RJD saying that the party only wants to create chaos and disturb law and order.

“RJD is distraught, and in such a situation, they were also troubled by the support our star campaigner, Manoj Tiwari, was receiving in the Dumraon Assembly constituency. Whenever RJD believes it will come to power, it either fails to do so or shows its anger. We do not adhere to such an ideology. They only desire chaos and aim to disturb law and order. If this were to happen to Manoj Tiwari, a well-known figure in the Bhojpuri community, imagine what might happen to the people of Bihar… I request the people of Bihar to eradicate jungle raj and bring back Nitish Kumar and PM Modi-led NDA coalition,” he told ANI.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bjps-manoj-tiwari-alleges-rjd-workers-behind-attack-during-bihar-roadshow-why-such-thuggery-101762057481908.html

This will be the third roadshow in Patna by the PM since last year’s Lok Sabha polls. Modi had held a roadshow earlier this year, soon after ‘Operation Sindoor’

Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address public rallies and attend a roadshow in Bihar on Sunday.

The PM will address public rallies in Ara and Nawada and will attend a ‘mega roadshow’ in Patna.

Elections to the 243-member Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11. In the first phase, 121 assembly segments will go to the polls.

This will be the third roadshow in Patna by the PM since last year’s Lok Sabha polls. Modi had held a roadshow earlier this year, soon after ‘Operation Sindoor’.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the PM’s roadshow. Before the roadshow, Modi will pay floral tributes to Rashtra Kavi Ramdhari Singh Dinkar in the state capital.

The PM’s roadshow will start from Dinkar Golambar in the evening and pass through Thakurbari Road, Bakarganj and will conclude at Udyog Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan. Later in the evening, Modi will offer prayers at Takhat Sri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib Gurudwara.

Union home minister Amit Shah and leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi are also set to address several public rallies in favour of their NDA and INDIA bloc nominees, respectively, in various parts of the poll-bound state on Sunday.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-address-rallies-take-part-in-roadshow-in-bihar-on-sunday-101762060486574.html

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling has revived an old but often blurred distinction in Indian legal parlance – one between a ‘lawyer’ by qualification and an ‘advocate’.

When the Supreme Court held recently that in-house lawyers are not “advocates” under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), it was not merely deciding a procedural point about professional privilege. It was restating a foundational distinction in the Indian legal profession – one that separates legal education from the legal profession, and a law degree from the right to practise law.

The judgment, authored by Justice K Vinod Chandran for a Bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai, came in a suo motu case on the summoning of lawyers by investigating agencies. While the Court clarified that investigative agencies cannot summon advocates to elicit privileged communication with clients, it also turned its gaze inward, examining who precisely qualifies as an “advocate” under Indian law.

At the centre of that discussion lay a simple but loaded question – is every lawyer an advocate?

The Court’s answer was no.

It said that persons with law degrees who work as salaried employees/legal advisors (termed as in-house counsel in legal circles) would not fall within the ambit of the term ‘advocate’. Consequently, attorney-client privilege will not apply to them.

“In-house counsel will not be entitled to the privilege under Section 132 since they are not advocates practising in courts as spoken of in the BSA,” the Bench said.

That line, seemingly technical, revives a statutory divide that has existed since the enactment of the Advocates Act, 1961, but one which has blurred over time with the growth of corporate legal roles and compliance-based advisory work.

The legal architecture: Advocate vs. lawyer
Under Section 2(a) of the Advocates Act, 1961, an advocate means a person whose name is entered on the rolls of a State Bar Council. Sections 29 and 33 then make it explicit that only advocates are entitled to practise law before courts, tribunals or authorities.

On the other hand, a “lawyer” is a colloquial description and refers to anyone holding a law degree or engaged in legal work.

A lawyer may draft contracts, advise a corporation or even teach law, but unless enrolled with a Bar Council, they do not have the statutory right to appear or practise before a court.

It is this right – the entitlement to “practise law” – that the Supreme Court tied to the meaning of “advocate” under Section 132 of the BSA, which protects communications between a client and an advocate.

“The fact of their regular employment with full salaries takes them away from the definition of an Advocate as defined under the Advocates Act, 1961,” the Court said.

Why employment matters
The Court relied on Rule 49 of the Bar Council of India Rules, which prohibits a full-time salaried employee from practising as an advocate.

The logic is straightforward – advocacy is a profession, not employment, and requires independence of judgment and duty to the court, qualities compromised when a lawyer is part of an employer’s hierarchy.

The Court cited the Constitution Bench judgment in Rejanish KV v. K Deepa (2025), which reaffirmed that once a law graduate takes up full-time employment, they must intimate the Bar Council and cease to practise. Even if they remain enrolled, they cannot function as advocates until they resign from employment.

Thus, while an in-house counsel may be a lawyer in every sense – legally trained, qualified and offering legal advice – they are not advocates in the eyes of the law. Their relationship with their employer is that of master and servant, not client and advocate.

Independence as the defining criterion
The judgment identifies independence as the core attribute distinguishing an advocate from a lawyer. Quoting the European Court of Justice’s decision in Akzo Nobel Ltd. v. European Commission (2010), the Supreme Court approved the reasoning that an in-house lawyer, though qualified and even enrolled with a Bar or Law Society, does not enjoy the “same degree of independence” as an external lawyer.

“An in-house counsel, though engaged in the job of advising his employer on questions of law, would even then be influenced by the commercial and business strategies pursued by his employer and would always be beholden to his employer and obliged to protect their interest.”

In other words, independence is the litmus test for advocacy. An advocate owes allegiance first to the law and to the court, while a lawyer in employment owes primary allegiance to their employer.

Privilege: The statutory consequence of being an advocate
Section 132 of the BSA, like the old Section 126 of the Indian Evidence Act, protects from disclosure any communication between an advocate and their client made “in the course and for the purpose of his employment as such advocate.”

The privilege rests on the presumption of professional independence – that the advocate is not part of the client’s organisation and, therefore, acts as an external fiduciary.

An in-house counsel, by contrast, stands on a different footing. The Court held that their communications, while possibly confidential, are not privileged under Section 132. They may, however, claim limited protection under Section 134, which prevents compelled disclosure of confidential communications with a legal adviser.

That subtle distinction – confidentiality versus privilege – is what defines the legal consequence of not being an “advocate.”

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/advocate-and-lawyer-are-they-one-and-the-same-supreme-court-answers

Authorities uncovered a major scam involving the creation of fake Ayushman health insurance cards in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Investigations revealed that fraudsters used fake identities of officials to issue 300 counterfeit cards, prompting a police probe and the suspension of the affected IDs.

A large-scale scam involving the creation of fake Ayushman health insurance cards has been discovered in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The fraudulent activity was detected after 300 counterfeit cards were issued using fake identities of officials from the State Agencies for Comprehensive Health and Integrated Services (SACHIS), the body responsible for issuing Ayushman cards.

The Ayushman cards are part of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), a flagship government scheme designed to provide health coverage to economically disadvantaged families.

The scam surfaced during the recent Diwali holidays when perpetrators exploited the system by generating fake IDs of SACHIS officials to bypass verification protocols.

The ruling came during the hearing of a plea by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), which sought permission to sell its ready-to-drink fruit-flavoured beverages under the brand name Rebalanz VITORS.

Fruit-based, non-carbonated, or ready-to-drink beverages cannot be sold labelled as Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), the Delhi High Court has ruled, upholding the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ban. The court emphasised that “public health considerations are paramount.”

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Plea Rejected

The ruling came during the hearing of a plea by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), which sought permission to sell its ready-to-drink fruit-flavoured beverages under the brand name Rebalanz VITORS.

FSSAI, through its orders dated October 14, 15, and 30, had held that using the term ‘ORS’ on such beverages violates the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, and related regulations. The regulator warned that such branding could mislead consumers, including children, diabetics, and the elderly, into believing these drinks were medically approved for rehydration.

Inside, the screen glowed with Zubeen’s face—smiling, singing, directing, composing, being. Every frame felt like a memory pulled from the crowd’s own lives: the first time his voice cracked open a heart at a Bihu function, the night his songs carried a broken teenager through loss.

They came in the hush before sunrise—scarves knotted tight, eyes red from sleepless nights and heavier hearts. At 4:25 a.m., Matrix Cinema Hall in Beltola flung open its doors, and Assam stepped into the dark to say goodbye to Zubeen Garg one last time.

Roi Roi Binale—his final film, his last love letter—wasn’t just playing. It was breathing.

Twenty minutes later, 600 kilometres north, Nakshatra Cinema in Lakhimpur lit up at 4:35 a.m. The same hush, the same shiver. From Guwahati’s misty streets to Lakhimpur’s quiet dawn, Assam rose early not for coffee, but for closure.

‘He’s Gone, But He Just Spoke to Me’

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has launched a pioneering initiative requiring the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and highway developers to create dedicated YouTube channels for project updates.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has instructed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and highway developers to launch dedicated YouTube channels showcasing regular video updates of highway projects at different stages of construction.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also announced that hoardings with QR codes will be installed along national highways, allowing commuters to scan them and access detailed information about the project — including the names and contact details of the contractor, consultant and government officials responsible for that stretch.
“Main kyu gaali khaun? The QR code will have information of the contractor, consultant, and officers who cleared the road. If a road is bad and people are complaining about it on social media, take it seriously. From A to Z in road construction, we need ownership, sincerity, and a positive approach. Roads must be good, and they must stay good,” Gadkari said.

He stressed that motorists paying tolls are entitled to roads of international standards. “Neither weather nor poor-quality bitumen can be used as excuse. If the road surface isn’t smooth, it must be repaired – costs may rise, but comfort is non-negotiable,” Gadkari said.

The minister also called for performance audits to pinpoint flaws in design and maintenance, ensure accountability and recognise exemplary work. “When audits are regular, transparency increases and excuses decrease. That’s how we should work,” he said.
At the same event, Road Transport Secretary V Umashankar on Tuesday directed the NHAI to upload project videos for public access and feedback. Speaking at a CII event, he said, “We often get information and updates about projects and problems from videos uploaded by independent YouTubers. Some comments also give insight into issues. We are working to make video uploading part of project contract documents.”

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/main-kyu-gaali-khaun-gadkaris-qr-code-plan-puts-highway-officials-in-the-spotlight-article-153076093

CRPF jawan Vishesh Kumar Kashyap received a notice from the Income Tax Department for claiming a turnover of Rs 10.51 crore and found a fake company registered in his name.

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldier stationed in Bastar was in for a shock when he suddenly received a notice from the Income Tax Department for claiming a business turnover of Rs 10.51 crore. He later discovered that a fraudulent company had been opened using his PAN card.

Vishesh Kumar Kashyap, a resident of Bakawand, told the Income Tax Department that he has not opened any company nor engaged in financial dealings. Further investigation revealed that a fake company had been opened by someone who misused Kashyap’s PAN card.

The Income Tax Department sent this notice based on transactions from the financial years 2019-20 and 2020-21. The officer immediately filed a complaint at the Bakawand police station, after which the police registered a case against some unknown accused under section 318(4) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police Traces Kolkata Angle

The investigation revealed that some scammers had registered a company using Kashyap’s identity and made transactions worth crores. Bastar Cyber Cell in-charge Geetika Sahu said that the initial investigation indicated a connection with a firm based in Kolkata.

According to the police, it is believed that the accused used the soldier’s PAN card for large-scale financial activities. Officials have requested relevant documents and are investigating the bank accounts involved in these transactions.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/crpf-jawan-receives-rs-10-crore-income-tax-notice-discovers-fake-company-in-his-name-ws-l-9672761.html

NSA Ajit Doval emphasised governance’s role in nation-building, citing regime changes in Bangladesh and Nepal as results of poor governance.

On the occasion of National Unity Day, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday asserted the role of governance in nation-building and said regime changes in neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh and Nepal, were a result of bad governance. Addressing the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on Governance, Doval highlighted the relevance of Sardar Patel’s vision in today’s India.

“The rise and fall of the great empires, monarchies, oligarchies, aristocracies or democracies is actually a history of their governance. In the recent cases of regime change through non-constitutional methods in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and others, these were actually cases of poor governance. And that is how governance matters,” Doval said.

Doval stressed that effective governance is essential for securing a nation and achieving its goals. He highlighted that governance plays a pivotal role in shaping a nation’s future and ensuring its stability.

“I would like to share a perspective on how a security man looks at the process of governance. I believe governance plays a seminal role in the nation-building process, as well as in securing a nation and helping it achieve its goals and aspirations. It is indeed very befitting that in 2025, we should be reinventing Sardar Patel,” Doval said.

Expressing the need to uphold Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s vision, Doval mentioned that India is experiencing an “orbital shift” in governance and its position in the global order.

He emphasized the importance of Patel’s vision in uniting India and fostering a strong nation, noting that Patel’s leadership is more necessary than ever.

“His (Sardar Patel’s) vision is required in India today more than ever before. Not only is India in a transition, India is also having an orbital shift from a certain type of governance and government structures, societal structures, and its place in the global order. The world is also undergoing a great transformation. Whenever the change comes, the most important thing is clarity of vision; the noise and threats do not sway you. You are not getting subdued by the adversities and the possible threats. You have to prepare yourself and you have to equip yourself,” the NSA said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/regime-changes-in-neighbouring-countries-a-result-of-bad-governance-nsa-ajit-doval-ws-bl-9672612.html

Several migrant workers from Jharkhand are reportedly stranded in Tunisia, where they allege they have been forced to work without pay.

Forty-eight migrant workers from Jharkhand are reportedly stranded in Tunisia, facing harsh conditions and being forced to work without pay. They were allegedly employed in the North African nation through a Delhi-based private firm.

According to news agency PTI, the Jharkhand Labour Department has established contact with the stranded workers, who have expressed their desire to return to India.

“We spoke to the migrant workers allegedly stranded by a private firm in Tunisia and are verifying their documents. We are also in touch with the Indian Embassy officials in Tunisia for arranging their safe return to their native places,” team leader of Migrant Control Cell (under Jharkhand Labour department), Shikha Lakra, told PTI.

Longer hours, no pay, no money for food

The 48 Jharkhand-based migrant workers are allegedly being asked to work overtime, on top of being asked to work for free. According to an NDTV report, the dire conditions have left them without any money to even buy food.

One of the stranded workers released a video narrating his ordeal from Tunisia, claiming that he was being made to work 12 hours and “threatened that we will be jailed and won’t be able to return to India”, the publication further reported.

A social activist who was the first to share the migrant workers’ plight with the migrant cell also spoke about a video message shared by a worker. “Sanjay Kumar from Pirtand block of Giridih shared a video message to me on Thursday late night, which I passed on to the migrant cell and also to a few journalists who in turn shared it with the chief minister on Friday,” said Sikander Ali, the activist, told PTI.

Employed through Delhi firm, now wish to return

According to Sikandar Ali, the migrant workers were sent to Tunisia through a Delhi-based private firm operating under a leading multinational company. They were deployed for a project involving the installation of high transmission wires.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/48-indians-migrant-workers-from-jharkhand-stranded-in-tunisia-no-money-for-food-forced-to-work-without-pay-101761936373391.html

This follows another significant gesture in recent months when a special coin was issued for the 100 years of RSS, with ‘Bharat Mata’ depicted for the first time on Indian currency

The Narendra Modi government will release a special commemorative coin to mark the 150th of the Arya Samaj, which will feature the Gayatri Mantra inscribed in Devanagari script possibly for the first time on Indian currency.

This follows another significant gesture in recent months when a special coin was issued for the 100 years of RSS, with ‘Bharat Mata’ depicted for the first time on Indian currency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally unveiled the coin and a stamp for the RSS centenary celebrations.

The Arya Samaj was founded by Dayanand Saraswati in April 1875 in erstwhile Bombay. An official notification issued on Thursday stated that the Rs 150-denomination coin will be minted to commemorate the 150-year celebrations of the Arya Samaj.

WHAT WILL THE COIN LOOK LIKE?

The Obverse, or ‘Heads’: The coin’s front will feature the Lion Capitol of the Ashoka Pillar in the centre with the legend ‘Satyamev Jayate’ inscribed below. On the left periphery, the word ‘Bharat’ will be inscribed in the Devanagari script, and on the right periphery, ‘INDIA’ will be inscribed in English. The coin will also display the rupee symbol ‘₹’ and the denominational value ‘150’ in international numerals below the Lion Capitol.

India came down heavily on Pakistan and said Islamabad thinks it has the “right to practice cross-border terrorism with impunity”

India on Thursday reaffirmed its support to Afghanistan amid the country’s escalating border tensions with Pakistan, saying it stands with its sovereignty.

