Bharat Rakshaya Mancha Holds Shastra Pujan At Ram Mandir In Bhubaneswar

Youths showcase martial arts and self-defence skills; leaders stress cultural pride

Political Tensions Rise Over PCA Land Deal in Punjab

Punjab BJP raises concerns over a land scam linked to the PCA, demanding an investigation into alleged corruption involving AAP leaders. Political Tensions Rise Over PCA Land Deal in Punjab

Delhi police detain Neha Bora at Mandi House

Ankita Bhandari Case: Cong Seva Dal Holds Candle March, Demands Justice

Carrying candles and raising slogans demanding justice, participants emphasised that the concerns of Ankita Bhandari's family must be addressed and that every relevant allegation must be examined fairly.

Sand lorry owners protest demanding reopening of sand quarries

Seva Dal Marches For Ankita Bhandari, Seeks Impartial Probe

The Congress' Seva Dal organised a candle march in New Delhi, demanding justice for Ankita Bhandari, who was murdered in Uttarakhand in 2022. The protest called for an impartial investigation and accountability, especially regarding allegations against BJP's Dushyant Gautam, whose recent appointment as Sikkim Governor has drawn criticism from the Congress.

Land, funding hurdles hamper Ayushman Arogya Mandir expansion, affecting primary healthcare access in slum areas

In slum settlements such as Peeragarhi Camp in West Delhi, where the government has no land or permanent structures to set up Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, residents continue to struggle for access to primary healthcare

AISA President Neha Bora Detained Ahead of Lehra Do Tiranga Protest

AISA president Neha Bora was detained by Delhi Police near Mandi House on Friday while heading to the Cockroach Janata Partys Lehra Do Tiranga protest.

Nabarangpur: Retd. Teacher, Ex-Clerk Get 4-Yr RI in Pension Bribery Case

The Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Jayapur, convicted a former junior clerk and a retired primary school teacher on Friday for demanding and accepting a bribe from a widow to facilitate the sanction of her late husbands family pension. The convicts have been identified as Tapan Kumar Khosla, former Junior Clerk at the office of [] The post Nabarangpur: Retd. Teacher, Ex-Clerk Get 4-Yr RI in Pension Bribery Case appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .

'Once again, an abduction': Aides claim Neha Bora taken to unknown location by cops

AISA chief Neha Bora was detained by Delhi Police while heading to a protest, and was taken to an unknown location. CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke was also detained at his residence shortly before the protest. Police stated the situation remained peaceful despite the detentions and heightened security in the capital. Hundreds of protesters gathered at Connaught Place and Mandi House, waving national flags.

The Elephant Ownership Exception: A History of Protection and Possession

In 1963, private forest owners in Malabar challenged provisions of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961 (Act IV of 1962). The question before the Court was whether the State could deprive forest owners of their existing right to capture and own elephants found on their land. In Kuppathode Madhavan Nair v State of Kerala (1963), the Kerala High Court sided with the owners. Applying common-law principles inherited from the colonial period, it held that ownership of land conferred a qualified right over wild animals found there ( ratione soli ), including the right to capture them and claim them as private property. Within a decade, the Indian Parliament would enact a national conservation law and the Constitution would soon expressly recognise duties towards forests, wildlife ( Article 48A ) and living creatures ( Article 51A(g) ). Even though the elephants legal status would change profoundly as both a Schedule I animal in law and a National Heritage Animal, a symbol of the country itself, the owners place in her life would prove much harder to dislodge. Elephants, forests and capture The Malabar litigation belonged to a much longer history in which protecting elephants and putting them to work were closely connected. In Elephants and Kings: An Environmental History (2015), Thomas R. Trautmann, a historian and anthropologist, explains how the military value of elephants gave Indian rulers an interest in preserving wild populations and the forests that sustained them, even as they continued to capture individual animals. Academic Natasha Nongbris 2003 study of nineteenth-century Northeast India shows how colonial authorities regulated capture of elephants through licences, leased grounds and royalties. The forest was not simply a place where elephants lived. It was also the source of successive generations taken into captivity. Preserving wild elephant populations and capturing individual animals became part of the same policy which gave birth to the Elephant Preservation Act, 1879, a national law modelled on the regional Madras Wild Elephant Preservation Act, 1873. It was arguably the first national law on Elephants in British India enacted with the ostensive realisation that a live elephant was more valuable than dead. The policy as preservation, not conservation, was instrumentalised to preserve the source the elephant in the forest, to allow for its simultaneous extraction from it to feed the rising demand for captive elephants. Among the important establishments in this system were Dacca, now Dhaka, and Mysore , both associated with khedda operations in which wild elephants were driven into stockades and subdued with the help of trained elephants. The Dacca establishment drew upon the Garo Hills and other northeastern forests, while the Mysore operations captured elephants from the forests of southern India. These regional systems of capture existed alongside wider networks of trade. The Sonpur fair in Bihar , already an important elephant market in the nineteenth century, connected elephants captured in the Northeast with buyers from elsewhere in India. Against this background of an extensive elephant trade, the forest-owning timber merchants in Kuppathode Madhavan Nair asserted their right to capture elephants and put them to work within a legal order that still accepted their removal into human service. The shift in constitutional law The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 introduced a national framework for conservation, prohibiting the hunting of the most protected species. Yet the elephants initial classification revealed how much of the older world remained. She appeared in Schedule II, Part I as special game, whose hunting which included capture could be licensed, while Section 2(6) included domestic elephants, curiously for a wildlife law, in its definition of cattle. The changes of the next five years gave the law a different direction. The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976 , passed during the Emergency, is remembered for weakening fundamental rights and curbing the powers of the courts. Yet it left a curious and enduring legacy in the protection of the environment and animals. Even during the darkest period of Indira Gandhis leadership, her concern for the natural world found expression in the Constitution. The amendment inserted Article 48A, directing the State to protect the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife, and Article 51A(g), making it the duty of every citizen to protect the natural environment and to have compassion for living creatures. These duties gave constitutional weight to the responsibilities we owe to the non-human world. In October 1977, months after these provisions took effect, the elephant was elevated to Schedule I , bringing her capture within the highest level of statutory protection. In 1986, amid growing concern over the killing of elephants for their tusks, Parliament prohibited domestic trade in Indian elephant ivory. In 1991, following stronger international restrictions under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna, it extended the prohibition to imported ivory, which traders had been using as a cover for selling ivory from poached Indian elephants . That year, Parliament also removed the Acts definition of cattle, which had included domestic elephants. It introduced livestock in its place, expressly excluding protected wild animals. Yet these changes did not bring private ownership of elephants to an end. Under Sections 4042, people in lawful possession of elephants could declare them to the authorities and obtain certificates recognising their ownership after an inquiry. Even as the law strengthened protection for elephants and restricted the trade in their ivory, it continued to recognise that a living elephant could remain someones property. The 2002 amendment: live elephant ownership exception and the prohibition on sale A 2002 amendment to the Act (which became effective from 2003) tightened restrictions on private ownership of protected captive animals. However, it expressly exempted live elephants. Although the newly introduced Section 43 prohibited transfers for any commercial consideration, a person could still acquire an elephant and pass her to another owner with the necessary permissions. This left an opening for sales disguised as gifts. In the years that followed, animal protection organisations documented how this distinction enabled trade to continue. At the Sonpur Mela in Bihar, where elephants had long been bought and sold, transactions were now presented as gifts. Researchers even recorded owners carrying blank gift deeds to transfer possession. These practices formed part of the challenge brought to the Supreme Court in 2014 by the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC) and others in W.P.(C) No. 743 of 2014. Still pending twelve years later, the WRRC case has become a central proceeding through which the Court supervises the treatment and regulation of captive elephants. Although the Court imposed no blanket prohibition, the continuing proceedings, notices to forest departments in every State with captive elephants, and numerous interim orders largely halted the trade. These included a nationwide census and checks on ownership certificates , welfare inspections at tourist resorts in Goa , and an order blocking Keralas attempt to regularise 289 elephants held without ownership certificates and restraining their transfer. The Courts scrutiny of ownership papers and transfers had made the trade harder to carry on. A 2021 case in Guwahati High Court confirmed the concerns raised by WRRC before the Supreme Court in 2014. In April 2021, forest officials at Doomdooma in Assams Tinsukia district intercepted two elephants travelling from Arunachal Pradesh to Odisha, ostensibly for religious purposes. Their investigation went beyond the ownership certificates and transport permissions. In a recorded statement, the claimed owner described bank payments of 9 lakh and 17 lakh from an intermediary who had also arranged the documents. He could not identify the receiving religious institution. In State of Assam v. Sri Chow Sonjit Pomong (2021), the Gauhati High Court found prima facie evidence of a commercial sale and set aside the order releasing the elephants to the claimed owner while the investigation continued. The elephants were reported to be in the Forest Departments custody at Kaziranga National Park. The 2022 amendment: religious and other purposes In December 2021, the Central Government introduced the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 , which went considerably further than the amendment eventually enacted. It proposed exempting transfers of live elephants by ownership certificate holders from Section 43 altogether, subject to government permission and prescribed conditions. This would have removed the prohibition on commercial transfers for those elephants, allowing them to be openly bought and sold again. The pressure for change came particularly from Kerala, where temple authorities and private elephant owners associations were seeking easier acquisition and interstate transfer of elephants. In my view, the elephant provision in the 2022 amendment must be understood as an attempt to loosen the practical restraints that the Supreme Courts scrutiny in the WRRC case had helped impose. Following objections from conservation and animal protection organisations, the Parliamentary Standing Committee chaired by Jairam Ramesh recommended deleting this proposal. In April 2022, it suggested a narrower provision allowing transfers of existing captive elephants for religious institutions, with additional safeguards. The version Parliament ultimately enacted extended this to transfers for a religious or any other purpose , subject to conditions prescribed by the Central Government. The prohibition on commercial consideration remained. Non-commercial transfers were already possible under the elephant exception introduced in 2002. An amendment was therefore unnecessary merely to allow an elephant to pass from one private owner to another as a gift. In this respect, the new provision largely reaffirmed the existing position, while creating a specific framework for central rules governing transfers . Its practical significance lay in giving renewed statutory backing to transfers at a time when litigation and enforcement had made them increasingly difficult. The words any other purpose were particularly troubling because they offered no meaningful limit of their own. For those of us who had worked to curb the use of elephants for begging, entertainment, circuses and timber logging, the concern was that this broad wording could encourage attempts to revive practices we had spent years challenging. The safeguards governing these transfers consequently became crucial. On March 14, 2024, fifteen months after the amendment, the government notified the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules (2024 Rules). These attempted to place meaningful safeguards around a difficult accommodation. By limiting transfers to elephants whose ownership certificates predated the Rules and to their offspring, and by requiring registration of genetic profiles, they offered a means of confining transfers to an identifiable population already lawfully in captivity. Read together, these provisions seek to break the logic of the khedda , in which the forest continually supplied elephants for human use. Putting this into practice is a demanding exercise. The State must build a reliable genetic record of the captive population, then verify each claimed captive birth through a DNA match with the mother and records establishing that she was lawfully held. Each new addition must be traceable to this legally recognised population, closing off the forest as a continuing source of captive elephants. Yet the government was still struggling to identify the population it sought to regulate. In August 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change placed the proceedings of the Captive Elephant Healthcare and Welfare Committee (formed under Project Elephant) for the month of February before the Supreme Court in the WRRC case . These recorded that the profiling exercise remained incomplete and that, among 2,075 samples analysed, 40.5 per cent of elephants had unknown origins and 25.4 per cent were documented as wild-caught. Nearly two-thirds therefore fell into these two categories. The continuing exception These concerns have become urgent with the September 2026 movement of five young elephants from Assam to Tamil Nadu temples: Durga, Rupsing, Shiva, Hiralal and Bijuli. More than fifty organisations have sought an independent investigation into their origins, ownership documents and the possibility of sales disguised as gifts. The pace of the transfers shows how readily decisions that will shape decades of an elephants life can be made while fundamental questions remain publicly unanswered. In my account of Durgas transfer , the sequence from the request for a health certificate to her departure from Manas took three days. Her ownership certificate was issued in October 2025, after the 2024 Rules came into effect, so her transfer depended on a claimed captive birth to a mother covered by them, yet her mothers identity and lawful captive status remained publicly unverified. A five-year-old elephant is not a remnant of pre-conservation law; she is another generation entering a system that can determine almost her entire future. These journeys follow years of large transfers from the Northeast to Vantara in Jamnagar, where reporting in 2024 documented convoys coming in from Arunachal Pradesh and the private wildlife facility hosting more than 200 elephants. Vantara describes its work as rescue and rehabilitation, and in September 2025 the Supreme Court accepted an investigation reporting no legal violations. Its transfers and those to temples have different stated purposes, but their scale raises a very important question: how should a constitutional commitment to wildlife, and to compassion for living creatures, govern the continuing movement and concentration of elephants in human institutions? Elephants leaving the Northeast in convoys is not very dissimilar from the old geography of the khedda , when the forests of the Garo Hills supplied elephants to distant establishments and markets. Trautmann and Nongbri show that the forest sustained a system in which wild populations were protected in part because they supplied animals for capture. The question is whether the modern ownership regime has truly broken that relationship. In his Study on Illegal Sale and Transfer of Live Elephants from Assam , Chaturbhuja Behera, then a regional official of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, described illegal sales and transfers, accounts of wild calves being captured, and weaknesses in records used to establish captive birth. Findings such as this make it difficult to treat an ownership certificate, by itself, as an answer to where a young elephant came from. The 2024 Rules thus return us to the contradiction the law has carried since 1972. Once again, the government is trying to make its core commitment to protection coexist with private ownership, a relationship that subordinates an elephants life to the purposes of her owner. The safeguards are necessary, but they cannot resolve that contradiction while the exception is effectively allowing institutions to replenish their captive populations for generations to come. The demand for young elephants must be supplied from somewhere. The historical answer is in front of us: it is the forest. The forest is the breeding ground from which elephants have long been taken to replenish captivity. The exception leaves open the route by which demand for elephants in captivity can be met through illegal capture in the wild, disguised as captive-born. More than sixty years after the Malabar owners defended their right to capture elephants for timber in Kerala High Court, the law is yet to confront the continuity between that older system and the present one.

