Authorities continue evacuating stranded pilgrims from areas around Dharali village in Uttarkashi, focusing on air rescue and relief operations due to damaged roads. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is overseeing the efforts, with central government support.
Observing that persons regardless of popularity are equal before the law, the Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled the bail granted to actor Darshan and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday asked fintech firms to focus on risk management at a time when criminals are using AI to mimic voices, clone identities and create lifelike videos to manipulate people.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday slapped an additional 25 per cent tariff on goods coming from India as penalty for New Delhi's continued buying of Russian oil.
Amid an uptick in Covid cases in some parts of the country, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Rajiv Behl said the severity of infections as of now is generally mild and there was no cause for worry. Speaking about new Covid variants being traced, he said genome sequencing of samples in the west and south have shown that the new variants are not severe and are Omicron sub-variants. These are LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB. 1.8.1. The first three are more prevalent, Dr Behl said. "Samples from other places are being sequenced and we will know in a day or two if there are more variants." The ICMR DG said there has been an uptick in cases --first from the south, then west and now from northern India. All these cases are being monitored through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). Besides that, ICMR's nationwide respiratory virus sentinel surveillance network is keeping a watch on emerging infections and pathogens, he said. "Whenever cases increase, we look at three things. It's dependent on three factors with the first being how transmissible it is, conversely how fast the cases are increasing. Previously we saw Covid cases double in two days, but this time it is not that cases are increasing rapidly. "Secondly, are the new variants evading our previous immunity? When new variants come, they evade immunity -- be it natural or from the vaccine. But there's nothing to worry about at the moment," Dr Behl said. He also said that the third factor is the percentage of severe cases in all Covid instances. "Are we getting a very severe disease without comorbidities? As of now, the severity is generally low. There's nothing to worry about. We should be vigilant and we should always be prepared," the ICMR DG asserted. Dr Behl also informed reporters that the Union Health secretary chaired a meeting on Sunday that was also attended by the director general of health services and himself. "We have been closely monitoring the situation. We should be vigilant at this moment, but there is no cause to worry. The general public should be vigilant. There is no need to take any such action as of now," he said. The officer added that the WHO database has been showing that the new variants were not causing severe disease. "People do not need to take any immediate action. They should follow normal precautions. So, there is nothing special to do right now." Asked about the need for a booster dose, he said there is no need for vaccination as of now. "India has the capability to make vaccines and if need be, we can make any vaccine in no time."
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that senior IPS officer Pronab Mohanty, who is heading the SIT probing the allegations of mass burials in Dharmasthala, will be replaced if he goes on central government duty.
The Centre on Saturday night announced that the probe into alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET will be handed over to the CBI for a comprehensive investigation.
'Today, the biggest challenge is the large number of weapons that are out within both communities. Related to this, is the minds of both communities. Today, there's so much (hatred) against each other. '
The DG said the maximum of four teams of the NDRF have been positioned in Kutch district and the Gujarat government has done an in-depth evacuation exercise as part of which fishing boats have been anchored, big ships have been sent to the high seas so that they are not affected by the tidal waves, more than 4,000 hoarding have been taken down so that they don't become deadly flying objects as strong winds blow.
The Director General of Bangladesh's Border Guard (BGB), Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, has denied reports of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024, calling them "exaggerated." He cited the peaceful celebration of Durga Puja as evidence and pointed to the security provided by BGB to minority communities. The BGB also raised objections to India's fencing along the border during the bi-annual talks with the BSF.
Bharat Adivasi Party MLA Jaikrishn Patel was arrested by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Rajasthan on Sunday for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 20 lakh to drop three questions in the state Assembly. The ACB claims to have audio and video evidence to prove that the MLA had demanded and taken the bribe. The party has said it will take action against the MLA if his involvement is found.
A timeline of events related to the investigation of the Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad, including investigation initiation, black box recovery, and safety measures taken.
The government is considering initiating a probe by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) against Gensol Engineering and its promoters, according to sources familiar with the matter. "It is under consideration at this stage. A final decision will be taken soon," a government official said.
Defence attaches of several major countries who are part of many international groupings, as also of several Islamic countries attended the briefing, sources said.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has announced the formation of a special CoBRA battalion for counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. This decision comes 17 years after the jungle warfare unit was established to combat Naxal insurgency. The new battalion, directed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, will be deployed in forested areas of Jammu and Kashmir, including the Jammu region, where recent terrorist incidents have occurred. CoBRA units are known for their specialized jungle warfare and guerilla tactics training, and the new battalion will be equipped with modern weaponry, communication, and surveillance equipment.