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) came down heavily on Pakistan over cross-border terrorism and said Islamabad thinks it can get away with impunity.

“Pakistan thinks they can keep doing cross-border terrorism without being punished. We are committed to the sovereignty of Afghanistan,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Jaiswal said India remains “fully committed” to the “sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence” of Afghanistan.

“I reiterate what I had said in my last briefing. Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories and seems to think that it has the right to practice cross-border terrorism with impunity. Its neighbours find it unacceptable. India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan,” he said.

The military conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan erupted earlier this month following a Pakistani airstrike on Kabul. Afghanistan strongly responded to the attack following which the conflict escalated.

The MEA’s remarks come amid worsening relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan following the failure of peace talks held in Turkey this week. On Wednesday (October 29), the tensions deepened after Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a severe warning to the Taliban regime, threatening possible military strikes inside Afghan territory.

Asif has also levelled serious charges against India, explicitly blaming New Delhi for the failure of its ceasefire talks with Afghanistan. He said India is actively attempting to sabotage the agreement between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime.

He claimed that India is waging a “proxy war via Afghanistan with Pakistan”, adding that Islamabad harbours “no doubts” that New Delhi is “financing proxies against Pakistan through Kabul”.

The Pakistani minister’s allegations of India’s interference came with pointed criticism of some members of the Afghan Taliban regime. He referenced foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India, suggesting that certain Taliban leaders are “playing dirty on India’s behest”.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/were-committed-to-sovereignty-of-afghanistan-india-slams-pakistan-over-border-tensions-ws-l-9669564.html

Mumbai police launched a daring mission to rescue 17 children and two others, who were allegedly kidnapped and held hostage by Rohit Arya in Powai.

Mumbai police launched a daring rescue mission after a man, identified as Rohit Arya, allegedly kidnapped 17 children and two others, and held them hostage inside a studio in Powai for six days. The police barged into the studio and rescued all the children, while Arya was shot and later pronounced dead.

The accused also released a video saying that he wanted to speak to some people, and threatened to set the entire place ablaze if his demands were not met. Police received a call about the incident at 1:45 pm and attempted to negotiate with the alleged kidnapper.

When talks failed, police entered the studio forcefully from the bathroom. Arya opened fire on the police personnel using children as human shields, but was injured in retaliatory firing and was admitted to the hospital, where he was later declared dead. Police officers said the kidnapper appeared mentally unstable.

Who Was Rohit Arya?

Arya was a YouTuber and school teacher from Nagpur. He was originally from Pune. He had secured a tender for a school project linked to the education department during the tenure of then Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, according to India Today.

He later staged several protest marches against Kesarkar, accusing the state government of withholding his funds in the Education Department.

The accused was also an employee at RA Studios, and set up a fake web series audition and invited 100 students. He let 83 students go and kept 17 as hostages with two other people. He kept them on the ground floor and first floor of the studio in Powai.

In a video released after he kidnapped the children, Arya also claimed that he simply wants to speak with certain people and has “moral demands” without specifying what they are. “I’m not a terrorist, nor do I demand a lot of money, and I certainly don’t want anything immoral,” he said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cities/mumbai-news/who-was-rohit-arya-the-mastermind-of-mumbai-hostage-crisis-involving-17-children-ws-l-9669986.html

The man, Premanand, placed an order for a smartphone on October 14 through the Amazon app and paid the complete amount through his credit card.

A Bengaluru-based software engineer fell victim to a delivery scam after receiving a piece of tile instead of a Rs 1.87 Lakh Samsung smartphone he had ordered through online shopping platform Amazon.

The man, Premanand, placed an order for a smartphone on October 14 through the Amazon app and paid the complete amount through his credit card.

He recorded a video of unboxing the sealed package that was delivered on October 19 and found a piece of tile instead of the smartphone.

“I had ordered a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 worth Rs 1.87 lakh, but to my shock, I received a marble stone instead of the phone just a day before Diwali. This incident completely ruined the festive spirit we had been eagerly waiting to celebrate all year. I urge everyone to be extremely cautious while shopping online, especially on Amazon. This experience has been deeply disappointing,” said Premanand.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bengaluru-techie-orders-rs-1-87-lakh-smartphone-gets-a-tile-instead-9548028

In 2021, India used Ayni airbase to rescue its nationals and officials from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.

India has wrapped up its operation at a strategic air base in Tajikistan’s Ayni following the lapse of a bilateral agreement. India was involved in the development of the Soviet-era airbase including strengthening its runway fuel depots and an air traffic control facility. India’s military presence at the Ayni base was seen as part of its efforts to expand its strategic influence in central Asia.
Though India pulled out its personnel and military equipment from the airbase near Tajik capital city Dushanbe in 2022, the reason for wrapping up its presence has emerged now.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while responding to a media query, said that the arrangement was in place for several years and was concluded in 2022.

“We had a bilateral arrangement with Tajikistan for the rehabilitation and development of any aerodrome. This arrangement was in place for several years. After the conclusion of the agreement that we had with Tajikistan, we have handed over the facility to the Tajikistan side. This happened in 2022,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

According to a PTI report, India had initially decided to have a presence at the airbase to support the erstwhile Northern Alliance in Afghanistan.
The Indian military had even temporarily deployed Su-30MKI fighter jets as well as military choppers at Ayni around 10 years ago.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/why-india-pulled-out-of-tajikistans-strategically-important-ayni-airbase-article-153075802
 

India has urged Bangladesh to hand over fugitive preacher Zakir Naik, wanted for hate speech and money laundering, upon his arrival in Dhaka on November 28–29.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India has publicly stated that it expects Bangladesh to hand over fugitive Zakir Naik when he arrives in Dhaka, calling him a fugitive wanted by India. The nation has long accused Naik of making hate-speeches and of involvement in money-laundering and other charges. He remains outside Indian jurisdiction.
Naik, who is currently based in Malaysia, is expected to visit Bangladesh on November 28-29 to attend a charity program organised by Spark Event Management. The event is planned for Dhaka, possibly in the Agargaon area, and further details will be announced soon, Times Now has learnt.
Seven years after the Sheikh Hasina government vowed that Islamic preacher Zakir Naik “will never get access to Bangladesh”, the radical preacher will be hosted by the Muhammad Yunus government in the Asian country. Naik was banned from entering Bangladesh after news reports surfaced that at least two of the terrorists behind the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka in July 2016 were “inspired by his preaching about Islam.”

He is also being probed under terror and money laundering charges by the National Investigation Agency in India, which he left after the Dhaka terrorist attack. The NIA first registered a case against Naik under anti-terror laws in 2016 for allegedly promoting enmity between different religious groups.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/india-expects-bangladesh-to-hand-over-fugitive-zakir-naik-when-he-arrives-in-dhaka-says-mea-article-153075788

The drills will involve special forces commandos, missile batteries, warships, battle tanks, and attack aircraft, including the Rafale and Sukhoi Su-30 fighters.

India is holding a major tri-services exercise, ‘Exercise Trishul’, spanning from October 30 to November 10, aimed at testing and strengthening interoperability among the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force. The large-scale drills are being conducted across Gujarat and Rajasthan, close to the Indo-Pak border.
The tri-service exercise aims to enhance jointness, operational synergy, and mission readiness among the services.
The Indian Navy will lead the opening phase beginning today, followed by the Indian Army in the second phase and the Indian Air Force in the concluding phase.

The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indian Coast Guard are also participating in the exercise as auxiliary forces, further strengthening the integrated approach to national security.

The drills will involve special forces commandos, missile batteries, warships, battle tanks, and attack aircraft, including the Rafale and Sukhoi Su-30 fighters.

The Indian Army has deployed T-90 main battle tanks, BrahMos missile units, and Akash air defence systems, bringing a powerful ground component to the exercise.
The Indian Air Force has committed its frontline fighter jets—the French-origin Rafale and Russian-built Sukhoi Su-30—along with Sea Guardian and Heron drones to enhance surveillance and strike capabilities.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has fielded Kolkata-class destroyers, Nilgiri-class frigates, and a range of fast-attack craft, ensuring strong maritime integration in the joint operations.
Ahead of India’s Exercise Trishul, Pakistan announced changes in certain routes for Karachi and Lahore flight regions. Although there has been no official word about it, the step by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) is said to have been taken in anticipation of a military exercise/weapons test by India as part of its Tri-series exercise across the border this week.
Since the May conflict between India and Pakistan after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Pakistan has several times extended its ban on Indian airlines flying over its airspace, as the two countries continue to block each other’s commercial flights due to political tensions. Pakistan authorities have closed its airspace to Indian-registered airplanes flights.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/exercise-trishul-indian-armed-forces-flex-joint-power-in-12-day-drill-along-the-indo-pak-border-article-153075662

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a press conference in Patna on Thursday to give the details and has also written to his cabinet counterparts

Gujarat is all set for grand ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ celebrations on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on Friday (October 31).

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a press conference in Patna on Thursday to give the details and has also written to his cabinet counterparts.

“It is a matter of immense joy and pride for us that this year the nation is celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Sardar Patel dreamt of a united, strong, and prosperous India, which he realised through his remarkable leadership, vision, and determination. Inspired by his vision, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, presented the passionate pledge of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’; a vision that powerfully brings alive India’s eternal spirit of ‘unity in diversity’ in every state, language, culture, and tradition,” the Home Minister has written in his letter.

A ‘Unity Parade’ will be organised at the Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on Friday, with participation from state police forces, Central Armed Police Forces, and NCC cadets, Shah has written.

“This year, tableaux from various states, union territories, and central armed police forces will also be part of the parade. On the eve of Unity Day, October 30, 2025, a theatrical performance based on Sardar Patel will be organised in Ekta Nagar. Additionally, from Unity Day (October 31, 2025) to Tribal Pride Day (November 1, 2025, to November 15, 2025), various activities will be organised in Ekta Nagar, in which all states and union territories will showcase their tourist destinations, monuments, cultural programmes, food stalls, handicrafts, and artisans,” the Home Minister has written.

He has requested his cabinet colleagues to provide appropriate instructions, guidance, and cooperation to the administration to celebrate October 31, 2025, as National Unity Day. A swearing-in ceremony may also be organised on the occasion of National Unity Day with a ‘Unity Day’ pledge.

To spread the message of national unity across the country, ‘Run for Unity’ may also be organised at appropriate places, with the cooperation of people from all sections of society, the Home Minister has written.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/amit-shah-gujarat-unity-parade-run-more-to-make-sardar-patels-150th-birth-anniversary-memorable-ws-l-9667288.html

Indian and Chinese military commanders agree to use existing mechanisms to resolve border issues, maintaining stability post-disengagement in Ladakh.

Indian and Chinese military commanders have agreed to use existing mechanisms to resolve any ground issues along the border to maintain stability, even as the two sides continue the process of addressing the long-standing boundary dispute and normalising ties after a prolonged face-off on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Corps commanders of India and China met for their 23rd round of talks at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on October 25, according to a readout issued by the external affairs ministry on Wednesday. This was the first meeting between the commanders since the two sides reached an understanding in October 2024 to end the standoff in Ladakh sector of the LAC.

“Both sides agreed to continue to use existing mechanisms to resolve any ground issues along the border to maintain stability,” the readout said.

This was also the first meeting of the mechanism involving army generals in the Western Sector since the 24th round of talks on August 19 between the Special Representatives on the border issue, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

The talks, which the readout said were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere, reviewed the progress since the 22nd round of talks between the corps commanders in October 2024. Both sides “shared the view that peace and tranquillity has been maintained in the India-China border areas”, the readout noted.

A statement issued by China’s defence ministry in Beijing said the two sides engaged in “active and in-depth communication on the management of the western section” of the India-China border.

The two sides “agreed to continue communication and dialogue through military and diplomatic channels under the guidance of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity” in the border areas.

India and China reached an understanding on October 21, 2024, on the disengagement of frontline forces at the “friction points” of Demchok and Depsang, thus ending the military face-off in Ladakh sector of the LAC that had begun in April-May 2020. The standoff, and a brutal clash in Galwan Valley that killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops, took bilateral ties to their lowest point in six decades.

Two days after the understanding, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met in the Russian city of Kazan and agreed to revive several mechanisms, such as talks between the Special Representatives, to address the border issue and normalise relations.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-china-agree-to-maintain-lac-stability-101761766257496.html

India’s government argues against capping iron ore mining in Odisha, claiming it would hinder growth and the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative, citing resource increases.

Putting a cap on iron ore mining in Odisha will impede India’s growth trajectory and sabotage the dream of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, the Central and Odisha governments told the Supreme Court which is examining a petition on imposing a cap on extraction, similar to the ones it imposed in Karnataka and Goa in the interest of intergenerational equity in preserving natural resources.

Telling the court that things have changed since 2013, when the cap on iron ore mining was imposed in Karnataka and subsequently in Goa, two Union ministries – Ministry of Mines (MoM) and Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) claimed stricter regulatory checks and legal safeguards being put in place to avoid illegal mining flagged by the court in Karnataka, that was in violation of the prevailing laws.

Odisha currently contributes to half the country’s iron ore production. The Centre argued that despite millions of tonnes of ore being extracted, the resources in the state have shown a 133% increase from 4,180 million tonnes in 2000 to 9,737.24 million tonnes in 2023.

This resource base is all set to increase considerably in the coming years as the MoM said that 71.52% of the potential area for iron ore in the state is yet to be geologically explored

Any capping on iron ore or manganese extraction will impact the steel production, the government said, explaining, “India is currently on a high growth trajectory with the overall objective of achieving broad based improvement in living standards of all sections of society. To fully harness its growth potential the country requires creation of infrastructure such as airports,railways, bridges, ports, real estate, manufacturing, etc. In all of these, indigenous production of steel will be extremely crucial.”

In a separate affidavit, the Odisha government said, “Every Industry (defence, health care, automobile, etc.) is reliant on steel production which is ever increasing. Capping of iron ore mining would lead to a substantial deficit of production of steel and other metals. The dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat is dependent on mineral production which will be sabotaged in case of imposition of unwarranted capping.”

The Centre further told the court that the concept of “inter-generational equity” does not mean imposing a ban or limit on mining of minerals. “It must be understood holistically considering the development needs of the country, resource or reserve augmentation, and potential for recycling. On all these parameters, the data clearly shows that no capping is warranted on production of iron ore in Odisha,” the Centre submitted.

The affidavits came in response to an order passed by the top court which is examining a petition filed by non profit organisation Common Cause, which has advocated a cap on mining in Odisha based on the earlier instances of large-scale illegal mining in Karnataka and Goa.

The petitioner led by advocates Prashant Bhushan and Pranav Sachdeva pointed out that in August 2017, the top court had directed compensation to be recovered from miners for extracting iron ore in Odisha beyond the permissible limits. Bhushan said that the state had failed to recover the amounts worth more than ₹2700 crore.

A bench of justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih pulled up the state for the non-recovery of the compensation dues despite the order passed in 2017. It granted eight weeks to the state to indicate the steps being taken to effect recovery of the dues from the private miners. As regards the cap on mining, the court posted the matter for consideration in January allowing Common Cause and amicus curiae senior advocate ADN Rao to respond to both affidavits.

Besides MoM, even the MoEFCC told the court that the production of iron ore in Odisha is 159.22 million tonnes while the Environmental Carrying Capacity (ECC) sanctioned for iron ore mines in Odisha is 272.98 million tonnes till 2024-25. Thus, it said that the actual production was substantially less than ECC sanctioned capacity.

The MoEFCC further informed the court that in 2023, the matter of putting a cap on mining in Odisha was comprehensively considered in consultation with expert body CSIR-NEERI who did not support the idea due to the technological advancements in place and amendments in the law. Rule 35 of MCDR (Mineral conservation and Development Rules) 2017 provides for star rating of the mining leases based on the sustainable mining practices adopted by the miners as per NEERI suggestions.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/odisha-iron-ore-mining-cap-will-hurt-india-s-growth-government-tosc-101761765780269.html

An unsigned report from IIT Kanpur, shared by Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday, contends that the cloud seeding experiment in Delhi was somewhat successful, citing rainfall data and air quality improvements at three locations.

But as HT’s report on the experiment, published on October 29, pointed out, the report cites rain data from Windy.com, a website that displays modelled estimates rather than measured rainfall. And the claim of cleaner air suffers from equally serious methodological failures.

