SP MP Criticizes Delhi Minister for Slapping Incident

SP MP Jiya Ur Rehman Bark condemns Delhi Minister Pravesh Verma for slapping a voter, calling it shameful and demanding action. SP MP Criticizes Delhi Minister for Slapping Incident

England brace for challenging winter after turbulent summer

England cricket experienced a turbulent home summer marked by Ben Stokes's unexpected retirement, the sacking of Test coach Brendon McCullum, and several off-field disciplinary incidents. Despite these challenges, the team achieved mixed results in various formats. They are now preparing for a demanding winter schedule, with Stephen Fleming taking over as the new Test coach, aiming for a more measured approach.

Ashok Singhal: A life devoted to the service of Bharat

No mention of Ashok-ji is complete without recalling his pivotal role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Who can forget his address at VHP's Boat Club rally in New Delhi in April 1991? Or the defining image of an injured and bleeding Ashok-ji after a police lathi blow in October 1990 in Ayodhya? Today, if there is a grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, it's because of stalwarts like him, says PM Modi.

Tom Bantons Century Leads England to Dominant 223-Run Victory Over Sri Lanka in ODI Series

England clinched the ODI series against Sri Lanka with a commanding 223-run win, highlighted by Tom Bantons impressive century. Tom Bantons Century Leads England to Dominant 223-Run Victory Over Sri Lanka in ODI Series

Women's safety concerns trigger campus protests from Delhi to Punjab as clashes, misinformation fuel unrest

Concerns regarding the safety of women students have led to protests on various campuses across India. In Delhi, the alleged gangrape of a teenager prompted demonstrations demanding better safety measures. Meanwhile, protests in Punjab were fueled by unverified claims of missing students and sexual assaults. These incidents resulted in violence, property damage, and clashes with police at multiple universities.

2 Suffocate To Death After Inhaling Toxic Chemical In Mumbai Public Toilet

According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, the incident occurred in the early hours at a public toilet near the Parsi Panchayat Gate close to Mrunaltai Bridge in the Ram Mandir East area.

TPCC calls for statewide protests demanding CECs resignation

CJP Leaders in Guwahati Launch Indefinite Hunger Strike Demanding Release

CJP leaders, including Ashutosh Ranka, have begun an indefinite hunger strike in Guwahati, demanding their immediate release from police custody. CJP Leaders in Guwahati Launch Indefinite Hunger Strike Demanding Release

Tom Banton Hundred Paves Way For England ODI Series Win Over Sri Lanka

Tom Banton's maiden England hundred laid the foundations for a series-clinching 223-run win over Sri Lanka in the third one-day international on Sunday. Banton's commanding 126 was the cornerstone of England's imposing total of 355-7 at the Oval. It was his first century in 53 limited-overs appearances for England. Together with England captain Harry Brook, who made 77 after being dropped on seven, Banton shared a third-wicket partnership of 150. Sri Lanka never looked like chasing down a target of 356 and were dismissed for 132, with nearly 21 overs to spare. England's victory, which saw them take the three-match series 2-1, was also their record ODI win against Sri Lanka in terms of runs, surpassing their 128-run win at Perth in 1999. It meant England ended a turbulent home season on a positive note after the international retirement of former Test captain Ben Stokes and the sacking of Brendon McCullum as their red-ball coach earlier in the campaign. Sri Lanka, whitewashed 3-0 in the preceding T20 series, were in trouble from the moment Pathum Nissanka was caught behind off Sonny Baker in the second over. Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis defiantly pulled Gus Atkinson for two sixes in three balls. But Atkinson took two wickets to reduce Sri Lanka to 53-3, with Kamindu Mendis (12) and Kusal (36) both perishing to the pace bowler. The result was effectively put beyond doubt when Sri Lanka slumped to 82-6. Liam Dawson took 3-26 before fellow spinner and player of the series Will Jacks ended the match by dismissing Eshan Malinga. England had an early let-off in their dominant innings when Brook, who had made just seven, edged Dunith Wellalage to wicketkeeper Kusal, who failed to hold the chance. Brook took full advantage of that escape, going on to complete a 49-ball fifty. Banton, fresh from his 73 on Thursday, went into the 90s with an audacious reverse-swept six off leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage. A glorious drive through extra cover off Wellalage -- his 13th four in 95 balls faced -- took the Somerset batsman to a hundred. Brook eventually miscued paceman Asitha Fernando to mid-off but his exit left England still well-placed at 218-3 in the 35th over. Banton's superb 105-ball innings, including 16 fours and five sixes, finally came to an end when he holed out to long-on off Colombage. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories Jordan Cox kept the runs coming with 76 before he was dismissed off the penultimate ball of the innings.

Adilabad airfield: Defence, Civil Aviation get nodal officers

The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Civil Aviation have designated nodal officers to work with the Telangana government on developing a joint-use airfield in Adilabad for both defence and civil aviation. According to the Deccan Chronicle, the Ministry of Defence has appointed Air Commodore Rahul Shukla, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station Begumpet, 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 .

Mumbai public toilet deaths: Kishori Pednekar seeks scientific probe

Two men were on Sunday found dead at a public toilet in the Shivshankar Nagar area of Goregaon West, near the eastern side of Ram Mandir railway station

Residents protest demanding removal of Tasmac shop near Watrap

Chit fund scam: Telangana govt teacher dupes people of Rs 12 cr

Hyderabad: A government teacher in Telanganas Suryapet allegedly duped people of Rs 12 crore in a chit fund scam and fled. Following the incident, victims staged a protest outside the accuseds residence on Sunday, September 27, demanding justice. They approached the police, seeking a refund. The accussed, Banoth Raju, a resident of Enaganti Thanda under 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 .

Six CJP women volunteers released in Guwahati, several leaders still detained

Digital Desk | Guwahati, Sep 27 (IANS) Six women volunteers of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), who were detained by the Assam Police earlier on Sunday while on their way to attend a party meeting in Guwahati, were released later in the day, officials said. However, several CJP leaders and workers, including co-convenor and chief spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, remained in detention, with the party demanding their immediate release. The development came amid heightened tension in Guwahati over the CJP's first regional volunteers' meeting in Assam. The party had called the meeting as part of its organisational outreach in the state and the Northeast. The meeting was initially scheduled at Assam Shree Parshuram Seva Sadan in Athgaon but was subsequently shifted to Chowdhury Tila, opposite the Assam Secretariat. CJP organisers alleged that pressure was exerted on the original venue, following which the programme was moved. On Sunday morning, police detained Ranka and several other CJP leaders and volunteers before the meeting could begin. Reports said that more than 30 CJP workers, including four members of the party's central committee, were detained, although the organisation has claimed that the number was higher. The exact number could not be independently verified. Ranka had reached Guwahati on Saturday for the programme. Before his detention, he accused the Assam government of attempting to prevent the CJP from raising issues relating to government schools, land, forests and water in the state. He also alleged that the party's activities were being blocked because of its proposed outreach among local residents and volunteers. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that Ranka and members of the party team were taken to an undisclosed location. He also claimed that lawyers attempting to meet the detained workers were not being allowed access. Dipke has demanded the immediate release of all those still in custody and said he would travel to Assam with other party members if Ranka was not released. The CJP had planned to meet local volunteers and visit schools and families in Assam, including people concerned about the revision of electoral rolls. The Assam Police had not issued a detailed public statement explaining the grounds for the detentions in the reports available so far.

Iran stands firm on Hormuz plan after U.S. rejection

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi proposed a seven-day plan to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU) Iran stood firm Sunday on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, despite US President Donald Trump's rejection of the proposal, leaving the Middle East war locked in a stalemate. The waterway is key to the world's energy supply and is now central to the conflict between Washington and Tehran, which was triggered nearly seven months ago with deadly strikes on Iran. Iran's plan called for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East, including in Lebanon, according to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and a return to the conditions in the ceasefire deal that fell apart a few months ago. That agreement, which dissolved during fighting over Hormuz, called for the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade. Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon these conditions being fulfilled. We will not back down from them, Araghchi said on Sunday, state broadcaster IRIB reported. We have never closed the door to diplomacy or negotiations, but at the same time, we have never backed down from our rights. But Trump said on Saturday that he rejected the truce deal. They want to make a deal where they open the Strait immediately because they're losing so badly, he told reporters. They want to make a deal and I think that's fine. I like making a deal too. His ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, accused Tehran of demanding too much in exchange for a return to the negotiating table. This was, I think, a pretty cynical attempt to put something on the table that they knew was unacceptable. To ask for the release of the blockade, the sanctions, international sanctions and access to billions in assets, just to talk, he told NBC News in an interview broadcast Sunday. I think it's kind of common sense that the president doesn't have a lot of confidence this time after we just tried a few months ago. Araghchi, however, said the Iranians saw the first reaction from the US president, but so far, nothing has been conveyed to us by the mediators. We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive positions to us, and we will make a decision based on them, the foreign minister added. Iran's Revolutionary Guards meanwhile said that they seized an American submarine drone on Sunday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. It said the underwater vehicle was being used for espionage purposes, adding that it was now in the hands of the force's specialists for data recovery. - 'Tool for pressure' - Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June that aimed to end the war, to reopen the strait and to launch talks on Iran's nuclear programme. But the deal broke down shortly afterwards when Iran fired on commercial ships in Hormuz that it accused of deviating from its approved route through the waterway. Iran requires ships to obtain authorisation before passage, citing security and sovereignty reasons. Ships that refuse to comply are regularly targeted, while the United States sporadically bombs Iranian coastal areas in retaliation. At the UN, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan complained that the international community has been absent and is failing to live up to the responsibility to keep the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab open. The kingdom rejects any party's use of these vital passages as a tool for pressure, threat, or harm to the interests of states, he said, stressing the waterways' importance to global energy security. In New York, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to his office, and said: Iran has not walked away from the negotiating table but, given past experiences, it no longer trusts the United States. Araghchi said at the UN: Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan. If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days. The choice now rests with the United States. Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying: We will not cease punishing the US until Iran's seven conditions are met. Mohebi had told AFP in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that ending hostilities in Yemen was also among Tehran's demands. bur/hol/jfx/dc This article originally appeared on AFP at https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/iran-proposes-hormuz-plan-trump-020229577.html

Actor learnt to climb walls for movie stunts, then started stealing from dozens of homes. His identity left people shocked when police caught him

He was trained to climb walls, perform dangerous stunts and handle physically demanding action scenes for movies. But years after his stunt career ended, the actor found a very different use for those skills, allegedly using his agility to enter people's homes and carry out a string of burglaries. He eventually targeted 43 houses and stole goods worth around 8.2 million yen. What made the case even more surprising was the identity of the man behind the unusual break-ins.

