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After Thakur’s complaint, several BJP MPs demanded that Birla takes action against the unnamed TMC MP.
Anurag Thakur in the Lok Sabha Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: BJP MP Anurag Thakur created a stir on Thursday in Lok Sabha by complaining that some members were smoking e-cigarettes. His complaint led to disruptions in the House.
While Thakur did not name the members, he said that the errant MP is from the Trinamool Congress. “E-cigarettes are banned across the country and yet they are allowed in the House? Trinamool MPs have been sitting and smoking them for several days, e-cigarettes are being smoked in the House. Please investigate this immediately,”
Thakur complained during the Question Hour. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that he will initiate action. “Everyone must adhere to parliamentary traditions and rules. If such matters come to my attention, I will act,” Birla said.
After Thakur’s complaint, several BJP MPs demanded that Birla takes action against the unnamed TMC MP. The uproar led Birla to ask the protesting MPs to calm down and he said that if members file a written complaint, he will take action.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala took up the matter later in a press conference. “There is a complete ban on e-cigarettes across the country since 2019. The use of any such items is completely banned in the Parliament premises. So, getting an e-cigarette in Parliament is against the law,” Poonawala said.
This visit, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, presents an opportunity to strengthen India-Jordan bilateral engagement, explore new avenues of collaboration for mutual growth and prosperity, and reiterate the commitment to promoting regional peace, prosperity, security, and stability, a PMO release said.
PM Modi | X
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman next week to strengthen ties with the three countries.
He will visit Jordan from December 15 to 16 at the invitation of King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will meet the Jordanian King to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchange perspectives on regional issues.
At the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from December 15 – 16, 2025. During the visit, PM will meet His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein to review the entire… pic.twitter.com/zLuHOsALss
This visit, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, presents an opportunity to strengthen India-Jordan bilateral engagement, explore new avenues of collaboration for mutual growth and prosperity, and reiterate the commitment to promoting regional peace, prosperity, security, and stability, a PMO release said.
PM Modi will visit Ethiopia in the second leg of his visit from December 16 to 17. This will be his first visit to the African country. He will hold wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on all aspects of India-Ethiopia bilateral ties.
“As partners in the Global South, the visit will be a reiteration of the shared commitment of the two nations to advance close ties of friendship and bilateral cooperation,” the release said.
In the final leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will visit Oman from December 17 to 18. This will be PM Modi’s second visit to Oman.
ED searched nearly 40 locations across four states and seized approximately Rs 3 crore in cash, jewellery, land-deal documents and papers related to immovable asset purchases from Borivali village in Padgha, as investigators probe hawala links to the ISIS terror module.
ED Raids 40 Locations, Probe Reveals ISIS Module Funded By Illegal Wood Smuggling And Hawala |
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), backed by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), on Thursday launched a coordinated state-wide and inter-state crackdown, conducted searches at nearly 40 locations across Maharashtra, Delhi, Kolkata, and Uttar Pradesh in a probe into suspected terror-financing networks, officials said.
During the operation, the ED seized approximately Rs 3 crore in cash, jewellery that is currently under valuation, multiple land-deal–related documents, and several other incriminating Documents.
The operation zeroed in on Borivali village in Padgha, Thane district, an area flagged by central agencies as the nerve centre of an ISIS-inspired module allegedly linked to the late Saquib Nachan,a former office-bearer of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Nachan, who died in June this year in a Delhi hospital following a brain haemorrhage, had been identified by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as the alleged “Ameer-e-Hind,” head of ISIS operations in India. Investigators believe his ideological influence continues through his operatives and sympathisers even after his death.
ED teams also conducted searches in Ratnagiri and several other locations across Maharashtra and beyond as part of a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation into alleged terror financing. The operation stems from NIA case RC-29/2023/NIA/DLI, in which Nachan was named a principal accused. Several others, including his family members, close associates, and sympathisers of the ISIS Delhi–Padgha terror module, all hailing from the Padgha-Borivali belt, are alleged to have been part of a highly radicalised ISIS-linked network involved in recruitment, training, procurement of weapons and explosives, and raising funds to sustain terror operations across multiple states.
Investigators are scrutinising banking records, digital footprints, and alleged cash transfers believed to have facilitated financial support to individuals or entities associated with extremist organisations.
Beginning in the pre-dawn hours, Thursday’s raids swept through multiple residential premises in Padgha and other targeted locations. The operation focused on individuals earlier flagged under the ATS Graded Response Protocol for their alleged involvement in Khairwood and cattle-smuggling activities. The agency suspects that proceeds generated from these illegal trades were diverted to fund extremist activities.
In June, shortly after Nachan’s death, the ATS and Thane Rural Police had searched 22 premises linked to Nachan’s family members and other suspected operatives at Borivali in Padgha.Officials seized 19 mobile phones and several incriminating documents allegedly connected to radicalisation efforts.Investigations revealed clandestine networks engaged in the cutting, smuggling, and sale of Khairwood,with the proceeds reportedly routed through an extensive hawala network to fund extremist operations.
Following that action, the ATS submitted a detailed dossier to the ED outlining financial red flags, including suspicious cash movements, unexplained assets and possible benami holdings, prompting a deeper investigation into the module’s money trail. On Thursday’s operation, ATS personnel provided on-ground support to coordinate the ED searches.
Officials said the module’s shadow economy was largely sustained through Khairwood smuggling and cattle trafficking, both identified as highly profitable criminal rackets in the region. Khairwood, a high-value timber used in gutka production and chemical extraction industries, is illegally felled in forest zones and transported through discreet routes to evade enforcement checks. The clandestine cutting, transport, and sale of the timber generates large volumes of unaccounted cash, making it an effective channel for covert financing.Parallelly, the suspects were reportedly operating a cattle-smuggling corridor across district and state boundaries, ensuring a steady flow of unregulated cash.
According to the sources proceeds from these illegal trades were allegedly routed through a hawala network, enabling transfers across states and ultimately feeding into the module’s terror-financing pool, masking extremist funding behind routine smuggling operations.
During the operation, the ED also carried out searches at premises linked to late Saquib Nachan, his family members and accused associates. Officials said the agency seized several land-deal and property-purchase documents, along with transaction records. Cash and jewellery were also recovered from these locations, they added.
While addressing the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said WHO guidelines are only meant to help nations frame their own standards, factoring in geography, environmental conditions and local circumstances.
Air pollution remains a persistant challenge in the country. (File Photo: ITG)
As air pollution remains a persistent national challenge, the Centre told Parliament that the country sets its own air norms and global air quality rankings released by various organisations carry no official sanction. It also added that the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) air quality guidelines are advisory in nature and do not constitute mandatory standards for India.
The Centre’s response on Thursday was to a question in the Rajya Sabha about India’s standing in global indices such as IQAir’s World Air Quality Ranking, the WHO Global Air Quality Database, the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) metrics.
Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said WHO guidelines are only meant to help nations frame their own standards, factoring in geography, environmental conditions and local circumstances.
“India has already notified its National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 12 key pollutants to safeguard public health and environmental quality,” he added.
He added that while no global authority conducts official rankings, the government evaluates air quality within the country through its annual Swachh Vayu Survekshan, which ranks 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) based on improvement efforts.
The Centre’s response to the air pollution crisis comes months after data compiled by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring firm, revealed that India failed to meet the WHO’s stringent air quality standards for 2024.
The Delhi High Court questioned the Centre over IndiGo’s mass cancellations and soaring airfares, asking why the crisis arose, who is responsible, and what steps were taken to prevent passenger hardship.
How could other airlines take advantage of situation, charge hefty sums for tickets, asks Delhi HC Photo : PTI
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday questioned the Centre over the IndiGo crisis that resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations and a sudden spike in domestic airfares, with some tickets shooting up to nearly Rs 40,000. Questioning why airlines were allowed to raise fares amid the chaos, Justice Gedela asked, “If there were a crisis, how could other airlines be permitted to take advantage? How can it go to 35,000 to 39,000? How could other airlines start charging? How can it happen?”
“What bothers us is how such situation was allowed to precipitate stranded lakhs of passengers unattended on airports. Such situation isn’t confined to inconvenience to passengers but also affects economy of country as in the present days, fast movement of passengers is an important aspect to keep economy functioning”, Court said.
The court said that while it “appreciates their efforts” in managing the situation, the government must explain how the crisis unfolded in the first place. Emphasising the broader economic fallout, Justice Gedela remarked, “Who is responsible? It is not a question of individual passengers being stranded at airports. Question is loss to the economy.”
“We have said we appreciate your efforts. Question is why did such a situation precipitate? Who is responsible? It is not question of individual passengers are stranded at airports. Question is loss to the economy. It is harassment and trouble to the passengers. What steps were taken to compensate the passengers? What action has been taken to ensure that the employees of service providers behave responsibly?” the court asked the Centre.
The Additional Solicitor General detailed the measures taken by the Centre, but the Delhi High Court was not convinced. “These are all taken by you once the crisis erupted. Question is not this. Why at all the situation arose? And what have you been doing,” the court remarked.
UNESCO has recognised Deepavali as an intangible cultural heritage, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
India boasts 15 elements on UNESCO’s list, including Kumbh Mela and yoga.
The festival of Deepavali has been inscribed by UNESCO in its list of intangible cultural heritage, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared on Wednesday. In a post on X, he said, “A joyous moment as Deepavali, the festival of lights, marking the triumph of good over evil and the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom, Ayodhya, which is celebrated globally, is added to the @UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.”
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) December 10, 2025
Describing the festival, UNESCO said on its official website, “Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is a light festival celebrated annually by diverse individuals and communities across India, that marks the last harvest of the year and the start of a new year and new season. Based on the lunar calendar, it falls on the new moon in October or November and lasts several days. It is a joyous occasion that symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. During this time, people clean and decorate their homes and public spaces, light lamps and candles, set off fireworks, and offer prayers for prosperity and new beginnings”.
A historic day for India.
Deepavali has been officially inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
During the tenure of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji, India’s cultural heritage is receiving unprecedented global recognition and this milestone… pic.twitter.com/pZDH7nqu85
According to UNESCO, intangible cultural heritage includes the practices, knowledge, expressions, objects, and spaces that communities see as part of their cultural identity. Passed down over generations, this heritage evolves, strengthening cultural identity and appreciation of diversity.
What elements from India have made it to UNESCO’s list?
India currently has 15 elements inscribed on the coveted UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and these include the Kumbh Mela, the Durga Puja in Kolkata, the Garba dance of Gujarat, yoga, the tradition of Vedic chanting and Ramlila — the traditional performance of the epic Ramayana.
In 2008, Ramlila- the traditional performance of Ramayana was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
In 2024, the festival of Navroz from India was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
Garba from Gujarat (2023), Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021), Kumbh Mela (2017), Yoga (2016), and the traditional brass and copper craft of utensil-making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab (2014) are some of the other Indian elements on the list.
All NDA MPs are anticipated to attend, with senior Union ministers managing regional coordination.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated by MPs for the alliance’ victory in Bihar Assembly elections during the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, at Parliament premises in New Delhi (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host an exclusive dinner for all MPs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) today at his official residence in New Delhi. The dinner, which had earlier been planned during the previous session of Parliament, marks one of the major interactions of the alliance after its historic victory in the Bihar Assembly elections.
All NDA MPs are expected to attend the gathering, and senior Union ministers have been given the responsibility of coordinating with MPs from their respective regions. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar are overseeing arrangements for MPs from Odisha and West Bengal, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has been entrusted with coordination for MPs from the Northeastern states.
The special dinner was postponed earlier due to the floods in Punjab.
Inside PM Modi’s special dinner
Nearly 54 tables have been arranged for the dinner, with each table accommodating eight MPs drawn from different alliance partners along with BJP MPs. A Union Minister will also be seated at every table, and the Prime Minister is expected to spend time interacting with MPs seated at each table during the dinner, according to news agency IANS.
The proposed dinner has been planned as a platform for open and constructive discussions among alliance partners. The dinner is expected to give the Prime Minister an opportunity to deliberate on legislative priorities, assess the government’s broader agenda for the ongoing session of Parliament and reinforce the NDA’s collective political direction, sources told the agency.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has seized more than a dozen bank accounts, holding about Rs 55 crore worth of deposits, of Anil Ambani Group company Reliance Infrastructure as part of a hawala-linked FEMA investigation. The agency said 13 bank accounts having a balance of Rs 54.82 crore of R-Infra have been seized for “contravention” of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
File Image |
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has seized more than a dozen bank accounts, holding about Rs 55 crore worth deposits, of Anil Ambani Group company Reliance Infrastructure as part of a hawala-linked FEMA investigation.It alleged in a statement that Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (R-Infra), through its special purpose vehicles (SPVs), siphoned public funds from highway construction projects awarded by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and sent them to the UAE illegally.
ED, Special Task Force, Headquarters has seized 13 bank accounts of M/s Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. under Section 37A of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 for contraventions under section 4 of FEMA in the matter of siphoning of public funds from highway… pic.twitter.com/ETe2TGpqGN
A statement issued by Ambani’s spokesperson last month said this was “a purely domestic contract with no foreign exchange component involved whatsoever”.”The JR Toll Road has been fully completed and, from 2021 onwards, has been with the NHAI,” the statement had said.Describing the alleged fraud, the ED said funds were diverted under the guise of sham sub-contracting arrangements to shell companies in Mumbai and these entities were set up in a coordinated manner using dummy directors at specific bank branches in Mumbai.
These funds, according to the agency, were “layered” through a network of other shell entities and remitted to the UAE in the guise of import of polished and unpolished diamonds without receipt of any equivalent goods or documentation.The UAE entities to which funds were remitted had bank accounts in both the UAE and in Hong Kong. These entities were found to be controlled by individuals engaged in international hawala transactions, it said.
“The shell entities through which these funds were siphoned are found to be involved in international hawala transactions worth more than Rs 600 crore,” the ED said.This alleged diversion of the project funds led to “severe” financial stress in the affected SPVs, resulting in bank loans turning into non-performing assets (NPAs), thereby causing losses to lenders and jeopardising public financial interests, it said.
Rishabh Rajput and Sonali Chouksey were married last month
Rishabh Rajput and Sonali Chouksey met in college 11 years ago, fell in love and married last month.
Photos and videos from their colourful wedding showed the happy couple from the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh performing rituals and posing in their finery.
But when they shared their happiest moment on social media, the congratulatory messages came peppered with “jokes and memes” with trolls comparing and criticising the couple over the groom’s skin colour.
In India, where obsession with fair skin colour is well documented and can sometimes even have tragic consequences, the groom faced intense online shaming and was called names for his “darker skin colour”.
The trolls did not spare the bride either, with many suggesting she had married him “for his money”.
“She must have had some compulsion,” one wrote. Another suggested she couldn’t be happy with a husband like that. Some labelled her a “gold-digger,” claiming she married him for wealth or a secure government job with perks. One comment suggested that Mr Rajput’s father must be “a government minister”.
The couple, who married on 23 November, have since gone viral because of the trolling – and their response, as they addressed the criticism head-on. They have been sought out by local media and given scores of interviews in the past two weeks.
“People were making jokes and memes and it felt very wrong,” Mr Rajput told BBC Hindi from his home in Jabalpur.
“It was our moment and we had waited for it so many years. It was supposed to be a happy moment, but when I saw people’s reactions, I was really shocked,” he said.
“In so many years that we have been together, no-one had ever told us that we were a mismatch because I have dark complexion while she is fairer,” he added.
The nasty comments left the couple – who both work in private companies – reeling.
Ms Chouksey admitted that such comments “bothered” her. “You think – is this is how people are perceiving us? When they say nasty things about him or call me a gold-digger, it irritates me.”
In a post on Instagram, Mr Rajput addressed the trolls: “Sorry to disappoint you. I’m not a government employee, but I work hard for my family and want to give them a good, dignified life.”
He added that Sonali fell in love with him when he had nothing. “From college till today, she has stood with me through every good and bad moment. People’s negative opinions mean nothing to me,” he wrote.
Mr Rajput also addressed the issue of colourism in the comments, saying he had faced colour discrimination his whole life.
“I know very well that I have a dark complexion. But in my wife’s eyes, I am trying to be the best husband I can be, and that is what matters the most. There is no need to speak wrongly about my family.”
Mr Rajput said he pushed back when the trolls began commenting on one of the photos that also had his mother and his and his wife’s sisters.
“I did not like the fact that they targeted my family. I want to tell them, you are a nobody. And you have no right to target – or troll – anyone’s family,” he said.
The couple, together since meeting in a 2014 college zoology class, say outsiders shouldn’t judge their lives.
“Our relationship began a year later and we knew from then that one day we would be married. Those who are commenting on our relationship by looking at a 30-second video don’t know that it captures 11 years of hard work that we have put into it,” says Mr Rajput.
“Sonali had always manifested that when we get married, our entire village should witness it. But today, it seems like the whole world is watching it,” he says.
That attention, the couple agree, feels good in a way. But the comments, Ms Chouksey adds, are hurting their families. “For people, it may be just something they watch on social media, but it’s our life. And it can destroy someone’s family.”
The couple have also addressed colourism in several of their interviews.
Authorities are tightening the net around Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra as Interpol alerts, fresh court action and new details of their late-night escape deepen the probe into the Goa nightclub fire tragedy that killed 25 people.
Gaurav (left) and Saurabh Luthra (right) fled to Phuket just hours after the deadly fire ripped through their nightclub in Goa. (Pics: Instagram)
The government late Wednesday cancelled the passports of Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, owners of a Goa nightclub where a fire killed 25 people last week. The move blocks the Delhi-based brothers, who fled to Thailand hours after the blaze that killed 25 people last week, from travelling onwards from Phuket and, officials say, strengthens India’s chances of getting them deported through diplomatic channels with Interpol’s help.
The External Affairs Ministry had received a formal request from the Goa government to revoke the Luthras’ passports, sources told India Today TV earlier. Interpol issued a Blue Corner Notice against the brothers on Tuesday, and they are believed to be hiding in Phuket.
Investigators say the brothers booked their tickets to Thailand at 1:17 am on December 7, barely an hour after news of the fire at their club, Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, began to spread. Police and emergency teams were still battling the blaze when the booking was made.
In court, however, the Luthras’ insist the travel had been planned earlier. Their lawyer told Delhi’s Rohini court that Saurabh left for Thailand on December 6 “for professional engagements and potential restaurant sites.” He argued that the brothers were seeking “legal protection to return to India without immediate arrest.”
The court refused to grant them immediate relief on Wednesday and posted their anticipatory bail plea for Thursday. The Goa Police opposed the request, saying the brothers fled hours after the incident and should not be allowed to seek protection while abroad.
Represented by senior advocates Sidharth Luthra and Tanvir Ahmed Mir, the brothers claimed they feared being arrested as soon as they landed. “I am saying I want to come back to India; they want to arrest me,” their counsel argued in court. “Witch-hunting is what I am concerned about.”
The Luthras also said the demolition of their second property in Goa — a beach shack bulldozed earlier this week — showed the “vindictive nature” of the action against them. Authorities maintain the shack was illegal and lacked all fire-safety clearances, making it a risk similar to the nightclub.
Nearly 200 children across Europe were conceived using sperm carrying a dangerous cancer-linked gene mutation. Children conceived using these affected sperm cells have the mutation in every cell of their body.
The donor carried a mutation in the TP53 gene, which normally protects the body from cancer by preventing cells from turning abnormal. (Photo: Getty Images)
Sperm from a donor who unknowingly carried a dangerous gene mutation linked to cancer was used to conceive nearly 200 children across Europe.
The sperm was not supplied to UK fertility clinics, but some families from the UK used the donor while undergoing treatment in Denmark.
SOME CHILDREN DEVELOPED CANCER
The donor carried a mutation in the TP53 gene, which normally protects the body from cancer by preventing cells from turning abnormal.
Because part of the gene was damaged, around 20% of his sperm carried this mutation.
Children conceived using these affected sperm cells have the mutation in every cell of their body. This causes Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare but serious genetic condition that increases the risk of developing cancer by up to 90% before age 60.
This syndrome is linked to breast cancer, brain tumours, bone cancers (osteosarcoma), soft tissue cancers, and several childhood cancers.
The BBC and 13 other public broadcasters worked together on the investigation that revealed that some of the children have already died, and many more are expected to develop cancer over their lifetimes.
HOW THIS WENT UNNOTICED
The donor was a student who was paid to donate sperm in 2005. His samples were used for 17 years, and passed all routine screening tests.
At the time, there was no way to detect this specific TP53 mutation through standard fertility screening.
Denmark’s European Sperm Bank, which supplied the donor’s sperm, admitted that it was used to produce too many pregnancies and extended “deepest sympathy” to affected families. All known families have been contacted.
The sperm bank said the mutation cannot be detected through current routine genetic tests, but the donor was blocked immediately once the problem came to light.
HOW THE ISSUE WAS DISCOVERED
Doctors raised concerns earlier this year at a meeting of the European Society of Human Genetics.
Out of 67 children identified at the time, 23 were found to carry the mutation, and 10 had already developed cancer.
They now estimate at least 197 children worldwide may have been conceived using the donor’s sperm though the true number could be higher, as not all countries have submitted information.
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, DIFFERENT RULES
The donor’s sperm was used in 67 fertility clinics across 14 countries, highlighting major differences in sperm donor regulations.
In the UK, one donor’s sperm can be used for a maximum of 10 families.
Other countries allow far greater numbers.
The UK’s fertility regulator, the HFEA, confirmed the donor’s sperm was not supplied to licensed UK clinics. However, a “very small number” of UK women were treated with the sperm at Danish clinics.
The HFEA said that since the treatment did not occur in the UK, the matter falls under the responsibility of Danish authorities.
According to the Bill, menstruating persons can work from home if they do not want to avail of the leave facility. The Bill is expected to be tabled during the ongoing Winter Session of the Legislature in Belagavi.
Representative image for menstrual leave. Credit: iStock
Belagavi: Two months after it approved the menstrual leave policy granting a one-day leave per month to all working women, the state government will bring in a Bill extending the facility to menstruating students as well.
The initial draft of the Karnataka Working Women Wellbeing Bill, 2025, which DH has accessed, provides one paid leave per month to all menstruating persons (girls, women and transgender and gender queer persons) working under the government or in private institutions and two days leave per month and consequently a 2% relaxation in the attendance to menstruating students in schools, colleges and universities (both government and private).
However, the Bill notes that the number of such leaves cannot exceed 12 days per year. The Bill extends the menstrual leave benefits to transgender and gender queer persons too (earlier government orders based on the menstrual leave policy were confined to women).
According to the Bill, menstruating persons can work from home if they do not want to avail of the leave facility. The Bill is expected to be tabled during the ongoing Winter Session of the Legislature in Belagavi.
The Bill proposes to institute the Karnataka Women Wellbeing Authority to carry out purposes of the Bill.The chairperson of the Karnataka Commission for Women will be the ex-officio chairperson of the authority, while four government representatives (ex-officio members) and two women activists (nominated) will also be a part of it.
The authority should meet once in three months and redress grievances of menstruating persons.
Labour officers in each district shall hold spot-inspections and periodically submit their inquiry report to the authority.
The Bill mandates the authority to hold inquiries following the principles of “natural justice”, giving full and equal opportunities to both complainant and respondent. It says the orders passed by the Authority shall be “final”.
In the wake of the Goa resto-pub fire incident, the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) has launched a special inspection drive from December 22 to 28, covering hotels, commercial establishments, and residential complexes.
Mumbai Fire Brigade launches week-long inspection of crowded establishments to enforce Fire Safety Act compliance | Representational Image
Mumbai, Dec 09: In the wake of the Goa resto-pub fire incident, the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) has launched a special inspection drive from December 22 to 28, covering hotels, commercial establishments, and residential complexes.
Any establishment found violating prescribed fire-safety norms during this campaign will face action under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, warned the MFB.
FPJ Report Triggers Action
The Free Press Journal’s December 9 report highlighted how city hotels and pubs flout fire-safety norms, run unauthorised basement activities, and ignore crowd-management rules.
On Tuesday, the MFB announced it will inspect restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, party halls, gyms, malls, and other crowded venues. In addition, lifeguards, boats, and rescue equipment will be deployed along various city beaches.
“To prevent fire incidents or ensure prompt control in case of a fire, building and establishment owners are obligated to implement fire-prevention and life-safety measures under Section 3(1) of the Act,” said Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar.
Officials Stress Public Awareness
Ashwini Joshi, additional municipal commissioner (in charge of MFB), said, “The MFB is fully equipped with advanced machinery, materials, and equipment to tackle any challenges in the city.”
She emphasised that widespread public awareness can help prevent such tragedies, and the Fire Brigade is continuously working to ensure fire incidents are avoided.
Dabur has filed a plea to cancel a trademark registration granted to Wellford Pharma over the name, “Welford Pudin Hara.”
Delhi High Court and Pudin hara
Is Pudin Hara a distinctive Ayurvedic coined name belonging solely to Dabur for trademark purposes, or can another pharmaceutical company use it as a suffix and claim trademark registration?
This is the central question in a plea filed by Dabur India for the cancellation of a trademark given to a rival, which contains the words Pudin Hara [Dabur India Vs Wellford Pharma].
The Court on Tuesday heard the plea, by which Dabur has sought the cancellation of the mark “Welford Pudin Hara,” placing the 90-year identity of Dabur’s digestive product at the heart of its trademark contest
The case was heard by Justice Tejas Karia, who reserved the plea for interim orders.
Dabur’s counsel asserted that Pudin Hara is a coined mark that it has used since 1930, backed by a 1979 trademark application and decades of market presence.
“This particular mark has been solely associated with the petitioner (Dabur) and the petitioner alone,” Dabur’s counsel submitted, insisting that any competing trademark registration would trigger confusion among consumers.
Dabur said that a trademark search revealed 29 registrations containing the word Pudin Hara, of which 27 belong to the company. One of the remaining two, now before the Court, was described as a direct imitation.
According to Dabur, the respondent (Wellford Pharma) had “lifted the entirety” of Dabur’s earlier mark and merely suffixed it with the word “Wellford”, allegedly to exploit Dabur’s goodwill built over decades.
It was submitted that Wellford Pharmaceuticals is also engaged in medicinal products, making it “inconceivable” that it was unaware of Dabur’s mark.
The company emphasised that Pudin Hara is consumed by both children and adults, and confusion in medicinal products would not only impair brand reputation but also “hamper public health.”
Dabur stated that Wellford Pharma’s impugned trademark registration was filed on a proposed-to-be-used basis in 2022 and granted in 2023, adding that its own search found no evidence of actual use of the rival mark.
In a video circulating online, advocate Rakesh Kishore was seen being attacked with slippers at the Karkardooma Court complex in Delhi.
Advocate Rakesh Kishore
Advocate Rakesh Kishore, who hurled a show towards former Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, was attacked in a similar manner on Tuesday by unidentified persons who tried to beat him with slippers at the Karkardooma Court complex in Delhi.
A video of the incident is circulating on social media and is being widely shared across multiple platforms.
The clip shows some people attempting to hit Kishore with slippers before others intervene. The footage does not clearly capture the faces of those involved, and their identities have not been established.
The Karkardooma Court complex sees significant daily footfall of lawyers, litigants and court staff. Details about how the incident unfolded within the premises, including whether any security personnel were present at the time, have not yet been confirmed.
The purpose of the attack is also unclear, as no group or individual has so far claimed responsibility and no official explanation has been issued by authorities.
Kishore came to the limelight on October 6 when he threw a shoe towards former CJI Gavai during court proceedings in the CJI court of the Supreme Court.
Security personnel were swift to intervene and remove him from the courtroom.
During the incident, Kishore raised slogans referring to the protection of Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism). His outburst was reportedly linked to comments made by CJI Gavai during a hearing concerning the restoration of a 7-foot beheaded idol of Lord Vishnu at Khajuraho.
In that matter, Justice Gavai had remarked that those aggrieved could seek answers from the deity, prompting criticism from the lawyer.
Further, CJI Gavai, while touring Mauritius, had made comments against bulldozer demolitions in India and spoke of how the Court had passed an order staying the same. Kishore was critical of the CJI’s comments on this issue and this had apparently provoked him to throw his shoe at the CJI.