What IIT Kanpur claimed

The report stated: “The PM 2.5 was 221, 230, and 229 reported from Mayur Vihar, Carol (Karol) Bagh, and Burari, respectively, before cloud seeding, which got reduced to 207, 206, and 203, respectively, after the first seeding. Similarly, PM 10 was 207, 206, 209, which got reduced to 177, 163, 177 at Mayur Vihar, Carol Bagh, and Burari, respectively. Given that winds were negligible, one possible explanation is that the denser moisture content created due to seeding particles has helped in settling down a portion of these particles, which translated to these reductions.”

This is not a scientifically sound way of assessing or reporting air quality improvement. Here is why.

One: No units specified

PM2.5 and PM10 refer to particles smaller than 2.5 and 10 micrometres in diameter suspended in air. The scientific convention is to report their concentrations—the mass of pollutants in a given volume of air. India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, for instance, specify limits in micrograms per cubic metre.

Air quality data is also commonly presented using a unitless index that translates concentrations into health impact categories. The IIT Kanpur report cites no units at all, making it impossible to determine whether it is reporting concentrations or index values.

This ambiguity matters. While India has an official conversion formula published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the formulae differ for PM2.5 and PM10. Without knowing what the numbers represent, the claimed “improvement” cannot be properly evaluated.

Two: No time period stated

The report does not specify the averaging period for its measurements or when exactly they were taken. Are these 15-minute averages, hourly concentrations, or 24-hour rolling averages? Without this information, it is impossible to determine how long any improvement lasted—or whether the measurements are even comparable.

Three: Natural daily patterns ignored

The experiment was conducted in two sorties, with seeding taking place roughly between 2 PM and 5 PM. This timing coincides precisely with the period when Delhi’s air naturally improves each afternoon.

The air quality data cites three locations, although the report states that data was collected from 20 locations. However, IIT Kanpur director Manindra Agarwal on Wednesday told HT in Lucknow that his team set up “15 stations in different parts of Delhi” but did not give details about their type and location.

At least one of the locations they cited, Burari Crossing, is covered by an India Meteorological Department air quality station. Hourly data from this station shows that air quality consistently improves between noon and 6pm, then deteriorates in the late evening and night.

Comparing PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations on October 28 with the three previous days reveals an identical pattern: the 2pm to 5pm window is consistently the cleanest part of the day. (See charts 1A, 1B)

This makes it impossible to isolate any improvement attributable to cloud seeding from the natural daily cycle.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/how-iit-k-success-report-ignores-natural-air-patterns-101761763435637.html

Angmo, who had earlier assailed Wangchuk’s detention, has now sought to amend the plea to challenge his incarceration on merits.

Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of Ladakh climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, has told the Supreme Court that her husband’s detention is not based on genuine concerns of public order or security, but is a calculated attempt to silence a respected citizen exercising his right to dissent.

Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) following violent protests in Leh in September over demands of statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Angmo, who had earlier assailed Wangchuk’s detention, today sought to amend the plea to challenge his incarceration on merits after the grounds of detention were recently supplied to him.

The Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria allowed Angmo’s application seeking to amend the plea and asked the Union government to respond to the additional grounds raised by her.

“Leave of this court sought to amend the petition to place on record additional facts, documents and grounds. Petitioner permitted to amend the petition and file the amended copy within a week and amended counter to be filed within 10 days thereafter. Rejoinder if any within a week thereafter. List on November 24,” the Court ordered.

In an application seeking addition of grounds to challenge his detention, Angmo has referred to a series of actions taken against Wangchuk before his arrest, including the cancellation of the foreign funding certificate for his NGO.

“It is wholly preposterous that after over three decades of being recognized at the State, National, and International levels for his contributions to grassroots education, innovation, and environmental conservation in Ladakh and across India, Mr. Sonam Wangchuk would suddenly be targeted. Merely two months before the elections and the final rounds of dialogue between ABL, KDA, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, he was served with notices for land lease cancellation, FCRA cancellation, initiation of a CBI investigation, and summons from the Income Tax Department,” the amended plea states.

The plea further states that his detention was based on five First Information Reports (FIRs), out of which three do not even mention any allegations against him.

While the fourth FIR is against Wangchuk, it is not connected to the violence, it adds. The fifth FIR pertains to the September 24 violence in Leh.

“Out of the five FIRs relied upon, three pertain to the year 2024, bearing no proximate, live, or rational nexus to the detention of Mr. Wangchuk in September 2025. Moreover, four out of five of the FIRs, out of which three are registered against “unknown persons”, do not name Mr. Sonam Wangchuk,” the plea states, while denying any link between the FIRs and his detention.

Wangchuk’s wife has also denied the allegations that he, as a key member of the Apex Body of Leh (ABL), had instigated the public. She has also disclosed that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had strong reservations about his participation in the dialogue process with the Centre.

The plea states that it had been offered “that if the MHA were to hold the next round of talks at the earliest and include Mr. Sonam Wangchuk in the HPC delegation, then the ABL would call off the 35-day Anshan.”

However, it adds, that this proposal to include Wangchuk in the delegation “was categorically rejected by the MHA, citing ‘higher-level decisions’.”

Angmo has also alleged that Wangchuk’s statement about the uprisings in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has been completely misconstrued either out of a clear misunderstanding of nuance or selective lifting of lines from a long speech. His message was unambiguously rooted in peace, non-violence and democratic methods, and any contrary interpretation is unjust, misleading and malicious, the plea states.

She has further argued that for the past 30 years, Wangchuk has worked tirelessly for nation-building through educational reform and environmental solutions, with awards conferred on him by various state governments and successive Central governments.

On the violence, Angmo said that Wangchuk had immediately acted and tried to the best of his ability to curtail the violence and restore peace.

Stating that Wangchuk has consistently advocated for the protection of the fragile ecology of Ladakh and the Himalayan region, Angmo denied the allegations that he engaged in activities prejudicial to the security of the State. She has highlighted his support for the Armed Forces in the region.

“Wangchuk has made significant contributions in support of national security and the Armed Forces, including the design and development of mobile solar-powered self-heating tents for the Indian Army deployed in extreme high-altitude regions. His work has been directed towards assisting and strengthening the capabilities of the Indian security forces, not undermining them in any manner.”

The claims he was advocating for an independent Ladakh have also been denied. Angmo has submitted that very demand for inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule reflects his allegiance to and faith in the Constitution.

“The allegation that Mr. Sonam Wangchuk has been “regularly bragging about his foreign connections and threatening to use such connections against the Government” is wholly unsubstantiated, incorrect, and without any material on record,” the plea submits further.

In this regard, Angmo has highlighted that while participating in a conference in Pakistan, he had praised the environmental policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The plea also alleges that certain “IT Cells” have deliberately used short clips, taking statements out of context to target him.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/silencing-dissent-political-vendetta-sonam-wangchuks-wife-to-supreme-court-in-amended-plea-against-his-detention

The injured were rushed to the Government Medical College in Handwara for treatment. The injured have been identified as Uzair Tahir, Sajid Rashid, Hazim Shabir, and Zeyan Tahir.

Four boys were reportedly injured while playing cricket after a rusted shell exploded in Kulangam, in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The injured were rushed to the Government Medical College in Handwara for treatment. The injured have been identified as Uzair Tahir, Sajid Rashid, Hazim Shabir, and Zeyan Tahir.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/blast-in-jks-kupwara-4-boys-injured-while-playing-cricket-video

The court directed the state to bear the survivor’s expenses for six months and ensure rehabilitation for the minor and her child.

A minor rape survivor gave birth to a baby girl during the Gujarat High Court hearing on a petition seeking permission to terminate her 35-week-old pregnancy. The court directed the state government to bear all expenses for six months, including delivery costs.

The father of the 15-year-old rape survivor from Ahmedabad had moved the Gujarat High Court seeking medical termination of her pregnancy. He had also lodged a complaint against the accused at the police station on October 24.

Following the petition, the High Court had directed Sola Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad to conduct a medical examination of the minor. Before the hospital could submit its report, the girl delivered a baby weighing 2.2 kg on the afternoon of October 28. According to the medical report, both the baby and the mother are healthy.

In its order, the court observed that the plea for medical termination had become “infructuous” since the delivery had already taken place. The High Court instructed the investigating officer of Ahmedabad district and the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to ensure the rehabilitation of both the minor mother and the newborn.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/law-news/story/gujarat-minor-rape-survivor-delivers-baby-high-court-abortion-plea-2810486-2025-10-30

A boat capsized in the Kaudiyala river near Bharathapur village, Bahraich, leaving one dead, 13 injured, and eight missing. NDRF and SDRF teams are conducting rescue operations.

A 60-year-old woman drowned, 13 were injured and eight people went missing on Wednesday after a boat capsized in the Kaudiyala river near Bharathapur village in a densely forested area of Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

According to the police, the incident occurred around 6 pm when 22 people from Khairatiya village of neighbouring Lakhimpur district were travelling by boat to Bharathapur.

An official statement issued in Lucknow mentioned that out of 22 people, 13 were saved while one Ramajiya (60) drowned and her body was later recovered.

Locals said the boat overturned in the river because the flow of the water was strong.

Eight people are still missing and attempts are on to trace them, the statement added.

Among the eight missing are boatman Mihilal Yadav (38), Shivnandan Maurya (50), Suman (28), Sohni (5), Shivam (9), and a five-year-old daughter of Shanti. Victim Ramjaiya’s two grandsons aged 7 years and 10 years are also missing, it said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the incident and directed police and civic officials to reach the site immediately, along with NDRF and SDRF teams, to ensure prompt rescue and relief operations.

Bharathapur village, located deep inside the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, is surrounded on three sides by the river and has no road connectivity, leaving locals at the mercy of boats for travel.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/boat-capsizes-in-ups-bahraich-1-dead-8-missing-13-injured-ws-el-9667943.html

Anmol is eight years old and comes from the Sirsa district of Haryana.

Anmol, a prized buffalo from Haryana, has once again captured the Internet’s attention. Weighing a massive 1,500 kilograms and reportedly valued at Rs 23 crore, the giant animal never fails to turn heads wherever it goes. Recently, a video of Anmol making a grand entrance at the famous Pushkar Mela has gone viral on social media.

The fair, which began on October 30 and will run until November 5, has showcased countless animals over the years, but only a few have drawn as much attention as Anmol is receiving this time.

The Buffalo That Costs More Than Cars

Anmol is no ordinary buffalo. He is worth an unbelievable Rs 23 crore. To give a sense of how expensive that is, the amount could buy two Rolls-Royce cars, ten Mercedes-Benz vehicles or even good property in several Indian cities. So, when this huge buffalo walked into the fair, all eyes naturally turned towards him.

His gleaming black coat, muscular frame and walk caught everyone’s attention immediately. People could not help but comment on the sight of this magnificent animal.

One user wrote, “Kitna mehnat laga hai bhai saaf pata chal raha hai (You can clearly see how much effort has gone into raising him).

Another jokingly said, “Wow, eski skin toh humari abhinatriyo ki skin se bhi zyada chamakdar hai (Wow, his skin is shinier than our actresses’ skin).”

Someone else calculated what can be bought with Anmol’s price: “17 defender to aa hi jayegi.. with VIP number (17 Defender can be easily bought with VIP number plate with that kind of money.”

“His skincare is still better than mine bhai,” read another hilarious comment.

A Sneak Peek Into Anmol’s Daily Life

Anmol is eight years old and comes from the Sirsa district of Haryana. Not just his looks, but the demand for his high-quality semen, which is used for breeding cattle, also makes him valuable. His owner, Gill, earns around Rs 5 lakh every month through this. Each extraction, collected twice a week, is sold for Rs 250.

Raising Anmol is no easy task. His daily care costs nearly Rs 1,500, and his diet sounds more like a royal meal plan. Every day, he is fed 250 grams of almonds, 4 kilograms of pomegranates, 30 bananas, 5 litres of milk and 20 eggs. Along with that, he eats ghee, soybeans, corn, oil cake and fresh green fodder to keep him strong and healthy.

Source: https://www.news18.com/viral/haryana-1500-kg-buffalo-anmol-a-social-media-star-spotted-in-pushkar-mela-video-aa-ws-l-9666264.html

Liver Doc criticised Vembu for sharing a study that he claimed was “not peer-reviewed and not scrutinised”.

Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu sparked a debate online on Tuesday after he drew a connection between child vaccination and autism. This led to a heated exchange with Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, an award-winning hepatologist known as ‘The Liver Doc’ on social media, who once again labelled Vembu as a “boomer uncle”.

Liver Doc criticised Vembu for sharing a study that he claimed was “not peer-reviewed and not scrutinised”.

What Zoho Co-Founder Said
On Tuesday morning, Vembu shared a study asserting that vaccination is a “dominant risk factor” for autism. Vembu, whose son has autism, has been vocal about the condition.

In his social media post, Vembu argued against child vaccination, suggesting it is linked to the rising incidence of autism. “Parents should take this analysis seriously. I believe there is increasing evidence that we are administering too many vaccines to very young children. This trend is spreading in India too, and we are observing a rapid increase in autism cases,” he wrote.

Responding to a social media user, Vembu clarified that he is not against vaccines but is questioning the quantity administered to children today.

The Liver Doc’s ‘Boomer Uncle’ Response to Sridhar Vembu
The Liver Doc urged parents not to halt vaccinations if they want to prevent the return of polio or measles deaths, as seen in the US, attributing such outcomes to “boomer uncles in charge of US Health Departments who have turned anti-science”.

Critiquing the study shared by Vembu, the hepatologist deemed its conclusions “not credible”. “The ‘authors’ are antivaxxers funded by an antivaxx organisation, publishing on their own antivaxx website. Not peer-reviewed, not scrutinised. The low-IQ authors have selectively amplified weaker associations while ignoring robust epidemiological data from millions showing no vaccine-autism link,” The Liver Doc wrote on X.

Source: https://www.news18.com/viral/boomer-uncle-liver-doc-slams-zoho-ceo-for-linking-child-vaccination-to-autism-ws-d-9666038.html

A simple tailoring order in Ahmedabad escalated into a legal battle after the tailor failed to deliver a blouse on time and as promised. The consumer court ruled in favour of the customer, awarding compensation and refund, highlighting consumer rights awareness in India.

In Ahmedabad, what began as a simple tailoring order turned into a months-long legal battle that reached the district consumer dispute redressal commission.

A tailor has been ordered to pay nearly Rs 11,500, including compensation and legal costs, after failing to deliver a blouse on time for a customer’s family wedding.

The complainant, Poonamben Pariya, a resident of Ankur area, had approached Soni, The Designer Shop on CG Road in November 2024 to have a designer blouse stitched. The blouse was meant to be worn at a close relative’s wedding scheduled for December 24, 2024. Poonamben paid an advance of Rs 4,395, expecting the blouse to be ready a week before the ceremony.

When Poonamben visited the shop to collect her blouse, she found it was neither ready on time nor made according to the agreed design. The finished piece reportedly had visible stains and design flaws, leaving her shocked and frustrated.

Despite the tailor’s assurance that the issues would be fixed, he failed to deliver the blouse even after being given extra time.

Left with no choice, Poonamben had to wear a different outfit and matching jewellery to the wedding. “The excitement of attending a family function vanished completely,” she said, recalling how a moment meant for joy turned sour due to the tailor’s negligence.

FROM BOUTIQUE TO THE COURTROOM

After the wedding, Poonamben demanded a refund of the advance payment. The tailor refused, allegedly telling her that she could take the blouse but would not get her money back.

Feeling wronged, she decided to file a complaint with the Ahmedabad District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission in June 2025.

Despite being called for hearings, the tailor initially failed to appear before the commission. Following the hearings and examination of the case, the commission found the tailor guilty of deficiency in service and ruled in Poonamben’s favour.

THE VERDICT: COMPENSATION FOR MENTAL DISTRESS

The commission ordered the tailor to refund the Rs 4,395 advance with 7% annual interest within 45 days, payable by cheque. In addition, the tailor was directed to pay Rs 5,000 as compensation for the mental harassment caused and Rs 2,000 towards legal expenses, bringing the total to around Rs 11,500.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ahmedabad-tailor-ordered-to-pay-rs-11500-compensation-for-delayed-and-defective-blouse-delivery-2809928-2025-10-29

The India Meteorological Department said Cyclone Montha weakened into a cyclonic storm after crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds before gradually losing strength over land.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said early Wednesday that severe cyclonic storm Montha weakened into a cyclonic storm after crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to several coastal districts.

“The Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha over coastal Andhra Pradesh moved northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph and weakened into a Cyclonic Storm,” the IMD said in its 2:30 a.m. update.