The Agitation In India Demanding Resignation Of Gyanesh Kumar

A tidal wave or a tsunami seems to be sweeping all over India with a single demand: the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, who is regarded as a stooge of the ruling BJP, must resign or be sacked for allegedly having deleted the names of 13 million voters (who, it is believed, would have voted against the BJP) from the electoral rolls unilaterally through a special intensive revision (SIR), thus totally undermining democracy in India.

TN aided college Professor suspended on charges of demanding 1 lakh from research student

Abhijeet Dipke, Neha Bora detained on way to 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protest

While Dipke was picked up from his home in Jhandewalan, Bora was detained in Mandi House, both in Central Delhi

Srinagar Officer Arrested For Bribery

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a ward officer of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 to allow renovation work. The arrest followed a complaint and a successful trap operation.

Britain plans a world-first mission to capture and dispose of dead satellites

Britain plans to launch a spacecraft in 2029 to capture and remove two dead satellites. Space debris travelling at more than 17,000mph can damage satellites supporting GPS, weather forecasts and communications. The 61 million mission could help British companies develop technology for a growing satellite servicing industry. Britain is preparing to tackle the growing problem of space junk with a robotic spacecraft designed to capture and remove two dead satellites, in a mission aimed at protecting the technology behind GPS, weather forecasts and communications. The UK's Active Debris Removal (UK ADR) mission is scheduled to launch in 2029 from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland. The spacecraft will approach two defunct UK-registered satellites, capture them using robotic technology and guide them towards Earth's atmosphere, where they are expected to burn up. The UK Space Agency has appointed ClearSpace UK to lead the mission under a 61 million contract. The project is being presented as a world-first national mission of this kind, with the spacecraft designed to remove more than one satellite during a single operation. The challenge is becoming harder to ignore. Space around Earth contains growing quantities of discarded satellites, rocket parts and other debris. Objects travelling at speeds exceeding 17,000mph can cause serious damage if they collide with functioning spacecraft. Thousands of active satellites support services used on Earth every day, from navigation and mobile communications to weather forecasting and national security. A collision that damages one of these satellites could disrupt services far beyond the space industry itself. A growing risk above Earth Satellites are often left in orbit when they run out of fuel or develop faults that make them unusable. Unlike rubbish on the ground, debris in space cannot simply be collected and taken away. Capturing an old satellite is technically difficult because it was not designed to be approached, held or moved by another spacecraft. The UK ADR mission is intended to demonstrate how that problem could be addressed. The spacecraft will need to locate each target, approach it safely and capture it before guiding it towards a lower orbit for disposal. The technology is being developed with future missions in mind. The spacecraft is intended to be refuellable, potentially allowing similar systems to support further operations rather than being discarded after a single use. Space Minister Liz Lloyd said the mission would help protect the satellites that underpin everyday life, from keeping people connected to providing accurate weather forecasts and supporting national security. The project also fits into Britain's wider space strategy, which identifies in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing as priority areas. These technologies could eventually allow satellites to be repaired or refuelled in space, extending their working lives and reducing the need to replace them. A new market for British space companies The government hopes the mission will do more than remove two satellites. It is also intended to build British expertise in robotic capture, spacecraft navigation and the complex manoeuvres needed to approach objects in orbit. The UK Space Agency is working with ClearSpace UK and suppliers across the country to develop the technology. ClearSpace UK managing director Rob Atchison said the next stage would involve designing, building and testing a spacecraft capable of safely approaching an object that was never designed to be captured. The work could create opportunities for specialist engineers and companies involved in robotics, spacecraft systems, guidance and mission operations. The potential market extends beyond debris removal. In-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing, collectively known as ISAM, could allow companies to repair satellites, replenish fuel and carry out other work in space. Analysts have predicted that the sector could grow into a billion-dollar industry over the coming decade. The UK's space industry was valued at 18.6 billion and supported more than 55,000 jobs, according to the government's 2024 industry assessment. The mission is intended to help British companies build the expertise needed to compete in this emerging market. However, the immediate task remains a demanding one. The spacecraft must be designed, tested and launched before it can demonstrate that multiple defunct satellites can be safely removed in a single mission. If successful, the project could provide a foundation for further debris-removal operations and other services that help keep Earth's orbital environment usable as satellite numbers increase.

Abhijeet Dipke, Neha Bohra Detained Ahead of Tiranga Protest in Delhi

Dipke was detained from his Jhandewalan residence and Bohra from Mandi House amid heightened security in Delhi ahead of the Lehra Do Tiranga protest at Connaught Place.

INDIA bloc plans statewide protests, calls for Gyanesh Kumar

Bengaluru: The INDIA bloc parties in Karnataka have decided to launch a coordinated statewide campaign under the slogan Save Votes, Save the Country, opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The decision was taken at a state-level meeting held at the Legislators Home Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Ajaz Khan on Imran Khan being asked to leave India: I consider him to be an American

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Oct 16 (IANS) Actor Ajaz Khan has reacted to Imran Khan being asked to leave India after he recently attended a protest in Mumbai. While speaking exclusively to IANS, Ajaz said that given that Imran has an American citizenship, he considers to him to be an American. Imran Khan has taken American citizenship. I will consider him American, he said. Ajaz added that if Imran had participated in the protest as an Indian citizen, it would not have been an issue. When asked, Do you think it is right that he participated in the protest after becoming an American citizen?, he told IANS, If he had an Indian passport and went to protest, there would have been no problem. Now I have also come to know that he has American citizenship, which is wrong. I hate America, and I hate Elon Musk. Ajaz further talked about the ongoing Starlink controversy. He expressed his support for Prime Minister Narendra Malhotra's decision, calling it a matter of National security. It is a matter of India's security, and India's security should be the first priority for the Prime Minister, he shared. Talking about Imran, he was directed by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to leave India by October 28 over his allegedly unlawful participation in the recent August Kranti Maidan protests, demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The FRRO mentioned in its order that Imran allegedly violated the Foreigners Act by participating in the protest, as he is not an Indian citizen, but is an Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI). Additionally, on October 13, BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya approached the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and immigration authorities, urging them to issue a Look Out Circular (LOC) against the 'Delhi Belly' actor. Imran now reportedly plans to file a Writ Petition in the Bombay High Court against the notice from FRRO.

Do not try to bulldoze Parliament: Mallikarjun Kharge writes 4th letter to PM Modi demanding all-party meeting on delimitation proposals

Raising procedural and constitutional concerns, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has written a fourth letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an immediate all-party meeting to discuss proposals on delimitation before they are finalised and brought to Parliament. In his letter sent on Friday, Kharge flagged what he described as an unprecedented 64-day gap since the Monsoon Session was adjourned sine die on August 13 without being formally prorogued, and cautioned the government against pushing through far-reaching constitutional amendments without consensus. It has already been 64 days since the Monsoon Session of Parliament was adjourned sine die on August 13, 2026 and both Houses of Parliament are yet to be prorogued. This scenario is unprecedented, wrote Kharge. When Parliament adjourns sine die, a session is suspended indefinitely without setting a day for reconvening. However, the formal ending of a session requires an of...