Following the shoe-throwing attempt, the Bar Council of India (BCI) suspended Kishore’s licence to practise law with immediate effect and announced that disciplinary proceedings would follow. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) also terminated his membership.
Subsequently, the Attorney General for India granted consent to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against him.
However, at a subsequent hearing of the contempt case, a Supreme Court Bench indicated that the Court was not inclined to continue with the contempt action against Kishore, but said that it could look into evolving safeguards to prevent such incidents in future.
Raghuram Rajan, former RBI Governor, said the US’s imposition of a 50% tariff on India had less to do with the purchase of Russian oil and more to do with Delhi’s contradicting US President Trump’s claim of brokering peace in the May war. He said “Pakistan played well”, and escaped with just 16% tariffs.
Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said that India’s purchase of discounted Russian oil was not the real trigger for the 50% US tariffs. (File Image)
Economist and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Raghuram Rajan, claimed that the main reason the US imposed a hefty 50% tariff on Indian exports was not New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil, but its counter to President Donald Trump’s claim that he facilitated the ceasefire during the four-day mini-war in May with Pakistan.
Rajan added that it was essentially the “personality in the White House” that drove the tension with India.
Speaking at the UBS Centre for Economics in Society at the University of Zurich on December 4, Rajan said that “Pakistan played it the right way”, adding that “the central issue was [about] personalities, and especially a personality in the White House” and “how they treated certain comments made by India after Mr Trump claimed credit for stopping a conflict between India and Pakistan”.
Rajan was referring to the four-day mini war between India and Pakistan in May. New Delhi carried out a precise, limited military operation on terror havens in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), after Pakistan-sponsored terrorists gunned down 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. In retaliation, when Pakistani forces launched attacks on Indian military and civilian infrastructure using missiles and drones, Indian forces struck Islamabad’s military and nuclear facilities, compelling the Pakistani leadership to rush to the US for mediation.
After the ceasefire, while the Pakistani leadership heaped praises and thanked Trump for the ceasefire, the Indian military leadership maintained that it was reached after Rawalpindi dialled up New Delhi twice, seeking a pause to the days-long fighting.
NOT RUSSIAN OIL, TRUMP’S PERSONALITY BEHIND TARIFFS ON INDIA: RAGHURAM RAJAN
On being asked by the moderator if “buying less oil from Russia is the way to please Mr Trump”, Raghuram Rajan said, “I don’t think Russian oil purchases were ever the central issue. You just saw yesterday he waved the purchase of oil by [Viktor] Orban [Prime Minister] of Hungary. I don’t think oil was the central issue”.
“I think the central issue was more personalities and especially the personality in the White House and how they treated certain comments made by India after Mr Trump claimed credit for stopping a conflict between India and Pakistan,” said Rajan, who served as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between 2013 and 2016.
He added, “Pakistan played it the right way. It was all because of Mr Trump. India tried to argue that the two countries had reached an agreement without Mr Trump. The truth is probably somewhere in between.”
“The net effect was India got 50% tariffs, Pakistan got 19%,” he added.
Raghuram Rajan, however, clarified that he didn’t “know what happened between India and the US”, hoping, “in the longer run, sanity prevails on both sides”.
In August, the US under Donald Trump imposed tariffs of up to 50% on most Indian imports, saying New Delhi purchased discounted Russian oil despite US sanctions and “funded the war in Ukraine. Trump also framed the move as the US’ retaliation against what he called a “one-sided” trade relationship with India. Tensions escalated as Trump’s aides, like Peter Navarro and Stephen Miller, launched personal attacks on the Indian political leadership. Navarro even made casteist and mocking remarks, which turned the trade dispute into an unusually hostile confrontation.
The Uttar Pradesh government has established a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the illegal sale and trafficking of codeine-based cough syrups, following numerous police reports in various districts.
Image for representation.
The Uttar Pradesh government has set up a special investigation team to examine the illegal sale, storage and trafficking of codeine-based cough syrups after multiple police cases were filed across the state, officials said Tuesday.
The SIT was formed because the offences span several districts and departments and are believed to involve organised groups trading codeine syrup for profit, according to an official statement.
The three-member team will be led by Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) L.R. Kumar. Senior Superintendent of Police (STF) Sushil Ghule Chandrabhanu and Akhilesh Kumar Jain, assistant commissioner at the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, will serve as members.
The team has been tasked with investigating financial transactions linked to the illegal trade, diversion of pharmaceutical products, inter-state networks and proceeds of crime. It will also look into cases involving suspects who have fled abroad and begin the process for their extradition, the statement said.
The government has asked the SIT to complete its probe in a “quality and time-bound” manner and submit a detailed report within a month.
Several FIRs have been registered in recent days in different districts of Uttar Pradesh over illegal trafficking of codeine-based syrups, with local police units already conducting inquiries.
The state had announced on Monday that it would form the SIT and noted that no deaths linked to codeine-based cough syrups have been reported in Uttar Pradesh.
A Lookout Circular (LOC) was issued against Gupta, and when he was not found at his residence, an arrest warrant was obtained. Following this, he was detained in New Delhi.
Ajay Gupta, co-owner of Goa club, detained in New Delhi. (Image: ANI)
The Goa Police on Tuesday detained co-owner Ajay Gupta, a resident of New Delhi, in connection with the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane restaurant-cum-bar in North Goa.
A Lookout Circular (LOC) was issued against Gupta, and when he was not found at his residence, an arrest warrant was obtained. Following this, he was detained in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, sources informed that Gupta — who was detained in Delhi — reportedly got himself admitted late at night to a hospital in Lajpat Nagar, citing a spine-related ailment. He has been taken into custody by the Goa Police.
If the Goa Police formally arrest Ajay Gupta, they will obtain a transit remand and take him to Goa, where he is expected to be produced in court on Wednesday.
Responding on the police action, Ajay Gupta, while he was brought to the Crime Branch office and told News18 that he was just a partner and had nothing to do with anything. “I was only a partner; I don’t know anything else.”
Ajay Gupta Detained
“Ajay Gupta has now been detained in Delhi,” Goa Police said in a statement. “All accused are being dealt with strictly as per law, and the investigation is progressing on priority,” the police added.
The Goa Police reply came in response to Congress leader Pawan Khera’s question on the Goa Arpora fire incident. Taking to X, the Congress leader said, “GS Hospitality Arpora LLP has three directors – Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra and Ajay Gupta. Yet the FIR names only Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, who are now absconding.”
He further questioned, “Which Union Minister is protecting Ajay Gupta? Why was no FIR filed against him?”
The Congress on Sunday criticised the handling of safety measures at a club-cum-restaurant in Goa’s Arpora, where at least 25 people lost their lives in a late-night fire, calling the incident a serious lapse in oversight that requires an immediate and transparent investigation.
A crucial question on the Goa Arpora fire incident:
GS Hospitality Arpora LLP has 3 directors – Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra and Ajay Gupta.
Yet the FIR names only Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, who are now absconding.
The Congress on Sunday criticised the handling of safety measures at a club-cum-restaurant in Goa’s Arpora, where at least 25 people lost their lives in a late-night fire, calling the incident a serious lapse in oversight that requires an immediate and transparent investigation.
The police have so far arrested five persons – the nightclub’s chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and employee Bharat Kohli.
Goa Nightclub Fire
The development comes days after the massive blaze broke out in the early hours of Sunday at a nightclub in Arpora, triggering a high-casualty incident and killing at least 25 people, most of whom were staff of the restaurant.
The Goa government formed a committee to investigate the incident.
The district administration also demolished part of the Romeo Lane restaurant in Vagator, Goa. The restaurant is owned by Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, who also own Birch by Romeo Lane.
In a major development in the ongoing investigation into Goa’s Romeo Lane fire incident, a ‘blue corner notice’ has been issued by INTERPOL against the absconding accused, Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, just two days after the incident took place, state police said on Tuesday.
The Civil Aviation Ministry announces a 10% curtailment of IndiGo flights due to disruptions, with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers summoned to the Ministry for an update.
Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers at the ministry on Tuesday. (@RamMNK/X)
Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Tuesday announced that the government has ordered a curtailment of 10% IndiGo flights amid nationwide disruptions. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers was summoned to the Ministry to provide an update, he said.
In a post on X, Kinjarapu said: “During the last week, many passengers faced severe inconvenience due to Indigo’s internal mismanagement of crew rosters, flight schedules and inadequate communication. While the enquiry and necessary actions are underway, another meeting with Indigo’s top management was held to review the stabilisation measures.”
During the last week, many passengers faced severe inconvenience due to Indigo’s internal mismanagement of crew rosters, flight schedules and inadequate communication. While the enquiry and necessary actions are underway, another meeting with Indigo’s top management was held to… pic.twitter.com/yw9jt3dtLR
He said IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers was summoned to the Ministry for an update on the matter. “He confirmed that 100% of the refunds for flights affected till 6th December have been completed. A strict instruction to expedite the completion of the remaining refunds and baggage handover was given,” the minister said.
Following the meeting, Kinjarapu said the government “considers it necessary to curtail the overall Indigo routes, which will help in stabilizing the airline’s operations and lead to reduced cancellations”.
“A curtailment of 10% has been ordered. While abiding with it, Indigo will continue to cover all its destinations as before,” he said.
“Indigo has been instructed to comply with all the directives of the Ministry, including fare capping and passenger convenience measures without any exception,” the minister added.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has deputed senior officers to physically visit major airports to assess the on-ground situation arising from the ongoing operational crisis of IndiGo.
In a post on X, they said: “The review covers flight delays or cancellations, congestion levels, queue management, manpower deployment, functioning of airline help desks, baggage clearance, and the status of passenger communication and alternative arrangements.”
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has deputed senior officers to physically visit major airports to assess the on-ground situation arising from the ongoing operational crisis of IndiGo. The review covers flight delays or cancellations, congestion levels, queue management, manpower… pic.twitter.com/P65DqsKZqZ
“Most assessments have already been completed, with the remaining scheduled over the next 2–3 days. These visits have ensured a comprehensive assessment, and the Ministry is taking necessary steps to stabilise operations and support passengers,” they added.
In the latest video message, Elbers also said that lakhs of customers, whose flights were cancelled or delayed, have already received their full refunds, and the process is ongoing on a daily basis.
“IndiGo is back on its feet, and our operations are stable. Lakhs of customers have received full refunds, and we continue to process them daily. Most of the bags stuck at airports have been delivered to homes. We are addressing every customer need,” he said.
The remarks come after a severe wave of cancellations that continued to rattle air travel through Tuesday, triggering widespread delays and passenger complaints.
Belgium’s top court dismissed Mehul Choksi’s plea against extradition, upholding the Antwerp Court of Appeal’s decision making India’s request enforceable.
Mehul Choksi appealed against the Antwerp court’s order declaring India’s extradition request “enforceable.” (Image: AFP/File)
Belgium’s Supreme Court— the Court of Cassation — on Tuesday dismissed fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi’s plea, challenging his extradition. Choksi had approached Belgium’s top court on October 30, challenging the October 17 order of the Antwerp Court of Appeals, which had termed India’s extradition request “enforceable.”
Responding to news agency PTI, spokesperson for Court of Cassation, Advocaat-general Henri Vanderlinden, said, “The Court of Cassation rejected the appeal. So, the decision of the Court of Appeal stands.”
The Antwerp court had earlier ruled that Choksi, the main accused in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, faced “no risk” of being denied a fair trial or subjected to ill-treatment if sent back to India.
Previous Verdict Against Mehul Choksi
On October 17, a four-member indictment chamber of the Antwerp Court of Appeals upheld an earlier order issued by the pre-trial chamber of the district court on November 29, 2024. It found no irregularity in the arrest warrants issued by a Mumbai special court in May 2018 and June 2021, ruling them “enforceable” and clearing the way for Choksi’s extradition.
Dismissing the appeal filed by Choksi against the district court, the Court of Appeals held that the businessman failed to provide “concretely plausible” evidence of a “genuine risk” of torture or denial of justice. It held that the documents Choksi submitted do not substantiate his claims that he is the subject of a political trial.
New Delhi has assured Brussels repeatedly regarding Choksi’s safety, the charges that he would face during trial in India, prison arrangements, human rights and medical needs. India informed the court that Choksi would be held at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, Barrack No. 12, a 46-square-metre facility with two cells and private sanitary amenities.
On August 27, 2024, India had sent an extradition request to Belgium based on arrest warrants issued by the Mumbai special court. Following this, the public prosecutor at the Court of First Instance in Antwerp, Division Turnhout, initiated an action on November 25, 2024, seeking the enforcement of arrest warrants issued by the Mumbai court.
Global giants are not merely expanding—they are placing India at the heart of their long-term strategies
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella meets PM Modi. Image: X
First it was Google, now it is Microsoft, Intel, and Cognizant. A new era of global technology investment seems to be unfolding in India, as the world’s most influential companies are placing unprecedented bets on India’s digital and innovation potential.
Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday. Their conversation culminated in Microsoft committing $17.5 billion, the company’s biggest-ever investment in Asia, dedicated to strengthening India’s AI-first ambition. This came after Alphabet, Google’s parent company, recently announced a monumental $15 billion investment to build a state-of-the-art AI data hub in Visakhapatnam. Designed to be one of the world’s most sophisticated AI facilities, it will stand as Google’s largest hub outside the United States. Intel CEO Lip-bu Tan’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday also underscored a new shift.
Intel reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country’s semiconductor ecosystem and signed a significant MoU with the Tata Group. Adding further strength to this wave of global confidence, Cognizant’s leadership met with the Prime Minister on Tuesday and outlined a sweeping plan to accelerate AI adoption across industries while investing heavily in education and workforce development. This wave of commitments from Google, Microsoft, Intel, and Cognizant has signalled a striking shift: India is no longer just a market—it is becoming the epicentre of the world’s AI and semiconductor transformation.
Thomas Kurian, Google Cloud’s CEO, earlier called the Alphabet deal a landmark moment in the company’s global AI vision—one that places India at its core. The project, spread over five years in Visakhapatnam, reflects the scale of trust the tech giant is placing in India’s digital future. This momentum was further amplified when Microsoft’s Nadella spoke of India’s unique role in shaping the global AI landscape, while the Prime Minister welcomed the commitment, noting that the world today looks at India with optimism when it comes to the future of artificial intelligence. Microsoft’s investment aims to build the advanced infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities that will power India’s journey into an era of AI-driven innovation.
India’s rise in the technology value chain is also taking decisive steps toward becoming a global semiconductor hub. The Intel-Tata collaboration will enable the manufacturing, assembly, and packaging of Intel-designed products in India, marking a major stride in localising the global chip supply chain. It also opens the door to advanced packaging and the rapid expansion of AI-PC solutions tailored for India’s fast-growing market.
Cognizant, meanwhile, has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding into India’s emerging cities, creating a more equitable and widespread talent ecosystem, and ensuring that the country’s youth are prepared to lead the world in AI-driven productivity and innovation.
Together, these announcements represent one of the most significant moments in India’s technology landscape. Global giants are not merely expanding—they are placing India at the heart of their long-term strategies.
The Union Home Minister in the Rajya Sabha accused the Congress party and the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of ‘dividing’ the song, the beginning of ‘appeasement politics’ that led to India’s Partition
Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the winter session of Parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Sansad TV via ANI Video Grab)
The “division” of the national song, Vande Mataram, and the Congress party’s “politics of appeasement” had led to the Partition, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, opening the discussion on the 150th anniversary of the national song in the Rajya Sabha. Countering the Opposition’s allegation that the discussion was being organised in view of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly election, he claimed that such remarks were aimed at diminishing the importance of the national song.
Several Congress leaders had insulted the Vande Mataram, and ended its recital in Parliament, Mr. Shah alleged. Mr. Shah should to authenticate his claim, Congress general secretary and Chief Whip in the Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh said. Mr. Shah later sent in a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman, citing nine instances from 2018 till 2025 during which Congress leaders allegedly insulted the national song.
The Vande Mataram was the “mantra” (chant) that awakened India’s cultural nationalism and energised the freedom struggle. “Yesterday, some MPs in the Lok Sabha questioned the need to discuss Vande Mataram. The need for discussion…was as relevant when the song was written, during the freedom movement, [is as relevant] today, and will be as relevant in 2047, when the ‘Viksit Bharat’ will be achieved,” Mr. Shah said.
The Minister did not name Congress general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who had posed this question during the discussion on the national song in the Lok Sabha on Monday (December 8, 2025). The government was more interested in discussing the past than present issues affecting citizens, Ms. Gandhi had said.
“Some people are saying Vande Mataram is being discussed because elections are coming in West Bengal… They are trying to reduce the importance of Vande Mataram by linking it to the Bengal election,” Mr. Shah said.
The Minister said the song was written years after India tolerated “Islamic attacks”, and the British tried to impose a new culture on the country.
He also accused the Congress party and the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of “dividing” the song. “On the 50th anniversary of Vande Mataram, in 1937, Jawaharlal Nehru divided it into two, and limited it to two stanzas. This was the way the Congress honoured the Vande Mataram,” Mr. Shah said, leading to protests from Opposition MPs. It was the beginning of “appeasement politics”, and led to the Partition of India.
“If they had not divided the song into two for ‘appeasement politics’, India would also not have been partitioned,” he said, leading to more uproar from the Opposition benches.
Numbers presented in the Lok Sabha on December 8 highlight just why the airline was unable to meet the new flight duty timing limits, mooted in January 2024
Weeks after the country’s aviation regulator approved a 6% increase in flights for IndiGo, as part of the airline’s winter schedule, the ministry of civil aviation said there would be a 10% reduction instead, a consequence of the inability of India’s largest carrier to meet new flight rostering norms that saw it cancelling more than 5,500 flights in the first nine days of December.
Numbers presented in the Lok Sabha on December 8 highlight just why the airline was unable to meet the new flight duty timing limits, first mooted in January 2024 , although the airlines got enough time to prepare with some of the norms coming into effect this July, and the rest on November 1. The numbers show a 7% reduction in the number of pilots at IndiGo between March and December.
Contrary to what its Chief Operating Officer (COO) Isidro Proqueras had said in the airline’s submission to the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in December last year that “the overall impact of implementing the proposed changes above would amount to an approximate 3% increase in crewing requirements”, IndiGo has actually seen its number of pilots fall to 5,085 (December 8 reply) from 5,463 (according to a March 2025 reply), as per government data.
Air India saw the number of pilots on its rolls increase from 3,280 to 6,350 in this period; and SpiceJet, from 369 to 385.
The December chaos (coming after the airline cancelled over 1,200 flights in November, with around 750 being cancelled because of the new norms) prompted India’s civil aviation ministry to relax the norms for IndiGo, a move that some analysts have said is akin to giving in to blackmail, and which was criticised by an international pilot’s body on Tuesday.
Captain Ron Hay, president of the Montreal-based International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), said India’s decision to grant the exemption to the rest rules was concerning because it was not based on scientific evidence.
“We are informed that the change is due to staffing issues,” he told Reuters. “This is troubling as fatigue clearly affects safety.” Hay warned the government’s decision could also exacerbate staffing issues given that working conditions account for one of the reasons pilots depart airlines based in the country.
The new crew rostering norms were in keeping with international standards, and aimed at reducing pilot fatigue and improving safety.
The reduction in its pilot strength at a time when the airline needs more pilots is strange, a former airline executive said.
“This is ridiculous,and most unjustified when you knew the new FDTL (flight duty time limitation) would require at least 20% more pilots to be hired. The reduction in the number of pilots at IndiGo is suicidal and has no logic making it seem like a deliberate move,” this person added, asking not to be named.
Indeed, some, including the airline’s own staff in well-publicised open letters, have claimed that the airline deliberately allowed the chaos to play out hoping that this would force the ministry to relax the new norms.
Pilots’ body Airline Pilots Association of India (ALPA) India too, earlier this month, alleged that “this situation points to a failure of proactive resource planning by dominant airlines, potentially exacerbated by an effort to pressurise the regulator to dilute the promulgated FDTL norms for commercial gain.”
Another pilots’ body, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), said the current disruption at IndiGo was the direct consequence of the airline’s “prolonged and unorthodox lean manpower strategy across departments, particularly in flight operations”.
Despite the two-year preparatory window before full FDTL implementation, the airline “inexplicably adopted a hiring freeze, entered non-poaching arrangements, maintained a pilot pay freeze through cartel-like behavior, and demonstrated other short-sighted planning practices,” FIP said.
To be sure, IndiGo is by far the largest operator in India’s skies. It has captured more than 65% of the domestic market.
IndiGo did not flag any concerns about adapting to the revised crew fatigue rules during a meeting with the DGCA on December 1, a day before operational problems at India’s biggest airline became apparent, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu told Parliament on Monday.
Between December 1 and December 8, the airline cancelled around 4,500 flights.
Clashes erupted soon after a woman’s headless body was found on Monday, leading to large-scale damage in the Malkangiri district of Odisha.
Security forces have been deployed in the affected areas to maintain order in Odisha’s Malkangiri.(ANI file photo/ Representational)
The Odisha government has placed a ban on access to social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook and X, in the state’s Malkangiri district till 12 PM on December 10 after clashes erupted between two communities following the recovery of a woman’s headless body.
Officials quoted in an ANI report stated that the suspension, initially imposed for 24 hours on Monday following the eruption of violence, was extended to prevent further tensions.
Malkangiri district collector told ANI that the situation was now peaceful after talks were held between the two communities.
Violence in Odisha’s Malkangiri district| Top points
According to officials quoted in the report, clashes erupted soon after a woman’s headless body was found on Thursday in the Poteru river, leading to large-scale damage in the district. The district administration said 163 houses were damaged during the violence. Security forces have been deployed in the affected areas to maintain order.
Officials said that a scientific team, a sniffer-dog squad and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) have arrived at the site to search for the missing head and collect evidence related to the killing. The teams are carrying out extensive searches in the area.
The district administration sought an immediate shutdown of communication to prevent the situation from worsening, after which the state government suspended mobile internet, broadband services, and access to all social media platforms from 6 PM on December 8 to 6 PM on December 9. The restriction has now been extended until 12 PM on December 10
According to a Home Department notification quoted by ANI, “anti-social elements” were spreading “false, provocative and inflammatory messages” on WhatsApp, Facebook, and X, posing a threat to public order.
The Malkangiri Collector told reporters that the situation had improved following talks between the two communities. “The situation is peaceful now. An agreement has been reached between the two communities. They have named their respective representatives for today’s Peace Committee meeting. We are hopeful that normalcy will return,” he said.
Rekha Gupta said that the district administration and the MCD can impose a fine of up to ₹5,000 on anyone found burning garbage in the open.
Vehicles commute through the Rao Tula Ram Marg area covered in smog. (ANI Video Grab)
With air pollution concerns mounting in the national capital, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced that authorities have been asked to ensure a complete ban on open burning. Besides, a strict ban has been imposed on the use of coal and firewood in tandoors across all hotels, restaurants and open eateries in Delhi.
The chief minister also said that the district administration and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) can impose a fine of up to ₹5,000 on anyone found burning garbage in the open. “We humbly request all citizens not to burn waste in the open. Your small cooperation can bring about a big change,” Gupta said in a tweet.
दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण के हर छोटे-बड़े स्रोत पर नियंत्रण के लिए हम निरंतर प्रयासरत हैं।
इसी कड़ी में पर्यावरण विभाग को सख्त निर्देश दिए गए हैं कि ओपन बर्निंग पर पूर्ण प्रतिबंध सुनिश्चित किया जाए।
जिला प्रशासन एवं दिल्ली नगर निगम को यह अधिकार प्रदान किया गया है कि खुले में… pic.twitter.com/uOyLseFzfB
The measures came in the backdrop of alarming pollution levels in the city, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovering in the ‘very poor’ category for days now. The air quality improved slightly on Tuesday with an AQI of 291 in the “poor” category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. However, health concerns over alarming pollution levels remain in the city.
Similar AQI readings were seen across Delhi on Wednesday morning – 283 in Bawana, 264 in Alipur, 313 in Jahangirpuri, 272 in Burari Crossing, 280 in Punjabi Bagh and 298 in Anand Vihar, among others.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Tuesday issued under Section 31(A) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, banning the use of coal or firewood in tandoors across eateries in Delhi.
New Delhi: India on Monday condemned Pakistan’s fresh attacks on Afghanistan that killed several civilians.
Fresh clashes between the two sides erupted less than two months after both sealed a ceasefire pact to end weeks of fighting.
“We have seen reports of border clashes in which several Afghan civilians have been killed,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.
“We condemn such attacks on innocent Afghan people. India strongly supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan,” he said.
A spokesperson of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan said Pakistan initiated the attacks and that Kabul was “forced to respond”.
The border conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan began in early October, following a Pakistani airstrike on Kabul.
Afghanistan strongly responded to the attack, following which the conflict escalated.
The hostilities erupted while Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was visiting India. The clashes were the worst since the Taliban seized power in 2021.
Neal Mohan took charge of YouTube as CEO in 2023 after his mentor, Susan Wojcicki, stepped down. He has been working at the company for over 10 years.
Neal Mohan, the Indian-origin CEO of YouTube, has been declared TIME’s 2025 CEO of the Year. (REUTERS)
Indian-origin CEO of YouTube, Neil Mohan, has been honoured as TIME magazine’s 2025 CEO of the Year. Describing the tech leader, the outlet wrote that he is “quiet-spoken, deliberative, hard to ruffle.”
Mohan became YouTube CEO in 2023 after his mentor, Susan Wojcicki, stepped down from the position. Over the years, he has significantly increased YouTube’s dominance, and it is indisputably one of the most-watched platforms worldwide.
How is Neal Mohan as a boss?
A rising YouTube star and content creator has shared her experiences of meeting the CEO, as reported by Time Magazine. She recalled how he was polite and approachable.
“He walks around almost like he’s the manager at a restaurant,” YouTube Kinigra Deon told the outlet. “He’s very approachable. He says, ‘Hey, I saw that series that you’re doing.’ Or ‘I heard about the studio you’re building.’ He knows about little old me as a creator, and he’s this big head of YouTube,” she added.
People familiar with the CEO told the outlet that he likes interacting with the creators, and it is a part of his leadership role that he “enjoys the most.”
“I’m a technologist by passion and training,” says Mohan. “I also happen to be somebody who loves media in the broadest sense of that term. And so building products, whether in the advertising world or at YouTube, is sort of my passion,” before assuming a leadership job, he was in charge of product in the tech industry.
Neal Mohan on content creators:
“Creator success on the platform brings in all of these viewers and fans from all over the world, which in turn brings in brands and advertisers and marketing opportunities and that in turn attracts the next batch of creators,” Mohan told the outlet, adding, “That’s sort of an encapsulation of my vision for YouTube.”
What did Neal Mohan study?
According to his LinkedIn profile, the YouTube boss completed his electrical engineering at Stanford University. He then pursued an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is intensifying interventions to manage the depreciating rupee, which has hit record lows against the dollar.
India’s rupee has reached all-time lows against the dollar, with the lack of a US trade deal adding to the downward pressure. (AI Generated Image)
India’s central bank issues its confidential directives to specialized rupee traders within secure, soundproof environments.
On some occasions, the focus is on volume: sell $100 million at one-minute intervals. At other times, it centers on specific exchange rates: sell until a designated level is achieved. And on certain days, the order is merely to refrain from action.
This elusive intervention tactic forms a core element of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) escalating efforts to oversee the rupee amid its slide to unprecedented lows.
Based on discussions with bankers, traders, and ex-central bank officials—many of whom spoke anonymously about the RBI’s tightly controlled intervention mechanisms—the outlook points to sustained high volatility. Trading sessions are expected to feature abrupt fluctuations as the RBI enters and exits the market unpredictably, said a Bloomberg report.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra is striving to address speculation in the persistently depreciating currency without resorting to the aggressive interventions characteristic of his predecessor’s tenure. Striking this equilibrium is challenging. Insufficient action could amplify one-sided bets, exacerbating the decline. Excessive intervention, however, might deplete banking system liquidity—potentially hindering economic expansion—and erode critical foreign exchange reserves.