The storm was centered about 20 km west-northwest of Narsapur, 50 km northeast of Machilipatnam, and 90 km west-southwest of Kakinada, according to the weather office. It is being continuously tracked through Doppler radars at Machilipatnam and Visakhapatnam.

Officials said the weakening was in line with earlier projections as the storm moved inland and began losing strength. Heavy rain and gusty winds continued to pound West Godavari, Krishna, and East Godavari districts, with warnings issued for flooding in low-lying areas.

Earlier, Cyclone Montha swept across the Andhra Pradesh and Yanan coasts between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

“The latest observations indicate that the severe cyclonic storm ‘Montha’ has crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanan coasts between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, to the south of Kakinada,” the IMD said in a post on X, confirming the landfall process had been completed shortly after midnight.

Coastal areas experienced heavy rain and gale-force winds as the cyclone barreled through, uprooting trees and disrupting power supply in several districts.

Earlier, in a 9:30 pm bulletin, the IMD said the severe cyclonic storm moved northwestwards with a speed of 15 km/hour and lay centred about 60 km east of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 100 km south-southwest of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 230 km southwest of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 480 km southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha).

The after effects of Cyclone Montha are expected to be felt in parts of Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Heavy rain has been predicted in these states for the next few days.

ANDHRA IMPOSES NIGHT CURFEW ON VEHICULAR MOVEMENT

The Andhra Pradesh government announced a complete suspension of vehicle movement in seven cyclone-affected districts — Krishna, Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, Kakinada, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, and parts of Alluri Sitarama Raju (Chinturu and Rampachodavaram divisions) — from 8:30 pm until 6 am on Wednesday.

Only emergency medical services are exempt from the night curfew. Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and remain alert to official safety advisories.

District Collectors and Superintendents of Police have been directed to halt all road traffic, including on national highways passing through these districts.

Ahead of the landfall, power supply was disrupted on Manginapudi Beach Road in Machilipatnam after a palm tree fell on the power lines due to strong winds. Authorities were working to restore the power supply.

HEAVY RAIN IN ANDHRA, FLIGHTS AND TRAINS CANCELLED

Under the influence of the cyclone, Machilipatnam recorded 5.2 mm of rainfall since 8:30 am, followed by Narasapur (9.8 mm), Tuni (15.6 mm), Kakinada (5.7 mm) and Visakhapatnam (0.2 mm).

Continuous rain has also been lashing Nellore district for the past 36 hours, with an average of five cm recorded in the last 24 hours and some pockets receiving up to seven cm, an official told news agency PTI.

“Heavy rainfall is expected to continue for the next 12 hours, and monitoring teams are on alert across vulnerable urban and rural areas,” the official added.

Meanwhile, a woman died in Makanagudem village of Konaseema district after a tree was uprooted in strong gales and fell on her, a police official told PTI.

The impending cyclone has also hit flight operations in Andhra Pradesh, with authorities cancelling 32 flights at Visakhapatnam airport, 16 at Vijayawada airport and four in Tirupati.

Meanwhile, 120 trains were cancelled in total on Monday and Tuesday across the South Central Railway (SCR) Zone in view of Cyclone Montha, a railway official said.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has positioned 45 teams of rescuers to undertake relief and rescue operations as the cyclone makes landfall on Andhra Pradesh coast.

NEIGHBOURING ODISHA ON ALERT

Odisha, which is also expected to face the brunt of Cyclone Montha in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, is on alert with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, saying his government opened over 2,000 disaster relief centres in eight southern districts for people likely to be impacted by the severe cyclonic storm.

He said 11,396 people have shifted to 2,048 disaster relief centres opened by the state government.

He said tourists are denied entry to destinations like Deomali and Mahendragiri hills, and restrictions are imposed on visit of people to different sea beaches across the coastline.

The Chief Minister said the schools and anganwadi centres were closed in nine districts till October 30 in the wake of the cyclone situation.

Meanwhile, the East Coast Railway has announced the cancellation, diversion and short termination of some trains operating in the Waltair region and connected routes. The leaves of government employees have also been cancelled till October 30.

The state government has advised fishermen not to venture into the Bay of Bengal, along and off the Odisha coast, till October 29.

IMD ISSUES RAIN WARNINGS FOR SEVERAL ODISHA DISTRICTS

The IMD has issued a red alert for Tuesday as it forecast extremely heavy rainfall in the districts of Malakangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam.

Similarly, an orange alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) was also issued for the districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhmal, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Khurda, Puri and Bargarh districts.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cyclone-montha-lanfall-process-has-begun-will-cross-andhra-coast-during-next-3-4-hours-weather-department-2809786-2025-10-28

The order was portrayed on social media as the Court having allowed food business operators to continue manufacturing beverages and styling them as ORS.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued clarifications with respect to its order on the issue of manufacture of beverages with misleading ‘ORS’ labels.

On October 17, the Court protected JNTL Consumer Health India, the Indian subsidiary of the American company Kenvue, against the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) decision to ban beverages from using the term ‘ORS’.

The order was portrayed on social media as the Court having allowed food business operators (FBOs) to continue manufacturing beverages and styling them as ORS (oral rehydration solution).

However, Justice Sachin Datta today said that the order was not meant to allow the continued manufacture of products with that name, with a view to deceiving consumers.

The Court further said that it was a consent order whose objective was to enable the FSSAI to take a decision after considering the representation made by JNTL, which was using ‘ORS’ in its trademark to sell beverages.

“I would have restrained the manufacturers from manufacturing fresh batches had I known that the FSSAI would take two weeks to take a decision. The consent order was passed to enable the FSSAI to take the requisite steps. It wasn’t to allow all these manufacturers to continue manufacturing these products. The idea was that the FSSAI would do the needful in two to three days,” the Court remarked.

Justice Datta today noted the submission of the FSSAI counsel that the Authority will decide the matter by Friday.

“If you [FSSAI] are unable to do it, you move an application. I contemplate passing orders to restrain the manufacturers from manufacturing,” the Court further said.

The Court was hearing a separate plea filed by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories challenging the FSSAI order of October 14 and 15, withdrawing earlier approvals that had allowed the use of the term ‘ORS’ with prefixes or suffixes in registered trademarks for electrolyte and beverage products.

The FSSAI has said that using ORS, even with prefixes or suffixes in trademarked names, is misleading and constitutes a violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, unless the product complies with the World Health Organisation (WHO) formulation. ORS is the term used for oral rehydration solution formulations recommended by the WHO and is given to people suffering from dehydration.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/delhi-high-court-clarifies-order-on-ors-trademark-says-not-a-license-for-companies-to-continue-manufacturing

The Chinese side stated that both militaries held “active and in-depth communication” regarding the control and management along the western border.

India and China held talks regarding their ongoing border dispute, said the Chinese defence ministry on Wednesday. In a press briefing, the Chinese side stated that both militaries held “active and in-depth communication” regarding the control and management along the western section of the border.

“Both sides agreed to continue to maintain communication and dialogue through military and diplomatic channels,” the Chinese defence ministry was quoted as saying by Reuters.

As per MEA, the remarks from the Chinese side come after the 23rd round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point

“Both sides agreed to continue to use existing mechanisms to resolve any ground issues along the border to maintain stability,” read the official statement issued by the MEA.

Thaw in India-China ties
These fresh talks between India and China come amid a thaw in ties, which had been strained for five years following the clash in Galwan between the two security forces.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-china-agree-to-continue-active-communication-over-border-control-101761701224052.html

The move follows an incident on October 19 when a passenger’s power bank caught fire on a Dimapur-bound IndiGo flight while taxiing at Delhi airport

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is considering placing restrictions on the use of power banks on board flights after reviewing global safety practices, a senior official said.

The move follows an incident on October 19 when a passenger’s power bank caught fire on a Dimapur-bound IndiGo flight while taxiing at Delhi airport. The cabin crew quickly extinguished the fire, and no injuries were reported.

The official told PTI that while certain restrictions may be introduced, there are currently no plans to ban power banks entirely. Decisions will be taken after examining international norms for carrying such devices onboard aircraft.

On Saturday, Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu had said that the DGCA would review the incident in detail. Airlines already follow strict regulations for carrying electronic items, particularly those with lithium batteries, to ensure passenger safety.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/will-flyers-be-barred-from-carrying-power-banks-onboard-dgca-to-take-call-soon-ws-el-9664975.html

Dr Sonali Gupta warned that even lifting 5-10 kg during pregnancy can cause serious complications like bleeding, preterm labour, miscarriage, or harm to the baby’s health

Delhi Police Constable Sonika Yadav, despite being seven months pregnant, has won a bronze medal by lifting 145 kilograms at the All India Police Weightlifting Competition in Andhra Pradesh. Sonika’s impressive performance included a 125 kg squat, 80 kg bench press, and 145 kg deadlift. This achievement is particularly notable as weightlifting during pregnancy is generally avoided by women.

Doctors and trainers confirm that Sonika continued her weightlifting routine with minor modifications. While light exercise during pregnancy is deemed beneficial, the safety of lifting very heavy weights is questionable.

Speaking to News18, Dr. Sonali Gupta, a former gynaecologist at Fortis Hospital in Greater Noida, said that pregnancy is not an illness. If a woman is medically fit, possesses good muscle strength, and trains regularly, she can lift weights under medical supervision. However, deadlifts are generally not recommended during pregnancy.

According to Dr. Gupta Pregnant women who train properly can safely lift weights, though it carries certain risks. However, those who have never done weight training before should avoid starting during pregnancy.

Dr. Gupta explained that women who are accustomed to weightlifting can continue such activities during pregnancy with proper diet, lifestyle, training, and medical supervision. Although weightlifting during pregnancy is uncommon in India, pregnant women in the US and Europe frequently participate in competitions, including the Olympics. This indicates that such activities are possible, albeit with extreme caution.

Source: https://www.news18.com/viral/delhi-cop-lifts-145kg-to-win-bronze-in-7th-month-of-pregnancy-how-safe-is-it-ws-dkl-9664569.html

A conflict is emerging in India’s energy sector as the ethanol industry seeks a 1-2% increase in blending beyond the current 20% mandate, which the automobile sector opposes, citing reduced fuel efficiency and no cost benefits for consumers.

Cyclone Montha struck Andhra Pradesh with winds exceeding 100 km/h, leading to one fatality and severe injuries for two individuals.

At least one person died and two people suffered grievous injuries as Cyclone Montha roared ashore on the eastern coast with winds topping 100km an hour Tuesday night. The storm slammed into Andhra Pradesh between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada at 7 pm with sheets of rain that ripped through towns, snapped power lines, and sent waves surging 10ft high. The impact was also felt in neighbouring Odisha, where normal life was affected in 15 districts.
The severe cyclonic storm is likely to maintain the intensity for a period of six hours after its landfall over interior Andhra Pradesh and the adjoining areas including south Odisha, the Meteorological Department said on Tuesday.
The Met Department forecast very likely light to moderate rainfall at most places in Andhra Pradesh and Yanam and heavy to very rainfall at a few places till October 29.

Similarly, it forecast extremely heavy rainfall of greater than 20 cm at isolated places during the same period.

“The severe cyclonic storm Montha is likely to maintain the intensity of a cyclonic storm for a period of six hours after the landfall over interior Andhra Pradesh and adjoining areas of south Odisha, south Chhattisgarh and Telangana,” a Met Department press release said.
For October 30, it forecast light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
The Meteorological Department in its bulletin issued at 10:50 pm on Tuesday said Montha’s landfall, which began around 7:30 pm on Tuesday, will continue for another two to three hours.
A Met Department official told PTI that the radius of the weather system alone stretches up to 300 km in length, indicating the time it would take for the entire severe cyclonic storm to cross the southern state’s coast.
Meanwhile, the weather system over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph in the past six hours and lay centred at 10:30 pm on Tuesday over the same region, close to Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts.
It is located about 100 km south to southwest of Kakinada, 50 km east of Machilipatnam, 480 km southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 240 km southwest of Visakhapatnam.
“It is likely to move northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, south of Kakinada during the next two hours as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph and gusting up to 110 kmph,” said the Met Department.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with village and ward secretariat personnel from the Real Time Governance System (RTGS) in the secretariat.
The CM said the impact of Montha is being felt in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema districts also.
“We have estimated that the cyclone will cross the coast at midnight,” said Naidu in an official press release, adding that heavy winds broke up and uprooted trees.
He said this debris is being cleared regularly and exhorted that ward and village secretariat personnel are the representatives of the state government in the villages.
The CM called upon them to render services immediately to the victims of the cyclone and apprise officials on local situations.
Likewise, he called for the resumption of power in places where it was disrupted.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke with Naidu and local railway officials.
He spoke about the decisions taken for immediate restoration of work post the landfall of Montha, which means a fragrant flower in Thai.
“Thank you Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for your concern and support on cyclone Montha. The Union and State Governments stand prepared together to mitigate the impact of the cyclone, prioritising the safety of our people,” said Naidu in a post on X.
Vaishnaw reviewed the preparedness of the Railways in the southern state.
War rooms have been activated at Divisional, Zonal and Board levels, ensuring real-time coordination and rapid response, said a press release from the Waltair Railway Division.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/1-killed-thousands-evacuated-as-cyclone-montha-slams-andhra-pradesh-batters-odisha-article-153067496

An ‘abstract’ statue of Mahatma Gandhi is at the centre of a huge row in Kerala’s Guruvayur.

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi is at the centre of a huge row in Kerala’s Guruvayur. The statue, complete with spectacles and a walking stick, was unveiled recently at the Bio Park. However, locals have claimed it bears “little to no resemblance” to the Father of the Nation.
An NDTV report states that as the statue was unveiled by Guruvayur Municipality Chairman M Krishnadas and IAS officer Divya S Iyer, witnesses said the crowd was taken aback, with several whispering in disbelief, “Is this Gandhiji?”
Opposition parties criticised the statue, accusing the civic body of insulting Mahatma Gandhi. Internet users also joined in, with one user on X writing, “Another Gem from 100% Literate Kerala!! If you are wondering who is depicted in the statue, then it’s supposed to be Gandhiji!! This latest gaffe is installed at Guruvayur Municipal Park.”

The sculptor, however, defended his work, saying, “I infused Gandhian ideas into the design.” He said that the work was meant to be abstract.

The municipality backed the sculptor, saying the statue was “just an abstract form”, with Chairman Krishnadas dismissing any allegations of deliberate insult. He, however, assured that the statue would be later completed to better reflect Gandhi’s likeness.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/kerala-guruvayur-mahatma-gandhi-abstract-statue-controversy-article-153062759

Gina Raimondo’s remarks came months after Trump slapped 50% tariffs on India, half of them for doing oil trade with Russia.

Former US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo criticized President Donald Trump-led administration, particularly regarding its moves against India. Amid ongoing trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington, she said that the administration made a “big mistake” with India.

Her remarks came months after Trump slapped 50% tariffs on India, half of them for doing oil trade with Russia. She accused the President of “pissing off” allies, further adding that America comes off as weak if it isn’t a good ally or friend to other nations.

“On my list of top 20 things that I would be critical of this administration for is pissing off all of our allies. America First is one thing. America Alone is a disastrous policy,” Gina Raimondo said.

She further said that the US administration cannot be effective without strong relations with Europe or southeast Asia. The ex-US official suggested that the country could do a lot more with the economies of Europe, or countries like Japan and South Korea.

Concluding her remarks, she also referenced India, and said: “I think we’re making a big mistake with India”.

Gina Raimondo’s remarks also follow Trump’s repeated assertions that India would soon end its oil trade with Russia, and the US’s subsequent blacklisting of two Russian energy giants, largely seen as a pressure tactic on Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

With Rosneft and Lukoil this month, and Surgutneftegas and Gazprom Neft sanctioned by outgoing President Joe Biden in January, four oil producers, accounting for just under 70% of Russia’s total oil exports, have been sanctioned by the US.

According to a Bloomberg report, these four firms accounted for more than 80% of India’s Russian oil imports in 2024.

Gina Raimondo held the US Secretary of Commerce post in Joe Biden’s administration. She also met Union Minister Piyush Goyal in November last year and they talked about ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in sensitive defence and tech sectors.

Howard Lutnick replaced Raimondo as the Commerce Secretary after Trump assumed office for his second term earlier this year. Unlike Raimondo, Lutnick has had a critical approach towards India in terms of tariffs.

