A deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday killed 28 people, mostly tourists.

India on Wednesday asked all Pakistani nationals to leave India within 48 hours after the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam killed 28 people, mostly tourists.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at a media briefing announced downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan including expulsion of its military attaches. He also spoke about the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting that took place on Wednesday evening.

The glass uses sensor to detect and tell about the objects that are in sight, helps in live translation even without internet, plays music and finds answers to queries etc.

Social media giant Meta will launch its artificial intelligence enabled Ray-Ban Meta Glasses in India soon, the company said in a blog post on Wednesday.

The glass uses sensor to detect and tell about the objects that are in sight, helps in live translation even without internet, plays music and finds answers to queries etc.

“…And coming soon, we’re launching Ray-Ban Meta glasses in Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates. We can’t wait for more people across the globe to get in on the action,” the blog stated.

According to the blog, the glasses can provide seamless conversations across English, French, Italian, and Spanish without Wi-Fi or network connectivity if the user has downloaded the language pack in advance.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/get-in-on-the-action-meta-to-launch-ray-ban-meta-glasses-in-india-soon-8239275

Mangat Singh, carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest, was arrested by a joint team of Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Sahibabad police station officials.

A member of a Khalistani group, who was on the run for the past three decades, was arrested from a village in Punjab’s Amritsar on Wednesday, officials said here.

Mangat Singh, carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest, was arrested by a joint team of Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Sahibabad police station officials.

He has been facing charges of attempt to murder and under sections of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act. An FIR in the case was registered against him in 1993.

Singh was arrested that year and got bail in 1995. He had been on the run since then, a police officer said. He was also wanted in a separate case of robbery and extortion.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/khalistani-terrorist-mangat-singh-who-was-on-run-since-1995-arrested-from-punjab-8240121

In the financial year 2026-27 India’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to expand by 6.3%, as per the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook report. In its January report, the IMF had pegged India’s 2025-26 GDP growth at 6.5%.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday revised down its projection for India’s economic growth in the current financial year to 6.2 per cent from its earlier estimate of 6.5 per cent, citing global uncertainties and trade tensions.

In the financial year 2026-27 India’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to expand by 6.3 per cent, as per the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook report. In its January report, the IMF had pegged India’s 2025-26 GDP growth at 6.5 per cent.

“For India, the growth outlook is relatively more stable at 6.2 per cent in 2025, supported by private consumption, particularly in rural areas, but this rate is 0.3 percentage point lower than that in the January 2025 WEO Update on account of higher levels of trade tensions and global uncertainty,” IMF noted in its report. Here 2025 means financial year 2025-26 (FY26).

The IMF’s projection is lower than the Reserve Bank of India’s estimate of 6.5 per cent. In its monetary policy review earlier this month the RBI cut its India FY26 growth projection to 6.5 per cent from 6.7 per cent. The Economic Survey has pegged FY26 growth in the range of 6.3 to 6.8 per cent.

On Tuesday, the IMF cut its global growth forecast by 50 basis points to 2.8 per cent for the 2025 calendar year. The IMF has cut the US economy growth projection by a full percentage point to 1.8 per cent while China’s growth forecast has been lowered to 4 per cent from January’s projection of 4.6 per cent.

The multilateral lender noted that a sharp increase in tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump on April 2 “will lead to a significant slowdown in global growth in the near term.”

“While many of the scheduled tariff increases are on hold for now, the combination of measures and countermeasures has hiked US and global tariff rates to centennial highs… the global economy is now characterised by a high degree of economic and financial integration, with supply chains and financial flows crisscrossing the world, whose potential unwinding could constitute a major source of economic upheaval,” it said.

“At this juncture, while the situation remains fluid, risks remain firmly tilted to the downside. The global economy showed surprising resilience during the severe shocks of the past four years and still bears significant scars. It is now being severely tested once again, especially in emerging markets and developing economies with more limited buffers,” the IMF added.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/business/imf-cuts-india-s-growth-forecast-for-fy26-to-6-2-3505139

The attack, one of the deadliest in Kashmir in recent years, unfolded in Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgamin south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

As the echoes of gunfire still reverberated in the minds of survivors, chilling details emerged of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 28 civilians, including two foreigners.

The attack, one of the deadliest in Kashmir in recent years, unfolded in Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgamin south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Gulzar Ahmad, a local resident, was among the first to witness the chaos. He described the moments leading up to the attack, noting the rising panic among both tourists and locals. “

We were standing at the stand when some customers had gone to the upper side,” Ahmad said. “At around 2:45 PM, we saw people running in all directions, screaming. We asked what had happened, and that’s when we learned a gunshot had been fired. It was clear something terrible was happening.”

Ahmad, like many others, was thrown into confusion and fear. “The noise of the gunshots was deafening,” he recalled. “People were running in every direction, trying to find shelter, but we didn’t know where to go. It felt like a nightmare.”

Among the most heart-wrenching stories was that of Pallavi, a devastated wife who spoke to local news channels from a hospital in Pahalgam. Her voice quivered as she recounted the horrifying moments leading to the death of her husband.

“My husband was shot dead by terrorists right in front of us,” she said, filled with disbelief and sorrow. “I begged them to shoot me too, but they told me to stay alive and convey a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

She paused, overcome with emotion, before continuing. “They wanted me to tell the world what they had done. I never imagined I would witness something so terrifying, let alone lose my husband this way.”

A disturbing video, recorded by an eyewitness who narrowly escaped the attack, has since surfaced online. In the footage, the survivor, visibly shaken, can be heard saying, “Terrorists have attacked. We narrowly escaped, but God will protect us. [Yaha pe attack hua hai aatankwadiyo ka, hum log baal baal bache hai, parmata raksha karega].”

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir/eyewitnesses-share-heart-wrenching-accounts-of-deadly-pahalgam-terror-attack-3505242

A training aircraft crashed in Gujarat’s Amreli on Tuesday afternoon, killing the pilot on the spot. The police and fire brigade teams have reached the spot.

A trainee pilot died after a training aircraft crashed in the Shashti Nagar area in Gujarat’s Amreli on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the plane, which belongs to a private aviation academy, fell into a tree before crashing into an open plot. The plane then caught fire and the pilot died.
Fire officer HC Gadhvi said that they received the information about the crash at 12:52 pm, and a team was rushed to the spot.
“We controlled the fire. The pilot of the plane was seen inside. The pilot was sent to the hospital. The pilot died in the accident,” Gadhvi added.

Amreli Superintendent of Police, Sanjay Kharat, said that the aircraft crash-landed into a residential area in the Giriya Road area of Amreli town at around 12:30 pm due to unknown reasons. He said the trainee pilot died on the spot, reported PTI.

Kharat added that the pilot was flying solo and it had taken off from the Amreli airport. “After taking off from the Amreli airport with a male trainee pilot, the trainer aircraft of an aviation academy, which operates from the airport, crashed into a residential area. The trainee pilot, who was flying solo, died in the crash while the aircraft was gutted in flames. No one else was injured in the accident,” Kharat said.
The office added that the plane belonged to a Delhi-based aviation academy, which provides pilot training from the Amreli airport.
Local police have started the process to lodge a case of accidental death and investigation to find out the exact cause of the crash. Gadhvi said that four teams of a local fire brigade rushed to Shastrinagar after learning about the plane crash.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/pilot-dies-as-training-aircraft-crashes-in-gujarat-amreli-shashtri-nagar-video-article-151471032

The United States and China have engaged in a rapid tit-for-tat exchange over the past three weeks, with each side raising tariffs on the other’s products.

Air India is likely to take up the Boeing planes rejected by Chinese carriers amid its tariff war with the United States, reported Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. This might be India’s first big gain from the US-China trade war.
Air India needs aircrafts in its fleet to expedite its revival, and it plans to approach Boeing about acquiring the jets manufactured for Chinese carriers before US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs, the report claimed. There has been
Earlier in March this year, Air India had accepted 41 737 Max jets originally built for Chinese airlines after their deliveries were deferred. Apart from Air India, Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd. is also in talks with Boeing to take up its carriers, reported Bernama.

Pahalgam Terror Attack: Jammu witnessed a complete shutdown on Wednesday as multiple organisations protested the brutal killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in a terror attack near Pahalgam. The bandh was called to express collective outrage and demand decisive action against the perpetrators.

Widespread anger and grief erupted across Jammu following the brutal terrorist attack in Baisaran, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. In response, several organisations including the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Transporters’ Association, Jammu Bar Association, and the Congress party have called for a complete shutdown in Jammu (Kashmir Bandh) on Wednesday to protest the killings.
JCCI President Arun Gupta, while announcing the bandh, said, “We have given a bandh call tomorrow as a mark of protest against the killing of tourists in Kashmir. We condemn it in the strongest terms. We urge Jammu people to join in, making this shutdown complete.” Gupta demanded strict action from authorities, urging the government to eliminate those responsible for the carnage.
“We stand with the families who lost their loved ones. We urge Home Minister Amit Shah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure that those involved, along with their overground supporters, are eliminated,” he added. Calling the shutdown a symbolic expression of collective outrage, Gupta further stated, “We want to send a clear message that such barbarism has no place in a civilised society. Targeting innocent tourists is not just an act of terror, it is an assault on humanity.”

VHP President Rajesh Gupta echoed similar sentiments, describing the killings as faith-based. “It is a massacre by terrorists based on faith. They identified people by religion and killed them. We will not tolerate it,” he said. Urging calm amid anger, he added, “We request the people of Jammu to maintain calm, even though there is deep anger over the killing of Hindus.”

A Belgian court has refused bail to diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, one of the main accused in the ₹13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The court ruling came on Tuesday during a hearing in Antwerp, where Choksi was arrested on April 12.

A Belgian court has refused bail to diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, one of the main accused in the ₹13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The court ruling came on Tuesday during a hearing in Antwerp, where Choksi was arrested on April 12, PTI reported.
His lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, confirmed that the court rejected the bail request on Tuesday.
Choksi, 65, was caught by the Belgian authorities in Antwerp after an extradition request from Indian agencies, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A senior official familiar with the case stated that Choksi will now fight his extradition from jail. He had been residing in Antigua since fleeing India in 2018 and had acquired citizenship of the Caribbean nation, despite his Indian citizenship being said to be valid. In November 2023, he reportedly arrived in Belgium claiming to seek medical treatment.

Indian agencies have provided Belgian authorities with at least two open-ended arrest warrants, issued by a special Mumbai court in 2018 and 2021, as part of their extradition request.

Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, several family members, employees, and bank officials, was named in cases filed by the CBI and ED in 2018. The charges are related to a massive loan fraud involving fraudulent issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LOUs) and manipulation of Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs) at PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai.
Aggarwal has previously stated that his client is “extremely sick and undergoing treatment for cancer.”

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/mehul-choksi-denied-bail-in-belgium-to-fight-extradition-in-13000-crore-pnb-scam-article-151474291

Kashmir Pahalgam Terror Attack Live Updates: Lashkar-linked terrorists opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam, killing 26 people in the biggest terror attack on civilians since 26/11.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi on Wednesday morning, cutting short his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, and held an emergency meeting with NSA Ajit Doval, EAM Dr S Jaishankar.

He will conduct a CCS meeting at 11 am today in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.

In one of the biggest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Lashkar-linked terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people, including foreign tourists, and injuring many others. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar offshoot, took responsibility for the attack, top intelligence sources told News18.

Terrorists targeted a group of people, including women and elderly individuals, in the brazen attack after noon. Eyewitnesses told security forces that two to three men rushed in dressed in military fatigues, firing indiscriminately at tourists while they were enjoying the Baisaran Meadows of Pahalgam on horseback. Intelligence sources and eyewitnesses told News18 that the terrorists inquired about the religion before shooting them dead.

Security forces were rushed to the area, and a massive anti-terrorist operation was launched to hunt down the assailants. Videos of the aftermath of the attack showed people lying motionless and bloodied on the ground while women were frantically looking for their loved ones.

The authorities released the list of those who died in the terror attack. The deceased ones included Sushil Nathyal, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, Hemant Suhas Joshi, Vinay Narwal, Atul Shrikant Moni, Neeraj Udhawani, Bitan Adhikari, Sudeep Neupane, Shubham Dwivedi, Prashant Kumar Satpathi, Manish Ranjan (Excise Inspector), N. Ramachandra, Sanjay Lakshman Lali, Dinesh Agarwal, Sameer Guhar, Dileep Dasali, J. Sachandra Moli, Madhusudan Somisetty, Santosh Jaghda, Manju Nath Rao, Kastuba Ganvotay, Bharat Bhushan, Sumit Parmar, Yatesh Parmar, Tagehalying (employee of Airforce), Shaileshbhai H. Himmatbhai Kalathia.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/kashmir-pahalgam-terror-attack-live-updates-baisaran-tourists-death-toll-injured-pm-modi-omar-abdullah-security-forces-amit-shah-latest-updates-liveblog-9309188.html

A user ordered track pants from Zepto and was shocked to find unusual items in the pockets. The user’s experience is going viral on social media, sparking hilarious reactions online.

A post is going viral on social media where a person claimed that after ordering track pants from Zepto, he found something unusual in the pockets. He also alleged that the pants were already used and gross. The post has hilariously erupted into a debate online, with netizens joking, “10 minute ka target bhi toh achieve karna hai.”
The person took to the social media platform Reddit and wrote, “Ordered track pants from Zepto and found Jaipur bus sticker and Rs 10 in the pocket.” The user also shared a picture showing the Rs 10 note and a piece of paper, though the contents of the paper remain unclear in the photo. He further added, “This is actual CASHback, although the pants were already used and gross, but still Rs 10 profit.”

The post has since gone viral and garnered a variety of reactions online. Many netizens responded with hilarious takes. One user joked, “10 rupey ka Surf Excel khareed ke isko dho daalo.” Another wrote, “Keep the change, return the product.” More such funny reactions continued to pour in, adding to the humor of the situation.

In another viral news, a tragic incident from Japan is making waves online, where a man’s dream turned into a nightmare just an hour after taking delivery of his brand-new Ferrari. The Ferrari 458 Spider, owned by 33-year-old music producer Honkon, caught fire shortly after he began driving it. Honkon had reportedly spent ten years saving up to buy the luxury car, only to see it destroyed within minutes.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/customer-gets-used-track-pants-with-surprise-cashback-and-mystery-note-from-zepto-netizens-in-splits-article-151473810

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and strongly condemned the terror attack which took place in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, extending America’s full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of the heinous act.

“President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Modi and conveyed his deepest condolences at the loss of innocent lives in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

“President Trump strongly condemned the terror attack and expressed full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous attack. India and the United States stand together in the fight against terror,” Jaiswal added.

PM Modi, in response, thanked the US President for his support and vowed to bring the “cowardly terrorists” responsible for the deadly attack to justice.

“PM Modi thanked President Trump for his support and said that India is determined to bring the perpetrators and backers of this cowardly and heinous terrorist attack to justice,” government sources told India Today TV.

“Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir. The United States stands strong with India against terrorism. We pray for the souls of those lost, and for the recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Modi, and the incredible people of India, have our full support and deepest sympathies. Our hearts are with you all!” he wrote on Truth Social.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pahalgam-terror-attack-trump-calls-pm-modi-jammu-and-kashmir-us-india-terrorism-2713135-2025-04-23

Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the strategic 250-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar National Highway — the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country — while many were buried under the debris.

Ramban: Newlywed Nazir Ahmad and Zaheera Bano were expecting a smooth ride into their marital life.

But as they trudged through sludge and debris-filled roads of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district brought in by cloudburst-triggered flash floods and landslides, the resolute couple in wedding attire was on cloud nine, insisting the experience solidified their bond.

“It was tiring but, in a way, it made the day even more special,” said Ahmad.

Like Ahmad and Zaheera, many newlywed couples had to face a similar ordeal a day after calamity hit the district, blocking the arterial Jammu-Srinagar national highway and rendering many other roads impassable.

Sunil Kumar led his wedding processing, complete with ‘band-baaja’, on foot through muck to the bride’s residence.

To the surprise of many who assembled near Usman Hotel in the Ramban old highway market to have a look at the devastation caused by the flash floods, Kumar descended from the hilltop village accompanied by over three dozen people who were part of the procession.

“We are helpless before nature and since the date of our marriage has been fixed long back, we decided to go ahead with it,” he said as he moved through the ravages caused by landslides.

Nazir Ahmad and his bride were in luck as a few Army personnel gave them a lift in their vehicle to make their journey from Bano’s Chenani home to his Ramban residence a bit easier. “We have another four kilometres to go before we reach our destination,” he said, thanking the Army for extending a helping hand.

Through her bright red veil, Bano said they had been walking for more than one hour but it was not that exhausting, thanks to the pleasant weather.

Mashkoor Ahmad, a resident of Neel, grabbed eyeballs as he along with his family members walked to Hamand Kamra village early in the morning to formalise his ‘Nikkah’. He said that they left home around 6 am.

“I have to walk six kilometres more,” he said, adding they plan to return on foot along with the bride.

Three persons, including two minor siblings, were killed and more than 100 people were rescued after heavy rainfall and cloudbursts triggered flash floods, landslides and mudslides and caused massive damage to infrastructure, including roads and residential buildings, in Ramban district.

Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the strategic 250-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar National Highway — the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country — while many were buried under the debris.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir/ramban-flash-flood-fails-to-dampen-spirit-as-brides-walk-on-foot-to-wedding-venue-3503422 

Zeeshan Siddique, son of former state minister Baba Siddique, who was shot last year, received a death threat through his email. Zeeshan has received several such death threats ever since his father’s murder.

Former Maharashtra MLA and NCP leader Zeeshan Siddique on Monday claimed that he has received a death threat via email. The message, purportedly from a ‘D-company’ member, warned him he would meet the same end as his late father, Baba Siddique, unless he paid Rs 10 crore.

“Since the last three days I am receiving emails continuously, with content that ‘you would be killed just like Baba Siddique if you don’t pay Rs 10 crore’. The sender claimed to be a member of the D-company and warned me not to contact police,” Zeeshan Siddique said while speaking to news agency PTI.

In response to Siddique’s complaint, the police have initiated an investigation into the threat and extortion demand, and are in the process of recording his statement.

Baba Siddique, a 66-year-old NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader, was shot dead on October 12, 2024, by three assailants outside Zeeshan Siddique’s office building in Bandra East, Mumbai.

Over the past six months, Zeeshan Siddique has received multiple death threats. These threats have been linked to attempts at extortion and are believed to be connected to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which is also implicated in being involved in his father’s murder.

Last year, in October, a 20-year-old tattoo artist from Noida, identified as Mohammad Tayyab, was arrested for sending eight WhatsApp messages to Zeeshan Siddique’s office. Tayyab, who goes by the name of Gufran Khan, claimed to have overheard members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang discuss plans to harm Siddique and actor Salman Khan with the use of drones.

He also alleged that gang members were in his vicinity, carrying firearms. Authorities stated to the press that Khan was motivated by the intent to extort money by providing false information about the threats.

Later that month, another Whatsapp message was sent, but this time to the Mumbai Traffic Police Helpline from a 56-year-old man from Bandra West, named Azam Mohammed Mustafa. He was demanding 2 crore from Siddique and Salman Khan.

Mustafa was a jobless returnee from Saudi Arabia who had reportedly sent the message after watching news coverage of previous threats. He was apprehended within a day of sending the message and was arrested.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/death-threat-received-zeeshan-siddique-ex-congress-mla-ncp-leader-son-of-baba-siddique-2712465-2025-04-21

The 50-year-old woman was wearing two-kg silver anklets on her feet, which the accused looted and fled, police said.

A woman was found dead in a field on Sunday morning with her throat slit and both her ankles severed from the body in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district. The chopped-up body parts were found in a nearby pond. The reason for the murder was allegedly two thick silver anklets, or kada, on the woman’s feet.

The 50-year-old woman was wearing two-kg silver anklets on her feet, which the accused looted and fled, police said.

On Sunday morning, Urmila Meena left her morning to go to the field to cut wood. When she did not return till 11 am, the family started looking for her. They informed the Bamanwas police station upon finding her body in the farmland.

The murder sparked protests in the village, with the villagers blocking a road by placing the woman’s body on it. The angry villagers sought the arrest of the people behind the murder within 24 hours.

The police tried to convince the villagers and the family members to unblock the road, but the villagers remained adamant about their demand.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/womans-throat-slit-ankles-cut-off-over-2-kg-silver-anklets-in-rajasthan-8220593

During the period of state mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India and there will be no official entertainment.

The central government of India on Monday announced a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect for the passing of Pope Francis, of these, two days will be observed on April 22 and 23, and the third on the pontiff’s funeral day.

The pontiff, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88, the Vatican announced in a video statement on Monday. In his 12-year-long papacy, the Pope suffered various ailments.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a statement, said, “His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See passed away on April 21. As a mark of respect, three-day state mourning shall be observed throughout India.”

As per the schedule, the two days of state mourning will be April 22, Tuesday, and April 23, Wednesday. The third day of state mourning will be observed on the day of Pope Francis’ funeral, the statement added.

During this period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India on all buildings where the Tricolour is flown regularly, and there will be no official entertainment.

The Pope’s death came just a day after Easter celebrations. The pontiff had on Sunday called for freedom of thought and tolerance in his Easter Sunday address.

His speech read, “There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.” It also condemned the anti-Semitism, and the “dramatic and deplorable” situation in Gaza.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences over the Pope’s passing and said that he will always be remembered as a “beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world”.

The PM shared images of his meeting with the Pope and posted on X, “Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-to-observe-3-day-state-mourning-on-passing-of-pope-francis-101745258327698.html

The video ended with Kamya revealing the newly-decorated room to her parents, who were astonished by the transformation.

In a bold experiment, Indian entrepreneur Kamya Gupta, an AI enthusiast, leveraged ChatGPT to revolutionise her room transformation project, effectively using the AI tool as her virtual interior designer.

Gupta made a reel of her room’s transformation and shared the whole process on social media, showing how the OpenAI chatbot helped her in redecorating her room. The results are stunning. A warm and minimalistic space that’s both aesthetically stunning and deeply personal.

The transformation started with a simple prompt to ChatGPT: “I need to repaint this wall in a colour that goes with the wooden flooring, but I want to make the room eclectic and I need to fill it with frames. So what would you suggest?”

The AI assistant provided expert guidance on layout, art arrangement, and personalised details like neon signs. Kamya even uploaded screenshots of her desired furniture and light fixtures, which the AI incorporated into a customised mockup.

The video ended with Kamya revealing the newly-decorated room to her parents, who were astonished by the transformation.

“Honestly, this is insane. A thought that I had in my mind for years came to life just through a conversation,” Gupta wrote in the caption of her Instagram post, sharing photos of her newly renovated space. “As an AI enthusiast, I got to explore and learn so many new features just by being curious. Doing this for my parents, getting the best reaction, having all my core memories up, and finally having my chill spot—I’m thankful and scared of AI at the same time,” she wrote on the post.

The room makeover quickly went viral on social media, with users marvelling at the stunning transformation and the post racking up engagement.

“The best use of AI I’ve seen in a while 💯,” one user wrote. “Kudos to you for your patience and it’s good to watch people use AI smartly instead of jumping on to ChatGPT for ghibli,” wrote the other.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/indian-entrepreneur-uses-chatgpt-for-room-makeover-leaves-netizens-stunned-ws-kl-9308020.html

US Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha and their three children, started their four-day visit to India with a trip to the Akshardham Temple in Delhi.

US Vice President JD Vance visited the Akshardham Temple in Delhi with his wife Usha and their three children on Monday. Vance began his four-day official visit to India with a visit to the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple with Second Lady Usha Vance, and their children, Vivek, Ewan, and Mirabel. After his visit, the US Vice President thanked the Akshardham Temple for its hospitality and kindness, and shared that his kids in particular had loved the experience.
“Thank you all so much for your hospitality and kindness in welcoming me and my family to this beautiful place. It is a great credit to India that you built a beautiful temple with precision and care. Our kids in particular loved it. God Bless,” the US Vice President said in a statement.
The temple’s spokesperson, Radhika Shukla shared that the US Vice President spent around 55 minutes exploring the temple, admiring its architecture, and offering prayers for world peace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over Pope Francis’ death, praising his legacy of compassion and service to the poor. He recalled personal meetings and the Pope’s special affection for India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Pope Francis, offering heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. In a post on X, the Prime Minister reflected on the Pope’s legacy of “compassion, humility, and dedication to serving the poor.
PM Modi recalled his meetings with Pope Francis, highlighting his commitment to “inclusive development” and his special affection for India.
“Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world,” PM Modi said.

“From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope. I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God’s embrace,” he added.

Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and Latin American Pope, passed away at 88 on Monday, leaving behind a legacy of humility, service, and dialogue. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced his death from the Casa Santa Marta, where the pontiff had been living. The devastating news came just a day after Pope Francis made a surprise public appearance on Easter Sunday, addressing more than 35,000 faithful in St Peter’s Square.
The Vatican said that the pontiff had been hospitalised for weeks battling a complex lung infection which led to early stages of kidney insufficiency. “This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/pm-modi-pays-tribute-to-pope-francis-a-beacon-of-compassion-humility-article-151463582

Business entertainment TV show, Shark Tank India judge, and Boat co-founder, Aman Gupta, in his social media post on LinkedIn, highlighted that the BluSmart crisis serves as a reality check for others in the startup ecosystem.

“The BluSmart situation is tough. Sad for everyone involved. But also a much-needed reality check for all of us in the ecosystem,” said Aman Gupta in his post.

The angel investor also expressed empathy for the investors who lost money, the employees who lost their jobs, and the customers who lost a cab-hailing service. He said that this incident had also “dented” the ecosystem.

“But more than that, this has also dented trust in the ecosystem. You’ll now hear: ‘Yaad hai Blusmart ke saath kya hua tha?!’” said Gupta.

‘Damage we can’t afford’

Aman Gupta also emphasised how global multinational companies (MNCs) have had their meltdowns, and even though people might say that this incident will cause damage that the Indian startup can’t afford, the key factor is how the system bounces back after the issue.

“And, one might say that that’s the damage we can’t afford. But, let’s zoom out. Even global MNCs have had their meltdowns. What matters is how we as a country and ecosystem bounce back,” he said.

He also showed his confidence in the Indian startup ecosystem, and highlighted how the compliance and ethical factor in a company is not just another tick box, but the ‘foundation’ of the system.

“The Indian startup ecosystem is resilient. We always rise stronger. And we will this time too. For all founders, here’s the biggest takeaway: Compliance and ethics aren’t boxes to tick. They’re the foundation,” said the Shark Tank India judge.

The ‘not-so-cool tasks’

Aman Gupta also said that the so-called “not so cool tasks” like maintaining a clean book, carrying out timely audits, and maintaining transparency are the only ways to keep businesses sustainable.

“Being a CA, I’ve seen this up close: Clean books, Timely audits, Transparent reporting. All so called “not so cool tasks” make businesses sustainable. Aur bachpan mein parents ne sikhaya tha – Jo bhi karo, dil se karo. Par Galat na karo. Same rule applies in business too,” he said.

He urged the startup founders to push more towards “due diligence” activities and not just in finance but also in other aspects of the business like the company culture, along with operations and responsibility.

“EQ, IQ & GQ (Governance Quotient) sab important hote hai. I hope more founders push for real due diligence, not just in finance, but in culture, operations, and responsibility. Because at the end of the day your vision matters. Your growth matters. But how you build matters just as much,” he said.

“Let’s use this as a reminder: To build not just fast, but right,” said Aman Gupta, highlighting the BluSmart crisis.

BluSmart Crisis

Several passengers in the cities of Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, and Mumbai were unable to book cabs through the ride-hailing app BluSmart. The company started to wind down its operations on Wednesday, April 16, after failing multiple attempts to raise fresh capital for the business.

Moreover, the company promoter, Anmol Singh Jaggi, is currently facing a fraud and forgery accusation by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

Source : https://www.livemint.com/companies/people/from-zuckerberg-to-jamie-dimon-here-are-top-10-executives-who-sold-shares-ahead-of-trump-tariffs-11745160577885.html

Additional commissioner of police Vikash Kumar Vikash said the motive behind the crime is not yet clear, but the police are questioning the former DGP’s wife and daughter

Karnataka’s former DGP Om Prakash, who served in the post from 2015 to 2017, was found murdered at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday. His wife, Pallavi, is the primary suspect and is being questioned.

Om Prakash was allegedly stabbed to death, and the murder weapon has been recovered from the scene. His body was found at his home in HSR Layout even as the police are conducting a thorough investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to the police, there are multiple stab wounds on his chest, stomach and hand. Other family members being questioned include his daughter, who was also in the house.

Additional commissioner of police (West) Vikash Kumar Vikash said the motive behind the crime is not yet clear, but the police are questioning Om Prakash’s wife and daughter.

“There was call on 112 police helpline, when the team came here they got to know about the murder. He was staying with his wife and daughter. We are taking information from his son as well. We haven’t arrested anyone, we are questioning his wife and daughter, we are still investigating the reason for the murder,” he said.

Pallavi reportedly called the wife of another retired IPS officer and confessed to the crime. The tragic incident took place following a period of domestic discord, as per police sources.

OM PRAKASH HAILED FROM CHAMPARAN IN BIHAR, DISTINGUISHED CAREER

Om Prakash, 68, hailed from Bihar’s Champaran district and had a distinguished career in the Karnataka police force. He began his service in Karnataka as the assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in Harapanahalli.

Over the years, he served as superintendent of police (SP) in several districts, including Shimoga, Uttara Kannada, and Chikkamagaluru. His career included significant roles such as state vigilance SP and duties within the Karnataka Lokayukta.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/former-karnataka-dgp-found-dead-at-bengaluru-home-murder-suspected-9306471.html

The NIA named Dharmendra Singh, Gaurav and Deepak for conspiring with other accused to carry out the attack on Hotel Highway King in Neemrana in December 2024.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted three more accused in the Neemrana hotel firing case, linked with Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dala, the agency said on Sunday.

The NIA filed its second supplementary charge sheet on Saturday before the NIA Special Court, Jaipur, naming Dharmendra Singh, Gaurav and Deepak for conspiring with other accused to carry out the attack on Hotel Highway King in Neemrana in December 2024, the agency said in a statement.

With this, NIA has so far chargesheeted a total of six accused in the case relating to the conspiracy involving Dala and others.

Three other accused, identified as Sachin alias Praveen alias Dholia, Yogesh alias Monu, and Vijay alias Kale, were chargesheeted by NIA last month.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/nia-chargesheets-3-more-accused-in-firing-case-linked-with-khalistani-terrorist-arsh-dala-ws-l-9306698.html

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the modules were being operated from abroad by France-based Satnam Singh, also known as Satta, and Greece-based Jaswinder Singh, also known as Mannu Agwan.

Punjab Police on Saturday said they have busted two major Khalistani terror modules backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), arresting 13 people and seizing a large cache of weapons and explosives.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the modules were being operated from abroad by France-based Satnam Singh, also known as Satta, and Greece-based Jaswinder Singh, also known as Mannu Agwan. Both are linked to the banned group Babbar Khalsa International.

This is a major blow to transnational terror networks targeting peace and stability in Punjab, Yadav said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Police recovered two rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) including a launcher, two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) weighing 2.5 kg each, two hand grenades with detonators, two kilograms of RDX with remote control, five pistols including Beretta and Glock models, six magazines, 44 live cartridges, a wireless communication set, and three vehicles.

The four suspects linked to the first module were identified as Jatinder Singh, also known as Honey, and Jagjit Singh, also known as Jagga, both from Kapurthala, and Harpreet Singh and Jagroop Singh from Hoshiarpur. Police said their network was managed by Satnam Singh from France.
Nine operatives from the second module, allegedly led by Jaswinder Singh from Greece, were also arrested. Their identities were not immediately released.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/punjab-isi-backed-terror-modules-operated-from-abroad-busted-ieds-2-kg-rdx-recovered-article-151455303

The victim, 80-year-old Uddhav Singh Joshi, has alleged that the doctor initially misbehaved with him and then dragged him out of the hospital. He said the doctor also kicked and slapped him repeatedly.

A senior citizen was dragged, slapped and kicked inside a District Hospital in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh and the victim has alleged it was a doctor who misbehaved with him and thrashed him brutally. 80-year-old Uddhav Singh Joshi said he had gone to the government hospital with his wife for treatment and they were standing in a queue.
He claimed one of the doctors, Dr Rajesh Mishra, first misbehaved with him and then said that they were not following the rules while standing in the queue. He said the doctor then dragged him, kicked and slapped him as well. Joshi further alleged that his wife was also beaten by the doctor.

Responding to the concern, Civil Surgeon, Doctor GL Ahirwar said, “Yes, there was an argument between the doctor and the senior citizen, but the victim’s allegations are false that he was kicked and doctor misbehaved with him.”
However, in a video that has surfaced, a man is seen dragging the elderly out of the hospital. He then slaps and kicks the victim. The incident reportedly happened on April 17.

Ahirwar said the doctor has been instructed not to behave in any such manner, and elderly people can be prioritised in the queue. However, the matter has now become political with the Congress training guns at BJP’s Mohan Yadav government in the state.
“Chhatarpur incident clearly shows that Mohan Govt has entirely failed in giving better health services and this govt has turned into a JUNGALRAAJ,” said Abhinav Barolia, Congress Spokesperson.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Ajay Yadav said that the administration has been asked to act against those guilty. “The Dist administration has been given Instructions to take action against those whoever are guilty in it … As BJP government in MP is committed to the privileged service of Poor and Senior citizens on priority, ” he added.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/80-year-old-man-dragged-kicked-slapped-by-doctor-for-violating-queue-rules-mp-hospital-video-article-151457310

Jasmin Walia was yet again spotted in the stands at Wankhede Stadium, cheering for rumoured boyfriend Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians (MI) during their IPL match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday. She celebrated MI’s 9-wicket victory with a standing ovation. Her frequent appearances have sparked speculation about the truth behind dating rumours.

British singer and TV personality Jasmin Walia was once again spotted in the VIP stands at Wankhede Stadium, cheering for rumoured boyfriend Hardik Pandya’s team, Mumbai Indians (MI), during their IPL match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Mumbai on Sunday. She was seen celebrating MI’s 9-wicket victory.

Jasmin was seen wearing a white cropped top and white pants, clapping for her rumoured boyfriend Pandya’s team. She gave a standing ovation and was seen beaming with joy.

Jasmin has frequently been spotted attending MI matches at Wankhede Stadium, leading netizens to believe that the ongoing dating rumours may have some truth.

