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NEW DELHI: Aviation watchdog DGCA on Sunday gave more time to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and the Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras to submit their responses to the show causes notices seeking their explanations on the flight disruptions. Both have been granted 24 hours more or time till 6 pm on Monday to submit their replies, a senior official said on Sunday. For six days in a row, IndiGo flight operations have been significantly disrupted resulting in massive flight cancellations and delays im

NEW DELHI: The Indian Armys infantry will receive a significant firepower boost beginning early next year, with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) confirming the delivery of the first batch of 40,000 light machine guns (LMGs). The supply contract, signed last year, has cleared all tests, trials and government checks, and IWI has received the necessary production licence. We intend to supply the first batch at the beginning of the year. The full LMG supply is planned over five years, though we can de

MUMBAI: Six people were killed after the Innova they were travelling in plunged into an 800-foot ravine near the famous shrine of Saptashrungi Gad in Nasik district on Sunday. The vehicle was carrying seven people, and all six deceased victims were identified as Kirti Patel (50), Rasila Patel (50), Vitthal Patel (65), Lata Patel (60), Pachan Patel (60), and Maniben Patel (60). All of them belonged to a Patel family from Pimpalgaon in Nasik district. According to police, the car bearing registrat

RANCHI: The Dhanbad district administration has intensified efforts to relocate 10,000 residents of Kenduadih following a suspected toxic gas leak that killed two women and left several others ill on Wednesday. Deputy Commissioner Aditya Ranjan said the administration is facing challenges in convincing families to move to the proposed relocation site at Belgadia, with many residents citing minor concerns despite repeated assurances. The gas leak was first reported in Rajput Basti, where more tha

BHOPAL: In a landmark development in Madhya Pradeshs anti-Naxal operations, ten hardcore Maoist cadres, including four women, surrendered before Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Sunday in Balaghat district. The group, associated with the CPI (Maoist) Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) special zone, carried a combined bounty of Rs 2.36 crore and laid down two AK-47s and two INSAS rifles at a special programme attended by the CM. Addressing journalists in Balaghat, Dr Yadav said, Today

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradeshs cheetah population suffered a second blow in three days after a 20-month-old male cub born to South African cheetah Gamini was fatally hit by a speeding car in Gwalior districts Ghatigaon area early Sunday. The incident occurred around 6.30 am when the two cubs were crossing National Highway-46 near the Ghatigaon forests. According to an official statement from the field director of the Cheetah Project, A speeding vehicle (car) struck one of the cubs, killing it instantly

NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday described Operation Sindoor as a historic success, crediting the missions scale and efficiency to Indias rapidly strengthened border connectivity. Singh, who was in Ladakh to inaugurate 125 strategically significant infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) the highest number ever launched simultaneously, said the forces exercised restraint despite having the capability to go further. Speaking about the counter-operation l

RAIPUR: For the approximately 150 tribal families in Kondapalli gram panchayat, located in the edgy district of Bijapur, south Chhattisgarh, the last six months have rewritten their reality. After years of isolation under the influence of left-wing extremism, the arrival of mobile connectivity and the supply of electricity has signalled a profound decline in Maoist influence and the beginning of a connected life. The villagers, whose home is deep within the forested terrain 70 km from the Bijapu

NEW DELHI: Cold conditions prevailed across north India on Sunday, with the Amarnath yatra base camp being the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir at minus 4.3 degrees Celsius and parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan reporting minimum temperatures between three and seven degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said cold wave conditions were very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha on Monday and

NEW DELHI: United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker will visit New Delhi and Bengaluru from December 7 to 11. This will be her first official visit to India since taking office earlier this year. Thevisitis expected to sharpen the strategic focus of the US-India partnership at a time when both sides are navigating economic friction, geopoliticalvolatilityand rapid technological shifts. According to the US Embassy, Hooker willprioritiseadvancing the US-India str