“Malhotra appears committed to a ‘leaning against the wind’ strategy,” noted Eswar Prasad, previously the head of the IMF’s China division and now an economics professor at Cornell University. “This involves not outright opposing market forces driving the currency in a specific direction, but intervening selectively to mitigate short-term exchange rate volatility and prevent overshooting.”
New Leadership and Policy Shifts
Sanjay Malhotra, during an RBI press conference in Mumbai in February 2025, announced the first interest rate cut in nearly five years.
The pressures are intensifying. In 2025, the rupee has depreciated by 4.9% against the US dollar, placing it behind only the Turkish lira and the Argentine peso in terms of losses among 31 major currencies. This downturn occurs even as a measure of the dollar’s global strength has declined by over 7% during the same period.
Contributing factors include an expanding trade deficit, the imposition of 50% US tariffs on Indian exports, and capital outflows from foreign investors. The absence of a finalized trade agreement with Washington has further intensified the strain on the currency.
Historically, the RBI has been reticent about its currency market operations, but in recent years, officials have become more forthcoming in acknowledging such interventions. Governor Malhotra has repeatedly emphasized the role of interventions in controlling volatility. An RBI spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
The Rupee’s Record Lows
India’s rupee has reached all-time lows against the dollar, with the lack of a US trade deal adding to the downward pressure. (Source: Bloomberg)
The Daily Decision-Making Process
Intervention decisions commence each morning prior to market opening at the RBI’s headquarters in south Mumbai. There, the Financial Markets Committee—comprising representatives from various departments—convenes to evaluate exchange rate pressures.
If circumstances demand, they reconvene multiple times throughout the day, as described by a former central bank official. The governor ultimately approves any actions.
Upon approval, instructions are typically conveyed to senior dealers at major state-owned banks, who operate from dedicated desks designed exclusively for executing RBI directives. These desks are situated in isolated rooms with independent, non-recorded communication lines.
The RBI provides no advance notice to these dealers and does not disclose the extent of the order book. To enhance unpredictability, the central bank occasionally eschews round numbers, such as halting sales after an irregular amount like $217 million. Strategies may shift rapidly if officials suspect traders have discerned a pattern.
Banks involved in these operations, which may encompass private sector institutions, are barred from maintaining proprietary trading positions during interventions. They are permitted only to settle existing positions and handle client transactions.
A signal from a senior dealer—such as raising a hand—indicates to colleagues that all other activities must cease. The RBI compensates with a fee that scarcely offsets operational expenses.
Historical Context and Reserve Building
Interventions have been a longstanding component of India’s monetary framework, shaped by past traumas associated with rupee depreciation.
In 1991, a balance-of-payments crisis compelled the government to pledge gold reserves to finance imports amid depleted foreign reserves. In 2013, during the “taper tantrum” triggered by the US Federal Reserve’s announcement of quantitative easing reductions, the rupee suffered significant losses.
These episodes motivated successive RBI governors to amass substantial foreign reserves, which totaled $686 billion as of November 28, 2025—including approximately $557 billion in currency assets and $106 billion in gold. This ranks among the world’s largest stockpiles, sufficient to cover about 11 months of imports.
“India has endured periods of sharp currency depreciation when reserves were lower,” reflected R. Gurumurthy, a former RBI official who managed the currency desk. He refrained from detailing operational specifics. “The evolution toward more substantial interventions aligns with the expansion of reserves, fostering greater market confidence.”
Under Malhotra’s predecessor, Shaktikanta Das, efforts to suppress rupee volatility led the IMF in December 2023 to reclassify India’s effective exchange rate regime from “floating” to “stabilized.” This classification indicated a closely managed float and elicited objections from the RBI.
Malhotra, holding a master’s in public policy from Princeton University and assuming leadership a year ago, has adopted a more varied intervention style. This adjustment prompted the IMF last month to revise its assessment of India’s currency management to “crawl-like,” acknowledging increased allowance for two-way movements.
Such unpredictability also serves to deter market speculation, according to G. Mahalingam, a former RBI executive director who oversaw the financial markets department.
“There will indeed be speculators, but they enter the market wary of potential severe losses because predicting the RBI’s actions is difficult,” Mahalingam explained, without elaborating on intervention methods.
Domestic and International Operations
Given the rupee’s partial convertibility due to capital controls, RBI interventions span both the local market and offshore venues.
Internationally, the rupee trades primarily via non-deliverable forwards (NDFs)—derivative contracts that fix exchange rates and settle in dollars. The RBI conducts these through the Bank for International Settlements, partnering with select major banks in 24-hour markets across Singapore, Dubai, and London.
Repeated interventions in 2025 have reduced foreign currency assets by about $38 billion from June’s peak through November 28, while also withdrawing liquidity from the banking system. On Friday, Malhotra announced plans to purchase bonds and execute a foreign-exchange swap to infuse the equivalent of $16 billion in liquidity.
The RBI has moderated its pace, net selling an average of $1.2 billion in spot foreign currency reserves weekly over the four weeks ending November 21—down from $3.5 billion in the prior four weeks, per estimates from Nomura Holdings Inc.
“Our policy has consistently been not to target specific levels or ranges; we permit the market to set the price,” Malhotra stated at a Friday press briefing following the central bank’s first benchmark interest rate cut in six months. “Our focus remains on curbing excessive or abnormal volatility, and we will persist in that effort.”
Constraints and Future Considerations
Further interventions may be limited by the RBI’s expanded dollar sales in its forward positions, committing to future deliveries. As of October, the net short dollar book stood at around $64 billion, necessitating sourcing dollars upon maturity.
Officials might also be conserving resources for potential escalated responses.
“I believe the RBI has established thresholds where they would intervene aggressively,” observed Jamal Mecklai, managing director of Mecklai Financial Services Pvt. and a veteran of India’s currency markets for over four decades. “They face constraints from liquidity and reserve considerations.”
Relief could emerge if India’s negotiations with the US yield results. A delegation from the Trump administration, headed by Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer, is scheduled to visit India this week to advance trade agreement discussions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to host a dinner for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs on December 11, aimed at fostering dialogue among coalition partners during the Winter Session of Parliament. The gathering will involve senior ministers and discusses legislative priorities and strategies for upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.
PM Modi to Host Exclusive Dinner for NDA MPs: What’s On Agenda?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to host an exclusive dinner for all MPs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on December 11, according to a senior BJP leader. This dinner forms a facet of efforts to encourage an open and constructive exchange of ideas among alliance partners as the Winter Session of the Parliament progresses.
The proposed dinner expects the participation of senior ministers, floor leaders and MPs from all constituent parties of the alliance meeting in discussions pertaining to legislative priorities, the government’s approach for the Winter Session, and the NDA’s political vision.
The discussions are likely to include strategies for the Assembly elections scheduled for the first half of next year in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam, with coalition partners predicted to streamline their strategy ahead of the polls.
Ahead of the West Bengal elections
Approaching the crucial polls in West Bengal which is likely to be held between March-April next year, the BJP has heightened its organisational activities. These include the Prime Minister’s address in Nadia district on December 20, strategy meetings and Parivartan Yatras that are scheduled to be held across the state in January. The party is prepared to undertake four to six of these yatras, each focused on various aspects of BJP’s election strategy, including strengthening outreach to the grassroots, mobilising cadre support and reiterating concerns raised against the state government under Mamata Banerjee. The Prime Minister is expected to address the gathering at one of these programmes.
Assessment of SIR
The NDA dinner may additionally include discussions on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission of India across several states and Union Territories.
The second phase of the SIR covers Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The final voter list will be published on February 21, 2026. The first phase was earlier completed in Bihar ahead of its Assembly polls.
During a Lok Sabha discussion, PM Narendra Modi criticised Congress for allegedly betraying ‘Vande Mataram’ due to pressure from Mohammed Ali Jinnah, labelling it a “grave injustice” rooted in appeasement politics.
(Representative, Disclaimer: This image was generated using AI and has been verified by the newsroom for accuracy and context.)
PM Narendra Modi on Monday charged Congress with betraying ‘Vande Mataram,’ saying it bowed to pressure from Mohammed Ali Jinnah to “divide” the song, even though Mahatma Gandhi had hailed it as nearly a national anthem and called the party’s move a “grave injustice” born of appeasement politics. In a Lok Sabha discussion marking the 150th anniversary of the national song, Modi highlighted its evolution as a rallying cry for patriots and a symbol of unity against British rule, including during the popular agitation against Bengal’s 1905 division.
The Prime Minister said that Gandhi, who then practised law in South Africa, had recognised its immense appeal in Bengal. Citing Gandhi’s 1905 remarks in the weekly Indian Opinion, PM Modi said, “It is so popular that (it is almost) as if it has become our national anthem. Its sentiments are great, and it is sweeter than anthems of other nations. Its sole motive is to ignite the patriotic spirit in us. It sees India as mother and worships her”.
Nehru sidelined Indian sentiments in the name of appeasement politics. ⚠️
By breaking Vande Mataram into pieces, Congress laid the first brick towards breaking Bharat.❗
He insulted Vande Mataram by removing its original verses to please a certain section of muslim league.‼️… pic.twitter.com/XAqe0bYTJr
PM Modi Claims Nehru Compromised With Jinnah, Betraying ‘Vande Mataram’
“If it was such a great song, why was it betrayed in the last century?” asked PM Narendra Modi, taking aim at India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. “Which forces overrode the sentiments of revered Bapu? A sacred song like ‘Vande Mataram’ was dragged into controversy,” he said, referring to Congress’s 1937 decision to limit its recital to the first two paragraphs.
The current generation must understand why a song that once alarmed the British, so much so that it was banned and those who sang it were repressed, was betrayed. PM Modi also took a swipe at the Trinamool Congress, noting that parties with “Congress” in their name continue to stir controversy over the song, which some Muslims have criticised for its vivid Hindu imagery, including references to deities. Responding to such critics, Modi framed the song as a strong expression of cultural nationalism, a core principle of the Sangh Parivar, pointing out that even the Vedas envision India as a mother.
PM Modi’s over 55-minute speech in Lok Sabha proceeded without any major disruptions. During his address, he made a concession to TMC MP Saugata Roy, who objected to Modi’s use of the informal suffix “da” instead of the more respectful “babu” after the songwriter Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s first name. The Prime Minister thanked him for the suggestion and used “babu” for Bankim from that point onward.
Highlighting the song’s association with Bengali icons like Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Rabindranath Tagore, who set it to music, PM Modi’s remarks are seen as part of the BJP’s effort to strengthen its connect with West Bengal voters ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The party aims to challenge the CM Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, which has often emphasised regional identity to position itself against its main rival.
PM Modi also addressed the historical controversy over the song, noting that when Jinnah protested against it on October 15, 1937, Nehru, then Congress president, felt insecure and sided with the Muslim League. Writing to Subhas Chandra Bose, Nehru argued that the song’s Anandamath background might provoke Muslim sentiments. Instead of standing up to Jinnah and Congress, Nehru compromised, and at the Kolkata session on October 26, 1937, the song was pruned to its first two paragraphs, which PM Modi termed as ironic, given that the session was held in Chatterjee’s home state.
Her remark had whipped up a political controversy on Saturday when she reportedly alleged that “one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore becomes the chief minister’’. She stated this while replying to a question during her interaction with newspersons after meeting Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria over the issue of the law and order situation in the state.
Navjot Kaur Sidhu | File
Navjot Kaur Sidhu, former Punjab legislator and wife of cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, a former Punjab Congress chief, was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress on Monday, days after she reportedly remarked that “one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore becomes the chief minister’’.
The announcement about her suspension came from state party chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on X in which he shared the party’s official letter about it.
Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu has been suspended from the Congress party with immediate effect. pic.twitter.com/8dGjNaLn5n
Her remark had whipped up a political controversy on Saturday when she reportedly alleged that “one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore becomes the chief minister’’. She stated this while replying to a question during her interaction with newspersons after meeting Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria over the issue of the law and order situation in the state.
The said comment was lapped up by the rival political parties which targeted the Congress over its “internal functioning’’ ahead of the 2027 assembly polls.
However, sources held that the party took a serious note of her remarks which seemed to be aimed at the state leadership with the state rural polls – Zila parishad and Panchayat Samiti election – being around the corner
Citing the 1937 letter written by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Priyanka Gandhi said, “The so-called objection against the remaining stanzas of Vande Mataram was manufactured by the communalists.” She went on to say that PM Modi did not mention this part in his speech.
The discussion on the 150th anniversary of India’s national song Vande Mataram on Monday resulted in a fierce faceoff between Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had earlier in the day accused Jawaharlal Nehru of truncating the original version after being influenced by Muslim League leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s stance in 1937.
Responding to PM Modi’s charge, Priyanka Gandhi dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that Jawaharlal Nehru had written to Subhash Chandra Bose saying the origins of Vande Mataram may incite Muslims, stating that the Prime Minister had selectively quoted from her great-grandfather’s letter during his address in the Lok Sabha earlier.
Citing the 1937 letter written by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Priyanka Gandhi said, “The so-called objection against the remaining stanzas of Vande Mataram was manufactured by the communalists.” She went on to say that PM Modi did not mention this part in his speech.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi, citing Nehru’s letter to Subhash Chandra Bose, said that the first Indian Prime Minister had accepted Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s sentiments on Vande Mataram. PM Modi went on to quote Nehru as saying that he had communicated to Bose that the background of Vande Mataram might end up instigating Muslims.
Prime Minister Modi pointed out that on October 15, 1937, Jinnah had drummed up opposition to Vande Mataram in Lucknow. Five days later, PM Modi said, Nehru wrote to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose expressing his concerns about the song’s Anandamath backdrop.
“On October 20, Nehru wrote to Netaji, informing him that he accepted Jinnah’s sentiments regarding Vande Mataram. He noted that the song’s Anandamath association could instigate Muslims. ‘I have read the background of Vande Mataram, and I believe this context may indeed offend Muslims,’ Nehru wrote to Bose,” PM Modi had said in the Parliament.
“Nationalists across the country took out prabhat pheris against it when the Congress Working Committee decided to inspect Vande Mataram,” PM Modi said, pointing out that the Grand Old Party’s decision eventually prevailed. PM Modi further accused Nehru of giving in to Jinnah’s demand and, in turn, questioning the song itself.
PRIYANKA GANDHI’S RESPONSE
Lashing out at PM Modi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, later in the day, highlighted the chronology of events, and also mentioned another exchange between Rabindranath Tagore and her great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru.
She said that Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote the song in 1875, composing the first two stanzas. Then, in 1882, Priyanka said, Bankim Chandra wrote the remaining four stanzas in his historical novel Anandamath. After nearly a decade and a half, Rabindranath Tagore sang it for the first time in 1896 at a Congress session, she added.
Priyanka further said that by the 1930s, the song had acquired a political hue amid growing communal tensions. She then turned her attention to PM Modi’s mention of Nehru’s letter to Netaji, slamming him for selectively quoting. She pointed out that Netaji wrote to Nehru on October 17 ahead of the 1937 Congress convention in Kolkata. In his reply to this letter, Nehru said that the four stanzas added later “can be misconstrued as communal,” she said.
“Let me share an excerpt from the letter in which Gurudev (Rabindranath Tagore) says that the two stanzas that were always sung were so significant that he had no difficulty in separating them from the rest of the poem and the passages in the book.”
She then said that the Congress Working Committee declared the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram as the national song on October 28, in the presence of Nehru, Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sardar Patel.
“He (Tagore) said the same two stanzas were always sung during the freedom struggle and to honour the hundreds of martyrs who sacrificed their lives. While singing them, it would be appropriate to sing them as they were. He also said that the stanzas added later could be interpreted as communal and their use would be inappropriate in the atmosphere of that time. Subsequently, on 28 October 1937, the Congress Working Committee, in its resolution, declared Vande Mataram as the national song,” she said.
A Chinese tourist was detained in Kashmir after entering Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir without permission, triggering security alerts. Authorities found his phone searches linked to CRPF deployments and Article 370, leading to further investigations.
Hu Congtai arrived in Delhi on November 19 on a tourist visa. (Photo: ITG)
Security agencies have detained a 29-year-old Chinese national who travelled through Ladakh and Kashmir for over two weeks without permission, triggering a larger crackdown on accommodation facilities violating foreigner-reporting norms in Srinagar.
According to officials, an unusual internet communication intercepted by the Army first alerted security agencies to the presence of a suspicious foreign national in the region. The man was identified as Hu Congtai, a resident of the Shenzhen area in Guangdong province.
Hu had arrived in Delhi on November 19 on a tourist visa that permitted travel only to Buddhist religious places in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. However, he violated the terms of this visa by visiting Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
A scan of his mobile phone revealed searches related to CRPF deployments in Kashmir, Article 370, and other security-linked queries. Officials said he had also procured an Indian SIM card from the local market.
ENTERED LEH USING RESEMBLANCE TO LOCALS
Sources said Hu boarded a flight to Leh on November 20 and managed to bypass foreign-national scanning at the airport by blending in with local travellers. During his stay in Ladakh, he moved across several locations, including the Zanskar region.
On December 1, he arrived in Srinagar and stayed at an unregistered guest house. In Kashmir, he is believed to have visited multiple sites, including the Harwan Buddhist monastery, Shankaracharya hills, Hazratbal, Mughal Garden along Dal Lake, and the Awantipur ruins near the Army’s Victor Force headquarters.
Hu, who holds a physics degree from Boston University, has travelled to several countries including the US, New Zealand, Brazil, Fiji and Hong Kong. Authorities said the current case appears to be a violation of visa rules, and deportation is the most likely action.
CRACKDOWN ON J&K HOTELS AND HOUSEBOATS
Following the detention, the J&K Police initiated a major drive against hotels, homestays and houseboats in Srinagar for failing to submit Form-C, a mandatory requirement under the Immigration and Foreigners Act for reporting the stay of foreign nationals.
This accomplishment positions Uttar Pradesh among the top solar states in India, second only to Gujarat and Maharashtra, and represents a significant stride toward energy self-sufficiency.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath (File Image) Photo : PTI
Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has surpassed the milestone of 3 lakh (3,00,654) solar energy installations, marking a historic achievement in the state’s renewable energy journey. This accomplishment positions Uttar Pradesh among the top solar states in India, second only to Gujarat and Maharashtra, and represents a significant stride toward energy self-sufficiency.
Data shows that out of 9,83,915 applications, 3,00,654 installations have been completed, bringing the state’s total solar capacity to 1,038.27 MW. These installations are delivering clean, affordable energy to thousands of families.
Over the past eight years, the Yogi government has prioritized renewable energy by promoting solar rooftops across rural and urban areas. Key initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and the state’s new solar policy have established robust infrastructure, ensuring transparent processes, digital monitoring, and timely installations, thereby building trust and convenience for consumers.
Energy experts highlight that this rapid expansion of solar energy is set to transform Uttar Pradesh’s economy.
The existing capacity not only meets growing electricity demand but also creates opportunities for industrial, agricultural, and domestic consumers, further driving economic growth.
Rural areas are witnessing some of the most tangible benefits.
Solar installations have significantly reduced electricity bills, and many households are generating additional income by selling surplus energy to the grid. Consequently, demand for solar connections continues to rise, positioning Uttar Pradesh as a leading renewable energy market in India.
With Hamas already labeled a terrorist group by several countries, Israel is pressing for formal recognition from India.
Israeli officials emphasised that India’s classification would carry considerable regional weight and influence. Photo : AP
Israel has called on India to classify Hamas as a terrorist organisation, indicating that ties between Hamas and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were “significant”. Israel noted that it has already proscribed LeT and expects “reciprocation” from India with senior Israeli officials saying that New Delhi’s stance carries significant regional influence
A senior official in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking to reporters in Jerusalem, said there is an understanding within the Indian government of the “networks and linkages” connected to these groups.
“Our request from India is to work hard to sanction and designate these organisations as terrorist groups. Israel designated Lashkar-e-Taiba a couple of years ago, and we would like to see this reciprocated,” the official said, ANI reported.
The official added that Iran’s IRGC, Hamas, and Hezbollah increasingly rely on transnational criminal networks to stage attacks worldwide.
“You’re not going to see an Iranian operative act directly in Europe. What you will see is a criminal group — a drug lord, a human trafficker or another network — connected to an Iranian handler who then carries out an attack, as we’ve seen in Scandinavia or in London,” the official in the Israeli foreign ministry said.
Hamas, founded in 1987 is designated a terrorist organisation by the US, UK, Canada and several other countries. India condemned the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel but has not formally listed Hamas as a terrorist organisation under domestic law.
Designation by India would have a global impact: Israel
Stressing that even a declaratory designation by India would have a “strong global impact”, another official said neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Maldives “look up to India”, and New Delhi’s stance shapes regional responses.
“It’s not only about freezing assets or banning operatives from entering India. It signals that India has clearly seen what Hamas is doing, and no operative should step on Indian soil,” the official added, according to the report.
“We are putting pressure on India to designate Hamas… After having designated Lashkar-e-Taiba, we would like to see the same,” the official said.
He also pointed to “clear attempts” by Hamas to rebuild its structures. “The next phase of the US-proposed ceasefire requires Hamas to dismantle, and that remains central,” he said.
Air India said that it has begun the rollout of new fares in compliance with the government’s directions, adding that the customers who have already booked the Economy class flight tickets will be eligible for refunds.
Air India | Representational Image Photo : PTI
The Air India airline on Monday said that it has begun the rollout of new air fares. The announcement comes after the central government capped the airfares in the range of Rs 7,500 to Rs 18,000 depending on the distance amid soaring air ticket prices due to the IndiGo flight disruptions.
Air India said that it has begun the rollout of new fares in compliance with the government’s directions. Air India Express has completed the implementation, while Air India is still implementing the new fares, the airline posted on X. The airline has also announced that the customers who have already booked the Economy class flight tickets will be eligible for refunds.
“In compliance with the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s (MoCA) directive issued on the evening of 6 December regarding the capping of Economy Class base fares, Air India Group commenced the rollout of the new prescribed fares across its reservation systems immediately. Air India Express completed the implementation across its systems, while Air India continues to progressively apply the fare caps, which will be fully effective in the next few hours,” Air India posted on X.
“As the process involves third-party system dependencies, a phased rollout is required to ensure accuracy and stability without disrupting guest bookings,” the airline said. “Guests who may have booked Air India flights in Economy Class during the transition period, at base fares above the prescribed caps, are entitled to refunds of the differential amounts,” it added.
In compliance with the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s (MoCA) directive issued on the evening of 6 December regarding the capping of Economy Class base fares, Air India Group commenced the rollout of the new prescribed fares across its reservation systems…
The central government on Saturday capped the airfares in the range of Rs 7,500 to Rs 18,000, depending on the distance amid soaring air ticket prices due to the IndiGo flight disruptions. The fare limits, excluding applicable charges, are not applicable for business class and UDAN flights, the civil aviation ministry said in an order. The limits will be in place till the situation stabilises, the ministry said in a statement.
A new video from Goa’s Romeo Night Club confirms that an electronic firecracker triggered the blaze that killed 25 people, with sparks igniting the club’s bamboo-lined ceiling.
New video shows Goa nightclub fire (Screengrabs)
A new video from inside Goa’s Romeo Night Club, also known as Birch by Romeo Lane, has provided the clearest indication yet of how the massive fire that killed 25 people on Saturday night began.
The footage, which emerged on Monday, shows an electronic firecracker being set off during a belly dance and live music performance, moments before sparks shot up and reached the bamboo-lined ceiling of the club.
Within seconds, flames began to spread rapidly across the upper structure.
This fresh video closely matches another clip that surfaced on Sunday from a different angle.
That earlier video had also suggested that sparks from an electronic firecracker may have ignited the temporary materials used inside the club, contradicting initial claims of a cylinder blast.
The interiors of the club, built with bamboo slats, palm leaves and other flammable material, played a major role in the speed at which the fire engulfed the structure.
According to officials, the flames raced across the ceiling almost immediately after contact, turning the packed nightclub into a death trap around 11.45 pm on Saturday.
The club was teeming with weekend revellers, and around 100 people were on the dance floor when chaos erupted.
Much of the loss of life occurred due to smoke inhalation, as thick fumes quickly filled the basement and ground-floor kitchen.
Many victims, including staff members and tourists, ran downstairs in an attempt to escape, only to get trapped when the exits became inaccessible.
A fire brigade official said most deaths were caused by suffocation and the inability of people to find a clear exit path.
Water tankers had to be stationed nearly 400 metres away, slowing down the firefighting operation. Small doors and a narrow bridge leading into the club further hindered evacuation efforts.
GOA NIGHCLUB FIRE – ACTIONS AND ARRESTS
According to news agency PTI, officials confirmed that the nightclub did not have a fire department NOC and had failed to comply with safety norms.
Police have arrested the club’s chief general manager, Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania and gate manager Riyanshu Thakur.
An FIR has been lodged against owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, as well as the event organisers.
An Indian man in Singapore shares how he no longer has to beg for leave and enjoys a healthier work culture with clear boundaries after office hours.
An Indian man shares how Singapore’s healthy work culture freed him from begging for leave.(Instagram/amandailylogs)
An Indian man working in Singapore has sparked a discussion online after sharing a video comparing workplace attitudes in India with those in Singapore.
The man, identified as Aman, posted the clip on Instagram where he offered glimpses of his Singapore office while narrating his thoughts. His voiceover read: “India me leave maangne ke liye humein beg karna padta tha, sir tabiyat kharab hai, sir family emergency, we had to invent tragedy just to get a Friday leave. Here in Singapore I do not ask, I just inform. Shaam 6 baje baad mera phone mera hai, boss ka nahi, no calls, no guilt, just life. Agar tum 8 baje ke baad office me baith kar hard work kar rahe ho toh tum hard working nahi, tum bas exploited ho yaar.”
Mindset shift after moving abroad
Aman explained that relocating to Singapore led to what he described as his biggest mindset shift. In the caption of his clip, he wrote: “The biggest mindset shift I had moving to Singapore. Stop justifying your time off. In toxic cultures, you feel the need to explain why you aren’t working. You overshare details hoping for sympathy or approval.”
His reflections appear to have resonated widely with users who often voice concerns about rigid expectations and extended working hours in Indian workplaces.
The recovery of these arms and ammunition marks a significant step toward strengthening the security grid in the region and preventing their potential misuse by anti-social or anti-national elements.
The Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police in Doda achieved a major success on Sunday in a search operation conducted in a coordinated manner in the Bhalara Forest area, falling under the jurisdiction of Police Station Thathri, a release said.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of SSP Doda Sandeep Mehta.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the SOG team of Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a search operation in the forested belt, which led to the recovery of one SLR rifle, two magazines and 22 live rounds, it said.
The release noted that the recovery of these arms and ammunition marks a significant step toward strengthening the security grid in the region and preventing their potential misuse by anti-social or anti-national elements. This operation once again highlights the unwavering commitment of the Jammu & Kashmir Police to maintain peace, stability, and public safety in District Doda, the release added.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain the origin of the recovered weapon and identify the individuals or groups responsible for concealing it, it said.
Earlier in November, the Shopian police conducted major raids in the area.
The police were carrying out meticulously coordinated searches at multiple locations across the Shopian district, targeting individuals and premises linked with the banned organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), proscribed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir (JeI-J&K) has been banned multiple times by the Indian government. The most recent ban was imposed in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for alleged “anti-national separatist activities” and links with militant groups like Hizbul Mujahideen. The ban was extended for another five years in February 2024.
PM Modi had said that the Congress’s decision sowed the seeds of Partition and dissected ‘Vande Mataram’ into pieces.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick off a special discussion in Lok Sabha on Monday to mark 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ as part of an exercise that promises to highlight many lesser-known facets related to the patriotic song.
PM Modi is also likely to highlight the contribution of the song, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875, to the freedom struggle, its historical significance and current relevance.
PM Modi’s thoughts about Vande Mataram are keenly awaited by the Opposition members, as well as last month, during an event to commemorate the song’s anniversary, he accused the Congress of “removing important stanzas” from the original song in the 1937 session of the party in Faizabad.
