CJP leaders appear before Delhi court for surety verification; asked to return on November 3

Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde appear before the Special Executive Magistrate at Delhis Mandir Marg police station

Cong seeks suspension of ropeway project

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Oct 23: The State Congress on Friday questioned the environmental assessment and public consultation process for the proposed Shillong Peak ropeway project, demanding that it be kept in abeyance or scrapped unless comprehensive studies establish its environmental and social viability. State Congress secretary Manuel Badwar said the government had failed to []

Congress MP Imran Masood detained during Jamia protests as students demand union polls

Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Friday detained Congress MP Imran Masood and Samajwadi Party MP Mohibbullah Nadvi while attempting to meet students demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia's elected students' union amid the ongoing student protest at the university in Delhi. The agitation, which began on October 12, has centred on the announcement of an election schedule for the Jamia Millia Islamia Students' Union (JMISU), withdrawal of disciplinary action against protesters and restoration of democratic representation on campus. The controversy widened after slogans including Free Kashmir and Free Sharjeel Imam were reportedly found written on campus walls. Jamia Millia Islamia has been without an elected students' union since 2006, when the body was dissolved. The last elections were held in 2005. Students began an indefinite hunger strike on October 12, demanding the restoration of the union and an official notification announcing the election schedule for the 2026-27 academic session. Their grievances extend beyond student representation. Protesters have raised concerns about academic facilities, attendance policies, hostel conditions, scholarships and research stipends. They said that an elected union would provide a platform to raise these concerns and participate in decisions affecting student welfare. Congress MP Imran Masood, who visited the campus to support the protesters, rejected slogans advocating the division of India. Look, we do not support any slogan that talks about breaking up India. We will not support those who talk about breaking up India under any circumstances. Kashmir is an integral part of India and will always remain so. Attempts are being made to derail this entire movement through these posters, he said. On the poster controversy, Masood alleged that the BJP itself puts up posters before creating a stir over them. He reiterated that Kashmir was an integral part of India. Congress MP Imran Masood arrived at Jamia on Friday to join the protesting students but was detained by police. Backing their demands, Masood questioned why the university had not restored the students' union. The students demands are justified. Why is the student union not being reinstated? These students are the future of the country. Why are attempts being made to crush the future of the country? he said. Masood also expressed solidarity with students facing disciplinary action. I can even give my life for my children. These are my children and the future of my country. Attempts are being made to crush their rights. Students have been expelled from the university. Why is the student union not being reinstated? What exactly is the reason you do not want to restore the student union? he said. Separately, Samajwadi Party MP Mohibbullah Nadvi alleged that police detained him while he was travelling to meet the protesters. Nadvi, a Jamia alumnus, said he considered supporting the students his duty. He was later released. Visuals of his detention also surfaced on social media. In a letter to Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi on October 21, CPI(M) MP John Brittas highlighted the absence of an elected union for nearly two decades. He cited constitutional provisions guaranteeing freedom of speech and association, University Grants Commission guidelines on students entitlements and the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations on student elections. Hunger-striking student Jasim Ali refuted the allegations and blamed the university administration for the incident, alleging that elements responsible for writing the slogans had been planted among protesters to disrupt their peaceful agitation. We completely refute this thing. And this thing that has happened, the Jamia administration is entirely at fault. This is not our job; it is the Jamia administration's job to stop such mischievous elements. But they themselves have been planted among us by the Jamia admin so that our peaceful protest can be ended, Ali said, according to IANS. Reiterating the protesters demands, Ali said their agitation was focused on restoring the students union and announcing its election schedule. Our only demand is the restoration of the student union and its schedule, and we are standing firm on that. Otherwise, these things being talked about are baseless, pre-planned by the Jamia admin, he said, according to IANS. The university administration has condemned controversial slogans found on campus walls, including VC go back. It has begun removing the writing using chemical agents and attempting to identify those responsible. A university official said strict action would be taken against those involved. The official also alleged that some CCTV cameras had been tampered with and their wiring disconnected or damaged in areas where the slogans appeared. The central disagreement remains unresolved: while the university has initiated a constitution-drafting process and promised a review of disciplinary action, protesters insist that these measures cannot substitute for an immediate election notification.

Free Kashmir, Bring Islam Back' Slogans Found On Jamia Millia Islamia Campus Walls, Probe On

Slogans such as Free Kashmir and Bring Islam Back have been spotted painted on the walls of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi amid ongoing agitation by the students demanding reinstatement of the students' union. Apart from these slogans, there

Ake Loba's Brace Hand East Bengal Easy Win Over Inter Kashi In ISL

Ake Loba scored a brace as East Bengal FC produced a commanding performance to thrash Inter Kashi 5-1 in an Indian Super League match in Pune on Friday

Was Gyanu Told To Lie Low Until Protests Subside?

So far in India, cockroaches and other insects have not ransacked shopping malls and standalone luxury stores in and around Delhi. The protesters one sees battling police brutality at protest sites, resemble bonafide students and young activists demanding basic rights

CBI arrests two ED officials in Lucknow in Rs 5 lakh bribery case

Digital Desk | New Delhi/Lucknow, Oct 23 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended two officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Lucknow Zone, in an alleged Rs 5 lakh bribery case. The accused have been identified as Deepak Kumar, Enforcement Officer, and Manoj Dwivedi, Head Constable, both posted at the ED office in Lucknow Zone, Lucknow. According to the CBIs press release issued on Friday, the agency registered a case on the same day against Manoj Dwivedi and Deepak Kumar of the EDs Lucknow office following a complaint alleging a demand for illegal gratification. The complaint stated that Manoj Dwivedi had allegedly demanded a bribe from the complainants father in exchange for helping him in an Enforcement Directorate case. The complainants father had reportedly received two summonses from the EDs Lucknow Zone in August and September 2026. Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap on October 23, 2026. During the operation, Manoj Dwivedi was allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 5,00,000 on behalf of Enforcement Officer Deepak Kumar to extend favour to the complainants father in the ED case. The CBI subsequently apprehended both accused officials in connection with the alleged bribery. The agency is continuing its investigation to establish the full extent of the alleged misconduct and determine whether other officials were involved. According to officials, the action underlines the CBIs efforts to combat corruption among public servants and reinforce accountability in government agencies. The case also highlights the importance of reporting alleged demands for bribes by public officials. The CBI has urged citizens who encounter corruption or face demands for bribes from public servants to report such incidents. Further investigation into the alleged Rs 5 lakh bribery case involving Deepak Kumar and Manoj Dwivedi is underway.

1st ODI: Pratika And Shafalis Chase Was A Masterclass, Says Smriti After India's Win

Smriti Mandhana: India captain Smriti Mandhana praised Pratika Rawal and Shafali Verma for their commanding batting performances, describing their match-winning partnership as a masterclass after the World Champions registered a nine-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the three-match series at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara, on Friday. Rawal struck an unbeaten 100 off 96 balls, while Shafali remained not out on 64 off just 34 deliveries as India chased down Zimbabwes target of 198 in 27.1 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Praising the duos approach during the chase, Mandhana said their performance was a standout feature of Indias dominant outing. Yes, we can tidy up our fielding; a few catches went down our way, but otherwise, again Shafali and Pratika went about that chase, and it was a masterclass, Mandhana said after the match. Rawal anchored the chase with an assured unbeaten century, striking 15 boundaries, while Shafali provided the aggression with five fours and four sixes. The pair ensured India maintained control after Mandhanas dismissal for 32 off 34 balls, reaching the target with nine wickets in hand. Earlier, Indias bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to 197 in 49.5 overs, with spinner Shree Charani leading the attack with figures of four for 23. Kranti Gaud picked up three wickets, while vice-captain Deepti Sharma claimed two and Shafali took one. Mandhana lauded the bowling unit for adapting well to a different venue, singling out Charani and also praising the discipline shown by the pace bowlers. Coming into a different ground, I think the bowlers adapted really well, especially Shree Charani, I think the standout bowler for us. Also the pacers, the way they bowled, Kranthi to mention, out of all the bowlers, they were pretty disciplined, she said. Despite the comprehensive win, the India captain acknowledged that her side could have maintained greater intensity in the field during certain phases of Zimbabwes innings. India have largely played T20 cricket over the past seven months, and Mandhana said the transition back to the 50-over format required some adjustment. Well, we are playing fifty overs after a very long time. We have played T20 cricket for almost the last seven months, so definitely in the period between 20 and 35, I would say, we could have had more intensity on the field. That is something which we will take back from a game and work on, she said. Mandhana also highlighted communication as a key factor in maintaining consistency in the bowling attack, particularly with players moving between the T20 and ODI sides. She credited the support staff, especially bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi, for helping the bowlers understand their roles and keeping the plans clear. Again, its communication. You need to be absolutely clear with them. When they came in as well, we had a lot of communication, especially again the T20 side from the one-day side; we had two days, she said. Good communication, knowing about, again, support staff, Aavishkar (Salvi) sir, not to mention, hes always with the bowlers, coordinates with them, then gets back to me with the plans. So hes really on it and makes my job easy, she added. Looking ahead to the second ODI, Mandhana said the team would welcome some time to relax after returning to the longer format while also using the opportunity to build stronger connections among players, including those who have recently joined the squad. Hopefully a relaxed, chill day would be good because we have all played one-day cricket after a very long time. So yeah, we will hang out with each other, trying to get to know more about the players, because we have a lot of new players coming in and a lot of energy, especially Jintimani. I mean, shes just a ball of energy around the team, she said. Looking ahead to the second ODI, Mandhana said the team would welcome some time to relax after returning to the longer format while also using the opportunity to build stronger connections among players, including those who have recently joined the squad. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories Article Source: IANS

Four women injured in clash with police during protest against Upper Siang power project in Arunachal

Protesters are demanding the release of 10 arrested activists, reinstatement of suspended 'gaon buras' (village headmen), withdrawal of all pre-feasibility activities and removal of paramilitary and central forces deployed in the region.

March demanding scrapping of SIR, resignation of CEC held in Puducherry

Three juveniles held in attempted murder of school principal in Jharkhands Khunti

Digital Desk | Khunti (Jharkhand), Oct 23 (IANS) The Jharkhand police have solved the case of the attempted murder of Father Benedict Barla, principal of RC Boys Middle School, associated with St Michael's Church in Khunti, officials said on Friday. Three juveniles have been detained in connection with the attack, while a search is going on for a fourth accused. The incident had triggered widespread public outrage in the district. According to police, all four accused are former students of the school. They entered the school premises to steal money to visit a local fair. When Father Barla unexpectedly arrived at the school, one of the accused attacked him with a small hoe-like weapon, striking him on the forehead and temple to avoid being caught. Acting on the accused persons' disclosures, police recovered Rs 85,747 in cash, mobile phones, and several items purchased with the stolen money. Addressing a press conference on Friday evening, Rishabh Garg, Superintendent of Police of Khunti, said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to track down the accused through technical evidence, CCTV footage, and information gathered during questioning. The three detained juveniles are aged 13, 14, and 15 years. The role and age of the fourth accused will be known after the arrest, he said. According to the SP, the four juveniles arrived at the school premises at around 8.30 p.m. on October 20 to steal money. During the theft attempt, they encountered Father Barla, leading to a confrontation. One of the juveniles then assaulted him with the weapon, causing serious injuries to his forehead and temple. After Father Barla collapsed, the accused stole items from the school office and fled. The entire incident lasted about 30 minutes, police said. Father Barla was found unconscious and severely injured on the school campus the nerxt day on the morning of October 21. He was shifted to a hospital in Ranchi, where he is still getting treatment. Police received information about the incident at around 8.45 a.m. on October 21. Police examined CCTV footage from the surrounding area and analysed mobile tower data. During the probe, a suspicious mobile number was identified, leading police to the first accused. Interrogation revealed the involvement of two other juveniles. Based on their disclosures, police recovered mobile phones and cash that had been buried in a forest area. The accused used part of the stolen money to purchase goods online and from local markets, while the remaining amount was hidden at different locations. According to police, all four accused had passed Class 7 from the same school and had earlier stayed in the school's hostel. The attack on Father Barla sparked protests across Khunti. On Friday, members of the Christian community and local residents organised a silent march demanding strict action against the accused. The protesters had also blocked a road in the area.

Mika Singh says Daler Mehndi wants controversy closed after CM Dhamis apology, does not want it dragged further

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Oct 23 (IANS) Singer Mika Singh has said that his brother Daler Mehndi does not want the Uttarakhand controversy to be dragged further following Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhamis apology on behalf of state minister Subodh Uniyal. Speaking exclusively to IANS, Mika said he has brought the Daler Mehndi controversy to a close after CM Dhamis apology. He added that Daler called him on Friday morning and asked him not to let the matter be dragged further. He further said that CM Dhami has invited both brothers to Uttarakhand, and they would soon visit the state to perform. Talking about an artists responsibility towards the audience, Mika raised the question of whether a performer should take the stage when unwell, given their accountability to the people who come to watch them perform. He also held a press conference, where he said, Just this morning, I spoke with my elder brother, dear friend, and someone I hold in high regard, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami. Whenever I visit Dehradun, he meets me with great warmth and is extremely down-to-earth. The way he communicated with Daler Paaji and me was very polite and humble. He offered an apology on behalf of the Minister, and though I told him it wasn't necessary since he made no mistake. Mika added, The problem is that this happened to my brother, who is completely innocent and did nothing wrong. What was I supposed to doif I kept making video statements back-to-back, people would say this is all I do. However, I carefully thought it through and recorded a video at night, and when I called Paaji the next day, he broke down crying because he was emotional. On top of that, I can be quite straightforward and tend to scold him for agreeing to things, but before I could even say anything, he started crying like a child... He further mentioned, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the entire Bollywood industry, the people of Punjab, and all of Daler Paajis fans for the immense support shown after watching the video where he was scolded. It felt very wrong to see Daler Paaji spoken to in that manner, as reprimanding someone publicly nowadayswhether at school or collegesparks widespread controversy. Even during my 23 years of struggle, no one ever scolded me like that, except once in my childhood at a wedding when I ate before the guests arrived, which was my mistake. For the unversed, Daler Mehndis performance at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in Uttarakhand became a subject of controversy after state minister Subodh Uniyal stopped his show midway. The minister alleged that Mehndi was under the influence of alcohol and lip-syncing during the religious Navratri event. Following the incident, several personalities from the entertainment industry, including Mika Singh, Palash Sen, Kapil Sharma, Ila Arun, Anupam Kher, and Sudesh Lehri, voiced their support for Daler Mehndi.