KOLKATA: Despite charges of large scale corruptions levelled against the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, politics of religious polarisation is likely to feature prominently in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state. The suspended rebel Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir on Friday laid the foundation stone of a Babri Masjid in Beldanga of Murshidabad district and threatened to float a new political platform for Muslims to contest 90 out of total 294 assembly seats in the forthco

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government is aggressively pursuing geothermal power generation to reduce dependence on traditional hydropower and secure the states energy future. The state has formally implemented the Geothermal Energy Policy-2025 to fast-track geothermal projects. Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) is preparing to begin drilling operations at the Tapovan geothermal spring, with necessary paperwork nearing completion. The state government is committed to utilizing this clea

KOLKATA: Suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir, on Sunday said that his proposed new political platform would make an electoral alliance with the Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) of Asaduddin Owaisi. Kabir has also invited the CPI-M, Congress and West Bengal-based Indian Secular Front (ISF) of Nawsad Siddiqui to join the alliance to fight against both BJP at the Centre and ruling Trinamool Congress in the state. A day after laying the foundation stone of a

In the chaos caused by IndiGo flight cancellations that left a large number of passengers stranded at airports, it remains unclear how the airline has compensated them for the inconvenience. While the carrier has stated that refund and luggage processes are fully operational for both direct and indirect bookings, many passengers have reported communication gaps and difficulties they encountered during the week. If you were an IndiGo passenger, it is important to understand the airlines compensat

PATNA: Bihar deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, who is also holding the portfolio of home department, on Sunday announced that 100 fast track courts (FTCs) would be established in Bihar for speedy disposal of pending cases in the courts. The fast track courts aim to reduce the burden on the judiciary and provide due attention and time to cases of a sensitive nature. Chaudhary said that these fast-track courts would lessen the burden on courts considerably, considering that more than 18 lakh

DEHRADUN: Amid recurring natural disasters and forest fires, Uttarakhand is now facing an alarming surge in humanwildlife conflict, placing unprecedented pressure on the state government. The crisis is most severe in Pauri district, where the threat posed by a predatory leopard has forced the Education Department to take drastic measures temporarily closing 55 schools and shifting all teaching to online mode. Locals describe the atmosphere in Pauri as eerily similar to the intense restrictions

MUMBAI: IndiGo has processed refunds totalling Rs 610 crore so far against cancelled or severely delayed flights, and delivered 3,000 pieces of baggage to passengers across the country as of Saturday, the government said on Sunday. It also said the aviation network is moving swiftly towards full normalcy, and all corrective measures will remain in place until operations stabilise entirely. On Saturday, the government had directed the airline to complete the ticket refund process for the cancelle

After a massive fire at the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub in Goa claimed the lives of 25 people, including tourists and staff, the police on Sunday registered an FIR against its owners, manager, and event organisers. The police also detained the sarpanch of Arpora-Nagoa panchayat for questioning shortly after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant ordered a magisterial inquiry into the fire. Police registered an FIR against Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of Birch by Romeo Lane Nightclub, u

JAIPUR: Authorities demolished an under-construction multi-storey building in Malviya Nagar on Sunday after cracks appeared and the structure began to lean the previous day, officials said. The building was brought down using JCB machines that weakened the structure through drilling, according to officials. The building's owner, who arrived at the site, opposed the action taken by the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), leading to a brief argument with police officers. He claimed that no legal o

TEZPUR: Agitators at Tezpur University on Sunday vowed to enforce a shutdown at the institution, which has been witnessing sustained protests since mid-September against alleged irregularities by Vice Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh, till a formal communication from the Centre regarding the VC's removal is received. The picturesque campus on the north bank of the Brahmaputra in Sonitpur district of Assam witnessed high voltage drama from Saturday afternoon till early on Sunday as a top delegation

CHANDIGARH: The new instructions regarding the production and supply of Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) rice by the Union Government has led to fresh tussle between rice shellers of Punjab and the Food Corporation of India (FCI). After the union government had stated this year, out of the 104 lakh tonnes of rice to be generated from the 156 lakh tonnes of procured paddy from Punjab, at least 25 lakh tonnes will be taken as upgraded rice, which has just 10 per cent broken grains. The remaining 80 lak

