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Encounter has started between terrorists and security forces in the Dul area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the officials, two terrorists are holed up at the operation site. Meanwhile Indian Army said that the gunfight is on after contact was established in the early hours of August 10.&nbsp;''Contact with Terrorists. Alert Indian Army troops while carrying out an intelligence-based operation have established contact with terrorists in the general area of Dul in Kishtwar in the early hours of 10 Aug 2025. Gunfire exchanged. Operation under progress, '' said the Indian Army.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhiteKnightCorps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhiteKnightCorps</a> Contact with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Terrorists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Terrorists</a> Alert Indian Army troops while carrying out an intelligence based operation have established contact with terrorists in general area of Dul in Kishtwar in early hours of 10 Aug 2025. Gunfire exchanged. Operation under progress.<a href="https://twitter.com/adgpi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adgpi</a>… <a href="https://t.co/KOUpa208MN">pic.twitter.com/KOUpa208MN</a>&mdash; White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) <a href="https://twitter.com/Whiteknight_IA/status/1954368039711068176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This is the second operation going on in Jammu and Kashmir. Yesterday, two Indian Army soldiers were killed in the ongoing anti-terror operation called ''Operation Akhal'' in South Kashmir's Kulgam district. The operation entered its tenth day and became one of the longest anti-terror operations in the Kashmir Valley ever.&nbsp;The Indian Army had confirmed the killing of two soldiers in the gunfight at the Operation Akhal Site.&nbsp;''Update: OP AKHAL, Kulgam. Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, in line of duty for the Nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. Indian Army expresses deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. Operation continues, '' said the Indian Army.&nbsp;The operation is being carried out by the Indian Army, including the Para Commandos and RR, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF. Security forces had pushed in Helicopters and Drones to locate hiding terrorists in the area. Forces were using High-tech surveillance equipment, including drones and thermal imaging devices, along with elite Para Special Forces brought to carry out the operation.&nbsp;Four anti-terror operations have been carried out by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two weeks. It started with Operation Mahadev, in which three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) Terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack were neutralised by the security forces. All three Pakistani terrorists were killed in the forest area of Lidwas in Dachigam&nbsp;One more operation called Operation Shiv Shakti was carried out by security forces, in which two terrorists were killed by security forces. These two terrorists were trying to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir via the Line of Control at the Poonch sector, and the forces foiled the bid and killed both the infiltrators.&nbsp;The security remains on high alert across Jammu and Kashmir.

Four anti-terror operations have been carried out by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two weeks. It started with Operation Mahadev, in which three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) Terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack were neutralised by the security forces.

Encounter has started between terrorists and security forces in the Dul area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the officials, two terrorists are holed up at the operation site. Meanwhile Indian Army said that the gunfight is on after contact was established in the early hours of August 10. ''Contact with Terrorists. Alert Indian Army troops while carrying out an intelligence-based operation have established contact with terrorists in the general area of Dul in Kishtwar in the early hours of 10 Aug 2025. Gunfire exchanged. Operation under progress, '' said the Indian Army.

Four anti-terror operations have been carried out by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two weeks. It started with Operation Mahadev, in which three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) Terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack were neutralised by the security forces.

Indian Army engages terrorists in J&K’s Kishtwar; Operation Akhal in Kulgam enters 10th day

Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India and the Bharatiya Janata Party of orchestrating “vote chori” during the 2024 General election and the recent state assembly election. According to Gandhi, specifically in the 'Mahadevapura' assembly segment of Bengaluru Central, 100,250 duplicate voters were found. Other anomalies include duplicate, fake or bulk registration, misuse of Form 6, and invalid photos. This is the same seat which the BJP won by around 30000 votes. According to him, in Maharashtra, 40 lakh voters were created. He also accused the ECI of destroying CCTV footage, withholding machine-readable voter data and shutting down state election websites.<h2>Are Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Chori' claims completely baseless?</h2>Rahul Gandhi's allegations are serious and tap into the broader public fear of electoral manipulation. There had been several independent investigations by the news outlets based on the details of the press conference of Rahul Gandhi. He gave an example of the house no. 35 in Muni Reddy Garden, Mahadevpura, which houses 80 registered voters. Several outlets like India Today, The Print, and Deccan Herald independently visited the address mentioned by Rahul Gandhi. The findings raised serious red flags. The house is occupied by a food delivery agent, Dipankar, from West Bengal, on rent. The house belongs to Jayaram Reddy, who once claimed to be with the BJP but later backtracked.&nbsp;Other independent verifications in Election Commission websites show bizarre findings, like many voters registered with house number zero, multiple voters voting with the same names, same address, a gibberish collection of random letters in the names and illegible microscopic images are present in the Election Commission's voter list. Open source analysis by Peek TV shows that the assembly in Bengaluru Central, which is in the middle of this political storm, has one voter named Gurkirat Singh Dang who is registered in four different polling booths and has four different voter IDs. Similarly, Aditya Shrivastava, a voter, is registered in UP, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.<h2>How did ECI respond?</h2>ECI quickly dismissed all the allegations, calling it a 'tired script' relating it to the previous claims of voter theft in 2018 by Congress leaders that were dismissed by the Supreme Court. &nbsp;It has demanded that Rahul Gandhi should either sign an apology or a formal declaration; refusal to do that means a lack of belief in his claims. The same affidavit-level evidence was asked by the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Election Commission of India cited Registration of Electors Rules 1960, 20(3)(b), a signed oath from Rahul Gandhi.&nbsp;However, according to the rules, the Registration officer doesn't need to seek a signed oath. Similarly, Section 12 states that any complaint must be submitted within 30 days of the publication of the draft roll. Even if Rahul Gandhi signs an oath, the Registration Officer can just refuse to entertain the claims. So why do ECI need an affidavit if they can just deny it? Is it an attempt to buy time to cover up the mess created?It is to be noted that these duplicate voters do not necessarily indicate voter manipulation; these can stem from technical and mechanical errors as well as poor voter synchronisation. But the reaction from the ECI smells fishy. Former Justice of Bombay High Court BG Kolse Patil has criticised ECI's response as overly arrogant, called for Supreme Court intervention to hold them accountable.&nbsp;<h2>Why is ECI reluctant to release electronic voter roll data?</h2>The ECI argues that voter rolls contain sensitive personal data, even though they are available publicly in PDF form. Releasing this in bulk will make it easier for targeted political ads, scams and voter profiling. &nbsp;Moreover, historically, parties have used these data to send campaign messages and botcalls. They often cite Right to Privacy judgments from previous cases and lack of a Data protection infrastructure. But releasing the voter data will make large-scale duplicate audits possible, thus revealing the errors or malpractices. This is exactly the kind of audit that will give Rahul Gandhi's vote theft claim strength in spine. Thus, ECI controls the narrative by limiting access to the electronic voter data.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rahul Gandhi's recent press conference has created a political storm in India, with several irregularities in ECI data questions about fair elections are imminent, as the ruling BJP tries to brush this off. Why is ECI too reluctant to give access to electronic data for an independent audit?

Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India and the Bharatiya Janata Party of orchestrating “vote chori” during the 2024 General election and the recent state assembly election. According to Gandhi, specifically in the 'Mahadevapura' assembly segment of Bengaluru Central, 100,250 duplicate voters were found. Other anomalies include duplicate, fake or bulk registration, misuse of Form 6, and invalid photos. This is the same seat which the BJP won by around 30000 votes. According to him, in Maharashtra, 40 lakh voters were created. He also accused the ECI of destroying CCTV footage, withholding machine-readable voter data and shutting down state election websites. Are Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Chori' claims completely baseless? Rahul Gandhi's allegations are serious and tap into the broader public fear of electoral manipulation. There had been several independent investigations by the news outlets based on the details of the press conference of Rahul Gandhi. He gave an example of the house no. 35 in Muni Reddy Garden, Mahadevpura, which houses 80 registered voters. Several outlets like India Today, The Print, and Deccan Herald independently visited the address mentioned by Rahul Gandhi. The findings raised serious red flags. The house is occupied by a food delivery agent, Dipankar, from West Bengal, on rent. The house belongs to Jayaram Reddy, who once claimed to be with the BJP but later backtracked. Other independent verifications in Election Commission websites show bizarre findings, like many voters registered with house number zero, multiple voters voting with the same names, same address, a gibberish collection of random letters in the names and illegible microscopic images are present in the Election Commission's voter list. Open source analysis by Peek TV shows that the assembly in Bengaluru Central, which is in the middle of this political storm, has one voter named Gurkirat Singh Dang who is registered in four different polling booths and has four different voter IDs. Similarly, Aditya Shrivastava, a voter, is registered in UP, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. How did ECI respond? ECI quickly dismissed all the allegations, calling it a 'tired script' relating it to the previous claims of voter theft in 2018 by Congress leaders that were dismissed by the Supreme Court. It has demanded that Rahul Gandhi should either sign an apology or a formal declaration; refusal to do that means a lack of belief in his claims. The same affidavit-level evidence was asked by the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Election Commission of India cited Registration of Electors Rules 1960, 20(3)(b), a signed oath from Rahul Gandhi. However, according to the rules, the Registration officer doesn't need to seek a signed oath. Similarly, Section 12 states that any complaint must be submitted within 30 days of the publication of the draft roll. Even if Rahul Gandhi signs an oath, the Registration Officer can just refuse to entertain the claims. So why do ECI need an affidavit if they can just deny it? Is it an attempt to buy time to cover up the mess created? It is to be noted that these duplicate voters do not necessarily indicate voter manipulation; these can stem from technical and mechanical errors as well as poor voter synchronisation. But the reaction from the ECI smells fishy. Former Justice of Bombay High Court BG Kolse Patil has criticised ECI's response as overly arrogant, called for Supreme Court intervention to hold them accountable. Why is ECI reluctant to release electronic voter roll data? The ECI argues that voter rolls contain sensitive personal data, even though they are available publicly in PDF form. Releasing this in bulk will make it easier for targeted political ads, scams and voter profiling. Moreover, historically, parties have used these data to send campaign messages and botcalls. They often cite Right to Privacy judgments from previous cases and lack of a Data protection infrastructure. But releasing the voter data will make large-scale duplicate audits possible, thus revealing the errors or malpractices. This is exactly the kind of audit that will give Rahul Gandhi's vote theft claim strength in spine. Thus, ECI controls the narrative by limiting access to the electronic voter data.

Rahul Gandhi's recent press conference has created a political storm in India, with several irregularities in ECI data questions about fair elections are imminent, as the ruling BJP tries to brush this off. Why is ECI too reluctant to give access to electronic data for an independent audit?

Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Chori’ claim strengthened by independent findings of voter roll irregularities, ECI criticised for data secrecy