South Africa: IBSAMAR IX concludes as INS Tarkash completes port call at Simons Town

Digital Desk | Cape Town, Oct 23 (IANS) The ninth edition of the India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime Exercise (IBSAMAR IX) has concluded, with Indian Navys INS Tarkash completing its port call at Simons Town in South Africa, the Indian Navy said on Friday. The warship concluded the port call on Thursday, after the navies of the three countries operated together as a combined force from harbour to open sea. INS Tarkash concluded her port call at Simons Town on 22 Oct 26, on completion of the ninth edition of the IndiaBrazilSouth Africa maritime exercise. From harbour to open sea, the Indian Navy, Brazilian Navy and South African Navy operated together as a combined force towards shared vision of open and safe seas for all, the Indian Navy posted on X. Last week, INS Tarkash sailed from Simons Town for the sea phase of the exercise. INS Tarkash sailed from Simons Town on 15 Oct 26 for the Sea Phase of IBSAMAR IX. Ahead of sailing, Command Teams from the Indian Navy, Brazilian Navy and South African Navy convened for a joint Pre-Sailing Conference on 14 Oct 26 to deliberate on the conduct, coordination and execution of the Sea Phase, the Indian Navy had posted on X. During the harbour phase, Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, visited INS Tarkash and interacted with the Commanding Officer and crew of the Indian warship. The trilateral exercise brings together the Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies with the aim of enhancing interoperability, strengthening maritime cooperation and promoting mutual understanding, the Ministry of Defence said. The current edition IBSAMAR IX holds significance in the context of furthering maritime cooperation and security in Indian Ocean Region. The theme of IBSAMAR IX is Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain. It aims to promote collective maritime security and preparedness to address maritime challenges, the ministry had said. The South African Navy participated with SAS Amatola, SAS King Sekhukhune I and SAS Adam Kok III, along with the submarine SAS Manthatisi, while Brazil was represented by BNS Barroso with an integral Lynx helicopter. INS Tarkash participated with an integral Chetak helicopter.

CJP leaders vow to continue SIR protest, say Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign

New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das on Friday vowed to continue their movement against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with Das asserting that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would have to resign. The remarks came after the two leaders appeared before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) at the Mandir Marg police station in connection with separate cases registered against them. The movement continues. We are custodians of this platform which has been given to us by the people of this country. We are just trying to do our

Over 100 detained as anti-SIR protesters march towards ECI office

New Delhi: A large number of protesters, including representatives from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, trade unions, student bodies and Left parties, took out a protest march in the capital on Friday, October 23, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Delhi 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 .

Ukraines Line Of Control In India-Pak Style? Zelenskyys Freeze Offer Could Lock In Putins Gains

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is prepared to freeze and stop the Ukraine war along the current front line. But does that mean Kyiv is giving Russia the roughly 19% of Ukrainian territory Moscow currently controls?Not quite. A freeze would halt fighting without necessarily recognising Russias territorial claims. But Vladimir Putin still wants Ukraine to withdraw from the rest of Donetsk, while Kyiv is demanding security guarantees from the US and Europe.Could the result resemble the India-Pakistan Line of Control a de facto dividing line without settling the underlying territorial dispute? We decode what Zelenskyys proposal means, what Putin wants and whether a frozen front could actually deliver lasting peace.

Bengal: NCC cadets receive accolades for their selfless service during Durga Puja

Digital Desk | Kolkata, Oct 23 (IANS) National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets of the West Bengal and Sikkim Directorate received appreciation on Friday for their service during Durga Puja in Kolkata and the districts of West Bengal. Maj Gen APS Chahal, ADG, NCC, West Bengal and Sikkim Directorate, appreciated the dedication, discipline and sense of responsibility displayed by the cadets at a ceremony held at the Corps Directorate in New Alipore, Kolkata. More than 8,000 cadets, both boys and girls, assisted local police in crowd management, regulating the movement of visitors, facilitating the smooth functioning of pandal operations and helping elderly citizens and other members of the public during the six days of the Pujas. The cadets rendered valuable assistance to the local police and civil administration in ensuring the smooth and orderly conduct of the festivities. Despite the tragic incident at the Chor Bagan Durga Puja pandal, the NCC cadets displayed remarkable courage, commitment and a strong sense of civic responsibility. Rising to the occasion, the cadets continued to turn up for their assigned duties and extended wholehearted support to the administration, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to public service during this challenging period, an official said. Their disciplined conduct, alertness and willingness to serve contributed significantly to the efforts of the administration in managing the large influx of devotees and pandal hoppers, he added. The cadets exemplified the core values of the National Cadet Corps discipline, selfless service, leadership, commitment and service to the nation. Their conduct during the Puja festivities reflected the spirit of 'Unity and Discipline' and demonstrated how young citizens can make a meaningful contribution to society, particularly during demanding circumstances, he added. Maj Gen Chahal commended the readiness of the cadets to assist the police and civil administration and their commitment to the safety, convenience and well-being of the public, even in the aftermath of an unfortunate incident. Highlighting the overall effort and impetus being given to strengthen NCC in West Bengal, the ADG mentioned that the directorate has been actively engaging with the state government for requisite support in terms of budget, staff, infrastructure and incentives for the cadets. The general officer appreciated the positive approach and the vision of the new government in the state to expand NCC to all institutions of West Bengal. He assured that the NCC Directorate is committed towards grooming the youth of the state, appreciating the role of cadets, associate officers, permanent instructors and the Group Headquarters in ensuring effective coordination and the successful execution of their assigned responsibilities. The selfless service rendered by these young cadets stands as a testament to the NCC's enduring commitment to nation-building, community service and the development of responsible citizens, the official said. Their actions have brought laurels to the organisation and reaffirmed the vital role of the NCC in fostering the spirit of service and solidarity within society, he said.

Rajasthan: ACB arrests director, lecturer and teacher of Global BD College in bribery case

Digital Desk | Jaipur, Oct 23 (IANS) Acting on the directions of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Headquarters, the ACB unit in Banswara conducted a trap operation on Friday and caught Bhupendra Jain, a Chemistry teacher at Global BD College, Barodiya, Banswara district, red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a complainant. The college director, Siddhant Jain, and Political Science lecturer Dr Siddhant Jain were also arrested in connection with the case. The ACB's Banswara unit received a complaint alleging that the director, a lecturer and a teacher of Global BD College, Barodiya, were demanding bribes in exchange for facilitating attendance-related matters for students despite their low attendance throughout the academic year and issuing internship letters. Following the complaint, the ACB verified the alleged demand for a bribe. During verification, the college director, the Political Science lecturer and Bhupendra Jain, a Chemistry teacher, were allegedly found to be demanding Rs 20,000 from each student and agreeing to accept bribes. Under the supervision of the concerned ACB Range Superintendent of Police, Piyush Piyush, a trap operation was conducted on Friday under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent of Police Ratna Singh Rajpurohit of the ACB Banswara unit, along with the team. During the operation, Bhupendra Jain, Chemistry teacher at Global BD College, Barodiya, Banswara, was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting Rs 5,000 from the complainant. The college director and Dr Dominique Jain, Political Science lecturer, were also arrested after their alleged key roles in the bribery demand came to light during the investigation. Further questioning and investigation are underway under the supervision of senior ACB officials, including Additional Superintendent of Police Smita Shri and Inspector General of Police S. Parimala. Further legal action will be taken under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the investigation will continue.

Silicon Valley Democrats demand investigation into Starlink restrictions in Ukraine

A letter demanding an investigation indicates Democrats will make investigating Starlink's interruption a top priority if they win control of the U.S.... Silicon Valley Democrats demand investigation into Starlink restrictions in Ukraine

Dylan Larkin trade: Why are the Red Wings demanding a premium despite fair NHL offers?

The Detroit Red Wings are reportedly weighing multiple trade offers for captain Dylan Larkin but have yet to accept a deal. According to NHL insider Nick Kypreos, Detroit wants a substantially stronger return than the proposals currently available. With Larkins trade preferences and contractual protections shaping negotiations, the Red Wings face a key decision over whether to wait or reconsider their demands.

29 CA Wallah Students Shine in CA Intermediate Results, Secure Ranks Under AIR 50

VMPL New Delhi [India], October 23: CA Wallah, the Chartered Accountancy preparation vertical of PhysicsWallah (PW), has recorded a notable achievement in the Chartered Accountants (CA) Intermediate September 2026 examination, with 29 students securing All India Ranks (AIRs) under 50. Among the top performers, Mohammed Qutub Riyan secured AIR 11, Ronak Kumar achieved AIR 14, and Dip Roy secured AIR 20. Announced by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on October 22, 2026, the results mark an important milestone for CA aspirants across the country. The achievement highlights the dedication required to navigate one of India's most demanding professional qualification pathways and underscores the importance of structured preparation, conceptual clarity and sustained practice. Building on previous performances, CA Wallah recorded 12 All India Ranks (AIRs) in the CA Intermediate May 2026 examination and 16 AIRs in January 2026. With 29 AIRs in the current examination, it f...

Irans Diplomat Calls for Global Condemnation Following School Attack

Irans representative urges the world to condemn the school attack that killed 168 children, demanding accountability from the U.S. Irans Diplomat Calls for Global Condemnation Following School Attack

Leftist Groups and Student Leaders March to Election Commission Demanding Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner

Leftist organizations and student groups protested in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities. Leftist Groups and Student Leaders March to Election Commission Demanding Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner

Odisha: Congress team visits Baleshwar to probe minor girls rape and murder

Digital Desk | Bhubaneswar, Oct 23 (IANS) Following the directions of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das, a party fact-finding team visited Jaleswar in Baleshwar district on Friday to investigate the rape and murder of a minor girl whose decomposed body was recovered on Thursday. According to an office order of the OPCC, the Congress fact-finding team will proceed to the victim girls native village and meet the deceased's family as well as visit the spot of the incident. The delegation comprises Ashok Das, Deputy Chief Whip of the Congress Legislature Party in the Assembly and Balasore District In-charge, Debiprasanna Chand, Former MLA, Sanjeeb Giri, PCC General Secretary, etc. It is worth noting that the victim, a Class X student, was acquainted with the accused, Chandrakant Jena alias Kanha, of Sultanpur village under Jaleswar police limits. Local sources claimed that on October 16, Kahna took the victim on his motorcycle on the pretext of taking her to a nearby market. After several hours, when the victim did not return home, her parents approached the police, alleging that Kahna had kidnapped her. However, the local police reportedly let him go after questioning him. After obtaining reliable clues in the case, police brought Kanha back to the police station on Thursday, where he reportedly confessed during interrogation to raping and murdering the girl. Based on information elicited during interrogation, police recovered the victims half-burnt body from the crime scene on Thursday. Following the recovery of the body, the victims relatives and villagers staged a protest, demanding action against the local police for their alleged negligence in handling the case. Speaking to media persons on Friday, Baleshwar SP Pratyush Diwaker said, A deeply tragic incident has taken place. On October 16th, we received a missing person report concerning a minor girl. The suspect was promptly taken into custody. Following sustained interrogation, it was revealed that on the day of her disappearance, October 16th, the accused took her away and subjected her to non-consensual physical abuse. When she resisted and rejected his advances, the accused acted in sudden rage, strangling her to death. The Baleshwar SP further stated that the investigation has since been entrusted to a Deputy SP-rank officer. He also denied that anyone else was involved in this heinous crime. Our priority is to expedite the chargesheet and pursue a fast-track trial to ensure a swift conviction, he added. Taking the matter seriously, the Baleswar SP suspended Sub-Inspector Karan Marandi of Jaleswar police station for negligence and transferred the police station's Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) with immediate effect.