Earlier, following Mumbai Indian’s IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Jasmin was seen leaving with the WAGs (wives and girlfriends) in the official team bus allotted for them.

Walia’s appearance with the WAGs seemingly confirmed her relationship with Hardik, as the bus is only allotted to family members of the cricketers.

The dating rumours between Jasmin and Hardik began after the duo posted separate photos from the same locations, including a trip to Greece. Following the India vs Pakistan Champions Trophy match, they were also spotted relaxing by the beach in Dubai, fuelling further speculation.

The duo have yet to confirm the dating rumours.

Hardik was earlier married to Nataaa Stankovic. The duo tied the knot on May 31, 2020, and welcomed their first child, son Agastya on July 30 of the same year. In 2023, they renewed their vows with a lavish ceremony in Udaipur.

The former couple’s divorce announcement post read, “After 4 years of being together, Hardik and I have decided to mutually part ways. We tried our best together and gave it our all, and we believe this is in the best interest for the both of us. This was a tough decision for us to make, given the joy, mutual respect and companionship we enjoyed together and as we grew a family.”

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/hardik-pandya-rumoured-gf-jasmin-walia-attends-mi-vs-csk-match-gives-standing-ovation-after-9-wicket-win-at-wankhede-photo

For its part, Nagpur Rural Police said a large metal piece reportedly fell from the sky on the terrace slab of a house in the Kose layout at 4 am on Saturday.

An unidentified object from the sky fell on the terrace of a house in Umred taluka of Nagpur district in Maharashtra, triggering discussions of whether it was part of ‘space debris’.

For its part, Nagpur Rural Police said a large metal piece reportedly fell from the sky on the terrace slab of a house in the Kose layout at 4 am on Saturday.

A forensic team of police is trying to identify the object, police said.

The local resident claimed the steel object fell on the parapet of his terrace between 4 am and 4.15 am.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/space-debris-huge-metal-object-falls-on-house-terrace-in-nagpur-district-3501927

Akhilesh Yadav has levelled a big allegation about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s political ambitions.

Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday made a massive claim surrounding Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s political future, suggesting that the recent Mahakumbh mela was projected in a way to position him as a Prime Ministerial candidate. Raking up the Mahakumbh mela that was organised in Prayagraj this year at a grand scale, Akhilesh Yadav alleged that there were rumours to make it an event of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and to announce the UP CM as the next Prime Ministerial candiate.
Speaking to reporters, Akhilesh Yadav said, “They want to make every event a BJP event. It is being heard that during the Maha Kumbh, it was their plan to announce his (CM Yogi Adityanath) name as the Prime Minister’s face. They wanted to make this a political Kumbh. This was not a religious Kumbh. Have you ever seen so many announcements and interviews on Kumbh before? People should be able to see the truth.”

“Look, I am the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the party has put me here for the people of Uttar Pradesh, and politics is not a full-time job for me. At present, I am working here but in reality, I am a Yogi. As long as we are here, we are working. There will be a time limit to this too,” he had said in response.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/kumbh-mela-was-bjps-plan-to-launch-yogi-adityanath-as-akhilesh-yadavs-big-claim-on-up-cms-political-future-article-151459357

The child was found near Disha’s Bareilly residence where Kushboo stays with her father, retired police circle officer Jagdish Patani. Her brave act is being widely appreciated in the city.

An abandoned infant, about nine to 10 months old, was rescued from a dilapidated structure by Bollywood actress Disha Patani’s sister, Khushboo Patani here on Sunday morning, police said.

Khushboo Patani climbed over a wall to save the baby, they said.

The child was found near Disha’s Bareilly residence where Kushboo stays with her father, retired police circle officer Jagdish Patani. Her brave act is being widely appreciated in the city.

According to Circle Officer (City-I) Pankaj Srivastava, Khushboo was out for a morning walk when she heard the cries of the baby from an abandoned building nearby.

“There was no direct access to the structure, so she took the courageous step of climbing over a wall to reach the spot. Inside, she found an infant lying on the ground, crying and with visible injuries on the face,” Srivastava said.

She immediately brought infant home and administered first aid.

The family then informed the police about the incident. The child was later admitted to the district hospital, where treatment is ongoing, police said.

Police have begun checking CCTV footage from the vicinity to identify who abandoned the child.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/disha-patanis-sister-rescues-injured-infant-from-abandoned-building-in-up-8212293

The Instagram user allegedly referred to the recent shooting at Salman Khan’s house and threatened to attack Abhinav Shukla in a similar way.

Television actor Abhinav Shukla has allegedly received death threat from a social media user claiming to be a part of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang.

The death threat reportedly comes after a verbal tiff between Shukla’s wife, actress Rubina Dilaik, and rapper Asim Riaz on the show “Battleground”, a news agency ANI report said. Soon after the episode aired, Shukla was allegedly targeted on social media, with the threat referring to the recent shooting incident at Salman Khan’s house.

Shukla shared a series of screenshots and videos on his X handle, wherein it was visible that the threat message was sent on Instagram by a user named Ankush Gupta.

“I’m from Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang. I know your address. Should I come over? Just like Salman Khan was shot at, I’ll come to your house and shoot you with an AK-47,” the threat message read in Hindi.

It further said, “Consider this your final warning. Say anything about Asim, and your name goes on the list. Lawrence Bishnoi stands with Asim.”

Shukla also posted a screen recording of the sender’s Instagram profile, mentioning that the person appeared to be from Chandigarh.

In his X post, the actor tagged Punjab and Chandigarh Police and said, “DEATH THREATS to my family! @DGPPunjabPolice @PunjabPoliceInd @DgpChdPolice @ChdPol. Person seems to be from Chandigarh/Mohali. Please act firmly & promptly. To anyone who recognises the person plz report @DGPPunjabPolice.”

The incident comes just a week after Salman Khan received fresh death threat. Reports said that the WhatsApp number of the Mumbai Traffic Police helpline received a threatening message, claiming that they would kill the actor after entering his house and blow up his car with a bomb.

Last year, shots were fired at Salman’s house, Galaxy Apartments in Bandra, by shooters associated with the Bishnoi gang. Following this, the actor’s security was also beefed up. This was the fifth time that the actor received a threat to his life in the last two years.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/abhinav-shukla-gets-death-threat-from-bishnoi-gang-member-after-wife-rubinas-spat-with-asim-riaz-101745174260688.html

Officials pinned the chaos on Sunday on a combination of poor planning and months-long miscommunication, with one of the airport’s 4 runways shut for upgrades.

Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport remained hobbled on Sunday, with roughly 68% of all arrivals and departures delayed, as the airport operator said airlines failed to heed warnings about disruptions issued four months ago and neglected to adjust their flight schedules.

Officials pinned the chaos on a combination of poor planning and months-long miscommunication, with one of the airport’s four runways shut for upgrades during the busy summer travel season, coupled with an untimely change in wind direction – a perfect storm of factors that slashed capacity and left passengers blind-sided.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the airport operator, said airlines were informed about the planned runway upgrade and potential wind disruption four months ago, but made “minimal or no changes”.

“The closure of Runway 10/28 since 8th April for essential Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgradation, was planned well in advance in consultation with all relevant stakeholders and based on historical wind patterns over 4 months ago…it was agreed amongst all stakeholders, including Airlines and ATC [air traffic control] that will be temporary capacity constraints for arrivals…,” DIAL said in a statement on X.

“During such moments the Airlines are to reschedule or cancel flights at short notice in interest of passenger safety and convenience… However, there were minimal to no changes made. Unfortunately this limited action/non action has led to significant operational challenges for all the stakeholders including Delhi airport and ATC and in the end impacted the passengers significantly,” it added.

DIAL said the airport, in coordination with stakeholders, had decided to temporarily suspend the upgrade work.

“Runway 10/28 will be brought back into operation in the first week of May, with the remaining upgrade activities deferred for a month or so,” it said.

Thousands of passengers were affected on Sunday as 501 departures and 384 arrivals were delayed, as of 11.30pm, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. This is just over 68% of the 1,300-odd flights the airport handles a day.

The service also said departures were, on average, delayed by an hour and arrivals by 75 minutes.

The airport operates four runways; 27/09, 28/10 (both these runways are old), 29L/11R, and 29R/11L, with the newest runway becoming operational in 2023. On a typical day, the airport handles up to 46 arrivals per hour.

Meanwhile, Terminal 2 was closed on April 15 2025 with the 46,000 passengers and 270,280 flights it handled being shifted to expanded Terminal 1, which was completely operational on the same day, April 15.

These concurrent factors snowballed into a harrowing time for passengers, and the mayhem was thrown under the spotlight again when Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah early on Sunday morning criticised the airport for a lengthy delay.

“Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but I’m in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. I’ve no idea what time we will leave from here,” he said on X.

Runway 28/10 was closed on April 8 to enhance its Instrument Landing System (ILS) to CAT III B standards – an upgrade that would help it better cope with fog in winter. The timelines were set out to ensure work was completed before winter this year.

In mid-December, key aviation stakeholders were in discussions to devise a plan to minimize weather-related disruptions, said officials aware of the matter. DIAL anticipated a reduction in runway capacity — and possible flight cancellations — because of the upgrade.

By January, DIAL formally informed stakeholders and stated that the runway work would not impact flight operations.

Further complicating the situation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) experienced a leadership change at the same time. DIAL first sought approvals from the civil aviation ministry in December 2024 and later from both the DGCA and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on January 15. These approvals were granted in February, said the people cited above.

A meeting on March 4 involving DIAL, AAI, the civil aviation ministry and airline representatives discussed DIAL’s mitigation plan to handle passenger operations during the closure and ILS upgrade. According to the meeting minutes reviewed by HT, all stakeholders were made aware of the shift in wind patterns and were advised to plan their operations accordingly.

In the meeting led by the AAI chairman Vipin Kumar, it was noted that when the airport operates with easterly winds in mind, the flight paths for runways 09 and 11R cross each other about 7.6 nautical miles west of the airport at a 12 degree angle. Because of this, the number of arriving flights are forced to be reduced to 32 per hour.

A former AAI official explained, “When Runway 11L is used for departures and 11R for arrivals, and runway 09 is also used only for departures, the flight paths are not fully separate. So, there must be a gap of 100 to 110 seconds between each arriving flight on Runway 11R, which limits the number of arrivals to about 32 per hour.”

Officials from AAI confirmed that airlines were informed about IMD’s forecast, which predicted an increase in easterly wind conditions. In March and April, around 30% of flights were expected to operate in easterly Mode, increasing to 50% by May and June. This seasonal shift, driven by pre-monsoon changes, was expected to further reduce runway capacity.

During westerly winds — when Runway 27 operates in mixed mode, Runway 29 is used for departures, and Runway 29L for arrivals — the combined capacity is 74 flights per hour. Under Easterly winds, with Runway 09 and 11L handling departures and Runway 11R managing arrivals, capacity is around 72. But with only one runway available for arrivals, the effective arrival capacity drops significantly.

Runway 28/10 had been reopened in February 2024 after being shut for re-carpeting in September 2023. It was closed again in April, right when summer flight traffic started increasing.

Relief may be on the way. A senior IMD official said the wind direction is expected to shift back to westerly in two days.

“Every time a western disturbance hits the western Himalayas, wind direction temporarily shifts to easterly. This is normal. As for how operations are affected, that’s for the airport authorities to determine,” the official said.

Some officials suggested that the upgrade work could have been phased. However, industry experts disagreed, saying the nature of the work—milling the runway surface and installing inset lights—required it to be completed in one go. They added that the March to June window was optimal, as it avoids fog in winter and heavy rains during the monsoon.

Airlines were also advised that delays and diversions during easterly mode were inevitable. They were encouraged to review and adjust their schedules every two weeks based on actual operating conditions and unscheduled flight movements to minimise cancellations.

“The airport operator shares its plans with stakeholders as per standard procedures. It’s the airlines who should have trimmed their operations to avoid disruption,” said Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety expert.

“A four-month closure of a major runway is a long time for a hub like Delhi. DGCA, as the regulator, should have revisited the summer schedule and possibly issued a revised one.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chaos-at-delhi-airport-68-of-flights-delayed-as-disruption-warnings-issued-4-months-ago-go-unheeded-101745193828299.html

Daughter of former Indian cricketer and ex-coach Sanjay Bangar, Anaya has made shocking revelations about her journey after she transformed from a male to a female.

Claiming that the world of cricket is very insecure and full of toxic masculinity, in an interview with Lallantop, Anaya shed light on the fact that she had to maintain secrecy when playing cricket while growing up. “I played with some well known cricketers now like Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal. I had to maintain secrecy about myself because dad is a well-known figure.”

While she accepted that there has been support regarding her decision, there has also been harassment. She revealed that a few cricketers have been randomly sending her nude pictures of themselves, while some people have been asking her to send pictures of herself. “The person used to give gaalis in front of everybody. The same person then used to come and sit beside me and ask for my photos.

She recalled another incident where she confided about her situation to a veteran cricketer, and he replied, “Let’s go in your car, I want to sleep with you.”

Reflecting on her journey, she revealed in the interview that she knew at the age of 8-9 years old that she was in the wrong body. “I used to get clothes from my mother’s wardrobe and look in the mirror and say that I want to be a girl.”

The cricket career of Anaya, who was Aryan back in the day, started at the age of 12. However, transwomen have been banned from playing cricket as per the International Cricket Council (ICC) rules.

She also called for setting new margins to determine the eligibily of trans women in women’s sports.

Last year, Anaya shared a post on Instagram expressing her hurt over the ban on transgenders from competing in cricket.

“We need policies that don’t make us choose between our identity and our passions. Trans women deserve the right to compete, play, and thrive,” Anaya had said in her post last year.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/cricketers-sent-nude-pics-asked-to-sleep-with-me-sanjay-bangars-daughter-on-journey-since-gender-transition-3500724 

The US vice president, his wife, Usha, and their three children — Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel — are scheduled to land at the Palam airbase in Delhi at 10 am on Monday on a four-day India visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for US Vice President J D Vance and Indian-origin Second Lady Usha on Monday evening, after holding talks with the American leader that are set to focus on trade, tariff and several other key issues, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

The US vice president, his wife, Usha, and their three children — Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel — are scheduled to land at the Palam airbase in Delhi at 10 am on Monday on a four-day India visit.

The Vances will be welcomed on their arrival by a senior Union minister.

Besides Delhi, Vance and his family will travel to Jaipur and Agra.

Vance is expected to be accompanied by at least five senior officials, including from the Pentagon and the State Department, the people cited above said.

Hours after arriving in Delhi, Vance and his family are scheduled to visit the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple and could also go to a shopping complex selling traditional Indian handcrafted goods, they said.

At 6:30 pm on Monday, Modi will host Vance for talks that are expected to focus on an early finalisation of the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement as well as on ways to boost the overall trajectory of the ties between the two countries.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by Modi, the people said.

After the talks, the prime minister will host the Vances and the accompanying American officials for dinner.

The people cited above said Vance and his family will leave for Jaipur on Monday night.

In Delhi, the US vice president and his family are set to stay in the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel.

On April 22, the Vances will visit a number of historical sites, including the Amer Fort, also known as the Amber Fort — a UNESCO world heritage site — the people said.

In the afternoon, the US vice president is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, they added.

Vance is expected to delve into the broader aspects of the India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during his speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials and academia.

The US vice president and his family are expected to travel to Agra on the morning of April 23, the people cited above said.

In Agra, they will visit the Taj Mahal and Shilpgram, an open-air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts, they said.

After concluding their trip to Agra, the Vances will return to Jaipur in the second half of April 23.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/whats-on-jd-vance-india-visit-itinerary-akshardham-temple-dinner-with-pm-modi-and-more-9305910.html

Michi, the illustrator, said the artwork passed for machine creation, though they later came clean.

A self-described artist says they won an AI-generated image competition held at their office by entering a hand-drawn illustration. According to a social media post, the submission, a drawing of a cat, ended up winning the prize – a box of chocolates which they later forfeited – after “nobody noticed it wasn’t AI.”
The artwork shows the perspective of the artist overlooking a cat sitting on a laptop connected to a monitor. The tabby was revealed to be a real feline from a picture that seemingly inspired the drawing.

“For the record, I’m not completely against AI,” clarified the illustrator, who uses the name Michi on X. “I think it has massive potential in scientific research. We’ve already been using it here for protein structure and genomic analysis and it’s been a powerful tool.”

“However as an artist, I also feel that it’s important to remember that technology should be regarded as a tool to extend our own creativity and capabilities, not replace them.”
Michi said they’d have preferred for the competition to be a real art or photography contest, but suspected that it may not have been a competition at all, just an interactive activity to see whose submission got the most “smiles.”

The artist also clarified that after winning, they disclosed “the nature of the artwork” and that it was all in good fun.
“As for the prize, it was a box of chocolates that I decided to forfeit by sharing with the rest of the office (I can’t eat that much sweets anyway),” Michi added.
This isn’t the first time man has beaten machine in an AI contest.
Miles Astray, a photographer, won the People’s Vote Award and third place in AI category at the 1839 Awards’ Color Photography Contest in 2024 with a portrait of a real flamingo sleeping with its head tucked in its feathers.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/artist-wins-ai-generated-image-contest-with-hand-drawn-submission-article-151455564

The Bombay High Court has reserved its verdict on comedian Kunal Kamra’s plea seeking to quash an FIR lodged against him for allegedly playing the song “Mehangai Dayan” during a protest outside the residence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The protest was held in March 2024 in Mumbai’s Malabar Hill area, and Kamra participated in it to raise concerns about inflation and unemployment.