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that “the future of Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukrainians,” and Europeans should alsobe part of the solution because their security is at stake too, after Washington and Moscow agreed to hold a summit on August 15 in Alaska aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.&nbsp;The upcoming meeting of President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to arrive at a consensus on ending the Ukraine War, but without the presence of Ukraine leadership, has ignited heightened politicking and diplomatic efforts.&nbsp;“Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution because their security is at stake,” Macron wrote on X, after speaking with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, on Saturday, adding that he also spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.&nbsp;<h2>Macrons holds discussions with Zelensky, Merz, and Starmer</h2>&nbsp;“I have just spoken again with President Zelensky, as well as with Chancellor Merz and Prime Minister Starmer. We remain determined to support Ukraine, working in a spirit of unity and building on the work undertaken within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing,” Macron said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without the Ukrainians, who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now. Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake. I will continue to coordinate closely with President Zelensky and our European partners,” he added.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I have just spoken again with President Zelensky, as well as with Chancellor Merz and Prime Minister Starmer. We remain determined to support Ukraine, working in a spirit of unity and building on the work undertaken within the framework of the Coalition…&mdash; Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1954201798484381980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>‘War raging on our land, can’t be ended without us’</h2>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also stepped up his diplomatic efforts, and he spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron and held discussions with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal.Zelenskyy also held a conversation with the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and shared the need for truly lasting peace.&nbsp;Earlier, Zelensky said in a post on X, “President Trump announced preparations for his meeting with Putin in Alaska. Very far away from this war, which is raging on our land, against our people, and which anyway can’t be ended without us, without Ukraine.”&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ukraine is ready for real decisions that can bring peace. Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not achieve anything. These are stillborn decisions. They are unworkable decisions. And we… <a href="https://t.co/JFg0rIeLzP">pic.twitter.com/JFg0rIeLzP</a>&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1954063605453795361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Moscow warns of ‘titanic efforts’ to disrupt Putin-Trump meeting</h2> Meanwhile, Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said on Saturday that certain countries will make “titanic efforts” to disrupt the meeting of President Trump with Putin on August 15. Dmitriev accused the unnamed countries of seeking to prolong the war. “Undoubtedly, a number of countries interested in continuing the conflict will make titanic efforts to disrupt the planned meeting between President Putin and President Trump,” he said in a post in his Telegram account, specifying that by efforts he meant “provocations and disinformation”, but did not specify which countries he was referring to. Trump had said earlier that Russia and Ukraine were close to a ceasefire deal that could resolve the three-and-a-half-year conflict. The talk that the deal may require Ukraine to surrender significant territory is being opposed by many European nations.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europeans also need to be part of the solution to Ukraine war, as their own security is at stake. He added that he will continue to coordinate closely with President Zelensky and other European partners.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that “the future of Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukrainians,” and Europeans should alsobe part of the solution because their security is at stake too, after Washington and Moscow agreed to hold a summit on August 15 in Alaska aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The upcoming meeting of President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to arrive at a consensus on ending the Ukraine War, but without the presence of Ukraine leadership, has ignited heightened politicking and diplomatic efforts. “Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution because their security is at stake,” Macron wrote on X, after speaking with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, on Saturday, adding that he also spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Macrons holds discussions with Zelensky, Merz, and Starmer “I have just spoken again with President Zelensky, as well as with Chancellor Merz and Prime Minister Starmer. We remain determined to support Ukraine, working in a spirit of unity and building on the work undertaken within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing,” Macron said. “Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without the Ukrainians, who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now. Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake. I will continue to coordinate closely with President Zelensky and our European partners,” he added.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europeans also need to be part of the solution to Ukraine war, as their own security is at stake. He added that he will continue to coordinate closely with President Zelensky and other European partners.

‘Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without Ukrainians,’ says Macron, as politicking intensifies ahead of Trump-Putin meet

Operation Sindoor was stopped “under pressure”, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on&nbsp;Saturday, hours after Indian Air Force chief AP Singh said that the Indian forces shot down at least six Pakistani aircraft. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jairam Ramesh asked why allegedly "he capitulated so very soon".&nbsp;"In view of the new revelations made by the Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh today, it becomes all the more shocking why the PM suddenly stopped Operation Sindoor on the evening of May 10th. Where did the pressure on the PM come from, and why did he capitulate so very soon?" Ramesh wrote on X.&nbsp;Jairam Ramesh's social media post added to the attacks by the Congress on the Modi-led government over US President Donald Trump's claims that he brokered a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.&nbsp;Talking about Operation Sindoor at an event, the IAF Chief said that the Indian Armed Forces destroyed at least five Pakistani fighter aircraft and one other large aircraft.&nbsp;"We have at least five fighters' confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &amp;C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he said.&nbsp;The IAF Chief added that the forces further inflicted damage on at least two command and control centres in Pakistan - Murid and Chaklala.&nbsp;&nbsp;"At least six radars, some of them big, some of them small. Two SAGW systems that is in Lahore and Okara. We attacked three hangars. One was the Sukkur UAV hangar, the Bholari hangar, and the Jacobabad F-16 hangar. We have an indication of at least one AEW&amp;C in that AEW&amp;C hangar and a few F-16s, which were under maintenance there," he added.&nbsp;Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that the nation lost no aircraft.

Operation Sindoor was stopped "under pressure", Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Saturday, hours after Indian Air Force chief AP Singh said that the Indian forces shot down at least six Pakistani aircraft.