The new iPad mini is coming to put the Air out of its misery

Macworld Ever since the 10th-gen iPads 2022 redesign to match the rest of the lineup, the iPad lineup has been pretty clear. Theres the iPad Pro , which has the latest features and the best performance, the iPad Air in the middle, the smaller iPad mini , and the entry-level model with an older A-series chip and display. As such, weve always recommended the iPad Air for most people looking for an iPad with a smart combination of price and specs. However, after the recent hikes added $150 to the price, the Air is a lot less attractive than it was for $599, especially since it hasnt gotten a meaningful upgrade in years. The upcoming iPad mini expected to launch as part of Apples Pro and Tell event next weekis shaping up to become the new balanced mid-ranger. While it wont offer an M-series processor or a screen as larger as even the smaller iPad Air, the overall package is rumored to be significantly more advanced and feature-rich than the Air offers. In fact, once the new iPad mini launches, I see little reason why the Air even needs to exist. Au revoir, LED Disregarding the size, the iPad Air and iPad mini offer comparable Liquid Retina (LED) screens. With both models, you get the same maximum brightness, wide color P3 gamut, True Tone support, Apple Pencil compatibility, antireflective coating, etc. The iPad mini does come with a slightly higher pixel density of 326 ppi (compared to the Airs 264 ppi) due to its smaller size, but thats about it. The M4 iPad Pro was the first Apple tablet to adopt an OLED panel, unlocking true blacks and crisper colors. After two years of exclusivity, OLED is finally rumored to expand to another iPad. Based on Apples pattern, one would assume that would be the iPad Air, but somewhat surprisingly, its reportedly coming to the mini first. The iPad mini will reportedly be Apples first non-Pro tablet to switch to OLED. Having actively used both an LED iPad Air and an OLED iPad Pro, let me tell you that its not just an iterative bump on a spec sheet. The difference in image quality is night and day. Colors are richer, blacks are deeper, and HDR content shines. To be fair, the iPad mini reportedly wont be receiving the same tandem OLED technology found in the iPad Pro, but the upgrade will undoubtedly enhance consumed digital content. Even with a smaller display the iPad mini will essentially leapfrog the Air for movies and photo editing. The iPad Pro might not be Apples only tablet with an OLED display. Britta OBoyle Putting the IP in iPad iPads have never had an water-resistance rating, making them susceptible to liquid damage and more worrisome when traveling to a beach or using one to relax while taking a bath. The next iPad mini will be the first model with an official water resistance certification, widely expanding its use case possibilities. On rainy days, for example, you wont hesitate to take it out with you. Youll similarly feel more comfortable using it in the kitchen while cooking, on the beach, or in the bathtub. This will make it infinitely more practical for on-the-go reading sessions, viewing recipes, and consuming media while soakingand set it apart from even the iPad Pro. Add in its inherent portability, and its a more intriguing option than the Air. Pro power Given that the iPad Air is powered by the Macs M-branded chipsets, one would assume itll always outperform the iPad mini and its A-series processors. While this may have been the case in the past, the next iPad mini is expected to get a serious upgrade with the iPhone 18 Pros A20 Pro SoC. With the same 12GB of RAM as the M4, Apples A20 Pro actually outperforms the Airs chipset in several relevant benchmark tests. As such, demanding iPadOS apps should run fluidly and reliably on the mini variant. And given the shift to a 2nm manufacturing process, the iPad mini could become even more power efficient, extending its battery life beyond the reported 10-hour limit on the current mini and Air models. Size matters It goes without saying that the iPad mini is significantly lighter0.65 pound (293grams) vs 1.02 pounds (464grams)and more portable than the Air, making it more practical to store and carry around. Its also relatively intuitive for one-handed use, letting you utilize tablet features without the added bulk. The iPad mini is significantly small than other iPads, but that also makes it lighter and more portable. Petter Ahrnstedt The flashy kind Another iPad Pro feature that mini users get is the True Tone flash. While you likely wont be taking professional-grade photos with your iPad, the flashlights utility extends beyond the Camera app. For example, you could turn it on when using the built-in document scanner to produce clearer results. It can also come in handy during sudden power outages when your iPhone isnt within reach. The issue of price After the recent price hikes, the 8.3-inch iPad mini starts today at $599, while the 11-inch iPad Air goes for $749. Taking all of the above into consideration as well as the Apples recent pricing strategy, we can conclude that the mini will get another price hike, perhaps even pushing it as high as $799. Is $799 too much for iPad mini? Not if the rumored features all come to pass. Foundry Lets say that happens. Yes, that means the mini would cost $50 more than the Air, assuming Apple doest raise prices again. However, other than a smaller screen, the upcoming iPad mini will offer a superior experience in every way, with a better display, stronger durability, higher performance, and greater portability. Its hard to imagine that anyone would choose the 11-inch Air instead even with a slightly lower price. Want the best performance? The iPad Pro is the one you want. Need an 11-inch display? Go for the A16 iPad. Need to get work done? The $699 MacBook Neo is much smarter option than an 11-inch iPad Air with a Magic Keyboard for $1,018 or $1,268 for the 13-inch model. Heck, at that point, you might as well add $30 and get an M5 MacBook Air instead. So, once the new iPad mini arrives, theres really no scenario where it would make sense to buy an iPad Air. And I cant help but wonder if its days in the iPad lineup are numbered.

Left parties, student groups march towards EC HQ, demand Gyanesh Kumar's resignation

Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Several Left-Wing organisations, student leaders and civil society members on Friday took part in a protest march towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in the national Capital amid heavy security, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The participants, including members of Left-Wing's All India Students' Federation (AISF) and All India Youth Federation (AIYF), gathered near Bangla Sahib Gurdwara at Delhi's Connaught Place to march to the Election Commissions headquarters near Patel Chowk. CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, CPI leader P Sandosh Kumar and political activist Yogendra Yadav also took part in the protest. Speaking to reporters, Yadav said: The protests will continue uninterrupted. If you shut down one Jantar Mantar, hundreds of Jantar Mantars will emerge. You may silence one person, but you cannot silence the people. This movement will continue in its own form because it is about the most basic democratic rights of the people of this country. P Sandosh added: ...We will intensify our movement in the coming days, and there will be larger gatherings. We will continue our agitation until the resignation of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar. No one can save him for sure. Heavy security deployment was also witnessed outside the ECI headquarters and several protesters were detained by the police. Earlier in the day, the Delhi Traffic Police had advised commuters to avoid affected routes in view of the protest march. In a post on 'X', the Delhi Traffic Police said: In connection with the anticipated movement of a large number of people from Bangla Sahib Gurudwara towards Jantar Mantar today, traffic diversions will be in place from 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. Commuters are advised to avoid affected roads, plan their journeys in advance and follow traffic police instructions, it said. Further, the Traffic Police appealed to motorists to remain patient, follow rules and cooperate with traffic personnel deployed in the area. Please follow diversion signs and traffic directions to avoid congestion, it said. The protests demanding the resignation of CEC Kumar gained momentum following a media report claiming differences within the poll panel regarding procedures related to the SIR. Earlier this month, the agitations against the CEC were led by the Opposition INDIA Bloc and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), leading to brief detentions of several leaders. Meanwhile, the BJP has launched a nationwide campaign titled 'Save democracy, remove anarchy' to counter the Opposition's criticism of the SIR.

Several protesters detained as anti-SIR march heads to Gyanesh

New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) Delhi Police on Friday detained several protesters as a march against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls moved towards the headquarters of the Election Commission of India (ECI) means Gyanesh Kumars office in central Delhi, clamping Section 163 of the BNSS prohibiting mass gatherings, sources said. The march, called by the Delhi Coordination Committee of People Against SIR, a peoples collective, began near the Gole Dak Khana, at the intersection of Kalibari Marg and Bhai Vir Singh Marg, with participants carrying the national flag and banners demanding an end to the electoral roll revision

Police arrest 4 drug peddlers in separate anti-narcotics operations in Kashmir, contraband substance recovered

Srinagar, Oct 23: Continuing its crackdown against drug peddling, Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested four drug peddlers in separate anti-narcotics operations in Anantnag, Kulgam and Kupwara; and recovered contraband substances from their possession. A police spokesperson said that in Anantnag, during patrolling in the Jablipora area, a police party from Police Station Bijbehara arrested a person identified as Usman Ahmed Mir son of Late Zahoor Ahmed resident of Batengoo, Bijbehara, at Fruit Mandi. During his search, 7.6 grams of a heroin was recovered from his possession. Similarly in another operation, a police party from Police Station Srigufwara, during naka checking at Hittigam Crossing, arrested Bilal Ahmad Lone son of Gh. Ahmad Lone resident of K. Kalan, and recovered approximately 18 grams of Charas from his possession. In Kulgam, a police party from Police Station Qaimoh, while conducting naka checking at Khudwani, arrested one person who allegedly attempted to flee upon noticing the police party. During checking, 2.392 grams of a substance suspected to be wet Bhang seeds and flowering tops (including polythene) and 35 grams of a substance suspected to be Charas, wrapped in polythene, were recovered from his possession, spokesperson said. He said that police in Kupwara apprehended one person and recovered approximately 1.3kgs of a charas-like substance during naka checking near Panchayat Ghar, Rang Warnow. Accordingly, cases under relevant sections of NDPS act stands registered at respective police stations, while as further investigation into the matters to track forward and backward linkage is on, spokesperson added.

Anti-SIR Protest March Heads to ECI Amid Tight Security

NEW DELHI, Oct 23: A protest march against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls moved towards the Election Commission of India headquarters in central Delhi on Friday, with demonstrators alleging voter deletions and demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumars resignation. The march was organised by the Delhi Coordination Committee of People Against SIR, [] The post Anti-SIR Protest March Heads to ECI Amid Tight Security appeared first on Northlines .

Kacha Badam fame Anjali Arora gets legal notice after Kanpur event controversy

Amid the Kanpur event controversy, the organisers have reportedly sent influencer and social media sensation Anjali Arora a legal notice demanding Rs 1.20 crore in damages and a public apology.

Garbage-yard smoke sickens Jagtial colony, residents protest

Angry residents of the Nookapalli Double-Bedroom Housing Colony in Jagtial district took to the road and stopped municipal garbage vehicles, demanding the immediate removal of a nearby dumping yard whose smoke, they allege, is making them ill. The residents said garbage at the yard is being burned indiscriminately, sending thick smoke and a foul stench 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 .

Anti-CEC Protest March Heads Towards ECI Office In Delhi, Traffic Diversions Until 5 PM

Farmers, students and civil society groups march against SIR, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumars resignation as Delhi Traffic Police warns of diversions in central Delhi until 5 pm.

Lincoln A Fantastic Place For India A To Do Tests Prep, Dont Get Spooked By Green Tops, Says Pamment

The Bert Sutcliffe Oval: The Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln is the ideal setting for India's Test top-order batters to find their feet in New Zealand, and that they must not be unsettled by the green pitches awaiting them, said former New Zealand assistant coach James Pamment. India A begin their red-ball series against New Zealand A at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval on Saturday, and Pamment, who also worked as fielding coach of five-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians, believes it is the perfect stepping stone for a group largely new to the country. They're playing their two games at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln University, aren't they? So, it'll be very, very similar conditions and very similar atmosphere to when they play at Hagley Oval. Different clay in Wellington and very green wickets for Test matches in Wellington. Sometimes teams get spooked by the greenness of the wicket, but it actually doesn't seam around too much. It gives great pace and great bounce. So, that's what they'll have to bear in mind, that the wickets that they're preparing on in Christchurch will be a little bit flatter. They might seam a little bit more and then flatten off. But what they'll experience in Wellington is very green wickets, but a little bit more pace, bounce and not as much movement. So, it will be important. Take the brave option would be my encouragement to those guys and make sure they're starting that in their preparation down at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, which is a fantastic ground to be doing your preparation, especially if you've never played in New Zealand before. It's a nice environment just to make that transition, Pamment told IANS in an exclusive conversation. The stakes explain why the A team fixtures matter so much. The Shubman Gill-led side faces a very tough examination when the two-match Test series starts on November 19, in a country where India have won just two series in 58 years. Only three players in the current Test squad - Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah - have played a Test match previously in New Zealand. With the series happening in November, well before the peak of the New Zealand summer comes, it means conditions will favour seamers more. At least nine members of the Test squad KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Jurel, B Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj and Pant (subject to recovering from left side strain), are lined up for three red-ball matches between October 24 and November 10 and need to acclimatise to conditions if they are to excel in the Test series. Pamment stressed that mindset would matter as much as technique for the visiting batters. I understand that there are four or five of those guys that are playing in the first three ODIs and will then step across and start some preparation for the Test matches, as is the same with the New Zealand team. Seven of the New Zealand players will step out of the fourth and fifth ODIs and start their preparation for the Test match in Basin Reserve. But I think it's really important that they don't get spooked by the green wickets. That's the most important thing and that they remain positive and they try and take the game on and, and advance it rather than thinking, 'Oh, it's green wickets. We're going to have to fiddle around here and try and survive.' There is plenty riding on the outcome too. India sit fifth in the World Test Championship standings and need a 1-0 or 2-0 result to keep their hopes of a final berth alive. When India won 1-0 in 2009, their top-order amassed 899 runs in three Tests, with two centuries and five fifties. Current head coach Gautam Gambhir had batted out for 643 minutes and 436 balls for making a magnificent 137 runs, to save the Napier Test. But in the 2014 and 2020 tours, Indias top-order didnt replicate those dazzling efforts and suffered series defeats. Onus will be huge on Rahul, Jaiswal and Padikkal to get big runs, especially with New Zealands top-order averaging 45.03 in Tests at home since 2024. On the bowling combination, especially with Bumrah and Jadeja present, Pamment was clear that India should resist the temptation of an all-pace attack. I think you definitely have to play a spinner. For sure you have to play a spinner because if the game in Wellington does go the distance a little bit longer - sometimes games are finished in the third, or even the second and third days. But I think with quality batting, if you approach it with accuracy and, like I say, with bravery, then the game can go deep. So, you always need to play a spinner and I don't think they need to just go for a total seam attack. I think it's definitely 3-1 would be my recommendation and somebody like Jadeja obviously is an all-rounder as well. Then, you do lengthen your batting, but I think three seamers is a good one. He also felt the presence of seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy can help balance Indias ideal playing eleven. That all-rounder is the key as well - if you can have a middle-order all-rounder who can bowl a little bit of seaming balls. Somebody like Nitish Kumar Reddy in the middle order, and then Jadeja just allows you to play those three specialist seamers, one specialist spinner and an all-rounder. That's the right balance and I think that's probably the balance that New Zealand might look to go in with as well. New Zealand's edge at home has often come as much from their batters' comfort on seaming surfaces as from their bowling. Even so, Pamment warned that bounce would be the biggest test for the Indian batters, with Matt Henry leading a demanding and relentless fast bowling unit. Matt Henry has been one of the world's best bowlers in Test match cricket over the last two or three years. He's found very consistent line and length - very demanding, moves the ball, swings the ball, and seams the ball. With (Kyle) Jamieson, it's bounce and some of the other guys who are potentially likely to be involved as well. It could bounce if they go for, let's say Jacob Duffy, who was the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand for all formats over the last calendar year and so it could be him. Blair Tickner's another one with bounce - so that's the thing that they were going to have to be able to combat is the bounce. It'll be slightly different from Wellington to Christchurch. But those New Zealand bowlers will be demanding and India can probably think themselves a little bit fortunate that New Zealand have decided to rest William O'Rourke. O'Rourke has been kept out with an eye on the Test series against Australia that follows soon after they are done with matches against India. He's not going to be available because he's being conditioned to be ready for the Australian series, which follows on after the Indian series. So, he's a big miss for New Zealand. But they're obviously trying to make sure that he's ready for Australia. It'll be demanding, and there's obviously a number of other bowlers as well around that group. They haven't named their team yet, but when they do, I think the seamers will come from that crop. Nathan Smith's another one - not quite as tall as some of the other ones, but Nathan is very accurate. Obviously, he does move the ball laterally as well and generally gets into a very consistent line and length. So, the Indian boys will have to be very proactive when facing him because you just can't allow those guys just to get into the groove and bowl consistent ball after ball after ball. You have to be proactive and the Indian guys will know that. With the WTC final spots at stake, Pamment said the hosts were well placed going into a demanding stretch. Obviously, it's a pivotal time. New Zealand are sitting in a pretty good position, but they're playing India at home and then Australia away. So, two incredible challenges and if they can come out with positive results in those two series, it'll really stand them in good stead. So, really exciting times to be a New Zealand spectator, supporter and obviously a player as well to play against India and then going to Australia straight away. So, a lot of excitement around that. India has got a little bit of work to do, but hey, they have the quality. With the WTC final spots at stake, Pamment said the hosts were well placed going into a demanding stretch. Obviously, it's a pivotal time. New Zealand are sitting in a pretty good position, but they're playing India at home and then Australia away. So, two incredible challenges and if they can come out with positive results in those two series, it'll really stand them in good stead. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories Article Source: IANS