MP: BJP hits back at Congress after EC clarification on SIR, demands Rahul Gandhis apology

Digital Desk | Bhopal, Sep 27 (IANS) Following the Election Commissions clarification on the Special Integrated Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday launched a sharp counter-attack on the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and State BJP President Hemant Khandelwal on Sunday held a joint press conference in Bhopal, questioning the Congresss allegations and demanding an apology and resignation from Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. On September 26, the Election Commission had clarified that decisions regarding the SIR across the country were taken unanimously by all three members of the Commission. The SIR order dated June 24, 2025, was unanimously approved for all states and Union Territories. The Commission has also simplified the process for voters who received notices due to record-mapping or other logical discrepancies. In such cases, Booth Level Officers will visit their homes to collect documents and upload them on ECINet, and individuals will normally not be required to appear for a personal hearing at the Electoral Registration Officers office. Citing this clarification, Chief Minister Yadav said the Congress must now respond to its allegations. Taking a dig, he remarked that he is a Prince who simply refuses to listen. Both leaders asserted that it is inappropriate to question constitutional institutions without concrete evidence. Chief Minister Yadav said the Congress has consistently sought to create confusion around constitutional bodies. He underlined that the Election Commission has clarified that all decisions related to the SIR were taken with the consensus of all three Election Commissioners. Targeting Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister invoked the proverb of a poor workman blaming his tools, describing the Opposition leaders conduct as unfortunate. He stressed that the responsibility of strengthening democracy rests equally on the ruling party and the opposition. Yadav alleged that Rahul Gandhi is attempting to sow confusion among the public regarding the Election Commission and its members. He challenged the Congress to place any concrete evidence before the people if it has any. Describing the act of spreading confusion about the Election Commission as a serious matter, the Chief Minister demanded that Rahul Gandhi apologise to the nation for his allegations and resign from the post of Leader of the Opposition. Citing past instances such as the Bofors case and the surgical strikes, Yadav claimed that Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly raised questions on various matters. He also termed the language used by the Congress leader as unfortunate. State BJP President Hemant Khandelwal said the Congress must produce concrete evidence to substantiate its charges against the Election Commission. He accused the party of misleading the public by casting aspersions on the credibility of constitutional institutions. The Election Commissions clarification, he added, has itself raised serious doubts over the Congress claims. Both leaders emphasised that safeguarding the credibility of constitutional institutions is the collective responsibility of all political parties.

No UPI Day On Gandhi Jayanti: Mobile Retailers Announce Oct 2 Protest Over 0.4% MDR

Mobile phone retailers across India are set to observe October 2 as No UPI Day to protest the proposed 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on specified UPI merchant transactions above 2,000. The All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA) plans to symbolically cover UPI QR codes and stop accepting UPI payments for the day. Retailers say the proposed charge could increase costs and squeeze already-thin margins, while demanding that merchant UPI payments remain zero-MDR. The government has maintained that consumers will not bear the charge and that MDR proceeds will not go to the government. Meanwhile, the new framework, scheduled from October 15, is also facing a Supreme Court challenge.

Sarvesh Kushare clinches silver in high jump, Tejaswin and Parul win bronze at Asian Games

Indias athletics team have put up a commanding show on day 8 of the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. First, Harita Bhadra and Ancy Sojan added bronze and silver, respectively, before India added three more medals through Sarvesh Kushare, Tejaswin Yadav and Parul Chaudhary. With that, India confirmed 37 medals in the ongoing Games.

Delhi minister Parvesh Verma slaps man during road inspection

Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma is embroiled in controversy after allegedly slapping a man recording a road inspection in Tilak Nagar. The incident, captured on video, led to demands for Verma's arrest from AAP leaders, who questioned the road's quality. Verma, however, claimed the video was out of context and accused the AAP MLA of demanding a commission.

Lawyer Nilesh Ojha Requests CBI Protection in Disha Salian Case

Nilesh Ojha, representing Disha Salians case, has submitted a letter to the CBI demanding protection for key witnesses amid ongoing threats. Lawyer Nilesh Ojha Requests CBI Protection in Disha Salian Case

Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma slaps man recording road inspection

Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma landed in a controversy on Sunday after a video showing him allegedly slapping a man recording a road inspection in Tilak Nagar circulated on social media. AAP MLA from Tilak Nagar Jarnail Singh, who was present at the spot, pulled out portions of the newly laid road surface by hand and questioned its quality. A young man standing nearby was recording the proceedings when Verma allegedly slapped him. The incident, captured in a video shared by Singh on social media, triggered demands from AAP leaders for Verma's arrest, with party chief Arvind Kejriwal alleging that the minister lost his composure after local residents questioned the quality of the road. Responding to the allegations, Verma said the video being circulated by the Aam Aadmi Party was presented without context and accused the local AAP MLA of demanding a commission from the road contractor. Verma said that Singh had complained of poor road construction work and when he visited the spot

Delhi Minister Accused of Assault During Inspection by AAP Associate

An AAP associate alleges Minister Pravesh Verma slapped him during a street inspection in Tilak Nagar, demanding police action. Delhi Minister Accused of Assault During Inspection by AAP Associate

87-YOS Cry For Justice Rocks Spain: Maricarmens Eviction Sparks Mass Protests

That emotional appeal from 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal has now become a rallying cry across Spain. Days after she was forcibly evicted from the Madrid home where she had lived for 71 years, tens of thousands took to the streets demanding stronger tenant protections and action over rising housing costs and evictions. On September 23, police carried out Maricarmens eviction after repeated attempts to remove her from the apartment she had called home since 1956. She was carried from the building on a stretcher and taken to hospital, while supporters gathered outside. The dramatic images quickly became a symbol of Spains wider housing crisis and her personal fight has now spilled onto the streets.

Police Clash with Criminals Demanding Extortion at Construction Site in Jharkhand

A police encounter with criminals demanding extortion at a construction site in Kudu, Jharkhand, ended without injuries. Police Clash with Criminals Demanding Extortion at Construction Site in Jharkhand

Selected primary teachers protest over delayed appointment letters

Around 100 candidates stage sit-in at Shahbagh, demanding letters before October 1 joining date

Asian Games 2026: Abhay settles for silver after losing to Malaysias Eain Yow

Abhay Singh, ranked 26, could not post a stiff challenge to Eain Yow, the world number 18 who defended his gold medal with a commanding performance

Asian Games: Indias fencing campaign ends without a medal as three teams falter in QFs

Digital Desk | Aichi, Sep 27 (IANS) Indias record 20-member fencing contingent signed off from the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 without a medal, with the womens sabre teams quarter-final exit on Sunday bringing the countrys campaign to a close. Bhavani Devi, Shreya Gupta, Jefarlin JS and Shruti Joshi began their team campaign with a commanding 45-23 victory over Indonesia in the round of 16. Their run, however, ended in the quarter-finals, where Uzbekistan defeated India 45-35. The result meant India had three teams reach the last eight in Aichi-Nagoya. The mens sabre and womens foil teams had also made the quarter-finals earlier in the competition, but neither managed to progress to the medal rounds. Bhavani, Indias leading name in fencing and an Olympian, had herself made the individual sabre round of 16. After losing three of her five pool bouts, she bounced back with victories over Kazakhstans Aigerim Sarybay and Thailands Arisara Somphao before overcoming Mongolias Oulen Tugsjargal 15-8 in the round of 32. Her run ended against Peoples Republic of Chinas Rao Xueyi, the 2026 world championships silver medallist, who won 15-5. Shreya also advanced to the individual sabre round of 16 but was stopped by the Republic of Koreas Jeon Ha-young, the Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist, in a 15-6 defeat. None of Indias 10 individual entries progressed to the quarter-finals. In the other team events, Gisho Nidhi Kumaresan Padma, Karan Singh and Lakshay Badser took the mens sabre team past the Philippines 45-27 but suffered a 45-25 quarter-final defeat to South Korea. The womens foil quartet of Joys Ashitha Stalinraj, Sonia Devi Waikhom, Kanupriya Chawla and Mina Devi Naorem also advanced to the last eight after a 45-24 win over Indonesia, only to lose 45-14 to Japan. Indias mens foil team exited in the round of 16 following a 45-27 defeat to Hong Kong China, while the womens pe team went down 45-29 to Uzbekistan at the same stage. The campaign extended Indias wait for a maiden Asian Games fencing medal. Despite fielding their largest-ever contingent in the sport, India once again finished without a podium finish in Aichi-Nagoya.

Kriti Sanon questions women safety in the country this Daughter's Day

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 27 (IANS) Actress Kriti Sanon decided to question women's safety in the country this Daughter's Day. On Sunday, Kriti shared a heartfelt post on her official Instagram handle, in which she shed light on the constant fears a common woman lives with on a daily basis. From being scared to walk alone at night to constantly informing their loved ones about their whereabouts, she is always worried about her safety. Kriti wrote on the photo-sharing app with a broken heart emoji, This Daughters Day, Imagine your daughter calling you saying, I think Im being followed by some men. Imagine her walking home alone at night, constantly looking over her shoulder. Imagine her phone dying before she reaches home. Now let that sink in.. (sic) The 'Cocktail 2' actress added that the day women will be able to roam the streets without any fear of being assaulted, that day would be the real Daughter's Day. From sharing her live location, to carrying pepper spray, to booking a cab instead of walking, or calling someone just to feel safer, we have forced her to make this her lifestyle. The day a daughter can walk home alone at night, sit in a park after dark, wear whatever the hell she wants, take public transport without fear, or simply exist in a public space without calculating the risk of being assaulted.. That is the day we should celebrate Daughter's Day, she added. To every daughter who has ever called home and said, Ive reached. May you one day live in a world where you dont have to.. That is the world our daughters deserve! And that is the world we owe them!, Kriti concluded the post. Meanwhile, following the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park in Kalkaji, Hundreds of students, especially from Delhi University colleges, took to the streets demanding safer public spaces for women. They have been conducting marches under slogans such as Hum Auratein Azaad Hain.

Asian Games: Sindhu, Hooda exits cap India's disappointing badminton campaign

At the Asian Games 2026, India's badminton team concluded with just one medal. Both PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda exited in the women's singles quarterfinals after fierce competition. The womens doubles team fell to a strong Malaysian pair, and mixed doubles suffered a narrow defeat. A demanding tournament schedule took its toll on performance, highlighting a stark decline from their previous edition's achievements.