The FIR, filed at Malabar Hill police station, accused Kamra and others of unlawful assembly and use of loudspeakers without permission. The charges were registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Police Act. Kamra filed a petition in the High Court challenging the FIR, calling it an attack on his right to free speech and expression.

Kamra’s lawyer argued that the protest was peaceful and the song played was part of symbolic dissent, not meant to incite hatred or violence. The advocate also highlighted that no law prohibits the playing of such songs during a protest, especially when it is conducted without disrupting public peace.

The state’s counsel, however, argued that the gathering lacked police permission and disturbed the quiet, posh residential area. After hearing both sides, the bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Manjusha Deshpande reserved the order but extended interim protection to Kamra from arrest until the final verdict is pronounced.

Source : https://www.spotboye.com/trending/trending-news/bb-bombay-hc-reserves-order-on-kunal-kamra-s-plea-to-quash-fir-grants-interim-protection-from-arrest/68006e1198e7b5da75cc72ef

India and France are likely to ink a deal for the sale of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft to the Indian Navy on April 28.

Senior officials from both sides will be present during the signing event, sources said.

According to sources, the event is also planned to be held outside the Defence Ministry headquarters in South Block. The French Minister is expected to arrive in India on Sunday for the same.

India cleared its largest-ever defence deal for 26 Rafale-Marine combat aircraft with France earlier this month on April 9 at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under a government-to-government deal.

This government-to-government contract will include 22 single-seater and four twin-seater jets, along with a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous component manufacturing. These fighters will be operational from INS Vikrant and will support the existing Mig-29 K fleet.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/india-france-sign-largest-ever-deal-rafale-marine-fighter-jets-april-28-2711638-2025-04-20

Jammu airport saw chaotic scenes with hundreds of passengers complaining of inconvenience after bad weather led to flight cancellations in Srinagar and affected connecting flights.

IndiGo in a post on X said its teams are monitoring the situation and will have smooth operations back on track as soon as the weather plays nice.

Many passengers at Jammu airport posted visuals on social media showing crowds swelling inside the terminal as flights got delayed or cancelled. Some raised concerns whether they would get accommodation for the night.

A passenger said, “I need accomodation for the night since the flight has been cancelled. I don’t have enough to pay for stay. We want justice.”

Flights scheduled to land from Kolkata and Delhi, and those scheduled to take-off were cancelled. A few departures were on hold at Jammu airport, pending clearance.

Airline authorities said alternative connecting flights were provided to passengers for cancelled flights.

Some passengers said they landed at 2 pm in Jammu after their flight to Srinagar was diverted due to bad weather.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/chaotic-scenes-at-jammu-airport-after-bad-weather-hits-flight-operations-8205994

The building collapsed around 2.30am in Gali no 3 where houses stand cheek by jowl. Officials said 22 people were in the building at the time

Eleven people were killed, eight of them from a family, after a four-storey unauthorised residential building collapsed in the Dayalpur village area in Mustafabad, northeast Delhi, in the early hours of Saturday, police officers said. The incident, they added, left 11 others with varying degrees of injuries.

The collapse happened around 2.30am in Gali no 3, locals said, where homes stand cheek by jowl. Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg said the first distress call was received at 2.50am, after which nine fire tenders were rushed to the site, a 60-square-yard plot.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lady-don-zikra-arrested-in-seelampur-murder-case-teens-killing-linked-to-2024-spat-what-transpired-101745023368016.html

Traditional antivirus tools are not enough to detect steganography, which needs forensic tools, behavioural analytics and steganalysis platforms in order to spot file structure anomalies.

Scammers are always looking for ingenious ways to carry out their misdeeds, and one such incident happened with a certain Pradeep Jain, who lost more than Rs 2 lakh soon after downloading an image sent to him over WhatsApp, as per a report by Indian Express.

One fine morning the 28-year-old received a call from an unknown number, which also sent him said image a few moments later.

The image was of an elderly man with “Do you know this person?” written on it.

Jain ignored the calls at first, but after the scammers kept incessantly dialling him, he finally gave in and dowloaded the picture. Within minutes, his bank account was left short of Rs 2.01 lakh.

The money was debited from a Hyderabad ATM. When Canara Bank, where Jain had his account, tried to verify the transaction via a phone call, the scammers mimicked his voice and got away with it.

The technology used in this case is called Least Significant Bit (LSB) steganography. With this technology, one can hide data on media files like audio or images by modifying the bits of data units that are the most insignificant.

“The word ‘steganography’ has Greek origins. It means ‘hidden writing’. In cybercrime, this technique is exploited to embed malware or secret instructions inside harmless-looking media files. These hidden payloads often evade traditional detection systems and are triggered only by specific scripts,” an expert told the publication.

“This isn’t a new concept. In 2017, hackers embedded harmful executable code inside GIF files shared on WhatsApp. When downloaded, the hidden code ran in the background, bypassing security settings and accessing the user’s data. Though the vulnerability was patched, this technique made a comeback in 2019 with more refined methods and broader targets.” another said.

Traditional antivirus tools are not enough to detect steganography, which needs forensic tools, behavioural analytics and steganalysis platforms in order to spot file structure anomalies.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/man-downloads-whatsapp-image-hackers-access-phone-pocket-rs-2-lakh-report-3500941

Ikato has decided to join Naga rebel leaders based out in Myanmar to “carry forward the Naga struggle.”

In a major development in the decades-old Naga conflict, NSCN-IM, is poised for a new split from Ikato Swu who has decided to join Naga rebel leaders based out in Myanmar to “carry forward the Naga struggle.”

Ikato is a senior leader and son of its founder Isak Chishi Swu who was part of the biggest Naga insurgent group which has been maintaining ceasefire since 1997.

In a strongly worded statement, Ikato blamed the present leadership of NSCN-IM for failing the Naga cause as the reason for his departure from the group. He also announced his decision to join Absalom Raman and HS Ramsan, two Naga rebel leaders based out in Myanmar, who remained out of the peace process in India.

Ikato also stated that the Centre ‘betrayed’ the Nagas by not implementing the Framework Agreement, which was signed in 2015 just before the demise of his father Isak Chishi Swu. The NSCN-IM was founded by Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah. Swu died in 2016 while Muivah is now the group’s general secretary, whom they call “Ato Kilonser” (Prime Minister.)

Setback to peace process?

Ikato’s departure is seen as a setback to the ongoing peace process between the Centre and NSCN-IM, which began following a ceasefire in 1997.

The Framework Agreement signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2015 was to be the basis for signing a final agreement to end the 76-year-old Naga conflict.

But the government said the final agreement has not yet been possible mainly due to NSCN-IM’s insistence on recognition of Naga flag and the Constitution.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/nagaland/cracks-in-nscn-im-naga-rebel-group-leader-joins-hands-with-myanmar-based-faction-to-carry-forward-the-struggle-3500042

Water Minister Parvesh Verma on Friday said the Delhi government will deploy 1,000 GPS-enabled water tankers across the capital to boost supply in view of the summer season.

The minister said the tankers will be flagged off to their destinations from Nirankari Ground in Burari on Sunday.

This initiative aims to ensure timely and transparent delivery of water to areas where piped supply is unavailable or unreliable, he added.

Parvesh Verma said the Delhi government is “working with complete dedication” to realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘s “vision of water for all on time”.

“This initiative is not just about delivering water. It’s about bringing transparency, accountability and dignity to every citizen, who depends on us for this essential service,” he added.

The tankers will be dispatched from Nirankari Ground in Burari and will be monitored in real-time through a newly established Command Center.

“The state-of-the-art facility will track each tanker’s movement, delivery times and speed, allowing authorities to ensure that water reaches the intended destinations efficiently,” said a government statement.

The GPS-enabled tankers are part of a broader strategy by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to modernize the city’s water distribution infrastructure.

In addition to improving supply, the plan includes strict monitoring of water theft, misuse and uneven distribution.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/delhi-government-to-deploy-1000-gps-enabled-water-tankers-parvesh-verma-8198892

A 17-year-old boy’s murder in Delhi sparked protests, leading to police action and political blame over the city’s law and order situation.

The daytime murder of a 17-year-old boy in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur on Thursday snowballed into a late night protest by the teen’s family and neighbours, leading to the deployment of security forces in the area and interventions by the state’s top political leaders.

Police said Kunal (who went by one name) was killed in a revenge attack, alluding to an earlier altercation between an associate of his and one of the suspects, as they arrested a woman who allegedly led the gang of boys behind the murder.

The victim’s mother said he was waylaid and stabbed multiple times by the accused in the J-block market of the locality, around 50m from their home, at around 6pm. “My husband ran towards the street where Kunal was being stabbed, but by the time he reached, the attackers were fleeing. He [her husband] saw four-five boys and a woman running,” Parveen Devi, 45, said.

Senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi assembly Atishi blamed the BJP governments at the Centre and in the Capital.

“The murder of a 17-year-old youth in Seelampur is another example of the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi. What is Delhi Police doing? What is Home Minister Amit Shah doing? What is the double-engine government doing?” she posted on X.

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta said the authorities will ensure that the family of the victim gets justice. “I have talked to the Commissioner of Police. The police are making all efforts, and I hope the accused will be arrested soon,” she said.

Police initially rounded up at least four people, including a woman identified as 25-year-old Zikra Khan, who goes by the moniker “Lady Don” on social media.

Later in the evening, police officially arrested Khan. “During questioning, she confessed she was involved in the murder. She said that the reason was revenge over an attack on her cousin in November by Kunal’s associate Laala,” additional deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Sandeep Lamba said. Two boys were seen attacking Kunal in CCTV footage, police said, adding that they were on the run.

Police said she was arrested in March for brandishing a weapon in a social media post.

The teen’s family said he was receiving threats from the accused over the attack on Khan’s cousin but maintained that Kunal was not involved in the incident. Police officers said that they did not receive any complaints about the alleged threats.

As the outrage over the killing mounted on Friday, local residents took to the street in protest and blocked traffic with members of right-wing outfits also joining the demonstration. As tension gripped the locality, authorities increased deployment and posted two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) in the area. “There is fear, and we want our kids to go away from here,” said one of the protesters on condition of anonymity.

BJP MP from northeast Delhi Manoj Tiwari said the people’s anger was justified but urged the local residents to maintain peace. “Anger among people is natural, but people of the area should maintain restraint. Efforts should be made to ensure that police action is not hindered,” he said.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/murder-of-delhi-teen-fans-stir-political-row-101745001929398.html

Shubhanshu Shukla, who has spent the last eight months training with NASA and Axiom Space, will fly to the International Space Station on a privately funded commercial mission.

Marking a significant milestone in India’s space journey, the Centre has announced that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a Gaganyatri or astronaut-designate, is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station next month.

Union Minister for Space and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said, “The International space mission carrying an Indian astronaut is scheduled for next month. India is poised to script a defining chapter in its space journey. An Indian astronaut is set for a historic space mission as ISRO charts bold new frontiers. India’s space dreams are soaring higher with Gaganyaan preparations, ISS mission, and a summer of launches.”

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who has spent the last eight months training with NASA and Axiom Space, will fly to the International Space Station on a privately funded commercial mission. India has reportedly paid over $60 million for the mission, which will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying a four-person crew, lifting off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre.

Who is Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla?

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is 40 years old, the youngest of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) astronauts. The space centre has chosen Shukla for this mission as he has a long career ahead of him.

The commander of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission will be former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who now works for Axiom Space. The other two crew members are Slawosz Uznanski from Poland, who is a European Space Agency astronaut and will be a mission specialist, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, who will also have the same role. Group Captain Shukla will be the mission’s pilot.

Significance of Axiom-4 Mission

Union Minister Singh said the mission will make Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station and the first Indian in space in over four decades, following Rakesh Sharma’s historic 1984 flight on a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft.

Dr V Narayanan, Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO, said that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is prepared for the mission.

Group Captain Shukla’s mission represents a confident and forward-thinking India, poised to reclaim its position in the global space race. His journey is more than just a flight – it’s a signal that India is stepping boldly into a new era of space exploration.

A decorated test pilot with the Indian Air Force, Group Captain Shukla was selected for ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Program. He’s a top contender for India’s Gaganyaan mission, India’s first indigenous crewed orbital flight. His journey aboard the Ax-4 mission is expected to provide critical hands-on experience in spaceflight operations, launch protocols, microgravity adaptation, and emergency preparedness – all essential for India’s crewed space ambitions.

Group Captain Shukla’s mission is strategically significant as it focuses on operational readiness and global integration, marking a shift from earlier symbolic endeavours. It highlights India’s growing involvement in international public-private partnerships in space and its resolve to emerge as a serious contender in human space exploration.

Underscoring the significance of the upcoming human spaceflight and a series of critical ISRO missions, Singh said, “India is ready for its next space milestone.” He noted that the collaboration with international partners and the strategic momentum of projects like Gaganyaan reflect India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in space technology. The minister emphasised that these efforts are not only scientific but also aligned with the vision of a developed and self-reliant India.

ISRO is set to launch the PSLV-C61 mission, carrying the EOS-09 satellite, which features a C-band synthetic aperture radar for high-resolution Earth imaging, under all weather conditions, day or night.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/indias-shubhanshu-shukla-to-fly-to-international-space-station-in-may-ws-kl-9304762.html

The ED has recorded the statement of Robert Vadra for three consecutive days in the 2008 Haryana land deal-linked money laundering case in April.

The Enforcement Directorate will soon file a chargesheet against Robert Vadra, the businessman husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for his alleged involvement in suspected land deals which the probe agency believes are part of “proceeds of crime”.
Among the major cases which ED is investigating and in which Robert Vadra’s statement has been recorded are –

Himachal Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena’s Holi party at a Shimla hotel has sparked a row, with Rs 1,000-per-plate meals for officers and Rs 600 for drivers, resulting in a Rs 1.22 lakh bill. The use of public funds for the event is under review.

A Holi party hosted by Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Secretary, featuring lunch at Rs 1,000 per plate for IAS officers and their families, Rs 600 per plate for drivers, and additional taxi fares, has sparked controversy. The event, which included meals for 22 drivers, resulted in a bill of Rs 1.22 lakh, now under scrutiny as the General Administration Department (GAD) reviews whether public funds should cover the expenses.
Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, who received a six-month extension after his scheduled retirement on March 31, hosted a lavish Holi celebration at Holiday Home, the flagship hotel of Himachal Tourism in Shimla.
The bill, forwarded by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), details charges of Rs 1,000 per plate for officers and their families, Rs 585 per plate for drivers, Rs 11,800 in taxi fares, and Rs 22,350 in taxes.

Former Industries Minister Bikram Thakur has criticised Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena for hosting a lavish Holi party for IAS officers and their families in Himachal Pradesh.

Key Points of Criticism
– Misuse of Government Funds: Thakur questioned the justification of using government funds to pay for the party expenses, especially when the state is facing a financial crisis.
– Prioritising Extravagance Over Necessity: He criticised the bureaucracy’s priorities, suggesting that the focus should be on addressing the state’s financial woes rather than indulging in lavish parties.
– Inconsiderate Timing: Thakur pointed out the insensitivity of holding such an extravagant event during a time when the state is grappling with significant debt.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/rs-1000-per-plate-holi-lunch-rs-1-2-lakh-bill-himachal-top-ias-officers-bash-puts-govt-under-spotlight-article-151449126

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways confirmed that the FASTag system for collecting tolls will remain operational beyond May 1. Additionally, there are no plans to close toll plazas nationwide. Instead, a pilot program for a barrier-less tolling system is being tested at select sites, integrating Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) with FASTag.

The current FASTag system to collect toll taxes will continue even after May 1, clarified the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The clarification comes after several reports surfaced suggesting that a satellite-based tolling system would be rolled out nationwide from 1 May 2025 that would replace the FASTag-based system.

No Toll Plaza Shutdown, ANPR-FASTag System Being Piloted at Select Locations

The government has further clarified that no decision has been made to shut down toll plazas across the country. Instead, MoRTH announced the pilot launch of a barrier-less tolling system at select locations, aiming to streamline traffic flow and reduce congestion at toll booths. This upcoming system will use a hybrid model, integrating Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology with the existing FASTag infrastructure.
Under this setup, vehicles will be charged automatically as high-performance ANPR cameras read license plates, while FASTag RFID readers confirm payment, eliminating the need for stopping at toll booths.

The ministry also warned that violations will be penalised. E-notices will be sent to defaulters, and repeated non-compliance may result in FASTag suspension and other penalties under the VAHAN database.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/no-fastag-wont-be-discontinued-from-may-1-government-drops-big-update-on-toll-collection-article-151448671

Zikra worked as a bouncer for jailed gangster Hashim Baba’s wife, Zoya, before her arrest by Delhi Police in a drugs case

The Delhi Police is investigating the role of a woman referred to as a “lady don” in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old boy in north-east Delhi’s Seelampur area. The woman, a former bouncer, has been detained for questioning.

The victim, Kunal, was stabbed to death on Thursday in New Seelampur. Police have identified two suspects — Sahil and Rehan — after reviewing CCTV footage from the area.

According to the police, the “lady don” angle emerged after Kunal’s family alleged that the woman, identified as Zikra — a local figure known by that nickname — was present at the crime scene when Kunal was attacked.