Sacred Ekadashi Mahadeep Ritual at Puri Jagannath Temple

Watch | A sacred Ekadashi ritual at Shree Jagannatha Temple in Puri sees the Mahadeep prepared with ghee and new white rice in three silver kalashis, using banana leaves. After the Mahadeep samskara near Mahaprabhu and the aarti, the Mahadeep ascends to the top of the Shrimandir. ��Alongside this sacred tradition, devotees witnessed todays Patitapabana Darshan at the temple.

Anti-SIR Protest In Delhi: Farmers, Students March To Election Commission Office

Farmers, students and civil society groups marched towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in central Delhi on Friday, protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The

Left parties, BRS stage joint dharna demanding transparency in Indiramma Houses beneficiary selection

The parties demand pending bills for incomplete houses sanctioned under the Indira Awaas Yojana and other previous housing schemes be released immediately

Drought in Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot questions government, Kirodi Lal Meena responds

Digital Desk | Jaipur, Oct 23 (IANS) Rajasthan is facing a rainfall deficit this year, with several districts experiencing drought-like conditions. The shortfall has raised concerns in western Rajasthan, particularly in Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaisalmer and Balotra, where shortages of water and fodder are affecting rural communities. The situation has also sparked a political exchange between former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena of the Bhajanlal Sharma-led government. While Gehlot has urged the state government to provide immediate relief to affected farmers, Meena has said that a survey is underway to assess the extent of the damage. Rainfall has reportedly fallen to its lowest level in 17 years, in sharp contrast to last year, when the state recorded its highest rainfall in 108 years. The rainfall deficit has raised concerns among farmers and livestock owners, who are facing difficulties due to the shortage of water and fodder. With Panchayat elections underway in the state, the issue has also become a point of political debate, with the Congress demanding urgent assistance for affected rural communities. Agriculture Minister Meena said that eight to ten districts had received below-normal rainfall. He added that government officials and District Collectors were closely monitoring the situation. According to Meena, the Revenue Department is conducting a survey to determine the extent of the impact. He explained that the government would consider further action based on the survey findings and initiate relief measures once the assessment is complete and drought conditions are officially declared. In early October, Ashok Gehlot raised concerns about the worsening situation in western Rajasthan and shared figures highlighting the number of villages reportedly affected by drought-like conditions. According to the figures cited by Gehlot, approximately 2,000 villages in Jodhpur, 2,460 in Barmer, 1,216 in Balotra and 961 in Jaisalmer were facing drought-like conditions. He urged the Bhajanlal Sharma government to take immediate steps to provide relief to farmers in these areas. Gehlot's concerns centred on the impact of deficient rainfall on agriculture and rural livelihoods, particularly in areas where access to water and animal fodder has become increasingly difficult. The effects of inadequate rainfall extend beyond crop losses. Reduced water availability can affect livestock, drinking water supplies in rural areas and the livelihoods of farming families. Livestock owners are particularly vulnerable when fodder supplies decline and water sources become scarce. The Agriculture and Revenue departments are assessing conditions in the affected regions to determine the extent of the shortfall and its consequences. Meena said the government was receiving reports from officials and that the findings would guide decisions on declaring drought conditions and providing relief. Once the assessment is complete, the government is expected to determine the appropriate measures under established procedures. The timing and scope of relief will depend on the survey findings and the official decision on drought declaration.

Sunil Jakhar Protests Against AAP Government with Victims Family in Punjab Assembly

Sunil Jakhar leads a protest in Punjab Assembly, demanding justice for a shooting victims family and criticizing the AAP government. Sunil Jakhar Protests Against AAP Government with Victims Family in Punjab Assembly

Watch: Abohar shootout victim family stages protest outside Punjab legislative assembly

Family members of Ajay Kumar, the Abohar shootout victim, staged a protest outside the Punjab Assembly in Chandigarh for the second consecutive day, demanding justice. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to meet the grieving family and offer his condolences. Jakhar also demanded justice for Kumars family and warned that he would stage a sit-in outside Manns residence if the Chief Minister failed to meet them.

Neha Bora tells Delhi HC she had no role in CJP protest call, challenges Rs 10,000 peace bond notice

AISA chief Neha Bora denied inciting violence over the CJP protest in the Delhi High Court, as the Centre accused her of repeated violations and opposed her claims on regime change. Bora challenged a notice demanding a Rs 10,000 bond to maintain peace, with the court reserving its order for Friday.

Miscommunication By Eiffel Tower: BAPS' Brahmavihari Swamiji On 'Women Sidelined' Claim

Brahmavihari Swami, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha spokesperson and the head of BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, spoke at length about the Eiffel Tower controversy at NDTV World Summit.

Mumbai: Andheri man held over alleged bestiality near temple

Woman records alleged sexual act with stray dog near Hanuman Mandir at midnight, prompting police action

'Ilhan Omar A Scammer, She Married Her Brother': Trump's Brutal Attack On Minnesota Congresswoman

Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on Ilhan Omar, accusing the Minnesota congresswoman of fraud and demanding that she resign immediately. Trump claimed Omar used a fake name when she was elected and sworn into Congress, and raised questions about allegations surrounding her marriage to a man he described as her brother. He also claimed Republicans had picked up a House seat. These are Trumps allegations; his remarks alone do not establish wrongdoing or determine Omars legal eligibility to serve.#DonaldTrump #IlhanOmar #USPolitics #BreakingNews #TrumpNews

Delhi Police arrest mobile phone snatcher in Karol Bagh; seize motorcycle

Digital Desk | New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Delhi Police have arrested a 25-year-old mobile phone snatcher and recovered the stolen phone and a motorcycle used in the crime, after a chase by alert patrolling personnel in the Karol Bagh area, officials said on Friday. The accused, identified as Raman, alias Manish, alias Aman, is a resident of Pratap Nagar, New Delhi. According to the police, he has multiple previous criminal involvements and is an externed person from the jurisdiction of Police Station Gulabi Bagh. The incident took place on October 21 at around 11 a.m., when the complainant, Mohd. Abbas, 19, was walking to work while using his mobile phone on New Rohtak Road near a bank in Karol Bagh. According to the complaint, two men riding a motorcycle approached him from behind, and the pillion rider allegedly snatched his mobile phone before fleeing towards Tibbia College. After the victim raised an alarm, Head Constable Ramjilal pursued the suspects along with the complainant. During the chase, the motorcycle was intercepted near a gurdwara close to Ajmal Khan Park in Karol Bagh. One of the suspects, identified as Raman, was apprehended, while the other managed to escape. The stolen mobile phone was recovered from the arrested accused, and the motorcycle used in the offence was also seized. The incident was subsequently reported to Police Station D.B.G. Road. Head Constable Ashok and Constable Kapil reached the spot and took custody of the accused, the recovered mobile phone and the motorcycle. Based on the complainant's statement and the circumstances of the incident, a case was registered at D.B.G. Road police station under Sections 304(2), 317(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The FIR, numbered 384/2026, was registered on October 21. During further investigation, the police also found that the accused had been externed from the jurisdiction of Police Station Gulabi Bagh. The recovered motorcycle is bearing registration number UP14HA7321. Police records show that the accused has been linked to multiple previous cases registered at various police stations in Delhi. These include cases registered at Sarai Rohilla, Bharat Nagar, Keshav Puram, Bara Hindu Rao, Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, Subzi Mandi, Burari, Gulabi Bagh, Prasad Nagar and Inderpuri police stations. The previous cases include allegations of theft, snatching, receiving stolen property and offences under the Arms Act. Police said efforts were underway to identify and apprehend the second suspect who fled from the spot. Further investigation into the case is in progress.

Rapido bike-taxi shut down ordered: Pune DM orders immediate removal of bike taxi option from app after an FIR

Rapido News: Pune District collector Jitendra Dudi has asked the city police commissioner to remove Rapidos bike taxi option from the app after an FIR was registered over alleged unauthorised operations. Autorickshaw unions are demanding stricter enforcement of the order.

Gurez Residents Continue Hunger Strike Over Healthcare Crisis

SRINAGAR: The hunger strike by residents of Gurez in north Kashmirs Bandipora district entered its second day on Friday, with protesters demanding improved medical facilities, an inquiry into the deaths of a pregnant woman and her baby, and a reshuffle of the local administration. The protesters are seeking the deployment of four-wheel-drive ambulances in Bagtore, []

DA installments, pension revision, OPS Check demands amid Punjab govt employees protest over long-pending demands

Punjab government employees staged a mass casual leave protest demanding pending dearness allowance payments, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, pension revisions and reinstatement of discontinued allowances.

Mass Anti-Government Protests Sweep Serbia Ahead Of Elections

Huge crowds gathered at a pre-election rally as the student-led anti-government movement intensified across Serbia. Protesters are demanding political change and an end to President's rule ahead of key political developments.

2 years after approval, CM Omar says land unavailability stalls Anantnag Maternity-Childcare Hospital

Anantnag, Oct 22:Nearly two years after approval, Anantnags proposed 249-bed maternity and child care hospital remains stalled over land availability with the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah saying, on Thursday that the Mirza Afzal Beg Memorial (MAMB) -GMC Janglat Mandi site may be insufficient despite funds being ready. The impasse leaves patients dependent on an overcrowded maternity hospital where doctors report that two to three patients sometimes share a bed. Work on the proposed maternity and child hospital (MCCH) in Anantnag requires a feasible alternative site, as the land identified at MAMB Janglat Mandi may not be sufficient for the project. Funds are ready, and the department will work to identify a suitable location so construction can begin at the earliest, Omar told reporters after the Anantnag District Development Board meeting. The Health and Medical Education Department initiated the project in November 2024, directing the Public Works Department (PWD) to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and fast-track construction at the Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg Memorial (MAMB) campus of Government Medical College (GMC), Anantnag hospital. The initial DPR of Rs 86.5 crore was returned by the Finance Department for clarification on the funding source and inclusion of furniture and furnishings. The project cost was subsequently revised to Rs 94.44 crore. The revised DPR was forwarded to the GMC principal on April 1, ths year and subsequently sent to the Health Secretary, with copies to the Finance Secretary and Director of Health Services. Officials had earlier said administrative approval and formal release of funds were pending. Around 4.5 kanal had initially been demarcated at MAMB Janglat Mandi, where the hospital was planned to be connected to Block A. However, the proposed site in the campus already houses a nursing home and oxygen plants nearby. A critical care unit and an oncology block are also under construction and a sewage treatment plant (STP) is planned, leaving limited space for the proposed hospital. Alternative locations considered include the GMC main campus at Dialgam, the existing Sherbagh site after dismantling its dilapidated maternity hospital structures, and Rehmat-e-Alam Hospital at Sarnal on KP Road. The delay has prolonged reliance on Sherbagh maternity hospital, which the PWD and Fire and Emergency Services declared unsafe in 2014. Built for 40 beds, the facility handles more than 40,000 outpatient visits and around 7000 admissions every month. The paediatric section was shifted to GMC-MAMBs already congested A Block last year following repeated fires in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. However, a proposal to shift maternity services to Rehmat-e-Alam Hospital was shelved after structural assessments by IIT Jammu and NIT Srinagar found the building unsuitable under post-2005 earthquake safety standards. During the February budget session, the government told the Assembly that Rs 5 crore had been earmarked for the project under the 2025-26 CAPEX budget. It also said the hospital could be taken up under the SASCI scheme in 2026-27. Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo had said construction would begin once the land was finalised. With the MAMB Janglat Mandi site facing space constraints and no alternative location finalised, the hospital remains on hold despite the Chief Ministers assurance that funds are ready.