PM Modi had said that the Congress’s decision sowed the seeds of Partition and dissected the national song into pieces. The Congress, however, claimed the decision was based on the advice of Rabindranath Tagore and amounted to the accommodation of feelings of members from other communities and faiths.
The discussion on Vande Mataram in the Rajya Sabha is likely to be initiated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday.
As per the schedule related to the Vande Mataram debate, the ruling NDA members have been allotted three hours out of the total 10 hours earmarked in Lok Sabha for it.
Earlier, a political confrontation erupted just before the start of the Winter Session as the Rajya Sabha Secretariat reiterated that MPs must refrain from using expressions such as ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jai Hind’ inside Parliament to maintain decorum.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Navjot Kaur stated that she and Sidhu ‘speak only for Punjab’ but lack the sort of money that she claims influences top political appointments. She stressed that no one had asked them for money, yet contended that ‘the one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore becomes the CM.’
‘₹500 Cr In Suitcase To Become Punjab CM’: Navjot Kaur Sidhu’s SHOCKING Claim Sparks Row; BJP Alleges ‘Institutionalised Corruption’ | Video |
Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu triggered a major political storm in Punjab by claiming that it allegedly takes ‘Rs 500 crore in a suitcase’ for anyone to become the state’s chief minister. Her explosive remarks, made while insisting that her husband Navjot Singh Sidhu would re-enter active politics only if the Congress projects him as its chief ministerial face, have sparked fierce reactions across party lines and intensified existing tensions within the Punjab Congress.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Navjot Kaur stated that she and Sidhu ‘speak only for Punjab’ but lack the sort of money that she claims influences top political appointments. She stressed that no one had asked them for money, yet contended that ‘the one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore becomes the CM.’ She went on to allege that the Punjab Congress is riddled with infighting, with at least five leaders eyeing the top post, leaders who, she claimed, would resist any attempt to project Sidhu as the party’s chief ministerial candidate.
Despite her charged statements, Navjot Kaur maintained that Sidhu would willingly return to frontline politics if Congress officially declared him its CM pick. Otherwise, she said, he is happy earning comfortably outside political life, a reference to his return to IPL commentary and his new YouTube venture after months of political inactivity, including skipping the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign.
BJP Reacts To Navjot’s Statement
The Bharatiya Janata Party seized on her comments almost immediately. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi called the allegations evidence of institutionalised corruption within the Congress, stating that corruption from leaders to cadres has overtaken the party.
Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar escalated the attack further, claiming he had heard that a former Congress chief minister allegedly paid Rs 350 crore to secure the position. Jakhar also used the moment to criticise the AAP government, accusing the Punjab Police of acting like uniformed gangsters and alleging a collapse in law and order. He urged voters to give the BJP one chance to restore accountability and stability.
In his statement, Elbers said he was speaking on Sunday afternoon (December 7) from IndiGo’s Operations Control Centre, where teams are working “relentlessly” to stabilise and normalise flights.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers | X
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has shared a detailed message with employees as the airline works to recover from major disruptions in its operations on Sunday. In his statement, Elbers said he was speaking on Sunday afternoon (December 7) from IndiGo’s Operations Control Centre, where teams are working “relentlessly” to stabilise and normalise flights.
He praised staff across departments, saying they represent the “unwavering spirit, professionalism and incredible commitment” of everyone at IndiGo and thanked “each and every one” for their hard work over the past few difficult days.
VIDEO | IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers addresses employees from the airline’s Operations Control Center in Gurugram, praising their dedication amid recent disruptions.
He says, “Dear IndiGo colleagues, it’s Sunday afternoon, December 7th. I’m here at the Operations Control Center in… pic.twitter.com/PT1wyDb1RA
Elbers explained that the airline had “rebooted” its systems on Friday, which required a significant number of flight cancellations that day. He said this plan helped IndiGo “start afresh” on Saturday. The airline operated around 1,500 flights on Saturday, compared to “only 700-ish” on Friday, showing a strong improvement.
He added that cancellations were now being done earlier so that customers do not reach the airport only to find their flights cancelled.
On Sunday, Elbers said IndiGo was targeting around 1,650 flights with better on-time performance (OTP), fewer cancellations and improved advance communication to customers. He said Sunday’s OTP was projected to be about 75%, up from 30% the previous day.
Elbers also shared that IndiGo’s network coverage had almost fully recovered, with 137 out of 138 stations operating again. Processes for refunds, luggage and rebooking were “in full swing” and the airline was reducing the backlog as it moved forward.
He acknowledged that the last few days had been very tough for staff, especially those in the Operations Control Centre, pilots, cabin crew and teams dealing with delayed flights and disrupted rosters. He made a special mention of AOCS (airport customer service) staff, who had to handle angry and stranded passengers at airports, particularly on December 5. “I am grateful to everyone,” he said.
Elbers also thanked government bodies and aviation authorities for their support, including the Ministry, DGCA, CISF, BCAS and airports across India.
Speaking about passengers, he said that he and the entire IndiGo team “feel the pain of our customers” and are “deeply apologetic”. He stressed that addressing customer needs “is and will remain our topmost priority”.
The state government will write to the Union Ministry of External Affairs and the US Embassy, informing them about the plans.
Telangana government proposes road to be renamed after US President Donald Trump
The Telangana government has decided to rename a road that houses the US Consulate General in the state after the 45th and 47th United States President, Donald Trump. The high-profile road along the United States Consulate General in Hyderabad is set to be called Donald Trump Avenue.
The state government will write to the Union Ministry of External Affairs and the US Embassy, informing them about the plans. Earlier this year, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, while addressing the annual US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) conclave in Delhi, had proposed naming important roads in Hyderabad after leading global corporations.
The proposal is part of the Telangana government’s initiative to position the state as a symbol of innovation-driven India. In addition, the state government is also considering dedicating some more roads in honour and recognition of distinguished individuals and corporations.
For instance, the upcoming Greenfield radial road, which connects to the Nehru Outer Ring Road at Raviryala in the city and the newly proposed Radial Ring Road will be named after the late industrialist, Padma Shri Ratan Tata. The government earlier changed the name of the interchange in Raviryala to ‘Tata Interchange.’
Additionally, it has been decided to name a prominent stretch as the ‘Google Street’, recognising the global impact and contribution of Google Maps and the corporation. Hyderabad will also witness the establishment of the corporation’s largest campus outside the United States.
IndiGo has swiftly resumed most of its flight operations after a week-long disruption, aiming to stabilise its network by December 10. The airline has processed significant refunds and managed baggage delivery amid regulatory scrutiny and political criticism.
indigoIndiGo has processed refunds totalling Rs 610 crore and delivering 3,000 pieces of baggage to passengers.
IndiGo has ramped up operations after nearly a week of nationwide flight disruptions, processing a whopping Rs 610 crore in refunds and returned around 3,000 pieces of baggage to affected passengers, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Sunday. The airline, which operates about 2,300 flights a day and commands nearly 65 per cent of India’s domestic aviation market, ran over 1,500 flights on Saturday and around 1,650 on Sunday, restoring connectivity to 135 of its 138 destinations.
CEO Pieter Elbers said the airline’s On Time Performance has reached 75 per cent and highlighted that earlier cancellations helped prevent passengers from arriving at airports unnecessarily. IndiGo projects December 10 as the date for full network stabilisation.
After nearly a week of nationwide flight cancellations and delays, IndiGo is gradually restoring operations. The airline, which normally operates around 2,300 flights daily, ran about 1,500 flights on Saturday and operated 1,650 flights on Sunday, reconnecting 135 of its 138 destinations. CEO Pieter Elbers, in an internal video message from IndiGo’s operations control centre in Gurugram, said, “Step by step, we are getting back.”
PASSENGER REFUNDS
IndiGo has processed refunds totalling Rs 610 crore for cancelled or severely delayed flights, the Civil Aviation Ministry said. The government emphasised that no additional fees will be charged for rescheduling travel affected by cancellations. Dedicated support cells have been set up to ensure that refund and rebooking issues are resolved promptly and without inconvenience.
BAGGAGE RECONCILIATION MEASURES
IndiGo has been instructed to trace and deliver all baggage separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays within 48 hours. The ministry noted that continuous communication with passengers is being maintained throughout the process to ensure smooth delivery. With these efforts, the airline has already successfully delivered 3,000 pieces of baggage across the country.
OPERATIONAL RECOVERY AND ON-TIME PERFORMANCE
IndiGo’s On-Time Performance (OTP) is expected to reach 75% on Sunday, up from 30% a few days ago. Flight operations have increased from 706 on December 5 to 1,565 on December 6, with further improvements planned to reach 1,650 flights. Early-stage cancellations helped prevent passengers from arriving at airports unnecessarily, ensuring smoother operations. As of December 7, 137 of 138 destinations are operational.
AVIATION MINISTRY MONITORING AND COORDINATION
Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu held another meeting with all airlines’ operators today. He also held meetings with stakeholders and another virtual meeting with all airline operators is reportedly on the cards, sources said. IndiGo has been directed to ensure timely communication with passengers about cancellations and complete all refunds for cancelled or heavily delayed flights by 8 pm on Sunday.
INDIGO GETS ONE-TIME 24-HOUR EXTENSION TO RESPOND TO DGCA
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO/Accountable Manager Isidre Porqueras Orea sought an extension from the DGCA to reply to the show-cause notice issued yesterday. They were granted a single 24-hour extension to file their response. The new deadline is now 6 pm on December 8. The regulator described this as a strict one-time relief, given the seriousness of the lapses under examination.
AIRFARE CAPS AND PASSENGER PROTECTION
In response to temporary fare surges after widespread cancellations, the Ministry imposed a cap on airfares to ensure affordability. IndiGo has also implemented a full waiver on cancellations and reschedule requests for bookings till December 15. Authorities continue to monitor operations to protect passengers’ rights and maintain fairness in ticketing.
INDIGO CEO ADDRESSES STAFF
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers delivered a video message to employees from the airline’s Operations Control Centre in Gurugram, acknowledging the intense pressure the team has faced during the crisis. The CEO said IndiGo’s entire network coverage has now been restored, with routes reconnecting gradually and stability returning across most stations. He gave a “special shout-out” to AOCS and frontline airport staff.
IMPACT ON TOURISM
The flight disruptions have hit Rajasthan’s peak tourism season, affecting hotels, transport providers, and tour operators. Bookings for Christmas and New Year holidays are being cancelled, particularly in Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jodhpur. Tourism contributes nearly 12% to Rajasthan’s GSDP, and industry experts warn that continued flight disruptions could slow growth. Officials remain optimistic that once flight operations normalise, the tourism sector will recover swiftly.
A tragic fire at a Goa nightclub claimed 25 lives, primarily due to suffocation caused by combustible wooden interiors and limited exits. Authorities have arrested four individuals and launched investigations into safety violations and regulatory lapses.
A devastating fire at a Goa nightclub was intensified by its wooden structure and furniture.
A devastating fire at a Goa nightclub was intensified by its wooden structure and furniture, leaving many trapped as the club had only two exit gates, police sources said on Sunday. There was no blast, officials clarified, the blaze spread rapidly because of the combustible interiors.
At least 25 people were killed, with investigators confirming that most deaths occurred due to suffocation inside the underground kitchen area. Of the 25 bodies, 23 showed no burn injuries, indicating victims died from a sudden loss of oxygen, while only two bodies were badly charred, officials added.
A police source said post-mortem examinations of 17 bodies have been completed, and six bodies have already been handed over to families for final rites. The list of deceased persons has been compiled for identification and handover procedures.
Police have so far arrested four people, including the gate manager identified as Thakur. An FIR has been registered against club owners Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, and arrest warrants have been issued. A police team has been dispatched to Delhi to track down the owners, who are believed to be absconding.
Sources confirmed that the owner of the club is originally from Delhi, and Goa Police has launched search operations there to detain him.
Government officials, political leaders and representatives of various organisations and people from different walks of life paid rich tributes to Baba Saheb Ambedkar on his death anniversary in the districts of Kittur Karnataka on Saturday.
Zilla Panchayat CEO Bhuvanesh Patil, SP Gunjan Arya, Additional DC Geetha C.D. and others garlanding the statue of B.R. Ambedkar in Dharwad district on Saturday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Government officials, political leaders and representatives of various organisations and people from different walks of life paid rich tributes to Babasaheb Ambedkar on his death anniversary in the districts of Kittur Karnataka on Saturday.
On the ‘Mahaparinirvan Divas’, officials and leaders lined up before the statues and busts of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and paid floral tributes. Official programmes were held in various government offices and institutions.
In Dharwad, Chief Executive Officer of Dharwad Zilla Panchayat Bhuvanesh Patil, Additional Deputy Commissioner Geetha C.D., Superintendent of Police Gunjan Arya and others garlanded the statue of Dr. Ambedkar located at Jubilee Circle.
Subsequently in the programme held at new auditorium of Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad, they performed puja and offered floral tributes to the portrait of Dr. Ambedkar. A host of officials, leaders of various communities including M. Aravind, Laxman Bakkai and others participated in the event.
In Gadag, Deputy Commissioner of Gadag C.N. Sridhar paid floral tributes to the portrait of Dr. Ambedkar on his 69th Mahaparinirvan Divas at the auditorium of ‘Zilladalita Bhavan’ on Saturday. Senior officials A.A. Kambalimath, Nanda Hanabaratti, Dr. Basavaraj Bommanahalli, Vasanth Madlur and others also paid tributes.
Rajasthan’s Medical and Health Department has intensified its crackdown on counterfeit medicines. In Jaipur, officials seized fake and substandard drugs worth ₹3.73 crore from GK Enterprises, which continued operations without a valid license. A case has been registered and investigations are ongoing. The state has also banned 7 firms and 40 medicines in 2025 over major quality failures.
Rajasthan Govt Seizes Fake Medicines Worth ₹3.73 Crore In Jaipur, Firm Booked For Illegal Operations | File/ Representative image
The Rajasthan Medical and Health Department has intensified its crackdown on counterfeit drug manufacturing and distribution in the state, official said.
In a major operation conducted late Friday night, the Food Safety and Drug Control Directorate seized medicines worth Rs 3.73 crore from a Jaipur-based firm, officials added on Saturday.
Rajasthan Food Safety Commissioner T. Shubhamangala confirmed that the seizure was made from GK Enterprises, located in Jaipur.
Drug Controller Ajay Pathak said the firm was found involved in the sale of counterfeit and substandard medicines, including Winset-L and Algivin-M tablets, falsely labelled as being manufactured by YL Pharma, Baddi (Himachal Pradesh).
During inspection, Drug Control Officer (DCO) Komal Rupchandani learned from former firm partner Giriraj Ajmera that he had exited the partnership in 2019.
Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and Rules, 1945, any change in partnership requires the firm to apply for a new license within three months.
However, the remaining partner, Khemchand, reportedly continued operations without obtaining the mandatory license.
Following these findings, DCOs Komal Rupchandani and Ashok Kumar Meena registered a case against Khemchand for running pharmaceutical operations without authorisation.
Officials said that legal action and further investigation are underway.
The Rajasthan government recently (in late 2025) banned nearly 40 specific medicines after they were found to be substandard, and halted the distribution of all 19 medicines from Kaysons Pharma.
These actions were primarily a result of quality control failures and incidents involving contaminated cough syrups that led to child deaths.
The Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation (RMSC) has debarred seven firms and 40 medicines this year after they failed to meet quality standards during inspections — the largest action since the Corporation’s establishment, officials had confirmed in November this year.
Of Delhi’s 39 monitoring stations, 26 registered readings in the very poor range, while the remaining 13 reported poor air quality.
Mundka reported the worst AQI at 365, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data at 7 am.
A layer of smog covered the capital on Sunday, with the AQI at 305 in the very poor range, slightly lower than the previous day, as temperatures remained in single digits in the national capital amid the ongoing cold spell.
Mundka recorded the highest AQI at 365, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data at 7 am. Out of Delhi’s 39 monitoring stations, 26 reported air quality in the very poor range, while the remaining 13 recorded poor levels.
Stations with very poor air quality included RK Puram (326), Punjabi Bagh (320), Chandni Chowk (308), Rohini (341), Vivek Vihar (304), Bawana (352), Sirifort (318), Wazirpur (337), Anand Vihar (327), Ashok Vihar (325), and Sonia Vihar (320).
Locations reporting poor air quality included Alipur (282), NSIT Dwarka (239), Mandir Marg (212), IGI Airport (227), Aya Nagar (263) and eight other stations.
According to CPCB standards, an AQI between 0-50 is ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’ and 401-500 ‘severe’.
Delhi’s air quality fluctuated sharply over the week, with the AQI recorded at 279 on Sunday, 304 on Monday, rising to 372 on Tuesday, and standing at 342 on Wednesday. It remained in the ‘very poor’ category with 304 on Thursday and 327 on Friday.
According to the Decision Support System for Delhi’s air quality management, transport within the city was the largest local contributor at 14.8%, followed by industries in Delhi and nearby areas at 7.3%, residential sources at 3.6%, and construction at 2%.
Among neighbouring NCR districts, Jhajjar contributed 13.9% and Rohtak 5.2%.
The incident occurred around 1 am, with cops initially suspecting that the fire was triggered due to a cylinder blast near the kitchen area.
A devastating fire ripped through the popular nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane late last night in Arpora, North Goa, resulting in the deaths of 25 people.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed that following the fire incident at Arpora, six people have been injured. He assured that these six injured persons are currently in a stable condition and are receiving the highest standard of medical care.
I am closely reviewing the situation arising from the tragic fire incident at Arpora, in which 25 people have lost their lives and 6 have been injured. All six injured persons are in a stable condition and are receiving the best medical care. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry…
Goa Chief Minister Sawant told PTI that an FIR has been lodged in connection with the tragic Arpora fire incident against the owner and the general manager of the nightclub where the fire occurred. He added that both individuals will be arrested.
The officials confirmed that the majority of deaths resulted from suffocation due to smoke. The authorities have confirmed the identities of four tourists and 14 staff members among the victims. The identity of the remaining seven individuals is still being established to determine if they were tourists or employees.
#WATCH | Goa: 25 people died in a fire at Birch restaurant in Arpora, North Goa last night. Latest visuals from outside the restaurant. pic.twitter.com/4yOjHZ3NIV
The incident occurred around 1 am, with cops initially suspecting that the fire was triggered due to a cylinder blast near the kitchen area. However, it has been ruled out. According to the Goa Director General of Police (DGP), cylinders were intact during inspection.
Officials noted the blast was reportedly so powerful that the flames engulfed the entire building within seconds, leaving little time for those inside to escape.
The bodies of the victims have been sent for post-mortem examinations, while official details regarding the number and condition of the injured are still awaited.
Rescue operations continued through the night, and authorities are working to identify the victims and inform families.
The Director General of Police has stated that the probe will also examine the club’s safety measures, gas connection systems, and its emergency exit plan to determine whether there were any violations.
Multiple fire tenders were rushed to the scene and, after nearly two hours of intense efforts, the blaze was finally brought under control.
The nightclub has been sealed for now, and questioning of the owners and management is currently underway. As per initial information, the club had not abided by the fire safety norms.
Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant described the day as “very painful” following the tragic fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora.
Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire incident at Arpora has taken the lives of 23 people.
I am deeply grieved and offer my heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss.
Chief Minister Sawant confirmed that he has ordered a full inquiry to determine the exact cause of the blaze, meticulously examining whether fire safety norms and building rules were followed.
Following the fire tragedy in the Goa club, BJP MLA Michael Lobo highlighted that while some victims were tourists, the majority were local workers employed in the restaurant’s basement.
He also told reporters that most of the victims died from suffocation after running toward the basement.
President Draupadi Murmu conveyed her sympathy, stating she is “Deeply pained by the tragic fire incident in North Goa district resulting in the loss of precious lives.”
Deeply pained by the tragic fire incident in North Goa district resulting in the loss of precious lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they find strength during this difficult time. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.
She added, “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they find strength during this difficult time. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.”
Following the fire tragedy in Arpora, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep sorrow and extended condolences to the families.
The fire mishap in Arpora, Goa is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant Ji about the situation. The State Government is providing all possible assistance to those…
Calling the incident “deeply saddening,” the Prime Minister said, “The fire mishap in Arpora, Goa is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant Ji about the situation. The State Government is providing all possible assistance to those affected.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his grief over the devastating fire accident in Goa, stating that the “tragic loss of lives” was “deeply painful.”
The tragic loss of lives in a fire accident in Arpora, Goa, is deeply painful. The local administration is carrying out rescue and relief operations and providing the necessary care to the affected. My sincerest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and…
Amit Shah also confirmed that the local administration is actively engaged in rescue and relief operations and is focused on providing all necessary care to those affected by the tragedy.
Condemning the Goa nightclub fire tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance,” Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has demanded a transparent probe.
Deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora, Goa that claimed more than 20 lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured.
This is not just an accident, it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough,…
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also demanded a thorough investigation and full accountability following the fire tragedy in Goa.
My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the 23 souls lost in the tragic fire at Arpora, Goa. This is an unimaginable loss. I pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured.
This tragedy demands a thorough investigation, full accountability, and measures to ensure…
Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik conveyed his sorrow and offered prayers to the grieving families who lost their near ones in the Goa club fire tragedy. He further extended his wishes for the swift recovery of all those who sustained injuries in the devastating incident.
PM Modi said that when the world is fragmented, India stands as a bridge builder.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the 23rd edition of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, criticised the linking of the Hindu faith with India’s rate of growth.
“There is an attempt to malign the Hindu way of life by terming India’s slow growth a few decades ago as the Hindu rate of growth,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi said that when the world is fragmented, India stands as a bridge builder.
“We are at a juncture, where 1/4th of the 21st century has passed, and the world has seen many ups and downs – financial crisis, global pandemic, etc. These situations in some way or the other challenged the world… today the world is full of uncertainties, but amid this, our India is appearing in a different league. India is full of self-confidence,” said PM Modi. “When the world talks about slowdown, India writes stories of growth. When the world faces trust crisis, India becomes a pillar of trust.”
The Prime Minister also took a jibe at the previous government and stated that the earlier systems “did not have faith in their own citizens”.
“Our government broke that way of working. A citizen’s self-attested document is enough to prove its authenticity,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister said that a government’s “biggest aspect” is the trust the citizenry puts in it.
“We have to make the country rid of the colonial mindset from every corner. I want to take the citizens forward with the vision for the next 10 years,” the PM said.
The PM announced that self-attestation would now suffice for many official processes, a move designed to cut red tape and empower citizens.
The reforms, he said, were part of the Jan Vishwas Bill Provisions, which also include the decriminalisation of minor compliances to ease the burden on ordinary people.
PM Modi emphasised the transformative impact of guarantee-free loans, noting that Rs 37 lakh crore has already been disbursed to small vendors, hawkers, and economically weaker sections
“Even those demanding just Rs 1,000 are receiving loans without guarantees. This is governance that trusts its people,” he declared, underlining the administration’s focus on financial inclusion.
Turning to the issue of unclaimed funds, the Prime Minister revealed startling figures — Rs 78,000 crore lying idle in banks, Rs 14,000 crore with insurance companies, Rs 3,000 crore in mutual funds, and Rs 9,000 crore in dividends.
He said the government has launched special district-level camps to help citizens reclaim their rightful earnings, with thousands of crores already returned.
“This is Modi searching for people to claim their hard-earned money,” the Prime Minister remarked, stressing that restoring public faith is the government’s greatest capital.
Nikita, a resident of Karachi, alleged that she married Vikram Nagdev, a Pakistani-origin man living in Indore on a long-term visa, on January 26, 2020, in Karachi, according to Hindu customs.
Nikita further alleged that during the COVID-19 lockdown, Vikram forced her to return to Pakistan.
A Pakistani woman has accused her husband of abandoning her in Karachi and secretly preparing for a second marriage in Delhi. The woman, identified as Nikita Nagdev, has released a desperate video appeal seeking justice from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sparking outrage among social groups and legal bodies in both countries.
Nikita, a resident of Karachi, alleged that she married Vikram Nagdev, a Pakistani-origin man living in Indore on a long-term visa, on January 26, 2020, in Karachi, according to Hindu customs. A month later, Vikram brought her to India on February 26. But within months, Nikita says her life was turned upside down.
On July 9, 2020, she was abandoned at the Attari border under the pretext of a “visa technicality” and forcibly sent back to Pakistan. Since then, she claims, Vikram has never attempted to bring her back. “I kept requesting him to call me to India, but he refused every time,” she said in her emotional video message.
In her video from Karachi, Nikita pleaded, “If justice is not served today, women will lose faith in justice. Many girls face physical and mental abuse in their marital homes. I request everyone to stand with me.”
She also described the shocking behaviour she allegedly faced immediately after her wedding. “When I returned to my in-laws’ home from Pakistan, their behaviour completely changed. I learned my husband was having an affair with one of my relatives. When I told my father-in-law, he said, ‘Boys have affairs, nothing can be done.'”
Nikita further alleged that during the COVID-19 lockdown, Vikram forced her to return to Pakistan, and is now refusing her entry into India. “Every woman deserves justice in India,” she said.
Once back in Karachi, Nikita discovered that Vikram had been preparing for a second marriage with a Delhi woman. Distressed by the prospect of being replaced while still legally married, Nikita filed a written complaint on January 27, 2025.
The case came before the Sindhi Panch Mediation and Legal Counsel Centre, authorised by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Notices were issued to Vikram and his alleged fiancée, and a hearing was conducted. However, mediation failed. The Centre’s April 30, 2025 report stated that since neither spouse is an Indian citizen, the matter falls under Pakistan’s jurisdiction, and recommended that Vikram be deported to Pakistan.
The notice marks one of the most severe interventions by the DGCA in recent years and follows mounting public anger over what officials described as “massive disruptions resulting in severe inconvenience, hardship and distress to passengers”.
The primary trigger for the crisis was IndiGo’s failure to make “adequate arrangements”, the DGCA said.
India’s aviation regulator has issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo’s Chief Executive Officer, holding him accountable for a week-long operational crisis that left thousands of passengers stranded across the country and forced the airline to cancel nearly a thousand flights in a single day.
The notice marks one of the most severe interventions by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in recent years and follows mounting public anger over what officials described as “massive disruptions resulting in severe inconvenience, hardship and distress to passengers”.
According to the DGCA, the primary trigger for the crisis was IndiGo’s failure to make “adequate arrangements” for the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for pilots, a change notified months in advance and effective from November 1. The regulator said the airline’s inability to adjust its rosters and resources in time led to widespread cancellations, delays, crew shortages and cascading disruption across its 138-destination network.
“It has been observed that scheduled flights of M/s Indigo Airlines have recently faced massive disruptions resulting in severe inconvenience, hardship and distress to passengers,” the notice read.
“It has also been noticed that the primary cause of said flight disruptions is non-provisioning of adequate arrangements to cater to the revised requirements for smooth implementation of the approved FDTL scheme for the airline.”
The notice accuses IndiGo of failing to plan for revised duty and rest requirements for cockpit crew, non-compliance with Rule 42A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, violations of multiple Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) governing duty periods and failing to provide information, assistance, or facilities mandated for passengers during cancellations and delays.
“As the CEO, you are responsible for ensuring effective management of the airline,” the document states. “You have failed in your duty to ensure timely arrangements for conduct of reliable operations and the availability of requisite facilities to passengers.”
The CEO has been directed to respond within 24 hours, failing which the regulator will “decide the matter ex parte”, potentially opening the door to penalties ranging from financial sanctions to operational restrictions.
After five days of travel chaos, the airline said it had restored 95 per cent of its network, operating to 135 of its 138 destinations by Saturday. It expects to run more than 1,500 flights by the end of the day.
In a statement, IndiGo again apologised for the week’s disruptions, saying it was “committed to build back the trust of our customers”.
A Kanpur-based man has opened up about the host of issues he has had to face since moving back to India from Ireland.
The former NRI compared traffic in Ireland vs India, among other things (Representational image)
A Kanpur-based man has opened up about the host of issues he has had to face since moving back to India from Ireland. Akash Tiwari, Manager of AI and Innovation Strategy at Coursera, said that he is now worrying about problems that he never even had to think about back in Ireland.