Best Gaming Phones Under Rs. 80,000 in India: iQOO 15, OnePlus 15, Realme GT 8 Pro, and More

Mobile gaming has become increasingly demanding, with games requiring more powerful processors, faster displays and better thermal management. If you are looking for a new gaming phone under Rs. 80,000 in India, here's a curated list of the best smartphones in India suitable for gaming. We have included key features and pricing to help you pick one based on your preferences and budget.

PM Modi highlights Modheras resilience, from Sun Temple destruction to Indias first solar village

Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the 138th edition of his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday, highlighted the history and resilience of Gujarats Modhera, drawing a link between the destruction of its famed Sun Temple and the villages transformation into Indias first solar-powered village. Recalling the Somnath Swabhiman Parv held earlier this year, PM Modi said the country had begun the year with a celebration of its civilisational heritage and pride. We started this year with a Mahaparv of Swabhiman. The Parv was Somnath Swabhiman Parv. 1,000 years ago, in 1026, Mahmud Ghazni invaded the Somnath Temple for the first time. But the people who came to erase Indias identity by destroying the Somnath Temple have left no trace today. The Somnath Temple, standing in all its grandeur near the sea, continues to bless India with the spirit of immortality. That is why this year we proudly celebrated Somnath Swabhiman Parv. PM Modi said he was referring to the history of Somnath again while highlighting the parallel history of Modhera, where the famed Sun Temple was attacked around the same period. I am mentioning this again today because when Somnath was attacked by Ghazni in 1026, the famous Surya Mandir (Sun Temple) in Modhera, Gujarat, was also attacked in the same period and was destroyed. This year also marks 1,000 years of the Modhera Temple. At that time, it had been built only a year earlier, in 1025, by Raja Bhimdev I. When a centre of immense faith was destroyed, it could shake the strength of any administration. But Raja Bhimdev I not only fought Ghazni but also rebuilt the Modhera Sun Temple within a short period. He said the reconstruction of such monuments reflected the resilience that enabled Indias cultural heritage to endure repeated attacks. It was because of this resilience that the Somnath Temple continued to be rebuilt despite being destroyed again and again. PM Modi further recalled that the Modhera Sun Temple faced attacks in later periods as well, including during the reign of Alauddin Khilji. Attacks on the Modhera Sun Temple did not stop in later periods either. Later, Alauddin Khilji once again destroyed this architectural marvel of a temple. But the people of Bharat not only worship the Sun through architecture or temples; our worship of the Sun also signifies light, energy, science and the inspiration of continuity. Linking the historical significance of the Sun Temple with Modheras present-day identity, PM Modi said the village had transformed its relationship with solar energy. That is why Modhera today is not only known for the Sun Temple, but this village in Gujarat has become the countrys first solar village. Modhera today runs entirely on solar energy.

Puri Shankaracharya Guides Temple Panel on Sanatan Culture

In a significant religious and administrative outreach, members of the Shree Jagannath Temple Management Committee visited the Govardhan Peetha in Puri on Saturday to seek divine counsel and strategic guidance from Jagadguru Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati. The high-level delegation was led by the permanent president of the Shrimandir Management Committee, Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, and the acting [] The post Puri Shankaracharya Guides Temple Panel on Sanatan Culture & Mega Development Projects appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .

Karnataka Congress protests, seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation; Delhi SIR deadline extended

ECI also eased hearing rules by allowing online participation in certain cases. Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress leaders and workers protested in Bengaluru, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and alleging irregularities in electoral rolls. The allegations made by Congress were not independently verified.

Times Up! CJP Announces Nationwide Agitation From Mumbai On October 2 As CEC Gyanesh Kumars Deadline Ends

The Cockroach Janata Party has announced a nationwide agitation from Mumbai on October 2 after its ultimatum demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumars resignation expired.

12-yr-old Abdullah hit on head for refusing to fetch cigarettes

Uttar Pradesh: A 12-year-old Muslim boy was hit on the head with a kada (iron bangle) when he refused to fetch cigarettes ordered by a few Hindu men in Uttar Pradeshs Lucknow city. Abdullah from Badi Kali Mandir Chowk was attacked following a dispute during a jagran. When the child refused to get the cigarettes, 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 .

21 Anganwadi Centres, Rs.63,000 Bribe: Metpally CDPO Trapped by ACB

Padma had allegedly been demanding Rs.1,000 per month from each Anganwadi centre. There are 21 centres in Metpally urban mandal.

Congress Working Committee to meet on Tuesday, INDIA Bloc on Wednesday

On September 30, top leaders of the INDIA opposition alliance will meet to discuss electoral roll revisions. The Congress Working Committee is set to convene a day earlier to formulate a campaign strategy. The INDIA bloc aims to unite in demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Additionally, Left parties are advocating for broader mobilisation against the Special Intensive Revision process.