Kunal’s family also claimed that the murder may have been an act of revenge. They said that some time ago, members of Kunal’s community allegedly attacked Zikra’s cousin, Sahil, leading to an attempted murder case being filed by the police.

“It is suspected that Kunal was also involved in the stabbing of Sahil. Although Sahil did not die, he, along with Zikra, hatched a plan to take revenge for the attack,” a family source said.

Although Zikra has not been formally arrested, she is currently being questioned by the police.

Police sources said that Zikra once worked as a bouncer for Zoya, the wife of jailed gangster Hashim Baba. Before Zoya’s arrest in a drugs case, Zikra reportedly lived with her. Since then, it is believed that Zikra has been trying to form her own gang.

Parveen, Kunal’s mother, told PTI, “Zikra used to roam around in the area with a pistol. An incident happened with her cousin Sahil but my son was not involved in it. Yet they killed him. They brutally stabbed him multiple times.”

Zikra had previously been arrested under the Arms Act after posting a video of herself holding a pistol on social media. She was later released on bail and was living in a rented house near Kunal’s home. She is reportedly leading a gang of 10–12 young men, some of whom are now being linked to Kunal’s murder.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/lady-don-link-delhi-police-detain-woman-in-seelampur-teen-murder-after-victims-family-claim-ws-l-9304720.html

Actress Urvashi Rautela has triggered backlash from priests and locals in Badrinath after claiming that a famous temple in Uttarakhand was dedicated to her, reported India Today.

During an interview with host Siddharth Kannan, the actress claimed that the Urvashi Temple, located in Bamni near Badrinath Dham, attracted devotees who worshipped her and garlanded pictures of her, referring to her as ‘Damdamamai.’

However, priests and locals, who consider the temple sacred, were not pleased with the actress’s bold statement, with several calling for the government to take action against her for hurting religious sentiments.

Local priest Bhuwan Chandra Uniyal, a former religious officer of Badrinath Dham, told India Today that Rautela’s claims were misleading and criticised her for claiming ownership of the temple, which is deeply connected to the spiritual practices of the residents of Bamni and Pandukeshwar villages.

The Urvashi Temple is associated with a figure in Hindu mythology, Goddess Sati, who is highly revered and considered one of the 108 Shaktipeeths. According to legend, the temple emerged at the site where Goddess Sati’s body fell.

Uniyal called for action against Rautela and said, as quoted by India Today, “It is not her temple. Such statements are unacceptable, and the government should take strict steps against anyone making such claims.”

Amit Sati, President of the Brahma Kapal Teerth Purohit Society, also criticised Rautela’s remarks, stating that the temple was ancient and could not belong to any individual. He further mentioned that such remarks were disrespectful to people’s religious sentiments.

Villagers oppose Rautela’s remarks

Urvashi Rautela’s remarks angered several villagers from Bamni and Pandukeshwar as well.

Local resident Ramnarayan Bhandari told India Today that no individuals had the right to make claims about a sacred place which held mythological and cultural significance for the people in the region.

He added that the whole community condemned Rautela’s comment.

Rautela however, had doubled down on her comments, during her interview, and said that she also wanted a temple in her name in south India as she had worked in many films there.

She said, “Yes, because I have worked in the South, so it (temple) should be there.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/urvashi-rautelas-temple-claim-sparks-outrage-among-badrinath-priests-locals-101744986590362.html

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal was spotted dancing with his wife Sunita Kejriwal to the popular “Pushpa 2: The Rule” track “angaro ka ambar sa” during their daughter’s engagement ceremony held in Delhi on Thursday.

A video shared by news agency PTI captured the cheerful moment, showing the couple enjoying the song, originally performed by actors Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna in the film “Pushpa 2: The Rule”.

The engagement celebration took place at Delhi’s five-star Shangri-La Eros hotel.

Watch the video here:

Harshita Kejriwal tied knot to Sambhav Jain

Arvind Kejriwal’s daughter, Harshita Kejriwal, married her college friend Sambhav Jain on Friday, April 18. According to the Mint, the wedding ceremony was held at Kapurthala House in Delhi, the official residence of the Punjab chief minister when in the capital.

Harshita and Sambhav met while studying at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, where both were enrolled at the same time. Harshita pursued Chemical Engineering, while Sambhav is currently working as a project management consultant with a private firm.

The couple has also co-founded a healthcare startup named Basil Health. Harshita, the elder child and only daughter of Arvind and Sunita Kejriwal, has a younger brother, Pulkit, who is also studying at IIT Delhi.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/angaro-ka-ambar-sa-kejriwal-wife-sunita-dance-to-pushpa-2-song-at-daughter-s-engagement-ceremony-video-101745004111879.html

Observing that some field officers are seeking various “unwarranted documents” by raising “presumptive queries”, the CBIC gave an “indicative list” of the documents which officers can seek online from businesses.

Businesses will be able to get GST registration within 7 days, while applications flagged as risky will be processed within 30 days after physical verification of the premises.

Observing that some field officers are seeking various “unwarranted documents” by raising “presumptive queries”, the CBIC gave an “indicative list” of the documents which officers can seek online from businesses.

“While processing registration application, query should not be raised by the officer seeking original physical copy of these documents,” said the CBIC’s revised instruction for granting GST registration.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said it has received complaints regarding difficulties being faced in getting a GST registration, mainly on account of nature of clarifications being sought by the officers and seeking of additional documents, which are not prescribed by the Board.

With regard to documents in respect of Principal Place of Business (PPOB), the applicant has to upload any one of the documents — latest Property Tax receipt or Municipal Khata copy or copy of Electricity Bill of the owner, or any similar state-government document like water bill, which clearly establishes the ownership of the premises.

In cases where premises are rented, the applicant is required to upload the valid Rent/Lease agreement along with any one of the documents relating to PPOB.

With regard to documents related to ‘constitution of business’, the CBIC said where the applicant is one of the partners, Partnership Deed for the proof of constitution of business is required to be uploaded by the applicant.

No additional document like Udhyam certificate, MSME certificate, shop establishment certificate, trade license etc. should be sought from the applicant, it added.

The CBIC said some of the common queries that are being raised by the field officers currently and are causing hardship for taxpayers include residential address of the applicant/Managing Director/Authorized Signatory is not in the same city or the state where the registration has been sought; activities mentioned in the registration application can not be conducted from the particular premises etc.

“Officers handling registration applications should not ask any presumptive query which is not related to the documents or information submitted by the applicant,” the CBIC said.

The CBIC also asked the field officers to carefully examine and check completeness of the registration application, and cross verify the authenticity of the documents furnished as proof of address from the publicly available sources, such as websites of the concerned authorities such as land registry, electricity distribution companies, municipalities, and local bodies, etc.

“Where applications have not been flagged as risky on the common portal based on data analysis and risk parameters, and the same are found to be complete and without any deficiency, the officers should approve the application within 07 working days of submission of application,” it said.

Registration shall be granted within 30 days of submission of application after physical verification of the place of business in case where the applicant has undergone authentication of Aadhaar number and is flagged as risky on the common portal based on the data analysis and risk parameters; or fails to undergo authentication of Aadhaar number; or the officer deems it fit to carry out physical verification of place of business.

AMRG & Associates Senior Partner Rajat Mohan said this instruction eliminates discretionary practices, reduce registration delays, eliminate avoidable rejections, and ensure fair treatment of applicants-particularly for businesses operating from shared or rented premises, startups, and proprietorships.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/7-day-deadline-set-for-gst-registration-grant-8198453

The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including Union Ministers and the Chief Minister of Delhi, to assess the status of the river’s cleaning and rejuvenation efforts.

In a significant move to address the pollution crisis in the Yamuna River, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a comprehensive review meeting at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including Union Ministers and the Chief Minister of Delhi, to assess the status of the river’s cleaning and rejuvenation efforts.
During the meeting, PM Modi reviewed the agency-wise action plan, which includes short-term, medium-term, and long-term activities to be completed within specific timelines. The plan focuses on several key areas, including drain management, sewage treatment, solid waste management, and industrial waste management.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need for immediate action to improve the river’s water quality and directed the agencies involved to expedite their efforts.

The meeting also discussed measures to enhance the river’s flow, protect floodplains, and develop green spaces along its banks.
With a renewed commitment to cleaning the Yamuna, the government aims to make significant progress in the coming months. The meeting’s outcome is expected to have a positive impact on the river’s health and the lives of millions of people who depend on it.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/pm-modi-reviews-yamuna-cleaning-efforts-directs-agencies-to-expedite-action-article-151445080

In a suspected food-poisoning case, 31 students of different educational institutes were admitted to a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Nanded city early on Thursday as they fell ill after consuming ‘pani puri’ at a roadside stall.

In a suspected case of food poisoning, 31 students from various educational institutions in Maharashtra’s Nanded city were admitted to a government hospital early Thursday after falling ill upon consuming ‘pani puri’ from a roadside stall, officials said, as reported by news agency PTI.
The affected students belong to Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, SGGS College, and a local nursing college. According to an official from Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital, students began arriving at the facility from 4 am onwards with symptoms including vomiting, nausea, and uneasiness.
Following medical examinations, they were admitted to different wards for treatment. Hospital authorities confirmed that all students are currently in stable condition.

In another news, MNS workers had a heated argument with members of a housing society in suburban Ghatkopar for allegedly insulting their Marathi-speaking neighbours for eating non-vegetarian food, prompting police to intervene. A video of workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena issuing a warning to Gujarati residents of the society on Wednesday, accusing them of ill-treating four Marathi-speaking families living there, has gone viral on social media.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/31-students-fall-ill-after-consuming-pani-puri-at-roadside-stall-in-maharashtras-nanded-article-151444359

Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal said the arrest of the remaining suspects has been paused till the SIT completes its probe

Families of several accused in the alleged gang-rape of a woman in Varanasi have claimed there are inconsistencies in the survivor’s account and have informed the police on Thursday. In response, a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)-rank officer, has been formed to investigate the case and look into both sets of allegations.

According to the woman’s complaint, she was sexually assaulted by 23 men at various locations between 29 March and 4 April. Based on this, police began searching for the accused and have arrested 14 people so far.

However, after families of several accused raised doubts about her claims, Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal said the arrest of the remaining suspects has been paused till the SIT completes its investigation.

The Varanasi police chief stated that the SIT will submit a comprehensive report within 30 days. “No one — the survivor, or the accused — will face injustice,” he added.

Accused’s families memorandum

In a memorandum submitted to police, some of the accused’s families alleged that the woman had demanded money in exchange for removing certain names from her complaint. They also questioned why she did not seek help during the alleged assault and continued to post videos and photos on social media, where she appeared to be “laughing and roaming around”.

The accused’s families further pointed out that although the survivor initially named 23 men, she only identified nine during her court testimony, suggesting possible coercion or manipulation.

Investigators have said that CCTV footage purportedly shows the girl riding a bike during the time period mentioned in her gang-rape complaint.

Agarwal also confirmed that when police first found the woman, she neither mentioned rape nor asked to return home. “Only after a lengthy conversation with the officers did she agree to go back to her family,” he said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/varanasi-rape-case-sit-formed-after-accuseds-family-allege-inconsistencies-in-survivors-account-ws-l-9303547.html

India s

India on Thursday said Jammu and Kashmir is a union territory of India and its only relation with Pakistan is vacation of illegally occupied territory by that country, in a strong reaction to the Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir’s statement that Kashmir is Islamabad’s “jugular vein”.

Reacting to this, the ministry of external affairs said: “How can anything foreign be in a jugular vein? This is a union territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country

At the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad earlier, Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir said: “Our stance is absolutely clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle.”

Gen Munir also pushed the two-nation theory as he stressed that India and Pakistan are two different nations and Pakistanis are different from Hindus in terms of their culture, ideologies, and more. “Our forefathers thought we are different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life. Our religions are different, our customs are different, our traditions are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different. That was the foundation of the two-nation theory that was laid there. We are two nations, we are not one nation,” he said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/india-reaction-asim-munir-kashmir-relation-pakistan-vacation-illegally-occupied-territory-ws-l-9302960.html

Janhvi Kapoor and Ananya Birla have recently become subjects of a hot discussion involving a fast and obnoxiously loud car. Specifically, the topic trending on social media platforms is a purple Lamborghini Gallardo that was used to deliver a gift to the actress by her entrepreneur friend. Furthermore, the purple vehicle, with its iconic wedge-shaped design, has become a source of another hot discussion as netizens believe that it is reminiscent of the supernatural car from the movie, Taarzan: The Wonder Car.

Ananya Birla’s Gift to Janhvi Kapoor

Pinkvilla shared a video on Instagram, showing a purple Lamborghini Gallardo bringing a gift in a similarly coloured big box with a bow on top. The parcel also had a note on it, saying, “With love, etc, Ananya Birla.”

Along with the parcel, the car in the video caught the netizens’ attention. Social media users claimed that the purple Lamborghini reminded them of the supernatural car from the movie, Taarzan: The Wonder Car.

Lamborghini Gallardo in Viral Video

The car, reminding people of the Taarzan car, is an iconic car itself and an important part of the Italian car manufacturer’s legacy. The car in the video is the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder LP 550-2. It went out of production in 2014 before its successor, the Huracan, took its place in the brand’s lineup. It was designed to deliver performance with a sharp and aerodynamic design.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/auto/whats-the-buzz-about-janhvi-kapoor-and-taarzan-the-wonder-car-8176162#pfrom-movies-topstories

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued significant directions to all states and union territories, mandating them to take effective steps towards developing swift response protocols to ensure that victims of road accidents receive immediate assistance. A Bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan emphasized the growing concern of delayed medical help and rescue efforts for accident victims, calling it a matter of serious public interest.

Choksi, a prime accused in the alleged multi-million dollar Punjab National Bank fraud, was arrested in Belgium on April 12 following an extradition request by Indian probe agencies.

Days after diamantaire Mehul Choksi was arrested in Belgium, the CBI approached a court here seeking a Non-Bailable Warrant against him in another case where he and others are accused of cheating a Canara Bank-led consortium of Rs 55.27 crore.

Choksi, a prime accused in the alleged multi-million dollar Punjab National Bank fraud, was arrested in Belgium on April 12 following an extradition request by Indian probe agencies.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, probing the Canara bank cheating case, approached the special CBI court here on Wednesday seeking an NBW against him.

However, judge V P Desai sent the matter to a magistrate’s court, saying his court had no jurisdiction.

The judge cited a Supreme Court judgement which states that for a special CBI court to try a case under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, there must be alleged involvement of a public servant.

In the present case, the charge sheet was filed only against private persons for offences under Indian Penal Code sections 120 B(criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating).

Hence, the PC Act did not come into the picture and the case should go to a magistrate, the judge said.

The entire CBI case including the application for NBW was transferred to an Additional Metropolitan Magistrate for its final disposal.

The NBW application should be decided forthwith, the special court said.

As per the CBI case, Canara Bank and the Bank of Maharashtra had sanctioned Rs 30 crore and Rs 25 crore, respectively, as working capital facilities under consortium agreement to Bezel Jewellery.

The loan was for the manufacturing and sale of gold and diamond-studded jewellery, but the company did not route any of the business transactions through the account to hide diversion of funds, the CBI claimed.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/mh-court-choksi-warrant-3499067

ED found that the man had “no means” to afford such an expensive dog, and concluded that the reports were fabricated for social media attention

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted a search at the residence of a Bengaluru man who claimed to have imported a rare “wolf dog” worth Rs 50 crore, triggering intervention by the central probe agency.

Following the man’s headline-grabbing claim, which quickly became a topic of discussion on social media, ED officials visited his home to investigate potential violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

However, after the search, it was revealed that the man’s claim was false.

The officials found that the man had “no means” to afford such an expensive dog, and concluded that the reports were fabricated for social media attention, PTI reported.

According to several news reports, the man had claimed to have imported the “world’s most expensive” dog — a cross-breed of a Caucasian Shepherd and a wolf. The claim gained significant attention on social media.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/bengaluru-mans-rs-50-crore-wolf-dog-claim-triggers-ed-raid-at-his-house-ws-l-9303453.html

The Indian Navy, in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), plans to deploy advanced underwater sensors to detect submarine movements—an ambitious move aimed at bolstering maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which is critical for India’s geopolitical and economic interests amid the growing presence of foreign submarines, particularly from China.

The new strategic plan focuses on creating a network of underwater sensors capable of detecting submarine activity in the Ninety East Ridge, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Bay of Bengal. These sensors include advanced hydroacoustic systems, similar to those used by the United States and Japan in their “Fish Hook Undersea Defense Line” in the Pacific, which stretches from Japan to Southeast Asia. The Indian Navy plans to deploy similar systems at the northern and southern tips of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to provide early warning of Chinese submarine activity in the region.

“India faces significant challenges from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) expanding its submarine operations in the region. The four-week survey of the Ninety East Ridge by China’s ‘silent’ research vessel Dong Fang Hong 3 last month has heightened concerns about mapping underwater environments for submarine operations,” said a senior naval intelligence official, adding that Chinese vessels frequently enter the IOR under the guise of scientific research, which is often linked to intelligence-gathering missions.

The Ninety East Ridge, a linear intraplate rise ideal for submarine navigation, has been a focal point of concern for India due to its strategic importance in monitoring and preventing undetected incursions by foreign submarines.

“The troubled waters of the IOR are further complicated by Pakistan’s acquisition of eight Yuan-class submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems from China,” added the senior naval officer.