Speed up sanctioned works: CM Omar directs officers

Anantnag, Oct 22: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday directed the Deputy Commissioner and district officers to use the favourable weather to speed up execution of all sanctioned works in Anantnag. He said the outdoor working season is short and allocated funds must be utilised before the financial year ends. Speaking to reporters after chairing a review meeting, the CM said the purpose of his visit was not just inaugurations but to review ongoing development works and issue directions to accelerate them. The Deputy Commissioner's presentation indicated that development was progressing satisfactorily, Omar said, However, two or three departments were identified where the pace of work needs to improve. The Chief Minister said nearly all MLAs attended the meeting and presented their constituents' concerns, and the government would try to fulfil as many public demands as possible. On the Maternity and Child Hospital, Omar said a proposal had been framed for the Janglat Mandi site, but the department has pointed out that the land earmarked there will fall short of the project's requirements. The funds are already in place; all that remains is finalising the land, he said. Health Minister Sakeena Itoo could not attend the meeting, he said, but the government would sit down with the department to finalise an alternative location so that work could start at the earliest. On the long-pending demand for a District Secretariat complex, the CM said almost every MLA had raised it, but there was no consensus yet on the location. One suggestion was to rebuild on the current Deputy Commissioner's office premises, but that would require temporary relocation of administrative offices during construction. Omar said he had asked the Deputy Commissioner to consult all MLAs, eminent citizens and members of civil society to agree on a feasible site. A detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared once the location is decided. Asked about the Anantnag stadium, he said nobody had raised it during the meeting. If a formal proposal comes through, we will certainly examine it, he said. He added that he would answer only Anantnag-related questions, as issues such as the Ramlila Maidan event and Panchayat elections had no connection with the district review. Earlier, the Chief Minister dedicated to the public and laid foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 52 crore. About 11 water supply schemes were inaugurated, including Jal Jeevan Mission schemes at Semthan (Rs 6.29 crore), Shoul Sarsuna (Rs 5.66 crore) and Chontipora Baghwanpora (Rs 5.08 crore). He also laid foundation stones for the upgradation of the AshajiporaDonipawa road (Rs 3.61 crore) and a steel girder bridge over Nallah Brengi at Her-Kandiwara (Rs 3.18 crore). The review covered health, education, roads and infrastructure, youth empowerment, food and civil supplies, power and rural development. He issued time-bound directions to accelerate industrial estate development, streamline social welfare assistance, strengthen LPG buffer stocks for winter, and improve physical and financial progress under key schemes, including SASCI. He also directed banks to streamline disbursements under Mission YUVA to help local youth set up their enterprises. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Jal Shakti Minister Javed Rana, Agriculture Production Minister Javid Dar, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Satish Sharma, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLAs of Anantnag district and senior officers attended the meeting. In a post on X, the Office of the Chief Minister said: During his visit to Anantnag today, the Chief Minister dedicated to the public and laid foundation stones for developmental projects worth over Rs 52 crore, reinforcing the Government's commitment to strengthening essential infrastructure and improving public services.

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Two officials arrested for allegedly demanding up to 25% commission on contractor bills

Sopore bypass bridge lane closed till Oct 31, traffic diverted

Sopore, Oct 22: Authorities on Thursday announced the temporary closure of one lane of the bridge at kilometre 1.954 on Sopore bypass road from Thursday evening until October 31 evening, issuing alternative traffic routes for vehicles travelling towards Srinagar, Baramulla, Kupwara and Handwara. According to an advisory issued by Additional District Magistrate Sopore S A Raina, the restrictions have been imposed in accordance with orders issued by the District Magistrate Baramulla on October 21 and 22 to ensure public safety and smooth traffic movement. Vehicles travelling from Kupwara and Handwara towards Srinagar and Baramulla, excluding heavy trucks and trailers, have been directed to use Kupwara Crossing, Iqbal Market, Clock Tower, Shah Dargah Crossing, Degree College Crossing, Chankhan Bridge and Sangrama. Similarly, vehicles coming from Srinagar and Baramulla towards Sopore, Kupwara and Handwara will be diverted through Amargarh Chowk, Chankhan Bridge, Degree College Crossing, Mandi Crossing and Sopore Bypass. The advisory further states that heavy vehicles will not be allowed on the designated diversion routes between 8 am and 8 pm. Such vehicles will be permitted to use these routes only between 8 pm and 8 am. Vehicles coming from Rafiabad, including Mazbugh and Nowpora, have been directed to use the bypass road via Ahad Bab Chowk and enter Sopore through Kupwara Crossing. The administration has directed traffic authorities to deploy adequate personnel at major crossings and entry and exit points to ensure implementation of the diversions. The restrictions will remain in force until the evening of October 31, and commuters have been advised to follow the designated routes to avoid inconvenience.

Watch: The troubling reality of Indias PhD scholars | Focus Tamil Nadu

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Har gali mein Jantar Mantar on Oct 23; Bora, Dipke, others invited

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250-bedded maternity hospital awaits site finalisation in Anantnag: CM Omar Abdullah

Anantnag, Oct 22 : The proposed 250-bedded Maternity and Child Care Hospital in Anantnag is awaiting site finalisation, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday saying the location initially identified at Janglat Mandi had been found unsuitable due to space constraints. Speaking to reporters after chairing a district review meeting, the Chief Minister said funds for the project are available and the government hoped to start work soon after finalising an alternative site. He said elected representatives, the Health Minister, officials of the Health Department and civil society members would jointly discuss and decide the location to avoid further delays. As per the report submitted by the department, there is not enough space available at Janglat Mandi for the proposed hospital. We are, therefore, looking for another suitable location, he said. He added that the funds are available and the government hoped to start work soon once the site was finalised. He said the proposed hospital is expected to strengthen maternal and child healthcare services in south Kashmir by improving access to maternity care, newborn services and paediatric treatment. The Chief Minister also said the location of the proposed mini-secretariat in Anantnag remained undecided, adding that the issue had been raised by all MLAs. He said the Deputy Commissioner, in consultation with elected representatives and civil society members, would examine available options and take a decision on where the administrative complex should be established. The CM said one of the options under consideration is the existing Deputy Commissioners office premises. If the site was selected, alternative arrangements would also have to be made for government offices during construction. The location of the mini-secretariat is yet to be decided. The Deputy Commissioner, along with the MLAs and civil society representatives, will discuss the matter and take a decision, he said. Earlier, he chaired a review meeting to assess the progress of developmental works and ongoing projects in Anantnag district. He also laid foundation stones and inaugurated projects worth Rs 52 crore.(KNO)

250-bedded maternity hospital awaits site finalisation in Anantnag: CM Omar

Anantnag: The proposed 250-bedded Maternity and Child Care Hospital in Anantnag is awaiting site finalisation, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday saying the location initially identified at Janglat Mandi had been found unsuitable due to space constraints. Speaking to reporters after chairing a district review meeting, the Chief Minister said funds for the project []

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Best iPhone 2026: Every iPhone compared