CHANDIGARH: Punjab, considered the food bowl of India, recorded food stock damage of 8,226.04 metric tonne (MT) of Food Corporation of India (FCI) in the last five years. Punjab topped the list, followed by Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha. These figures were placed on record in the Lok Sabha by the Union Minister for state of consumer affairs, food and public distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya in reply to an unstated question asked by Delkar Kalaben Mohanbhai,

CHANDIGARH: Delhi ranked fourth among the most polluted cities in the country in November, as per a report released by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Ghaziabad topped the list, followed by Noida, Bahadurgarh, Delhi, Hapur, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Sonipat, Meerut and Rohtak. Despite a significant reduction in stubble-burning, 20 out of 29 cities in National Capital Region (NCR) recorded higher pollution levels than the previous year. Punjab and Haryana had been blamed in the

PATNA: The Bihar government is considering the creation of a specialised police unit on the lines of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to boost investor confidence and attract large-scale investments to the state. Industries Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal said on Sunday that a proposal to establish the Bihar Industrial Security Force (BISF) would soon be sent to the state government. The new force would be tasked with providing dedicated security to major industrialists and investors. T

NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a high-voltage debate in Parliament as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi will lead the Oppositions discussion on electoral reforms and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Other speakers from Congress include general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, Manish Tewari, Varsha Gaikwad, Mohammed Jawaid, Ujjwal Raman Singh, Isha Khan Choudhury, Mallu Ravi, Imran Masood, Gowaal Padavi and Jothimani. Wh

NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a high-voltage debate in Parliament as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi will lead the Oppositions discussion on electoral reforms and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Other speakers from Congress include general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, Manish Tewari, Varsha Gaikwad, Mohammed Jawaid, Ujjwal Raman Singh, Isha Khan Choudhury, Mallu Ravi, Imran Masood, Gowaal Padavi and Jothimani. Wh

JASHPUR: Four men and a 17-year-old boy were killed when the car they were travelling in collided head-on with a truck in Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh, on Sunday, police said. The accident occurred near Patratoli village under Duldula police station limits in the early hours while the victims were returning to their native village, Khatanga, after watching an orchestra show at a fair in nearby Manora. The car collided head-on with the truck, and the impact was so severe that the vehicle was co

AGRA: Prime Minister Narendra Modis gesture of gifting a marble chess set from Agra to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his recent visit has boosted the morale of local artisans, who hope the move will bring wider recognition to their craft. The handcrafted chessboard, made of stone with intricate inlay work, reflects the traditional techniques used in the marble craftsmanship seen at the Taj Mahal. Handicraft artist Adnan Sheikh thanked the Prime Minister for highlighting Agras centuries

IndiGo cancelled more than 220 flights at Delhi and Mumbai airports on Sunday as disruptions stretched into a sixth day, even as efforts continued to restore normal operations. The airlines schedule chaos over the past few days has led to hundreds of cancellations and delays, affecting thousands of passengers. Sources said at least 112 flights were cancelled at Mumbai airport and 109 at Delhi. On Friday, IndiGo cancelled about 1,600 of its 2,300 daily flights. Disruptions eased slightly on Satur

GWALIOR: A male cheetah cub that ventured out of the Kuno National Park (KNP) died after being hit by an unidentified vehicle on a highway in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district early on Sunday, police said. The incident took place on a national highway in the Ghatigaon area near the Shivpuri district border, about 3540 km from Gwalior, Gwalior Zone IG Arvind Saxena told PTI. The nearly 20-month-old cub had wandered out of Kuno National Park and got separated from its mother. It died after being h