In a post shared on the social media platform X, Tiwari listed three of the many problems he has been facing since settling down in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
‘So many issues’ in India
“Moving back to India has brought so many issues in my life, that I never had to worry about in Ireland,” said the Coursera manager. According to his LinkedIn profile, Tiwari spent over three years working in Dublin, Ireland.
He said that since settling down in Kanpur, he has to deal with daily power cuts. Electricity issues, in fact, formed the first of his grievances.
“I am in Kanpur, and on an average there’s a power cut for 4-5 hours everyday. We don’t have electricity even at the time of writing this,” he said.
Tiwari contrasted this with Ireland, where he faced just one power cut in three years — and that too for just 15 minutes. He revealed that he was informed about the power cut one month in advance.
“In Dublin, over my 3+ years of stay, electricity was cut for 15 mins, just once, to change my meter and I was notified about this cut 1 month in advance,” wrote Tiwari.
AQI and traffic
Moving back to India 🇮🇳 has brought so many issues in my life, that I never had to worry about in Ireland 🇮🇪
1. Electricity: I am in Kanpur, and on an average there’s a power cut for 4-5 hours everyday. We don’t have electricity even at the time of writing this. In Dublin, over…
Power cuts alone did not prompt Tiwari to pen the post. He also highlighted other issues like the air quality and traffic chaos in India.
“Mad traffic and honking,” he wrote on X, adding: “These are man made – artificially created issues. They shouldn’t be there at the first place AND people could focus on other important things in life.”
In the comments section, as many people agreed with Tiwari, the Ireland-returned executive wondered why the people of India have to cry for basic necessities.
Describing the incident as “very painful day” for the state, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday promised swift action for those found responsible for a fire.
Goa Fire Accident Live Updates: Victim being rescued. (PTI)
A deadly fire that broke out on Saturday night at a club on Romeo Lane in North Goa occurred at a venue that lacked the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) and violated fire safety norms, Director of Fire & Emergency Services Nitin V. Raiker said on Sunday.
According to Raiker, most of the 25 people who died in the Arpora nightclub fire in North Goa succumbed to suffocation. He stated that the blaze, triggered during a club party with a fire show, spread through the wooden structures of the building, and smoke descended to the basement where many victims were trapped.
“Most people died due to suffocation in the basement and kitchen area. I received information that there was a club party going on, and a fire show was organised in the club. The wooden parts of the club caught fire, and smoke spread throughout the building. The smoke descended to the basement, and many people died due to suffocation. They had not obtained any fire NOC, and no fire protection measures were followed. The department had not granted any fire NOC for running this club,” he told CNN New18.
Raiker further said that fire services rushed to the spot immediately after the incident was reported and the blaze was brought under control within half an hour.
“The incident happened at 12:30 am. We received the information that there is some fire incident at Romeo Lane. Fire services were rushed towards the spot immediately. In half an hour we extinguished the fire,” he said.
According to the Goa Police, the death toll in the Arpora nightclub fire has risen to 25. The victims include four tourists and 14 members of the club’s staff, while the identities of seven others are yet to be established.
#BreakingNews | Goa Police Issues Statement, Death Toll Rises To 25 After Goa Nightclub Cylinder Blast
4 Tourist, 14 Club Crew Among Dead, Identity Of 7 Yet To Be Established@imvivekgupta And @mayuganapatye Shares More Details
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the Arpora nightclub fire, calling it a “deeply saddening” tragedy. He said he had spoken to Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and assured full support.
PM Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the families of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the incident.
Describing the incident as “very painful day” for the state, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday promised swift action for those found responsible for a fire.
The death toll was reported to be 23 at first, and has risen to 25 now.
“Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire incident at Arpora has taken the lives of 23 people. I am deeply grieved and offer my heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss,” he wrote on X.
“I visited the incident site and have ordered an inquiry into this incident. The inquiry will examine the exact cause of the fire and whether fire safety norms and building rules were followed. Those found responsible will face most stringent action under the law- any negligence will be dealt with firmly,” CM Sawant added.
The 23rd India-Russia summit saw the two sides sign a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation and Collaboration on Broadcasting between Prasar Bharati of India and Joint Stock Company Gazprom Media Holding of Russia.
Representative image showing a visa. Credit: iStock Photo
India would soon launch a free 30-day e-Tourist Visa and a 30-day Group Tourist Visa for the citizens of Russia, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi said after his meeting with President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi on Friday.
The 23rd India-Russia summit saw the two sides sign a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation and Collaboration on Broadcasting between Prasar Bharati of India and Joint Stock Company Gazprom Media Holding of Russia. Besides, two more MoUs for Cooperation and Collaboration on Broadcasting between Prasar Bharati of India and the National Media Group of Russia, as well as for Cooperation and Collaboration on Broadcasting between Prasar Bharati of India and the BIG ASIA Media Group of Russia.
An addendum to the MoU for cooperation and collaboration on broadcasting between Prasar Bharati, India, and ANO TV-Novosti, as well as a MoU between “TV BRICS” Joint-stock company and “Prasar Bharati (PB)”, were also inked on Friday.
On the sidelines of the summit, Modi and Putin inked an MoU on scientific and academic collaboration between the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune, India and the Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education “National Tomsk State University”, Tomsk, Russia, and an agreement regarding cooperation between the University of Mumbai, Lomonosov Moscow State University and Joint-Stock Company Management Company of Russian Direct Investment Fund.
During President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, India and Russia emphasised their commitment to enhancing bilateral trade and cooperation across various sectors, including energy, nuclear, and military. Let’s take a look at outcomes of Putin’s high stakes visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during the India-Russia Business Forum, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday Photo : ANI
India and Russia reaffirmed shared ambition to expand bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner, discussed and commended their wide ranging cooperation in the energy sector, cooperation in building stable and efficient transport corridors, broaden cooperation in nuclear energy, among other sectors, during President Vladimir Putin’s 2-day visit to New Delhi on December 4-5.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised the special nature of this long standing and time-tested relationship, which is characterised by mutual trust, respect for each other’s core national interests and strategic convergence. They underscored that, as major powers with shared responsibilities, this important relationship continues to be an anchor of global peace and stability that should be ensured upon the basis of equal and indivisible security.
According to the India-Russia Joint Statement, PM Modi and Vladimir Putin positively assessed the multi-faceted mutually beneficial India-Russia relations that span all areas of cooperation, including political and strategic, military and security, trade and investment, energy, science and technology, nuclear, space, cultural, education and humanitarian cooperation. It was noted with satisfaction that both Sides are actively exploring new avenues for cooperation while further strengthening cooperation in the traditional areas. Let’s take a look at key outcomes of Vladimir Putin’s highly anticipated India visit.
Trade and Economic partnership
India and Russia reaffirmed ambition to expand bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner, including by increasing India’s exports to Russia, strengthening industrial cooperation, forging new technological and investment partnerships, especially in advanced high-technology areas and finding new avenues and forms of cooperation.
PM Modi-Vladimir Putin welcomed the adoption of the Programme for the Development of Strategic Areas of India – Russia Economic Cooperation till 2030 (Programme 2030), and set a target to achieve USD 100 Billion trade.
Both the nations appreciated intensification of the joint work on a Free Trade Agreement on goods between India and the Eurasian Economic Union covering sectors of mutual interest.
The two sides welcomed steps to ensure long-term supply of fertilisers to India and discussed the potential establishment of joint ventures in this area.
Both the nations the current and potential cooperation between Indian and Russian companies in fields such as oil and oil products, oil refining and petrochemical technologies, oilfield services and upstream technologies and related infrastructure, LNG and LPG related infrastructure, various existing projects in their countries, underground coal gasification (UCG) technology, nuclear projects, etc.
Trade and Connectivity
India and Russia agreed to deepen cooperation in building stable and efficient transport corridors.
The focus will be on expanding logistics links for improving connectivity and enhancing infrastructure capacity to support the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), the Chennai–Vladivostok (Eastern Maritime) Corridor, and the Northern Sea Route. They welcomed the signing of the MoU on the Training of Specialists for Ships Operating in Polar Waters.
Cooperation in Russian Far East and Arctic
India and Russia have also confirmed to intensity trade and investment cooperation in the Far East and the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation.
This means that there will be more investment and cooperation between the two nations in the sectors of agriculture, energy, mining, manpower, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, maritime transport, etc.
Civil Nuclear Cooperation, Cooperation in Space
The countries will broaden cooperation in nuclear energy, including fuel cycle, life cycle support for operating Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) and non-power applications, as well as to elaborate new agenda of interaction in the field of peaceful use of atomic energy and related high technologies.
The countries welcomed progress achieved in implementation of KKNPP including the construction of the remaining NPP units and agreed on adhering to the timeline for supplies of equipment and fuel.
Both held discussions on second site in India for Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The Indian side will strive to finalise formal allotment of the second site in accordance with earlier signed agreements.
Military and Military Technical Cooperation
In order to boost Make-in-India, India and Russia partnership will jointly work in research and development, co-development and co-production of advanced defence technology and systems.
Both sides agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components, aggregates and other products for maintenance of Russian origin arms and defence equipment under Make-in-India program through transfer of technology and setting up of joint ventures for meeting the needs of the Indian Armed Forces as well as subsequent export to mutually friendly third countries.
Cooperation in Science & Technology
India and Russia called for ramping up government-to-government, academia and private sector collaboration to promote application of critical and emerging technologies.
Recognising the strategic importance of critical minerals for emerging technologies and advanced manufacturing, the two Sides expressed interest in deepening cooperation in exploration, processing and recycling technologies of critical minerals and rare earths.
Both Sides called for ramping up government-to-government, academia and private sector collaboration to promote application of critical and emerging technologies.
Cultural cooperation, Tourism and people to people exchanges
India and Russia agreed that cultural interaction and people to people exchanges are an important component of the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
They appreciated the participation in major international cultural forums, book fairs, festivals and art competitions organized in both countries and welcomed the holding on a parity basis, of Cultural Exchange Festivals in their countries, aimed at the fullest demonstration of Indian and Russian culture.
Counter Terrorism
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of combating such common challenges and threats such as terrorism, extremism transnational organized crime, money laundering, terrorist financing and illicit drug trafficking.
Regional and International Issues
India and Russia noted with appreciation the close coordination between India and Russia on Afghanistan, including through the dialogue mechanism between the Security Councils of both countries. They emphasised the important role of the Moscow Format meetings.
The Leaders welcomed the counter-terrorism measures against international terrorist groups, including ISIS and ISKP and their affiliates, and expressed confidence that the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan would be comprehensive and effective.
They stressed the need to ensure urgent and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
The BJP suggested that the Gandhi family must start using the Nehru surname if they have such respect for the former prime minister.
The project to vilify Jawaharlal Nehru is the main goal of the ruling establishment today, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has said, ripping into the BJP for allegedly trying to erase the first prime minister from the country’s history.
It’s the Congress that underestimated Nehru’s contribution, the BJP fired back, claiming that they only highlighted attempts to cover up his “mistakes” and not disrespect him.
In her remarks yesterday at an event at Jawahar Bhawan to launch the Nehru Centre India, Gandhi further alleged a systematic attempt to denigrate, distort, demean, and defame Nehru.
“The sole objective of this is to not only diminish him as a personality but also his universally recognised role in India’s independence struggle and his early decades as a leader of an independent nation challenged by unprecedented problems, but it is also to demolish his multifaceted legacy in a crude and self-serving attempt to rewrite history,” she said, calling such attempts “totally unacceptable.”
Those behind the project to diminish Nehru belong to an ideology that had no role in the freedom movement and the making of the constitution and that fanned an atmosphere that led to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, she claimed.
“Let there be no doubt whatsoever that the project to vilify Jawaharlal Nehru is the main objective of the ruling establishment today. Their goal is not just to erase him; it is actually to destroy the social, political, and economic foundations on which our nation has been founded and built,” added the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson.
Gandhi said Nehru continues to serve as a beacon of light to the millions of India’s citizens and that it is inevitable that such a monumental figure will have his life and work analysed and critiqued—and that is indeed as it should be.
Although the temptation to divorce Nehru from his times and the challenges that he had to face and to look at him, devoid of the historical context in which a function has become quite widespread, she added.
The BJP differed with Gandhi’s views, suggesting that if she had such respect for the former prime minister, she would have added the Nehru surname to the family line.
“It’s time she stops crying wolf all the time. If she had great respect for Nehru, she would have added the surname of Nehru to the family line. They are the people who have underestimated Nehru’s contributions. It’s not the BJP or the current dispensation that is indulging in it,” BJP spokesperson Tom Vadakkan told NDTV.
He alleged attempts to cover up Nehru’s fault, from scams to the 1962 Sino-India war, underscoring that it was only human to make mistakes.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi issued a passenger advisory, announcing that IndiGo flight operations are gradually returning to normal following the airline’s disruption, which resulted in over 1,000 flight cancellations on Friday and over 550 flights on Thursday.
IndiGo flight cancellations enter the fifth day
Disruptions from IndiGo’s flight cancellations continued into the fifth day on Saturday with multiple flights cancelled across the country. The airline, struggling with widespread operational chaos for the past four days, recorded over 1,000 cancellations on Friday and 550 on Thursday as well.
Meanwhile, Delhi Airport issued an advisory stating that operations are gradually returning to normal, while a petition has been filed with the Supreme Court seeking the Chief Justice’s intervention over passenger losses caused by the suspension of flights.
OPERATIONS RETURNING TO NORMALCY: DELHI AIRPORT
Delhi Airport has issued an advisory stating that flight operations are gradually returning to normal and urged passengers to verify their flight status before heading to the airport.
“We are glad to update that Indigo flight operations are now steadily resuming and getting back to normalcy following the brief disruption. Please check the status of your booking and flight before leaving from home,” Delhi Airport said in a post on X. On Friday, the airline had cancelled all domestic departures from Delhi airport until midnight.
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking Chief Justice of India’s intervention after passengers suffered losses due to IndiGo flight suspensions. The plea urges the Court to take suo motu cognisance, direct the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA to submit status reports, and constitute a special bench for immediate hearing.
Meanwhile, the DGCA has attributed the disruptions to IndiGo’s “misjudgment and gap in planning” in implementing new pilot duty-hour regulations.
INDIGO CEO PETER ELBERS APOLOGISES
The airline’s CEO Peter Elbers firmly indicated that normal operations are expected to resume sometime between 10 and 15 December.
“December 5 was the most severely impacted day, with the number of cancellations well over 1000. I extend our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience it has caused to our customers. It will take some time to return to a full normal situation, which we anticipate between 10 to 15 December,” Elbers said in a video message.
TAKING STRICT ACTION: CIVIL AVIATION MINISTER
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu attributed the chaos to IndiGo’s poor crew management and its handling of the DGCA’s new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules. In an interview with ANI, the minister explained that the disruptions led the Civil Aviation Ministry to provide IndiGo with temporary relief from certain regulatory requirements.
“We have formed a committee which will inquire into all this so that they can establish where things went wrong and who did it wrong. We are taking strict action on this, so that whoever was responsible into this needs to pay for it,” Naidu said.
A new study suggests cats meow more frequently and loudly at male caregivers because men tend to speak less to them, prompting cats to work harder for attention. Researchers found this pattern across 31 cats in Turkey, though larger global studies are needed to confirm the behaviour.
Representative Image: Do Cats Meow More At Men Because They ‘Don’t Listen?’ Scientists Explain Photo : iStock
Ever feel like your cat “talks” more when a man walks into the room? Turns out, there might actually be science behind it. A new study suggests that cats tend to meow at men more often and louder than they do at women. And no, it’s not because they adore men more… it might be because men simply pay less attention.
Published in the journal Ethology, the study set out to observe real, unfiltered human–cat interactions rather than relying on owners’ self-reports. Led by Yasemin Salgirli Demirbas from Ankara University in Turkey, researchers monitored 31 cats and their caregivers in their own homes.
Each cat wore a tiny chest-mounted camera so scientists could analyse the first moments after their humans returned home. What stood out? Cats consistently greeted male caregivers with noticeably more meows, purrs, and chirps compared to female caregivers, regardless of the cat’s age, breed, sex, or the size of the household.
On average, the cats let out 4.3 meows in the first 100 seconds when a man walked in, while women got just 1.8 meows in the same time.
According to the study’s author: “Male caregivers might engage less frequently in verbal behaviours compared to female caregivers. This difference could prompt cats to use vocal signals more actively to elicit responses from male caregivers.”
During Vladimir Putin’s high-security visit to Delhi, Prime Minister Modi presented the Russian president with a Gita translated into Russian, a symbolic cultural gift reinforcing long-standing ties. Former envoy Rajiv Bhatia called the trip crucial.
Modi and Putin Photo : AP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose a distinctly civilizational touch for his engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, gifting him a copy of the Bhagavad Gita rendered in Russian. Officials and analysts see the choice as a nod to India’s soft-power tradition—using scripture and culture to signal friendship beyond hard security and energy deals. The meeting comes as New Delhi balances its historic Moscow ties with closer links to Washington and the West, especially under the shadow of the Ukraine war.
In an interview ahead of talks, Putin underlined that Moscow and New Delhi do not frame their cooperation as part of any anti-Western bloc. “Neither me nor Prime Minister Modi, despite certain external pressure we face, have never approached our collaboration to work against someone,” he said, arguing the partnership rests on mutual interests rather than confrontation. He also took aim at the G7’s “Big Seven” image, asking what was “so big” about them when India ranks third globally by purchasing power parity while the UK lingers around 10th place.
Presented a copy of the Gita in Russian to President Putin. The teachings of the Gita give inspiration to millions across the world.@KremlinRussia_Epic.twitter.com/D2zczJXkU2
On the ground, Delhi Traffic Police rolled out a sweeping advisory for Friday, flagging diversions and rolling closures across central Delhi from 9 a.m. to noon due to “administrative exigencies” tied to the high-profile visit. Commuters were urged to avoid corridors such as W Point, A Point, ITO, BSZ Marg, Delhi Gate, JLN Marg, Rajghat and Shanti Van Crossings, Hanuman Setu–Y Point, Netaji Subhash Marg, Saleem Garh bypass and the stretch from Pragati Maidan Tunnel to Hanuman Setu, among others. Authorities said security and route sanitisation for Putin’s convoy were the main drivers of the restrictions.
The summit unfolds amid tightened anti-drone measures, layered police and paramilitary deployments and coordination between Indian agencies and Putin’s own security detail. Officials expect intermittent delays near government complexes, with advice for office-goers to use metro services where possible during the peak security window.
Why the Visit Matters, Beyond the Optics
Former diplomat Rajiv Bhatia called Putin’s India trip “a very important visit,” pointing to its timing as the first by the Russian leader since the Ukraine invasion and since visible strains in India–US ties. He noted it also follows India’s prominent role at recent G20 meetings, suggesting multiple strategic layers—from defence and energy deals to rupee–ruble trade mechanisms and sanctions navigation. “First of all, the focus will be on bilateral relations and how to deepen and strengthen this relationship… I think the limelight will be on the economic dimensions,” Bhatia observed, capturing the underlying agenda behind the warm optics and cultural gifting.
IndiGo’s crisis deepens as it seeks temporary FDTL relaxations, warns of more cancellations until December 8, and admits planning lapses.
Passengers wait outside the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several Indigo flights were either cancelled or delayed on Thursday. (Photo: AP) Photo : AP
It seems IndiGo’s crisis is far from over, as the carrier has sought temporary relaxations in flight duty norms from aviation watchdog DGCA, saying that operations will be fully restored only by February 10. Since the implementation of the second phase of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, IndiGo has faced a severe operational crisis, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of flights. On Thursday, approximately 550 flights were cancelled, leaving commuters struggling to navigate the situation.
The airline, which was summoned by the authorities, acknowledged that the disruptions stemmed from misjudgment and planning gaps. IndiGo also informed the regulator that there will be more cancellations until December 8, and from that day, services will be further reduced, according to a PTI report.
Notably, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has expressed his displeasure at IndiGo’s handling of the situation despite having ample preparation time.
IndiGo’s On-Time Performance Plunges to 19.7%
IndiGo, which typically operates around 2,300 flights a day and prides itself on punctuality, saw its on-time performance crash to 19.7 per cent on Wednesday, a sharp drop from 35 per cent the previous day.
The civil aviation minister has directed the airline to proactively inform passengers of any likely cancellations well in advance, while the DGCA will conduct strict real-time monitoring of its operations.
With airfares showing an uptick amid widespread cancellations, authorities are keeping a close watch to ensure prices are not hiked due to the disruptions. The ministry said officers have been stationed at IndiGo’s operational control centres for continuous oversight.
IndiGo Seeks Relaxations Till February 10
In a move likely to raise concerns within the pilots’ community, IndiGo has requested exemptions from certain Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) requirements for its A320 operations until February 10, 2026, as part of efforts to stabilise flight schedules.
The DGCA will now assess the relaxations sought by the airline.
Updating the regulator on crew availability for its A320 fleet, IndiGo said it has 2,357 captains and 2,194 first officers available in December. This is lower than the requirement in November – 2,422 captains and 2,153 first officers – numbers that rose following the rollout of the second phase of the FDTL norms. In October, the requirement stood at 2,186 captains and 1,948 first officers.
These figures highlight a shortage of pilots, a central reason behind the ongoing disruptions. With the new FDTL rules limiting the number of night landings per pilot, night operations have also taken a hit. The airline also shared future projections with the regulator, noting that crew requirements were higher than anticipated.
What’s Next For IndiGo?
IndiGo has told the regulator that corrective steps are underway and full flight normalcy will be restored by February 10, 2026, though more cancellations are expected in the coming days. From December 8, the airline will cut flight operations to minimise disruptions, according to a DGCA statement.
The regulator has asked IndiGo to submit a detailed roadmap on crew hiring plans, aircraft induction, training, roster restructuring, safety-risk assessments and mitigation measures. A progress report will also be required every 15 days.
During an inspection at Delhi’s Terminal 1, DGCA found IndiGo’s passenger-handling manpower “inadequate” and instructed the airline to urgently ramp up staff and support services.
Kengeri police arrived at the scene and are working to identify the deceased and establish the circumstances that led to the suspected suicide.
File photo of Bengaluru Metro. (Photo Credit: X)
A man died on the spot after he reportedly jumped in front of a moving metro train approaching Bengaluru’s Kengeri station on Thursday, leading to an immediate disruption of services on the Purple Line.
Kengeri police arrived at the scene and are working to identify the deceased and determine what led to the suspected suicide. Authorities confirmed that an investigation is underway.
Namma Metro, in a post on X, announced that services between Mysuru Road and Challaghatta were suspended because of the incident, adding that normal operations would resume after clearance and safety checks.
In a separate statement on X, Namma Metro officials expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to commuters. Police teams reached the spot soon after receiving alerts from locals and carried out preliminary checks, dispatching additional officers to secure the area and verify the sequence of events.
The deceased has not yet been identified, though officers estimate he was between 35 and 40 years old. While no identification documents were recovered, police found a mobile phone and some cash in his pocket and are attempting to contact his family through numbers stored on the device.
CCTV footage captured the man suddenly jumping from the platform onto the tracks as the train approached, prompting investigators to conclude that it was a clear case of suicide. Police said there was no indication of foul play.
The suspension of services during peak hours caused significant disruption, leaving thousands of office-bound commuters stranded. Passengers from Kengeri, RR Nagar, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Vijayanagar and other parts of West Bengaluru were forced to rely on BMTC buses, leading to heavy crowding across multiple routes.
Calling Putin’s trip “a very important visit”, Shashi Tharoor said the Russian President’s presence in India “has great value for our country”.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor underlined the strategic importance of the visit. (PTI)
As Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India on a two-day state visit on Thursday, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted the significance of the visit, saying it is a reaffirmation of India’s long-standing ties with Russia while asserting that deepening these ties does not come at the expense of India’s relations with any other country.
Calling Putin’s trip “a very important visit”, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said the Russian President’s presence in India “has great value for our country”, describing the Moscow–New Delhi relationship as an important pillar of India’s foreign policy. In a turbulent global environment, he said, it was essential for India to stabilise and strengthen partnerships that have historically served its national interests.
“It’s a very important visit, I do believe that his visit has a great value to our country. It’s an important relationship we have with Russia. President Putin is an important partner, we look forward to welcoming him,” he said as quoted by news agency PTI.
VIDEO | As Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in India on a state visit, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) says, “It’s a very important visit, I do believe that his visit has a great value to our country. It’s an important relation we have with Russia. It does… pic.twitter.com/Xazl4BIrCZ
Tharoor further stressed that deeper engagement with Moscow does not undermine India’s ties with any other nation, including, United States, China and Europe.
“No one should misunderstand that this will affect our relationships with other countries, because India has the capacity to have independent relationships with different governments. We are a nation that has always believed in sovereign autonomy,” he added.
Reiterating India’s long-held diplomatic doctrine, Tharoor said “sovereign autonomy is a cardinal principle of Indian foreign policy”, asserting that New Delhi will continue to maintain “strong relations with all”.
Highlighting the practical value of the relationship, Tharoor emphasised recent years where Russian cooperation — particularly in oil, gas and defence — has been crucial. He cited Operation Sindoor as an example, saying the Russian-made S-400 system had played a decisive role in intercepting several Pakistani missiles targeting major cities, “including Delhi”.
“The value of defence imports from Russia was demonstrated once again during Operation Sindoor when the S-400 protected us from a number of Pakistani missiles that were targeting our cities, including Delhi,” he said as quoted by news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi | On Russian President Vladimir Putin’s India visit, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “It’s hugely significant. It is a crucial relationship, and has been for a long time. In today’s rather turbulent world, where so many relationships have become uncertain, it… pic.twitter.com/5voE1sTVjX
Tharoor said any agreements that emerge during President Putin’s visit would be part of “strengthening a vital relationship” — one that, in his view, does not undermine India’s partnerships with Washington, Beijing or any other global actor.
Earlier today, Tharoor stressed that India must sustain its bilateral relationships with Russia, China and the United States. He added that New Delhi cannot accept the idea that one partnership should be shaped or limited by the nature of another. India, he insisted, should retain its sovereign autonomy to define the terms of its engagement with every country.
“I believe that we have maintained good relations with Russia, with America and with China. At different times, there are different emphases. But I would say that my understanding is a lot of talks have already taken place at the expert level to work out some possible agreements that might be signed when President Putin is here. And that would be very valuable for us,” he said as quoted by news agency PTI.
The raids were conducted on the basis of an FIR registered by the CBI for creating fake export documents, including invoices and shipping bills, to falsely show goods as being exported to Nepal and Bangladesh while actually selling them domestically, thereby evading customs duty of Rs 190 crore.
The raids are being conducted at 15 locations in 10 states.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday again grilled Delhi-based businessman Vikas Garg, who is also the Chairman of Ebix Inc, in connection with a money laundering case tied to a Rs 190 crore customs duty fraud and forgery case.
Earlier, he was questioned for over eight hours last month in the same case. Several employees working for Garg are also under the ED’s radar and have been summoned for questioning in Mumbai. The case involves the alleged illegal import and diversion of betel nuts and other materials by forging export documents, causing losses of crores to the exchequer.
According to sources, Garg is the prime accused in the case and was questioned for over six hours at the ED office by investigators again on Tuesday. Garg’s accomplices and employees were also earlier questioned by agency officials, sources said. During searches at Garg’s premises and those linked to his employees, officials found some incriminating documents.
According to ED sources, the raids that took place on November 12 at the premises and residence of Garg, his employees, and other accused were based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR that accuses Garg and several others of conspiring to defraud the government through falsified export records and forged customs documents.
Garg, along with his family members, is a promoter of several listed firms including Vikas Ecotec, Vikas Lifecare, Eraaya Lifespaces, and Advika Capital. He recently made news for acquiring the Nasdaq-listed company Ebix Inc.
Garg’s name had earlier surfaced in the Mahadev betting app money laundering case, where ED officials alleged that he received proceeds of crime worth crores from key accused Harishankar Tibrewal.