Autonomy Resolution Engine of Separatism

The renewed invocation of the Jammu and Kashmir Autonomy Resolution of 2000 raises a question far larger than the immediate political debate over restoration of statehood. It brings back into public discourse an older constitutional ideathe restoration of a distinctive constitutional relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and the Union of India associated broadly with the pre-1953 position. That debate cannot, however, be conducted in 2026 as though the constitutional developments of August 2019 and the judgment of the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court delivered on 11 December 2023 never occurred. The historical criticism of the autonomy project has been that, even when presented as autonomy within India rather than separation from India, its architecture emphasised constitutional separateness. Its critics therefore saw autonomy as providing political and institutional space in which a consciousness of separateness could survive and potentially strengthen separatist narratives. Supporters of autonomy strongly dispute that interpretation. The National Conference has historically maintained that autonomy was sought within the Indian Union. That distinction must be acknowledged. Advocacy of autonomy is not, merely by itself, legally synonymous with advocacy of secession. The real question today is consequently more precise: Can the political concept underlying the Autonomy Resolution of 2000 simply be revived after Parliament fundamentally changed J&K's constitutional position in 2019 and the Supreme Court subsequently upheld the central constitutional outcome of those changes? Autonomy Was Never Merely Administrative Decentralisation There is a fundamental difference between decentralisation and the historical autonomy demand in Jammu and Kashmir. Every State within the Indian constitutional system possesses legislative and executive powers distributed under the Constitution. States frequently demand greater fiscal authority, increased administrative discretion and greater participation in decisions taken by the Union. Such demands form an ordinary part of Indian federal politics. The National Conference's historical autonomy project went considerably further. The 2000 resolution sought restoration of a constitutional arrangement broadly associated with the position existing before 9 August 1953. The political significance of the demand therefore lay in seeking restoration of a degree of constitutional distinctiveness that had progressively diminished as provisions of the Constitution of India were extended to Jammu and Kashmir. This is precisely why autonomy became inseparable from the wider political debate concerning J&K's relationship with the Union. The controversy was never merely about whether Srinagar or New Delhi should exercise a particular administrative power. It concerned the nature of the constitutional relationship itself. For critics of the autonomy project, that distinction was crucial. They argued that continuously presenting Jammu and Kashmir's relationship with India as constitutionally exceptional could reinforce a psychology of separateness. For supporters of autonomy, precisely the opposite was true: recognition of J&K's distinct history and identity, they argued, could accommodate regional aspirations within India. These competing narratives shaped J&K politics for decades. From Accession to Constitutional Integration Jammu and Kashmir unquestionably possessed an unusual constitutional history. Article 370 provided the constitutional mechanism through which provisions of the Constitution of India were progressively applied to the erstwhile State. Over several decades, numerous provisions of the Indian Constitution were extended to Jammu and Kashmir through Presidential Orders. Two fundamentally different interpretations emerged from this process. Those favouring greater integration regarded these developments as the gradual constitutional integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India. Autonomy advocates frequently described the same process as an erosion of the constitutional arrangement originally envisaged for the State. The 2000 Autonomy Resolution must be understood against this background. Its objective was not simply greater administrative efficiency or financial decentralisation. It sought substantial restoration of an earlier constitutional position. This raised the fundamental question that dominated J&K's constitutional politics: Should Jammu and Kashmir maintain a uniquely distinctive constitutional relationship with India, or should it function substantially within the same constitutional framework applicable throughout the Union? It was within this contest that the autonomy-versus-integration debate developed. The Connection With Separatist Politics The word separatism needs to be used carefully. Separatism in its strict legal and political sense involves seeking separation from the sovereign State. The National Conference's declared position has historically been that its autonomy programme contemplated Jammu and Kashmir remaining within India. Autonomy therefore cannot automatically be equated with secession. The historical criticism is nevertheless important. Critics of the autonomy model argue that separateness can exist without formal separation. A separate constitutional arrangement, exceptional political institutions, restrictions upon the ordinary application of Union laws and a continuing discourse portraying J&K's relationship with India as fundamentally different from that of other States could, in this view, provide an intellectual and political environment in which ideas of distinct political identity could flourish. It is in this sense that critics describe autonomy as an engine of separatism. The argument is not necessarily that everybody demanding autonomy seeks independence. Such a proposition would be both historically and legally overbroad. The argument is instead that constitutional exceptionalism can reinforce a political consciousness of exceptionalism, which separatist movements may then seek to exploit. Whether autonomy reduces alienation through accommodation or reinforces separateness through exceptionalism has long been one of the central disagreements in J&K politics. August 2019 Fundamentally Changed the Debate Whatever arguments could legitimately be advanced before August 2019, the constitutional landscape thereafter changed fundamentally. On 5 August 2019, the Union Government initiated constitutional measures that ultimately resulted in Article 370 ceasing to operate in its previous form. The constitutional arrangement through which Article 35A had operated also came to an end. Parliament simultaneously enacted the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, reorganising the former State into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The importance of these developments cannot be understated. The earlier autonomy debate operated inside the constitutional architecture created by Article 370. The 2000 Autonomy Resolution could therefore proceed from the existence of that constitutional architecture and argue about how the relationship between J&K and the Union should operate within it. After 2019, that premise fundamentally changed. The constitutional mechanism upon which the historical autonomy programme depended no longer operates in its previous form. Political language developed in 2000 therefore cannot simply be transplanted into the constitutional environment of 2026. Parliament Cannot Be Ignored Another aspect of the post-2019 position is equally significant. The transformation was not simply the result of an executive announcement. Parliament acted. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, was enacted by Parliament and fundamentally altered the institutional structure of the former State. The present Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir functions within that statutory framework. This becomes particularly significant when examining the authority of the present Legislative Assembly. Section 13 of the Reorganisation Act makes Article 239A of the Constitution applicable to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Section 14 provides for a Legislative Assembly for the Union Territory. The present Assembly is consequently not the legislature of the erstwhile State continuing under the old pre-2019 arrangement. Its immediate statutory structure arises from the parliamentary legislation forming part of the post-2019 constitutional reorganisation. That produces an extraordinary feature of the present debate: The legislature functioning under the post-2019 framework is being used as a political forum to preserve reference to an autonomy resolution whose objective was restoration of a constitutional arrangement preceding that very framework. There is nothing inherently impermissible about legislators debating constitutional change. Democratic institutions exist precisely for political discussion. But the distinction between the right to advocate change and the constitutional authority to accomplish that change becomes decisive. The Supreme Court Judgment Cannot Be Wished Away The next constitutional milestone came on 11 December 2023. A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in In Re: Article 370 of the Constitution. The judgment fundamentally altered the terms upon which any contemporary autonomy argument must proceed. The Supreme Court held that Article 370 was intended to be a temporary provision. It upheld the central constitutional outcome through which Article 370 ceased to operate in its earlier form. Even more significantly for the historical autonomy debate, the Court rejected the proposition that Jammu and Kashmir retained an element of internal sovereignty distinct from India after accession. This conclusion strikes at an important constitutional premise underlying arguments which portray J&K's relationship with India as a continuing relationship between two repositories of sovereignty. Once the Supreme Court has held that Jammu and Kashmir possessed no residual internal sovereignty separate from India, any future arrangement concerning J&K must necessarily derive its authority from the Constitution of India. Autonomy cannot therefore be asserted as an independent sovereign entitlement existing outside the Constitution. Any constitutional restructuring must proceed through constitutionally competent institutions and constitutionally recognised procedures. It should equally be acknowledged that the Supreme Court did not approve every technique used during the 2019 process. It held that Article 367 could not be employed indirectly to amend Article 370 in the particular manner attempted through part of C.O. 272. Nevertheless, the Court upheld the substantive exercise of power under Article 370(3) and the ultimate constitutional result. That distinction matters. The constitutional outcome of 2019 survived scrutiny by India's highest constitutional court. What Can the Present Assembly Actually Achieve? This brings us to the central institutional question. The present J&K Legislative Assembly can debate. It can pass resolutions. It can articulate political aspirations. It can demand restoration of statehood. It can request the Union Government to take particular actions. It can urge Parliament to reconsider existing legislation. Its members and political parties can advocate future constitutional amendments. But an Assembly resolution cannot, by itself, restore Article 370. It cannot revive Article 35A. It cannot override an Act of Parliament. It cannot independently recreate the pre-1953 constitutional relationship. And it cannot nullify a constitutional position which has already undergone adjudication before a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court. The question facing anybody seeking revival of the 2000 autonomy arrangement is therefore straightforward: Under what existing provision of the Constitution, and through which constitutionally competent institution, is the pre-1953 arrangement proposed to be restored? Unless that question is answered, the autonomy resolution remains primarily a political declaration rather than an instrument possessing independent constitutional capacity to change J&K's present status. Statehood Is Not Autonomy Another distinction is particularly important in the contemporary debate. Restoration of statehood and restoration of the pre-2019 special constitutional position are not the same thing. Jammu and Kashmir can theoretically regain statehood without restoration of Article 370 or Article 35A. Indeed, the Supreme Court's 2023 judgment recorded the Solicitor General's statement that statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir. Statehood therefore remains a distinct constitutional and political question. That makes the continuing invocation of the 2000 Autonomy Resolution particularly worthy of scrutiny. If the immediate political objective is restoration of statehood, why must a resolution seeking statehood preserve reference to the old autonomy demand? The National Conference's position can be understood as maintaining continuity with its longstanding political programme. Its opponents can legitimately argue that restoration of statehood should not be conflated with revival of a pre-2019 special-status agenda. The two propositions have entirely different constitutional consequences. The Constitutional Paradox There is therefore a striking paradox. The present Assembly exists within the post-2019 constitutional and statutory arrangement. The authority under which it functions is part of the very institutional framework created after the constitutional transformation that the historical autonomy programme sought, in important respects, to avoid or reverse. Yet that Assembly is now a forum in which the political relevance of the 2000 autonomy formula is being preserved. This may be politically permissible. But political symbolism cannot substitute for constitutional authority. A legislature cannot acquire power merely by passing a resolution asserting an objective outside its legislative competence. Nor can an Assembly resolution supersede Parliament or undo a constitutional position upheld by the Supreme Court. Why 2019 Must Be the New Constitutional Starting Point The most important weakness in attempts to revive the old autonomy discourse is therefore not political but constitutional. Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional position changed in 2019. Parliament legislated. The President exercised constitutional powers. Article 370 ceased to operate in its previous form. The constitutional foundation upon which Article 35A operated disappeared. The former State was reorganised. The Constitution of India became applicable without the earlier Article 370 framework. And in December 2023, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the central constitutional result while rejecting the proposition that J&K possessed separate internal sovereignty. These developments cannot be erased by political resolution. That does not mean autonomy cannot be discussed. In a democracy, political parties can advocate constitutional amendments and changes in governmental structure. Even constitutional arrangements that do not presently exist may be proposed politically. But that is fundamentally different from treating the 2000 resolution as though its constitutional premises continue unchanged. Any contemporary autonomy proposal must now answer: What is the constitutional mechanism for achieving it after 2019? Without identifying that mechanism, the autonomy demand remains an expression of political ideology rather than an immediately operative constitutional programme. Separateness Versus Integration The historical debate over autonomy should therefore be understood with precision. The National Conference has maintained that autonomy was intended to preserve J&K's distinctive identity while remaining within India. Critics have argued that the very institutionalisation of constitutional distinctiveness contributed to a politics of separateness and provided narratives that separatist organisations could exploit. These competing interpretations form part of J&K's political history. But post-2019, another consideration has become paramount. The constitutional framework itself has changed. The old argument cannot simply resume from where it stood in 2000. Twenty-six years have passed. Parliament has acted. The constitutional position has changed. The Supreme Court has pronounced upon Article 370. J&K's institutional structure has been reorganised. The constitutional discussion must therefore begin from present constitutional reality rather than historical aspiration. The Constitutional Clock Cannot Simply Be Turned Back Jammu and Kashmir has travelled through several distinct constitutional phases: accession, Article 370, progressive extension of provisions of the Constitution of India, demands for greater autonomy, the 2000 Autonomy Resolution, the constitutional transformation of August 2019 and the Supreme Court judgment of December 2023. History can be debated. Political decisions can be criticised. Constitutional amendments can be advocated. But the constitutional clock cannot simply be reset to 1953 through a resolution of the present Legislative Assembly. The National Conference remains entitled within democratic politics to advocate constitutional change. Its opponents remain equally entitled to argue that the autonomy model perpetuated constitutional exceptionalism and encouraged a politics of separateness. But neither proposition changes the present distribution of constitutional authority. The fundamental question today is therefore no longer merely: How much autonomy should Jammu and Kashmir have? The logically prior question is: What constitutional authority exists today to recreate the pre-2019 arrangement, and through what lawful constitutional mechanism could that authority be exercised? That is the question created by August 2019 and reinforced by the Supreme Court judgment of December 2023. The present Legislative Assembly can debate aspirations. It can demand restoration of statehood. It can make recommendations to the Union. Political parties can campaign for future constitutional changes. But a legislature functioning within the post-2019 framework cannot, merely through its own resolution, recreate the constitutional order that preceded that framework. The distinction between the democratic freedom to advocate constitutional change and the constitutional authority to effect constitutional change is fundamental. Autonomy may therefore continue as a political idea. But any attempt to present the 2000 formula as a presently available constitutional arrangement must confront Parliament's actions of 2019, the disappearance of the earlier Article 370 framework and the binding constitutional position declared by the Supreme Court. That is why the debate in 2026 cannot simply return to 2000. The constitutional ground beneath it has changed. (The Author is the Chief Spokesperson of JK BJP)

Udit Raj Accuses Election Commission of Bias Towards BJP

Congress leader Udit Raj criticizes the Election Commission for alleged bias, citing voter discrepancies and demanding accountability. Udit Raj Accuses Election Commission of Bias Towards BJP

Maharashtra Congress Launches Statewide Protest Against Election Commission

The Maharashtra Congress plans a statewide protest on September 28, demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner amid allegations of bias. Maharashtra Congress Launches Statewide Protest Against Election Commission

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Maha Dy CM demands apology from Rahul Gandhi, slams INDIA Bloc

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Opposition, demanding an unconditional public apology from Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and leaders of the INDIA alliance for spreading what he termed false and baseless allegations against constitutional institutions. Shinde asserted that the alliances politics relied on fake narratives to mislead citizens and malign national leadership. Referring to recent claims of internal rifts within the Election Commission of India (ECI), he said the Oppositions attempt to celebrate false news had backfired, as the unanimous joint statement issued by all three Election Commissioners had completely deflated the propaganda. Using these false claims, Rahul Gandhi and his allies attempted to defame and target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Spreading calculated misinformation to weaken faith in democratic processes has become the habit of the Opposition, Shinde said. He added that Rahul Gandhi must apologise to the nation for indulging in smear campaigns. Shinde alleged that the INDI alliance consistently targeted democratic institutions, including the Election Commission and courts, whenever election results did not favour them. He accused opposition leaders of stoking mistrust, spreading rumours and attempting to confuse voters. He asserted that 140 crore citizens stood firmly behind PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, rendering false allegations ineffective. The aware public of the country clearly recognises these political games and will give a fitting reply at the appropriate time, Shinde said, warning that attempts to undermine constitutional sanctity would lead to further political isolation of the Opposition. Meanwhile, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and present BJP MP Ashok Chavan also criticised Rahul Gandhi over his statements on the poll panel. In his post on X, Chavan wrote: One frustrated opposition leader, with a plethora of lies. Rahul Gandhi: SIR was a unilateral decision. MeanwhileECI Press Note: unanimous approval of the Commission. Plot twist: the receipts came from the institution itself.

Maha: Congress protests demanding Gyanesh Kumars dismissal

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Saturday escalated its confrontation with the Election Commission of India (ECI), announcing a statewide agitation on September 28. The party is demanding the dismissal and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of acting in a partisan manner to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and undermining democratic institutions. The announcement comes amid mounting political friction following allegations by the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, regarding widespread Vote Chori (vote theft). Congress claimed these allegations were substantiated by reports of internal dissent within the poll panel, where fellow Election Commissioners reportedly flagged procedural irregularities. At the centre of the partys offensive is the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The MPCC alleged that over 3 crore eligible voters have been erased from Maharashtras electoral rolls under the SIR process. Nationwide, the party alleged 13 crore voters have been deprived of their rights. Congress highlighted that while Maharashtras voter base expanded by 47 lakh electors before the 2024 Assembly elections, the Commission has not verified the current status of these newly added voters. Similar purges of legitimate voters were allegedly carried out in other non-BJP-ruled states, including West Bengal and Bihar. Deleting the names of legitimate, eligible voters from the electoral rolls is an outright assault on the Constitution. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumars authoritarian conduct is a direct attack on Indian democracy, MPCC president Harshwardhan Sapkal said in an official statement. The agitation follows media reports revealing that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally recorded dissent on at least 14 occasions over the past 10 months regarding decisions made during the SIR rollout.