BJP govt. at the Centre undermining constitutional values, rights of people: Kanimozhi

She was participating in a protest at Rajarathinam Stadium in Chennai, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the revocation of the SIR

CBI Arrests Srinagar Municipal Officer in Bribery Case

A Srinagar municipal officer was arrested by the CBI for demanding a bribe to allow home repairs. The agency urges citizens to report corruption. CBI Arrests Srinagar Municipal Officer in Bribery Case

iPad mini 2026 rumors: Release date, OLED display, specs and price

Macworld For those who need a premium small-screen tablet, the iPad mini is a popular choice. But should you buy one now, or should you wait to see what Apple has in store for the next model? Most buyers should wait if they can. Bloombergs Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans to announce the next iPad mini on October 27 , with an OLED display and A20 Pro chip expected. Even more recent reporting points to an Apple media experience in Los Angeles on October 28 . This experience doesnt necessarily mean that Apple has moved the announcement back a day, it could allow journalists hands-on time with products announced on October 27. The iPad mini is among the rumored products, but its inclusion is unconfirmed. Heres what the latest rumors say about the release date, key upgrades, and whether its worth waiting. iPad mini 7 vs iPad mini 8 comparison Feature Current iPad mini Next iPad mini rumors Release October 2024 October 27 announcement reported Chip A17 Pro A20 Pro expected Display 8.3-inch LCD OLED, possibly 8.5 inches Design Current design Similar design, possibly slimmer bezels Water resistance No official rating Improved resistance rumoured Wireless Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread expected Cellular modem Qualcomm Apple C1X expected Cameras 12MP front and rear 12MP rear and front cameras likely; landscape front-camera position expected Apple Intelligence Supported Supported, with faster AI performance Price From $599 (was $499) Near $799 reported; unconfirmed. Biggest upgrade OLED display, faster chip and newer connectivity 2026iPad mini release date: When will the new iPad mini launch? Expected announcement: October 27, 2026, according to Bloomberg; unconfirmed Bloombergs Mark Gurman reported on October 8 that Apple plans to announce the new iPad mini on October 27 , alongside new Macs. Gurman had reported in July 2026 that Apple was targeting October for the OLED iPad mini release. Although a September report grouped the device among products expected in late 2026 or early 2027. The newer evidence points back toward an imminent launch. In September, MacRumors saw a leak from Apples own code, that included references to the unreleased iPad mini, along with product imagery showing some of its new features. That report said the presence of these assets suggests the device is likely to launch soon and noted that Gurman expects the new iPad mini to arrive by the end of October. That would fit Apples recent iPad mini schedule: the current A17 Pro model was announced in October 2024. However, Apple has not confirmed an event or release date, so an October launch should still be treated as an expectation rather than a certainty. 2026iPad mini chip: Performance and specs A20 Pro chip expected C1X modem expected on cellular models N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread expected The next iPad mini now looks likely to make a much bigger processor jump than previously expected. According to information discovered in Apples own code by MacRumors in September 2026, the new iPad mini is set to use the A20 Pro chip introduced with the iPhone 18 Pro. That supersedes earlier evidence pointing to the A19 Pro. In August 2025, MacRumors reported that Apple code appeared to identify an A19 Pro-powered iPad mini, and that remained the leading expectation for much of 2026. The newer leak is more recent and specifically identifies the upcoming model with the A20 Pro, making that the strongest indication of Apples current plans. Apple has not officially announced the device, however, so its final specifications are not confirmed. Moving from the A17 Pro to the A20 Pro would represent a major performance upgrade. The newer chip should bring substantially faster CPU and graphics performance, along with more capable on-device AI processing for Apple Intelligence, gaming, photo editing and other demanding workloads. It would also make the iPad mini unusually powerful for its size and narrow the performance gap with Apples larger iPads. The current iPad mini has 8GB of RAM. Apples recent Pro-class iPhone chips have been paired with more memory, so the new model could receive an increase, but the September leak does not appear to confirm the iPad minis RAM allocation. The processor may not be the only silicon upgrade. Apple is also expected to bring its N1 networking chip to the iPad mini, adding support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Cellular models are expected to adopt Apples C1X modem, replacing the Qualcomm modem used in the current generation. 2026iPad mini: Display OLED display expected Single-stack LTPS panel rumored Apple has reportedly tested both 60Hz and 120Hz displays The iPad Pro already uses OLED. The next iPad mini is also expected to adopt OLED, although reports point to a different panel technology. Mahmoud Itani / Foundry The biggest display upgrade expected for the next iPad mini is the move from LCD to OLED . Multiple reports, including those from Bloomberg and display-industry sources , have pointed to an OLED iPad mini arriving in 2026, and Samsung Display is reportedly already producing panels for the device. OLED should bring deeper blacks, higher contrast, faster pixel response and improved viewing angles compared with the Liquid Retina LCD in the current iPad mini. Reports suggest that Samsung began mass production of OLED panels for the mini in June. The exact screen size is less certain. Reports over the past two years have pointed to panels measuring between 8.4 and 8.7 inches, compared with 8.3 inches on the current model. A slightly larger display could be achieved through slimmer bezels without substantially increasing the size of the tablet, but the final panel dimensions have not been confirmed. However, the iPad mini is not currently expected to receive the same display technology as the iPad Pro. Reports indicate that Apple will use a single-stack LTPS OLED panel, rather than the tandem OLED and LTPO technology used in the Pro models. That should keep costs lower, but the panel may not reach the same brightness levels as the iPad Pro display. Earlier reporting pointed to a 60Hz display, but newer information leaves the refresh rate uncertain. In a October 15 Power On podcast, Mark Gurman claimed Apple has tested both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion displays for the next iPad mini. Gurman was unable to confirm which option Apple had selected. An OLED display would improve contrast and black levels, but OLED does not guarantee ProMotion. 2026iPad mini: Design Same overall size, with a slightly larger screen possible More water-resistant design expected New vibration-based speaker system Apple The iPad mini has retained the same design since its major redesign in 2021, and the 2026 model is expected to keep that overall look. However, Apple could increase the display size slightly while maintaining the devices current dimensions. A newly spotted accessory listing offers another clue. MacRumors identified an iPad mini Smart Folio with model number A3632 on Apples French regulatory website. The number differs from existing iPad mini cases, suggesting a new accessory could be approaching. The regulatory filing doesnt offer any clues about the dimensions of the new iPad mini, but does indicate some changes to the materials used in Apples iPad mini case. In December 2024, analysts at Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) suggested in a supply chain analyst report that the next-generation iPad mini could feature an 8.5-inch display, up from the current models 8.3-inch panel. The report indicated that the chassis size would remain unchanged, meaning Apple could achieve the larger screen through slimmer bezels rather than a larger body. Apple has now announced the iPhone Duo , whose 7.6-inch folding inner display brings it closer to small-tablet territory. However, its $1,999 starting price makes it a very different purchase from an iPad mini. The Duo goes on sale October 23. Another rumor gaining traction is that the new iPad mini will be more water-resistant. That rumor comes from Bloombergs Mark Gurman, who in October 2025 claimed Apple was developing a next-generation iPad mini with a significantly more water-resistant chassis. The more water-resistant design could involve changes to the speaker system as well as the chassis. Gurman previously reported that Apple was developing a vibration-based speaker that would allow it to eliminate some traditional speaker openings, reducing potential entry points for water. Newly leaked Apple imagery, via MacRumors , appears to support that report. Images discovered in Apples code in September show a small groove cut into the top of the display glass, presumed to be for the speaker. MacRumors said the imagery appears to corroborate Gurmans report of an all-new vibration-based speaker system. It is not yet clear exactly how the new speaker system will work or how much additional water resistance it will provide. There is also no indication that Apple will give the iPad mini an official IP water-resistance rating. Theres also a strong possibility of new color options. Apple currently offers the iPad mini in Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray, while the previous generation was available in Pink, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray. 2026 iPad mini: Cameras Landscape front camera expected No major camera sensor upgrade currently rumored No major camera-sensor upgrade has been reported, but the front camera is expected to move to the landscape edge. Foundry The clearest camera change for the next iPad mini appears to be placement rather than camera hardware. Leaked imagery discovered in Apples own code by MacRumors in September 2026 shows the front-facing camera moved to the landscape edge of the display. That would bring the iPad mini into line with the rest of Apples current iPad lineup and should make video calls feel more natural when the tablet is used horizontally with a stand or keyboard. The current iPad mini has a 12MP Wide rear camera and a 12MP Ultra Wide Center Stage front camera. So far, there have been no credible reports suggesting that Apple plans a major change to the resolution or camera sensors themselves. Even if the camera hardware remains unchanged, the expected A20 Pro chip could still improve image processing and computational photography. However, there are currently no reports of new camera sensors, higher resolutions or additional lenses. 2026 iPad mini: Price The iPad mini had held the same $499/499 starting price since its 2021 redesign. That changed in June 2026, when Apple increased the entry-level price to $599/599. The OLED model could bring another substantial price increase. According to a Power On newsletter on October 11, the next iPad mini could start near $799 around $200 more than the current models $599 starting price. Should I wait to buy a new iPad mini? Wait if : Your current tablet still meets your needs. With an announcement reportedly planned for October 27, it makes sense to see what Apple introduces before paying full price for the existing model. Announcement and shipping dates may differ. Buy the current model if : You need a small tablet immediately or find a substantial discount. Compare the saving with current retailer prices, and consider whether you would regret missing the expected OLED upgrade. Beware that waiting may be a disadvantage if Apple increases the price for the new model. In that case, buyers on a tighter budget may want to consider a substantially discounted current-generation iPad mini.

Political Storm Over Anti-Drug Activist's Murder In Punjab

The family of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, shot dead in Mansa, Punjab, has refused to perform his last rites, demanding justice and a CBI probe. The murder has triggered a political controversy, with opposition leaders criticising the state government's handling of the drug menace and law and order.

Indian police warn 'Cockroach' movement founder over

Police warned the founder of India's 'Cockroach' movement against going ahead with a protest on Friday, local media reported, setting the stage for a possible confrontation with the group that is demanding

BSP to stage indefinite hunger strike demanding delay in action in Perumbali SC man burial case

Though a case had been registered against six persons under the SC/ST Act, the accused had not been arrested, the BSP said

JKPCC chief seeks time-bound probe into alleged misconduct by senior IAS officer

Srinagar, Oct 16: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra has written to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, seeking his intervention and a time-bound inquiry into allegations of misconduct involving a senior IAS officer and JKAS officer Beenish Wani during a Mission YUVA review meeting on October 14. In a letter dated October 16, Karra said a video circulating publicly had raised serious concerns over the language allegedly used by the senior IAS officer towards Wani, as well as reported directions to initiate action against her. Karra also expressed concern over reported remarks concerning the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), describing it as a vital constitutional institution. He said any attempt to undermine its credibility or erode public confidence in its functioning warranted serious examination. Seeking an impartial investigation, the JKPCC chief urged the Lieutenant Governor to order a fair and time-bound inquiry to establish the facts, including an examination of the complete audio and video recording of the meeting, and determine whether any service rules or conduct standards had been violated. He further demanded that appropriate action be taken if the allegations were substantiated, irrespective of the officer's rank or position. Karra also stressed the need to protect Wani from any potential victimisation or retaliatory action, saying her professional interests must be safeguarded and any decisions concerning her service taken strictly on merit and in accordance with established rules. While acknowledging the demanding circumstances in which the administration operates, Karra said accountability and mutual respect were essential to maintaining officers' morale and preserving the credibility of the administration across Jammu and Kashmir.