While the Indian Navy’s current submarine fleet—comprising 13 conventional diesel-electric submarines, including nine Sindhughosh-class and four Shishumar-class vessels—lacks the numerical and technological edge to effectively counter underwater threats from Pakistan and China, the development of underwater sensors marks a critical step toward enhancing India’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities and maintaining its strategic pre-eminence in the IOR.

The vast expanse of the IOR includes key chokepoints like the Malacca Strait and the Sunda Strait, making underwater domain awareness (UDA) vital for regional security.

The indigenous underwater sensors under development include passive and active sonar systems, magnetic anomaly detectors (MAD), and superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs).

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/indian-navy-to-deploy-underwater-sensor-network-to-monitor-chinese-submarines-in-indian-ocean

India’s total electricity generation reached 1,821 billion units (BU) in Financial Year (FY) 2024–25, marking a 5 percent year-on-year increase over the 1,734 BU generated in FY 2023–24.

While this continues the post-Covid pandemic upward trajectory, the pace of growth has slowed.

Generation grew by 7 percent in FY 2023–24 and 9 percent in FY 2022–23.

Among all sources, thermal power recorded the slowest growth in FY 2024–25 at just 2.8 percent, rising from 1,326 BU to 1,363 BU.

In contrast, nuclear power grew by 18.4 percent, large hydro by 10.8 percent, and renewable energy by 11.4 percent.

This was revealed in a report of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), which  analysed data for the period FY 2019–20 to FY 2024–25 to capture key trends in electricity demand, supply, and coal stock position amid rising temperatures and changing consumption patterns.

In FY 2024–25, peak power demand reached 250.1 GW, a 4.2 percent rise over FY 2023–24.

Importantly, this nearly matched the total peak demand including unmet demand, which stood at 250.2 GW. This indicates a significant improvement from FY 2023–24, when 10.7 GW of demand went unmet out of a total peak demand of 250.7 GW.

On the day of peak demand in FY 2024–25, the share of renewable energy (solar, wind, and biomass) rose to 15 percent of total generation, up from 9 percent in FY 2023–24. Coal and lignite held steady, marginally declining from 71 percent to 70 percent.

Nuclear and gas-based sources maintained shares of 2 percent and 4 percent respectively. However, the share of large hydro projects dropped from 14 percent in FY 2023–24 to 9 percent in FY 2024–25, influenced by seasonal reservoir variations – 14 percent was recorded in September (monsoon), while 9 percent was seen in May (pre-monsoon).

As FY 2025–26 begins, coal stock at thermal power plants stands at 58.1 million tonnes, 15 percent higher than the 50.5 million tonnes recorded at the start of FY 2024–25. This trend of rising opening coal stock has continued over recent years, with levels of 36.9 million tonnes in April 2023 and 25.4 million tonnes in April 2022. The steady increase indicates a greater emphasis on pre-season stockpiling to meet high power demand reliably.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/thermal-generation-growth-slowest-in-fy-2024-25-since-covid-3497645

In a startling development in the Baba Siddique murder case, the Mumbai Crime Branch claims that fugitive accused Zeeshan Akhtar has established links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and is currently hiding in Nepal.

Sources within the Crime Branch revealed that Zeeshan, who has so far evaded arrest, is believed to be operating from across the border with help from Pakistan’s intelligence agency. This ISI connection surfaced following a viral social media post asserting that Zeeshan is not affiliated with the Bishnoi gang.

The post prompted Mumbai Police to launch a fresh line of inquiry. According to investigators, Zeeshan’s alleged involvement in the recent grenade attack at BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia’s residence in Jalandhar has led the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to distance itself from him. Punjab Police, which is probing the attack, suspects that Zeeshan conspired with gangster Shehzad Bhatti — an alleged ISI operative.

This marks the second time Zeeshan’s name has been linked with Bhatti. Earlier this year, in February, he released a video from an undisclosed foreign location claiming he was falsely implicated in the Baba Siddique murder and had received help from Bhatti. While Punjab Police believed he might be in Azerbaijan or another European country, Crime Branch sources insist he is hiding in Nepal.

Investigators also revealed that Zeeshan’s role in the Jalandhar grenade attack was confirmed after two arrested accused named him during interrogation. It is now suspected that Zeeshan is operating from a foreign location under ISI’s direction and may be used to carry out anti-India activities.

Zeeshan, a native of Jalandhar, was arrested in 2022 and lodged in Patiala jail until his release in June 2024. He faces several charges in Punjab including murder, attempted murder, and robbery. Police records indicate strong ties to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and connections to Pune-based gangster Saurabh Mahakal, who was earlier questioned in the threat letter case involving actor Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/baba-siddique-murder-case-fugitive-zeeshan-akhtar-linked-to-isi-hiding-in-nepal-says-mumbai-crime-branch

The Uttar Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission recently held that since WhatsApp offers services to users in India, a consumer complaint against the platform can be entertained by consumer courts in the country.

The State commission made the observation while setting aside a district consumer forum’s decision to dismiss a consumer complaint filed against WhatsApp as not maintainable (not liable to be examined on merits).

A coram comprising State commission President Sushil Kumar and Member Sudha Upadhyay disagreed with the district commission’s view and held,

“WhatsApp is a service provider company. This company also provides services in India, so it cannot be said that this company is a foreign company and the consumer complaint against it is not maintainable. Therefore, the conclusion of the District Consumer Commission – that the person using WhatsApp is not a consumer of WhatsApp and the consumer complaint against WhatsApp is not maintainable – is against the law. Therefore, the order passed by the District Consumer Commission is liable to be set aside.”

The State commission was hearing two appeals filed by former IPS officer and National President of the Azad Adhikar Sena, Amitabh Thakur, who challenged orders of the Lucknow District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

Thakur had sought compensation from WhatsApp after its services were allegedly disrupted for around six hours. He claimed that the disruption of WhatsApp’s services affected his work.

A district consumer disputes redressal forum refused to admit his consumer complaint. It reasoned that WhatsApp was an international entity and that since Thakur had not paid any consideration to use WhatsApp’s services, his consumer complaint was non-admissible.

This led Thakur to approach the State forum for relief.

The State forum observed that WhatsApp offers a service whereby its users can exchange personal information. WhatsApp attracts its customers because of this function. This renders WhatsApp a service provider, the State consumer forum held, making it subject to consumer law in India.

It proceeded to order the district consumer forum to register Thakur’s complaint and decide on his plea for compensation from WhatsApp within 90 days, as required under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/indian-consumer-courts-can-entertain-complaints-against-whatsapp-up-consumer-forum

A woman drowned in the Ganga at Uttarkashi’s Manikarnika Ghat while trying to click a selfie on Monday. The incident, caught on camera, shows her losing balance and being swept away by the strong current.

A video has been going viral on social media, in which a woman is seen drowning in the river Ganga at Uttarakashi’s Manikarnika Ghat while trying to pose for a photo or a reel. The incident occurred on Monday and was captured on camera.

In an attempt to click a better picture, the woman lost her balance near a riverbank and was dragged away by the fast-moving current. She had come to the place to visit her relatives, along with her daughter.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/video-woman-drowns-in-ganga-at-manikarnika-ghat-while-making-reels-search-underway-article-151439292

PM Modi hailed the Amravati airport inauguration, calling it great news for Maharashtra and Vidarbha. CM Fadnavis and Minister Naidu emphasised its economic and job benefits.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the inauguration of Amravati airport, terming it as ‘great news’ for Maharashtra.

“The inauguration of Amravati airport is great news for Maharashtra, especially for the Vidarbha region. The active airport in Amravati will boost commerce and connectivity,” PM Modi in response to the X post of Union Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu.

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the city of Amravati will get special recognition due to the state-of-the-art Amravati Airport and Pilot Training Centre.

“By completing the developmental works in Vidarbha and bringing this region into the mainstream of development, priority will be given to this work,” the Chief Minister said at the function organised for the launch of passenger flight services and the flight demonstration of the Air India Pilot Training Centre.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said that today marks a historic milestone for Vidarbha.

“Honoured to inaugurate Amravati Airport alongside Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership, this RCS-VGF funded airport takes flight with Alliance Air’s inaugural RCS Amravati–Mumbai flight. Also witnessed a demo flight at what will soon be South Asia’s largest Air India Flying Training Organisation (FTO), a big leap for India’s overall aviation ecosystem,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the airport will bring about an economic revolution, and this area will benefit directly and indirectly.

“It will also create various employment opportunities. The airport will create a new identity for the area. Since entrepreneurs are also giving priority to setting up industries in the area where the airport is located, the textile industry here will get a boost,” he said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/pm-modi-hails-inauguration-of-amravati-airport-terms-it-great-news-for-maharashtra-ws-kl-9302094.html

For nine months, 27-year-old Pooja Devi carried out an elaborate deception. She convinced her husband, her in-laws, and her own family that she was pregnant. She even moved back to her parents’ house in Malviya Nagar, claiming she was nearing delivery.

But the charade unravelled on Tuesday, when she stole a day-old infant from the maternity ward of Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital — a baby girl she intended to pass off as her own.

Police said Devi did not use a prosthetic belly to feign pregnancy. Her natural physique, investigators said, was “healthy enough” for her to appear visibly pregnant.

What gave her away, however, was her suspicious behaviour inside the hospital. She was caught on CCTV footage loitering near the neonatal and postnatal care wards, speaking to several women, and keeping her face partially covered with a dupatta.

She was arrested within hours, and the infant safely reunited with her family.

According to deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Surendra Chaudhary, the child was born to a couple living in Yashwant Place, Chanakyapuri, on Monday. On Tuesday afternoon, while the mother was in postnatal care in Ward No. 5, she stepped out to get milk. When she returned, her daughter had vanished.

“However, at around 3.15pm on Tuesday, their child went missing and even after looking for her everywhere, they couldn’t find her,” DCP Chaudhary said.

A case of kidnapping under section 137(2) of the BNS was registered around 4pm, and police began reviewing CCTV footage from the hospital.

The footage showed Devi interacting with multiple patients and lingering inside the ward where the baby was taken. She had partially concealed her identity but was clearly visible enough for police to identify her movements. “She had partially covered her face with a dupatta,” Chaudhary said.

After leaving the hospital, Devi tried to cover her tracks. She boarded a Metro at AIIMS station, headed toward Samaypur Badli, then changed routes at INA to head toward Millennium City Centre, finally exiting at Hauz Khas and making her way toward Panchsheel flyover.

“Eventually, she was spotted in an autorickshaw. We checked the registration numbers and ownership of more than 20 autorickshaws as the registration number was not clear in the footage,” the DCP said.

Eventually, police zeroed in on the autorickshaw and the driver told them he dropped the woman in Malviya Nagar.

When police raided the location, they found Devi in a house with the stolen infant. The baby was recovered unharmed and returned to her family.

During questioning, Devi told investigators that she had been married for seven years to Pinku Kumar, a daily-wage labourer in Faridabad, and had been unable to conceive. Though her husband had never pressured her, she said she had begun to feel a deep societal and emotional burden. Roughly eight months ago, she told her family and in-laws that she was pregnant.

To maintain the illusion, she left her marital home days before the theft and moved to her parents’ house, claiming her due date was near. On Monday, she left home saying she was being admitted to Safdarjung Hospital for delivery. On Tuesday, she returned — carrying the stolen infant.

Her husband, police said, was unaware of the entire scheme.

“She was driven by desperation and the pressure to become a mother in the eyes of her family and society,” said an officer. “But the act she committed was not only criminal — it could have endangered the life of the child.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/woman-abducts-girl-child-from-safdarjung-hospital-in-delhi-held-101744826895505.html

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told the Madras High Court on Wednesday that it had raided the headquarters of the Tamil Nadu government’s liquor distribution arm, TASMAC, last month since it had reasons to believe that proceeds of crime or records connected to such proceeds of crime were stored at the premises.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who appeared for ED, told a bench of justices SM Subramaniam and K Rajasekar that there was no reason to question the central agency’s jurisdiction in the present case. Raju said that Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) provided that ED can conduct a raid at any place even if it has a mere suspicion that proceeds of crime or their records are kept there.

“Suspicion alone can be used as a ground for search,” Raju said, adding that the court or the state government cannot question ED’s search locations.

The DMK-led government had earlier questioned the timing of the ED raids conducted in Chennai between March 6 and 8 this year.

On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Advocate General PS Raman alleged before the Court that the central agency was conducting a politically motivated, roving inquiry, without any predicate offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, as the state assembly elections were scheduled for next year.

The bench asked Raju, why ED raided the TASMAC headquarters in Chennai when the 41 FIRs, claimed to be the basis for its investigation into the alleged scam, were registered across Tamil Nadu for several individual offences of bribery, liquor price and inflation among others.

Raju, however, said ED had exercised its statutory power granted under Section 17 of the PMLA in conducting the search and seizures.

He added that these FIRs had been registered by state agencies themselves and indicated a broader pattern of alleged money laundering involving TASMAC officials. Raju maintained that the ED’s actions were based on legal provisions and credible information pointing to a multi-crore scam involving kickbacks, irregular procurement practices, and tender-related corruption across TASMAC.

Advocate General Raman however, reiterated that the ED’s probe and the raids were meant only to tarnish the image of the State and its officials.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tasmac-hq-raided-on-suspicion-of-finding-proceeds-of-crime-ed-to-hc-101744830021351.html

The secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Gwalior, Swami Supradiptananda, became a victim of what is being described as Madhya Pradesh’s biggest “digital arrest” fraud. Over a period of 26 days, he was virtually held hostage through video calls and coerced into transferring Rs 2.52 crore to multiple bank accounts across the country.

The fraud began on March 17, when the monk received a video call from a person claiming to be a police officer from Nashik, Maharashtra.

The caller alleged that Swami Supradiptananda’s name had surfaced in a money laundering case involving businessman Naresh Goyal.

Exploiting his trust and fear, the imposters convinced him that he needed to cooperate with their investigation or face legal action.

According to police sources, the fraudsters demanded that the monk remain in constant contact with them through video calls – a tactic now being referred to as a “digital arrest”. During this time, he was systematically pressured into transferring funds in multiple instalments, believing that his cooperation would clear his name.

The total amount transferred – Rs 2.52 crore – was sent to 12 different bank accounts across India. The fraudsters even promised to return the full amount by April 15, claiming it was part of a verification process. However, when the money was not returned, Swami Supradiptananda lodged a formal complaint with Gwalior Superintendent of Police Dharamveer Singh.

Following the complaint, the Gwalior Crime Branch registered a First Information Report and launched an investigation into the matter. The case is now being handled by the Cyber Police Station, and efforts are in progress to trace the individuals behind the scam and recover the stolen funds.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/monk-becomes-victim-of-cyberfraud-loses-rs-2-5-crore-over-26-days-8181756

India will expand its trade ties with nations that will offer fair, balanced and equitable free trade agreements (FTAs), Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday, stressing that the country’s gains must match its offer of accessing a 1.4 billion-strong, and fast-growing consumer market.

He said that India is negotiating FTAs with different countries and regions, including the European Union (EU) and Oman.

The remarks also assume significance as India is negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US. The aim is to finalise the first phase of the pact by the fall (September-October) this year.

“So we will be expanding our trading relations with countries where we get a fair deal, where we can have equitable and balanced free trade agreements, where India’s gains commensurate with what we are offering, a large market of 1.4 billion people, growing market, the world’s fastest growing economy,” he said here at India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Conclave 2025.

He added that this corridor would help promote trade, seamless movement of goods and people, and cut down logistics costs.

Billed as a pathbreaking initiative, the IMEC envisages vast road, railroad and shipping networks among India, Saudi Arabia, the US and Europe with an aim to ensure integration among Asia, the Middle East and the West.

The IMEC was formed on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in September last year in Delhi. An agreement was signed by India, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the US and some other G20 partners for the corridor.

Goyal said that it can also open up opportunities for the financial world.

“We could have multilateral financing agencies along this corridor to help promote both the setting up of the corridor and at some stage…we should explore innovative financing models and see how this could finally be financed. For example, we have had green bonds in the past…long-term, 50-year, 100-year bonds to finance this kind of infrastructure,” he said.

He added that the countries can look at harmonising regulatory practices, and enhanced alignment on process, procedures, trade practices, customs union and paperworks within these nations.

“For example, the UAE and we are already engaged to bring some alignment in our regulatory practices. If this region has to really be successful, we can’t have border checkpoints at every level, so we’ll have to look at regulatory connectivity also. So procedures, processes, regulation, all will have to be aligned to make this corridor a bigger success,” Goyal said.

He emphasised that there would be a need for a railway system also.

“So we’ll have to have more interoperable systems going forward. If you have highways, then we need some interoperable charging infrastructure across highways if we are promoting electrical mobility. So we’ll have to think through all of these possibilities and bring nations together,” he said adding these measures would ultimately add to scale.

The member countries will have to look at a multi-faceted dimension that this project offers.

“For example, like UPI, you could have common payment systems, enabling money flow to be easier, and could be settled periodically, monthly or quarterly, in the reserve currency of the globe, or in dollars. But on a day to day basis, every transaction will not need to go through several iterations, only making the banks richer and adding to the cost of transport or cost of trade,” the minister said.

He informed that India and the UAE have been in a dialogue for a virtual trade corridor.

“Can we extend that through the IMEC corridor?” he wondered.