Just days after the 50% tariffs on India were imposed, Lutnick had defended the move, repeating the condition for India to stop buying Russian oil in order to arrive at a trade deal with the US.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/big-mistake-on-india-ex-us-official-says-trump-admin-is-pissing-off-allies-amid-trade-talks-101761625551774.html

The father of the 20-year-old Delhi University student, who was attacked with acid, confessed to plotting the attack to frame the main accused. He was arrested in a rape case filed by the accused’s wife, who alleged that he sent her obscene photos to her husband.

In a shocking twist, the father of a 20-year-old Delhi University student who was allegedly attacked with acid was arrested in a rape case on Monday after confessing to orchestrating the attack to frame the main accused, Jitender, sources told India Today TV.

The student’s father, identified as Akil Khan, was arrested after Jitender’s wife accused him of coercing her to have sex with him and sharing her obscene photos with her husband. She filed a rape complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR.

To evade the case, police said, Akil and his daughter fabricated the acid attack story to implicate Jitender and his two aides — Ishan and Arman — in the crime.

Akil’s startling confession came after police earlier said Jitender, along with two associates, attacked the woman near Lakshmibai College in north Delhi’s Ashok Vihar on Sunday. The trio had reportedly fled after throwing acid on her.

According to investigators, Akil admitted that he planned the attack after learning that Jitender’s wife was preparing to file a rape complaint against him. Seeking revenge, he conspired to frame Jitender in a fake acid attack case, sources said.

Police said the woman purchased toilet-cleaning acid and staged the attack with her father’s help.

Akil also had disputes with Jitender’s aides, Ishan and Arman, who were named in the FIR and initially arrested in connection with the acid attack case.

HOW ACID ATTACK CASE TOOK A U-TURN

Delhi Police said they first received a call from Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital reporting the admission of an injured woman from Mukundpur, north Delhi. The woman, a second-year non-collegiate DU student, told police she had gone to Lakshmibai College for an extra class when the incident occurred around 10 am.

According to the police, she initially claimed that as she was walking to college, Jitender, accompanied by Ishan and Arman, arrived on a motorbike. All of a sudden, Arman allegedly threw acid on her after receiving a bottle from Ishan. The student said she managed to shield her face but sustained burns on both hands.

The woman claimed that Jitender had been stalking her and a heated argument had taken place between them about a month ago. Jitender and the student are residents of Mukundpur, police had said.

Police had also cited CCTV footage showing Jitender on a motorbike in an underground parking lot in Karol Bagh on Sunday morning. The bike allegedly used in the attack was later recovered from the area.

However, the investigation took a dramatic turn after Akil’s confession revealed that the acid attack was staged to falsely implicate Jitender and his associates in retaliation for the rape case filed by Jitender’s wife.

According to police, on October 24, two days before the alleged acid attack, Jitender’s wife made a PCR call reporting harassment and blackmail by Akil. She alleged that while working at his factory between 2021 and 2024, Akil sexually harassed her, forcibly established physical relations, and blackmailed her using objectionable photos and videos.

Jitender’s associates Arman and Ishan are currently in Agra with their mother, Shabnam, and are expected to join the investigation soon, police said.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/cities/delhi/story/girls-father-confesses-to-plotting-attack-to-frame-accused-survivor-herself-brought-acid-sources-2809193-2025-10-27

Cyclone Montha is intensifying over the Bay of Bengal, threatening Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with severe winds and heavy rain. The states are rushing evacuations ahead of the landfall expected later this evening.

Cyclone Montha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal on Monday. Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are on high alert, rushing evacuations and preparing for landfall expected later tonight near Kakinada. The storm, packing winds of up to 110 kmph, has already unleashed heavy rain and squally winds across the coastal belt.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Montha was centred about 190 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam and 340 km south of Visakhapatnam on Monday morning. The system is expected to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam by this evening or night.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured Andhra Pradesh of all possible central assistance as the state battled high tides, flooding and widespread disruption.

ANDHRA PRADESH

The storm’s outer bands have already lashed several coastal districts, throwing normal life in Chittoor, Tirupati and Kakinada out of gear.

In Nagari constituency of Chittoor district, moderate to heavy rain has been pounding for four days. Floodwaters from the Kushasthali river cut off key roads, forcing authorities to halt traffic between Nagari town and rural areas such as Thiruttani and Pallipattu. Traffic has been diverted through alternative routes as police restricted access to riverbanks amid dangerous currents, reported news agency PTI.

Officials released 1,000 cusecs of water from the Krishnapuram reservoir as a precautionary step, while local administrations stayed on high alert.

In Kakinada district, strong winds battered the coast, with rough seas reported at Uppada. Waves advanced inland, aggravating coastal erosion and triggering panic among fishermen. Police evacuated families from Uppada, Subbampet, Mayapatnam and Suradapet as seawater surged further inland.

Tirupati’s top official said five coastal mandals spread over a 75-km coastline were likely to face intense rain and high winds. Disaster management teams have been deployed in full strength.

ODISHA

Although Montha will make landfall in Andhra, Odisha is bracing for its spillover impact. The state government has issued a red alert in eight southern districts — Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi and Kandhamal — anticipating heavy rain and gusty winds from Tuesday.

“Our target is zero casualty,” Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said while overseeing evacuations.

The government has opened 1,445 cyclone shelters and readied 140 rescue teams drawn from the NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services. Special focus has been placed on hilly terrain in Gajapati district, where landslides are possible.

Pujari added that evacuation of 32,000 people from vulnerable low-lying areas was underway as the cyclone’s impact was expected to intensify over the next 48 hours.

WEST BENGAL

The IMD has warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms in southern West Bengal from Tuesday, particularly in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, South 24 Parganas, and Purba and Pashchim Medinipurs. Wind speeds could touch 80-90 kmph, prompting advisories against venturing into the sea.

Coastal police in South 24 Parganas have begun public announcements, urging trawlers to return by Monday evening. District administrations have opened control rooms and stocked relief supplies.

North Bengal, meanwhile, is expected to receive increased rain from October 29 as the cyclone moves inland. The state agriculture department has advised farmers to complete paddy harvesting to minimise crop loss.

TAMIL NADU

Farther south, Tamil Nadu’s northern districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Ranipet were drenched by heavy showers on Monday. The Regional Meteorological Centre said Montha lay about 480 km east of Chennai in the Bay of Bengal.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin visited flood-prone areas and reviewed stormwater clearance efforts.

“The IMD has told us there will not be very heavy rain in the next 10 days. Even if it does, our government is ready,” he said.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cyclone-montha-severe-storm-landfall-andhra-pradesh-odisha-alert-2809306-2025-10-28

During the raid, police seized around 7 kilograms of MD drugs along with a large quantity of chemicals and raw materials used in drug production.

The Mumbai police has busted a drug manufacturing factory with international ramifications in the Vasai tehsil of Palghar district neighbouring Mumbai on Sunday.

Five persons have been arrested and mephedrone aka MD and raw materials to the tune of over Rs 13 crore was seized.

The operation was carried out of Zone 6 Anti-Narcotics Cell of Mumbai Police and Tilak Nagar police station, which busted the factory at the

Rasheed Compound in Pelhar in Nalasopara off the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Vasai tehsil.

During the raid, police seized around 7 kilograms of MD drugs along with a large quantity of chemicals and raw materials used in drug production. The seized material is estimated to be worth several crores of rupees.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/mumbai-police-bust-rs-13-cr-drug-factory-in-vasai-five-arrested-3775805

A Bengaluru-based Malayali, his associates, and a few officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board that manages the temple, have been accused of looting the precious metal from the temple door frames

Thiruvananthapuram: Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, a major pilgrimage centre in Kerala, is caught in a row over an alleged gold heist.

A Bengaluru-based Malayali, his associates, and a few officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) that manages the temple, are accused of looting the precious metal from the temple door frames, constructed with Rs 18 crore funding support from industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998-99. Here is a look at what the controversy is all about.

What was siphoned off from Sabarimala?

Gold coatings of the two ‘Dwarapalaka idols’ (guardian deities) on either side of the door of the sanctum sanctorum and door frames were found missing. Over 30 kg of 24-carat gold was used for coating the door sculptures carved on copper plates. Of that, around 2 kg were used for plating the two Dwarapalaka idols as well as the door frames.

How did the alleged heist happen?

In 2019, when the TDB decided to carry out maintenance work. Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potti, who earlier worked as an assistant to the priest at Sabarimala, offered to sponsor it. While handing over the plating to the sponsor, it was mentioned as copper in the records. Though permission of the Kerala High Court Devaswom bench is required for all major works, those norms were flouted. The plating was given to Chennai-based Smart Creations. Though the plating’s weight was less by 4.5 kg when Potti returned it, no inquiry was conducted.

What is the suspicion?

It is suspected that gold coatings were looted by Potti with the connivance of the TDB authorities. Potti displayed the plating at various places in south India and collected donations for the work that he offered to carry out. The plating was taken to Chennai for maintenance and the suspicion is that the motive behind it could be the removal of some of the yellow metal.

How did the irregularities come to light?

On September 8, 2025, a special commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court for overseeing the activities at Sabarimala reported that the gold plating of the ‘Dwarapalaka’ idols was removed and taken to Chennai without permission a day before. The TDB later admitted the lapse. It was during these proceedings, the court found the discrepancy in the plating’s weight after it was given to Potti in 2019. The High Court asked the TDB vigilance wing to probe, which exposed the malpractice involving board officials. Subsequently, a High Court Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar constituted a special investigation team.

What steps have been taken by the SIT so far?

The SIT has arrested Potti and Murari Babu, a former senior TDB official. Three others from Bengaluru, identified as Aananthasubramanyam, Ramesh and Kalpesh are also under the radar. As many as 18 persons, mostly TDB employees, have been arraigned in the two cases registered so far.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/kerala/sabarimala-gold-heist-how-temple-renovation-turned-into-a-scam-3775238

The states likely to be included are Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, along with a few others

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will hold a press conference on Monday evening to announce the first phase of a pan-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, officials said. The revision is expected to cover 10 to 15 states, including those scheduled for Assembly elections in 2026.

The states likely to be included are Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, along with a few others.

According to sources cited by The Indian Express, the exercise could begin on November 1. Some states where local body elections are ongoing or there are “peculiar circumstances” may be excluded for now.

A senior official told PTI that the EC may appoint volunteers to assist booth-level officers (BLOs) during the SIR in West Bengal. These volunteers, primarily government employees, will support polling stations with more than 1,200 voters.

The official added that due to a cap on the number of voters per booth, West Bengal may see an increase of around 14,000 polling booths, taking the total from 80,000 to roughly 94,000.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/ec-to-announce-first-phase-of-pan-india-sir-covering-10-15-states-tomorrow-ws-kl-9659911.html

The political rhetoric over Chhath Puja in Delhi escalated on Sunday, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Delhi government of constructing an “artificial Yamuna” with “filtered water” at Vasudev Ghat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take part in the festivities. The BJP dismissed the allegations, calling them “political drama” and claiming that the opposition was objecting to cleanliness efforts at the riverbank.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, AAP Delhi head Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that the BJP had “built a fake Yamuna” by secretly filling a small stream at Vasudev Ghat with filtered water from the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, which supplies Delhi’s drinking water. “BJP is soon going to stage another drama before the people of Delhi and the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a dip in that filtered-water Yamuna to fool the people of Delhi, Bihar and Purvanchal, and to show that the BJP has cleaned the Yamuna,” Bhardwaj said.

AAP also released a video claiming that, unlike the “fake river of filtered water,” other ghats had polluted water with high faecal coliform levels, posing health risks for devotees. AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal posted on X that “the BJP has made a mockery of the deep religious sentiments attached to Chhath Parv in Delhi,” while Leader of Opposition Atishi termed the situation “outright discrimination.”

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva countered the allegations, accusing the former AAP government of banning Chhath Puja on the Yamuna banks between 2018 and 2024.

“This is the first-ever political drama in which an opposition leader raised objections against the government’s efforts to ensure cleanliness and sanitation,” Sachdeva said, referring to Bhardwaj’s video from the Yamuna banks.

Sachdeva said the BJP government had completed basic cleaning of the Yamuna in eight months and made natural ghats available for devotees.

“The Purvanchal community of Delhi wants to ask two direct questions to the AAP leadership. On what administrative basis did the AAP government impose a ban on Chhath Puja on the Yamuna banks from 2018 to 2024? Why does AAP object to Rekha Gupta’s government ensuring sanitation and clean water at the Yamuna ghats?” he asked.

Sachdeva further said that Bhardwaj was objecting to the cleaning of Vasudev Ghat and the availability of clean water.

“While opposition parties across the country have often raised concerns about a lack of development or about unclean religious sites, this is the first-ever instance of an opposition party protesting against efforts to ensure cleanliness,” he added.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/aap-bjp-trade-charges-over-artificial-yamuna-ahead-of-chhath-in-delhi-101761505825543.html

Has Bollywood star Salman Khan been added to Pakistan’s “Fourth Schedule” as a “terror facilitator”? Here’s the truth.

Several media reports on Sunday claimed that Bollywood actor Salman Khan had been placed on Pakistan’s “Fourth Schedule” under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act and had been labelled a “terror facilitator” over his recent remarks surrounding Balochistan. But the claims are far from the truth.
No Pakistani government official statement, notification, or entry was found on Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA) proscribed persons page or any Ministry of Interior/provincial Home Department gazette which notified Salman Khan’s inclusion in the Fourth Schedule.
The reports have also been denied by the Pakistan Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. According to a fact check on Pakistan’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s social media handle on X, the claim remains unverified and false, and the news appears to be a sensational headline rather than a substantiated fact.

The Court observed that the attitude of the wife to persistently ridicule her husband as an alcoholic in his social circle is a serious affair.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently granted divorce to a man after finding that his wife had falsely accused him of intoxication and contested his divorce plea despite being determined not to resume marital life.

A Division Bench of Justices Vishal Dhagat and Anuradha Shukla observed that the attitude of the wife to persistently ridicule her husband as an alcoholic in his social circle is a serious affair, amounting to mental cruelty.

“In the case on hand, the wife, in order to avoid marital obligations, has made unfounded allegation of habit of intoxication against the appellant/husband and has thus exposed him to social sham and contempt by compromising his social position of a public servant. Her act of baseless accusation definitely has a decisive impact on the future relationship of the parties…”

The couple married in 2004 and have two children. However, they have been living separately since 2017. The wife had earlier filed a petition under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act against the husband, but it was later closed.

The husband filed for divorce in 2018, alleging that her behaviour towards him was cruel and that she used to make false allegations against him. However, the wife contested the plea, stating that she was subjected to cruelty and that a compromise had been reached only after her husband had apologised.

In 2021, a family court rejected the divorce plea, holding that the husband was a habitual drinker and had harassed his wife. The husband then moved the High Court with the present appeal.

The High Court found that the documents, particularly the compromise relied upon by the family court to give its finding on the alleged liquor addiction of husband, did not have any evidentiary value.

“…In none of these documents, it is mentioned that the appellant/husband had any habit of taking liquor. The last document was Ex. D/4, which was a complaint given to Police Paramarash Kendra on 24.02.2015 by respondent/wife, but it appears that police did not take any follow-up action on its basis. Thus, whatever wicked deeds were confessed by appellant/husband in the year 2011, under Ex.-D/2, had evidently no recurring episodes in subsequent years of his marital life. Further, whatever was stated by the wife regarding this habit to intoxication, the same was rebutted by appellant-husband in his statement given on oath,” the Court found.

Thus, it concluded that the allegations of the husband’s liquor addiction was not duly proved by the wife. The trial court committed error in holding that the husband was a habitual drinker, the Bench found.

Taking note of the couple’s jobs, the Court found that the wife was determined to humiliate him in the social circles.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/false-allegation-of-alcoholism-persistent-humiliation-of-husband-by-wife-is-cruelty-madhya-pradesh-high-court

The initiative marks one of the biggest technology-led education reforms since the rollout of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

In a major step towards reshaping India’s school assessment system, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is building a digital platform that will enable teachers across its affiliated schools to create high-quality, competency-based assessments.

The initiative marks one of the biggest technology-led education reforms since the rollout of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which calls for a fundamental shift from rote learning to measuring real understanding and application of knowledge.

The proposed platform — currently in the request-for-proposal (RFP) stage — will serve as a centralised hub for question creation, quality review, analytics, and assessment design, directly supporting teachers in crafting both formative and summative evaluations based on defined learning outcomes.

The move is part of the CBSE’s ongoing effort to make school education more holistic and less exam-centric, moving from rote learning to competency-based assessment.