'Jagga Jasoos': Congress mocks Rajnath Singh over opposition demanding regime change

Tripura: Uncertainty Over Merit List Fuels TET-1 Candidates

Agartala, October 16, 2026: Unemployed youths who qualified in the Teacher Eligibility Test-I (TET-1) continued their sit-in protest in front of Shiksha Bhavan, demanding a clear timeline for publication of the merit list for Undergraduate Teacher (UGT) recruitment. A delegation of the protesting candidates met Tripura Teachers Recruitment Board (TRBT) Chairman Pratyush Ranjan Deb to... The post Tripura: Uncertainty Over Merit List Fuels TET-1 Candidates Protest; Question Legal Hurdles, Demand Clarity first appeared on Northeast Today .

Reform UK Hit by Racism Scandal after Undercover Investigation

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Reform UK Hit by Racism Scandal after Undercover Investigation Reform UK is under fire after councillors were filmed making racist and sexist comments, with opposition leaders demanding action from Nigel Farage. The post Reform UK Hit by Racism Scandal after Undercover Investigation appeared first on DESIblitz .

BJP Alleges Rs 14.95 Crore Scam In Karnataka Development Corp

Senior BJP leader R Ashoka has accused the Karnataka Congress government of a Rs 14.95 crore fraud in the Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation, following a previous alleged scam in the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Ashoka cited an ED press release detailing the siphoning of funds through fake accounts and forged documents, demanding accountability from the Congress leadership.

Abhijeet Dipke slams Delhi curbs, says peaceful protests do not hurt businesses

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke defended peaceful protests, saying demanding accountability from the government is not anarchy. He criticised administrative restrictions in Delhi ahead of the CJPs Lehra Do Tiranga march

ABVP Protests at Kendrapada Autonomous College Over Election Results, Demands Vote Recount

High drama erupted outside Kendrapada Autonomous College as student activists belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a sit-in protest, alleging vote tampering during the student union election counting. Demonstrators sat on tarps right outside the campus gate, engaging in a dharna and demanding a complete recount of the ballots. The controversy follows [] The post ABVP Protests at Kendrapada Autonomous College Over Election Results, Demands Vote Recount appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .

Nigerian detainee booked for assaulting on-duty cops in Sondikoppa

Bengaluru: A Nigerian national lodged at the Foreigners Detention Centre in Sondikoppa, Bengaluru North taluk, has allegedly attacked police personnel after demanding his release. The incident has led to a complaint being registered at Madanayakanahalli police station. The accused has been identified as Kevin James. According to the available information, he was previously named in Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Businesses suffer when government shuts down cities, not from peaceful protests: CJPs Abhijeet Dipke

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, defends the party's peaceful protests across multiple cities. He emphasizes that these demonstrations align with democratic rights and constitutional values. Dipke highlights the hypocrisy of the ruling party, which once organized protests when in opposition. He reiterates the importance of citizens demanding accountability from elected representatives without resorting to violence.

Burning Away the Filth: Delhi Ramlila Prepares 30-Ft Cockroach Effigy for

Cockroaches have unexpectedly become a major talking point in Delhi politics. On one hand, the newly formed Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has hit the streets demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. On the other, a Delhi Ramlila committee has announced plans to burn a 30-foot cockroach effigy alongside Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghnad [] The post Burning Away the Filth: Delhi Ramlila Prepares 30-Ft Cockroach Effigy for Swachh Bharat appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .

Demanding answers from govt not anarchy: Abhijeet Dipke slams administrative curbs in Delhi

Rebutting allegations of promoting disorder and pushing back against widespread administrative curbs in the national capital, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke on Friday asserted that seeking accountability from those in power is ot anarchy but the most fundamental expression of a democracy. In a post shared on social media platform X, Dipke rejected claims that public demonstrations disrupt economic activity, arguing that aggressive administrative crackdowns and sudden logistical blockades inflict actual hardship on the public and traders. Businesses do not suffer because of peaceful protests. They suffer when the govt decides to shut down an entire city, suspend internet services and restrict the movement of its own citizens and turn the city into a war-zone. Since its inception, the Cockroach Janta Party has maintained that we will always follow Gandhi

Trump Torches Zelensky; Fires 'Circus Master PT Barnum' Insult At Ukraine President On Live TV

U.S. President Donald Trump has taken another swipe at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, comparing him to legendary American showman P.T. Barnum during a fiery interview with Newsmax. Trump accused former President Joe Biden of providing Ukraine with enormous amounts of military equipment and financial assistance without demanding payment, questioning where the money and weapons had gone. He also alleged that U.S.-supplied missiles were being sold on the open market, though he did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim in the remarks cited. The latest verbal attack comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv over military aid, Russia policy and the future of the Ukraine war.

Amit Shah Questions Punjab Government on Rising Crime and Drug Issues

Amit Shah criticizes the Punjab government for failing to address rising crime and drug issues, demanding results over announcements. Amit Shah Questions Punjab Government on Rising Crime and Drug Issues

Prime accused arrested in Atar Singh Bhadana murder case

Digital Desk | Jaipur, Oct 16 (IANS) In a major development in the murder case of former MLA Atar Singh Bhadana, the police have arrested the prime accused, Mukesh alias Mukesh Fauji, in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district. He had been absconding since the murder, prompting police teams to conduct raids at the homes of his family members and relatives. Following his arrest, Mukesh Fauji was brought to the Weir police station, where Superintendent of Police Rajesh Meena interrogated him late at night. Investigators are seeking details about the sequence of events leading to the murder, the alleged roles of other suspects and the circumstances surrounding the incident. The administration had also served a notice regarding the proposed demolition of the accuseds house while he remained on the run. Further action will depend on the applicable legal and administrative process. Five other accused in the case have already been arrested. Mukesh Fauji had reportedly been leading a protest for the past two years, demanding the closure of a mining lease. His name has also figured in cases filed by Bhadana's widow. Police are examining his alleged role as part of the ongoing investigation. Investigators have also been examining inflammatory posts circulated on social media in recent days concerning a leased pathway. The posts, featuring both men and women, reportedly went viral before the incident. According to the investigation, a minor dispute occurred on October 7. On the day of the incident, protesters were removed from the demonstration site. Police have also received information suggesting that security personnel associated with Atar Singh Bhadana allegedly aggravated tensions through videos. Some of these personnel are reportedly from the Dholpur region. Police teams are examining the videos and other material to establish the sequence of events and determine the roles of those involved. The five arrested accused -- Bhagmal, Soni, Sher Singh, Baldev and Kunwar Singh -- were produced before Judicial Magistrate Suvihay Hafiz Siddiqui. The police had sought three days of police custody for questioning. However, the court granted a two-day police remand for all five accused. During the search for Mukesh Fauji, police teams raided several locations, including the homes of his relatives. Investigators suspected that he might be hiding in neighbouring villages or in the Bayana region, where residents of Bhaunda village have family connections. The rugged, hilly terrain of the Dang region also complicated the search. According to police sources, the accused managed to evade arrest at some locations before police teams arrived. Teams were additionally dispatched to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh amid suspicions that the prime accused might have fled to either state. With Mukesh Faujis arrest, investigators are expected to intensify questioning to establish the circumstances of the murder and identify the roles of other suspects in the case.

CMRL-Exalogic scam: Vijayans case exposes cracks in Cong; CM Satheesan faces dissent

Digital Desk | Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 16 (IANS) Sharp differences have surfaced within the Congress party over the state government's stand in the CMRL-Exalogic case, with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan defending the decision not to rush into registering a case against Pinarayi Vijayan, despite strong objections from MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan. At a Congress Legislative Party meeting, Kuzhalnadan questioned why Vijayan should receive the justice that the LDF government had denied former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. The exchange exposed a divide between those demanding immediate legal action and the leadership, which insists that the issue must be handled with legal and political prudence. CM Satheesan reportedly told the meeting that Kuzhalnadan was driven by youthful enthusiasm and that the correct political approach was not to rush into a case. The two were engaged in a lengthy argument, with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Health Minister K. Muraleedharan and Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph backing the Chief Minister. The confrontation followed Kuzhalnadan's public criticism of the government's position at a press conference. He argued that the government should revise its stand following the High Court Division Bench's decision and questioned the legal advice received by it. Kuzhalnadan said he had fought the Exalogic case largely on his own and faced harassment, including a Vigilance investigation, for pursuing it. He had also written to the Home Minister opposing the government's approach. Chennithala countered that the issue had been discussed among senior leaders. He said he had not known Kuzhalnadan was pursuing the case and would have advised against it had he been consulted. CM Satheesan argued that rushing into a case based on an Enforcement Directorate communication would be politically unwise, adding that earlier legal action had benefited Vijayan. The dispute has raised questions over the Congress's approach to a case it had made a major campaign issue in the April Assembly elections. The UDF had repeatedly targeted the previous government over the CMRL-Exalogic allegations before coming to power. The episode has fuelled discontent among sections of the party, with the leadership's cautious approach prompting questions about whether Congress is retreating from one of its principal allegations against the previous regime. Meanwhile, this issue is likely to catch fire again, as Vijayan has approached the apex court with an appeal petition against the high court directive.

Ram Mandir remaining construction work to be fully completed by Nov 15: Nripendra Misra

Digital Desk | Ayodhya, Oct 16 (IANS) Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Misra on Friday said that almost all construction work at the temple complex has been completed, with the remaining work scheduled to be finished by November 15. Speaking to reporters, Misra extended greetings on the upcoming festivals and provided an update on the temple's development, stating that 148 of the approximately 150 construction works within the complex had been completed and handed over to the Ram Mandir Trust. He said L&T, which was responsible for executing the construction work, had to hand over the completed projects to the Trust along with the relevant records, drawings, designs and financial documentation. The Trust's project engineers subsequently inspect the works before approving their handover. Of these 150 works, 148 have been completed and handed over. The major construction work that is yet to be handed over is the Parkota, the temple's perimeter structure, Misra said. Explaining the delay, he said the water treatment work on the Parkota's roof was still pending. Continuous rainfall in Ayodhya over the past three days has affected the pace of construction, delaying the work. However, he expressed confidence that the remaining work would be completed by November 15. Lighting work is currently underway in the temple and the Parkota. That will be completed by November 15, he said, adding that the recent developments observed at the site were related to the temple complex's ongoing construction. Misra also provided updates on other projects in Ayodhya. He said the Martyrs' Memorial had been completed and that he had inspected it on Thursday. Only minor horticulture and landscaping work remained at the site. Regarding the Madhavacharya Gate, he said approximately 80 per cent of the construction work had been completed. Misra added that he was scheduled to inspect the site to assess the progress. The committee chairman's update comes as work continues on the remaining infrastructure, finishing and lighting arrangements at the Ram Mandir complex, with November 15 set as the deadline for completing the pending tasks.