ETAH: Two minors were killed when a firearm went off during pre-wedding celebrations in Umai Asadnagar village, Etah district, on Saturday night, police said on Sunday. According to police, the celebrations were underway with music and dancing when gunshots were heard. Twelve-year-old Suhail, son of Asuddin, died on the spot, while 17-year-old Shahkhad, son of Munna Khan, was critically injured. Both were rushed to a community health centre in Aliganj, where doctors declared Suhail dead. Shahkha

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in Lok Sabha on Monday, while Home Minister Amit Shah will begin the discussion in Rajya Sabha on December 9. Lok Sabha has listed 'Discussion on the 150th anniversary of national song Vande Mataram' on Monday and allocated 10 hours for the debate. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will speak after the prime minister in Lok Sabha, while opposition Congress has decided to field Deputy leader Ga

CHANDIGARH: Blaming the housing affordability, now the younger people are turning against an increased intake of newcomers. In Canada, a public opinion on immigration shifted dramatically twice in the past 30 years. These were the findings in a recent paper, 'Who Changed Their Minds? Two Shifts in Canadian Public Opinion on Immigration: 1995-2005 and 2023-24', published by the Institute of Research on Public Policys Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation. The paper written by Randy Besc

VARANASI: Varanasi Police have launched a week-long special verification drive to identify Bangladeshis, Rohingyas and other illegal immigrants living in the district. The campaign, which began on Saturday, involves checks on makeshift settlements and roadside vendors across the city, officials said on Sunday. DCP (Kashi Zone) Gaurav Banswal said police teams are verifying the identities and documents of individuals found in hutment clusters and informal work areas. Those staying without valid p

NEW DELHI: India's rapidly growing skincare market, currently valued at an impressive $2.5 billion, is set to experience remarkable growth, with experts projecting that it could potentially double in size within just a few years. This anticipated expansion is largely attributed to the rising trends of 'biohacking' and personalised skincare solutions, which focus on tailoring products to meet individual skin types and concerns. At the sixth edition of BolognaFiere Cosmoprof, organised in collabor

DEHRADUN: Former Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister and senior Congress leader, Harak Singh Rawat, found himself embroiled in controversy on Saturday after allegedly making inappropriate remarks targeting the Sikh community during a public gathering in Dehradun. The incident occurred while Rawat was expressing solidarity with striking lawyers, quickly escalating, forcing the veteran politician into a public apology. Rawat visited the ongoing agitation by the Dehradun Bar Association to show support. A

CHANDIGARH: Navjot Singh Sidhu will return to active politics if the Congress declares him as the party's chief ministerial face in Punjab, his wife and party leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu has said. Navjot Kaur Sidhu further said they do not have money to give to any party but can transform Punjab into a golden state. We always speak for Punjab and Punjabiyat... but do not have Rs 500 crore which we can give to sit in chief minister's chair, she told reporters on Saturday after meeting Governor Gulab

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday urged parties involved in a sexual harassment case against Venu Gopalakrishnan, CEO of Kochis Litmus 7 Systems Consulting, to explore mediation to resolve their dispute. A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan said, ...We find that in the interest of all parties, there ought to be a settlement. The matter is referred to the Supreme Court Mediation Centre. The parties are directed to appear before the Centre on 07.01.2026 in person or

NEW DELHI: Over 32,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) were co-infected with tuberculosis (TB) in 2024. This dual burden continues to be a significant public health challenge in India, according to the latest government report. The report also said that a total of six states, including Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, recorded the highest number of people co-infected with HIV and TB in 2024-25. The dual burden of HIV and TB continues to be a major public health challenge in India, as co-infection s

Cracks appear in Gujarat BJP, once again! Internal discord within the Gujarat BJP has flared up again after Jalalpore MLA RC Patel made controversial remarks in Vijalpore. Speaking at the foundation ceremony for a Maharana Pratap statue near Mathpuri Mataji temple, Patel directly challenged Navsari district BJP president Bhuralal Shah, stating, You handle Navsari, we will see our Vijalpore. He warned Shah would not be allowed entry after the statues installation and mocked earlier disputes over