His father Prakash Singh, who is known for introducing several police reforms and has been awarded Padma Shri as well, had served as the BSF DG from 1993-94.
He is the country's tenth NSA, but it is for the first time that a serving ISI chief has been given the task to serve concurrently in the two key positions.
The Congress on Sunday cited the reported comments of India's defence attache to Indonesia that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and accused the government of having 'misled' the country.
'Earlier, the NTSB was actively flagging technical issues with Boeing. But now, the narrative is shifting toward 'human error'.' 'That term is often misunderstood -- it could mean pilots, engineers, refueling staff -- anyone.' 'But this framing ('human error') conveniently steers the conversation away from mechanical or design faults.'
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to release its preliminary report this week on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which resulted in the deaths of at least 260 people. The investigation is ongoing, with the help of foreign experts, and the black box and voice recorder data are being analyzed.
Khan said the events of May 9, 2023, in which military installations were targeted, were in fact a part of the "London Plan"- the sole purpose of which was to "eliminate Pakistan's largest political force, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf".
In trying to portray a globally sanctioned terrorist as a 'common man', Pakistan was exposed when its top official publically outed crucial details about Hafiz Abdul Rauf, including his national identity number which matched details in the database of the United States sanction list of terrorists.
Asthana is the 27th chief of the force and is expected to hold office till July next year, his scheduled date for retirement from service.
For the 17 people who perished in a blaze near the historic Charminar in Hyderabad on Sunday, the house located in a tunnel-like alley with a narrow entrance and staircase proved to be the death trap as it prevented them from escaping to safety.
Director General (prisons) Sandeep Goel has been transferred from Tihar Jail in New Delhi, days after jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar alleged the extortion of Rs 10 crore for protection in prison.
Fair trade regulator CCI on Thursday ordered a probe against Google and its affiliates for alleged unfair business practices with respect to listing of real money gaming apps on Play Store. While passing the order, CCI said the "the Commission directs the Director General ('DG') to cause an investigation to be made into the matter under the provisions of Section 26(1) of the Act".
Asthana is at present working as the Director General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security in New Delhi.
Deven Bharti, a veteran IPS officer with experience in high-profile cases including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has assumed charge as the new commissioner of Mumbai police. He emphasized the importance of effective policing, citizen engagement, and combating cybercrime as key priorities for his tenure. Bharti, known for his investigative skills, previously served in various roles within the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.
Consumer rights regulator CCPA has ordered a detailed probe into complaints related to alleged "deficiencies" in services and electric two-wheelers manufactured by Ola Electric. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) headed by Nidhi Khare has directed the Director General (Investigation), who is also head of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), to investigate this matter.
He said 162 terrorists and Maoists were killed across the country in 2021-22.
The company will supply the drug to major government as well as private hospitals across India, Dr Reddy's said in a regulatory filing.
The drug comes in powder form in a sachet, which is taken orally by dissolving it in water. It accumulates in the virus-infected cells and prevents virus growth by stopping viral synthesis and energy production.
Taking possession without an OC can lead to legal complications, denial of utilities such as water and electricity, hurdles in availing home loans or reselling the property, and even eviction.
He said the force, which guards over 6,300 km of India's land border with Pakistan in the west and Bangladesh on the east, is faced by four main challenges on the security front.
A blaze triggered by a suspected short circuit in a building near the iconic Charminar here on Sunday left 17 people dead, with a majority of them being children.
Small Chinese-made drones, carrying narcotics in 95 per cent cases, are flying over from across the border into Punjab and Jammu regions and these flights are a "cause of concern" for which technology solutions are being scouted actively, BSF director general (DG) Pankaj Kumar Singh said on Tuesday.
According to the railway ministry, this non-lethal yet effective tool will help women RPF personnel tackle challenging situations swiftly, particularly while safeguarding female passengers travelling alone or with children to ensure their safer train journeys.
The DG-level border talks between India and Bangladesh, scheduled to be held in Delhi next month, have been postponed following a change in plan by the neighbouring country, official sources said on Friday.
BSF director general (DG) Pankaj Kumar Singh on Tuesday said that the "demographic balance" has been upset in border-states like Assam and West Bengal over a period of time and that was probably the reason that the Centre recently extended the force's jurisdiction.
Maheshwari, 59, the chief of the country's largest paramilitary force with a strength of about 3.25 lakh personnel, his predecessor and senior security advisor in the Union Home Ministry K Vijay Kumar, 67, and about two dozen officials in this chain have gone into self-quarantine after the doctor was found infected on April 2.