India, he said, is also in dialogue with Singapore to look at the possibility of having an undersea cable for transporting clean energy.

“I’ve had a conversation with Australia…Singapore is also talking to Australia to see if the Singapore, Australia leg could be connected. We are in dialogue with Saudi Arabia and UAE to see if this leg could be connected,” he said.

Further he said that this project needs to be seen from the lens of public-private partnership as it will help in making it financially viable and it should not be only the government’s initiative.

“I do believe that initiatives will not only reduce the time to transport goods significantly…estimated to be about 40 per cent…bring down transport time, bring down cost of logistics, and therefore make trade seamless across continents, faster, more efficient,” he said adding “I think this can become a new global access of the 21st century”.

The good part of the project, he said, is that it respects sovereignty and it is not trying to foist one idea on everything.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-to-expand-ties-with-nations-offering-balanced-free-trade-deals-piyush-goyal-8181787

The observation from court came while it was hearing a plea filed by one Shreya Kesarwani and her husband seeking security and a court order against private respondents disturbing their peaceful married life.

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that couples who marry against their parents’ wishes cannot seek police protection as a matter of right unless there is a real threat to their life and liberty. It also observed that courts are not to “provide protection to those who simply fled to marry according to their own wishes”.

The observation by the Allahabad High Court came while it was hearing a plea filed by a couple seeking protection. The court mentioned that security can be provided in “deserving” cases but not in the absence of any threat perception. In such cases, the couple must “learn to support each other and face the society”, said the court.

Shreya Kesarwani and her husband filed a petition in the court seeking security and a court order against private respondents disturbing their peaceful married life.

“There is no requirement of passing any order for providing police protection to them in the light of the judgement rendered by the Supreme Court in the case of Lata Singh Vs State of UP and another, wherein it has been held that the courts are not meant to provide protection to such youths who have simply fled to marry according to their own wishes,” Justice Saurabh Srivastava observed.

“There is not even an iota of evidence to evince that private respondents (relatives of either of the petitioners) are likely to cause physical or mental assault to the petitioners,” the court noted.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/allahabad-hc-denies-police-protection-to-couple-marrying-against-parents-wish-ws-b-9302173.html

The applicant claimed that he had planned a two-week trip to the United States, including visits to Disney World, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, and various beaches.

A young man’s dream of an international trip to the United States was shattered in mere 40 seconds after he honestly answered a question posed to him during his visa interview.

A Reddit user with username “nobody01810″, shared his ordeal after appearing for B1/B2 tourist visa interview at the US Embassy in New Delhi.

“I had my B1/B2 visa interview at the US Embassy recently, and I was rejected in less than a minute after just three questions. I’m trying to understand what went wrong and how I can improve for next time,” he said in a post on the social media platform.

The applicant claimed that he had planned a two-week trip to the United States, including visits to Disney World, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, and various beaches.

He said that he was asked three questions– Why do you want to travel to the US? Have you traveled outside of India? and Do you have any family or friends in the US?

When asked by the visa officer, “Do you have any family or friends in the US?” he answered, “Yes, my girlfriend lives in Florida, and I plan to visit her.”

After hearing to this honest answer, the visa officer didn’t ask any follow-up questions. Instead, handed him a 214(b) refusal slip and ended the interview, crushing his visa hopes and international trip dream.

Netizens React

The netizens quickly diagnosed the issue, saying “strong ties to the US, weak ties to India.”

“It’s a dangerous minefield—one small slip-up can cost you your international travel,” one user commented.

“You’re a textbook denial, unfortunately. You have zero travel history, especially to Western countries. Plus, a girlfriend in the States? That’s a strong tie to the US,” commented another.

“You were honest mentioning your GF … yes but then again in the eyes of the embassy worker you just want to stay in the US illegally , even if you don’t they think so because you have stronger ties to the US than to India,” another commented

“The moment you mention a relationship with a US citizen or resident, it often triggers an instant rejection. This subreddit is full of such cases,” added another user.

Source : https://www.news18.com/viral/mans-us-visa-rejected-in-40-seconds-after-one-honest-answer-netizens-weigh-in-ws-d-9301657.html

Fugitive Indian jeweler Mehul Choksi, who has been accused of involvement in one of India’s biggest bank frauds, has been arrested in Belgium, his lawyer said Monday.

Choksi and his diamond tycoon nephew Nirav Modi are accused of a $1.8 billion fraud involving Punjab National Bank, the country’s second-largest public lender. Both fled India in 2018.

The arrest was made following an extradition request by Indian authorities, local media reported.

Choksi was arrested on Saturday in the Belgian port city of Antwerp, one of the most important diamond trading hubs in the world. His lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, told reporters that Choksi’s legal team would file an appeal for his release.

Both Choksi and Modi have denied the accusations.

Punjab National Bank accused Choksi, Modi and others of fraud by using fake financial documents to get loans to buy and import jewels.

Aggarwal said the “obvious” grounds for the appeal would be that Choksi is “not a flight risk, is extremely sick and undergoing treatment for cancer.” He also said they would argue that Choksi’s was a “political” case and mount their defense on grounds that Indian prisons have inhumane conditions.

Modi, who built an international jewelry empire that stretched from India to New York and Hong Kong, was arrested in Britain in 2019. He has been in prison since.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/india-mehul-choksi-belgium-diamonds-fraud-charges-2c392594a6daadbfbe0915909fbe01e1

The detained persons admitted to the police that the act was part of a staged video shoot meant for creating reels and other social media content to promote laptop sales

Thane: Police have detained four persons after they allegedly staged a “fake” crime scene in Navi Mumbai to create social media content and garner people’s attention, officials said on Tuesday.

A white car was spotted in Sanpada area at around 8.45 pm on Monday, with a human hand visibly protruding from its trunk, an official from the Navi Mumbai crime branch said.

A video and photograph of the same went viral on social media at night.

Alarmed by the scene, a person alerted the Sanpada police, suspecting a possible abduction or murder.

Acting swiftly, police teams tracked down the vehicle and detained its driver and three others for questioning. One of them runs a laptop shop in Koparkhairne area of Navi Mumbai and was preparing a reel along with others for his business promotion, the police said.

The persons admitted to the police that the act was part of a staged video shoot meant for creating reels and other social media content to promote laptop sales, the official said without elaborating how the act and the laptop sales promotion were linked.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/human-hand-coming-out-of-car-boot-four-stage-crime-scene-for-social-media-reel-detained-in-navi-mumbai-3494486

Customers will have the option to choose from both postpaid and prepaid plans or trigger a mobile number portability for porting into the Airtel network.

New Delhi: In a first, Bharti Airtel on Tuesday announced its partnership with quick commerce platform Blinkit for the delivery of SIM cards to its customers within ten minutes.

In the initial phase of this launch, the SIM delivery service will be available across 16 major cities, including Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ahmedabad, Surat, Chennai, Bhopal, Indore, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.

There are plans to add more cities and towns over a period of time, according to a release.

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone enabling, as it does, customers to receive SIM cards at their doorstep in a minimal 10 minutes at a nominal convenience fee of Rs 49,” it said.

After the delivery of the SIM card, customers can activate the number using Aadhaar-based KYC authentication, as per stipulated process.

Customers will have the option to choose from both postpaid and prepaid plans or trigger a mobile number portability for porting into the Airtel network.

The release explained that in order to streamline the process, customers can access the online link and view the activation video for a seamless activation experience.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/business/companies/airtel-teams-up-with-blinkit-to-deliver-sim-cards-to-customers-doorstep-in-10-minutes-3494454

In April, the U.S. administration imposed 26% duties on imports from India, much lower than the more than 100% China was facing at the time.

Apple’s main India suppliers Foxconn and Tata shipped nearly $2 billion worth of iPhones to the United States in March, an all-time high, as the U.S. company airlifted devices to bypass President Donald Trump’s impending tariffs, customs data shows.

The smartphone maker stepped up production in India and chartered cargo flights to ferry 600 tons of iPhones to the United States to ensure sufficient inventory in one of its biggest markets on concern Trump’s tariffs would push up costs.

In April, the U.S. administration imposed 26% duties on imports from India, much lower than the more than 100% China was facing at the time. Trump has since paused most duties, except for China for three months.

Foxconn, Apple’s main India supplier, exported smartphones worth $1.31 billion in March, its highest ever for a single month and equal to shipments for January and February combined, according to commercially available customs data reviewed by Reuters.

This included Apple iPhone 13, 14, 16 and 16e models, and took Foxconn’s total shipments from India to the United States this year to $5.3 billion.

Exports from Tata Electronics, another Apple supplier, stood at $612 million in March, around 63% higher than the previous month, and included iPhone 15 and 16 models.

Apple, Foxconn and Tata did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters is the first to report the shipment details.

Customs data showed all Foxconn shipments to the United States in March were by air from the Chennai Air Cargo terminal and landed at various locations, including Los Angeles and New York, with Chicago receiving the majority.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/apple-airlifted-2-billion-worth-of-iphones-from-india-ahead-of-trumps-tariffs-ws-l-9300495.html

The Chinese Embassy in India has issued over 85,000 visas to Indian citizens between January 1 and April 9, 2025, marking a significant step towards strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.

The Chinese Embassy in India has issued over 85,000 visas to Indian citizens between January 1 and April 9, 2025, marking a significant step towards strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.

According to Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong, “As of April 9, 2025, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in India have issued more than 85,000 visas to Indian citizens traveling to China this year. Welcome more Indian friends to visit China, experience an open, safe, vibrant, sincere and friendly China.” He said this in a post on X.

Visa Relaxations for Indian Travelers

The Chinese government has introduced several relaxations to facilitate smoother travel between India and China:

– No Online Appointment: Indian applicants can now directly submit their visa applications at visa centers on working days without prior online appointments.
– Biometric Exemption: Travelers visiting China for a short time are exempt from providing biometric data, reducing processing time.
– Visa Fees: Now, a Chinese visa can be obtained at a much lower rate, making travel more affordable for Indian visitors.
– Quicker Processing Times: The visa approval timeline has become more streamlined, allowing for quicker issuance and benefiting both business and leisure travelers.
– Tourism: China is actively promoting travel for Indian tourists, showcasing its cultural and seasonal attractions, such as festivals and destinations.

Economic and Trade Relations

Since the start of his presidential term, Donald Trump has been threatening countries about slapping tariffs on them – and especially on China, it’s top economic adversary but major trading partner.
The Chinese Embassy spokesperson, Yu Jing, emphasised the importance of India-China economic and trade relations, stating that “China-India economic and trade relationship is based on complementarity and mutual benefit. Facing the U.S. abuse of tariffs… the two largest developing countries should stand together to overcome the difficulties.” Yu Jing further added that “Trade and tariff wars have no winners. All countries should uphold the principles of extensive consultation, practice true multilateralism, jointly oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism.”

Soft Power Gesture

Although the diplomatic relations between India and China have been rife with challenges,
especially the ongoing military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), this move can be viewed as a soft power move to show openness towards India and extend goodwill, as this rebuilds trust from bottom-up, even with officials trying to resolve border and trade issues.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/amid-donald-trumps-threats-china-issues-85-000-visas-to-indian-friends-8172974

Since Myanmar’s military coup in 2021, over 40,000 Chin refugees have crossed over to Mizoram.

On January 24, four refugees from Myanmar allegedly killed an auto-rickshaw driver in Mizoram’s Siaha district after a monetary dispute. Three of the accused were arrested. On April 3, a refugee from Myanmar allegedly assaulted a village council vice president in Vengthar.

The two are among several instances that suggest all is not well between local Mizos and Chin refugees from war-torn Myanmar who have made a home in the northeastern state over the past four years. Both share ethnicity, religion and language — one reason why the state government is sheltering the refugees — but the bonhomie between them is beginning to fray.

On March 11, social activist VL Thlamuanpuia wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah, expressing concern over the escalating influx of Myanmar refugees. He warned of potential threats to national security and demographic balance, and cited mounting pressure on local resources.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/locals-refugees-and-simmering-strife-101744742893160.html

India and China near agreement to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, marking progress in normalizing relations post-LAC standoff, sources say.

India and China are close to an understanding on resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as the two sides continue the protracted process of normalising their relations after the more than four-year standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), people familiar with the matter said.

The resumption of the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, which has not been held since 2020, is among confidence-building measures being discussed by the two sides after they reached an understanding last October on disengagement of troops at the two remaining friction points of Demchok and Depsang.

Two days after the understanding on disengagement of forces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met in the Russian city of Kazan and decided to revive several mechanisms to address the border dispute and to normalise ties. One of these mechanisms – the Special Representatives on the border issue – focused on the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade at a meeting in Beijing last December.

Following talks through other mechanisms since then, the two sides are now close to an understanding on resuming the pilgrimage, people on both sides familiar with the deliberations said on condition of anonymity. The restarting of the pilgrimage, which was put off in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic and was subsequently affected by the face-off on the LAC, was one of the major asks of the Indian side.

The people, however, said this year’s pilgrimage may start a little later than usual and continue later than the normal schedule. The Chinese side has sought time to refurbish facilities for the pilgrims as they remained unused for almost five years, the people said. An announcement about the resumption of the pilgrimage is also expected soon, they said.

There was no word from Indian officials on the development.

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is organised by the external affairs ministry between June and September via two routes , Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. The site in Tibet is of religious significant to Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, and pilgrims have to trek at altitudes of up to 19,500 feet in extreme weather and rugged terrain.

If the pilgrimage goes ahead, it will mark another step in the slow process of normalising bilateral relations following the standoff on the LAC, which began with skirmishes in April-May 2020. A subsequent clash at Galwan Valley in June 2020, which resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops, took ties to their lowest point since the 1962 border war.

The Chinese side has pushed India to act on a range of measures aimed at enhancing economic activities, including the resumption of direct flights and easing of visa restrictions on Chinese nationals, the people said. The Chinese side is also keen on reviving the practice of both countries allowing the posting of more journalists in each other’s capitals, they said.

There is currently only one Indian journalist in Beijing and no representatives of China’s state-run media in New Delhi.

At an event organised earlier this month by the Chinese embassy to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong said the two countries “should properly handle differences through dialogue and never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question”.

Source:https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-china-close-to-understanding-on-kailash-mansarovar-yatra-101744742473642.html

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya received a bomb threat via email on Monday night, with the police revealing that an “individual from Tamil Nadu wrote the email in English”, as per a report.

Security arrangements have been stepped up at Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir after a bomb threat was emailed to the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust late Monday night. Vigilance was heightened across the temple complex, as well as in Barabanki and neighbouring districts. An FIR has been registered at the cyber police station in Ayodhya, with officials confirming that the cyber cell is investigating the matter.

PTI reported that the police have so far refrained from revealing other details, except that “an individual from Tamil Nadu wrote the email in English”.
Neither the Ram Temple Trust nor the security agencies have released an official statement so far.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/ayodhya-ram-temple-receives-bomb-threat-email-cyber-cell-probes-article-151431214

“India has changed. I wish I could say Pakistan has changed. They, unfortunately, in many ways, are continuing their bad habits,” said Jaishankar.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said the 2008 Mumbai terror attack marked a turning point in relations with Pakistan. When asked about why the Indian government rarely discusses Pakistan publicly, Jaishankar reminded the audience that one should not waste their precious time on a country that is continuing with its “bad habits”.
Speaking at Charotar University of Science and Technology during an interactive session, Jaishankar acknowledged India’s transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the last decade, adding that Pakistan has remained unchanged.
He said that after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Indians collectively felt that such behaviour from a neighbouring country could no longer be tolerated.

When asked why the Indian government rarely discusses Pakistan publicly anymore, Jaishankar explained that there was no need to waste “precious time” on them.
“India has changed. I wish I could say Pakistan has changed. They unfortunately, in many ways, are continuing their bad habits. I would say the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack was the turning point. I think that was when the Indian public, across political parties, said this is too much,” he said.
“People felt that the country (India) cannot accept this behaviour from a neighbour. I think that feeling was very very strong in society, but it may not have been entirely understood at that time by the Government at that time, which is a different matter,” the Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat told the audience.
“During this period, we have grown economically and politically, and our standing in the world has improved. But, Pakistan continued the old playbook,” he said.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/why-india-rarely-discusses-pakistan-publicly-jaishankars-precious-time-reply-and-a-bad-habits-reminder-article-151433060

A video of a Ghaziabad Police officer allegedly threatening a woman to file a false rape case against her husband.

A shocking video of a Ghaziabad Police officer allegedly threatening a woman to file a false rape case against her husband surfaced online. Soon, the video went viral on social media. In the footage, the officer could be heard saying that as soon as a rape case is filed, the person will land in Jail whether he has done anything or not.

The incident reportedly took place at the Sikanderpur Police Station in the Teela Mod area. In the video, the police officer could also be heard using abusive words while having a heated conversation with the woman complainant.

‘Kya karwayi karein yeh bta, tu kya karwayi karein. Jayada kanoonchi ban rhi hai (What action will we take, you tell. You are becoming lawyer), the police officer could be heard shouting.

He further added, “Jyada bole jaa rhi hai, ch*t**a samajh rhi hai kya humein (You are talking too much).”

Video Of Police Officer Shouting And Threatening Woman:

“Case mein kuch nahin hai yaar… I hope there is a conclusion. They call me when they want to digress from the original issues,” Vadra said. He added that whenever he speaks in favour of the country, he is stopped, and it is all just a “political vendetta” by the BJP.