Investigators also suspect him of manipulating share prices of certain listed companies using illicit funds. Following previous raids in April, Garg was questioned several times in Raipur, and SEBI was asked to probe suspected market manipulation by his firms.
FORGED EXPORTS, DUTY-FREE IMPORTS DIVERTED TO INDIAN MARKET
The latest ED action stems from a CBI FIR filed in 2023 against Garg and seven others, including Titan Sea & Air Service Pvt. Ltd., its directors, and associated companies. The FIR was based on findings from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which uncovered a large-scale import fraud involving the misuse of Free Trade Warehousing Zones (FTWZ) in Maharashtra.
Sources from the agency said searches were conducted under Section 17 of the PMLA, 2002 in the case of M/s Titan Sea & Air Services Pvt Ltd and others, recorded on the basis of an FIR registered by CBI for creating fake export documents including invoices and shipping bills to misrepresent goods as being exported to Nepal and Bangladesh, while actually selling them domestically and thereby evading customs duty of Rs 190 crore.
The residential and business premises of Vikas Garg, one of the key persons behind the evasion of customs duty of Rs 190 crore, and his employees — in whose names entities were incorporated outside India for effecting imports and exports — were searched on November 12. Incriminating evidence related to imports and exports and digital devices of key persons were seized.
WHAT DOES THE CBI FIR SAY
According to the FIR accessed by India Today TV, Titan Sea & Air Service Pvt Ltd., a Mumbai-based firm headed by Jagannath Rai and Chandra Shekhar Rai, was authorised to import duty-free materials for re-export under Section 7 of the SEZ Act, 2005. Instead, between 2015 and 2017, the company allegedly diverted PVC Resin and betel nuts — imported duty-free from Dubai and Indonesia — into India’s domestic market without paying customs duty.
Investigators allege that the accused forged shipping bills and customs seals to falsely show exports to Nepal and Bangladesh through land customs stations, while the goods were actually sold domestically to Sakshi Marketing Pvt Ltd, Delhi, and other buyers.
The CBI has also named Pradeep Kumar Mittal, a Dubai-based businessman linked to Al Duquq General Trading LLC and Land Star Ltd, UAE, alleging that Garg acted as his associate in India. The FIR further mentions Jitendra Bansal and Brij Mohan Bishnoi of GRC India Logistic, who allegedly helped falsify transport documents to divert the goods.
LOSS TO EXCHEQUER PEGGED AT RS 190 CRORE
Officials estimate that the diversion of duty-free imports caused a loss of approximately Rs 190 crore to the government between 2015 and 2017. The CBI has booked the accused under multiple sections amounting to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery of the IPC and those of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) is weighing new rules for emergency contraception.
Morning after-pills provide roughly 85 % effective in preventing pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse
An expert committee under India’s top drug regulator has recommended mandatory boxed warnings on emergency contraceptive pills, advising that they should not be used more than twice a month and that other contraceptive options be preferred.
The Drug Consultative Committee of the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) also advised adding a clear warning that these pills—commonly called morning-after pills which contain levonorgestrel as an active pharmaceutical ingredient—do not protect against HIV or any sexually transmitted infections.
The recommendations were made at a meeting chaired last month by Drug Controller General of India Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi.
According to the meeting minutes reviewed by India Today, the panel has asked that the warnings appear prominently on the primary pack, outer carton and in the package insert, alongside guidance urging users to consult registered medical practitioners for suitable alternatives.
STATES’ CONCERNS SPUR STRICTER OVERSIGHT
The push for tighter labelling comes amid renewed demands from some southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, to move emergency contraceptive pills from Schedule K to Schedule H of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945—effectively making them prescription-only.
Tamil Nadu’s drug authorities have repeatedly expressed concerns that easy access to emergency contraceptives could harm young girls, citing reports of adverse effects such as heavy menstrual bleeding.
Some gender-rights advocates, however, warned that restricting access or adding discouraging warnings could function as a “shadow-ban,” undermining women’s reproductive autonomy.
“This is too much,” said a gender rights activist.
Emergency contraceptive pills have been available in India since 2003 and are roughly 85 percent effective in preventing pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse. Some of the popular brands include i-pill and Unwanted-72, among others.
HOW INDIA REGULATES ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS
India offers two broad categories of oral contraceptives: hormonal and non-hormonal. Non-hormonal pills, approved since 1990, contain the non-steroidal compound centchroman (ormeloxifene) and are taken once a week.
Sold under brand names such as Chhaya and Saheli, they work by preventing sperm from reaching the egg and are generally considered safer than hormonal options.
Nalanda’s Dharmaganja was a vast ancient library complex housing diverse manuscripts. Its destruction remains one of the greatest intellectual losses in history.
Ruins of Nalanda University ancient center of Buddhist higher learning, Nalanda, Bihar, India.
More than a millennium before modern universities took shape, India nurtured one of the world’s greatest intellectual hubs, Nalanda Mahavihara in present-day Bihar. At the centre of this ancient learning ecosystem stood its famed library complex, Dharmaganja, often referred to as Dharma Gunj, meaning “Treasury of Knowledge.”
According to CSE IIT Kanpur’s archival compilation on ancient Indian libraries, Dharmaganja was not a single hall of scrolls but a vast, multi-building library complex designed to serve thousands of resident students and teachers. The complex housed three major library buildings Ratnasagara, Ratnodadhi, and Ratnaranjaka each dedicated to specific subjects and levels of scholarship.
Educational heritage notes from Young INTACH emphasise that Nalanda’s library was a comprehensive academic repository, not a monastic bookroom as often imagined. Manuscripts preserved here covered logic (Nyaya), grammar (Vykaraa), medicine (Ayurveda and Buddhist medicine), astronomy (Jyotisha), mathematics, literature, linguistics, and global Buddhist philosophy. The diversity of subjects is repeatedly highlighted in ancient travel records, especially those of the Chinese monk Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang), who studied at Nalanda in the 7th century CE. His writings, translated by Victorian scholar Samuel Beal, describe “large storehouses of manuscripts” and rigorous scholarly activity centred around them.
Archaeological work by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) supports the scale of intellectual activity at Nalanda. Excavated structures reveal large monasteries, lecture halls, and storage rooms believed to be part of the library complex. While folklore often exaggerates the number of storeys or manuscripts, historical sources consistently agree that Dharmaganja was one of the largest ancient knowledge repositories in Asia.
The UNESCO World Heritage dossier notes that scholars from China, Korea, Tibet, Japan, and Southeast Asia flocked to Nalanda specifically for its library resources. Many carried back manuscripts copied at Dharmaganja, spreading Indian knowledge traditions across Asia.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi on Thursday, the moment inevitably looped back to his very first India trip a quarter-century ago. In 2000, a 47-year-old new Russian president arrived in winter-soaked Delhi to reboot an old partnership. The 2000 visit saw him do a namaste in Parliament, stroll through the Taj Mahal, and deliver a quiet nuclear nudge to India by posing in front of the nuclear reactor for Pokhran tests.
Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila at the Taj Mahal during his first visit to India in 2000. (Image: File)
Six months after India’s Parliament raised a toast to US President Bill Clinton in 2000, it was time to raise another. This time, for an old ally. December had arrived, and Delhi had begun to experience the cold, but the India-USSR ties needed a new warmth. The task rested on the shoulders of the leader of the Communist Union’s struggling heir, Russia. A 47-year-old former KGB officer was sworn in as the Russian President just months ago. As the new President, Vladimir Putin, landed in New Delhi for the first time in 2000, exactly 25 years ago, he had the task cut out — breathe new life into a historic partnership by transforming it into a “strategic” one. Russia, led by Putin, and India, by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, did just that.
“The [Central] hall once again came alive to exchange vows with an old flame: Russia,” India Today Magazine reported in December 2000 on Vladimir Putin’s address in Parliament.
Putin’s 2000 visit to India, marked by namaste and a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra, just months after Clinton’s, was significant on many counts. In fact, it proved to be a stellar one.
In 2000, both India and Russia were struggling. Moscow was reeling from the collapse of the USSR, and New Delhi was recalibrating its foreign policy while battling the nuclear pariah tag. Putin’s visit came against this backdrop.
The visit saw the revival of the partnership that had languished since the early 1990s. Defence deals on T-90 tanks and Su-30 fighter aircraft, the framing of trade mechanisms, and a formal strategic partnership breathed new life into the Indo-Russian ties. Putin, flying to Mumbai and visiting the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), sent a subtle nudge acknowledging India’s nuclear capabilities.
With Putin back in India on a state visit in 2025 (probably his 10th visit), the significance of his first trip 25 years ago stands out. Whether as Prime Minister or President, Putin has remained a constant, and it was that inaugural visit that laid the foundation for enduring ties between Russia and India. Today, amid the turbulence stirred by the US under Donald Trump and India’s expanding multilateral outreach, Russia continues to stand out as a steady, “natural ally”, a perception that Putin’s predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, had remarked in the 1990s.
PUTIN’S FIRST INDIA ITINERARY: FROM RAJ GHAT TO TAJ
Putin’s 2000 India visit began in New Delhi, where he, along with his now-former wife Lyudmila Putin, were received with full ceremonial honours. Putin then visited Raj Ghat, where he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
His meetings with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, top Indian officials, and business leaders, focused on reinforcing bilateral ties and discussing regional security. In the Central Hall of Parliament, diplomatic courtesies were exchanged where Putin “bowled over the gathering with a namaste, flattering references to India’s magic and charm, and made the right noises about Kashmir,” reported India Today Magazine in December 2000.
Putin, along with Lyudmila, were formally hosted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where he met then Indian President KR Narayanan, who months ago had exercised his powers to grant clemency to the five Russian citizens convicted in the Purulia arms drop case. “For us, Russia has been a friend in need, and we see in you the greatest friend of India,” Narayanan said during his address.
The highlight of the trip for the paparazzi of yesteryears was Putin’s visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra, along with Lyudmila. He boarded a special flight on one of the Ilyushin-96 planes and touched down with a 32-member delegation on December 4.
“It is beautiful. It’s good,” Putin said after his 50-minute stay at the Taj Mahal. “I feel good. It’s nice to be here,” he told reporters about his impressions of the Mughal-era mausoleum, reported news agency UNI.
PUTIN’S NUCLEAR NUDGE TO INDIA 25 YEARS AGO
Soon, Vladimir Putin boarded the plane for Mumbai. While Putin insisted India sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), he was set to make a statement that would resonate across the world. In Mumbai, he visited the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), “India’s leading nuclear research centre, where reactors and bombs were designed”, reported the New York Times.
Putin at the BARC was a subtle yet unmistakable acknowledgement of India’s nuclear capabilities. It was a nudge for India at a time when the country was still facing global isolation on the atomic front. It was also a signal of Russia’s support for India’s Pokhran nuclear tests.
As former BARC chief Anil Kakodkar recalled, Putin’s first priority while at the BARC was to take a photograph with him and R Chidambaram, then chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, in front of the Dhruva reactor, the generator used in the Pokhran tests, reported The Times of India in 2022.
“Through this picture, Putin conveyed his support for the N-tests,” Kakodkar told the newspaper.
Later that day, when Putin visited the BARC’s auditorium, the famed “football”, the black box said to contain nuclear missile launch codes, drew attention of many.
HOW PUTIN SEALED MAJOR DEALS WITH INDIA IN 2000
The 2000 visit was more than ceremonial. It cemented a formal strategic partnership. A long-term political and defence relationship was framed. India finalised contracts for 310 Russian T-90 tanks and the licenced production of Su-30 fighter aircraft, while the Russian Navy offered the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov (later INS Vikramaditya).
Trade mechanisms were revitalised to address the declining bilateral trade since the fall of the USSR in the early 1990s. Strategically, Putin’s visit reinforced mutual trust between India and Russia.
Sudhir Kumar, who bid 1.17 crore for VIP number plate ‘HR88B8888’ but failed to pay, faces a Haryana government probe. State Transport Minister Anil Vij ordered an investigation into Kumar’s assets and income. The bidder forfeited his 11,000 security deposit. The number plate will soon be re-auctioned.
Left: State Transport Minister Anil Vij | X
The man who bid ₹1.17 crore for India’s costliest number plate ‘HR88B8888’ and then failed to pay has now landed in deep trouble. The Haryana government will now investigate Sudhir Kumar’s assets.
State Transport Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said that during a recent online auction for the vehicle number HR 88 B 8888, an individual placed the highest bid of ₹1 crore 17 lakh.
Vij has ordered his department to thoroughly probe the assets and income of Sudhir Kumar, Director of transportation service Romulus Solutions Private Limited.
“We offer VIP number plates via auction. Several people bid for the number ‘8888’. However, after winning the auction by placing the highest bid, the bidder (Sudhir Kumar) did not pay the amount. Instead, he let his security deposit of ₹11,000 be forfeited,” Vij said.
Vij has directed his department to check if Kumar has a net worth of ₹1.17 crore, the bidding amount for the VIP number plate.
A total of 45 bidders participated in the auction for the VIP number plate. After placing the bid, the bidder allowed his security amount to be forfeited. As per the process, a bidder has to deposit ₹10,000 as security and ₹1,000 as registration fees, while the base price is fixed at ₹50,000.
The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) has also issued directions for SIM binding for the prevention of misuse of telecommunication identifiers to ensure telecom cybersecurity.
TRAI Blocks 21 Lakh Mobile Numbers, 1 Lakh Entities For Spam & Fraud | File Pic (Representative Image)
Over the past year, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), acting on citizen complaints, facilitated the disconnection and blacklisting of more than 21 lakh mobile numbers and around one lakh entities involved in sending spam and fraudulent messages. The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) has also issued directions for SIM binding for the prevention of misuse of telecommunication identifiers to ensure telecom cybersecurity.
“The DoT has observed that some of the app-based communication services that are utilising Indian mobile numbers for identification of their customers, users or for provisioning or delivery of services, allow users to consume their services without the availability of the underlying SIM within the device in which app app-based communication service is running. This feature is being misused to commit cyber-frauds, especially from operating outside the country,” said an official.
“The issue of SIM binding in messaging apps and its misuse has been raised by multiple government bodies and agencies. DoT issued directions on November 28 to prevent the misuse of telecommunication identifiers and to safeguard the integrity and security of the telecom ecosystem,” the official said.
A Delhi man used ChatGPT to make a scammer beg for forgiveness. The story, shared on Reddit, has since gone viral, and the internet is impressed by the man’s smartness.
Representative Image: Delhi Man Uses ChatGPT To Hunt Down Scammer, Makes Him Beg For Forgiveness: ‘Maa Kasam, Ab Nahi Karunga’ Photo : iStock
A bizarre scam story from Delhi has grabbed attention online after a man revealed how he turned the tables on a fraudster using ChatGPT. In a detailed post titled “Used ChatGPT to locate a scammer and made him beg me” on r/delhi, he narrated how a routine attempt at impersonation spiralled into a full-blown tech-driven sting operation.
The incident began when he received a Facebook message from someone posing as his college senior, an IAS officer, offering “Army transfer/cheap goods.” The scammer claimed a “CRPF officer friend” was being relocated and was offloading premium appliances and furniture at heavily discounted rates. But he immediately sensed something was wrong, noting that his actual senior already had his phone number. After confirming on WhatsApp, he realised, “It was fraud.”
Instead of ignoring or blocking the fake profile, he decided to play along. Soon, another number contacted him, this one sporting a profile picture of someone in an army uniform and sent photos of items for sale, pushing him to make a payment through a QR code. The impersonator grew increasingly aggressive, urging him to send the money quickly. “This felt immediately wrong,” he wrote, describing how the scammer amped up the urgency as soon as payment came up.
Pretending he was having trouble scanning the QR code, he quietly turned to ChatGPT for help. He asked the model to generate a fake payment page, one that appeared genuine but was capable of capturing the user’s location and front-camera image. “I fed the AI a prompt for a simple, functional webpage,” he explained, and within minutes the code was ready. After hosting the page online, he told the scammer that uploading the QR code there would “expedite the payment process.”
Blinded by greed, the scammer clicked the link. The moment he opened it, the trap worked. The man instantly received the scammer’s precise GPS location, IP address, and even “a clear, front-camera snapshot of him sitting.” He then confronted the scammer by sending back his own photo and the collected details.
What followed was pure chaos. The scammer panicked and began calling repeatedly from multiple numbers — all belonging to him — pleading for mercy. He begged the man not to escalate the matter, at one point promising he would “abandon this line of work entirely.”
Though the man admitted the scammer would probably return to his schemes soon enough, he didn’t deny the thrill of the moment, saying “the satisfaction of stealing from a thief is crazy.”
The Enforcement Directorate has initiated a money laundering investigation into a large-scale operation involving the illegal sale of codeine-laced cough syrup, estimated at Rs 100 crore.
Enforcement Directorate (File Image)
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case in connection with a multi-state racket involving the illegal distribution and sale of codeine-laced cough syrup, a restricted pharmaceutical drug, said sources.
It has been estimated that an organised racket to the tune of Rs 100 crore involving shell companies and fake billing and forged medical records was operating across UP and other states.
The federal probe agency has issued an urgent summons for Subham Jaiswal, the alleged mastermind of the syndicate, directing him to join the investigations on December 8. Subham Jaiswal has been missing since the crackdown began.
Earlier in the day ED officials visited Jaiswal’s residence in Varansi and served copies of summons to his family. The ED case stems from bunch of FIRs filed in UP.
On November 30, Subham Jaiswal’s father, Bhola Jaiswal, was arrested at Kolkata’s international airport as he was attempting to flee India. He was subsequently handed over to the U.P. Police and is facing charges, along with his son, for allegedly selling restricted or prohibited pharmaceutical drugs.
The crackdown on the organized syndicate began with a series of raids across Uttar Pradesh between October and November by the state government’s Food Safety Drug Administration. The operation was launched after a truck was seized in October, leading to uncovering of an elaborate network web of shell companies and fake billings said sources
On November 23, UP Police filed an FIR against owners of 12 medical owners and 2 others for selling codeine laced cough syrups. The complainant in the case was drug inspector Uttar Pradesh.
Inspection by drug department revealed that illegally 37 lakh bottles of codeine based cough syrup worth crores were sold through a dozen medical stores. The value was around Rs 55 crores.
Cyclone Ditwah weakened to a low-pressure area over North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Chennai faces a yellow alert with rain likely all week, featuring partly cloudy skies, showers, thunderstorms, and lightning.
Cyclone Ditwah Weakens, But Chennai Faces Rain and Thunderstorms This Week (Representative Image)
Cyclone Ditwah has weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and surrounding regions. However, Chennai residents are still facing its influence. The entire state of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, is currently on a yellow alert for two days. This means the city will experience more rain. However, the city saw a bit clearer sky after three days, allowing sunshine to appear.
According to the IMD, the depression, which is the remnant of Cyclonic Storm Ditwah, located over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coasts, has moved slowly in a southwestward direction. By 0530 hrs IST on 3 December 2025, it had weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and surrounding regions.
“The Depression (Remnant of Cyclonic Storm #Ditwah) over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining North #Tamil_Nadu-#Puducherry coasts moved slowly southwestwards and weakened into a #Well_Marked_Low Pressure area over North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts and neighbourhood at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 03rd December 2025. It is very likely to continue to move southwestwards slowly across north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and weaken further into a low-pressure area during the next 24 hours,” said the IMD in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The Depression (Remnant of Cyclonic Storm #Ditwah) over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining North #Tamil_Nadu–#Puducherry coasts moved slowly southwestwards and weakened into a #Well_Marked_Low Pressure area over North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts and neighbourhood at 0530 hrs… pic.twitter.com/smUPlnsv8w
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 3, 2025
The city is under yellow alert for just two days. However, the IMD forecast has predicted rain for the entire week.
Chennai Weather Forecast
4 December – The day will have a partly cloudy sky with chances of moderate rain or thunderstorms. These conditions suggest a mix of sunshine and showers, with occasional heavy bursts and lightning.
5 December – Expect partly cloudy skies again, accompanied by the possibility of moderate rain or thunderstorms. The weather is likely to alternate between dry spells and wet periods, with some thunder and lightning activity.
6 December – Partly cloudy skies will persist, with a likelihood of moderate rain or thunderstorms during the day. The atmosphere may be unstable, leading to occasional rain showers accompanied by thunder and lightning.
7 December – The forecast shows partly cloudy skies with potential for moderate rain or thunderstorms. Intervals of rain and sunshine are expected, with the chance of thunder and lightning strikes.
The video of Mahesh Rekhe chanting mantras from Shukla Yajurveda’s Madhyandina Shakha was shared by the Ministry of Culture on Instagram.
The Madhyandini Shakha of Shukla Yajurveda contains prose mantras for rituals. (Photo Credit: Instagram)
A 19-year-old grabbed attention online for his perfect recitation of mantras from the Shukla Yajurveda Shakha. Mahesh Rekhe recited almost 2,000 mantras of the Shukla Yajurveda’s Madhyandina Shakha daily, without interruption, for 50 days. The recitation was the toughest ritual of Dandakrama Parayanam. The young man’s feat even garnered praise from the central government’s Ministry of Culture, which shared the video of Rekhe’s recitation on Instagram.
“His extraordinary feat, last achieved some 200 years ago, marks a historic moment in India’s centuries-old Vedic traditions and his deep dedication to preserving our ancient spiritual heritage,” the ministry wrote in the caption.
While Rekhe’s recitation of the Shukla Yajurveda has led to an outpouring of praise, many may not know that the mantras have a use in daily life as well. Here is all you need to know.
What Is The Madhyandini Shakha of Shukla Yajurveda?
It includes the Madhyandina Samhita (1,975 mantras) as well as the Ishavasya Upanishad, Madhyandina Shatapatha Brahmana, and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The text focuses on prose mantras for rituals like Ashwamedha and Agnihotra.
The Shukla Yajurveda features unique recitation styles. It is different from the Krishna Yajurveda’s mixed format. Training includes eight years of prakriti methods. This is followed by four years of advanced vikriti methods. The recitation is prevalent in North India, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Nepal.
Historical Development
The Madhyandina Shakha originated from sage Vajasneya, who was a disciple of Yajnavalkya. Yajnavalkya, in turn, is believed to have received the mantras from the sun god Surya. The Madhyandina Shakha was named for midday recitation timing or its geographical spread.
Composed around 1200-800 BCE, the key texts were standardised by 500 BCE. The Madhyandina Shakha was preserved in commentaries by Sayana and Madhvacharya. It also influenced texts such as the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
How Is Madhyandina Shakha Used In Present Times?
The Shukla Yajurveda’s Madhyandina Shakha is pivotal to Hindu rituals, life-cycle ceremonies, and Vedic education in parts of India. Priests chant the mantras during yajnas like Darshapurnamasa, Agnihotra, Ashwamedha, and Vaajapeya, as well as advanced sacrifices like the Agnishtoma. The Madhyandina Shakha, through the Katyayana Shrauta Sutra, also guides 16 samskaras in the Paraskara Grihya Sutra and yajna procedure.
Vedic schools teach the 1,975 mantras over 12 years through prakriti and vikriti paths.
The Madhyandina Shakha rituals have been modernised by assimilating regional customs, condensing complex yajnas into shorter homas, and using simplified mantras. Priests use Madhyandina Samhita verses for daily rites. Devotees can also use printed and online guides for understanding and reciting the mantras.
Sandhyavandanam Rituals And Home Worship
Madhyandina Shakha is essential for learning the daily Sandhyavandanam. This involves purification, chanting the Gayatri Mantra, and deity prayers for spiritual discipline. The practices include Achamanam, Arghya, Pranayama, Marjanam and Gayatri japam thrice daily. Examples of home worship are Ganapati Homa for obstacle removal, Agnihotra for health and prosperity, and simplified samskara rites.
The Sandhyavandanam rituals include the following steps
1. *Achamanam (Purification)*:
– “ॐ अग्निरिति भस्म वायुरिति भस्म जलमिति भस्म स्थलमिति भस्म व्योमेति भस्म” – Sipp water thrice while touching body parts. This is done to invoke elements for inner cleansing before daily prayers.
– “ॐ आच्युताय नमः ॐ अनन्ताय नमः ॐ गोविन्दाय नमः” – Sip water thrice with the right hand to invoke Vishnu and purify the body.
2. *Pranayama (Breath Control)*:
– “ॐ आपोज्योतीरसोऽमृतं ब्रह्म भूर्भुवःस्वरोम्” – The mantra is chanted while inhaling, retaining, and exhaling air to purify the mind and breath in morning/noon/evening routines.
– “ॐ आपो ज्योतिरसोऽमृतं ब्रह्म भूर्भुवः स्वः” – This is chanted while controlling the breath to calm the mind and align with cosmic elements.
3. *Arghya (Sun Offering)*:
– “ॐ भूर्भुवःस्वः ॐ तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्” – Make three offerings of water to Surya for cosmic energy at dawn/dusk.
– “ॐ सूर्याय नमः” (Say this three times with water offerings to the rising sun) – This invokes solar energy for vitality.
Other Home Puja Verses
4. *Marjanam (Sprinkling)*:
– “ॐ पृथ्वी त्वया धृता लोका देवि त्वं विष्णुना धृता” – Sprinkle water on head for purity and protection in daily lamp-lighting rituals or deity worship.
Vladimir Putin is visiting India on an invitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it is the first since the Russian leader launched his war against Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin is visiting India on an invitation from PM Narendra Modi. (Reuters Photo)
Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in Delhi on Thursday evening, marking the beginning of a two-day state visit to India during which the two nations are expected to sign multiple agreements. Putin is visiting India on an invitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it is the first since the Russian leader launched his war against Ukraine.
The visit, Putin’s first to India since 2021, is a historic one, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the India–Russia strategic partnership and the 23rd bilateral summit between the two nations.
Following his arrival, President Putin will attend a private dinner hosted by PM Modi at his official residence.
On Friday morning, he will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, followed by a tri-service Guard of Honour. The President will then pay his respects at Rajghat before holding formal talks with PM Modi at Hyderabad House.
Major announcements and agreement signings are expected after the talks, followed by a joint media statement.
Putin will be accompanied by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and Transport Minister Roman Nikitin.
In addition, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina will also be part of the visiting contingent.
REGULAR, HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE
Russian presidential aide Uri Ushakov said the bilateral talks between Putin and PM Modi will be “regular and confidential.”
On September 1, the two leaders met in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. They have also remained in contact over the phone and have had five telephonic conversations so far this year.
Ahead of the trip to Delhi, President Putin received National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Moscow twice as part of preparatory consultations.
The visit coincides with the 15th anniversary of the 2009 Joint Statement elevating the relationship to a “special and privileged strategic partnership.” Both sides expect the summit to review cooperation in security, economy, finance, transport, technology, education and culture.
ECONOMIC FOCUS: TRADE DEFICIT, 2030 ROADMAP
Ushakov said PM Modi and Putin will discuss in detail the expanding trade and economic partnership, with bilateral trade rising 12 per cent in 2024 to USD 63.6 billion. Russia is prepared to address India’s concerns over the widening trade imbalance and has proposed mechanisms to shield bilateral transactions from external pressure.
A major deliverable is expected to be the Programme for the Development of Strategic Areas of Russian-Indian Economic Cooperation until 2030, along with sectoral agreements covering trade, energy, agriculture, health and media.
The August meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in Moscow reviewed large ongoing projects spanning industrial cooperation, innovative technologies, mining, transport links, space, healthcare and labour mobility.
BUSINESS FORUM AND INDUSTRY COOPERATION
On Friday afternoon, Modi and Putin will jointly address the India–Russia Business Forum at Bharat Mandapam, where investment opportunities, manufacturing partnerships and technology collaboration will be highlighted.
Ushakov pointed to growing people-to-people links: in 2024, Russians made more than 80,000 trips to India while Indians visited Russia over 40,000 times. He said tourism and cultural exchange have considerable potential for expansion.
DEFENCE TALKS AND BRAHMOS UPGRADES
Defence cooperation will feature prominently during the talks. India and Russia are likely to review the development of advanced BrahMos variants, including lighter air-launched models such as the BrahMos-NG and extended-range versions.