Macworld Apples 2026 iPhone lineup is broader than ever, ranging from the relatively affordable iPhone 17e to the high-end iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max , plus the ultra-thin iPhone Air and the new folding iPhone Duo . That gives buyers more choice, but it also makes picking the right model more complicated than simply choosing the newest or most expensive iPhone. For most people, the iPhone 17 is the best all-round choice, thanks to its 6.3-inch ProMotion display, strong battery life, dual 48MP cameras and 256GB of storage as standard. The iPhone 17e is the better option if price matters most, while the iPhone 18 Pro is the model to choose for the best cameras and performance. The iPhone 18 Pro Max adds the longest battery life, the iPhone Air prioritises thinness and low weight, and the iPhone Duo offers Apples biggest and most flexible display. Which iPhone is best for you will therefore depend on what you value most. Camera enthusiasts should look closely at the Pro models, heavy users may prefer the Pro Max for its battery life, while parents, older users and anyone trying to keep costs down may find the 17e a much better fit. There can also be excellent value in buying a discounted or refurbished older iPhone rather than paying full price for the latest hardware. This guide focuses on the best iPhone to buy for different types of user and budget. If you want to dig deeper into the differences between every model, see our complete iPhone Buying Guide , where we compare the cameras, displays, performance, storage, battery life and other key specifications across Apples current lineup. Which iPhone to buy: At a glance If you want Then buy Best camera iPhone 18 Pro Best battery iPhone 18 Pro Max Biggest screen iPhone Duo Best all-rounder iPhone 17 Best value iPhone 17e Lightest iPhone Air Cheapest Refurbished iPhone (iPhone 16 or newer) 1. Apple iPhone 17 Best iPhone for most people Pros Excellent overall value ProMotion Always-On display Dual 48MP cameras Cons No dedicated telephoto Limited to 512GB Price When Reviewed: $899 (was $799) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Why we recommend it The iPhone 17 brings several features previously reserved for Pro models to Apples mainstream iPhone, including a 120Hz ProMotion display and Always-On support. It also offers the fast A19 chip, dual 48MP cameras, an improved Centre Stage selfie camera, strong battery life and 256GB of storage as standard. For most buyers, it strikes the best balance between price and features. Buy iPhone 17 if Buy the iPhone 17 if you want the best all-round iPhone without paying Pro prices. Its 6.3-inch ProMotion display, excellent cameras, strong battery life and 256GB starting storage make it particularly appealing to anyone upgrading from an iPhone 14 or older. Dont buy iPhone 17 if Dont buy it if you want optical zoom beyond 2x or Apples most advanced camera featuresin that case, choose the iPhone 18 Pro. The iPhone Air is a better choice if thinness and low weight are your priorities, while existing iPhone 16 owners may find the upgrade relatively modest unless ProMotion and improved battery life are particularly important. What do you get that you dont get with the iPhone 17e? For the extra $200, the iPhone 17 gives you a larger 6.3-inch ProMotion Always-On display, Dynamic Island, a second 48MP Ultra Wide camera with macro photography, a brighter screen, stronger graphics performance, a better 18MP Centre Stage selfie camera and longer battery life. For most people who can afford the difference, its money well spent. What do you get that you dont get with the iPhone 16? For $100 more, you get double the base storage at 256GB, a larger 6.3-inch ProMotion Always-On display, an upgraded 48MP Ultra Wide camera, an improved 18MP Centre Stage selfie camera, longer battery life, faster charging and the newer A19 processor. At full price, the iPhone 17 is the better buy. Key specs The iPhone 17 combines a 6.3-inch ProMotion display, Always-On support and the A19 chip with dual 48MP rear cameras and 256GB of storage as standard. It offers many of the features most people actually want from a Pro iPhone without the Pro price. Starts at : $799 / 799 (256GB) Display : 6.3-inch OLED ProMotion (120Hz) Chip : A19 Storage : 256GB512GB Cameras : 48MP Main + 48MP Ultra Wide, 18MP front camera Battery : Up to 30 hours of video playback Should you buy or wait? Buy now. The iPhone 17 offers excellent value, while the iPhone 18 isnt expected until spring 2027 and may bring higher prices rather than transformative upgrades. Waiting for Prime Day or Black Friday could make sense if youre looking for a discount. Read our full Apple iPhone 17 review 2. Apple iPhone 18 Pro Best for photography Pros Excellent triple-camera system Powerful A20 Pro chip Strong battery life Cons Expensive starting price Overkill for most buyers Price When Reviewed: $1,199 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1199 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Why we recommend it The iPhone 18 Pro is the model to buy if you want Apples best cameras and performance without stepping up to the much larger Pro Max or experimental folding iPhone Duo. Its variable-aperture camera will be a meaningful upgrade for some photographers although our reviewer found the practical effect modest and valued the manual controls more. The A20 Pro chip, improved cooling, longer battery life and faster charging make it particularly capable for gaming, video and demanding AI workloads. Crucially, it gets the same cameras and processor as the Pro Max, making it the better-value Pro model for most buyers. Buy iPhone 18 Pro if Buy the iPhone 18 Pro if you want Apples best camera system; need more performance than the standard iPhone offers; regularly play demanding games or use intensive creative or AI apps; or want excellent battery life without carrying the enormous Pro Max. Its a compelling upgrade for anyone with an iPhone 15 Pro or older. Dont buy iPhone 18 Pro if Most people dont need the iPhone 18 Pro. The standard iPhone 17 already offers an excellent 6.3-inch 120Hz ProMotion display, A19 chip, dual 48MP cameras, 256GB of storage and strong battery life for considerably less. And if your main priority is screen size and endurance, the Pro Max is the better choice. What do you get that you dont get with the iPhone 17? The biggest advantage is the camera system. The iPhone 18 Pro adds a 48MP Telephoto camera with 4x and 8x optical-quality zoom, plus a variable-aperture 48MP Main camera for improved low-light shooting and greater creative control. You also get the faster A20 Pro chip with a seven-core GPU and improved vapor-chamber cooling for better sustained performance during gaming, video editing and AI tasks. Key specs The iPhone 18 Pro combines Apples new 2nm A20 Pro processor with a sophisticated triple-48MP camera system, including a variable-aperture Main camera and 4x/8x Telephoto. It retains a manageable 6.3-inch ProMotion display while improving sustained performance, battery life and charging speeds. Starts at : $1,199 / 1,199 (256GB) Display : 6.3-inch OLED ProMotion (120Hz) Chip : A20 Pro, 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU Storage : 256GB2TB Cameras : 48MP variable-aperture Main + 48MP Ultra Wide + 48MP Telephoto (4x/8x), 18MP front camera Battery : Up to 36 hours of video playback Should you buy or wait? The iPhone 18 Pro is available now. Buy it if you want the Pro camera system and performance in a smaller phone the Pro Max offers the same cameras. Bargain hunters may prefer to hold off until Amazons Prime Day sale in October, or Black Friday on November 27, when retailers and mobile networks may offer trade-in bonuses, contract incentives or modest discounts. Large outright savings are unlikely so soon after launch. Read our full Apple iPhone 18 Pro review 3. Apple 18 iPhone Pro Max Best for battery life Pros Outstanding battery life Huge 6.9-inch display Excellent Pro cameras Cons Very large and heavy Expensive starting price Price When Reviewed: $1,299 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Why we recommend it The iPhone 18 Pro Max is Apples ultimate conventional iPhone, combining a huge 6.9-inch ProMotion display with the powerful A20 Pro chip, Apples best camera system and the longest battery life in the range. Its biggest advantage over the regular Pro is endurance, with Apple rating it for up to 45 hours of video playback. Our testing backs up the battery recommendation: the iPhone 18 Pro Max lasted 25 percent longer than the iPhone 17 Pro Max in our Geekbench 4 battery test, with screen brightness fixed at 200 nits. This is a separate measurement from Apples video-playback rating and provides another reason to choose the Pro Max if endurance is your priority. Buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max if Buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max if you want the largest display on a non-folding iPhone and the longest battery life, regularly use your phone for photography, video, gaming or other demanding tasks, and dont mind carrying a large and relatively heavy device. Its particularly well suited to frequent travellers and heavy users who want to minimise charging. Dont buy iPhone 18 Pro Max if Dont buy it if you prefer a smaller, lighter phone or simply want the Pro cameras and performance. The iPhone 18 Pro offers essentially the same A20 Pro chip, camera system and Pro features in a more manageable 6.3-inch design for $100/100 less. At 249g, the Pro Max is also particularly heavy. What do you get that you dont get with the iPhone 18 Pro? Not much in terms of features. Both models have the same A20 Pro processor, triple-48MP camera system, variable-aperture Main camera and storage options up to 2TB. The Pro Max instead gives you a larger 6.9-inch display rather than 6.3 inches and substantially better battery life: up to 45 hours of video playback versus 36 hours on the iPhone 18 Pro. You pay an extra $100/100 for those advantages. Key specs The iPhone 18 Pro Max combines Apples huge 6.9-inch ProMotion display with the new 2nm A20 Pro chip, three 48MP rear cameras and a variable-aperture Main camera. Its defining advantage is battery life, reaching up to 45 hours of video playback. Starts at : $1,299 / 1,299 (256GB) Display : 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED ProMotion (120Hz) Chip : A20 Pro, 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU Storage : 256GB2TB Cameras : 48MP variable-aperture Main + 48MP Ultra Wide + 48MP Telephoto, 18MP front camera Battery : Up to 45 hours of video playback Should you buy or wait? The iPhone 18 Pro Max is available now. Choose it over the smaller Pro if longer battery life and a larger display justify the extra cost and weight. If your current phone lasts comfortably through the day, there is less urgency to upgrade, and waiting for a discount could make sense. Compare the total cost of carrier offers and trade-ins with buying outright. Bargain hunters may prefer to wait for Amazons Prime Day sales in October or Black Friday on November 27. Major outright discounts are unlikely so soon after launch, although trade-in offers and contract incentives could be worthwhile. 4. Apple iPhone Duo Best foldable iPhone Pros Innovative folding display Excellent multitasking potential Strong A20 Pro performance Cons Extremely expensive Weaker camera versatility Price When Reviewed: $1999 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1999 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Why we recommend it The iPhone Duo offers something no other iPhone can: a compact phone that unfolds into a 7.6-inch tablet-like device. The larger display gives you considerably more room for multitasking, watching video, reading, gaming and creative work, while the outer screen keeps it usable as a conventional phone when closed. Add the A20 Pro chip and clever dual-screen features, and its easily Apples most innovative iPhone. The first independent reviews praise the Duos hinge, displays and hardware design, supporting its appeal for buyers who want something different. Buy iPhone Duo if Buy the iPhone Duo if you want the versatility of an iPhone and small tablet in one device, regularly multitask between apps, consume lots of content on your phone, or simply want Apples most distinctive new hardware. Its particularly compelling if you value screen space and flexibility more than having Apples absolute best camera system. Dont buy iPhone Duo if Dont buy the Duo if value, photography or portability are your priorities. At $1,999/1,999 it costs $800/800 more than the iPhone 18 Pro, while lacking Face ID, a dedicated telephoto camera, variable aperture, ProRes and the Action button. At 254g it is also the heaviest iPhone in the range. For most buyers, the iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max will be a better all-round purchase. Check your most-used apps before buying, too. In the initial reviews , Toms Guide and Wired encountered apps that displayed black bars rather than filling the larger screen, and Toms Guide found poorly fitting game layouts. App updates may improve this. What do you get that you dont get with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max? The Duos defining advantage is its 7.6-inch folding display, which offers around 50 percent more screen area than the iPhone 18 Pro Max and supports Split View multitasking, while the 5.4-inch outer screen keeps it usable like a compact iPhone when closed. You also get fold-specific features such as Duo Preview, Smart Take, Kid Cue, hands-free video positioning and an under-display inner camera, with Apple Pencil USB-C support coming later in 2026. The trade-off is photography: the Duo has only two 48MP rear cameras, with no dedicated telephoto, variable aperture, ProRes or Apple Log. Key specs The iPhone Duo transforms from a compact 5.4-inch phone into a 7.6-inch folding device, providing substantially more room for apps, video and multitasking. It combines two 120Hz ProMotion OLED displays with the A20 Pro chip, dual 48MP cameras, and storage up to 2TB. Starts at : $1,999 / 1,999 (256GB) Displays : 5.4-inch outer + 7.6-inch folding OLED, ProMotion (120Hz) Chip : A20 Pro Storage : 256GB2TB Cameras : 48MP Main + 48MP Ultra Wide, 12MP outer front camera + under-display inner camera Battery (Apples ratings) : Up to 44 hours of video playback on outer display; 31 hours on inner display Authentication : Touch ID Weight : 254g Early battery reports differ: CNET found the Duo comfortably lasted through a busy day, while The Verge questioned its endurance under heavy use. Their methods and usage differ, so these observations are not directly comparable tests or equivalents of Apples video-playback ratings. Should you buy or wait? The iPhone Duo goes on sale October 23, but launch-day availability is limited . Apple says its stores will have some stock for walk-in customers. Otherwise, you can order the iPhone Duo from Apple now, but as of late October, waits stretch to around January 25, 2027. Independent reviews are now available, so read those before committing $1,999/1,999. We recommend trying the folding design and checking your essential apps before buying. Longer-term durability remains an open question that early reviews cannot settle. 5. Apple iPhone 17e Best budget iPhone Pros Excellent budget value Strong A19 performance 256GB base storage Cons No ProMotion display No Ultra Wide camera Price When Reviewed: $699 (was $599) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Why we recommend it The iPhone 17e is Apples most affordable current iPhone, offering modern performance and Apple Intelligence without flagship pricing. It combines the A19 chip with useful upgrades including MagSafe and 256GB of base storage. If you dont need multiple cameras or a high-refresh-rate display, it delivers the essentials at an attractive price. Buy the iPhone 17e if Buy the iPhone 17e if you want a modern iPhone with strong performance and years of software support for as little as possible. Its particularly appealing to anyone upgrading from an iPhone 12 or 13, switching from Android or buying their first iPhone. Dont buy iPhone 17e if Dont buy it if you want ProMotion, an Always-On display, Dynamic Island or a versatile camera system. If your budget stretches another $200/200, the iPhone 17 is a substantially more complete phone. What do you get that you dont get with the iPhone 16? The iPhone 17e gives you the newer A19 chip, longer battery life, 256GB of storage as standard, Apples newer C1X modem and Ceramic Shield 2 protection. Its biggest advantage, however, is value: at similar real-world prices, it is generally the smarter long-term purchase. What dont you get that you get with the iPhone 17? The iPhone 17 gives you a larger and significantly more advanced 6.3-inch 120Hz ProMotion display with Dynamic Island and Always-On support, plus a second 48MP Ultra Wide camera. You also get a better 18MP Centre Stage selfie camera, stronger graphics performance and longer battery life. The 17e covers the essentials extremely well, but the iPhone 17 feels much more complete. Key specs The iPhone 17e pairs the A19 chip with a 6.1-inch OLED display, 256GB of storage as standard and up to 26 hours of battery life, while omitting premium features such as Dynamic Island, ProMotion and an Ultra Wide camera. Starts at : $599 / 599 (256GB) Display : 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED Chip : A19 Storage : 256GB512GB Cameras : 48MP Fusion Main with 2x optical-quality zoom + 12MP TrueDepth front camera Battery : Up to 26 hours of video playback Should you buy or wait? Buy now. The iPhone 17e offers excellent value and isnt expected to be replaced until early 2027. Discounts could make it even more attractive, but theres little reason to delay purely for the next generation. Read our full Apple iPhone 17e review 6. Apple iPhone Air Best thin-and-light iPhone Pros Exceptionally thin design Light and comfortable Powerful A19 Pro chip Cons Single rear camera Relatively modest battery life Price When Reviewed: $1,099 (was $999) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Why we recommend it The iPhone Airs defining feature is its exceptionally thin 5.6mm titanium design, making it noticeably lighter and more comfortable than other large-screen iPhones. Despite its slim profile, it still delivers flagship-level performance with the A19 Pro chip and a bright 120Hz ProMotion display. Its the iPhone to choose if portability and design matter more than camera versatility or maximum battery life. Buy the iPhone Air if Buy the iPhone Air if you want a premium large-screen iPhone that feels exceptionally thin and light in the hand. Its ideal for buyers prepared to sacrifice some camera flexibility and battery life in exchange for a much sleeker design. Dont buy iPhone Air if Dont buy it if photography or battery life are higher priorities. The iPhone 17 offers a more versatile dual-camera system for less money, while a Pro model is better suited to demanding photographers and power users. What do you get that you dont get with the iPhone 17? The iPhone Airs biggest advantage is its exceptionally thin and light titanium design. You also get a slightly larger 6.5-inch display, the more powerful A19 Pro chip and storage options up to 1TB. Those benefits come at the expense of the iPhone 17s useful 48MP Ultra Wide camera, making the Air primarily a choice for buyers who value design and portability over versatility. Key specs The iPhone Air is Apples thinnest iPhone, combining a 6.5-inch display with an ultra-light titanium design. Despite measuring just 5.64mm thick, it still delivers flagship performance with the A19 Pro chip, a 120Hz ProMotion display, Ceramic Shield 2 and fast charging Starts at : $999 / 999 (256GB) Display : 6.5-inch OLED ProMotion (120Hz) Chip : A19 Pro (5-core GPU) Storage : 256GB1TB Cameras : 48MP Main + 18MP Centre Stage front camera Battery : Up to 27 hours of video playback Should you buy or wait? Buy now if you love the Airs distinctive thin-and-light design: there isnt another iPhone quite like it. However, its also a model that frequently attracts discounts, particularly in the U.K., so its worth shopping around rather than paying full price. Read our full Apple iPhone Air (2025) review 7. Apple iPhone 16 Best previous-generation deal Pros Good dual cameras Apple Intelligence support Cons Only 128GB storage Poor value full price Price When Reviewed: $799 (was $699) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $829 View Deal $829.99 View Deal $829.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Why we recommend it The iPhone 16 still delivers fast everyday performance thanks to its A18 chip, supports Apple Intelligence and includes a versatile dual-camera system with an excellent 48MP Main camera. Its main appeal in the current lineup, however, is price: it only makes sense when discounted significantly below the newer models. Buy iPhone 16 if Buy the iPhone 16 if you find it heavily discounted and want Apple Intelligence, a capable dual-camera system and features such as Camera Control and the Action button without paying for the latest generation. Dont buy iPhone 16 if Dont buy it at full price. The iPhone 17e offers newer hardware, twice the base storage and longer battery life for less, while the iPhone 17 is considerably more advanced for only a little more money. What do you get that you dont get with the iPhone 17e? The iPhone 16 has a second 12MP Ultra Wide camera, giving it greater photographic versatility, as well as Camera Control and the Action button. Those features may make it preferable to the 17e for photography-minded buyers, but only if the price is right. What do you miss compared with the iPhone 17? The iPhone 17 gives you a larger 6.3-inch ProMotion Always-On display, newer A19 processor, upgraded 48MP Ultra Wide camera, improved 18MP Centre Stage selfie camera, longer battery life and 256GB of storage as standard. Unless the iPhone 16 is heavily discounted, the 17 is easily worth the difference. Key specs The iPhone 16 combines the A18 chip with a 48MP Fusion Main camera, 12MP Ultra Wide camera, Camera Control, the Action button and Apple Intelligence support. It remains a capable smartphone, but its 128GB starting storage and older display make it less compelling than the newer iPhone 17e and iPhone 17. Starts at : $699 / 699 Display : 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED Chip : A18 Storage : 128GB512GB Cameras : 48MP Main + 12MP Ultra Wide Battery : Up to 22 hours of video playback Should you buy or wait? Dont buy at full price. Only consider the iPhone 16 if its heavily discounted below the iPhone 17e; otherwise, Apples newer models offer substantially better value. Read our full Apple iPhone 16 review Which iPhone has the best camera? iPhone 18 Pro Apple The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have the best camera systems of any current iPhone. Both models use the same triple-48MP rear camera setup, so there is no photographic advantage to choosing the larger Pro Max unless you also want its bigger display and longer battery life. The headline upgrade is the 48MP Main camera with variable aperture, which gives photographers more control over depth of field and should improve low-light performance. The Pro models also include a 48MP Ultra Wide camera and a 48MP Telephoto camera with 4x and 8x optical-quality zoom, giving them far more flexibility than Apples cheaper iPhones. The standard iPhone 17 is still an excellent camera phone, with 48MP Main and Ultra Wide cameras, plus an improved 18MP Centre Stage front camera. For everyday photography it will be more than enough for most people, but it lacks the dedicated telephoto lens, longer zoom and advanced video features of the Pro models. The iPhone Duo is more compromised. Despite its premium price, it has only two 48MP rear cameras and lacks a dedicated telephoto camera, variable aperture, ProRes and Apple Log. Its strengths are instead its fold-specific shooting features and dual-screen flexibility. The iPhone Air and iPhone 17e are the least versatile, with just a single 48MP rear camera. Our choice : If photography and video are your priority, buy the iPhone 18 Pro . It offers the same camera system as the Pro Max for less money and in a more manageable size. Which iPhone has the best battery life? iPhone 18 Pro Max Bigger iPhone means bigger battery. Apple The iPhone 18 Pro Max has the best battery life of any current iPhone, with Apple rating it for up to 45 hours of video playback. That puts it comfortably ahead of the smaller iPhone 18 Pro and makes battery life one of the strongest reasons to choose the Pro Max. The iPhone Duo comes surprisingly close, with up to 44 hours of video playback when using its outer 5.4-inch display. However, battery life drops to around 31 hours when using the larger 7.6-inch folding display, so the Pro Max remains the better choice if endurance is your priority. The iPhone 18 Pro is also excellent, offering up to 36 hours of video playback. That makes it a good compromise if you want strong battery life without carrying the much larger and heavier Pro Max. Further down the range, the iPhone 17 offers up to 30 hours, making it the best mainstream option for battery life. The iPhone Air manages around 27 hours despite its exceptionally thin design, while the iPhone 17e reaches 26 hours. The older iPhone 16 trails the current lineup at up to 22 hours of video playback. Our choice : If battery life matters above everything else, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the clear winner. Its combination of a 45-hour rating, huge 6.9-inch display and Pro-level performance makes it particularly well suited to heavy users, travellers and anyone who wants to get through a long day without worrying about charging. Heres how the current iPhone lineup compares in terms of battery life Model Video Playback (Apples rating) Geekbench 4 Test (minutes) Wired Charging (50% time) iPhone 18 Pro Max Up to 43 hours TBC ~15 min (60W+) iPhone Duo Up to 44 hours outer / 31 hours inner TBC ~20 min (60W+) iPhone 18 Pro Up to 34 hours TBC ~15 min (60W+) iPhone 17 Up to 30 hours 1,053 ~20 min (40W) iPhone Air Up to 27 hours 880 ~30 min (20W) iPhone 17e Up to 26 hours 854 ~30 min (20W) iPhone 16 Up to 24 hours 867 ~30 min (20W) What is the best value iPhone? iPhone 17 Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry The iPhone 17 offers the best overall value for money in Apples current lineup. The iPhone 17e is cheaper, but the extra $200/200 for the iPhone 17 buys a surprisingly large number of worthwhile upgrades. You get a larger 6.3-inch 120Hz ProMotion display with Always-On support and Dynamic Island, rather than the 17es standard 60Hz 6.1-inch screen. The iPhone 17 also adds a second 48MP Ultra Wide camera, including macro photography, along with a better 18MP Centre Stage front camera. Battery life is stronger too, at up to 30 hours of video playback, compared with 26 hours on the iPhone 17e. You also get stronger graphics performance and a more premium overall experience, while both phones start with a generous 256GB of storage. At $799/799, the iPhone 17 also compares very favourably with the older iPhone 16. For just $100/100 more, you get double the base storage, ProMotion, a larger and brighter display, improved cameras, the newer A19 chip and significantly better battery life. If your priority is spending as little as possible, choose the iPhone 17e which delivers excellent performance for $599/599. Or seek out a refurbished iPhone from the Apple Refurbished Store or another place that sells refurbished iPhones . Our choice : In terms of the features and hardware you get for every pound or dollar spent, the iPhone 17 is the sweet spot. For most buyers, it delivers the best balance of price, performance, cameras, display quality, battery life and longevity without paying for Pro-level features they may never use. Even better if you can find a iPhone 17 deal , then you are really getting a bargain. Best iPhone for gaming: iPhone 18 Pro Foundry The iPhone 18 Pro is the best iPhone for gaming for most people, thanks to its combination of the A20 Pro chip, seven-core GPU and improved vapor-chamber cooling. The A20 Pro is Apples fastest iPhone processor, but the cooling system is just as important for gaming. Better heat management should help the iPhone 18 Pro maintain high performance for longer during demanding games, rather than slowing down as the phone gets hot. Its 6.3-inch 120Hz ProMotion display also provides smooth animation and responsive gameplay without making the phone excessively large or heavy. The iPhone 18 Pro Max offers essentially the same gaming performance, but adds a much larger 6.9-inch display and significantly longer battery life. That arguably makes it the best choice for serious mobile gamers who value screen size and endurance, although it is heavier and costs more. The iPhone Duo also uses the A20 Pro and has an enormous 7.6-inch folding display, which could be fantastic for some games, but its weight, price and unconventional form factor make it a more specialised choice. Our choice : For most gamers, the iPhone 18 Pro offers the best balance of performance, cooling, display quality and portability. Its the best choice if you prefer a more pocketable device but still want top-tier gaming power. Best iPhone for seniors and older users: iPhone 17e David Price / Foundry For most older users, the iPhone 17e is probably the best choice, because it combines a relatively simple feature set with modern performance, strong battery life and a lower price than Apples flagship models. Its 6.1-inch OLED display is large enough to make text, icons and controls easy to see without making the phone too bulky, while the A19 chip should keep it feeling fast for years. It also supports Apple Intelligence and starts with 256GB of storage, so theres plenty of room for photos, apps and videos. The iPhone 17 is a better option for someone who would benefit from a larger and more advanced display. Its 6.3-inch ProMotion screen, Always-On support and higher brightness can make scrolling, reading and outdoor use more comfortable. It also offers stronger battery life and better cameras, although it costs more. We dont recommend the iPhone Air, Pro Max or Duo for older users. The Air sacrifices battery life and camera flexibility for thinness, while the Pro Max and Duo are much heavier and considerably more expensive. Our choice : iPhone 17e is the perfect choice for most older users. Best iPhone for kids: iPhone 17e Ida Blix The iPhone 17e is the best iPhone for most children . As Apples most affordable current-generation model, it offers the best balance of price, performance and longevity, while being easier to justify than a flagship model if it gets lost or damaged. It uses the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17, albeit with one fewer GPU core, so its easily fast enough for games, social media, schoolwork and Apple Intelligence. Battery life is strong, the 6.1-inch OLED display is a sensible size for smaller hands, and the 48MP camera is more than capable for everyday photos, even though it lacks an Ultra Wide lens. The iPhone 17 is the better choice for older teenagers who care more about photography, video or display quality. It adds a 48MP Ultra Wide camera, a better front camera and a larger 6.3-inch ProMotion display, but costs considerably more. A hand-me-down iPhone is also worth considering. Its the cheapest option and better for the environment, provided you erase the phone first, create a Child Account through Family Sharing, and configure Screen Time and parental controls before handing it over. Read: How to set up an iPhone for a child . Whichever iPhone you choose, those controls matter. In iOS 27 , Apple is expanding Screen Time with new category-based Time Allowances, Ask to Browse, more flexible app schedules and improved contact controls. Communication Safety can also detect and blur sensitive, violent or graphic content. For very young children, an iPad may still be a better first Apple device. By the time they reach 11 or 12 though, an iPhone becomes much more useful for staying in touch. Our choice : iPhone 17e for most kids; iPhone 17 for older teens who want better cameras and display quality. Should you buy an older iPhone? Macwelt Buying an older iPhone can be a great way to save money, but the key is choosing a model that still has plenty of useful life ahead of it. Apple typically provides around five to seven years of major iOS updates , with security updates often continuing for longer, so a relatively recent iPhone can remain perfectly usable for years. We wouldnt recommend simply buying the cheapest iPhone you can find. Very old models may technically run recent versions of iOS, but performance, battery condition and access to newer features can become increasingly compromised. We currently recommend avoiding anything older than the iPhone 15 Pro because even the iPhone 15 doesnt support Apple Intelligence. You should definitely avoid models such as the iPhone XS and XR that can no longer run the latest iOS releases. A refurbished recent-generation iPhone can offer particularly good value. You may be able to buy a former Pro model with better cameras and displays for less than a new entry-level iPhone. Buying from a reputable refurbisher is important, however: check the warranty, battery condition, returns policy and whether genuine replacement parts have been used. Apples own refurbished iPhones include a new battery and outer shell and come with a one-year warranty. Our advice : A discounted or refurbished iPhone 16 or newer should offer an excellent combination of price, features and longevity.