Assessment reforms

In recent years, the board has introduced assessment reforms in line with the NEP, redesigning question papers for Classes 10 and 12 to include 50% competency-based questions that assess students’ ability to apply concepts rather than memorise facts.

At the foundational and middle school levels, the CBSE has rolled out the Structured Assessment for Analysing Learning (SAFAL) programme for Grades 3, 5, and 8. SAFAL evaluates students’ understanding of core concepts and their ability to use knowledge in real-life situations. Reports generated under SAFAL also identify learning gaps and suggest targeted interventions at the classroom level.

Complementing these reforms is the School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF), which requires schools to self-evaluate their performance across academic and administrative parameters. Select schools also undergo expert-led quality reviews to ensure continuous improvement.

To institutionalise these reforms, the CBSE has established a Centre of Excellence in Assessment (CEA) — a specialised unit responsible for developing standards for competency-based assessments, creating a national Item Bank, and guiding schools in adopting the new framework.

The CEA’s role includes building assessment tools that test higher-order thinking skills, such as analysis, critical reasoning, and problem-solving — a key departure from traditional tests that largely emphasise memorisation.

The proposed digital platform

According to the RFP, the CBSE plans to partner with a qualified IT solution provider to design, develop, operate, and maintain the platform. The system will function as a secure, scalable, and user-centric digital ecosystem that supports teachers, subject experts, and administrators.

The proposed features include a central repository of question items categorised by grade, subject, and competency level, tools for teachers to design assessments using drag-and-drop or automated blueprints, and a Quality Analyser and Reviewer (QAR) tool powered by artificial intelligence to check questions for accuracy, clarity, and relevance.

It will also include AI and NLP-based plagiarism and duplication detection, ensuring originality and alignment with learning objectives. Machine learning algorithms will generate item statistics such as difficulty level, reliability, and bias detection. Interactive dashboards will be there for real-time tracking of assessment data and teacher participation.

The platform will also integrate with the CBSE’s existing teacher identity and training systems through Single Sign-On (SSO) access, and connect with the Teachers Integrated Formation System (TIFS) for continuous capacity building.

Officials say the platform will empower teachers in more than 27,000 CBSE-affiliated schools to create classroom-level assessments that truly reflect student learning. Teachers will be able to access the central item bank, customise question papers, and even contribute new items for review.

Each contribution will go through a multi-layered review process, including checks by subject reviewers and senior reviewers, before being published in the national repository. Every question will carry metadata tags — such as grade, subject, learning outcome, and Bloom’s taxonomy level — to ensure easy discovery and appropriate use.

Beyond supporting teachers, the digital platform will allow CBSE to analyse data on learning trends and assessment quality. It will help generate school report cards, track item performance, and identify patterns of student achievement across grades.

The system will also undergo regular audits — internal reviews every six months and third-party certifications annually — to ensure transparency, security, and data integrity.

Source : https://www.news18.com/education-career/no-more-rote-learning-cbse-plans-digital-platform-for-school-assessments-under-nep-2020-exclusive-ws-kl-9659698.html

Bhagyashree Pachangne has claimed that the doctor was under pressure to alter the postmortem report. She has also demanded a thorough investigation into her daughter’s suspicious death.

The doctor in Maharashtra who died by suicide has signed a fake postmortem report, a woman from Satara has alleged. The woman, Bhagyashree Maruti Pachangne, from a village in the district, is the mother of Deepali Maruti, who, she alleges, did not die a natural death and but her postmortem report does not corroborate that.

Bhagyashree Pachangne has claimed that the doctor was under pressure to alter the postmortem report. She has also demanded a thorough investigation into her daughter’s suspicious death.

Doctor’s Suicide

The doctor was apparently under pressure to give false medical reports. In a suicide note that she penned on her palm, she has accused a police officer — sub-inspector Gopal Badane — of sexual assault and a techie, Prashant Bankar, of mental harassment.

She also mentioned a former MP in another four-page suicide letter.

She allegedly mentioned two personal assistants of the former MP asking the doctor to declare an accused, Malhari Channe, medically fit.

Quoting an un-named relative, news agency Press Trust of India claimed the doctor was pressured to change medical reports at the sub-district hospital where she worked.

“Political people in Phaltan often asked her to change medical reports as she used to be regularly on autopsy duty. She had complained multiple times against the PSI (named in the note), but her complaints were not looked into,” the relative said.

The case has sparked a massive political row in Maharashtra, with the Opposition alleging that the doctor was victimised by criminals.

Fresh Twist 

The fresh allegations by Bhagyashree Pachangne have added a new layer to the case. Her daughter, Pachangne alleged, was married to Ajinkya Hanmant Nimbalkar, an Indian Army officer.

Bhagyashree Pachangne claims her daughter faced continuous mental and physical abuse from her husband and in-laws. Unable to bear the torment, she had died by suicide on August 19. Pachangne, however, claimed her daughter could have been murdered.

She alleged that even five days after Deepali’s death, the police did not provide the postmortem report.

When the Pachangne family finally received it after a month, they found it entirely fabricated, she claimed. She accused Ajinkya Nimbalkar of using his political and police connections to suppress the case.

“On August 17, we received a call from our son-in-law, informing us that Deepali was in critical condition and admitted to Raut Hospital in Phaltan. We were shocked, assuming that since she was pregnant, she might have fainted or fallen due to dizziness,” she said.

When they reached the hospital, her brother-in-law “informed us that Deepali had taken her life… I strongly doubt this,” she said.

“My daughter could not have done this. She was six months pregnant and had a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter-how could she leave them behind? She would never do such a thing. I believe she was murdered,” she added.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/new-twist-in-satara-doctor-suicide-case-womans-false-postmortem-report-claim-9520934?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The molestation incident has now triggered a political storm after a controversial statement from Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya.

Even as India hosts the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, a shocking crime in Indore has overshadowed the tournament’s spirit. Two renowned Australian women cricketers were allegedly molested by a biker near their hotel. The incident, which took place in full public view, has not only raised serious questions about the state’s security apparatus but also triggered a political storm after a controversial statement from Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya.

According to police, the accused, identified as Aqeel alias Naitra, a 29-year-old serial offender from Khajrana, was arrested within hours of the complaint. The incident sent shockwaves across the sporting fraternity, coming as it did during an international event with the world’s top female cricketers in India.

However, instead of solely focusing on the police lapse, Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya’s remarks have sparked fresh outrage. Vijayvargiya said that the players should learn a lesson from the incident. “Whenever any player goes anywhere, even when we go out, we always inform at least one local person. I think this will remind the players that in the future, if we leave our venue, we should inform our security or local administration before leaving, as there is a huge craze for cricket players. Cricket is a sport like football in England. I have seen football players’ clothes being torn. We were staying at the hotel and having coffee. So many young men came over. Someone was asking for autographs from a famous player. A girl kissed him, and his clothes got torn. He was a very famous football player.”

Vijayvargiya further added, “Sometimes, players don’t realise their popularity. Players are very popular, so they should be careful. This incident has happened; it’s a lesson for everyone. It’s a lesson for us and for the players as well.”

Speaking to NDTV, he reiterated that “while there was a security lapse, it was also the players’ responsibility” to inform local authorities before going out. “They didn’t inform anyone, they didn’t tell anyone,” he said. “But they will learn a lesson from this incident and stay cautious in the future.”

His comments have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and women’s rights groups. Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Arun Yadav slammed the statement as “disgusting and regressive,” saying, “This incident exposes the state’s failure to protect its guests. Kailash ji’s remark reflects a disturbing mindset; instead of ensuring women’s safety, the minister is blaming the victims. The Chief Minister himself heads the Home Ministry, and yet such incidents occur under his watch.”

The controversy has also divided the sporting fraternity. Former Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) president Sanjay Jagdale said, “Look, it’s not possible for everyone to have security at all times. If a player goes somewhere without informing anyone, how will anyone know? If such an incident occurs, no one can be held responsible. In such a situation, players also need to be vigilant.”

But this isn’t the first time Vijayvargiya has courted controversy with comments about women and morality. Just a few months back, he made some controversial remarks about Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, “We are people of an old culture. In our sisters’ village, Jirapur, we don’t even drink water. My father used to bring a pot of water from home. Our opposition leaders today are such that they kiss their young sisters in the middle of the crossroads. I want to ask you who among you kisses your young sisters or daughters in public? This is a lack of values. These are foreign values; these came about from being brought up abroad.”

At another public event in Indore in June, he stirred controversy again, saying, “I don’t like girls who wear skimpy clothes. In the West, a woman wearing fewer clothes is considered beautiful. I don’t agree with that. In India, we consider a girl beautiful when she dresses well, wears jewellery, and adorns herself gracefully.”

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/australian-cricketers-molested-in-indore-outrage-over-madhya-pradesh-minister-kailash-vijayvargiyas-its-a-lesson-remark-on-cricketers-molestation-9520687?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

In a virtual address at the India-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) annual summit, Modi also said that the grouping is a key pillar of New Delhi’s Act East Policy.

The India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is emerging as a powerful foundation for global stability and growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.In a virtual address at the India-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) annual summit, Modi also said that the grouping is a key pillar of New Delhi’s Act East Policy.

“India has always fully supported ‘ASEAN centrality’ and ASEAN’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific,” he said.”Even in these times of uncertainty, the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has made steady progress. Our strong partnership is emerging as a powerful foundation for global stability and growth,” Modi said.

The prime minister said India has “stood firmly with its ASEAN friends” in every crisis and the two-way cooperation in the spheres of maritime security and the blue economy is growing rapidly.”In light of this, we are declaring 2026 as the ASEAN-India year of maritime cooperation,” he announced.”We are also vigorously advancing mutual cooperation in education, tourism, science and technology, health, green energy and cybersecurity. We will continue to work together to preserve our shared cultural heritage and strengthen people-to-people ties,” he said.

ASEAN is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries, including the US, China, Japan and Australia, are its dialogue partners.The ASEAN-India dialogue relations started with the establishment of a sectoral partnership in 1992. This graduated to a full dialogue partnership in December 1995 and a summit-level partnership in 2002.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/india-asean-comprehensive-strategic-partnership-a-powerful-foundation-for-global-stability-growth-pm-modi

Battery experts noted that lithium-ion batteries contain volatile, flammable electrolytes that can ignite under extreme heat.

Chinnatekur, Kurnool: As forensic experts began examining the charred wreckage of the private sleeper bus that went up in flames on the Kurnool highway on Friday, killing 19 passengers, chilling new details surfaced on Saturday.

The bus was found to be carrying in its luggage cabin a consignment of around 300 smartphones worth an estimated Rs 46 lakh, being transported to Bengaluru for a leading e-commerce company by Hyderabad-based businessman K Manganath.

Forensic teams with whom DH interacted now believe that exploding lithium-ion batteries in the smartphones may have intensified the blaze, turning it into a deadly inferno. Battery experts noted that lithium-ion batteries contain volatile, flammable electrolytes that can ignite under extreme heat.

Probe teams found that the bike involved in the initial crash had got lodged under the bus as it moved forward, dragging along for some distance. Sparks generated during the drag, coupled with leaking petrol, led to ignition. The flames first caught the luggage cabin, where the smartphone shipment was kept.

Due to the rising heat, the batteries might have exploded simultaneously, causing the fire to spread rapidly into the passenger compartment above. Most passengers seated in berths directly above the luggage area had no time to escape. Several bodies were found stuck in the narrow passageways between berths, with rescue teams describing horrifying scenes of remains fused together by the flames.

One body was found halfway through a window, suggesting the victim collapsed from suffocation and heat while attempting to jump out. Forensic officers confirmed that most victims were seated in the bus’ front section, directly above the luggage bay where the fire first erupted.

During the blaze, a woman named Anusha, wife of Golla Ramesh who also perished, appeared to have tried desperately to save her daughter. First responders said both mother and child were found fused together, implying she might have held her daughter tightly as flames surrounded them. By the time she climbed down from the upper berth, fire had already engulfed the cabin.

Experts also believe that several victims died due to inhalation of thick smoke while struggling to find an escape route. Observers noted that had there been a proper emergency exit, many could have survived.

“When a smartphone battery overheats, a process called thermal runaway occurs, triggering a chain reaction of self-sustaining exothermic reactions that can cause explosions and flames reaching 200°C to 1,000°C,” explained a battery expert.

It is common practice among private bus operators to ferry commercial consignments to earn extra income, storing them in luggage cabins meant for passengers’ belongings. They sometimes transport motorcycles but usually empty fuel tanks to prevent fire risk. In many cases, operators earn nearly as much from booking cargo as from passenger fares.

The aluminium base of the gutted R Kaveri bus had completely melted, while the auxiliary air-conditioning battery near the luggage cabin next to the smartphone consignment was also found exploded, underscoring the intensity of the fire.

Private bus overturns on Hyderabad ORR

Even as the Kurnool bus tragedy continued to haunt memories on Saturday, another mishap occurred when a private electric bus overturned on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) near Pedda Amberpet in Hyderabad. Fortunately, about 20 passengers escaped with minor injuries. The bus was travelling from Miyapur to Guntur on Saturday morning.

A video showed the bus flipped on its right side, with rescuers surrounding it along the ORR near Pedda Amberpet municipality in Ranga Reddy district. The guardrails struck by the bus had collapsed due to the force with which the bus had slipped on the right side.

Police, ORR maintenance staff, and local residents immediately launched rescue operations. Preliminary reports indicated that the accident occurred when the driver failed to negotiate a curve properly. The injured were shifted to hospitals near Hayathnagar for treatment.

RTA crackdown after Kurnool tragedy

In the wake of the Kurnool bus tragedy, the Andhra Pradesh Transport Department launched a special enforcement drive on Saturday, booking 289 cases against private travel operators for violating safety norms.

Officials said 18 buses operating illegally were seized, with heavy penalties imposed on those lacking fire safety equipment. Fines amounting to Rs 7.08 lakh were levied across the state. Eluru district reported the highest number of cases, 55, while three buses there were seized.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/andhra-pradesh/kurnool-bus-fire-smartphone-consignment-might-have-triggered-tragedy-3775184

The cyclone is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on the night of October 28 as “severe cyclonic storm”

Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan chaired a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review preparedness for the impending cyclone in Bay of Bengal.

The cyclone is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on the night of October 28 as “severe cyclonic storm” with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.

The Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and Additional Chief Secretary of Odisha apprised the Committee of the preparatory measures being taken to protect the population in the expected path of cyclonic storm and precautionary measures being taken by the local administration. It was also brought to the notice of the Committee that adequate shelters and evacuation arrangements have been made and necessary NDRF and SDRF teams have been kept on standby. District Control Rooms have also been activated and are monitoring the situation, a government statement said.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into Southwest, adjoining central Bay of Bengal, along & off Tamil Nadu; Andhra Pradesh and Yanam (of Puducherry), and along and off Odisha coast from October 26-29. Those out at sea have been advised to return to the coast immediately, the statement said.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has kept teams in readiness and will be mobilised by October 26. NDRF has kept additional teams on standby. Rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard along with their ships and aircrafts have been kept in readiness. Indian Coast Guard has already shepherded over 900 ships to the jetty/ shores so far, and remaining have been alerted to return to the coast. Union Home Secretary said that the MHA, NDMA and IMD are continuously monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Ministries / Departments/ State Governments and agencies.

Source : https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cyclone-in-bay-of-bengal-cabinet-secretary-chairs-ncmc-meeting/article70202300.ece

The announcement is expected after the Bihar elections, with the Model Code of Conduct currently in force preventing policy announcements

The central government is set to announce a 26% increase in advertisement rates for print media, the first major revision since 2019, people aware of the matter in the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry.

The announcement is expected after the Bihar elections, with the Model Code of Conduct currently in force preventing policy announcements. The official attributed the plan to help the industry navigate volatility in ad revenue between print and digital media.

According to a second official, who asked not to be named, the last revision took place in January 2019, when the ministry announced a 25% hike over the rate structure set by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, then known as DAVP.

That revision, implemented following recommendations of the 8th Rate Structure Committee, took into account rising newsprint costs and processing charges. The 2019 rates were valid for three years.

A Rate Structure Committee was set up in November 2021 to review the rates after the previous revision’s validity period ended. However, the revision has been pending for three years despite multiple rounds of consultations and recommendations submitted to the government, the first person cited above said.

Prior to 2019, rates were revised in 2013 with a 19% increase over 2010 levels.

One of the people said the new rate hike aims to provide relief to newspapers, particularly small and medium publications, which have been waiting for a revision since 2022.

Representatives of the Indian Newspaper Society did not respond to requests for a comment.

