Sources have refuted Rahul Gandhi's claims regarding President Droupadi Murmu's response to 'vote chori' allegations, stating it's 'unfortunate' she's being drawn into the controversy. Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc, after meeting the President, has vowed to provide a 'mountain of proof' to support their claims of electoral malpractice and demand for the CEC's resignation.
The Chhattisgarh Economic Offence Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) has filed its sixth supplementary charge sheet in the alleged coal levy scam, naming 12 individuals including Congress MLA Devendra Singh Yadav, former state Congress treasurer Ramgopal Agrawal, and IAS officer Jai Prakash Maurya. The scam involves an alleged illegal levy of Rs 25 per tonne collected from coal transporters by a syndicate of bureaucrats, businessmen, and politicians, with handwritten diaries indicating collections of around Rs 540 crore.
The Tamil Nadu government revoked a controversial order exempting its Public (Law and Order) Department from the RTI Act, 2005.
Botanists have discovered a new plant species, Didymocarpus nautiyalii, in Arunachal Pradesh's Shi-Yomi district. This small herb, found in subtropical evergreen forests, features leathery leaves and bluish-purple flowers. Named after Prof Sunil Nautiyal, the species is currently assessed as Data Deficient by IUCN, prompting calls for further research and conservation efforts.
Paralympic Committee of India president Devendra Jhajharia on Thursday strongly defended the selection process for the upcoming Asian Para Games, insisting that all criteria prescribed by the PCI, Sports Ministry and SAI had been followed, while also leaving the door open for addressing concerns raised by protesting athletes.
The Maharashtra government has declared 265 out of 358 talukas as drought-affected, covering 74% of the state, due to significant rainfall deficit. This declaration activates 'Trigger-1' of the state's drought management framework, leading to the announcement of various relief measures for farmers and residents, including loan restructuring, revenue concessions, and provisions for water and fodder.
India's Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra has warned that the upcoming rabi (winter) crop season is likely to be challenging for rainfed areas due to the strengthening El Nio weather pattern, potentially affecting foodgrain production. This comes as Maharashtra declares drought in nearly 74 per cent of its talukas, highlighting the immediate impact of climate change.
Indian shooters Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet secured a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the Asian Games in Japan, earning congratulations from Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for their dominant performance.
A station house officer (SHO) in Ambala was critically injured after being attacked by a group of youths with knives and bricks while intervening in a scuffle. SHO Suresh Kumar was referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh, in critical condition, and an investigation is underway to apprehend the assailants.
By-elections across several Indian states, including Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal, concluded peacefully with high voter turnouts. The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam recorded 76% polling, while Tamil Nadu's Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly Constituencies saw 83.86% and 78.53% respectively. Puducherry's Thattanchavady registered 78.83%, and West Bengal's Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies had nearly 79% turnout.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu lauded the state's first 10-day artificial intelligence boot camp and hackathon at IIT-Guwahati. The programme aims to build AI skills, promote innovation, and create a future-ready digital workforce, offering hands-on training in AI/ML, Python, and NLP to 40 young participants.
How long can the Cockroach Janta Party remain an agitationist force? asks Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Five southern states are stepping up coordination on delimitation, tax devolution and language issues, reviving calls for a stronger collective South platform.
The Chintan Shivir is expected to discuss the progress of government schemes, policy implementation, time management, inter-ministerial coordination, and public service delivery, among others.
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the UN General Assembly, strongly criticised Pakistan for its support of terrorism, asserting India's right to self-defence and stating that friendship cannot coexist with terrorism. He also highlighted India's global responsibilities, contributions to the Global South, and its stance on reformed multilateralism and AI.
The incident follows similar harassment cases reported recently in Jamui and Samastipur, raising concerns about women's safety in the state.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has called for the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation, citing alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the poll process. Kharge outlined five key demands for electoral transparency and pledged that the Congress party would protest both on the streets and in Parliament.
India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is actively courting Sri Lanka's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist party with strong Sinhalese nationalist roots, marking a significant shift in bilateral relations despite ideological differences. This engagement, highlighted by a recent high-profile visit by JVP leader Tilvin Silva, aims to foster cooperation on economic projects and address New Delhi's concerns over slow progress in India-aided initiatives in the island nation.
As international investigations intensify into the mid-air security scare aboard the Flydubai flight, Israel's i24 News reported that an Emirati source has revealed that among the belongings of the Omani co-pilot were leaflets and publications from "Free Palestine" groups, alongside pro-Palestinian material.
Accept the right to peaceful assembly; reverse the injustice done to crores of voters; punish the man responsible, points out Aakar Patel.
Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan congratulated the Indian women's cricket team for winning the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, praising their inspiring performance.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the UN General Assembly, condemned the targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers in the Gulf, calling it "simply unacceptable." He also voiced deep concern over the "weaponisation of everything," which he stated has severe consequences for Global South nations, impacting peace, progress, and development globally. India urged restraint, de-escalation, and protection of civilians, while also highlighting the 4F crisis (food, fuel, fertiliser, finance) faced by developing countries.
A FlyDubai flight captain was stabbed by his co-pilot in a suspected terror attack, leading to a desperate fight for survival that was heroically thwarted by an Israeli dentist and other passengers, averting a major mid-air disaster.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy congratulated archers Chikitha Taniparthi, Vennam Jyothi Surekha, and Prithika Pradeep for winning a gold medal in the women's compound archery team event at the Asian Games 2026. He also extended wishes to all Indian athletes and highlighted the inspiring nature of their achievements, which also included a mixed team gold and an Olympic quota for the 2028 Olympics.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of acting as a 'weapon' for the ruling BJP, while MNS leader Raj Thackeray demanded the cancellation of Maharashtra's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, amidst a large protest march in Mumbai.
The Supreme Court has agreed to urgently hear a 2016 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the speedy disposal of criminal cases against lawmakers across India. This decision comes amidst concerns raised by amicus curiae Vijay Hansaria about the high number of legislators facing criminal charges, including chief ministers. The court had previously issued directions in November 2023 to fast-track such trials.
Leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), including Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, have vowed to escalate their agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, expanding protests nationwide after their release from detention. They allege an "emergency-like situation" created by the Modi government, illegal detentions, and harassment of protesters, drawing parallels to the 1975 Emergency. The CJP is protesting alleged irregularities in voter rolls and demanding Kumar's resignation, accusing authorities of suppressing dissent.
Donald Trump expressed confidence in a swift victory over Iran, suggesting military strikes before midterm elections are possible, with the primary goal of denying Tehran nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi declared readiness for a "doomsday war" if hostilities resume, while also expressing openness to diplomacy if assets are unfrozen and oil sales allowed.
High drama unfolded as INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, marched to the Election Commission headquarters in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and his misleading statements regarding Supreme Court observations on Form 6.
West Bengal police have unearthed a sophisticated Pakistan-linked honeytrap network targeting state ministers, their families, and other high-profile individuals, leading to the arrest of a third suspect, Aditya Singh, an alleged associate of Jaish-e-Mohammed operative Hamim Mondal.
A computer teacher from a government residential school in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district has been arrested in Rajasthan for allegedly sexually harassing a 14-year-old girl. The arrest followed a complaint lodged by the victim and her mother, leading to a special investigation team being formed.
The Congress party has launched nationwide protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his removal. Accusing him of acting in favour of the BJP and citing alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions (SIR), party workers burned effigies and clashed with police. Opposition parties plan further action, including a meeting of the INDIA bloc to strategize for his ouster.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif repeatedly refused to answer reporters' questions regarding Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed during his visit to the United Nations headquarters for the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged significant investment in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and quantum technology, identifying them as India's next major growth frontiers. Speaking at an IIT Madras Alumni Association event, she emphasized the need to build hardware, skills, and institutional ecosystems to harness these technologies, countering perceptions that India is lagging in AI. Sitharaman also highlighted the potential for increased investment in defence production, particularly in unmanned systems and drones, stressing collaboration between academia and industry.
History-sheeter Arjun Ayanki has publicly challenged Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, daring him to reinvestigate a case and warning him against intimidation. This comes as police intensify their search for Ayanki in connection with allegedly threatening a police officer. Ayanki, known for his involvement in a gold smuggling network, has multiple cases against him, including a recent one for his social media post against the minister.
Indian para-shooters staged a protest during the send-off ceremony for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games contingent, alleging widespread corruption, manipulation, and financial extortion in the selection process.
Former Bombay High Court judge Justice R C Chavan has resigned from the Maharashtra government's Uniform Civil Code panel, citing profound concerns.
The CPI(M) has strongly criticised the UDF government in Keralam for ordering a police inquiry into an alleged bribery case involving former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter, and son-in-law, based on an Enforcement Directorate report. The party alleges political targeting and a nexus between the UDF and the BJP-led Centre.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's comment in the Assembly that a dozen MLAs have two marriages has ignited a political controversy. BJP leaders are demanding that he disclose the names of these legislators, arguing that such remarks undermine the dignity of the Assembly and create public distrust.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and a state delegation have been invited by the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to witness the semi-finals and finals of the Asian Games hockey competitions in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. This invitation is significant as Punjab is set to host the men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026, with the experience gained in Japan expected to aid in organising future international sporting events in the state.