Adorned with lights and steeped in lore, Durga Puja pandals open for devotees across nation

Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Durga Puja celebrations officially began in several parts of the nation as Navratri reached its sixth day. The pandal doors were opened to the public, drawing thousands of devotees seeking blessings. The city of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand transformed into a vibrant hub of devotion, joy, and celebration as community-led festivities reached their peak on Friday. Major socio-cultural and religious organisations, including the Hindi Club, Ranikudar, Sri Sri Rankini Mandir, Sri Utkal Durga Puja Committee, Agrico Puja Committee, and Tuiladungri Puja Committee, unveiled massive, intricately designed pandals. Elaborate thematic decorations, synchronised light displays, and traditional Vedic rituals have deeply immersed the local residents in the spirit of worship. Jamshedpur boasts a legacy of hosting approximately 500 distinct Durga Puja celebrations across the city, making it one of the region's largest cultural congregations. Local organising committees have deployed dedicated volunteers and coordinated infrastructure to manage the heavy footfall, ensuring safety and accessibility for families and visitors. As the multi-day festival progresses, the entire city remains unified in a rare blend of community bonding and spiritual reverence. As the nation marked the sixth day of Shardiya Navratri 2006, dedicated to Maa Katyayani, pandals were adorned across cities in West Bengal and other states, including Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Devotees were seen hopping between pandals and seeking blessings of the Goddess. Speaking to IANS at the unveiling of Goddess Durgas idol at Kolkatas renowned Tala Barowaris 106th Durga Puja celebrations, a devotee and organiser, Abhishek Bhattacharya, said, We worship the Shakti in three forms: one is Durga, one is Saraswati, and one is Lakshmi. We know through the Puranas and Vedas that Shakti possesses the divine power of Dasha Maha-vidya and Navadurga - the Navadurga of Uma. This is what we have tried to portray in our pandal. Furthermore, in Uttarakhands Kashipur, a seven-day Durga Puja festival has been organised from October 15 to 21, featuring religious rituals, cultural performances, bhajan evenings, and community feasts, with the inauguration by Mayor Deepak Bali. In Jharkhand, JMM general secretary Binod Kumar Pandey and party spokesperson Manoj Kumar Pandey inaugurated the Durga Puja pandal at Harmu Panch Mandir near Harmu Chowk by cutting the ribbon. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, artist Hafizuddin Ahmed spoke to IANS and narrated how he has been making Ravan effigies for Dusshera for the past 50 years. I make effigies of Ravana, I make Tazia, I do set/scenery design work, and if any order comes from the film industry, I handle that too. As for how many generations, he said, I watched my father work, and he told me that his father and grandfather also used to do this same work.

CJP 'Tiranga' Yatra LIVE Updates: Central Delhi secured ahead of march; Dipke calls for solidarity

Delhi is bracing for the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march on Friday called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding the release of Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who are in judicial custody after they were...

France protests flare as PM accuses radical left of exploiting unrest ahead of elections

Student protests are sweeping across France as frustrations rise over overcrowded classrooms and poor school facilities. Prime Minister Sbastien Lecornu accuses the La France Insoumise party of taking advantage of the situation for political gain. With thousands joined by trade unions and parents, their calls for educational equity harken back to the 1968 student uprising, demanding reforms such as wealth taxes and a voting age reduction to 16.

Stringent traffic curbs in Delhi as CJP protest enters second day

The restrictions come amid a security clampdown following a call for protest by CJP and prominent student organisations demanding the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Mumbai: Girgaon residents flag speeding, phone use and traffic violations

Locals step up road safety efforts, calling out traffic rule violations and demanding strict civic accountability

SC issues notice to ECI, CEC on Rahul Gandhi, INDIA bloc plea against SIR

New Delhi, Oct 15: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on a petition filed by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders challenging alleged large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. According to Bar & Bench, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi sought responses from the poll panel and the CEC and tagged the pleas with petitions already pending before the court challenging the validity of SIR in various states. We are issuing notice and tagging it with the matters already pending. Somebody will accept notice on behalf of the Election Commission of India. Otherwise, serve them, the bench said. The court also indicated that it would seek an explanation from one of the petitioners regarding his conduct at the next hearing, without specifying the person concerned. Issue notice. But one objection, before that. We would like to ask one of the petitioners about his conduct on the next date of hearing. Issuing notice does not mean that we are condemning anything. We are issuing notice. But about one of the petitioners, we will definitely entertain the issue. Issue notice. The notice on behalf of one of the petitioners will be entertained on a provisional basis, subject to his explaining his conduct, the bench observed. The petition has been filed by Rahul Gandhi along with several opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, CPI(M) leader MA Baby and CPI leader D Raja. Other petitioners include Mahua Majhi of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) and Mohammed Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League. The petition challenges alleged large-scale deletions of voters and irregularities in the SIR process and seeks judicial intervention in the exercise. Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders had marched to the Supreme Court on October 12 before filing the plea. The development comes amid protests in Delhi against the SIR exercise, with demonstrators also demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The protests followed an Indian Express report alleging that Kumar had taken several decisions relating to the revision exercise unilaterally despite objections from two Election Commissioners. The allegations have added to opposition concerns over the conduct of the electoral roll revision. Several protesters were detained by Delhi Police over the weekend after prohibitory orders were imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The detentions have also led to petitions before the Supreme Court, including allegations that lawyers and journalists were prevented from performing their professional duties. The Supreme Courts notice seeks responses from the poll panel on the issues raised. By tagging the fresh petitions with matters already pending on SIR, the court has brought the latest challenge into the existing proceedings on the electoral roll revision exercise.

J&K Bank holds customer interaction, felicitation meet at Lassipora

Srinagar, Oct 15: Strengthening its engagement with the industrial and horticulture sectors, J&K Bank today organised a customer interaction cum felicitation meet at Industrial Growth Centre (IGC), Lassipora. Held under the theme Our CustomerOur Privilege, the programme brought together over 50 representatives of controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage businesses, fruit trade and other industrial estate activities. The Bank's Chief General Manager (Credit) Ashutosh Sareen chaired the interaction in presence of General Manager & Divisional Head (Kashmir) Arshad Qadri, General Manager Suresh Kumar Chowdhary, Zonal Head (Srinagar) Sheikh Mohammad Muzaffar, Zonal Head (Pulwama) Masood Ahmad Lankar, DGM & Head M&LC (Kashmir) Nuzhat Parveen, Cluster Heads and other senior officials. The participant customers were led by President of Industrial Estate Lassipora, Mukhtar Ahmad Khan; President Jammu Kashmir Fruits and Vegetables Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA) Bashir Ahmad Naik and President Fruit Mandi (Pulwama) Javad Ahmad. In his presidential address to the participants, CGM Ashutosh Sareen reaffirmed the Banks unwavering commitment in supporting the Agriculture/Horticulture industry. When you describe J&K Bank as your own bank, it places a special responsibility on us to honour that trust through our service and support. At Lassipora, supporting industrial growth also means supporting growers, strengthening the apple value chain and sustaining employment. Our commitment to this shared progress is unshakable and long term, he said. Urging participants to understand the regulatory requirements within which the Bank operates, he emphasised the importance of working together to address their banking needs. Customer engagement becomes meaningful when listening leads to action. We are committed to address the concerns raised here and translating your suggestions into practical improvements within the Banks laid-down guidelines and the applicable regulatory framework. Our shared endeavour must be to ensure that viable enterprises receive timely and responsive banking support, he added. Earlier, speaking on the occasion, President, Industrial Estate Lassipora, Mukhtar Ahmad Khan expressed profound gratitude to the Banks leadership for its commitment in supporting apple production, storage and processing. He said the estate houses around 950 industrial units employing nearly 20,000 people, underscoring its importance to the local economy. We consider Jammu & Kashmir Bank not merely a banking institution, but our own banka financial partner that we have trusted for generations, he said. Highlighting rising input costs, working capital requirements, delays in credit disbursement and issues concerning collateral-free credit guarantee schemes, he sought continued support for the industrial community. We also request the Bank to consider a dedicated mechanism through which the Association can periodically discuss industry-specific banking issues with the concerned authorities, said President (JK PICCA) Bashir Ahmad Naik on the occasion. In his welcome address, GM & Divisional Head Arshad Qadri said, The Bank remains committed in carrying forward the mission of empowering growers, traders and all those associated with horticulture and allied sectors. One of the objectives of this interaction is to explore ways to bridge the gap between apple production and storage capacity, particularly to benefit small and marginal farmers that constitute the majority of growers. The Bank has financed over 80% of CA stores in the Valley, with an exposure of around Rs 2,000 crore to this segment. This reflects our sustained commitment to the economic empowerment and growth of people associated with horticulture, he added. Speaking on the occasion, General Manager (CIBF) Suresh Kumar Chowdhary provided detailed responses to the issues raised by the customers in the meeting. We recognise the importance of timely credit and adequate working capital for the smooth functioning of your businesses. Our endeavour is to address your concerns through practical solutions and clear guidance, while ensuring compliance with the Banks policies and regulatory requirements, he said. Based on an agenda circulated in advance, the deliberations were held in a cordial atmosphere. The Banks leadership listened attentively and patiently to the participants concerns and responded on spot to their satisfaction. The Bank's leadership reaffirmed its commitment in resolving all the issues raised and implementing all the suggestions received within the Banks laid-down guidelines and the applicable regulatory framework. The Banks senior leadership also felicitated the participants on the occasion.