Discussions are also expected on hypersonic projects, long-range air-to-air missiles and India’s planned procurement of additional S-400 missiles. BrahMos, a flagship joint venture, saw operational deployment during Operation Sindoor, and India has begun exporting the system, starting with the Philippines.
The Indian government has dropped an order for a state-run cybersecurity app to be preloaded on all new smartphones. The rare policy reversal came amid criticism from politicians, privacy advocates and tech companies.
The Indian government has backtracked on an order to preload a state-backed cybersecurity app on smartphonesImage: Richard Kujur/DW
The Indian government on Wednesday scrapped a recent directive to smartphone makers to install a non-removable cybersecurity app developed at its behest on new devices before purchase.
Reports of the order given to phone manufacturers on November 28 had aroused protests from opposition parties and privacy advocates.
Sources also indicated that major phone manufacturers Apple and Samsung were planning to circumvent the directive.
What has the government said?
The Communications Ministry said in a Wednesday statement that the “[g]overnment has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers.”
“The app is secure and purely meant to help citizens from bad actors in the cyber world,” the statement said, adding that it was dropping the directive because the app was becoming very popular anyway, with 600,000 downloads of the app, called Sanchar Saathi (“communication partner”), since Tuesday.
The statement came a day after ministers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government came out in defense of the app, saying it was meant only to help track and block stolen phones to prevent their misuse.
However, they were reticent in the face of criticism as to why the app could not be deleted from devices.
At a debate held shortly before the government rollback was announced, opposition lawmakers slammed the directive.
Randeep Singh Surjewala of the Congress party said the app “could be a possible kill switch that can turn every cell phone into a brick, which the government could use against journalists, opposition leaders, and dissidents, if it so desires.”
Surjewala also warned against the risk of hacking, which could “expose sensitive information, including passwords, bank account numbers and personal data.”
Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country’s disaster-response capacity.
Pregnant woman rescued by Indian forces in Sri Lanka. Credit: X@IndiainSL
A nine-month pregnant woman was safely evacuated and provided urgent medical care by India’s disaster response force in Sri Lanka, as New Delhi intensified rescue and relief operations across the cyclone-hit island nation, the Indian mission here said on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country’s disaster-response capacity.
As of Monday, 390 people have been killed, with 352 missing, in catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16.
In a social media post, the Indian High Commission said a nine-month pregnant woman in Puttalam district was safely evacuated and given medical care by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
A 9 month pregnant woman in Puttalam was safely evacuated and given medical care by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team @NDRFHQ.#OperationSagarBandhu continues to stand by those who need it the most.
“Operation Sagar Bandhu continues to stand by those who need it the most,” it said.
India launched the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) initiative, Operation Sagar Bandhu, to help Sri Lanka recover from the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
In another post, the mission said NDRF teams, working with local authorities, delivered food and essential supplies to nearly 800 people stranded in inaccessible areas of Puttalam on Monday.
The High Commission said Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters air-dropped more than 5.5 tonnes of relief material across affected zones, including over Aranayake from a hover point where landing was not possible.
“The crew also winched up four critically injured survivors from a remote area near Ganthuna and transported them to Rivisanda for urgent medical care,” it said.
Search operations for missing persons continued in Badulla, where NDRF teams recovered one deceased individual from beneath more than five feet of debris in a complex effort.
The HJS submitted a written complaint at Panaji police station, demanding registration of a criminal case against Singh for insulting Chamundi Daiva and thereby hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.
Ranveer Singh at IFFI(L), the complaint filed by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Credit: Special Arrangement
Mumbai: As criticism erupted over Ranveer Singh’s mimicry of a pivotal scene from Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 during the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 closing ceremony in Goa, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has submitted a written complaint at Panaji police station even as the actor tendered an unconditional apology.
In a statement, Ranveer Singh said: “My intention was to highlight Rishabh’s incredible performance in the film. Actor to actor, I know how much it would take to perform that particular scene in the way that he did, for which he has my utmost admiration. I have always deeply respected every culture, tradition and belief in our country. If I’ve hurt anyone’s sentiments, I sincerely apologise,” he said.
According to the HJS, Singh referred to the sacred deity of the Koti Tulu community, Shree Chamundi Daiva, as a “female ghost”.
The HJS submitted a written complaint at Panaji police station, demanding registration of a criminal case against Singh for insulting Chamundi Daiva and thereby hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.
The memorandum was handed over to Police Sub-Inspector Sahin Shetye by Pramod Tuyekar and Dilip Shetye on behalf of HJS.
“This incident has created an atmosphere of resentment in society, and the possibility of disturbance to public peace cannot be ruled out. The Samiti has therefore urged that, under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, sections 299, 194 and 302 relating to deliberate wounding of religious feelings and promoting enmity in society, a formal offence be registered against Ranveer Singh and a thorough investigation be conducted,” HJS spokesperson Ramesh Shinde said and sought an apology from Singh.
Police suspect the killing may be connected to an inter-gang rivalry and have registered a case.
Representative of gun and bullets. Credit: iStock Photo
A man, who was once a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was shot dead near Timber Market in Sector-26 here on Monday night, said police.
The victim, identified as Inderpreet Singh alias Parry (35), was rushed to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), where doctors declared him dead.
Police suspect the killing may be connected to an inter-gang rivalry and have registered a case.
According to officials, Parry, who had multiple criminal cases registered against him, left a private club in an SUV on Monday evening. He was also accompanied by another person, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, in the vehicle, preliminary investigation revealed.
Soon after the vehicle moved a short distance, the unidentified companion opened fire at Parry. About five empty shells were found inside the SUV.
Moments later, another vehicle that had been trailing the SUV stopped nearby. An assailant stepped out and fired again at Parry to ensure he was dead, before fleeing in the same vehicle.
Police said more than 10 shots were fired in the attack.
After the incident, an unverified Facebook post under the name Hari Boxer Arzoo Bishnoi claimed responsibility for the crime, alleging that Parry extorted money from local clubs and planned attacks on their associates. Police are verifying the authenticity of the post.
Parry was once an associate of the Bishnoi gang, but he was believed to have shifted his loyalties towards another gangster, Goldy Brar, who had already parted ways with the Bishnoi group.
A resident of Chandigarh Sector 33, Parry had multiple criminal cases registered against him in the Union territory and Punjab, including attempt to murder, extortion, assault, rioting and offences under the Arms Act.
The Heron MK II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), already in service with the Indian Army and Air Force, will now be incorporated into the Indian Navy.
After Operation Sindoor, all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces have selected the Heron MK II for emergency procurement (Representative Image)
India has signed up to procure additional satellite-linked Heron MK II drones under emergency provisions. The decision comes after the effective use of Heron MKII during Operation Sindoor.
The Heron MK II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), already in service with the Indian Army and Air Force, will now be incorporated into the Indian Navy, reported PTI citing a source working with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
After Operation Sindoor, all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces have selected the Heron MK II for emergency procurement, the official stated, but did not disclose the numbers. “We are very proud that all three branches decided to purchase and operate the Heron Mark II,” he said. “For us, India is a major customer,” the unnamed IAI official told the news agency. “Our partnership spans over three decades and generations of systems.”
Notably, the defence ministry in September had issued the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the acquisition of 87 MALE drones, with a focus on an indigenous “Make in India” programme that allows foreign collaboration.
The UAVs have now evolved from simple surveillance tools to the “Queen of the battlefield,” operating thousands of kilometres away, providing multi-sensor capabilities, and even playing a major role against enemy air defences, the official said.
5 Things To Know About Heron MK II Drones
The Heron MK II is a satellite-linked Medium Altitude Long Endurance or MALE UAV
The Heron MK II drones are capable of reaching an altitude of 35,000 feet
Heron MK II drones can remain air-borne for 45 consecutive hours.
It is operated by the Israeli Air Force and over 20 other entities globally.
These drones are primarily deployed along the international borders along Pakistan and China for long-range surveillance.
#WATCH | Indian Air Force’s newly inducted Heron Mark2 drones operating from a forward air base in the northern sector.
The long-endurance drones have the capability to cover entire borders with both Pakistan and China in a single sortie. pic.twitter.com/3X9dqfJHWW
The Bombay High Court’s Nagpur bench has overturned the life sentence of Nishant Agrawal, a former engineer at BrahMos Aerospace, due to insufficient evidence linking him to espionage for Pakistan’s ISI.
In June last year, a sessions court awarded life imprisonment to Nishant Pradeepkumar Agrawal, former engineer with BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, arrested in 2018 on the charge of spying for the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. (Photo: By Arrangement)
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has set aside the life sentence of former BrahMos Aerospace engineer Nishant Agrawal, ruling that prosecutors failed to prove he acted against India’s national interest in an espionage case dating back to 2018.
Agrawal, arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), had been sentenced to life in June last year by a Nagpur sessions court. The High Court, however, cleared him of the major charges under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and the Information Technology Act. It upheld only one conviction, for negligence, under Section 5(1)(d) of the OSA, which carries a three-year sentence. He will receive credit for the time he has already spent in custody.
A division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Pravin Patil said the prosecution had produced no evidence to show that Agrawal engaged in conduct threatening the “unity, integrity, security or safety of India” or that he intended to “strike terror in society”. The bench said the prosecution also failed to establish “the circumstances or the conduct of the accused or his known character to show purpose prejudicial to the safety or interest of the state.”
The court noted Agrawal’s strong professional record at BrahMos Aerospace, where he served as a Senior System Engineer and was recognized with the Young Scientist Award. His Annual Confidential Reports were consistently marked “very good” or “outstanding,” the judges said. They pointed out that he was part of the core team that delivered 70 to 80 BrahMos missiles to the armed forces between 2014 and 2018.
Despite having access to sensitive information, the court said “none of the conduct of the appellant was ever found against the national interest or (it was shown) that he had any such intention since joining BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.” It added that there was no proof he “tampered or misused the information available” on his office computer.
On Agrawal’s online communications with a person identified as “Sejal Kapoor,” the court said they appeared to relate to a job interview. Chat logs showed he had shared his bio-data and downloaded applications for employment in the United Kingdom’s aviation sector, the judges noted.
MEA spokesperson rejected Pakistan’s claim of delayed overflight clearance for humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, calling it misinformation and affirming India’s prompt approval.
India on Tuesday called Pakistan’s claim that New Delhi delayed in giving overflight clearance sought by Islamabad as “ridiculous”.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Pakistan submitted a request at around 1 pm (IST) on December 1, 2025, seeking permission for an aircraft to use Indian airspace for a humanitarian assistance mission to Sri Lanka, and the clearance was given the same day.
In a statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal hit out at Pakistan for spreading anti-India misinformation.
“We reject the ridiculous statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan which is yet another attempt of spreading anti-India misinformation. The request for overflight clearance for Pakistani aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka was received by the High Commission of India in Islamabad at around 1300 hrs on December 1, 2025. Given the urgency of humanitarian assistance, the Government of India processed the request expeditiously the same day and granted the overflight permission as per the itinerary proposed at 1730 hrs on December 01, 2025,” he stated.
The MEA said India remains committed to assisting the people of Sri Lanka in these challenging times through all available means.
India also called out a pattern of misinformation emerging from Pakistan, noting that this incident follows recent attempts by Pakistani media and diplomatic handles to spread incorrect claims — including false reports regarding India’s participation in an Oxford Union debate.
Pakistani media made misleading claims that India refused to grant airspace to Pakistan for humanitarian aid flights headed to flood-hit Sri Lanka.
At least 355 people were killed, and over 300 are still missing after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.
Cyclone Ditwah, packing strong winds and heavy rains, brought the island nation’s worst floods in a decade when it struck on Friday, setting off landslides in the hilly central region.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said it was the first time the entire country had been struck by such a natural disaster, which he called the “largest and most challenging” in Sri Lanka’s history.
The test has placed India in “an elite club of nations” with advanced in-house escape system testing capability, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
The test was witnessed by officials from Indian Air Force and Institute of Aerospace Medicine.
The DRDO has successfully conducted a high-speed rocket-sled test of a fighter aircraft escape system at controlled velocity, validating some of the key safety parameters including complete aircrew recovery.
The test has placed India in “an elite club of nations” with advanced in-house escape system testing capability, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
In a rocket-sled test, the system coupled with a rocket propulsion mechanism is run at a high speed on a pair of rails to simulate a moving aircraft in mid-air, a senior official said.
Defence Minster Rajnath Singh complimented the DRDO, IAF, Aeronautical Development Agency, and HAL on the successful test. He described it as a significant milestone for India’s indigenous defence capability towards self-reliance.
“Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully conducted a high-speed rocket-sled test of fighter aircraft escape system at precisely controlled velocity of 800 km/h- validating canopy severance, ejection sequencing and complete aircrew-recovery at Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh,” the defence minister’s office said in a post on X.
The complex dynamic test, conducted at a rail track rocket sled facility in Chandigarh, was conducted in collaboration with Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, and it propelled India into “an elite club of nations” with advanced in-house escape system testing capability, the ministry said in a statement.
“A dual-sled system with the LCA aircraft forebody was propelled to precisely controlled velocity through phased firing of multiple solid propellant rocket motors,” it said.
The test was witnessed by officials from the Indian Air Force (IAF), and the Institute of Aerospace Medicine.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has “conducted a successful high-speed rocket-sled test of fighter aircraft escape system at controlled velocity,” the ministry said.
“The test at rail track rocket sled facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh, validated canopy severance, ejection sequencing and complete aircrew-recovery,” the ministry said.
It further said “the canopy fragilisation pattern, ejection sequencing and complete aircrew recovery process was simulated using an instrumented anthropomorphic test dummy, which recorded critical loads, moments, and accelerations that would be experienced by ejected pilots”.
The entire sequence was captured through onboard and ground-based imaging systems.
The third-party system glitch at several airports late Tuesday affected Air India and other airlines, causing brief delays.
Flight delays across mulitple airports (File photo)
Moments after Air India reported a third-party system glitch at several airports, the airline said that the issue has been fully resolved. It added that check-in at all airports is now functioning normally and that “all our flights are operating as per schedule.”
In an updated post on X, Air India said, “The third-party system has been fully restored, and check-in at all airports is functioning normally. All our flights are operating as per schedule. We thank our passengers for their understanding.”
The third-party system glitch at several airports late Tuesday affected Air India and other airlines, causing brief delays.
“A third-party system disruption has been affecting check-in systems at various airports, resulting in delays across multiple airlines, including Air India,” the airline had earlier said in a statement.
The flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 showed the Departure Delay Index at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at an unusually high level of 4, indicating numerous flight delays and cancellations, after the initial announcement of a third-party system glitch was reported late Tuesday.
“Our airport teams are working diligently to ensure a smooth check-in experience for all passengers. While the system is progressively getting restored, some of our flights may continue to experience delays until the situation fully normalises. We request passengers to check their flight status,” Air India had further stated.
Barely a month back, flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were thrown into disarray after a technical snag hit the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, delaying more than 800 flights and stranding hundreds of passengers across terminals.
Sources said the disruption affected the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), a crucial communication network that feeds data to the Auto Track System (ATS), which generates flight plans for controllers.
The government and its Sanchar Saathi app were meant to work 24×7 for phone users. Snooping fears made people protest, and communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia made the app optional. People fail to realise the benefits of moves until they are shoved down their throats, like Nitin Gadkari did with ethanol-mixed petrol.
The Department of Telecommunications directed phone companies to ensure that every new device sold in India comes with the Sanchar Saathi app pre-installed. (Image: Getty Images)
We Indians are a truly exceptional species. We never sweep our own streets, never fix our own potholes, never discipline our own children, but the moment the government tries to do any of these things for us, we suddenly discover 99 problems with them. God forbid the government wants to add just one more and make it a round century, we weaponise the social media to defeat the devious plans.
You vote for a government that promises to work 24×7 for the nation, and the moment it actually tries to work 24×7 on the average citizen, the above-average citizens (who read three tweets and become constitutional scholars) start screaming “1984! Pegasus!” while the below-average citizens are blissfully ignorant as they are busy arguing important things like whether Virat Kohli should open or bat at No. 4.
So the Department of Telecommunications (DOT), in a rare burst of efficiency, told phone companies: “Every new phone sold in India will come with Sanchar Saathi pre-installed. It can’t be disabled or uninstalled. It’s for your own good. Do it in 90 days.”
Twenty-four hours of Twitter trends later, the Honourable Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia appears to explain it all and take a step back.
“If you want, activate it. If you don’t want, don’t activate it. If you really, really don’t want, you can even delete it. It was never mandatory, it was always optional,” he clarified, butter smooth.
Translation: We tried to slip one tiny surveillance app past you, but you noisy narakasurs made such a tamasha that we are now pretending it was your idea all along.
People instantly accused the government of building another digital jaal to spy on citizens. Who else is supposed to keep an eye on citizens? We have an obesity epidemic because we have been misusing our freedoms by chomping off analogue paneer cooked in axle grease. We misuse our freedom of speech by using unparliamentary language about our parliamentarians. Why? Because we believe no Big Brother is listening to us or watching us. Our roads are like audis with auditioning for Roadies on all the time.
Just give Sanchar Saathi permanent access to your camera, mic, location, contacts, WhatsApp forwards, and that secret folder. Within a week, you will see miraculous self-improvement: polite conversation, healthy diet, early mornings, no road rage, no forwarding of “Send this to 10 people or your mother will die” messages. Surveillance is not a bad word; it’s a twelve-letter nation-building app. Nitin Gadkari has done the road-building. Who will build the driving etiquettes?
We are already watched 24×7 anyway. CCTV cameras follow you from your home to the office loo. We love Chinese CCTV cameras with dubious server locations. Arvind Kejriwal did not deliver on the obscene number of CCTV cameras he promised to keep Delhi safe, and his party was overthrown.
So please make up your mind, janata: do you want Big Brother or not? Because right now, you want Big Brother only when he is installing cameras to catch the guy who stole your scooter, not when he wants to check why you are ordering 3 am biryani every night.
Some say citizens must have a choice. Choice? The less said, the better. Take a look at the people they choose to represent them in Assemblies and Parliament. Including the woman who couldn’t take an oath in her local language in Bihar. We have seen that in every state.
Only veteran politicians understand the secret sauce of choice. Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Puri decided that your car will run on 20% ethanol whether your engine is compatible or not? People cried “my car is coughing”, “my mileage is dead”, “this is adulteration”. Gadkari ji smiled the smile of a man who knows best and as if to say said, “Arre, it’s good for the environment, for farmers, for the ethanol industry.”
Today, everyone is quietly filling E20 and pretending their cars always sounded like tractor engines. That, my friends, is how you handle choice in a democracy: limit the pure petrol to two pumps in a city and say you got choice, baby. Do not forget to label the crybabies anti-national, and you are set.
Under the pretext of purchasing leaked data in bulk for marketing, we spoke to ‘Rakesh’ at length. And among other things, he said he’d done no wrong in creating the ProxyEarth.org website.
We published a report about a website called ProxyEarth.org that allows you to fetch the personal data (address, ID proof, alternate numbers, etc.) of Indians using only phone numbers.
While the website had not been blocked in India at the time of writing this, in the aftermath of our report, it began running at a reduced capacity, often with glitches. Nevertheless, we decided to dig deeper.
India Today Fact Check’s investigation led us to a man who identifies himself as Rakesh, one of the key persons behind ProxyEarth.org. While this might not be his real name, we will henceforth refer to him as such for convenience.
Under the pretext of purchasing leaked data in bulk for marketing, we spoke to Rakesh at length. And among other things, Rakesh said he had done no wrong in creating this website.
Who is ‘Rakesh’?
Rakesh has a fairly wide but anonymous presence online. But we managed to connect his many accounts thanks to a common element: his profile photo, which is an anime-style portrait of a young man wearing a plaid shirt and featuring the Indian flag and the logos of CapCut and Adobe After Effects.
We found Instagram, X, and YouTube accounts featuring the same photo. All of these accounts share more or less the same type of content: hacks for pirating premium video editing apps, sending bulk messages, temporary OTPs, live webcams, etc.
We were still looking for a face when we found the Threads account connected to his Instagram. It had a different profile photo — not exactly a real face, but something close. It appears to be a heavily edited version of a real person’s face, with the same After Effects logo in the back. We aren’t sure if this is actually Rakesh.
How we found him
Upon examining the source code (backend) of the website, we found mention of a Telegram channel called “@uploadfileofficial”. On that channel, we found the link to another Telegram channel called “@rakeshxofficial”.
On “@rakeshxofficial”, he identified himself as an editor and a programmer. Both channels had the same profile photos mentioned earlier.
‘I did nothing wrong’
While investigating the web of multiple social media accounts, websites, and Telegram channels, we found a phone number. We then called this number on the pretext of buying a package of leaked data.
Rakesh believed us and asked for details about the kind of data we wanted. During this conversation, he said that he worked with a team of 10–12 people, who had together created the ProxyEarth.org website. He said that this was only one of their many projects.
Rakesh also claimed that he was from Bihar, from a town bordering Eastern Uttar Pradesh. This matched with his number’s TrueCaller information.
Rakesh said that he was not doing anything wrong. He told us that he was not responsible for any of the data breaches — he was only using existing data leaks to power the website. He said that he had only merged multiple such databases for this website.
We found that whenever you enter a mobile number on the website, it initiates an API call to connect with leaked databases at the backend. As we mentioned in our previous story, there have been reports of several major leaks related to Indians in the last couple of years.
Scholars noted that Dandakrama, revered as the crown of Vedic recitation for its complex svara-patterns and phonetic precision, has been performed only three times in recorded history, with Devavrat’s recitation being flawless and completed in the shortest span.
19-year-old Vedamurti Devavrat Mahesh Rekhe from Maharashtra was felicitated for completing the Dandakrama Parayanam in uninterrupted 50 days.( Screenshot- X/@sringerimath)
Varanasi witnessed an extraordinary spiritual moment as 19-year-old Vedamurti Devavrat Mahesh Rekhe from Maharashtra was felicitated for completing the Dandakrama Parayanam, a highly complex recitation of nearly 2,000 mantras from the Shukla Yajurveda (Madhyandina branch). The feat, regarded as one of the most intricate in the Vedic tradition, was accomplished in 50 uninterrupted days, marking the first such classically pure performance after almost 200 years.
In honour of his achievement, Devavrat was presented with a golden bracelet worth Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1,11,116. The recognition came with the blessings of the Jagadguru Shankaracharyas of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham.
A vibrant procession from Rathayatra Crossing to Mahmoorganj, accompanied the celebration. Over 500 Vedic students, traditional musicians, and the resonant sound of shankhadwani turned the city into a grand Vedic festival. Devotees lined the streets, showering flowers as the procession passed.
During the ceremony, a special message of blessings from Sringeri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam was delivered by Asthana Vidwan Dr. Tangirala Shivakumar Sharma.
Scholars noted that Dandakrama, revered as the crown of Vedic recitation for its complex svara-patterns and phonetic precision, has been performed only three times in recorded history, with Devavrat’s recitation being flawless and completed in the shortest span, the official X handle of Sringeri Math posted.
PM MODI APPRECIATES DEVAVRAT
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, expressed joy and pride on X after learning of the remarkable achievement of 19-year-old Devavrat Mahesh Rekhe. He said Devavrat’s accomplishment would inspire future generations, noting that every follower of Indian culture would be pleased to know that the young scholar flawlessly completed the Dandakrama Parayanam, comprising 2,000 mantras of the Shukla Yajurveda’s Madhyandina branch, over an uninterrupted span of 50 days.
Modi, who is also the MP from Varanasi, said he felt proud that this extraordinary spiritual discipline was performed on the holy soil of Kashi. He extended his respects to Devavrat’s family, saints, scholars and all institutions across the country that supported his rigorous Vedic practice.
BEACON OF INSPIRATION FOR SPIRITUAL WORLD: YOGI
Reacting to the achievement, Yogi Adityanath said that 19-year-old Vedic practitioner from Maharashtra had achieved an extraordinary feat by memorising 2,000 Vedic mantras through unique sadhana and remarkable memory, calling it a new beacon of inspiration for the entire spiritual world.
“It is a matter of special pride for me that this Vedic ritual was accomplished on the sacred soil of divine Kashi. My heartfelt congratulations to his family, acharyas, saints, sages, and all institutions whose support made this sadhana successful,” he wrote on X.
The Chief Minister expressed his pride that this Vedic ritual was accomplished on the sacred soil of divine Kashi and congratulated Devavrat’s family, acharyas, saints, sages, and all institutions whose support made this sadhana successful.
“Devavrat Ji, may your achievement become a guiding light of inspiration for generations to come. Heartiest congratulations with best wishes for your continued success,” Yogi further wrote.
The Court has ordered States that have not given consent for CBI investigations to give such consent so that the CBI can tackle the matter on a pan-India basis.
CBI and Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to launch an investigation into digital arrest scams in India.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi today took note of three kinds of cybercrime highlighted by amicus curiae – namely digital arrest scams, investment scams and part-time job scams.
It noted that such cybercrimes may involve extortion attempts or a scheme to lure victims to deposit large sums of money before they are duped.
It went on to note that investigation into digital arrest scams must be prioritised by the CBI.
“Digital arrests scams require immediate attention of the premier investigating agency of the country. Therefore we proceed with a clear direction that CBI shall firstly investigate cases on digital arrests scam. The other categories of scams shall be taken up in the next stages,” the Court ordered.
It also issued the following directions to strengthen the CBI probe ordered today.
– The CBI shall have free hand to probe the role of bankers under the Prevention of Corruption Act, where bank accounts are opened for the purposes of digital arrest scams.
– The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been asked to assist this court as to whether artificial intelligence or machine learning could be implemented to identify such suspicious accounts and freeze such proceeds of crime.
– The authorities under the Information Technology Intermediary Rules 2021 have been ordered to cooperate with the CBI as and when required during the probe.
– States that have not granted consent to CBI for investigations within their respective States have been directed to grant consent for the probe, so that the CBI can carry out comprehensive action on a pan-India basis.
– Having regard to the magnitude of such crimes and the fact that these crimes could extend beyond India’s territorial jurisdiction, the CBI should request Interpol authorities for assistance as and when needed.
– If facts cited expose an alarming and negligent approach of telecom service providers in issuing SiIM cards or multiple SIM in the same name, the Department of Telecom is to submit a proposal to the Court for preventing such misuse of SIM cards.
– States are to expeditiously establish State cybercrime centres. If any impediment is faced, States should inform the Court of the same.
The Court passed the order in a suo motu case initiated by it in October this year to address the growing menace of digital arrest scams across the country.
The Bench today noted that more and more digital arrest scam cases have come to light since the Court took judicial notice of the issue. It also expressed concern that senior citizens are often targeted in such scams.
“No sooner cognizance was taken, several victims have emerged and impleadment applications have been filed. Pursuant to our earlier directions, it is revealed that several FIRs have been registered in different States. The gravity and enormity of the crime can be judged by the fact that most of the States in one voice has stated that most of the time senior citizens have been targeted by the fraudsters by various means,” it said.
The Court added,
“Fraudsters continue to coin different terms to defraud. In part time jobs scam the victims are lured to perform free tasks like posting positive reviews, etc. and when the right stage come, victims are made to pay large amounts.”
The Court also emphasised that when senior citizens are targeted in such cybercrime, such cases must be investigated on priority.
During the last hearing of the matter, the Court had expressed shock that almost ₹3,000 crores were extorted from people in cyber frauds, particularly digital arrest scams.
The suo motu case was registered after a couple, who are senior citizens, wrote to the Supreme Court stating that they were defrauded of ₹1.5 crore between September 1 and 16 by scammers impersonating as officials of the CBI, Intelligence Bureau and the judiciary.
The tremor was recorded at 07:26:35 IST at a depth of 35 km. No immediate damage was reported.
Earthquake hits Bay of Bengal (Representational image) Photo : iStock
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 4.2 struck the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday morning, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The tremor was recorded at 07:26:35 IST at a depth of 35 km.
“EQ of M: 4.2, On: 02/12/2025 07:26:35 IST, Lat: 20.56 N, Long: 92.31 E, Depth: 35 Km, Location: Bay of Bengal,” the National Centre for Seismology posted on X.