Asian Games: China Leads, India Ranks 10th On Day 7

The Asian Games medals tally after Day 7 shows China in a commanding lead with 176 medals, including 107 gold. Japan and Korea follow, while India is positioned tenth with a total of 30 medals.

Karnataka CM Accuses Election Commission of Colluding with BJP in Vote Theft

Karnatakas CM DK Shivakumar claims the Election Commission is complicit with BJP in vote theft, demanding its dissolution and reform of voter lists. Karnataka CM Accuses Election Commission of Colluding with BJP in Vote Theft

Minister urges police constables to stay disciplined, technically aware

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UNGA 2026: Vulnerable nations reject climate debt trap

Digital Desk | United Nations, Sep 26 (IANS) Climate-vulnerable countries have told the United Nations (UN) General Assembly they should not be forced deeper into debt to rebuild from disasters they did little to cause, demanding grants and faster access to international finance. Leaders from the Caribbean, Pacific, Indian Ocean and Himalayas said the system often answered storms, floods and rising seas with expensive loans and years of paperwork, transferring the cost to its least responsible victims. Samoan Deputy Prime Minister Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo said money intended for education, health, water and social protection was being diverted to disaster recovery. Small nations are being asked to finance both development and survival. No nation should have to borrow its way out of a crisis it did so little to create, Molioo said. Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip J Pierre said eligibility for finance should reflect climate vulnerability as well as national income. We must stop confusing loans with solidarity, Pierre said. A loan is not justice when a small vulnerable nation is forced to borrow to repair damage it did not cause. Nepal made a similar case after catastrophic flash floods killed at least 1,400 people and left more than 6,000 missing. Initial assessments placed physical recovery needs at about 10 per cent of its gross domestic product. When a climate-driven disaster destroys the infrastructure of a poor country, the answer cannot simply be another mega loan or a patchwork of small grants, Prime Minister Balendra Shah said. He called for adequate grant-based support and said the Loss and Damage Fund and other environmental financing mechanisms remained grossly inadequate. When the house is burning, we do not ask the family to complete fifty forms. We act, Shah said. Palauan President Surangel Whipps said countries facing severe sea-level rise should not be burdened with debt simply to purchase a life jacket for their survival. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Godwin Friday said small states could not keep borrowing to replace infrastructure repeatedly destroyed by climate disasters. We cannot continue to walk up the down escalator, pretending it is development, Friday said. Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said climate finance should be delivered as quickly as storms strike the Caribbean. He called vulnerability a lived reality rather than a statistical category. The Maldives said resilience required finance to reach vulnerable countries without delay. At the scale. At the speed. And on the terms needed to build resilience, Vice-President Hussain Mohamed Latheef said. Seychelles said its climate ambitions were being blocked by structural economic barriers and demanded affordable long-term finance and meaningful debt relief. Mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, and loss-and-damage funding are not acts of charitythey are legal obligations, President Mathew Antonio Patrick Herminie said. Fijian President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu pointed to the Pacific Resilience Facility, a Pacific-owned climate and disaster-financing mechanism whose first grants were reaching communities. It exists because a village seawall does not need a three-year accreditation process. It needs money that arrives, Lalabalavu said. The Bahamas said lending rules could leave island states too prosperous for help until a hurricane made them poor. Nauru called for vulnerability, rather than income alone, to determine access to development finance.

Gangotri-Gaumukh trek tragedy: Maharashtra tourist falls into gorge, remains untraced

Digital Desk | Uttarkashi, Sep 26 (IANS) A 65-year-old tourist from Maharashtra went missing after falling into a deep gorge along the Gangotri-Gaumukh trekking route in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. According to officials, search and rescue operations are underway for the second consecutive day while heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions continue to persist. According to the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC), a group of five tourists from Maharashtra had set out from Gangotri towards Gaumukh on September 25. At around 2:30 p.m., Ram Kumar Hanuman Gupta, 65, reportedly slipped near Kachhidang, beyond Chirbasa, and fell into a gorge estimated to be around 130 metres deep. He has remained untraced since the incident. After the incident, teams from the forest department, police, SDRF and local porters were deployed for the search operation. On Saturday, an 18-member team comprising six SDRF personnel from Gangotri, four Nepali porters, four forest department personnel from Bhojwasa, two police personnel and two porters took part in the operation. The teams searched extensively around Kachhidang, Chirbasa, Devgarh Khale and along the riverbank below Ram Mandir. However, persistent rain and difficult weather conditions hampered the rescue operation, and no trace of the missing tourist was found till late evening. Officials said the search would be intensified once weather conditions improve. The other members of the trekking group have been identified as Deepak Chhotelal, Shivsevak Motilal, Vishal Ram Kumar and Nikhil Suresh. The missing tourist's family members are present in Gangotri, while the other trekkers are staying at a hotel in Gangotri. Meanwhile, in view of the red alert issued by the weather department, the district administration has suspended the pilgrimage to Gangotri and Yamunotri dhams at the Hina and Dobata holding points as a precautionary measure. The emergency operations centre and smart control room have been placed on alert, while rainfall and landslide-related developments are being continuously monitored, said officials. Authorities have also directed the National Highway, BRO, PWD and PMGSY officials to keep machinery and manpower ready for immediate clearance of blocked roads.

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Tripura BJP serves show-cause notice to prominent leader over Dharmanagar incidents

Digital Desk | Agartala, Sep 26 (IANS) The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has served a seven-day show-cause notice on Barnali Goswami, former Chairperson of the Tripura State Commission for Women, seeking an explanation over her alleged role in recent incidents in Dharmanagar under North Tripura district, a party leader said on Saturday. Goswami is the wife of BJPs sitting Dharmanagar MLA Jahar Chakraborti. The notice, dated September 25, was served on Goswami on behalf of the BJP's Disciplinary Committee by Samrendra Chandra Deb. According to the notice, an unpleasant incident involving BJP workers and supporters recently took place in the Dharmanagar Mandal area of North Tripura district, following which Goswami's name appeared in reports circulated on social media and widely through electronic media. The notice said reports submitted by the BJP's district President and district in-charge regarding the adverse developments had also come to the notice of the state President Abhishek Debroy. It further said that the recent developments had created an adverse reaction towards the BJP both within the organisation and among the public. The Bharatiya Janata Party does not tolerate or approve any provocative activity or activity in violation of party discipline, the notice said. Goswami has been asked to explain, within seven days of receiving the notice, her role and position in connection with the developments and to provide in writing reasons why disciplinary action should not be initiated against her. The notice warned that failure to submit an explanation within the stipulated period would invite action under the party's rules. The show-cause notice comes amid tensions within the BJP's Dharmanagar organisation following a protest by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Dharmanagar Government Degree College on September 22. During the protest, ABVP members raised Go Back slogans when Goswami arrived at the college. The students had raised issues including shortage of teachers, drinking-water facilities and disruption of academic activities. The developments were followed by reports of clashes between rival groups of BJP workers in Dharmanagar. Separate allegations also emerged regarding the assault of the father of an ABVP student leader following the college incident. On September 24, ABVP activists staged a protest outside the Dharmanagar District Magistrate's office, demanding action against those allegedly responsible for the assault. The protesters also burnt an effigy of Goswami. Complaints and counter-complaints have reportedly been lodged in connection with the incidents. The BJP's show-cause notice, however, does not itself establish Goswami's involvement in any assault or clash. It seeks her explanation regarding her role and position in connection with the developments and refers to reports in which her name appeared. Goswamis response to the notice and any subsequent decision by the BJP's state leadership are now awaited. While responding to media queries on the Dharmanagar incidents, Chief Minister Manik Saha had said that the BJPs Disciplinary Committee was looking into the matter. Any kind of indiscipline or unpleasant activity will not be tolerated or approved by the party, Saha said earlier this week.

Congress to protest across Maharashtra on September 28 to demand action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Congress announced on Saturday that it will stage protests across Maharashtra on September 28, demanding the dismissal and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party alleged that 13 crore voters were removed from electoral rolls across the country during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and that 47 lakh voters had been added to the electoral rolls before the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections. The party said that its leader Rahul Gadhi's repeated claims of vote theft have been vindicated.

Bengaluru murder: Clothing tag helps police trace Odisha womans body, arrest husband

Digital Desk | Bengaluru, Sep 26 (IANS) A government rule requiring vacant sites to be cleaned has helped Sampigehalli police crack a murder case in MS Nagar Agrahara Layout, where a man allegedly killed his wife and dumped her body at an empty site, police said on Saturday. The accused, identified as Sagar Chandra Rawat, 32, and his wife Anusuya, 28, both from Odisha, had fallen in love and married. The couple worked at different hotels in Bengaluru. According to police, the couple had a heated argument over a financial issue on August 11. During the quarrel, Rawat allegedly strangled Anusuya to death. He then stayed in the house with her body for three days before wrapping it in a mattress and dumping it at a vacant site. The body was discovered after the site owner sent workers to clean the premises under the governments vacant-site cleaning rules. Workers found the decomposed body of an unidentified woman, reportedly partially eaten by stray dogs. Police said sanitation workers cleaning the plot on September 2 noticed a mattress tied with ropes. A foul smell prompted them to alert the police. Officers opened the mattress and found the decomposed body. As the body was badly decomposed, police initially faced difficulties in identifying the victim. A clothing tag bearing the name of a mall was found on the body. Using the tag details and the associated bill, police traced the victims identity. Investigators said the couple often quarrelled over financial matters. On August 11, Anusuya went to Rawats hotel demanding his salary. The argument continued at home, where Rawat allegedly lost his temper and strangled her. Following the investigation, police arrested Rawat nearly 20 days after the murder. The probe is ongoing.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar, ECs Sandhu-Joshi meet; Form 6, SIR decisions clarified (Lead)

Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday sought to quell reports of differences within the poll panel, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi holding a full commission meeting at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi. In a detailed press note accompanied by a photograph of the three commissioners, the EC addressed allegations concerning its internal functioning, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, voter enrolment and its technology systems. The statement came days after The Indian Express reported on September 23 that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections to several decisions and orders linked to the SIR exercise. The reports triggered a wider political controversy, with Opposition parties questioning the functioning of the Commission and demanding greater transparency. The EC maintained that the June 24, 2025, order launching the SIR across states and Union Territories was approved unanimously by all three commissioners. It said subsequent schedules related to the exercise were also issued with unanimous approval. The Commission further noted that the Supreme Court had upheld the original SIR order. On Form 6, used for enrolment of new voters, the EC addressed concerns over a declaration introduced during the SIR process requiring applicants to establish their linkage with the previous SIR through their parents' names. The Commission said the declaration had been upheld by the Supreme Court. Outside the SIR exercise, it clarified, forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would continue to be used. The Commission also responded to questions surrounding 97 voters in Goa who had initially been left out of the electoral rolls. It said the Chief Electoral Officer, Goa, had directed Booth Level Officers to conduct house-to-house visits and collect the necessary forms. Of the 97 voters, 81 had already submitted Form 6 for inclusion. On ECINET, concerns had been raised about access to electoral-roll databases and the functioning of the portal. The EC said field officials receive role-based access in accordance with their statutory powers. It announced a review of ECINET by a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT. The Commission also clarified that a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary concerned the redistribution of work involving an officer on deputation related to the officer's functioning, rather than any policy concerning the EC or its IT division. As part of measures to strengthen internal procedures, the EC said agendas for Commission meetings would be circulated in advance and minutes issued thereafter. It also stated that directions issued by commissioners to officials would be complied with meticulously. The EC further extended SIR deadlines in Delhi and Maharashtra, while reiterating that its major decisions had been taken collectively and unanimously.

Himachal CM launches 21 projects worth Rs 136.25 crore in Mandi

The News Mill

Padma Bhushan Is Small, Make Him PM: Pawan Khera Mocks BJPs Praise For Gyanesh Kumar

A sharp political exchange has erupted over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya said Kumar deserved the Padma Bhushan for overseeing the states Assembly election and voter-list revision. Congress leader Pawan Khera hit back with a sarcastic remark, saying the Padma Bhushan was a very small thing and Kumar should be made Prime Minister. The war of words comes amid Opposition protests demanding Kumars removal, a Supreme Court challenge and controversy over reported objections by two Election Commissioners regarding SIR-related decisions.

Ktaka: BJP asks Shivakumar to clarify twomarriage remark

Digital Desk | Bengaluru, Sep 26 (IANS) BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy on Saturday said Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had created unrest among legislators by claiming that MLAs residing in Bengaluru had married twice, and demanded that he release the list of those with two wives to clear doubts. Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Narayanaswamy said Shivakumars statement had created suspicion about the MLAs among people in their constituencies. Since the Chief Minister said that some MLAs have married twice, a fire has been created in their homes. People are now looking at them with suspicion in their constituencies, and the MLAs have lost their peace of mind. If the Chief Minister releases the list of those who have married twice, the truth will come out, and the doubts will also be cleared, he said. Condemning Shivakumars remark, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy asked whether a person holding the post of Chief Minister could make such a statement in the Assembly. He said all 224 Congress MLAs should have protested against the Chief Ministers remarks. Shivakumars statement in the Legislative Assembly that several MLAs who came to Bengaluru from other parts of the state had married twice sparked curiosity, with Opposition Leader R. Ashoka and BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar demanding that the Chief Minister disclose the names of the legislators he was referring to. Meanwhile, Narayanaswamy urged the Chief Minister to provide additional security to former MP Pratap Simha, BJP MLA C.T. Ravi, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and several other leaders following the arrest of two persons in Chikkaballapur over alleged plans to target prominent political leaders. He termed the matter sensitive and said the state government should not take it lightly. Narayanaswamy said Pratap Simha had protested against a police officers conduct during a Ganesh idol procession and had also spoken about the Nilishal incident. He said he had learnt that an FIR had been registered against the former MP under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Appealing to members of the Dalit community not to escalate the issue, he said nobody should misuse the law. He urged all sides to put the matter behind them and maintain harmony. He also criticised the Congress protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Narayanaswamy said instead of demanding the resignation of the CEC, the Congress should demand the resignation of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. He alleged that such protests were creating confusion in the country and would not serve any public interest, accusing the Congress of holding them for publicity. Asked about the upcoming Legislative Council elections to two graduates constituencies and a teachers constituency, Narayanaswamy said the NDA alliance had convened a meeting to discuss the polls as part of preparations.

Himachal CM slams previous BJP govt, announces welfare measures

Digital Desk | Mandi, Sep 26 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, saying its doubleengine model had pushed the state into a debt trap and led to misuse of resources. Addressing a large public meeting in the Balh Assembly constituency of Mandi district, Sukhu said the state had received around Rs 60,000 crore through Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation and the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) during the BJP governments tenure, but the funds were not utilised properly. He said the Congress government came to power around 45 months ago, giving someone from an ordinary family the opportunity to become Chief Minister. In its first Cabinet meeting, the government restored the Old Pension Scheme for employees. According to Sukhu, this decision led the Centre to stop financial assistance of around Rs 1,600 crore to Himachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister said the Congress government had faced both natural disasters and political challenges. During the disaster, the state rebuilt around 23,000 damaged houses using its own resources. He added that with people's support and the blessings of the states deities, the number of Congress MLAs again reached 40. Sukhu said his government was committed to making Himachal Pradesh selfreliant, curbing corruption and ensuring people received their due rights. He highlighted financial benefits for employees and pensioners, as well as welfare measures for orphaned children and widows. Referring to the Kishau Multipurpose Project, Sukhu said the government had protected the states interests. He claimed that under a BJP government, people could have faced an additional burden of Rs 3,000 crore, citing Uttarakhands situation. He said Rs 3,000 crore in expenditure had been saved for Himachal Pradesh, and the project could generate annual revenue of Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 1,500 crore in the future. Sukhu also highlighted measures for the dairy sector. He said milk was procured at Rs 32 per litre during the BJP government, while the present government raised the procurement price to Rs 61 per litre for cows milk and Rs 71 per litre for buffalo milk. He added that further increases would be made. The Chief Minister announced changes in eligibility criteria for the Mukhya Mantri Ka Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana. The mandatory requirement of working for one day under MGNREGA would be removed, and the family income ceiling raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000. Sukhu further announced that all eligible women above 21 years would be provided a monthly pension of Rs 1,500. Referring specifically to Balh, Sukhu said that had Congress candidate Prakash Chaudhary won the Assembly election, he would be a minister in the state government today.

Puri Sri Mandir to Craft New Gold Ornaments for Suna Besha; Gundicha Temple Reopens Sept 30

In a significant development for devotees of Lord Jagannath, the Sri Mandir administration has announced plans to craft a brand-new set of gold ornaments for the revered Suna Besha. Interested devotees wishing to contribute can coordinate directly with the temple administration to donate gold or financial assistance. Chief Administrator Dr Arabinda Padhee shared this update [] The post Puri Sri Mandir to Craft New Gold Ornaments for Suna Besha; Gundicha Temple Reopens Sept 30 appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .

RJD stages protest in Ranchi, seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar''s resignation

RJD workers staged a protest at Ranchi's Albert Ekka Chowk, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest arose from accusations of unfair electoral advantages given to BJP through manipulated electoral rolls. RJD leaders claimed that around 65 lakh names in Bihar and 27 lakh names in Bengal were removed from voter rolls.

Pakistan braces for bloody PTI confrontation, lockdown imposed amid casualty fears

Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) Pakistan is witnessing a virtual lockdown ahead of the massive march planned by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The march originally scheduled to be held on September 27 will now take place on October 4. Intelligence assessments say that the march would well be a defining moment for the Pakistani establishment, especially the military. The PTI has said that this march would not be a symbolic one. Instead, the idea is to seek a permanent and once-and-for-all overhaul to dismantle a corrupt political system in Pakistan. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the establishment in Pakistan realises that this march would be hard to contain. It has sealed off both Islamabad and Rawalpindi, while enforcing strict lockdowns at key entry corridors, the official said. An official said that the focus is more on Rawalpindi as it houses the Pakistan Armys General Headquarters and the Military Intelligence directorate. The PTI is directing all its anger against the military. It has accused Field Marshal Asim Munir of orchestrating the illegal detention of PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The protesters would look to enter Rawalpindi and challenge the military, the official also said. Another official said that hotels, businesses and restaurants have been ordered to shut down ahead of the march. Rawalpindi would remain a no-go zone until the protests are over. The shutdown is an indefinite one, and this shows how worried the Pakistan military is about the protests, the official added. The establishment has also decided to shut down transport services that ferry people to Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The idea is to make it hard for the protesters to reach these places and gather in large numbers, officials say. The Pakistani security forces have also enforced container blockades across Islamabad and the border corridors. Officials say that the protests are likely to turn bloody. Both sides are unwilling to give in, and there is every possibility of the security forces using brute force to curb the protesters. This explains the deployment of heavy machinery at entry points at Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Anticipating large-scale violence and the use of force by the security agencies, hospitals across Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been placed on alert. Hospitals have also been told to postpone non-essential medical procedures and focus more on mass injuries and casualties that are anticipated during the protests. The establishment does not want the protesters to move beyond Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Heavy shipping containers, which have been fitted with metal spike rods and tyre-puncturing barriers, have been set up across the Attock Bridge. This has been done to prevent the protesters from moving beyond KP and, more importantly, from gaining access to Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Owing to these extreme measures taken by the Pakistani establishment, the PTI was forced to postpone its protests from September 27 to October 4. The PTI is demanding the release of Imran Khan, who has been in jail since 2023. The PTI is also demanding the restoration of constitutional and political rights. The other demands include proper medical care for the people of KP and a complete overhaul of the system. The Indian Intelligence agencies are closely watching the developments. The current assessment is that the military would use brute force against the protesters, which could also result in casualties. The protesters, on the other hand, are determined and ready to bite the bullet so that their demands are met. The week ahead for Pakistan would be a hard one, and the atmosphere is likely to remain tense for a long time due to the confrontation between the protesters and the Pakistani security forces, an official said.