NC Govt delivered on development, public welfare despite limited powers: MP Chowdry Ramzan

Srinagar, Oct 15: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Additional General Secretary and MP Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan Thursday said that despite limited powers, the complexities of the UT model, bureaucratic hurdles and challenging circumstances, the Omar government has undertaken significant work across various sectors, including education, healthcare, horticulture, tourism and agriculture, over the last two years. He said the National Conference had utilised its mandate to serve the people, safeguard democratic rights and advance the development of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the unequal distribution of powers and administrative impediments had affected the pace of several important decisions. Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan, as per a party statement issued, said that immediately after assuming office, the National Conference fulfilled one of its most significant electoral promises by introducing a resolution seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmirs special status in the very first session of the Legislative Assembly. Similarly, after the Cabinet approved a resolution seeking the restoration of statehood, it was placed before the Assembly and passed with an overwhelming majority. He said these resolutions conveyed a clear message to the Union Government that the people of Jammu and Kashmir wanted their constitutional and democratic rights restored. Through the recent resolution, the Assembly also recalled the 2000 Autonomy Resolution and the 2024 resolution seeking the restoration of special status, urging the Centre to fulfil its constitutional and political responsibilities. He said the National Conference government had taken several measures to provide relief to people across education, electricity, social welfare, employment, transport, healthcare and infrastructure. The decision to revert the academic calendar from the March session to the October-November schedule was taken in response to the long-standing demand of students, parents and educational institutions. The passage of the Private Universities Bill in the Assembly was another significant step towards strengthening higher education. Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan said that, to address disparities in the reservation policy and the concerns arising from them, the government had completed its work and forwarded the relevant file for approval. However, the matter remained pending in the LG office. He said the financial assistance provided to poor and deserving families for marriage had been increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000. The introduction of free bus services for women, students and persons with disabilities was another notable example of people-friendly governance. Similarly, measures such as doubling the quantity of free ration for eligible households, providing 200 units of free electricity to AAY consumers and extending the benefit of six free LPG cylinders were aimed at providing direct relief to the poorest of the poor. He added that a 100 per cent exemption from stamp duty had been granted on the transfer of property through gift deeds among blood relatives. Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan said providing employment opportunities to young people remained a key priority of the government, with recruitment underway to fill vacant posts in various departments. The enhancement of the upper age limit for candidates appearing in competitive examinations was also an important step towards expanding opportunities for aspiring youth. He said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had demonstrated seriousness in addressing the concerns of daily wagers and other temporary employees by constituting a committee to examine their issues. However, the failure to submit its report within the stipulated six-month period was regrettable. The fact that the report had still not been made public even after a year reflect how administrative impediments under the Union Territory system continued to delay the resolution of public grievances. The Additional General Secretary said the National Conference government had approved an option for eligible employees covered under the New Pension Scheme (NPS) to switch to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), providing significant relief to thousands of employees. He said sustained efforts had been made to improve electricity supply, while attention was also being given to strengthening basic amenities in different areas. The introduction of smart bus services across all districts was an important step towards modernising public transport and providing citizens with better commuting facilities. Work was also progressing on projects related to roads, water supply, drainage, healthcare and other essential infrastructure. Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan said that the performance of the Omar Abdullah government must be assessed in the context of the extraordinary circumstances under which it was functioning. Despite being an elected government, Jammu and Kashmir continued to operate without the full powers of a state, while authority over several important administrative matters rested with institutions other than the elected government. He said demanding complete accountability from elected representatives while denying them the requisite powers was contrary to democratic principles. He emphasised that the restoration of statehood was not merely a political demand but a fundamental necessity for effective democratic governance and the protection of people's rights in Jammu and Kashmir. Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan said NC govt remained committed to fulfilling the promises made to the people in its manifesto. He said the party would continue to strengthen its bond with the people and pursue its struggle for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional rights, a better future for its youth and balanced development across all regions. On the occasion, National Conference Provincial President Kashmir, Advocate Showkat Ahmad Mir, also spoke in detail about the two-year tenure of the Omar Abdullah government. He said every sector in Jammu and Kashmir had suffered under an undemocratic system, but the establishment of an elected government had infused fresh energy into all sectors. Provincial Secretary Syed Tauqeer Ahmad, Srinagar District President Pir Afaq Ahmad, Minority Cell Organiser Jagdish Singh Azad, Provincial Youth President Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, Ghulam Nabi Wani Telbali and Dr Mohammad Saeed Makhdoomi were also present on the occasion.

Sonamarg to be developed as premier adventure, winter sports hub: CM Omar

Ganderbal, Oct 15:In a major push to boost year-round tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday said that the picturesque meadow of Sonamarg will be transformed into a premier adventure and winter sports destination over the coming years. Speaking to media after inauguration of the 70th National school games in Ganderbal, CM Omar said that earlier the Sonamarg used to remain closed during winter and it had been only a year or so after the Sonamarg tunnel was opened that Sonamarg is accessible in winters. Earlier, Sonamarg would remain closed during winters and people could not reach there. There was little scope for developing winter tourism infrastructure. Now that the tunnel has been built and Sonamarg is accessible throughout the year, we are preparing a project for its development, he said. We want to promote rafting during summer and skiing, skating and other winter sports activities. The CM said that he would work with MLA KanganMianMehar Ali to further strengthen Sonamargs position on the tourism map. On traffic congestion caused by Chinar trees along the Beehama-KheerBhawani road, he acknowledged the difficulties faced by commuters and stressed the need for a practical solution. Development and environmental protection must go hand in hand. We may have to remove some trees and plant eight to 10 Chinar trees elsewhere, away from roads, CM Omar said. On concerns over deaths in the power canal in Ganderbal, he said the government would approach the Power Development Corporation to seek funds for fencing along the canal. About development in Ganderbal over the past two years, the CM said the government was working to accelerate projects across sectors. The goal has been to touch every sector of governance. Today as well, projects worth nearly Rs 58.26 crore were either inaugurated or had their foundation stones laid. This includes a major bridge worth Rs 41.54 crore to cross the Jhelum, where work is underway, he said. CM Omar said the primary objective of his visit was to attend the National School Games being held at the College of Physical Education in Ganderbal. Boys and girls from every corner of the country have come to participate. We were allocated two sports: Wushu and Taekwondo. Our children have a strong interest in both, and we hope this sports event will be a great success, he said. During his visit, the CM said several road projects, a new school building and infrastructure works at the Fruit and Vegetable Mandi were inaugurated. He said traders at the mandi had sought its expansion, construction of a boundary wall, and a grade separator. CM Omar said that the matter had been discussed with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, while other demands had also been noted for necessary action. Earlier, he reviewed the overall development scenario in Ganderbal district, inaugurated five completed development projects worth Rs 16.72 crore and laid foundation stones for two new projects worth Rs 41.54 crore, taking the total value of the projects to Rs 58.26 crore. The projects include improved road connectivity, a new school building, a bridge over the River Jhelum and a multi-purpose auction platform at the Fruit and Vegetable Mandi, Zazuna, aimed at strengthening public infrastructure and supporting the districts horticulture economy. CM Omar laid the foundation stone for the construction of a bridge over the River Jhelum at GuzhamaShilwat at a cost of Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Ministers Sakina Itoo and Javid Dar, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Shreya Singhal, along with senior officers, heads of departments, engineers and other concerned officials, accompanied the CM during the tour.

Sonamarg to be year-round tourist destination: CM

Ganderbal, Oct 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the government is working to establish Sonamarg as a year-round tourist destination, with a special focus on adventure sports, winter tourism and the development of new tourist spots. He expressed concern over repeated incidents of people losing their lives in the Power Development Corporation (PDC) canal, saying the government would take up the matter with the corporation to explore the possibility of fencing both sides of the canal. Addressing the media persons here, Omar Abdullah said the opening of the Sonamarg Tunnel has transformed the regions tourism potential by ensuring year-round connectivity, unlike earlier years when the destination remained closed during winter. With the construction of the Sonamarg Tunnel, Sonamarg is now open for tourism throughout the year, he said, adding that the government is preparing a comprehensive project to promote new tourist destinations and winter sports activities in the area. The Chief Minister said the administration aims to bring Sonamarg prominently onto the tourism map as a destination for adventure sports, including river rafting during summer and skiing and skating during winter, in coordination with Kangan MLA Mian Mehar Ali. Omar highlighted the proposed development of two tourist destinations, Tara Kul and Mohanmarg, stating that the projects had been sanctioned and funds released but were stalled at the final stage due to pending clearances. He said the government would pursue the required forest, environmental and wildlife permissions in accordance with established procedures to ensure the projects move forward. On the issue of public safety, the CM acknowledged concerns over incidents involving people falling into the PDC canal and said the government would approach the corporation to request financial support for installing protective fencing along both sides. He clarified that the decision does not fall directly under his authority, as the corporation is controlled by the Lieutenant Governor. The Chief Minister also addressed traffic congestion linked to the Chinars in Ganderbal, saying an alternative road being developed from the hospital area could help ease the problem. However, he pointed to challenges in undertaking work around the infrastructure. Earlier, Omar Abdullah, who represents Ganderbal in the Assembly, said his government was making efforts to accelerate development across the district, with projects worth nearly Rs 60 crore either inaugurated or taken up for foundation-laying during the day. Among the major projects is a bridge over the Jhelum River, estimated to cost Rs 40 crore. He said efforts were underway to begin construction of the pillars by April, with the bridge expected to be completed by December next year. The Chief Minister also inaugurated road projects and a new school building, besides visiting the Fruit and Vegetable Mandi at Zazna, where a modern auction shed and office facilities were inaugurated. He interacted with stakeholders of the horticulture sector and discussed their demands concerning the expansion of the mandi and the construction of a grade separator. CM Abdullah said he had taken up the matter with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials and assured that the demands would be examined with the aim of strengthening the districts horticulture economy and improving market infrastructure. During his visit, the Chief Minister also reviewed development-related issues, including the Ring Road, Sindh River Front and Town Hall projects, while taking stock of the districts ongoing development activities. He attended the inaugural ceremony of the 70th National School Games at the Government College of Physical Education in Ganderbal. The event brought together young athletes from 23 states and Union Territories, with Jammu and Kashmir hosting competitions in Wushu and Taekwondo. Expressing hope for the successful conduct of the sporting event, Omar Abdullah said these disciplines had considerable interest among local students and that the participation of young athletes from across the country would provide an important platform for sporting talent. The Chief Minister reiterated that the government would continue working to accelerate development in Ganderbal, improve public infrastructure and unlock the tourism potential of Sonamarg while addressing issues affecting the daily lives of local residents.