NEW DELHI: In a major push to strengthen Indias border infrastructure, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate and dedicate 125 strategically important projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Sunday from the Shyok Tunnel in Ladakh. Sources said these vital projects that the minister will unveil cover 28 roads, 93 bridges, and four miscellaneous strategic facilities across seven states and two Union Territories, including Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himac

BHOPAL: Marriages cast their shadow on the Madhya Pradesh Assemblys winter session that concluded on Friday. On the concluding day of the four-day winter session, 14 MLAs from the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, besides the lone Bhartiya Adivasi Party (BAP) legislator Kamleshwar Dodiyar, were absent in the Assembly for reportedly attending wedding ceremonies. On the final day, Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar read out the names of six MLAs who were to raise their questions during the Questio

One popular anecdote about Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin oft-repeated by Russia-obsessed foreign commentators trying to analyse the mindset of the enigmatic leader is about a cornered rat. The story, narrated as saying by Putin himself in the book First Person: An Astonishingly Frank Self-Portrait by Russias President, illustrates how a young Putin once tried to drive away a big rat at his Leningrad apartment. With a stick in hand, he chased the rodent into a corner. But the playful hunt turned u

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday stepped in to address the greed of some airlines exploiting the IndiGo mess as fares went beyond 8X on some sectors. It imposed strict caps on domestic fares with the maximum of Rs 18,000 for an economy class ticket. Later in the day, the Director General of Civil Aviation slapped a show-cause notice on IndiGos CEO to respond within 24 hours why action should not be taken against him for the massive chaos. The ministry also directed IndiGo to

At least 23 people were killed in a blaze at a nightclub in North Goa following a cylinder blast late on Saturday night. Most of the victims were kitchen staff, including three women, while three to four tourists were also among the dead. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who visited the site, told reporters that three people succumbed to burn injuries and the others died due to suffocation. Sawant said initial information suggested the nightclub had not complied with fire safety norms. The fire bro

ODISHA: Two factory workers and three fire brigade personnel were hospitalized following a chlorine gas leakage at a chemical factory in Jaora Industrial Area of western Madhya Pradeshs Ratlam district on Saturday evening. Chaos prevailed in and around a chemical factory in the industrial area, following the leakage of gas from the chlorine tank in the unit. The unit manufactured Ferric Sulphate for Pharma companies. The leakage was reported at around 6 pm from the tank having a capacity of 40 k

MUMBAI : Former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Saturday said he faced criticism from his own community for stating in a judgement that the creamy layer principle should be applied to reservation for the Scheduled Castes. In Dr B R Ambedkar's view, affirmative action was like providing a bicycle to someone who is lagging behind, he said, asking whether Ambedkar thought that such a person should never give up the bicycle. Ambedkar did not think so, he claimed. Gavai, who retired as CJI recent

NEW DELHI: IndiGo's flight cancellation continued on Saturday with nearly 800 flights cancelled across airports in the country. Indigo said it managed to operate over 1,500 flights and has begun operations in 135 out of its 138 destinations. Passengers from Delhi heaved a sigh of relief as operations commenced early on Saturday after a 24-hour shutdown. According to a spokesperson of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, a total of 147 flights were cancelled - 70 departures and 77 arrivals. T

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers, holding him accountable for the airlines ongoing operational crisis. The regulator has asked Elbers to explain, within 24 hours, the spiralling delays, cancellations and operational breakdowns that have affected IndiGo flights across the country. The DGCA warned that failure to respond could lead to punitive action under the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Re

In the wake of widespread flight disruptions by IndiGo since last week, Air India has announced a special one-time waiver on change and cancellation fees for eligible domestic bookings. The Tata Group-owned carrier, along with its subsidiary Air India Express, said the move is aimed at providing greater flexibility to passengers. Customers who booked flights until December 4 for travel up to December 15 can now reschedule without paying rescheduling fees or cancel their tickets for a full refund