After reaching the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Gurugram land case in the national capital on Tuesday, Businessman Robert Vadra expressed his discontent over the matter, stating that there was “nothing” in the case and hoped for a conclusion in the investigation.

Robert Vadra’s Statement

“Case mein kuch nahin hai yaar… I hope there is a conclusion. They call me when they want to digress from the original issues,” Vadra said.

He added that whenever he speaks in favour of the country, he is stopped, and it is all just a “political vendetta” by the BJP.

“I hope there is a conclusion… They call me when they want to digress from the original issues… When I speak in favour of the country, I am stopped; Rahul is stopped from speaking in the Parliament. BJP is doing it. This is a political vendetta. People love me and want me to join politics… When I express my willingness to join politics, they bring up old issues to bring me down and divert from the real issues,” Vadra said.

Referring to the number of times he had appeared before the ED, Vadra expressed frustration over the length of time it had taken to find anything in the case.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/case-mein-kuch-nahin-hai-says-robert-vadra-after-appearing-at-ed-office-over-gurugram-land-case

Importantly, the Court said that if a new born is stolen from hospital, the first step to be taken is to cancel the license of the concerned hospital.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday laid down extensive guidelines to be followed by States to prevent child trafficking and to deal with cases involving child trafficking offences.

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan also directed High Courts across the country to issue directions to lower courts to complete trial in child trafficking cases in six months.

“State governments shall take a look at the detailed recommendations by us and study the report which was submitted by Bhartiya Institute and implement the same at the earliest. High Courts across the country are directed to call for status of pending trial in child trafficking cases. Then directions shall be issued to complete trial in 6 months and also conduct day to day trial,” the Court ordered.

Any laxity showing to implement the directions would be taken seriously and be treated as contempt of court, the Bench added.

Importantly, the Court said that if a new born is stolen from hospital, the first step to be taken is to cancel the license of the concerned hospital.

“If any new born is trafficked from a hospital, the first step should be suspend the license of such hospitals. if any lady comes to deliver a child to the hospital and the baby is stolen, the first step is suspension of license,” the Court ordered.

The Court issued the directions while hearing anticipatory bail pleas filed by accused in a child trafficking case from Uttar Pradesh.

The top court today slammed both the Allahabad High Court and the Uttar Pradesh government for the manner in which they dealt with the matter.

“The High Court dealt with bail applications callously and it led to many accused to abscond. These accused pose serious threat to society. Least which was required from High Court while granting bail was to impose a condition to mark presence in police station every week. The police lost track of all accused persons,” the Court opined.

As regards the State, the Court said,

“We are thoroughly disappointed how State of UP handled this and why no appeal was made. No seriousness was showing worth the name,” the Court stated.

The case involved a stolen baby being delivered to a couple who were desirous of having a son.

“It appears the accused was longing for a son and then got a son got for ₹4 lakh. If you desire a son.. you cannot go for a trafficked child. He knew that the baby was stolen,” the Court noted.

Directions shall be issued by High Courts to complete trial in child trafficking cases within 6 months and also to conduct day to day trial.
Supreme Court
Therefore, the Court proceeded to cancel the bail granted to the accused.

“All accused directed to surrender and they shall be sent to judicial custody. We direct CJM Varanasi and ACJM Varanasi to commit the cases to court of sessions within two weeks. Charges shall be framed within one week. If it’s informed that some accused have absconded, the trial court to issue non bailable warrants. Trial of those present shall go on and not be delayed. Once charge is framed concerned court shall proceed on recording of evidence preferably within a week. Three special public prosecutors to be appointed by state and police protection to be given to the witnesses. We direct that trafficked children are admitted in school under Right to Education Act and continue to provide them education. The trial court to pass orders with regard to compensation under BNSS and the UP state law as well,” the Court ordered.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/supreme-court-slams-up-allahabad-hc-for-bail-to-child-trafficking-accused-sets-6-month-deadline-for-trial-in-such-cases

A woman’s Reddit post went viral on social media and left the internet petrified for all the obvious reasons. As per the post, the Redditor and her partner were left scared after a stranger allegedly slipped a ‘note’ into their ‘bedroom window’ at around 3 AM in the morning. Here’s what the note read…

What was supposed to be a regular night for a young couple living together, turned into a petrifying one at around 3 AM in the early morning! Taking to social media, a woman shared an incident on Reddit. Opening up about the matter, the 20-year-old woman- allegedly living with her 22-year-old partner- shared that the duo woke up at around 3:15 AM in the morning, after hearing the sound of someone writing something on a piece of paper and tearing it apart. Switching to ‘alert’ mode, the women began to find the source of the sound, only to realise that a stranger was near their bedroom window! The stranger then allegedly slipped the same note into the duo’s bedroom window. As soon as the stranger left, the couple opened the note- ONLY to find a contact number written on it. As bizarre as it may sound, the note further read that the stranger had lost the duo’s contact number- in return giving them a number to call- to reconnect.
As per the post, the couple informed about the same to their landlord, and decided not to call the number. The woman also clarified that the duo only moved to the ground floor apartment last year in September, speculating that the stranger was possibly at the house for someone else.
The troubled couple also called the ‘non-emergency line’ the next morning, however, the authorities left as nothing happened after the incident.

Times Now could not confirm the location and the authenticity of the post. The netizens, on the other hand, suggested that they call the police and not call the number.

“Stranger slipped a note into my bedroom window,” the post read.
“My partner (f22) and I (f20) were woken up this morning at 3:15ish am with the sound of someone writing a note and ripping the page out to put inside our cracked window. The sound of the page ripping woke me up, but I have the feeling they may have tried opening it as well.
The note has a named listed and a phone number, and it states that the writer of the note has lost our number, but neither of us know this person or number listed. We called the non emergency line as once we had gotten up (and shut all our windows) as nothing else had happened and they had left the scene,” the post read.
The video was shared on Reddit, by the handle ‘Ok-Alarm-3382’. The post was shared a day ago and pulled more than 800K likes from people.
Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/couple-horrified-after-stranger-slips-note-into-their-bedroom-window-at-3-am-here-what-it-read-viral-reddit-post-article-151425129

Tahawwur Rana, extradited from the US, is being interrogated daily by the NIA for up to ten hours over the 26/11 attacks, with officials probing a larger conspiracy and ensuring legal and medical access.

Tahawwur Rana, the key mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, is currently undergoing intense interrogation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), according to sources cited by news agency PTI. He is reportedly being questioned for up to ten hours each day. Rana arrived in New Delhi on Thursday after being extradited from the United States.
The NIA aims to unravel a larger conspiracy behind the deaded strikes, which killed 166 people and injured over 230.
The NIA officials are ensuring Rana’s medical check-up and he is being allowed t meet his lawyer, according to the order of a Delhi court that had on early Friday morning granted 18-day custody to the probe agency following his extradition from the US.

Rana is currently held in a high-security cell at the NIA headquarters in Delhi CGO Complex. PTI sources said that he has been cooperating with investigators led by Chief Investigating Officer Jaya Roy. Rana has requested a pen, some paper on notepad, and a Quran.
According to PTI sources, there has not been any specific food-related demand raised by Rana so far and he is being provided with “food items which are given to any other accused” according to the standard protocols meant to deal with such subjects.
“Rana has been cooperating during the questioning,” a source said, adding that a team of NIA officials led by Chief Investigating Officer Jaya Roy is interrogating him.
Rana is being grilled on the basis of various leads gathered by the probe agency during the course of its investigation, including a large number of phone calls between him and his co-conspirator David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani.

NIA, earlier on Sunday, dissected dozens of phone calls between Rana and his childhood friend and Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, using them to piece together the larger conspiracy that spanned continents.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/8-10-hour-interrogations-asks-for-quran-pen-paper-inside-tahawwur-ranas-nia-custody-article-151419957

Marie Pearl Zelmer Robinson from the US set a Guinness World Record for the largest mouth gape at 7.62 cm, surpassing the previous record of 2.56 inches.

In a revelation that’s as startling as it is fascinating, a woman from the United States – Marie Pearl Zelmer Robinson – has officially secured her place in the Guinness World Records as the woman with the largest mouth gape in the world, a distinction she claims was hiding in plain sight for years.

Measuring an astounding 7.62 centimetres (3 inches) when fully agape, Marie’s mouth easily eclipses the previous record of 2.56 inches held by Samantha Ramsdell. She can effortlessly fit a towering burger stacked with ten patties between her jaws – a feat that defies belief until witnessed in person.

But Robinson’s record-setting moment could have come much sooner – if not for an unfortunate scheduling conflict. Back in 2021, she had a chance to claim the title when her hometown hosted an event associated with Guinness World Records. Ironically, the occasion had nothing to do with mouths but with wellies: nearly 2,000 people gathered to break the record for the world’s largest Wellington boot race. Marie, however, had to miss the event – duty called at the courier business she runs with her husband.

It wasn’t until she stumbled across online videos showcasing the reigning male and female record-holders for the largest mouth gape that Marie realised she might have them beat – quite literally by a wide margin. “I was watching the videos and I thought, ‘Wait a second, there’s a record for that? And people are measuring it?'” she recalled with a laugh. “I grabbed a ruler, looked in the mirror, and thought – I can totally do that,” she said.

Watch the viral video:

Marie’s unique ability to stretch her mouth isn’t just about muscle flexibility or freak genetics. In fact, the phenomenon has a physiological twist. She describes her jaw as being positioned unusually high – so much so that she can feel it extend into her ear canal, something she says is extremely rare.

Source: https://www.news18.com/viral/woman-with-worlds-largest-mouth-eats-a-whole-burger-with-10-patties-in-one-go-ws-kl-9298881.html

In a recent incident, Naya Khullar, a tarot card reader and social media influencer, accused MakeMyTrip of negligence, alleging that the company’s mismanagement compromised her family’s safety during their trip to the Khatushyam Ji Temple in Rajasthan.

The incident has triggered fresh concerns over traveller safety and customer support accountability in India’s booming tourism sector.

Influencer Naya Khullar shared a video on Instagram, alleging that MakeMyTrip’s arranged driver was late, prompting her family to book another cab to return to Delhi. However, the original driver allegedly became aggressive, demanding payment despite not rendering the service.

In the video, Naya claimed the MMT’s driver threatened to follow them to Delhi and their home, raising fears for their safety.

“MMT failed to ensure our safety! We are at Khatushyam Baba, and this is what happens when you book through MakeMyTrip! I’m in fear for the safety of my family and my life. If anything happens to me and my family, then MakeMyTrip will be responsible,” she said in the video.

“I’m stuck at Khatushyam Baba, and he is not letting go. He has been threatening us. We booked the driver for Rs 2000 at night, but he didn’t come on time. We had a discussion, and he misbehaved. I’ve women and family travelling with me,” Naya added. The lack of proper arrangements and immediate customer support, she said, left the family feeling vulnerable.

Following her public post, a MakeMyTrip representative reportedly reached out and assured her that safety measures were being taken. “We understand your agony, and we regret the inconvenience caused. We request you to provide the detail related to your concern in DM along with your contact details and booking ID so that we can investigate the issue at the earliest.”

Source: https://www.news18.com/viral/failed-to-ensure-safety-influencer-shares-ordeal-raises-concerns-about-makemytrips-accountability-ws-kl-9299115.html

We are also covering: Sensex Rallies Over 1,600 Points, Nifty Tops 23,300; Katra To Srinagar In Just 3 Hours and Bengaluru Woman Assaulted After Husband Spotted Her With A Male Friend, among other stories.

In today’s afternoon digest News18 brings you latest updates on New Twist In Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case; Tahawwur Rana ‘Smiled, Laughed’ Weeks Before 26/11 Mumbai Attack and MS Dhoni Questions Logic Behind Him Winning POTM, among other top stories.

In a big twist in the Saif Ali Khan’s stabbing case, the chargesheet has revealed that the crucial fingerprint samples collected from inside the actor’s Mumbai flat did not match with that of the accused Shariful Islam. Nearly ⁠20 samples were sent to the state CID’s Fingerprint Bureau, of which 19 did not match with that of the accused.

While the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is questioning Tahawwur Rana in a high security cell inside the agency’s headquarters, he himself told the US court how he reacted when he was briefed on the 26/11 Mumbai terror plot by David Headley, the Pakistani-American operative who conducted surveillance for Lashkar-e-Taiba. The NIA is also looking for the men who prepared Headley’s documents on the order of Rana and worked in his travel agency.

Chennai Super Kings snapped their losing streak by beating Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL 2025 match held at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday night. The MS Dhoni-led outfit produced a vastly improved show across departments for a confidence-boosting five-wicket win – their second in seven matches of the season so far.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/news18-afternoon-digest-twist-in-saif-ali-khan-case-as-accuseds-fingerprints-not-found-in-actors-flat-other-top-stories-9299582.html

GPS spoofing: Every mission was achieved as planned, says IAF

New Delhi, After sources in the military establishment suggested that Indian Air Force’s transport aircraft carrying relief materials to earthquake-hit Myanmar late last month faced “GPS spoofing”, the IAF has said its crew are well capable to handle such situations, and “every mission was achieved as planned”.

GPS spoofing can be considered to be a form of cyber attack that includes generating false GPS signals to mislead an aircraft. The false signals result in misleading the navigation equipment, posing a significant risk to the aircraft.

“The possibility of degraded GPS availability was published by the Mandalay International airport as NOTAM and all due precautions were put in place to cater for such conditions,” the IAF said in a post on X on Monday.

NOTAM or ‘Notice to Airmen’ is a notice filed with an aviation authority that seeks to alert pilots of an aircraft of potential hazards.

“IAF crew are well capable to handle such unavailability, while ensuring safety of flight and achievement of the designated task or mission. Accordingly, every mission was achieved as planned,” the IAF added.

India sent the first consignment of relief materials to Myanmar on March 29 in a C-130J aircraft and its pilots reported that the plane’s GPS signal was tampered with when it was in Myanmar’s airspace, sources told PTI on Sunday.

New Delhi sent a total of six military transport aircraft to Myanmar, transporting relief materials, field hospitals and rescue teams, with a majority of them experiencing GPS spoofing, they said.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gps-spoofing-every-mission-was-achieved-as-planned-says-iaf-101744688393392.html

The treaty was first signed on 29 October 1901 between Britain, who was ruling India at the time, and Belgium and underwent amendments in 1907, 1911, and 1958.

Mehul Choksi, a fugitive diamond trader accused of defrauding the Punjab National Bank of over ₹13,500 crore, has been arrested in Belgium after a seven-year-long struggle by Indian agencies to extradite him to India.

Mehul Choksi was arrested on Saturday while he was reportedly preparing to flee to Switzerland citing medical reasons. However, Belgium authorities acted swiftly on request of Indian investigation agencies – Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) and arrested him.

Wasting no time, Indian agencies reportedly made use of an almost 125-year-old extradition treaty between India and Belgium and have requested Choksi’s extradition so he can be tried for the charges levied against him.

India-Belgium extradition treaty
The treaty was first signed on 29 October 1901 between Britain, which was ruling India at the time, and Belgium and underwent amendments in 1907, 1911, and 1958. However, after India gained independence, the two countries (India and Belgium) decided to continue the treaty through an exchange of letters in 1954.

The treaty agrees to extradite people accused or charged of committing serious crimes if found on each other’s soil. A person can be extradited between India and Belgium for some serious crimes such as murder, manslaughter, forgery or counterfeiting of money, fraud, rape, extortion, illegal drug trafficking, and more.

Key features of the treaty

• • Dual criminality is a major key feature to seek anyone’s extradition between India and Belgium. It means that the crime the person is accused of or charged with shall be considered a punishable crime in both the countries.
  • Enough and strong evidence of either conviction of the said criminal/accused or their crimes, in case they are yet to be tried, shall be presented by the country seeking extradition.
  • Neither country is obliged to extradite their own citizen(s).
  • An extradition request can be denied if it is found to be politically motivated or for political crimes.
  • The treaty also puts a certain timeline on the extradition process. If the country seeking extradition of an accused or a criminal does not make a formal request within 14 days of the said person’s arrest, that person may be released. The person can also be released if enough proof of their crime is not presented within two months of their arrest.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/all-about-125-year-old-extradition-treaty-india-is-using-to-bring-mehul-choksi-from-belgium-101744687660188.html

Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association (FOKSLOAA) launched this strike.

Karnataka based trucks that transport goods within and outside the state came to a screeching halt as a key lorry operators association launched its idefinite strike against fuel price hikes and toll-related issues, starting midnight between Monday and Tuesday.

Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association (FOKSLOAA) launched this strike, condemning the fuel price hike and alleged harassment they face at toll plazas.

The association is an umbrella organisation of 129 truckers associations with six lakh members — drivers, agents and truck owners.

The trucks keep off the road as strike began.

The truckers’ strike may affect the economic activities in the state severely, increasing the prices of essential commodities.

Harish Sabharwal, president, All India Motor Transport Congress told PTI that the initial response shows that stir is successful. According to him, neither the trucks from any part of India would enter Karnataka, nor trucks from the state will go out.

Somasundaram Balan, Honorary General Secretary of FOKSLOAA, alleged that the state government has not yet responded to its requests to address its grievances, which compelled the truckers to go on strike.

The association gave a call for an indefinite strike demanding to solve critical and long-standing issues faced by the road transport sector in the state.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/karnataka-truckers-go-on-indefinite-strike-against-fuel-price-hike-toll-harassment-101744698043702.html