Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Raksha Bandhan with school children in New Delhi on Friday, sharing warm interactions marked by high-fives, blessings, and smiles.
The INDIA bloc conducted a symbolic "public impeachment" of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of electoral malpractice. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided from a chair historically used by Jawaharlal Nehru, a detail highlighted by Congress. Opposition leaders demanded Kumar's removal, calling the event a "political weapon."
Glimpses from Janmashtami celebrations taking shape across India before the festival.
The Delhi High Court has directed Meta Platforms to immediately remove objectionable deepfake content featuring a woman's morphed picture with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The court also ordered the Delhi Police to provide complete protection to the victim, who reported receiving threats to her life.
Delhi Police are set to file a comprehensive chargesheet, over 500 pages long, within a week in the Astha Kunj Park gangrape case, relying on time-stamped CCTV footage, forensic evidence, witness statements, and a test identification parade to build a strong case against the three accused.
Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani has been admitted to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi due to pulmonary issues. The 98-year-old former Deputy Prime Minister, who played a crucial role in the BJP's rise, is currently undergoing treatment.
India's Vaishnavi Adkar and Rutuja Bhosale finished as runners-up in the WTA 250 Chennai Open women's doubles final, losing to the Swiss combination of Simona Waltert and Naima Karamoko. Despite the loss, their achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian women's tennis, being the first all-Indian pair to reach a WTA Tour-level doubles final. The singles final was postponed to Monday due to rain and Diwali fireworks.
Activist Sharjeel Imam has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court's decision to deny him bail in a UAPA case related to the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots. Imam argues for bail due to the prosecution's failure to examine witnesses and the impending expiry of a one-year embargo set by the top court. He highlights that despite being an undertrial for over six years, no witnesses have been examined in a case involving 18 accused and over 900 witnesses.
The Delhi High Court has directed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to decide on two show-cause notices issued to grappler Vinesh Phogat within two weeks. The notices concern alleged anti-doping rule violations and misconduct. The court emphasized the need for a sportsperson to be mentally relaxed for competitive events and stated that any decision taken after two weeks would be held in abeyance until January 20, 2027. Phogat's petition challenges these notices, which she claims are arbitrary and impede her return to competitive wrestling.
Haryana's athletes, who secured an impressive 32 medals including 14 gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, received a warm welcome from Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam. The minister and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini lauded their performance, highlighting the state's significant contribution to India's overall medal tally and its strong sporting culture.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that using terrorism as an "instrument of statecraft" is unacceptable and cannot be justified. He highlighted that terrorism persists because some states do not exhibit "zero tolerance" and allow political calculations to override historical lessons. Speaking at an event, Jaishankar emphasised the indivisibility of peace and called for stronger global resolve to counter terrorism in all its forms.
The climate finance battle once again exposes the deep divide between rich and developing nations.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully extradited Sourabh Chandrakar, the alleged mastermind behind the Rs 6,000-crore Mahadev online betting app scam, from Oman. Chandrakar, wanted in multiple cases by the CBI and ED, will be produced before a special court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. This extradition marks a significant step in India's efforts to bring fugitives operating transnational criminal enterprises to justice.
India's top singles player Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalapalli, and Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathy have been granted wild cards for the WTA Chennai Open. American Katherine Hui also received a wild card. Tamil Nadu Tennis Association president Vijay Amritraj expressed optimism about the Indian players' performance at the home event.
Electoral Officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava has addressed allegations of Model Code of Conduct violations during the Indian Olympic Association's Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs) elections. Srivastava clarified that his role was to issue advisories and ensure fair conduct, not to take punitive action or disqualify candidates. He confirmed receiving complaints, including from PT Usha, and stated that he acted promptly by issuing advisories to all SOMs, despite the complaints arriving on Diwali night, just hours before voting. He emphasized that any punitive action falls under the purview of other authorities like the IOA's Ethics Committee.
Jenny, a resident of Assam, has reignited a nearly 23-year-old controversy by reiterating rape allegations against former Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat, demanding a fresh CBI investigation and a DNA test for her son. Rawat has denied the claims, citing a previous CBI clean chit, and threatened defamation suits against those making or supporting the allegations, including Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The case has stirred political circles ahead of upcoming assembly polls.
Rishabh Pant gets another opportunity to clear his fitness test on November 9 and join India A for the New Zealand warm-up game ahead of the two-Test series.
Two-time Olympic-medallist PV Sindhu has been named chairperson of the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) Athletes' Commission, with Indian men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh as vice-chairperson. Star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and swimmer Sajan Prakash were elected as athlete representatives to the IOA General Body. All appointments were unopposed, meaning no elections were held for these posts. These athletes will serve a four-year tenure from 2026-2030 and will be part of the IOA's executive council.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear petitions challenging Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. This provision grants blanket immunity from civil and criminal prosecution to current and former CECs and ECs for actions taken in their official capacity. Petitioners argue this immunity is unconstitutional and broader than that afforded to other high-ranking officials, potentially undermining accountability.
New Zealand secured a seven-wicket consolation victory over India in the fifth and final Twenty20 international in Hamilton. Tim Seifert's explosive 93 and Glenn Phillips' unbeaten 65, which set a new bilateral T20I series batting record, powered the Black Caps to chase down India's target of 192. Despite the loss, India won the series 3-2.