At a press briefing on Saturday, Union I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said new television rating point (TRP) agency guidelines are being formulated, with one round of public consultation already completed.

“More rounds of consultation may follow. We are following a fully consultative approach,” Vaishnaw said.

In July, the ministry proposed changes to the 2014 rules for television rating agencies to allow more players in the market beyond the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). The draft suggests easing ownership rules to encourage greater participation and build trust in the system.

The ministry also announced plans to integrate the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), and Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) to improve coordination across communication, outreach, and regulatory functions.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-set-to-announce-26-increase-in-print-ad-rates-101761419289284.html

Based on over 44,000 responses, the survey covered residents across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad

Most people in Delhi and the wider National Capital Region are feeling the impact of polluted air in their daily lives, a survey has found.

Three out of four households in Delhi-NCR are have listed problems ranging from sore throat and cough, to burning eyes, headaches and disturbed sleep, in an online survey by citizen engagement platform LocalCircles, news agency PTI reported on Saturday, October 25.

An analysis of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed that after Diwali — crackers were permitted this time — PM 2.5 levels touched 488 micrograms per cubic metre, the ighest in five years. That’s over three times the pre-Diwali level of 156.6.

Vinod Dongle, a respected notary and private school owner, opened his demat account as usual, only to find a mind-boggling figure staring back at him Rs 2,817 crore.

In Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district’s quiet town of Dhamnod was buzzing with disbelief and laughter on Friday, when a local notary lawyer briefly became, at least on paper, a billionaire.

Vinod Dongle, a respected notary and private school owner, opened his demat account as usual, only to find a mind-boggling figure staring back at him Rs 2,817 crore. His account showed 1,312 shares of Harsil Agro Limited, each inexplicably priced at over Rs 2.14 crore per share. The total? A staggering Rs 28,17,41,29,408.

At first, Dongle couldn’t believe his eyes. “For a few minutes,” he said with a grin, “I thought my destiny had changed overnight. It felt like winning every lottery in the world.”

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dhamnod-madhya-pradesh-dhar-rs-28-17-41-29-408-how-an-account-glitch-turned-lawyer-into-a-billionaire-9516297?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

The accused claimed that the entire business had RBI’s approval and even opened email accounts for the victims that appeared to be linked to the central bank.

In a major crackdown on a large-scale financial fraud, the Crime Branch police of Tamil Nadu arrested 27 more people for their involvement in the multi-crore “Iridium scam” that duped people across the state by misusing the name of the Reserve Bank of India.

Iridium is a hard, brittle, silver-white transition metal in the platinum group, known for being extremely dense and corrosion-resistant.

Acting on credible intelligence, the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CBCID) found that several gangs had been defrauding the public by claiming that crores of rupees could be obtained from abroad through the sale of a rare element called iridium.

According to reports, the accused claimed that the entire business had RBI’s approval and even opened email accounts for the victims that appeared to be linked to the central bank. They forged RBI documents and operated through unregistered trusts to collect hefty amounts from unsuspecting victims.

In the first phase of operations on September 12, the CBCID had arrested 30 people linked to 13 cases registered statewide. Further investigations led to more than 20 additional cases being filed, as officials gathered evidence and victim testimonies.

The second phase of raids was carried out simultaneously across 15 districts on October 23 and 24.

A special team of eight Deputy Superintendents, 20 Inspectors, and 15 Sub-Inspectors arrested 27 accused, including key conspirators – Kambam Chandran, Perumanallur Rani, Musiri Yuvaraj, Varusanadu Palaniammal, and Nagapattinam Rajasivam.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/multi-crore-iridium-scam-busted-in-tamil-nadu-27-arrested-9516102

Indian security forces achieved a significant milestone by deporting fugitive gangster Lakhvinder Kumar from the United States, with support from the Central Bureau of Investigation.

In a big win for Indian security agencies, a fugitive gangster associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was deported from the United States on Saturday in an operation coordinated by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Sources said Lakhvinder Kumar, who had an Interpol Red Notice issued against him, is among the nearly 40 gangsters who have been deported back to the country this year.
After the successful deportation of Lakhvinder Singh from the US, Gurugram Police will take Gangster Sunil Sardana into custody from Indira Gandhi International Airport today. Sunil Sardana, officials say, orchestrated the firing on Bollywood singer Fazilpuria earlier this year.
Several operatives linked to the gangster network are reportedly under the scanner in Canada, the UAE, and Europe, with Indian authorities pursuing Interpol Red Corner Notices and bilateral extradition requests.

This year, 36 gangsters have been deported back to India, as agencies intensify their crackdown on fugitive gang members who had fled abroad after facing charges.

Algerian-French artist Hanan Benammar condemned the vandalism of her artwork by Kerala artist PH Hochiman as an infringement on artistic freedom.

Oslo-based Algerian-French artist Hanan Benammar witnessed a disturbing incident after her artwork was vandalised by Kerala-based artist PH Hochiman during its exhibition at the Durbar Hall Art Gallery of the Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi in Kochi. PH Hochiman, who did not regret his act, said that her (Benammar) artwork was obscene. The Algerian-French artist voiced concern over the vandalism, calling it a direct assault on artistic freedom and the right to free expression.
Hanan Benammar’s six printed linocut works titled “Go Eat Your Dad”, which were part of the ongoing exhibition “Estranged Geographies” at Durbar Hall Art Gallery, were torn down by Hochiman on Wednesday. He live-streamed the act on Facebook, claiming the works were obscene.

Ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou has shared his thoughts on who would win if there is a conventional war with Pakistan.

Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer John Kiriakou has just shown Pakistan a glimpse of reality, saying that they cannot win a conventional war against India because they will lose it adding nothing good will come out of it.
Speaking to ANI, John Kiriakou, who served for 15 years in the CIA, first as an analyst and later in the counter-terrorism department, said that nothing good will come out of an actual war between India and Pakistan because the latter will lose it. He clarified that he was not talking about a nuclear war, but a conventional one.
“They will lose it. It’s as simple as that,” Kiriakou said.

The former CIA officer John Kiriakou recounted his years leading counterterrorism operations in Pakistan after 9/11, highlighting Washington’s uneasy alliance with Islamabad, the rise of cross-border terror networks, and India-Pakistan tensions that nearly escalated into war during Operation Parakram in 2002.

Five Thalassemia children in Chaibasa tested HIV-positive after alleged transfusion of contaminated blood. A five-member medical team is probing discrepancies.

In a shocking case of medical negligence reported from Jharkhand’s Chaibasa town, five children have tested HIV-positive. These children were Thalassemia pateints. Family of a seven-year-old child alleged that the local blood bank in Chaibasa had transfused HIV-infected blood. A five-member medical team from Ranchi is probing into the matter.

Jharkhand government formed a medical team to determine how the children received contaminated blood.

As per the officials, around 25 units of blood has been transfused since the child started visiting the blood bank. District Civil Surgeon Dr Sushanto Majhee, however, said the child had tested HIV-positive over a week ago.

He added that HIV infection could also occur due to other factors, including exposure to contaminated needles.

The five-member team, led by Director (Health services) Jharkhand, Dr Dinesh Kumar, inspected the blood bank at Sadar Hospital and the pediatric intensive care unit ward, collecting details from children under treatment.

Dr Kumar mentioned that some discrepancies were found in the blood bank during the investigation and directed the officials to address them.

“Initial investigation indicates that contaminated blood was transfused to a thalassemia patient. Some discrepancies were detected in the blood bank during the probe, and the officials concerned have been directed to resolve them,” Kumar said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/5-children-with-thalassemia-test-hiv-positive-after-blood-transfusion-at-jharkhand-hospital-ws-el-9659139.html

Police sub-inspector Gopal Badane and software engineer Prashant Bankar have been arrested in connection with the alleged suicide of a woman government doctor in Maharashtra’s Satara district.

Police sub-inspector Gopal Badane, accused of raping a woman doctor who died by suicide in Maharashtra’s Satara district, was arrested on Saturday evening, hours after a co-accused was taken into custody.

Earlier in the day, Phaltan police arrested software engineer Prashant Bankar, one of the two men named in the doctor’s suicide note, from Pune.

PSI Badane later surrendered at the Phaltan Rural Police Station, Satara SP Tushar Doshi said.

Bankar, accused of mentally harassing the victim and now facing abetment of suicide charges, was produced before a Satara district court, which sent him to police custody for four days.

The doctor, a native of Beed district in the Marathwada region and posted at a government hospital in Satara, was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan town on Thursday night.

In the suicide note, written on her palm, she alleged that police sub-inspector Badane had raped her multiple times, while Bankar, a software engineer, had mentally harassed her.

A case of rape and abetment of suicide has been registered against the two in Phaltan, Satara district. According to police, Bankar is the son of the landlord of the house where the doctor resided. She had allegedly called and chatted with him over the phone before taking her life.

Sub-inspector Badane was suspended from service after his name surfaced during the probe. The doctor was cremated at her native village in Beed’s Wadwani tehsil on Friday night.

Her relatives have demanded capital punishment for the accused. “She complained multiple times about harassment, but her grievances were not addressed,” a relative told a news channel. Another relative claimed, “Political people in Phaltan often asked her to change medical reports as she used to be regularly on autopsy duty. She had complained multiple times against the PSI (named in the note), but her complaints were not looked into.”

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve accused former BJP MP Ranjitsingh Naik Nimbalkar of pressuring the doctor on one occasion in the past. Nimbalkar denied the allegation. Talking to reporters, Danve said that two personal assistants of Nimbalkar once facilitated a call between him and the doctor to pressurise her to declare a detained accused as fit or unfit. In response, Nimbalkar said, “the allegation had no truth, and his name was being dragged into the case deliberately.”

BJP MLA Suresh Dhas demanded that the MP who allegedly tried to pressurise the woman doctor be made an accused in the case but did not name any leader.

Earlier this year, the woman doctor had reportedly submitted a reply to authorities in Satara district after a subordinate police official complained about her. In it, she mentioned facing threats from police officials over her work and taunts related to crimes in her native Beed district.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sub-inspector-gopal-badane-accused-in-suicide-of-woman-doctor-in-maharashtra-arrested-news-agency-pti-2808435-2025-10-26

An 82-year-old woman has become an internet sensation after fearlessly leaping from India’s highest bungee platform in Shivpuri, near Rishikesh. The viral video of her jump from an 83-meter-high platform has captivated millions, showcasing a perfect blend of courage and composure.

An 82-year-old woman has become an internet sensation after fearlessly leaping from India’s highest bungee platform in Shivpuri, near Rishikesh. The viral video of her jump from an 83-meter-high platform has captivated millions, showcasing a perfect blend of courage and composure.

Viral Clip Showcases Calm and Grace

The video, shared by adventure page Globesome India on October 19, shows the elderly woman joyfully dancing before stepping off the edge. As she plunges toward the Ganges valley, her calm expression and graceful descent have drawn widespread admiration. Viewers described her as “floating like a ballerina,” while onlookers at the site can be heard cheering her bravery.

Jumpin Heights: Safety and Adventure Combined

The jump took place at Jumpin Heights, a leading adventure sports destination in Rishikesh known for its stringent international safety standards. The facility, perched above the Ganges, has earned global recognition for attracting thrill-seekers of all ages.

Inspiration Across Generations

Social media has been flooded with messages praising the woman’s spirit. Many called her an example of living without fear and proving that “age is just a number.” One user wrote, “If she can do this at 82, what’s our excuse?”

Adventure tourism operators in Rishikesh say such feats are inspiring a new wave of elderly participants eager to challenge themselves. Earlier this month, an 83-year-old British woman, Olena Byko, also completed a jump from the same platform, setting a record. Officials clarified that both events were separate but equally remarkable moments showcasing senior citizens’ growing interest in adventure sports.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/video-82-year-old-woman-leaps-from-indias-highest-bungee-platform-in-rishikesh-fearless-dance-before-jump-wins-hearts

A video showing an Indian worker reportedly stuck in Saudi Arabia has gone viral on social media, prompting a response from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. The man, from Uttar Pradesh, claims in Bhojpuri that he is being held against his will.

In the video, he can be heard saying, “Agar aap log Hindu ho, chahe Musalman ho, koi bhi, bhai-behen, jo bhi ho, help kardo, please mai mar jaunga, muje meri maa ke paas jana hai.”

Which roughly translates to, “Whether you are Hindu or Muslim, anyone, brother or sister, whoever you are, please help me. I am going to die; I want to go to my mother.”

He also urges people to share the video as much as possible so that it reaches the Prime Minister.

The man claiming to be from Handia in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh, appears visibly distressed in the video. He claims that his employer, Kapil, has confiscated his passport and is threatening to kill him.

Indian Embassy In Saudi Arabia Reacts

Responding to the X user named “Kalpana Shrivastav”, who is a criminal advocate as per her bio, the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia said,”Embassy has been trying to locate the person. No further action can be taken as the video does not contain any details about the location/province in Saudi Arabia, or contact number or employer details.”

The embassy also asked Kalpana to seek details from the source of the video.

Saudi Security Department Reacts

The Saudi security department took to X and called the claims by the person baseless, saying that it was published with the intent of increasing engagement on his social media handle.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/main-mar-jaunga-up-man-stuck-in-saudi-desert-with-camel-cries-for-help-saudi-security-department-say-claims-baseless-video

PM Modi launched the NDA’s Bihar campaign, criticising the Opposition and predicting victory

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) poll campaign in Bihar with back-to-back rallies in Samastipur and Begusarai districts, likening the Opposition to a coalition of thugs led by “people out on bail” and predicting a record-breaking victory for the ruling dispensation.

In Samastipur’s Karpoorigram, the ancestral home of Bharat Ratna socialist icon Karpoori Thakur, Modi alleged the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress had “wasted a lot of Bihar’s money and precious time”, drew a contrast between a “fractious” INDIA bloc and the “cohesive” NDA, and made an outreach to young voters.

“It was in October 2005 that your parents had brought Jungle Raj to an end. Exactly 20 years later, you have a big responsibility on your shoulders, to facilitate prosperity (samriddhi) by voting in favour of good governance (sushasan),” he said. Jungle Raj is often the term used by political opponents to describe the 15 years of RJD rule between 1990 and 2005, to describe the law and order situation.

“The candidates fielded by ‘lathbandhan’ [word play on gathbandhan] clearly indicate their desire to bring back the old days. Listen to their campaigning and you’ll be reminded of Jungle Raj,” he said.

Modi underscored that the NDA was fighting the assembly polls “under the leadership of Nitish Kumar”, in an apparent rebuttal of the Opposition charge that after the elections, the BJP was planning to replace the 75-year-old JD(U) president, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term in office.

“Nitish Kumar worked day and night to change that and pull Bihar out of the dark age . A new era of development commenced. Now is the time for Bihar to gather speed for self-reliance and prosperity and ensure social justice in the true sense,” he added.

Modi blamed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for stalling development in Bihar.

“People freed Bihar from Jungle Raj in 2005 by voting for the NDA government under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. But for 10 years the Congress-RJD alliance was in power at the Centre and it only created obstacles in Nitish Kumar’s path. The RJD was revengeful to Bihar for voting for NDA. They also used to threaten the Congress that their support would be withdrawn if the Centre backed Nitish government in any way,” he said.

Cautioning people that “development and Jungle Raj of the RJD cannot coexist, the PM said that the first requirement for progress was the rule of law, which Nitish Kumar established.

“People have to be wary and send them packing again. Look at the way they are campaigning, threatening people and using Katta (country made pistol), chharra (pellets), dunali (double barrel guns) in campaign songs. If they get an opportunity, they will do the same again, reviving Jungle Raj. They cannot change. The kind of people they have fielded also gives ample indication of their intent and people must be extremely cautious,” he said, referring to some of the campaign songs by the Opposition.

In Begusarai, Modi blamed the RJD for destroying the once flourishing industrial corridor in the region. “You have reposed your trust in Modi and blessed Nitish to see the positive change. Modi has lived in poverty as he was not born with a silver spoon in mouth. Our priority is to eradicate poverty and not confine it to just speeches,” he added.

Modi said that under RJD rule, extortion, murder, ransom, and kidnapping flourished, while land was taken in lieu of jobs. “Who will believe them when they talk big? The RJD’s Jungle Raj ruined generations of Bihar, with mothers and sisters, youth, Dalits, extremely backward classes and the marginalised being the worst sufferers,” he added.

Modi also referred to former Congress chief, the late Sita Ram Kesri. “One member of Congress insulted him, locked him in the bathroom and threw him out. He was removed from the president’s post. That is how they treat Dalits and backward classes. They cannot live beyond their own family and have no concern for your family,” he said.