Women's empowerment through cooperatives key objective of Modi govt: Shah

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday said women' empowerment through cooperatives was one of the core objectives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was speaking after inaugurating various initiatives of cooperative societies under the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) aimed at strengthening and promoting women' empowerment in the cooperative sector at Kundara here. Shah said farmers and people associated with the cooperative sector had been demanding the creation of a separate union ministry for cooperation since Independence, but the demand had not been fulfilled. PM Narendra Modi created the Cooperation Ministry and took a major step towards rural development, agricultural development and women's empowerment in the country, he said. He said significant efforts had been made to promote women power (Matrushakti) and their empowerment over the last 10-12 years under PM Modi's leadership. Shah said the share of women in the lab

Odisha Non-Govt Lecturers March from Puri to Bhubaneswar, Demanding Grant-in-Aid

Over 3,000 non-government college lecturers and staff members appointed by management committees between 2008 and 2018 launched a historic padayatra (foot march) from Srikhetra (Puri) to Ekamra Kshetra (Bhubaneswar), demanding immediate inclusion under the government grant-in-aid system. The foot march commenced on Tuesday, September 22, from Saradhabali in Puri after offering floral tributes and seeking [] The post Odisha Non-Govt Lecturers March from Puri to Bhubaneswar, Demanding Grant-in-Aid appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .

Controversy Erupts Over Documentary Screening on Umar Khalid at NALSAR University

BJP leaders criticize NALSAR University for screening a documentary on Umar Khalid, demanding a counter-film on national issues. Controversy Erupts Over Documentary Screening on Umar Khalid at NALSAR University

Vocational Trainers Continue Protest in Srinagar, Seek End To Outsourcing System

SRINAGAR: Vocational Trainers continued their peaceful protest in Srinagar for the third consecutive day on Saturday, demanding an end to the outsourcing system in vocational education and the implementation of recommendations submitted by the Directors of School Education. The trainers are also seeking improved service conditions and a formal job policy aimed at providing greater []

Karnataka Congress protests at Freedom Park, demands CEC's resignation

Digital Desk | Bengaluru, Sep 26 (IANS) Karnataka Congress leaders and workers staged a protest at Freedom Park here on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was misusing its constitutional authority and excluding eligible voters from electoral rolls. The protest was led by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President B.K. Hariprasad and attended by former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister and Union Minister Veerappa Moily, AICC Secretary Gopinath Palaniyappan and several party leaders. Addressing the gathering, Hariprasad said the agitation had been organised to safeguard the Constitution and democratic values. Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's campaign against alleged electoral irregularities, he said the party would continue its nationwide struggle against what it termed the misuse of powers by election authorities. Hariprasad alleged that eligible voters had been removed from electoral rolls in several states after the BJP came to power in 2024. He claimed that large numbers of voters were excluded in Bihar and West Bengal and alleged that similar exercises had affected voters in Haryana, Maharashtra and other states. He further claimed that in Karnataka, over one crore voters had been removed from electoral rolls, while lakhs of entries had been categorised as fake or placed under other classifications. These figures and allegations were presented by Hariprasad during his address and were not independently verified. The electoral roll is the foundation of democracy. Every citizen has a constitutional right to vote and elect a government once every five years, Hariprasad said, alleging attempts were being made to weaken that foundation. He also urged younger voters, including members of Gen Z, to remain vigilant about protecting their voting rights. Targeting the BJP leadership, Hariprasad alleged that electoral victories could not be attributed solely to political strategy and claimed that electoral-roll manipulation through the Election Commission was being used to influence outcomes. He further alleged that the two other Election Commissioners had differed with decisions taken by the CEC on multiple occasions but that their views had not been adequately considered. The KPCC chief also criticised the 2023 law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, alleging that the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel had weakened institutional checks and balances. Hariprasad asserted that the Congress agitation would continue until Gyanesh Kumar stepped down and called upon party workers to intensify the campaign across district headquarters from Monday. The Election Commission has maintained that decisions related to electoral-roll revision and other electoral processes are taken in accordance with the prescribed statutory framework. According to the Commission's official website, Gyanesh Kumar is the Chief Election Commissioner, while Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi serve as Election Commissioners.

Congress Mocks Bengal BJP Chief for Demanding Padma Bhushan for CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Dakshina Kannada Congress to take out rally on September 28 demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumars resignation

Democracy would perish if Gyanesh Kumar continues as the CEC, Mr. Padmaraj said demanding his immediate resignation and arrest for electoral malpractices.

INDIA bloc parties likely to meet on September 30 to discuss EC related concerns: Report

Parties from the India bloc plan to meet in Delhi on September 30 to address various issues. Rising tensions surrounding the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision have prompted protests across several states. Demonstrations have been reported in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh, among others. Congress workers are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar due to alleged electoral roll manipulations.

Pakistan governments security costs set to rise after Imran Khans party delays protest march to October 4

Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced a long march to Islamabad on Tehreek-e-Insaf, primarily demanding the release of the party founder

Delhi protests: Around 90 detained over Gyanesh Kumar resignation demand

Protests demanding the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were held at multiple locations in Delhi on September 25. AISA protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar, while Delhi Congress workers marched towards Nirvachan Sadan. Several protesters, including political and student leaders, were detained by the Delhi Police.

Asian Games: Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda march into Round of 16

Digital Desk | Ichinomiya City, Sep 26 (IANS) Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda kept Indias singles campaign alive at the Asian Games 2026, advancing to the Round of 16 with contrasting victories on Saturday. While Ayush needed just 21 minutes to dispatch Kazakhstans Makhsut Tajibullayev 21-7, 21-7, Unnati was pushed to the limit by Malaysias Wong Ling Ching before eventually prevailing 21-14, 20-22, 21-19 in a contest lasting 79 minutes. For Ayush, the second-round encounter offered little resistance. The world No. 20 Indian controlled the match from the outset, denying Tajibullayev any sustained opportunity to build momentum. Ayushs straight-game victory also ensured that he preserved valuable energy ahead of another assignment later in the day. His next challenge will be considerably tougher. Ayush will meet Chinese Taipeis Chou Tien-Chen in the pre-quarterfinals later in the evening, with the Indian trailing 1-2 in their previous meetings. Unnati, meanwhile, had to negotiate a far more demanding contest. The 25th-ranked Indian took charge early against world No. 38 Wong, securing the opening game 21-14. The Malaysian responded in the second, edging ahead during the latter stages to force a decider with a 22-20 win. The deciding game remained tightly contested, with neither player able to establish a decisive cushion. Unnati eventually created two match points at 20-18. Although Wong saved the first, a cross-court attempt went wide on the following rally, handing the Indian the match. Unnati now faces Indonesias world No. 6 Putri Kusuma Wardani in the Round of 16 later in the day. The Indonesian shuttler won their only previous encounter at the 2025 Hylo Open. The progress of both players comes after a difficult stretch for India in the singles draw. Lakshya Sen bowed out in the mens singles second round earlier in the day after losing to Singapores former world champion Loh Kean Yew, leaving Ayush as Indias remaining mens singles representative. While both Ayush and Unnati are through, Lakshya Sen suffered a shock exit in his second round match against Singapores Loh Kean Yew earlier in the day. From the Indian singles contingent yet to play their game on Saturday, ace shuttler PV Sindhu will go up against Chinese Taipeis Chiu Pin-chian.

Asian Games 2026: India To Face Afghanistan In Cricket Quarter-Finals After Nepal-Japan Washout

Asian Games: India will face Afghanistan in the mens cricket quarter-finals at the Asian Games 2026 after Nepal topped Pool A following a rain-affected washout between Nepal and Japan in Nisshin on Saturday. The quarter-final between India and Afghanistan is scheduled for September 28 in Nisshin, with Nepals first-place finish in the group determining the knockout-stage line-up. Japans abandoned match ended their campaign, while Afghanistan advanced alongside Nepal from Pool A. The equation was settled after Japans chase against Nepal was completely washed out. Nepal had posted 149 for four in 15 overs after being put into bat, but persistent rain prevented Japan from beginning its pursuit. Nepals innings was built around an explosive finish from Sundeep Jora and Lokesh Bam. The pair remained unbeaten and accelerated sharply after Nepal found itself at 84 for four at the end of 10 overs. Jora, who came in at No. 3, finished with an unbeaten 57 from 32 deliveries, striking five fours and three sixes. Bam provided the late surge, smashing 52 not out off only 22 balls, including six sixes and a four. Earlier, Aasif Sheikh provided Nepal with a brisk start to the middle phase, making 21 from 15 balls and sharing a 55-run partnership with Jora for the second wicket. Nepal had otherwise struggled to build momentum, with Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla and Gulsan Jha departing for single-digit scores. Japan were therefore left facing a demanding target in a severely shortened contest, requiring 150 from 15 overs. However, before their response could get underway, another spell of rain brought the match to a premature conclusion. The washout proved decisive for the group standings, sending Nepal through as Pool A winners and Afghanistan into the quarter-finals as the other qualifying side. Japan were therefore left facing a demanding target in a severely shortened contest, requiring 150 from 15 overs. However, before their response could get underway, another spell of rain brought the match to a premature conclusion. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories For India, the focus now shifts firmly to the knockout stage, with Afghanistan standing between the side and a place in the semi-finals. Article Source: IANS

Asian Games: India to face Afghanistan in cricket QF after Nepal-Japan washout

Digital Desk | Nisshin, Sep 26 (IANS) India will face Afghanistan in the mens cricket quarter-finals at the Asian Games 2026 after Nepal topped Pool A following a rain-affected washout between Nepal and Japan in Nisshin on Saturday. The quarter-final between India and Afghanistan is scheduled for September 28 in Nisshin, with Nepals first-place finish in the group determining the knockout-stage line-up. Japans abandoned match ended their campaign, while Afghanistan advanced alongside Nepal from Pool A. The equation was settled after Japans chase against Nepal was completely washed out. Nepal had posted 149 for four in 15 overs after being put into bat, but persistent rain prevented Japan from beginning its pursuit. Nepals innings was built around an explosive finish from Sundeep Jora and Lokesh Bam. The pair remained unbeaten and accelerated sharply after Nepal found itself at 84 for four at the end of 10 overs. Jora, who came in at No. 3, finished with an unbeaten 57 from 32 deliveries, striking five fours and three sixes. Bam provided the late surge, smashing 52 not out off only 22 balls, including six sixes and a four. Earlier, Aasif Sheikh provided Nepal with a brisk start to the middle phase, making 21 from 15 balls and sharing a 55-run partnership with Jora for the second wicket. Nepal had otherwise struggled to build momentum, with Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla and Gulsan Jha departing for single-digit scores. Japan were therefore left facing a demanding target in a severely shortened contest, requiring 150 from 15 overs. However, before their response could get underway, another spell of rain brought the match to a premature conclusion. The washout proved decisive for the group standings, sending Nepal through as Pool A winners and Afghanistan into the quarter-finals as the other qualifying side. Japan bow out after showing glimpses of promise during the tournament. They had impressed with the ball against Afghanistan in their opening match and had also competed well against India in the one-off T20I preceding the Games, but their batting ultimately proved a limiting factor. For India, the focus now shifts firmly to the knockout stage, with Afghanistan standing between the side and a place in the semi-finals.