Three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured, one critically, after two heavily armed terrorists opened fire at a CRPF post in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. Security agencies suspect the involvement of Mohammed Lateef Bhat, a local commander of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit.
Delhi Police has transferred another case against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to the Crime Branch, bringing the total to two cases. The leaders were detained on October 13 for trespassing at Jantar Mantar, a denotified protest site, and were later sent to judicial custody.
Social media erupted with memes and witty one-liners featuring Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following Donald Trump's Republican Party's significant losses in the US mid-term polls. These memes humorously suggested Kumar's intervention could have prevented Trump's defeat, drawing parallels to an ongoing "vote chori" controversy in India. The widespread losses for Trump's party were attributed to public anger over his policies.
Indian stock markets extended their rally for the fifth consecutive day, with the Sensex climbing nearly 384 points to close above 77,000, driven by foreign fund inflows, easing crude oil prices, and improved global sentiment following the US midterm election results.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi encouraged attendees of the INDIA bloc's rally in Delhi to shop locally for Diwali, countering BJP's "rumours" about business disruption. The rally, scheduled for Sunday at Ramlila Maidan, aims to protest alleged electoral irregularities and demand the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation, drawing support from various groups across the country.
The Indian government has announced significant relaxations in passport and visa regulations for various foreign nationals residing in the country. These amendments, outlined in the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026, benefit specific Pakistani citizens, minority refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, Sri Lankan Tamils, Tibetans, and people of Indian origin from Malaysia/Singapore. The new rules also streamline travel protocols for Indian, Nepalese, and Bhutanese citizens travelling between their respective nations, and provide exemptions for military personnel and foreign military vessel crews.
Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) is undertaking a significant redevelopment of its ageing Terminal 1, commissioned in 1964, due to structural and safety concerns. This project aims to increase passenger-handling capacity and upgrade infrastructure. To facilitate construction, 11 international airlines will temporarily shift some services to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from March 2027, while 39 major international carriers will continue operating from CSMIA's Terminal 2, ensuring minimal disruption to most international passenger traffic. The redeveloped Terminal 1 is targeted to be operational by March 2029.
In her memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', Sonia Gandhi describes the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as a 'tragic and shameful' chapter. She asserts that Rajiv Gandhi, despite being thrust into a moment of governmental failure, was inherently just and compassionate and could not have authorised the heinous acts. Gandhi also discusses the delay in army deployment and the ongoing struggle for justice for victims, noting that cases continue to drag on in courts.
A Mumbai court has ordered the release of two Chhattisgarh residents arrested in a cryptocurrency investment fraud case, declaring their arrest "illegal" due to police not following mandatory procedures. The magistrate also directed the DCP to take action against the investigating agency for lapses, highlighting violations of BNSS sections and the failure to obtain transit remand.
Buyers need to assess whether an OPD policy offers them enough usable benefits to justify the additional premium.
Senior IPS officer Prashakha Mathur has been placed on awaiting posting orders (APO) by the Rajasthan government. This action follows similar measures against her husband, IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal, who is under an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigation for alleged irregularities in the purchase of 40 villas and cottages. Mathur also has some of these properties registered in her name. The ACB alleges Agrawal misused his position to benefit a private company from which the properties were bought at undervalued prices.
India has lost 23 nationals in the ongoing conflict in West Asia, including 15 Indian seafarers, while five Indian nationals have been killed in attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea region and two others remain missing, ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday.
The nomination papers of all 12 candidates, including Olympic medallists PV Sindhu and Mirabai Chanu, for the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) Athletes Commission election were found valid on Thursday after scrutiny. The election for 10 members of the commission for the 20262030 term is scheduled for November 3.
In Mumbai, 24-carat gold was priced at Rs 1.49 lakh per 10 gm, while 22-carat gold was at Rs 137,500.
The Election Commission has suspended two electoral registration officers (EROs) in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, for alleged irregularities in the electoral roll. The EC also directed the addition of a penal provision to an existing FIR against them and a computer operator. This action follows complaints from opposition parties about large-scale manipulation and an inquiry revealing misuse of login IDs for voter detail changes without proper documentation.
New Delhi experienced its worst air quality in 287 days on Tuesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 350 and several monitoring stations reporting 'severe' pollution levels. PM2.5 was identified as the dominant pollutant, posing significant health risks. The city has been placed under Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan, with stubble burning and transport emissions being major contributors to the deteriorating air quality.
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Tuesday dismissed concerns about the stability of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government. His comments came after MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi resigned from the party, citing abandonment of key election promises, and amid reports of internal differences following a recent Cabinet expansion. Choudhary asserted the government's strength and criticised the BJP.
Kane Williamson revealed that a heartfelt conversation with Virat Kohli a day before retiring helped him find clarity, reassess his motivation and walk away after 16 years.
The South Coast Railway Zone has a set up a 24/7 war room and cancelled 53 trains in preparation for the approaching very severe cyclonic storm 'Arnab'.
Virat Kohli has surprisingly named his 43-run innings against England in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy final as his most cherished ODI knock, prioritising it over numerous iconic centuries and match-winning performances.