Maharashtra Intern Doctors Demand Stipend Increase, Set Ultimatum for Government Action

Intern doctors in Maharashtra protest for stipend increase, demanding a rise from 18,000 to 30,000 by November 1. Maharashtra Intern Doctors Demand Stipend Increase, Set Ultimatum for Government Action

Anuradha Paudwal Recalls Gulshan Kumar's Murder Amid Tiger Shroff Shooting: 'Shocked The Whole World'

Gulshan Kumar was shot dead while coming out of Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir in Mumbai on August 12, 1997

Sopore Bypass Bridge Lane to Remain Closed for 10 Days for Repair Work

Sopore, Oct 22: The authorities have ordered the temporary closure of one lane of the Sopore Bypass Bridge for 10 days, from October 22 to October 31, 2026, to facilitate necessary repair work. According to an official order issued by the District Magistrate, Baramulla, permission has been granted for the temporary closure of one lane of the bridge at kilometre 1.954 on the Sopore Bypass Road. The order follows a request from the Officer Commanding, EE (Civil), 56 RCC (GREF), seeking permission to carry out the required repairs. The Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sopore, and the Senior Superintendent of Police, Sopore, have been directed to formulate an appropriate traffic management plan in consultation with the concerned departments and stakeholders. The plan aims to ensure smooth vehicular movement and minimise inconvenience to commuters during the repair period. The authorities have also been directed to consult members of the Fruit Growers Association, Sopore, in view of the town's importance as a major fruit trading centre and the ongoing apple season. Sopore Fruit Mandi witnesses substantial movement of trucks and other vehicles transporting fresh produce to various markets across the country. Any disruption in the movement of fruit-laden vehicles during the peak trading season could pose logistical challenges for fruit growers, transporters and traders. The proposed traffic management plan is expected to take into account the requirements of local residents, daily commuters, commercial vehicles and apple transporters to ensure orderly traffic movement while the repair work is underway. Commuters and transporters have been advised to follow official traffic advisories, adhere to the directions of traffic personnel and cooperate with the authorities during the repair period. The repair work is intended to address the bridge's maintenance requirements. Both lanes are expected to reopen after the completion of the necessary repairs.

Shalini to Get a Red Card Elimination? Here Is Why

Some viewers are demanding a red card elimination, raising the question of whether the makers will evict her.

CJP leaders Sourav Das, Ashutosh Ranka freed from Tihar Jail after undertaking not to call for protests at Jantar Mantar

The two Cockroach Janta Party leaders were released after pledging not to call for protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar amid demonstrations demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.

Ukraine's strikes on Russian data centres disrupt key services, derail AI research

Moscow, Oct 22: Russia prides itself on its digital advances -- from an extensive e-commerce services sector to ambitious plans for developing artificial intelligence. But now, some of the key data centres at the heart of its technical prowess have been knocked out by Ukrainian drone attacks in the 4.5-year-old full-scale invasion, suffering damage that could take a long time to repair. Ukraine this month hit three main data centres belonging to tech giant Yandex, one for Russia's biggest bank, Sberbank, and one for social media platform VKontakte, the country's equivalent to Facebook. While Yandex, Sberbank and VKontakte are coy about the damage, people and businesses across Russia have reported widespread interruptions to cloud services. Banking, e-commerce, geolocation and ride-hailing services, as well as Alisa, Yandex's virtual assistant, and multimodal AI chatbots all have suffered lasting disruptions. The fallout even spread to Russia's judicial system, reportedly forcing arbitration courts to cancel or postpone sessions and cutting database access. Most experts predict repairing the damage could take months, if not years. Some warn that Moscow's aspirations to become a leader in AI development could be significantly set back. This effectively sets Russia far behind in the AI race, said Mikhail Klimarev, head of the Internet Protection Society activist group. Data centres have been hit by both sides in the war Data centres are the latest targets of aerial campaigns waged by both sides against each other's vital infrastructure. Russian missiles and drones have pummelled Ukraine's power grid and other key sites, part of Kremlin efforts to weaken morale and resistance. Moscow stepped up those attacks as winter approaches, taking advantage of a shortage of US-supplied Patriot interceptors, whose stockpiles have been drained by Washington's war with Iran. Ukraine retaliated with waves of drone attacks against Russian oil refineries, triggering a massive fuel crisis and bringing the war home to millions of civilians. US President Donald Trump has blamed the attacks for higher global oil prices, which have escalated largely due to the US war in Iran. Earlier this month, Trump struck a deal with President Vladimir Putin to import diesel oil, shocking Ukraine and its allies. Ukraine also hit huge warehouses for Russia's top online retailers, Wildberries and Ozon. Kyiv's attacks on Russian data centres closely followed Moscow's recent strikes on data centres in Ukraine, which disrupted the internet and TV broadcasts. On October 8, Ukrainian drones hit a Yandex data centre in Sasovo in the Ryazan region that houses two of the company's three supercomputers. A data centre in Kaluga was hit a day later and the one in Vladimir was struck October 11. The data centre and AI hub for Sberbank was hit October 14 in Balakovo in the Saratov region, and four days later, Kyiv struck a data centre in St. Petersburg serving VKontakte. Data centres are vulnerable While oil refineries and warehouses are easy prey, data centres are even softer targets -- massive buildings packed with servers and supporting power and cooling infrastructure. Lasting damage can result from a drone carrying a relatively light load of explosives. The vulnerability of data centres was exposed by Iran, whose drones hit two Amazon Web Services data centres in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain. AWS said last month it was unable to restore access to the resources and data hosted at two of them. Yandex has run drills for an accident that could incapacitate one of its six data centres, but it was caught unprepared when its three key facilities were hit over four days. It wasn't immediately clear why air defences near the sites had failed. The problem in Russia is that they've got to cover a big country with air defence and they don't have enough, said Nick Reiners, senior geotechnology analyst at Eurasia Group. Russia's efforts to build a sovereign internet backfire Ukraine has stored critical data on servers in allied European countries, helping limit the damage from Russian attacks. But Moscow's strict digital sovereignty policy requires all data storage at home, making it extremely vulnerable. Because all the infrastructure and all the data is located inside Russia, it's relatively easier to take down, Reiners said. Klimarev predicted the data centre attacks could encourage many top Russian companies to move data abroad, while the authorities could ease their efforts to tighten internet controls to minimise the damage. Paradoxically, the strikes on data centres have saved the Russian internet from isolation, as they will now have to move computing assets, most likely, to Europe, Klimarev said. It's quite likely that many Russian businesses are now roaming the European market to rent computing assets. Russians are vexed by service disruptions Yandex dominates digital life in Russia and many former Soviet nations. It provides a wide variety of functions, including a search engine, cloud storage, payment apps, geolocation and ride-hailing services, and e-commerce platforms. Yandex is kind of like Uber and Amazon and Google and everything rolled into one, with everything concentrated in just a few data centres, Reiners said. From a strategic perspective, they're an excellent target. The attacks on Yandex caused unprecedented disruptions, paralysing payments, online orders, taxi rides and access to personal data. Moscow resident Igor Mann said he couldn't collect an order he placed with Yandex Market, an e-commerce platform. He said he tried using a virtual private network, but nothing worked. Taxi driver Pavel Belyavskiy, who gets orders via Yandex's ride-hailing app, couldn't connect with passengers. On several orders already, I've ended up waiting for a long time and had to cancel the ride because I couldn't even get in touch with the passenger, he said. The attacks also caused temporary disruptions at some major companies and banks that rely on Yandex cloud services. It's not just about convenience -- it's also about work ... tied to everyday life, said another Moscow resident, Eduard Malyavko. A blow to Russia's AI ambitions Yandex said it restored most key cloud services in the following days as it turned to other data centres in Russia. But the damage to the company's AI development efforts is widely seen as massive and longer-lasting. Yandex has invested in huge data centres as the global AI boom fuels demand for computing power. The company's three supercomputers used to develop models are ranked among the top 500 in the world. Its most powerful computer -- at the Sasovo data centre -- was ranked 19th. Yandex didn't disclose the extent of the strikes' consequences, but satellite images indicated its data centres sustained serious damage. Some observers noted that fires triggered by the attacks probably seriously damaged high-end chips and other key equipment. With this kind of hit, it's hard to expect that at least something was left intact -- the data centres' equipment is fragile, demanding and expensive, Klimarev said. Soot from the fire is bad for electronics. While Russia already lagged years behind the US and China, Ukraine's drone strikes will likely still set back Russian AI efforts further, said Connor Martin, an expert with the Council for Foreign Relations. He said in a commentary that Russia likely will struggle to quickly replace the US-designed Nvidia A100 chips powering Yandex's supercomputers. Klimarev also said the global deficit of high-end chips, combined with the sanctions on their delivery to Russia, will make repairs long and costly. I'm not sure it can be done in half a year, a year, or even at all, he said.