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) December 2, 2025
A similar earthquake of magnitude 4.3 had struck the Indian Ocean region on November 21. “EQ of M: 4.3, On: 21/11/2025 02:41:20 IST, Lat: 3.00 N, Long: 95.58 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Indian Ocean,” the NCS said.
An earthquake measuring 3.2 on Richter scale hit parts of Haryana late on Monday evening, according to the National Center for Seismology. The earthquake struck at around 9.22 pm and its epicenter was located in Haryana’s Sonipat at a depth of 5 kilometres.
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) December 1, 2025
Earlier on Sunday, an earthquake of magnitude 4.4 hit Nepal’s Bajhang district of Sudur Paschim province. There were no immediate reports of any damage caused by the earthquake, officials said.
India is poised to finalize a Rs 10,000 crore deal for 275-300 additional S-400 missiles from Russia, enhancing the capabilities of its existing air-defense systems.
Surface-to-air Akash missiles. (File Image)
A Rs 10,000 crore deal for 275-300 S-400 missiles from Russia is likely very shortly. These are “additional missiles,” for the three S-400 air-defence systems that the Indian Air Force (IAF) already has, with two more due next year.
India has an agreement in place for five systems, and three are already with the IAF and were deployed during Operation Sindoor, the four-day anti-terror operation against Pakistan. Highly-placed sources said the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Rajnath Singh, the defence minister, and including the chief of defence staff and the three chiefs, has cleared the Rs 10,000 crore deal. The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is expected to be in Delhi later this week, the two-day visit beginning Friday.
Another deal (a multi-billion dollar one) for an additional five systems is already under discussion, top government sources said. “We have started talking, but the cost consideration is there,” highly-placed sources added.But there will be no announcement during the Putin visit. Cost-related negotiations will take time. Besides, it has not reached the “formal procurement track as yet.” This means that it is yet to be placed before the Defence Procurement Board, after which the DAC and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) will follow.
India has long wanted ten S-400 systems, including three along the India-Pakistan border, one each in Maharashtra and Gujarat, two in the North-east, one in Jammu and Kashmir and the rest for training/repair.
However the final deployment, the two already contracted for, have to come next year and the signing of the other five will have to happen. These will be necessary for about a decade till Project Kusha, the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s air-defence systems (three kinds are being planned) are ready.
A Kuwait–Hyderabad IndiGo flight was diverted to Mumbai following a specific human bomb threat received via email.
A file photo of an IndiGo flight (PTI)
A Kuwait to Hyderabad IndiGo flight was diverted to Mumbai on Tuesday after a threat message warned of a human bomb onboard the aircraft.
The threat, conveyed through a detailed email received at the Hyderabad airport, was assessed as specific by authorities.
Following the message, the flight landed at the Mumbai airport and was being checked in the isolation area on the airport premises.
All precautionary measures were put in place.
Security teams, including emergency responders, were on standby as officials monitored the situation closely.
There was no immediate information about the number of passengers on the aircraft.
An official statement by the IndiGo airlines was yet awaited.
On Monday, a private school in the Mira Road area of Thane district of Maharashtra received a bomb blast threat, prompting the police to launch a search for any suspicious object, which turned out to be a hoax.
Anchal’s brothers Himesh and Sahil, their father Gajanan Mamidwar, and three others have been arrested for Saksham’s murder
Days after Saksham Tate (20) was beaten to death in Maharashtra’s Nanded over an inter-caste relationship, his lover, Anchal Mamidwar (21), has alleged that two cops were among the several people who provoked her brothers to attack Saksham.
Heartbreaking visuals of Anchal “marrying” Saksham’s corpse have circulated on social media. The young woman, visibly in shock, told NDTV that her family members had assured her and Saksham that they would accept their decision to marry each other. “We were together for three years. We saw a lot of dreams. My brothers had assured me that they would organise our wedding. But they betrayed us at the last moment,” she said.
Anchal clarified that she connected with Saksham on Instagram and not through her brothers. She said her family members hung out with Saksham. “They would be nice to him and eat together. They convinced him that all is well. We had no idea something like this would happen,” she said.
‘He Is A Jai Bhimwala’
Anchal, who is from the Special Backward Class, said her family members had told her that Saksham is a ‘Jai Bhimwala’—a reference to Dalits who greet each other by saying Jai Bhim. “One day, my father told Saksham that if he wanted to marry me, he would have to come into our religion, Hindu Dharma. Saksham was ready to do everything to marry me. But I don’t know what happened,” she said.
A Cop’s Dare
Anchal accused two policemen—Dheeraj Komalwar and Maheet Asarwar—of provoking her brothers. Anchal’s family members reportedly have a criminal record. “Around 11 am on the day Saksham was murdered, my younger brother took me to the police station and asked me to file a false complaint against Saksham. I refused. The cops told my brother, ‘you keep coming here after killing people. Why don’t you kill the man your sister is involved with?’ My brother replied, “Okay, I will kill him by evening and come to you.” Anchal asked how people can trust cops if they act like this. Saksham, it is learnt, also had a criminal record.
The Attack
On Thursday evening, Saksham was with his friends when Anchal’s brother, Himesh Mamidwar, started an altercation that turned into a fight. Himesh allegedly shot Saksham, and the bullet hit his ribs. He then smashed a tile on the 20-year-old’s head, killing him on the spot. Himesh, his brother Sahil, their father Gajanan Mamidwar, and three others have been arrested. They have been charged with murder, unlawful assembly, and rioting under BNS and sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Arms Act.
Funeral Turns ‘Wedding’
The next evening, when preparations for Saksham’s last rites were on, Anchal reached his home and “married” the corpse. “I was in love with Saksham for the past three years, but my father opposed our relationship over caste differences. My family often threatened to kill Saksham, and now my father and brothers, Himesh and Sahil, have done it. I want justice. I want the accused to be hanged,” she told the media. She said she would be living with Saksham’s family.
Permission was officially granted and communicated to the Government of Pakistan through official channels at 1730 hrs (IST) on Monday, with the clearance processed within a minimal four-hour notice period, they said.
Sri Lanka has suffered from massive floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
India has granted rapid clearance for Pakistan’s aid flight carrying relief material to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, firmly rejecting “baseless and misleading” claims circulating in Pakistani media that New Delhi had denied permission to use its airspace.
Officials confirmed that the request for overflight was submitted by Pakistan at approximately 1300 hrs (IST) on Monday, seeking same-day permission to fly over Indian airspace. Given the purpose of the request–to provide humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka–India processed the request with exceptional speed.
Permission was officially granted and communicated to the Government of Pakistan through official channels at 1730 hrs (IST) on Monday, with the clearance processed within a minimal four-hour notice period, they said.
Officials emphasised that this clearance was a purely humanitarian gesture, made despite Pakistan maintaining a ban on Indian airlines’ use of its airspace.
India’s reaction came in the wake of reports by certain Pakistani media outlets claiming that India “refused to grant airspace” for the aid flights.
Officials categorically labelled these allegations as “baseless and misleading.”
Sri Lanka has suffered from massive floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah. At least 334 people have been confirmed dead across Sri Lanka as authorities continue to battle rising floodwaters in parts of the capital, Colombo.
India has sent 53 tons of relief material to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu as part of its emergency response to Cyclone Ditwah.
According to an official release, India has handed 9.5 tons of emergency rations from two Indian Navy Ships in Colombo; deployed three Indian Air Force aircraft for airlifting another 31.5 tons of relief materials including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, ready-to-eat food items, medicines and surgical equipment, two BHISHM cubes along with five persons medical team for on-site training, and 80 persons special Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assist in rescue efforts.
The investigating officers needed time to probe the sloganeering in solidarity with slain Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, they said.
A total of 23 protesters were arrested during air pollution protest in Delhi last month in November.
A Delhi court on Monday remanded three protesters to three days of police custody in a case relating to the alleged use of pepper spray on police personnel during a demonstration at the India Gate over pollution last month.
The trio was identified as Ravjot, Gurkirat and Kranti.
The court also remanded seven other accused protesters to seven-day judicial custody.
While Delhi Police requested 10 days of police custody for Ayisha Wafiya and three other women, the court granted them only three days of judicial custody.
Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Aridaman Singh Cheema passed the order, directing that the women be interrogated only by female investigating officers.
The decision followed arguments from the defence counsel, who claimed the women had been subjected to rape threats and sexual harassment by male police officers.
While arguing for police custody, Delhi Police said that some of the arrested students had attended a conference of the banned Radical Students’ Union (RSU) in Hyderabad in February and that several videos allegedly showed their links to the Naxalite movement.
The investigating officers needed time to probe the sloganeering in solidarity with slain Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, they said.
The investigating officers also argued that further custody was necessary due to new evidence, including videos showing the students raising controversial slogans and WhatsApp chats revealing coordination among the group, and to trace the source of their funding, as the accused were found travelling to a conference and using expensive phones.
Opposing the plea for further custody, the defence contended that the accused had cooperated fully, had already been interrogated and had spent two days in police custody in a related case.
Their devices had been seized, and there was no further possibility of tampering with the evidence by the accused.
Since the primary virtual evidence was already in police custody, there was no further need for custodial interrogation, the defence counsel argued.
Many of the members played no active role in coordinating and organising the protest beyond being members of a WhatsApp group and being present at the venue on the day of the protest, showing there was no meeting of minds between the accused protesters, the defence counsel said.
Delhi Police was also accused of acting in a “lackadaisical” manner, as there have been no leads on who sourced the pepper spray at the venue of the protest, despite more than a week of custodial interrogation, it argued.
Eight of the accused — Vishnu Tiwari, Akshay, Sameer Fayis, Banka Akash, Prakash Kumar Gupta, Aahan Arun Upadhyay, Vagisha Anudeep and Ayisha Wafiya — were produced before the court after the expiry of their two-day judicial custody on Monday.
On Saturday, the court rejected Delhi Police’s application for seven-day police custody and only remanded them to two-day judicial custody.
Barring Ayisha, who has been remanded to three days of judicial custody, the rest of the accused, who have been remanded to seven days of judicial custody, will be produced before the court on Tuesday.
Samantha first gave a glimpse of her unique ring in an Instagram post in February this year.
Samantha’s wedding features portrait-cut diamonds, experts say. (Photos: Instagram/Samantharuthprabhuoffl)
Actress Samantha’s dreamy pictures from her temple wedding with filmmaker Raj are all over the Internet. But what truly has fans buzzing is her massive wedding ring.
Known for her bold and edgy choices in life, Samantha brought that same spirit to her wedding ring. Instead of choosing a conventional wedding band or an extravagant solitaire, the actress opted for something far more exquisite and attention grabbing.
At first glance, Samantha’s wedding ring exudes an edgy, bold and geometric vibe. But there is more to it. We spoke to several jewellery designers to break down what makes this massive sparkling ring so special and to understand the craftsmanship behind the piece that sealed Samantha and Raj’s love story.
“It is made with portrait-cut diamonds – a large one in the centre, surrounded by smaller ones attached like petals. These diamonds are custom-cut. The kaarigar has to be shown the ring’s design first to cut them accordingly, and only then can the ring be made,” Hafsa Qureshi, founder of MISSHK Fine Jewellery, tells India Today.
A portrait-cut diamond is a very thin, flat diamond with a perfectly clear, transparent surface. Making one requires slicing the diamond extremely thin without breaking it, a skill only highly trained kaarigars or cutters possess. Because of this, portrait-cut diamonds are not mass-produced and are custom-made to fit a specific design or frame.
“The centre is a lozenge portrait-cut diamond of around 2 ct, and around it sit eight custom portrait-cut diamonds shaped like petals. It looks effortless on her hand, but the engineering behind it is extremely complex. Only a few workshops in the world cut and assemble portrait diamonds at this level,” says Priyanshu Goel, a jewellery expert and content creator, in an Instagram reel posted on Monday.
Samantha first gave a glimpse of her wedding ring earlier this year in February in an Instagram post.
Art Deco era-inspired
Experts add that the ring draws inspiration from the Art Deco era, evident in its geometric cuts and architectural form.
“This approach draws from modernist and Art Deco design principles, where negative space, symmetry, and sculptural presence become as important as the stones themselves,” says Trishank Gupta, co-founder and managing director, Eleve Diamonds.
“It is set in either white gold or platinum, most often platinum because it is strong enough to hold these diamonds securely,” adds Hafsa.
Historically, platinum-cut diamonds were used in Mughal and Nizami jewellery.
Growing demand for unconventional designs
The edgy, modern design is poised to usher in a new genre of engagement rings in the Indian market.
“Samantha’s wedding ring stands out for its striking, contemporary design, characterised by clean, sculptural proportions and a high-impact silhouette. The centre stone features a portrait-cut diamond, prized in modern fine jewellery for its broad, elongated shape, refined mirror-like elegance, and wide visual spread,” says jewellery designer Varda Goenka, founder of Varda Goenka Fine Jewels by Diagold.
“Rings like this signal a strong shift towards architectural bridal jewellery, pieces defined by shape, silhouette and negative space rather than ornate detailing,” adds Ricky Vasandani, CEO and co-founder, Solitario.
Sri Lanka continues to face severe devastation in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. The cyclone has claimed over 200 lives in Sri Lanka, leaving many displaced. The country has announced a national emergency.
The cyclone has claimed over 200 lives in Sri Lanka, leaving many displaced. (Photo: Reuters)
India has granted rapid overflight clearance for Pakistan’s humanitarian aid flight bound for flood-hit Sri Lanka, countering claims in sections of the Pakistani media that New Delhi had refused access to its airspace, according to news agency ANI. Officials said the request was processed within hours because it involved urgent relief operations.
The clarification rejected online claims that India had refused airspace access, prompting New Delhi to assert that it had, in fact, acted expeditiously due to the urgent nature of the mission.
According to Indian officials, Pakistan submitted its formal request at around 1:00 PM (IST) on 1 December seeking same-day permission to fly over Indian airspace. The clearance was issued four hours later.
“The official request for overflight was submitted by Pakistan to us at around 1300 (IST) hrs today seeking permission to fly over Indian airspace same day i.e. 1 December 2025. Given the fact that the request pertained to humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, Government of India expeditiously cleared the request and intimated the Government of Pakistan at 1730 hrs (IST) today through official channels. It was processed at the shortest notice period of 4 hrs,” the officials said.
Sri Lanka continues to face severe devastation in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. The cyclone has claimed over 200 lives in Sri Lanka, leaving many displaced. The country has announced a national emergency.
The scale of the disaster has forced the government in Colombo to seek extensive support from regional partners, with India leading relief efforts under a major deployment of naval, air and disaster-response assets.
PM MODI OFFERS SUPPORT UNDER OP SAGAR BANDHU
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to express condolences over the “loss of lives and widespread devastation” caused by the cyclone and promised further support under Operation Sagar Bandhu, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to introduce two new bills in the Lok Sabha on Monday that will be aimed at imposing new tax/cess on demerit goods. The proposed bills are — The Central Excise Amendment Bill, 2025, and The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025.
Cigarettes are seen during the manufacturing process in the British American Tobacco Cigarette Factory (BAT) in Bayreuth. Credit: Reuters photo
The Union government plans to impose new levies on ‘sin goods’ such as cigarettes, gutkha and pan masala, which will keep the prices of these demerit items high, as the current structure of compensation cess is likely to be discontinued by March 2026.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to introduce two new bills in the Lok Sabha on Monday that will be aimed at imposing new tax/cess on demerit goods. The proposed bills are — The Central Excise Amendment Bill, 2025, and The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025.
The Central Excise Amendment Bill, 2025, seeks to replace the GST compensation cess on tobacco products with an excise duty.
With the introduction of the GST in July 2017, the main tax rates on tobacco and tobacco products came down substantially. However, the government imposed additional levy in the form of compensation cess. As a result, the prices of these items remained elevated.
Initially, the cess was introduced for five years to compensate the states for any revenue shortfall. As per the terms of the introduction of the GST regime, states were guaranteed 14% annual growth in tax revenue for five years beginning from July 2017. However, the cess was extended till March 2026 to repay loans taken by the Union government to support states during the revenue shortfall caused by the Covid pandemic.
“Compensation cess levied on tobacco and tobacco products, wherever applicable, will be discontinued once interest payment obligations and loan liabilities under the compensation cess account are completely discharged,” the Union finance minister noted in the ‘statement of objects and reasons’ of the proposed Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
In order to give the government the fiscal space to increase the rate of central excise duty on tobacco and tobacco products so as to protect tax incidence, it is imperative to amend the table in Section IV of the Fourth Schedule to the said Act (Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017), the minister stated.
The ‘Health Security se National Security Cess’ Bill will replace the compensation cess on pan masala. Through this, the government seeks to “augment the resources for meeting expenditure on national security and for public health”.
It will “levy a cess for the said purposes on the machines installed or other processes undertaken by which specified goods are manufactured or produced”.
A tragic bus collision in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district resulted in the deaths of at least 11 individuals and left over 20 injured. The accident occurred when two state-run buses collided near Vivekananda Polytechnic College. Rescue operations were swiftly initiated by police and fire services, with injured passengers transported to various hospitals for treatment. Chief Minister MK Stalin announced compensation for victims’ families, while President Droupadi Murmu expressed her condolences.
Tamil Nadu Bus Smash-Up Kills 11, Injures 20 — A Routine Ride Turns Fatal Photo : PTI
A quiet Sunday evening turned tragic in Tamil Nadu as two state-run buses collided head-on near Karaikudi, leaving at least 11 people dead and more than 20 others injured. The accident, described by officials as severe, happened in the Sivaganga district, prompting urgent rescue operations and state-level intervention.
The crash took place around 5:00 PM near Vivekananda Polytechnic College under the Tirupattur sub-division, according to a release issued by the Sivaganga district police. One of the buses belonged to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and was travelling from Kangeyam to Karaikudi, while the other government bus was on its way from Karaikudi to Dindigul. The impact of the collision was strong enough to cause immediate fatalities and leave many critically injured.
Rescue teams from the Police Department and Fire and Rescue Services rushed to the spot soon after the incident, pulling passengers out of the wreckage. Senior officials including the Sivagangai District Superintendent of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and Tirupattur authorities reached the spot to monitor the situation and oversee the rescue efforts.
Injured Shifted to Multiple Hospitals Across the District
Passengers who survived the crash were rushed to nearby medical facilities, with many shifted to the Karaikudi Government Hospital, Tirupattur Government Hospital, and Sivagangai Government Hospital for treatment. Doctors are continuing to monitor those with severe injuries as families wait anxiously for updates outside emergency wards.
This tragic collision comes just days after a similar road accident in Tenkasi district, where six people died and over 50 were injured. The back-to-back incidents have renewed concerns about road safety and long-distance transport across the State.
CM Stalin Announces Compensation; President Murmu Offers Condolences
Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and immediately dispatched the Sivaganga District Collector along with District In-Charge Minister KR Periyakaruppan to oversee relief and medical assistance.
He also announced ex-gratia for the affected families — Rs 3 lakh for the kin of each deceased victim, Rs 1 lakh for those severely injured, and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries.
Cyclone Ditwah in Tamil Nadu has caused three deaths, 150 cattle fatalities, and damaged 57,000 hectares of farmland amid heavy rains.
Docked boats at the Marina Beach as Red Alert issued in Tamil Nadu due to Cyclone Ditwah in Chennai on Sunday. (ANI Video Grab)
Three people have died in rain-related incidents triggered by cyclone Ditwah in Tamil Nadu over the last 24 hours, state revenue and disaster management minister KKSSR Ramachandran said on Sunday, adding that nearly 150 cattle have died and 57,000 hectares of farmland has been damaged in the delta districts due to the impact.
“Three people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents since last evening. While two persons died due to wall collapse in Tuticorin and Thanjavur, respectively, a 20-year-old youth died due to electrocution in Mayiladuthurai,” he said, briefing reporters at the State Emergency Operations Centre.
He added that the heavy rains due to the cyclone also damaged crops in about 56,000 hectares in various districts which are inundated. “Crops in about 24,000 hectares in Nagapattinam district, over 15,000 hectares in Tiruvarur district and about 8,000 hectares in Mayiladuthurai district, are affected,” the minister said. “After the flood water recedes, district officials will calculate the actual damage and accordingly the Chief Minister will announce a compensation to farmers.”
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ditwah, which killed over 300 people in Sri Lanka, was centered about 80km east of Jaffna (Sri Lanka), 140 km southeast of Vedaranniyam (Tamil Nadu), and 280km south-southeast of Puducherry.
IMD had issued a red category warning for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts.
In a statement issued later, the IMD said that the cyclone weakened into a deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts by November 30 evening.
“The Cyclonic Storm Ditwah over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts moved northwards with the speed of 5 kmph, weakened into a Deep Depression and lay centered over the same region around 5.30pm. It was about 90 km east of Cuddalore, 130 km northeast of Karaikal, 90 km east-southeast of Puducherry, 180 km north-northeast of Vedaranniyam and 140 km south-southeast of Chennai. “The minimum distance of the centre of the deep depression from north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts is about 80 km,” the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai said.
“It is very likely to move nearly northwards parallel to North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts and weaken gradually further into a depression around December 1st morning.”
It is likely to get colder, with a 2-3 degree C fall in minimum temperature expected over the next two days over northwest and east India, India Meteorological Department has warned.
According to the proposed health and national security cess legislation, the levy is expected on the production capacity of specified items
Apart from the cess bill, the government also intends to introduce The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to raise the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector to 100% from 74%.(File/HT Photo)
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to introduce a bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday to levy “Health Security se National Security Cess” on pan masala and any other items notified by the central government to meet expenditure on national security and for public health, people in the know said on Sunday.
The bill may immediately impose a cess on pan masala and could later extend it to other sin goods such as cigarettes and tobacco products (excluding bidis), they said. It is also expected to empower the central government to add any item to the list in the future in the interest of public welfare. Once the bill becomes an act, the proposed cess will come into effect on the date the government notifies it in the official gazette, the people added.
Apart from the cess bill, the government also intends to introduce The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to raise the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector to 100% from 74%. The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025 is on the schedule of the Lok Sabha’s list of business for Monday along with The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
According to the proposed health and national security cess legislation, the levy is expected on the production capacity of specified items. Individual producers or firms will self-declare location-wise production capacity of their units for the purpose of the cess, they said.
Citing the example of pan masala, they said a cess of about ₹100 per month per machine is expected to be levied if a facility has a production capacity of 500 units of 2.5gm pouches or packets per minute per machine. The cess rates may increase with the increase in production speed as well as the weight of specified goods (pan masala in this case) in each pouch, or packet, or tin, or container, they added.
For example, if a machine has the capacity to produce more than 1,000 to 1,500 units of 2.5gm pouches, or containers, the cess amount would be ₹30.3 lakh per month per machine, they said. If these pouches weigh more than 2.5gm but less than 10gm, the cess is expected at ₹1,092 lakh per month per machine. And, if the weight of the containers exceeds 10gm, the levy would jump to ₹2,547 lakh per month per machine, they added.
Procedural details, regulatory mechanisms and other nitty-gritty would be detailed when the government will frame rules after the bill is passed in Parliament, they said. Regulatory mechanisms and inspections will be hi-tech with a wide use of digital technologies, they said.
The introduction of the cess bill is expected to replace the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation cess on tobacco products that will cease to exist after the government services the remaining principal and interests of back-to-back loans taken during the Covid period to compensate states for their revenue losses. The bill was distributed among the MPs on Sunday. In both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha Business Advisory Committee meetings, the government pitched the bill as a priority.
The 56th GST Council in September 2025 decided to remove compensation cess in a phased manner until the remaining liability of the back-to-back loans taken to fund state revenue losses during the pandemic period is discharged. This was expected by December this year, the people mentioned above said. The GST Council had empowered the Union finance minister, who is also the chairperson of the Council, to decide the actual date on this matter.
While the levy of compensation cess ended on almost all sin goods and luxury items from September 22, it continued along with 28% GST on pan masala, gutkha, cigarettes, chewing tobacco products like zarda, and unmanufactured tobacco till loan repayment and interest payment obligations under the compensation cess account were completely discharged. All tobacco products, except bidi (18%) attract a special 40% GST rate. Specified items, as per the proposed bill, will, however, attract health and national security cess, they said.
At the time of launching the GST regime, the law assured states a 14% increase in their annual revenue for five years of the transition period from July 1, 2017 up to June 30, 2022, and also guaranteed that their revenue shortfall, if any, would be made good through a compensation cess levied on luxury goods and sin products such as liquor, cigarettes, other tobacco products, aerated water, automobiles, and coal.
The GST compensation cess was, however, extended from June 30, 2022 till March 31, 2026, only to retire debts taken on behalf of states to meet the revenue shortfall during the Covid period. While states have no claims for compensation from July 1, 2022, it was earlier decided that the cess will continue till March 31, 2026 to service the back-to-back loans released to states when compensation cess collection fell in 2020 and 2021 because of a slump in economic activity due to the pandemic.
More than 4,000 military personnel and police officers participated, reinforcing the marathon’s message of respect and solidarity for those who serve the nation.
More than 24,000 runners took part in the 9th Adani Ahmedabad Marathon
The city of Ahmedabad transformed into a vibrant celebration of endurance and unity as more than 24,000 runners took part in the 9th Adani Ahmedabad Marathon at the Sabarmati Riverfront Sports Park. Anchored in the purpose-led theme of#Run4OurSoldiers, the marathon once again brought the city together in a spirited tribute to India’s Armed Forces, with this year’s run carrying deeper significance in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor.
The event was flagged off by Pranav Adani, Director, Adani Enterprises Ltd.; Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor; Major General Gaurav Bagga; fitness ambassador and actor-presenter Mandira Bedi; Olympic medallist and Padma Shri awardee Gagan Narang; Preeti Jhangiani, actor-producer and Vice President of the Indian Olympic Association; and renowned designer Aaquib Wani, along with senior leaders from Adani Sportsline, the sports arm of the Adani Group.
Also present at the occasion was Indian cricketer and Gujarat Giants’ newest signee Yastika Bhatia.
More than 4,000 military personnel and police officers participated, reinforcing the marathon’s message of respect and solidarity for those who serve the nation.
Runners competed across the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10 km, and 5 km categories on a course showcasing some of Ahmedabad’s most iconic landmarks, including the Gandhi Ashram, Atal Bridge, and Ellis Bridge. The official marathon jersey-designed by award-winning creator Aaquib Wani-captured the event’s spirit and its tribute to soldiers.
With a prize pool of over Rs 40 lakh across the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10K categories, winners were rewarded across multiple competitive and age-group divisions.
Recognised by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and listed on the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) Global Marathon Event List, the recognised registry of certified marathons and distance-running events that meet global standards for course accuracy, measurement, and event quality, the Adani Ahmedabad Marathon has grown into one of India’s most respected distance-running events.
Speaking at the event, Pranav Adani said, “Since 2017, the Ahmedabad Marathon has become a landmark event embraced by our beloved city. This year, the message of #Run4OurSoldiers resonated even more deeply as our Armed Forces stood tall during Operation Sindoor. The participation of over 24,000 runners shows how the event has grown into a movement the city proudly owns.”
Major General Gaurav Bagga, General Officer Commanding, Indian Army, added, “The Adani Ahmedabad Marathon is more than a sporting event, but it is a living testament to the enduring bond between the Armed Forces and the citizens we serve.
“Witnessing over 4,000 personnel run shoulder to shoulder with thousands from across the nation was profoundly heartening. Such overwhelming participation is not merely about numbers; it reflects the unity, discipline, and positive spirit that define India. In every stride, one could feel the pulse of a nation moving forward together.”
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Indian Air Force, expressed, “Today, we are thrilled to see such a massive and enthusiastic crowd coming together to support our Armed Forces by participating in the 9th Adani Ahmedabad Marathon 2025. This event is a testament to the importance we place on fitness, and it is heartening to see such a wonderful initiative of the Adani Group in honour of the Armed Forces.
“The overwhelming response and energy on display today are really impressive. A truly memorable experience today, set against the stunning backdrop of the beautiful Sabarmati Riverfront. ”