“Those who ushered in Jungle Raj in Bihar are talking big on camera, but behind it they are fighting amongst one another. RJD has not won any election in the last two decades, but look at its arrogance. They shrugged off JMM, toppled Congress which has been riding piggyback on the RJD for 35 years, kept the Left hanging, and waylaid the VIP. But this is what happens when all start working for their vested interest,” he added.

Maintaining that Bihar had already got three times more funds than what it got during the Congress regime, Modi said that during RJD rule, the doors of police stations were closed to Dalits and extremely backward classes, and Maoist activities made life difficult. “When you gave the NDA an opportunity at the Centre in 2014, I resolved to liberate Bihar and the country from this Maoist terror and their backbone has been broken. It will be a thing of the past in India as well as Bihar soon,” he added.

Modi asked the people to switch on their mobile lights and said that there was no space left for the lantern – the RJD poll symbol – as electricity had reached all corners of the state. “The state will keep those who unleashed Jungle Raj in Bihar at bay,” he said, in his nearly 50-minute speech in Samastipur.

He said that the Congress and the RJD were only interested in protecting family legacies and there was also an attempt to steal the ‘Jananayak’ (people’s hero) tag of Thakur – referring to the tag that many Congress supporters use for Rahul Gandhi.

“The RJD’s first family is the most corrupt family in the state and the Congress first family is the most corrupt in the country. Most of them are out on bail and the people of Bihar cannot trust them, as Bihar’s development gathers speed, which will create more jobs and employment opportunities in the coming years,” he added.

He said that Thakur was an inspiration for the NDA, which was trying to fulfil the socialist icon’s vision. As the first PM to visit Karpoorigram, Modi also paid tributes to Thakur and interacted with his family members.

Nitish Kumar thanked Modi for focussing on Bihar’s development. “The previous government had nothing and we started Bihar’s development by first restoring rule of law,” he added.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-raises-nda-poll-pitch-calls-oppn-tie-up-of-thugs-101761331190159.html

The 26-year-old, who worked as a medical officer at the Phaltan sub-district hospital in Maharashtra’s Satara, had written on her palm that she had been raped four times by a sub-inspector.

The doctor who died by suicide in Maharashtra’s Satara and accused a police officer of raping her four times also left behind a four-page suicide letter in which she said she was pressured to issue fake fitness certificates of accused in police cases and was harassed when she refused, it has now emerged. The pressure, she says in her letter, was exerted not only by police officials but even, in one case, by a member of Parliament and two of his personal assistants.

The 26-year-old, who worked as a medical officer at the Phaltan sub-district hospital in Satara, had written on her palm that she had been raped four times by Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and subjected to mental and physical abuse for over five months. The woman had been serving in the hospital for 23 months and was just a month away from completing her bond period – requiring service in a rural area – after which she intended to pursue a post-graduate degree.

NDTV has accessed a copy of the four-page letter in which she states that police officers pressured her into issuing fake fitness certificates for accused, many of whom would not even be brought in for a medical examination. When she refused, she would be harassed by Badne and others.

Recounting one particular instance, she said she had refused to issue a certificate and two personal assistants of a member of Parliament had walked into the hospital. They had dialled the MP and made her speak to him, and he had threatened her indirectly.

Similar allegations about the doctor being made to falsify medical certificates were also made by her cousin.

“She had raised complaints on two to three occasions. Despite writing a letter to the Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), no action was taken,” he told NDTV on Friday.

“In the letter, she asked that if anything happened to her, who would be responsible for it? She also flagged the lack of security at the premises, but nothing happened. She also called the DSP, who said he would call her back, but no one took any action,” he added.

In her letter, the doctor has also mentioned that she was harassed by her landlord, Prashant Bankar.

A case has been filed against Badne and Bankar under charges of rape and abetment to suicide, and the police officer has been suspended.

“We are investigating the matter on the basis of evidence gathered so far. A case has been lodged in Satara district. The police officer involved in the case has been suspended,” Sunil Phulari, Inspector General of Police (Kolhapur division), was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

‘Why No Action?’

The case has also led to a political row with the Congress hitting out at the BJP-led government in the state and accusing them of shielding the police.

“When the protector becomes the predator! The duty of the police is to protect, but if they themselves are exploiting a female doctor, how will justice be served? Why was no action taken when this girl had previously lodged a complaint? The Mahayuti government repeatedly shields the police, which is leading to an increase in police atrocities,” Congress leader Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar said in a post on X.

The BJP assured that a thorough investigation will be carried out.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/satara-maharashtra-in-4-page-suicide-note-doctor-who-was-raped-accused-mp-of-pressuring-her-9511753?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

He also criticised those equating victims and perpetrators of terrorism in the name of global strategy, in an apparent reference to the hyphenation of India and Pakistan in the context of the dastardly terror strike.

India on Friday cited Pakistan’s attempts to protect at the UN Security Council the terror outfit that claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack to point out that the global body’s work has been “gridlocked” in the absence of urgent reforms.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also criticised those equating victims and perpetrators of terrorism in the name of global strategy, in an apparent reference to the hyphenation of India and Pakistan in the context of the dastardly terror strike.

Jaishankar was speaking at an event that celebrated the 80th anniversary of the United Nations (UN).

In his remarks, the external affairs minister said “all is not well” with the UN as its debates have become “increasingly polarised” and its working “visibly gridlocked”.

“Any meaningful reform is obstructed using the reform process itself,” he said adding sustaining the UN even while seeking its re-invention is clearly a major challenge before the world.

“Few examples are more telling about the challenges facing the UN than its response to terrorism. When a sitting Security Council member openly protects the very organisation that claims responsibility for the barbaric terror attack such as at Pahalgam, what does it do to the credibility of multilateralism,” Jaishankar asked.

Though Jaishankar didn’t directly name Pakistan, it was abundantly clear from his remarks that he was referring to that country.

“Similarly, if victims and perpetrators of terrorism are equated in the name of global strategy, how much more cynical can the world get. When self-proclaimed terrorists are shielded from the sanctioning process, what does it say for the sincerity of those involved,” he said.

Pakistan is currently a member of the UN Security Council. It was the chair of the top global body in the month of July.

The Council comprises 15 members, including five permanent members which are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Ten non-permanent member nations are elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly. The presidency of the UNSC is held by each of the members in turn for one month.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack.

TRF found mention in a UNSC report in July for its role in the Pahalgam attack.

Pakistan had attempted to remove references to TRF in the UNSC press statement condemning the Pahalgam attack, according to officials.

In his remarks, Jaishankar suggested that the UN has failed to address pressing issues.

“If the maintenance of international peace and security has become lip service, the predicament of development and socio-economic progress is even more serious,” he said.

“The slowing down of the SDG Agenda 2030 is a significant metric to measure the distress of the Global South. There are many more, whether it is trade measures, supply chain dependence or political domination,” he said.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/all-is-not-well-s-jaishankars-criticism-of-un-pak-over-terror-response-9509261?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

BJP Kerala leader Anoop Antony Joseph criticised Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan for his conduct during President Murmu’s Sabarimala visit. Joseph accused him of showing no respect and mismanaging the temple and its funds.

BJP Kerala General Secretary Anoop Antony Joseph in a post on X criticised State Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan over his conduct during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the Sabarimala temple on Wednesday.

In his post, Joseph said that while the President and others stood with folded hands before Lord Ayyappa, Minister Vasavan “stood right behind her, head high, not even a single gesture of respect.”

He added, “Being an atheist is a personal choice, no one objects to that. But if you don’t believe in Ayyappa, what business do you have inside His temple or managing the faith of millions?”

Joseph further accused the minister of treating the temple as “just another treasury to plunder” and suggested that he should step aside. The BJP has been seeking Vasavan’s resignation over the alleged Sabarimala gold theft case.

President Murmu became the first woman head of state to offer prayers at Sabarimala, performing darshan at the Lord Ayyappa sanctum and other nearby temples during her visit.

In another incident, the Palakkad District Police Chief has sought an explanation from a DySP ranking officer who had put up a WhatsApp status slamming President Murmu’s visit.

The status, later deleted by the officer, claimed that several customs and High Court orders related to the Sabarimala pilgrimage were violated during the visit and questioned why Congress and BJP were not protesting.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/kerala/story/kerala-sabarimala-president-droupadi-murmu-bjp-devaswom-minister-2807195-2025-10-23

The Election Commission of India has released new rules for disclosure and responsible use of AI-generated content in Bihar elections. These guidelines aim to maintain fair competition and protect voter trust in the democratic process.

Amid growing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic content in political campaigning, the Election Commission of India (EC) has issued a fresh advisory outlining stringent rules for disclosure and responsible use of such material ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.

In its directive, the poll body flagged the increasing use of hyper-realistic AI-generated content showing political leaders delivering “electorally sensitive messages.” Such material, the Election Commission said, undermines the principle of fair competition and distorts the electoral process.

Calling the misuse of AI-generated content a deep threat and challenge, the poll body warned that artificial or manipulated media can appear deceptively real, misleading voters and eroding trust in democratic institutions.

The Election Commission also noted that such content could “unwittingly trap political stakeholders into incorrect conclusions,” thereby weakening public confidence in free and fair elections.

The EC underscored the importance of transparency and accountability to safeguard electoral integrity and reiterated its commitment to maintaining a level playing field during campaigning.

Under the new guidelines, all political parties, candidates and campaign representatives must ensure that any AI-generated or digitally altered images, videos or audio used for electioneering carry a clear and prominent label, such as “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced” or “Synthetic Content.”

The label must occupy at least 10% of the visible display area and in audio content, it should be present during the first 10% of the duration, the advisory stated.

For videos, the label must appear in the top band of the screen. Each piece of such content must also include the name of the entity responsible for its creation in the metadata or caption.

Political parties have been directed to maintain internal records of all AI-generated campaign material, including creator details and timestamps, for verification when sought by the EC.

The advisory further prohibits publishing or forwarding any unlawful synthetic content that impersonates a person’s identity, likeness or voice without consent, especially if it could mislead voters. Any such content found on official party handles must be removed within three hours of being reported or detected.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/election-commission-advisory-ai-generated-political-content-bihar-assembly-elections-2808098-2025-10-24

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts light rain or drizzle in Delhi from October 27 to 28 due to a new Western Disturbance. This weather change coincides with the city’s upcoming cloud seeding operation aimed at reducing post-Diwali pollution.

Posting a video of the incident, YouTuber Mahi Khan said the woman threatened to confront him upon landing in Mumbai after he refused to speak Marathi as he did not know how to

In a video that has now gone viral, a YouTuber recorded his confrontation with a woman on an Air India flight, where she allegedly threatened him over not knowing how to speak Marathi.

The confrontation took place on a Kolkata-Mumbai flight, and the woman passenger demanded that the YouTuber, identified as Mahi Khan, must know how to speak Marathi if he was visiting Mumbai.

The woman, who was wearing a shirt with a Hyundai logo on it, purportedly threatened to confront Khan upon landing in Mumbai after he refused to speak Marathi as he did not know how to. There is, however, no information on the reason behind the confrontation and why it was triggered in the first place.

He posted the video from his Instagram handle, ‘Mahinergy’, saying such people exist in a country that is proud of its “unity in diversity”.

Khan further claimed that the woman insisted that travellers to Mumbai must know the local language, leading to crew intervention but no further action. Social media reactions to his video were split between condemnation of intolerance and support for Marathi pride, while Air India and Hyundai have not yet commented on the matter.

“Speak Marathi or leave Mumbai. That’s what a this lady told me on my Air India flight AI676 today, before threatening me for saying ‘I don’t understand Marathi’,” Khan said in his video. “Yes, this happened In 2025 In a country that proudly says ‘Unity in Diversity’. She sat on seat 16A and started shouting that I have to speak in Marathi because I’m flying to Mumbai.” (sic)

He said he calmly notified the crew and responded to her saying: “Kya badtameezi hai yeh (what kind of rudeness is this)?” to which he said she made a threat: “I’ll show you what badtameezi is.”

“I recorded everything Because this isn’t just about me, it’s about the mindset that’s growing dangerously normal. You cannot force a language You cannot bully respect,” (sic) he added.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/youre-going-to-mumbai-you-should-know-marathi-passenger-threatens-youtuber-on-air-india-flight-ws-l-9654943.html

New Delhi faces poor to severe AQI post Diwali, with Anand Vihar at 402. CM Rekha Gupta plans artificial rain via cloud seeding, after a successful Burari test.

New Delhi is witnessing poor to severe Air Quality Index (AQI) in several areas post Diwali celebrations on Monday (October 20), according to the data available at the official website of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The AQI at Anand Vihar was recorded at 402, in the ‘severe’ category, this morning. The figure was lower than Thursday’s reading of 429, as per CPCB data.

The AQI near AIIMS and surrounding areas was recorded at 295 in the ‘Poor’ category and ITO area was recorded at 316, in the ‘Very Poor’ category.

The RK Puram area of south west Delhi remains “very poor” at 316, as of 7:00 AM today. The AQI at Dwarka Sector 8 was recorded at 292 in the “poor” category.

The CPCB categorises AQI between 0 and 50 as ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe.’

The Delhi government on Thursday said it can carry out artificial rain as early as next week, if conditions remain favourable, following a trial cloud-seeding flight from IIT Kanpur to Delhi as the national capital reels under worsening air quality post-Diwali.

CM Rekha Gupta said the weather department had indicated that there was a possibility for cloud presence on October 28, 29 and 30, and the first artificial rain can be induced on October 29 if conditions remained favourable.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cities/new-delhi-news/delhi-breathes-toxic-air-city-records-poor-to-severe-aqi-govt-plans-artificial-rain-ws-l-9655130.html

Major hospitals such as Hameedia Hospital, BMCHRC, Kamla Nehru, Seva Sadan, and JP Hospital treated dozens of patients with corneal injuries and severe eye burns.

The Madhya Pradesh government has imposed a complete ban on the sale, purchase, and storage of calcium carbide guns after more than 300 children reportedly suffered serious eye injuries while 10 lost eyesight during Diwali celebrations.

The ban comes in the wake of a surge in hospital cases linked to these makeshift toy guns, which create small explosions using calcium carbide and water to mimic the sound of firecrackers.

Officials confirmed that First Information Reports (FIRs) will be filed against anyone found violating the order. The devices, made of PVC pipes and commonly sold as children’s toys during the festive season, have been deemed extremely unsafe due to their explosive chemical reactions.

Police launch statewide inspections

Authorities in Bhopal, Gwalior, and Vidisha have already begun enforcing the prohibition. All Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and police teams have been directed to conduct thorough inspections of firecracker shops and roadside stalls to identify and seize any remaining stock of carbide guns.

Madhya Pradesh Dy CM Rajendra Shukla said, “We are keeping monitoring the condition of the children suffering the eye injuries. Those admitted to the hospital are being monitored to ensure they don’t suffer any eye damage. I will receive the final report. Regarding the use of such pipe barrels for bursting firecrackers, an advisory had already been issued. The Chief Minister also appealed to people to refrain from using such illegally manufactured barrels and bursting firecrackers. Those who manufactured and supplied such firecrackers and equipment to the market, causing harm to children, will be investigated and strict action will be taken. This is irresponsible behaviour that has led to the situation of harm to children. We will look into this… When there were already guidelines in place, illegally selling such equipment, which could cause harm, would be considered a crime… This will be thoroughly investigated. And I will speak to the collectors of a couple of districts, specifically, to find out how it entered the market. Ensure action is taken against those who violated the rules.”

Doctors across multiple districts have raised concerns over the growing use of such explosive toys during festivals. Medical professionals from Bhopal and Gwalior said many of the injured children were between six and fifteen years old, and several required emergency surgery to save their eyesight.

At Jaya Arogya Hospital in Gwalior, 19 injured patients were admitted. Eight underwent emergency eye surgeries to remove debris, while two lost their corneas entirely. One patient was referred to AIIMS Bhopal for advanced treatment. Doctors have emphasised that these so-called toys are extremely dangerous, as the chemical reaction between calcium carbide and water produces explosive gas and sparks capable of causing burns and permanent eye damage.

Major hospitals such as Hameedia Hospital, BMCHRC, Kamla Nehru, Seva Sadan, and JP Hospital treated dozens of patients with corneal injuries and severe eye burns.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/madhya-pradesh-bans-carbide-guns-after-300-suffer-eye-injury-during-diwali-10-kids-lose-sight-9655181.html