Kajol mingles with little girl, serves bhog to devotees at Durga Puja pandal, calls it Family, Bhakti and Bhog

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Oct 22 (IANS) Actress Kajol offered a glimpse into her Durga Puja celebrations on Wednesday. Sharing a video compilation of heartwarming moments from the festivities at Mumbai's North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal, Kajol shared a video on her social media account. From interacting with a little girl to serving bhog to devotees, the actress showcased happy moments from the festival. Taking to her social media on the occasion of Bijoya, Kajol shared a series of video moments from the celebrations, and described the three things that bring the festivities together for her. Family, Bhakti and Bhog! The three things that the pujos are strung together with, she wrote, adding folded-hands emoticons and the hashtags #jaimaadurga and #shubhobijoya. In the video, Kajol is seen dressed in a bright yellow saree paired with a navy-blue blouse, traditional jhumkas and blue bangles. One of the heartwarming moments captures the actress interacting with a little girl dressed in a pink frock, who is seen blowing a kiss towards her. Kajol too is seen responding affectionately. The compilation also featured the actress serving bhog to devotees at the pandal, greeting people and smiling warmly. In another moment, she is seen standing with folded hands, offering prayers during the celebrations as the Aarti goes on. For the uninitiated, Kajol has been an integral part of the Durga Puja celebrations at the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Mumbai, alongside her sister Tanishaa Mukerji and other members of the Mukerji family. This year marks the 80th edition of the celebrations, continuing a tradition established in 1948 by filmmaker Sashadhar Mukherjee, his wife Satirani Mukerji and other founding members. The festival has been carried forward through generations of the family. This year's festivities saw Rani Mukerji give it a miss, following the demise of her mother, Krishna Mukerji, on September 22. Krishna was closely associated with the family's Durga Puja tradition, and a special tribute was held in her memory at the pandal. Kajol's presence at the Durga Puja pandal often grabs attention on social media. In October 2024, a video of the actress reprimanding people at the pandal went viral. Kajol was seen snapping fingers and asking attendees wearing footwear near the idol to move aside and urging the crowd not to push against the barricades.

Over 3 lakh Punjab govt employees continue mass leave on day-3 as talks fail; bus staff extend strike indefinitely

In a significant display of frustration, over three lakh employees of the Punjab government took mass casual leave, demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme and the regularization of contractual staff. The transport sector joined the strike, causing widespread disruptions in bus services. Employee representatives engaged in talks with the government, yet the lack of agreements showcases a growing rift in their relationship.

Couple Shot Dead in Bhagalpur, Suspect Taken Into Custody

A couple was shot dead in Bhagalpur, Bihar, sparking outrage among locals demanding justice and immediate police action. Couple Shot Dead in Bhagalpur, Suspect Taken Into Custody

Trump Halts Rally Midway As Clashes Erupt; Hecklers Target POTUS, Unleash Chaos In South Carolina

Donald Trumps South Carolina rally descended into chaos as hecklers were escorted out and punches were thrown at Clemsons T E Garrison Arena on Wednesday. Trump was interrupted six times within ten minutes of taking the stage, according to the White House pool. Officers later removed three more hecklers, including one shouting traitor and another demanding the release of the Epstein files. Another disturbance followed, prompting Trump to react as the crowd erupted into USA chants.#DonaldTrump #TrumpRally #SouthCarolina #TrumpNews #RallyChaos #BreakingNews #USPolitics #EpsteinFiles #USA

Public protests against current regime are democratic, not anarchy, says Shiv Sena(UBT) in 'Samaana'

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Oct 22 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Thursday condemned Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwats recent remarks expressing concern over global and domestic public agitations. The Thackeray camp in an editorial in the party's mouthpiece, 'Samaana', argued that public movements against the Modi-Shah regime were entirely democratic, and accused the RSS leadership of inadvertently bolstering a rule that has become a crisis for India. The editorial questioned Bhagwats statements made during the Vijayadashami rally, where he claimed that protests can become tools of political selfishness and breed societal division. It pointed out that while Bhagwat criticised agitations globally -- citing unrest in France, Italy, Belgium, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh -- he overlooked the justification of public anger against authoritarian governance. The editorial interpreted Bhagwat's assertion that merely changing regimes does not solve fundamental problems as an implicit admission that the 2014 political transition under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a wasted effort. The editorial questioned whether the Sangh now regrets altering the political landscape, recalling how the RSS family actively participated in regime shifts historically, such as in 1977. Blaming the RSS-backed dispensation for pushing the country into distress, the editorial highlighted severe national issues over the past 12 years, including soaring inflation, rising unemployment, growing youth depression, commercialisation, corporate favouritism, and handing national wealth to favoured industrialists. In addition, here has been erosion of democratic institutions, the subjugation of the judiciary and the Election Commission, and the undermining of Parliament and incidents related to national security, student protests over paper leaks, and agrarian distress, it said. The Thackeray camp raised fundamental questions about the legitimacy of popular struggles. Would India have gained freedom or republic status if the masses had not joined the independence struggle? Were the agitation for the Ram Mandir or the RSS-inspired Anna Hazare movement considered acts of anarchy? Should the Sangh apologise to the nation for bringing an allegedly ruinous regime to power? it asked. Concluding the sharp commentary, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena asserted that protests are vital in a democracy to check the unbridled power of rulers. It called upon the RSS chief not to lend strength to a governance model that it terms a hreat to India's democratic fabric, emphasising that public movements against oppressive governance are firmly rooted in democratic principles.

Sopore bypass-bridge to face 10-day lane closure from October 22 for repairs

Sopore, Oct 21:The Sopore Bypass Bridge will see a temporary closure of one lane for 10 days, beginning October 22, to facilitate repair work, following an order issued by the District Magistrate, Baramulla. According to the official order, permission has been granted for the temporary closure of one lane of the bridge at kilometre 1.954 on the Sopore Bypass Road. The repair work is scheduled to continue from October 22 to October 31, 2026. The order was issued in response to a request from the Officer Commanding, EE (Civil), 56 RCC (GREF), seeking permission to carry out the necessary repairs. In view of the proposed closure, the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sopore, and the Senior Superintendent of Police, Sopore, have been directed to formulate an appropriate traffic management plan in consultation with the concerned departments and stakeholders. The plan is intended to ensure smooth vehicular movement and minimise inconvenience to commuters during the repair period. Particular emphasis has been laid on consulting members of the Fruit Growers Association, Sopore, given the importance of the towns fruit trade and the ongoing apple season. Sopore Fruit Mandi, one of the regions major fruit trading centres, witnesses substantial movement of trucks and other vehicles carrying fresh produce to markets across the country. Effective traffic management is therefore particularly important for fruit growers, transporters, traders and other road users. Any disruption in the movement of fruit-laden vehicles could create logistical challenges during the peak trading period, making timely planning and coordination essential. The proposed traffic plan is expected to consider the needs of local residents, daily commuters, commercial vehicles and apple transporters to maintain orderly traffic movement while repairs are underway. Commuters and transporters have been advised to follow official traffic advisories, adhere to the directions of traffic personnel and cooperate with the authorities throughout the closure period. The repair work is aimed at addressing the bridges maintenance requirements, with both lanes expected to reopen after the necessary work is completed.

J&K doubles MBBS, BDS interns stipend day after agitation begins

Srinagar, Oct 21:Strike has worked for MBBS, BDS interns in J&K. A day after the interns launched their second round of indefinite strike over the delay in stipend enhancement, a formal order was issued today. The government order issued on Wednesday has doubled their monthly stipend to Rs 25,000. The order was issued by Health and Medical Education Department Wednesday evening. The government Order No 747-JK(HME) of 2026, sanctioned an increase of stipend from Rs 12,300 to Rs 25,000 per month for MBBS and BDS interns. The revised stipend will also be paid to Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs). The enhancement will take effect from October 1, 2026. The development comes a day after the interns resumed their agitation on October 20. They had accused the government of failing to honour its written assurance to finalise the matter within 30 days. Last month, the interns had suspended a nine-day strike, held from August 31 to September 8. The strike had been called off after the government assured them that the matter would be resolved within 30 days. However, the deadline passed without any order, trigerring the interns to resume protests and announce an indefinite strike. On Tuesday, news of a formal order eing prepared started doing rounds, however, the All-India Medical Students Association maintained that the strike will not be called off till government issues the order. Between the last agitation and today, weeks of uncertainty over the proposed hike passed. The interns had insisted that another assurance would not suffice and that only a formal government notification would meet their demand. The revised stipend represents an increase of Rs 12,700 per month. The annual payout for interns has increased from Rs 1.476 lakh to Rs 3 lakh for each intern. The interns had been demanding an increase to Rs 30,000 per month. They had cited the long period without a revision and rising living costs.

Washington orders U.S. embassy staff to leave Saudi Arabia after near-daily Houthi attacks

Saudi Arabia has faced near-daily attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis, including a strike on Riyadh's international airport that was the kingdom's deadliest in years (Giuseppe CACACE) The United States has ordered non-essential US embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, the State Department said on Wednesday, as the kingdom comes under sustained deadly attacksby Yemen's Houthis. Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a social media post explaining the measure. The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, he added. A diplomatic source in the Middle East told AFP that some families of US embassy personnel were also being withdrawn in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain, but Pigott stressed that Wednesday's order was for the departure of non-emergency embassy staff and their families in Saudi Arabia only. Saudi Arabia has this month come under near-daily attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis, including a strike on Riyadh's international airport that was the kingdom's deadliest in years, as the war with the group escalates. On Wednesday, the Saudi energy ministry said that falling debris from the successful interception of a drone targeting an oil facility killed two people and injured a further two. The attempted attack resulted in the deaths of two individuals, a Filipino and a Nepali, and injuries to two others, the ministry said in a statement. It did not say who launched the drone aimed at Shaybah oil field near the UAE border. Earlier on Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported intercepting six drones. One person was killed and eight others wounded in an attack on Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia, aviation officials said. In June, a four-year-old truce in Yemen's civil war collapsed, reviving the conflict that dates back to 2014. The Saudi-led coalition has backed the internationally recognized government since 2015. - Iran explosions - The US previously ordered non-essential staff to leave the Gulf ahead of the start of its war against Iran in late February and again in July before US President Donald Trump called off a new wave of strikes. Late on Wednesday, Iranian state media reported the sound of explosions in the southern Hormozgan province overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, breaking a spell of relative calm. A few minutes ago, the sound of several explosions was heard in the Karpan area of Sirik, in Hormozgan Province, the official IRNA news agency said. It added that local sources have not yet disclosed the nature of these explosions. In late February, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader, along with senior military commanders. Iran has attempted to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, demanding all ships seek its authorization to cross. In peacetime, the strategic waterway carried around a fifth of the world's oil supplies. In retaliation, the United States has imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports and ships. bur/gh/sst This article originally appeared on AFP at https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/washington-orders-us-embassy-staff-203401687.html