CM launches Rs 58.26 projects in Ganderbal

Ganderbal, Oct 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reviewed the overall development scenario in Ganderbal district, inaugurated five completed development projects worth Rs 16.72 crore and laid foundation stones for two new projects worth Rs 41.54 crore, taking the total value of the projects to Rs 58.26 crore. The projects include improved road connectivity, a new school building, a bridge over the River Jhelum and a multi-purpose auction platform at the Fruit and Vegetable Mandi, Zazuna, aimed at strengthening public infrastructure and supporting the districts horticulture economy. The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the construction of a bridge over the River Jhelum at Guzhama Shilwat at a cost of Rs 39 crore. The bridge is expected to improve connectivity for local residents. He also laid the foundation stone for a multi-purpose auction platform at the Fruit and Vegetable Mandi, Zazna, at a cost of Rs 2.54 crore to strengthen trading facilities for fruit and vegetable growers. The Chief Minister inaugurated five completed projects, including roads connecting Tehsil Bagh with Lar Bypass and Yanihama with Dangerpora; the road from Dar Mohalla Wattalbagh to Dangerpora and allied links; the double-storey building at High School Gogjigund; the widened and upgraded road from Fatehpora Dak Bangloo to Gadoora Bridge; and the Pati Waskura to Kharbagh Bund road along the River Jhelum. These works, completed at a combined cost of Rs 16.72 crore, are expected to improve local connectivity and educational infrastructure. During the tour, the Chief Minister reviewed the progress of the Srinagar Ring Road project and was briefed by engineers at Dr Farooq Abdullah Environmental Park, Manigam, on the ongoing construction and upgradation of the Pandaach-Manigam section. The 12.115-kilometre highway project, being executed by the National Highways Authority of India at a cost of Rs 290.51 crore, involves upgrading the existing two-lane road to a four-lane dual carriageway. The project includes bridges, a flyover, culverts and service and slip roads, and is scheduled for completion by May 2028. The Chief Minister also reviewed ongoing works on the Sindh River Front and the Municipal Town Hall in Ganderbal. The first phase of the Sindh River Front project, being developed at an approved cost of Rs 4.83 crore, includes a protection wall, landscaping, a paved walkway, a viewpoint, a patio caf and ornamental lighting. Reviewing the Town Hall upgrade and extension project, approved at a cost of Rs 3 crore, the Chief Minister directed the concerned officers to expedite the works and ensure their early completion so that the facilities could be made available to the public at the earliest. During his visit to the Fruit and Vegetable Mandi at Zazuna, the Chief Minister assessed arrangements and activities during the ongoing harvest season and interacted with farmers and progressive growers. The growers apprised him of issues affecting their work and the horticulture sector. Omar Abdullah assured them that their genuine demands would be taken up for appropriate resolution. The Chief Ministers visit focused on reviewing ongoing infrastructure projects, assessing the implementation of development works and addressing issues raised by local residents and growers. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Ministers Sakina Itoo and Javid Dar, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Shreya Singhal, along with senior officers, heads of departments, engineers and other concerned officials, accompanied the Chief Minister during the tour.

ABVP Condemns Attempts to Protect Accused Professor Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations at JNU

ABVP criticizes Congress-Left efforts to distract from serious sexual harassment allegations at JNU, demanding a fair investigation and student safety. ABVP Condemns Attempts to Protect Accused Professor Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations at JNU

PSG brings embattled Man City down to earth after pre-match show of defiance in the Champions League

Manchester City showcased a celebratory pre-match fireworks display before facing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. The first half saw PSG dominate, taking a commanding lead with three goals. City managed a spirited second-half comeback, scoring two goals but ultimately fell 4-2. Former City manager Pep Guardiola witnessed the match from the stands as the team faced serious challenges.

Imran Khan Told To Leave India: Immigration Law Or Crackdown On Dissent?

Bollywood actor Imran Khan, Aamir Khan's nephew and a US citizen, has reportedly been asked to leave India by October 28 after being detained at a Mumbai protest demanding the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation. Is this a legitimate enforcement of immigration rules or an arbitrary action against dissent? Supreme Court advocates Colin Gonsalves and Hitesh Jain clash over the scope of Article 21, the rights of non-citizens, natural justice and whether authorities must give a person an opportunity to be heard before ordering them to leave the country. With the matter headed to court, the debate examines the balance between immigration law and personal liberty.

Diner finds human tooth in mutton mandi at Madhapur eatery

Regime Change Or Democratic Dissent? BJP And Opposition Clash On Anti-CEC Protests

What began as protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation has escalated into a wider debate over regime change, democratic dissent and alleged foreign influence. NCP (Sharad Pawar) spokesperson Anish Gawande argues that the protests are about accountability and constitutional rights, while Supreme Court advocate Jayanand Dehadrai alleges a coordinated attempt to destabilise the elected government, pointing to references to Bangladesh and calls for regime change. The two clash over the meaning of democratic protest, allegations of foreign funding, police action against demonstrators and whether the government should face a midterm election to test public sentiment.

Defence Ministry Suspends MIL Official Held In Rs 500 Cr Bribery Case

The CBI arrested Kumar, Kansal and Kumar's brother B. Harshavardhan on October 13 for allegedly demanding and accepting bribes in exchange for official favours.

K.T. Rama Rao Alleges Rs 3,000 cr Coal Import Scam Plans, Demands Scrapping Deal

Demanding an independent investigation into the proposals, Rama Rao questioned the basis on which the private company was being considered for the coal import.

Infantino Apologises Over FIFA Project, But Critics Want Answers

Gianni Infantino faces mounting scrutiny after apologising over the abandoned FIFA commercialisation proposal, with England and Germany demanding transparency and reform while African officials continue backing his leadership.

Payal Rohatagi calls actor Imran Khan jobless actor

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Oct 15 (IANS) Actress Payal Rohatagi, who has been away from the screen, has made a scathing attack against actor Imran Khan, who joined the protests demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. She called him a jobless actor, who is not aware of politics. The actor attended the protests at the August Kranti Maidan on October 10, where he was detained by the cops. Later, it was found out that the actor is not an Indian citizen, and holds Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI). The actress recently spoke with IANS, and said, Well, he should be aware that he is not supposed to be doing something so stupid. He is not an Indian citizen, he is a US citizenfirst, you are a US citizen, on top of that, you are living in India, working here, you got married, but I think you didn't take a visa, or I don't know, he's divorced or something like that. She further mentioned, So why are you going to a protest site? A lot of out-of-work actors, jobless actors go to these protests so that they can get visibility, because there all of you are present, right? Because the protest needs to be covered, so a lot of jobless actors go there. Earlier in the day, it was reported that the actor, who was directed by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to leave India by October 28, will approach the Bombay High Court to challenge the notice issued by the FRRO. The actor was ordered to leave India over his allegedly unlawful participation in the recent August Kranti Maidan protests, which demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The FRRO stated in its order that the actor allegedly violated the Foreigners Act by participating in the protests as he is not an Indian citizen, and holds Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI). The actor was issued a notice to leave the country days after he participated in a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Action has been taken against Imran under Sections 7 and 29 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, and the actor has received a copy of the notice. The actor was detained by the police on October 10 in connection with the protest.

Sugarcane Stir Intensifies in Western Maharashtra

Farmers are demanding that the MSP of sugar be raised from the current Rs 31 per kg to Rs 50 per kg.

WATCH: Marjorie Taylor Greene Attacks Trump Amid Ilhan Omar Probe; Ex-MAGA Drops Epstein Bomb

Donald Trump is facing a brutal backlash from one of his former MAGA allies as the federal investigation surrounding Ilhan Omar intensifies.Marjorie Taylor Greene made clear that she remains far apart from Omar on abortion, gun rights and other major issues but questioned how a push toward deporting Omar would lower gas prices, make healthcare affordable, reduce grocery bills or keep U.S. troops out of another foreign war.Greene then turned directly on the White House, saying Americans are sick and tired of political distractions and demanding the release of the Epstein files.

SC says changes to Form 6 not made by court; says post-retirement immunity to CEC not available to even judges

SC hears petitions demanding suspension of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of bias, administrative unilateralism, and procedural overreach during the SIR process

Meghalaya Opposition Questions Delay in DGP Appointment Proposal

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Zelenskys Europe Lifeline CRUMBLES! After Germany, Frances Far-Right Pushes To Stop Military Aid

Ukraine's European funding faces growing political opposition as France's Marine Le Pen raises doubts over continued EU financial support for Kyiv if she becomes president. Le Pen has warned that France cannot afford further assistance and suggested she could oppose additional EU funding if it imposes costs on French taxpayers. Her remarks come as the European Union prepares to release 45 billion euros from its 90 billion euro Ukraine loan in 2027, while Kyiv faces substantial additional funding needs. Le Pen has also vowed to challenge Brussels over the EU budget and reiterated her opposition to Ukraine joining the bloc. Meanwhile, in Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany party joined forces with the left-wing BSW to pass a symbolic motion in Saxony-Anhalt demanding an end to Berlin's military aid to Ukraine. The vote does not change German foreign policy, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government continues to support Kyiv. But the developments highlight growing political challenges to long-term European assistance for Ukraine.

Deputy tahsildar, 2 others land in ACB trap for demanding Rs 2.5L bribe case

Student Protests Turn Violent in Albanias Capital Tirana

Albanias capital, Tirana, witnessed a fresh outbreak of violence on Wednesday as student protesters clashed with police, vehicles burned and the Education Ministry caught fire during demonstrations over education costs, university conditions and alleged government corruption.Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds, as the student-led protests fed into a broader anti-government movement demanding the resignation of prime minister Edi Rama.

CBI arrests Dy Director SFIO for demanding 1 cr bribe to favour in DHFL loan scam case

The agency claims to have recovered incriminating material during searches at the Tanwar and his accomplices residences

Yami Gautam seeks blessings at Ayodhyas Ram Mandir ahead of Nayyi Naveli release

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Imran Khan Told To Leave India By October 28 After Protest Against CEC

Actor Imran Khan has been directed to leave India by October 28 following a notice issued by Mumbai's Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). The action follows his participation in a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam says the notice was issued under the Foreigners Act and follows due legal process. The opposition has criticised the move, arguing that someone should not face deportation for protesting. The action follows a complaint by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who alleged violations of OCI rules. Imran Khan is likely to challenge the order in court.

Spear Corps Commander visits Assam Rifles in Manipur

Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 15 (IANS) Lt Gen Girish Kalia, general officer commanding (GOC), Spear Corps, visited a forward post of the Assam Rifles in Manipur on Thursday and reviewed the prevailing security situation in the area. He was briefed by local commanders on the operational preparedness of the troops manning the porous India-Myanmar border. India shares a 1,643 km long border with Myanmar. Of this, 398 km are in Manipur. Fencing of the border has started, and nearly 55 km has been completed in Manipur. The government plans to complete the fencing by 2028. However, there are challenges that authorities are facing during the fencing work. Terrain is an issue. Several stretches along the border are hilly and forested. There is also resistance from militant outfits that use the border to move between the two countries. An Assam Rifles patrol was recently ambushed at a spot where fencing work is underway in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. A soldier lost his life in the attack. There have been attacks on the Assam Rifles in Manipur as well. In July this year, two soldiers were killed after a convoy was struck by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the Ukhrul district. This happened close to the India-Myanmar border as well. The GOC's visit comes at a time when the valley-based Meiteis are continuing to demand the ouster of the Assam Rifles from the state, accusing the force of favouritism towards the hill-based Kuki-Zo community. They have also claimed that the Assam Rifles failed to manage the ethnic conflict effectively. Even the Nagas in the state have raised their voices against the Assam Rifles in recent times after clashes broke out with the Kukis. On October 15, 2026, even when Lt Gen Kalia was visiting Manipur, Leishiyo Keishing, the Naga People's Front MLA from Phungyar, accused the 11 Assam Rifles of dereliction of duty. He, along with a team, was returning to Imphal after a tour of border areas when residents of Chassad allegedly blocked public movement, leaving nearly 20 vehicles, including his convoy, stranded for nearly two hours. This happened at the Kamjong market, where residents blocked roads at two locations using stones and other large objects. The blockade was lifted after the intervention of Kamjong Police, Border Security Force (BSF) and Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel. A Casspir armoured vehicle was deployed to clear the obstructions. After crossing Chassad, Keishing alleged that Assam Rifles personnel had failed to intervene despite their responsibility to protect border residents and maintain security. He also accused the force of focusing on business activities instead of its assigned duties. Over the last few days, the Assam Rifles has made attempts to reach out to both Naga and Kuki community leaders to ease tensions between the two communities.