MLAs who come to Bengaluru have 2 marriages: Shivakumar

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's comment in the Assembly that a dozen MLAs have two marriages has ignited a political controversy. BJP leaders are demanding that he disclose the names of these legislators, arguing that such remarks undermine the dignity of the Assembly and create public distrust.

Some workers could get full Social Security at 60 under new bill - heres who may qualify and what you need to know

Rep. Haley Stevens has introduced the Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act to Congress this week. This bill allows eligible workers in physically demanding occupations to receive full benefits at the age of 60. Under current regulations, workers can claim full retirement benefits at 67 or begin collecting at 62 with reduced amounts.

U.P. Congress leaders clash with police, detained during protest against Chief Election Commissioner

The Congress leaders, including State Congress chief Ajay Rai and party workers demanding the resignation of the CEC, were stopped and later detained while trying to march towards the Uttar Pradesh Assembly

Congress legislators flash banners demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumars resignation inside Jammu and Kashmir assembly

During the Question Hour, several Congress legislators stood up and trooped into the well of the house with banners and disrupted the proceedings

Congress protests in Assembly seeking CEC

Srinagar, Sep 25: The Congress on Friday staged a brief protest in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. As soon as proceedings of the House began, Congress lawmakers carrying banners that read Gyanesh Kumar resign, protect the vote, protect democracy raised slogans demanding the CECs []

Kashmir: A Symphony of the Sacred

Before Kashmir wakes to the noise of its roads, markets and everyday concerns, it has already spoken. In the fragile hour between darkness and daylight, when the mountains are still wrapped in the last shadows of night, and the first light has barely begun to touch the valley, the air carries sounds that seem older than memory. From a mosque comes the Azaan, rising gently over the rooftops, while from a nearby temple the ringing of bells and the first chants of morning worship begin to mingle with it. In many parts of Kashmir, where mosques and temples stand close to one another, these sounds have for generations formed part of the natural rhythm of the morning. Heard together in the stillness of dawn, they create an atmosphere that is difficult to describe in ordinary language. One does not merely hear them; one feels them. There is something deeply beautiful about a land beginning its day in remembrance. Before human activity divides the morning into occupations and obligations, the valley seems to belong to a quieter order of existence. The Azaan calls the faithful towards worship, while the rituals of a nearby temple begin with their own ancient cadence. Their languages, traditions and forms are different, yet both arise from the same human longing to reach beyond the limitations of the individual self. In that early silence, neither sound needs to compete with the other. Each occupies its own space, and together they become part of the valley's distinctive spiritual soundscape. Perhaps this is one reason Kashmir has always seemed to possess a character beyond its physical beauty. Its mountains, rivers, springs, temples and shrines are not merely picturesque features of a landscape. They have accumulated memories, associations and meanings across generations. The land has been looked upon, inhabited and experienced not only with the eyes but with a sense of reverence that has found expression in different religious and mystical traditions. Its spirituality is therefore not confined to a particular building or ritual; it has entered the atmosphere itself. The temples of Kashmir have long been woven into the life of its communities. Their bells have marked the beginning of mornings, their lamps have illuminated evenings, and their courtyards have witnessed generations arriving with flowers, offerings and folded hands. A temple is not simply a place where a ritual is performed. It can become a repository of memory, where the presence of those who worshipped there before us seems to linger in the very stones. The sound of a bell travelling through a quiet village can evoke something that no written description can adequately capture. The mosque carries its own equally powerful presence. The Azaan, particularly in the early morning, has a quality that can transform the atmosphere around it. Its call does not merely announce a time of worship; it momentarily draws attention away from the concerns of the waking world and towards something beyond them. For generations of Kashmiris, it has been part of the sound of home, village and neighbourhood, woven naturally into the rhythm of everyday existence. Where a mosque and a temple happen to stand close to each other, their proximity can offer a particularly moving image of Kashmir's cultural landscape. The two places of worship need not become identical for their presence beside one another to acquire meaning. Their very coexistence reflects a land in which different communities have shared streets, neighbourhoods, memories and seasons. The morning sounds emerging from them can remind us that human beings may approach the Infinite through different names, symbols and traditions while still being united by the impulse to seek something greater than themselves. The natural landscape deepens this experience. Kashmir's mountains have a silence that seems almost deliberate. They stand above the valley without haste, watching the passage of seasons and generations. Snow gathers upon them, melts into streams and eventually becomes part of rivers that travel through the land. Their presence places the human being within a larger measure of time. Standing before such mountains, one becomes conscious of how brief an individual life is and how enduring the rhythms of nature can be. The rivers offer another kind of wisdom. They move continuously, touching villages, fields and towns without belonging permanently to any of them. They accept whatever comes into their course and continue towards a destination beyond what the eye can see. Their movement carries an implicit lesson about change. Nothing remains exactly as it was, yet continuity is not lost. Perhaps this is why the sight of a river can awaken reflection without demanding it. Its movement speaks quietly of time, surrender and renewal. Then there are Kashmir's springs, emerging from the earth with an almost mysterious simplicity. Some have been associated with shrines and traditions for generations, while others remain familiar parts of local memory. Their waters seem to rise from a hidden depth and make the invisible visible for a moment. They remind us that beneath what we see there are forces and movements beyond ordinary perception. The spring does not explain its origin; it simply continues to emerge, offering itself to the world. This relationship between landscape and inwardness has deep roots in Kashmir's intellectual and spiritual traditions. Kashmir Shaivism developed a profound understanding of consciousness and the relationship between the individual and the universal, while the poetry of Lal Ded repeatedly directed attention away from external appearances towards inner realisation. Her verses, like much of Kashmir's mystical inheritance, suggest that the ultimate journey is not necessarily towards a distant destination. It is a movement towards awareness, towards the discovery of what lies behind the restless surface of existence. The valley's spiritual character can therefore be encountered in the simplest moments. It may appear in the first ray of sunlight touching a snow-covered peak, in the sound of water moving beneath a bridge, in the fragrance of flowers carried towards a shrine, in the ringing of a temple bell, or in the Azaan travelling across a still neighbourhood. None of these experiences demands elaborate interpretation. Their power lies precisely in their simplicity. For those separated from Kashmir, however, these experiences can acquire another meaning. Distance changes the nature of memory. A temple that once stood within walking distance may become something one can reach only through remembrance. A familiar mosque, a village spring, a riverbank or an ancestral courtyard may exist physically somewhere in the valley while becoming increasingly distant from one's everyday life. Yet the sounds and images associated with them can remain remarkably alive. The Azaan heard in childhood, the temple bells of an early morning, the fragrance of incense, the sight of mountains from a familiar windowall can return unexpectedly, carrying with them an entire world. Memory in such moments is not merely an archive of the past. It becomes a bridge between what was and what continues to live within us. A place may be physically distant and yet remain intimately present. The geography outside may change, but the geography carried within the heart can preserve its own landscapes. Perhaps this is what makes Kashmir more than a beautiful valley. Its deepest beauty lies not only in its mountains or waters but in the way the land has taught generations to experience the visible and the invisible together. Here, a morning can begin with the Azaan from a mosque and the bells of a temple; a river can become an image of life's passage; a mountain can teach stillness; a spring can suggest hidden depths; and an old ritual can connect the present with generations that have long since disappeared. As the day advances, the sounds of ordinary life gradually overwhelm those quieter notes. Roads fill, conversations begin, shops open, and the valley resumes its daily rhythm. Yet something of that early morning remains. For a brief while, before the world became busy, Kashmir seemed to remember that beneath all our differences there exists a shared human impulse to look beyond ourselves. Perhaps that is the enduring music of the valley: many voices, many traditions, many paths, yet one landscape holding them within its embrace. And perhaps, when dawn speaks in many voices, Kashmir offers its finest lessonnot in words, but in the simple possibility of listening. (The author is RK columnist and can be reached at: sanjaypanditasp@gmail.com )

Congress hits streets seeking CEC Gyanesh Kumar

PTI New Delhi Upping the ante over the SIR row, the Congress on Friday staged protests by attempting to march towards state election commission offices in various parts of the country, demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumars immediate arrest, removal from office, and an independent review of all decisions and electoral roll changes made under []

26 years on, CHC Thanamandi still awaits finance nod for 24 posts

Srinagar, Sep 25 (KNO): Over 26 years after the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Thanamandi in Rajouri was upgraded to a Community Health Centre (CHC), the institution is still awaiting the creation of 24 additional posts proposed to strengthen its manpower. The issue came up in the Assembly in response to a question raised by [] The post 26 years on, CHC Thanamandi still awaits finance nod for 24 posts appeared first on Northlines .

Congress Protests Nationwide Demanding Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner

Congress holds nationwide protests demanding the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged vote theft. Congress Protests Nationwide Demanding Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner

Congress Protests in Chandigarh Demanding Removal of Chief Election Commissioner

Congress workers in Chandigarh demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging electoral misconduct and collusion. Congress Protests in Chandigarh Demanding Removal of Chief Election Commissioner

Shah Rukh Khans Rs 200 crore home Mannat is a 27,000-square-foot mansion the Khans rebuilt around its 200-year-old heritage shell, with diamond nameplates, art gym, swimming pool and private theatre

SRKs splendid house, Mannat, is now a cultural landmark in Mumbai. The house reportedly had royal origins. Before the superstar bought the house in 2001 for Rs 13 crore, Gujarati entrepreneur Nariman Dubash owned it, registered it under the Bai Khorshed Bhanu Sanjana Trust, and it was known as Villa Vienna. Raja Bijai Sen, the ruler of Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, is said to have built it in the 1800s.

Turn 'approver' or face trial: Cong's warning to CEC

The Congress party staged nationwide protests, demanding the immediate arrest and removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party accused the Election Commission of an unprecedented attack on voter equality through an alleged 'Mark VIP' feature and called for an independent review of decisions made under Kumar, citing objections from other commissioners regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Police cordons Jantar Mantar, deploys more men at EC office amid protests

Delhi Police have increased security measures outside the Election Commission of India due to planned protests. The protests are organized by the Delhi Congress over electoral roll revisions, demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. Additional protests are also taking place across different states including Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, targeting the Chief Election Commissioner. Opposition parties are preparing to initiate impeachment proceedings against Kumar in Parliament over alleged irregularities.