Kolkata court asks Mahua Moitra to immediately delete objectionable post targeting current Bengal CS

Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 15 (IANS) A court in Kolkata on Thursday directed Mahua Moitra, the Trinamool Congress-Mamata Lok Sabha member from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district of West Bengal, to immediately delete two derogatory social media posts made by her about the current West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal over the latter's role in the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise when he was the State's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). In the social media post, Moita described Agarwal as Vote Chor (Vote Thief). Agarwal first served a legal notice to Moitra over the posts and subsequently filed a defamation suit against her demanding a libel compensation of Rs 10 crore. The matter came up for hearing at a lower court at Alipore in South Kolkata on Thursday and at the end of the hearing the judge of the court said that Krishnagar Lok Sabha MP will not be able to share any new post on social media making any defamatory comments against the Chief Secretary and will also not be able to re-share any old social media post related to the same matter. The court also said that the social media posts that Moitra made on October 3 and October 6 must be deleted within 24 hours of receiving the court order. The Trinamool Congress-Mamata Lok Sabha MP will be given a notice to explain why the court will not uphold the ban on her comments. The judge of the lower court also said that Moitra's posts not just criticised the SIR process but also accused the Chief Secretary of illegal acts as the then West Bengal CEO. However,, the court added that the Krishnanagar MP was unable to present any suitable evidence in the court to support such serious allegations. As a result, the court said that there were doubts about the legal basis of those allegations. The court added that everyone had the right to discuss or criticise the SIR in the scope of public interest but behind that criticism, defamatory comments against any government official were not acceptable at all. In that regard, as per the court's observation, Moitra's social media posts were objectionable and therefore she must delete the post within the next 24 hours. Moitra gave a reaction to the court order on social media. I will be filing a vacating application to reinforce my right to call a 'Vote Chor' a 'Vote Chor', the Trinamool Congres-Mamata Lok Sabha MP in a social media statement said while reacting to the court order.

Abhijeet Dipke: How long will PM hide behind police?

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke questions Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the crackdown on protesters demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumars resignation. He asks what the government fears and challenges the Prime Minister to declare an official Emergency.

Telangana contract university teachers stage dharna outside TGCHE office demanding regularisation and equal pay

Telangana contract university teachers stage dharna outside TGCHE office demanding regularisation and equal pay

Ankita Bhandari murder: Uttarakhand Congress protests outside Governor's house, many leaders detained

The Uttarakhand Congress began its protests a day after Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on October 14 met Ankitas parents, who were protesting at India Gate demanding justice for their daughter, and expressed solidarity with them

Over 13 crore voters deleted, what is this if not a setting: Abhijeet Dipke

Extraordinary restrictions have been imposed in Delhi to prevent people from joining protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumars resignation, CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke said

Dhanbads Hari Mandir Keeps a 93-Year-Old Durga Puja Tradition Alive

Delhi rice scam: AAP seeks CBI probe into Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsas role

Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has sought an investigation into alleged wrongdoings by Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa in a multi-crore rupee scam involving irregular sale of rice by the Food Corporation of India, Delhi (FCI) to a government agency in Guwahati, a party leader said. Delhi AAP President Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday re-circulated a letter he wrote to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director on September 24, referring to the federal probe agencys FIR dated August 27 and sought a probe against Sirsa. Investigate the role of the minister. Formally expand the scope of the ongoing criminal investigation in FIR No. RC2182026A0014 to thoroughly probe the active collusion, abuse of official position, and financial angles concerning Food and Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, he wrote. He also requested the CBI to secure ministry records in the case revolving around alleged irregular sale of rice by the FCI, Delhi region, to the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC), Guwahati. He asked the probe agency to immediately raid, seize, and secure all official file routing logs, personal staff records, and electronic email communications from the Office of the Minister of Food & Supplies, GNCTD, for the period between January 2026 and June 2026, to prevent any deletion or tampering. Pointing to the alleged wrongdoings of officials of the FCI and NERAMAC, the AAP leader raised suspicion about an attempt to shield Sirsa. Bharadwaj wrote, A perusal of the FIR reveals a critical and glaring omission: the alleged primary political mastermind and facilitator of this institutional siphon, the Food and Supplies Minister of Delhi, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, has been left out of the formal list of accused. The subordinate administrative wing has been locked down by law, yet the Cabinet Minister who allegedly actively authorised, enabled, and repeatedly cleared this black-market commercial pipeline continues to occupy his office, free to influence the probe and tamper with crucial state records, he said. Therefore, this supplementary complaint is filed to place the explicit, document-backed criminal acts of Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa directly on your record, demanding his immediate inclusion in the ongoing criminal investigation, said Bharadwaj. The CBI registered an FIR in August on a complaint filed by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs to look into the allotment of rice to NERAMAC by FCI, Delhi Region, under the category Sale of Rice to State Government/Corporations of State. The CBI registered a corruption case against three officials of FCI and five others over alleged irregularities. The wrongdoings allegedly caused a loss of about Rs 28.87 crore to FCI, said the FIR. The complaint said that the payment towards allocation of rice to NERAMAC was routed through various private entities which were either millers or wholesale dealers of rice. There was no record to show that the rice was distributed for the stated purpose. It was alleged that had the quantity lifted by NERAMAC at concessional price been sold in the auction at a reserve price of Rs 28,900 per MT, the FCI would have realised an additional amount of Rs 28.87 crore.

Columbus Blue Jackets Early Warning Signs Exposed After Ugly Loss To Panthers

Columbus squandered another first-period lead against Florida, with costly penalties and a struggling penalty kill leaving Rick Bowness demanding a response.

Amid ongoing protest, BMC approves 180 days of paid maternity leave for outsourced women health workers

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Inspector Jailed For Bribery

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Who leaked cabinet secrets to media? Search CM's phone first: Kumaraswamy

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday accused Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of targeting Janata Dal (Secular) workers amid the alleged sting operation controversy, questioning who leaked Cabinet meeting details to the media and demanding that the Chief Minister

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The News Mill

Where did you sell gold chains? New videos give big twist to Sharma murder case

After Shraddha Dubey's confrontational videos with Shiva Sharma went viral, new footage emerged showing her demanding the return of jewelry she claims was stolen. The situation escalated following Shiva's fatal fall from an apartment building on October 9, prompting police to search for Shraddha and her associates while offering rewards for information. Investigators have yet to verify the authenticity of the videos or the surrounding events.

Only 15 of 55 Maharashtra sugar mills begin crushing amid farmers' protest

Amid the ongoing protest by sugarcane growers, only 15 of 55 sugar mills in Maharashtra have begun crushing in the 2026-27 season, while Karnataka has yet to begin, even as the government has set up a committee to address the farmers' grievances, according to sources on Thursday. In Maharashtra, 40 mills have performed the customary puja that precedes the crushing season starting in October, but have not begun full-fledged operations because of the agitation, sources said. Fifteen mills started operations from October 8 onwards. The sugar produced from these 15 mills is expected to cool down sugar prices, a source said. In Karnataka, not a single mill is operating now because of the protest, the sources said, adding that only eight of the state's 28 mills are running, crushing cane grown in the special season. Maharashtra and Karnataka are the country's second and third largest sugar-producing states, respectively. Farmers in both states are demanding a higher cane support pri

Tooth cap found in mandi at Madhapur eatery, notice served

Hyderabad: A diner who went to the The Joint Al Mandi in Madhapur alleged that he found a human tooth in his food. Food Safety officials later clarified that it was a tooth cap and served a notice to the restaurant. Shyam Prasad said he and a friend, who had come to Madhapur for work Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Imran Khan receives FRRO notice to leave India by October 28 after anti-cec protest in Mumbai

The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Mumbai has reportedly directed actor Imran Khan to leave India by October 28, following his participation in a protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in Mumbai on October 10. The action came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya raised concerns about the actor's participation in a political demonstration, citing his reported US citizenship and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status. According to reports, Somaiya approached the Mumbai Police and sought verification of Khan's citizenship. He questioned whether a foreign national holding a US passport and an OCI card should be participating in a political agitation in India. The protest, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), took place at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai Central. A Mumbai Police official confirmed that the FRRO had taken action against the actor. The FRRO has taken the action and a notice was served to the actor Imran Khan, who is [in India] on an OCI card. The actor nephew of Bollywood star Amir Khan stays in Khar and was served the notice, the official said. The FRRO functions under the Bureau of Immigration, which comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The agency oversees matters concerning the registration, movement, stay, departure and visa extensions of foreign nationals in India, working in coordination with the police. Speaking about his complaint, Somaiya said that he had sought information regarding the duration of Khan's US citizenship. According to news agency PTI, the BJP leader alleged that the actor, who was born and educated in the United States, had earned his livelihood in India while participating in political and diplomatic activities opposing the government. Somaiya also expressed gratitude to the authorities for taking action. Imran Khan explains his presence at the protest During the demonstration, Khan said that he had attended in his capacity as a citizen and was not there to put forward any specific demands. In a video that circulated widely on social media, the actor explained his reasons for joining the protest. I don't have demands. I am here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city. I am here to see why freedom of movement is being restricted. Why are people's voices being suppressed? That is why I am here, the actor said. Khan, his girlfriend Lekha Washington, his mother Nusrat and his niece Zayn (Marie) were among approximately 400 people detained during the protest. The demonstrators were demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Following the detention, Zayn shared a video in which she alleged that police personnel had assaulted and manhandled her. She also showed bruises that she said she had sustained during the incident. The reported notice directing Khan to leave India by October 28 follows the complaint over his participation in the demonstration. The matter has brought attention to questions surrounding the participation of OCI cardholders in political protests in the country. Also Read : FIR register against Imran Khan and others over August Kranti Maidan protest: REPORT