Operation Sindoor was stopped “under pressure”, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Saturday, hours after Indian Air Force chief AP Singh said that the Indian forces shot down at least six Pakistani aircraft. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jairam Ramesh asked why allegedly "he capitulated so very soon". "In view of the new revelations made by the Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh today, it becomes all the more shocking why the PM suddenly stopped Operation Sindoor on the evening of May 10th. Where did the pressure on the PM come from, and why did he capitulate so very soon?" Ramesh wrote on X. Jairam Ramesh's social media post added to the attacks by the Congress on the Modi-led government over US President Donald Trump's claims that he brokered a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Talking about Operation Sindoor at an event, the IAF Chief said that the Indian Armed Forces destroyed at least five Pakistani fighter aircraft and one other large aircraft. "We have at least five fighters' confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he said. The IAF Chief added that the forces further inflicted damage on at least two command and control centres in Pakistan - Murid and Chaklala. "At least six radars, some of them big, some of them small. Two SAGW systems that is in Lahore and Okara. We attacked three hangars. One was the Sukkur UAV hangar, the Bholari hangar, and the Jacobabad F-16 hangar. We have an indication of at least one AEW&C in that AEW&C hangar and a few F-16s, which were under maintenance there," he added. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that the nation lost no aircraft.

Jairam Ramesh was reacting to IAF chief AP Singh's revelation that Indian forces shot down at least six Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor.

Congress renews attack after IAF chief's revelations: 'Why PM suddenly stopped Operation Sindoor?'

After facing massive backlash for not allowing a couple due to their attire, the Delhi restaurant put a poster outside saying it allows people irrespective of their attire. After a video went viral where a couple alleged they were stopped at the restaurant's entry because the woman was wearing a suit-salwar, the restaurant clarified its stance. One of the notices reads, "All types of Indian attire are allowed in the restaurant (saree, suit, etc). After this, the internet reacted as one user said, “Better to paste the notice than be shut down.” "The restaurant would have closed immediately. The owner finally understood," wrote another.

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<h2>What had happened?</h2>A couple was allegedly not allowed to enter a restaurant in Delhi's Pitampura area because they were wearing traditional Indian attire. The couple claimed that others in Western attire were allowed in. They also claimed that the restaurant manager misbehaved with them. The person recording the video said that the restaurant had no right to run if they were refusing entry to people based on their Indian attire, and also demanded that the restaurant be shut down.&nbsp;As the video went viral, Delhi cabinet minister Kapil Mishra responded, saying that the Chief Minister of the Indian capital, Rekha Gupta, had been informed about the issue. The minister called the incident unacceptable and said officials had been told to look into the matter and take immediate action.&nbsp;"This is unacceptable in Delhi. A video has surfaced showing a ban on Indian attire at a restaurant in Pitampura. This is unacceptable. CM @gupta_rekhaji has taken serious cognisance of the incident. Officials have been instructed to investigate this incident and take immediate action." Mr Mishra wrote on his X post.&nbsp;In another post, Kapil Mishra said that the “operators of this restaurant have agreed not to restrict customers based on what they wear.” He added that the restaurant would now allow people in Indian clothes and will also offer discounts on Rakshabandhan to women wearing traditional attire.

After facing massive backlash for not allowing a couple due to their attire, the Delhi restaurant put a poster outside saying it allows people irrespective of their attire.

After facing massive backlash for not allowing a couple due to their attire, the Delhi restaurant put a poster outside saying it allows people irrespective of their attire. After a video went viral where a couple alleged they were stopped at the restaurant's entry because the woman was wearing a suit-salwar, the restaurant clarified its stance. One of the notices reads, "All types of Indian attire are allowed in the restaurant (saree, suit, etc). After this, the internet reacted as one user said, “Better to paste the notice than be shut down.” "The restaurant would have closed immediately. The owner finally understood," wrote another.

After facing massive backlash for not allowing a couple due to their attire, the Delhi restaurant put a poster outside saying it allows people irrespective of their attire after a viral video of a couple alleging barred entry over a suit-salwar.

'All types of Indian attire are allowed': Delhi restaurant plasters sign after backlash for not allowing lady in 'suit-salwar'

Dr Samir V Kamat, the&nbsp;Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman, said on Saturday that Indian&nbsp;forces used&nbsp;BrahMos missiles and the Akashteer defence systems during Operation Sindoor. His remark came on a day the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, revealed that the Indian military downed at least six Pakistani planes during the four-day conflict.&nbsp;He said that BrahMos was used as an offensive weapon, which was launched from the Sukhoi Mark 1 platform.&nbsp;Akashteer system and&nbsp;MRSAM were used as defensive weapons.&nbsp;"When it comes to offensive weapons, BrahMos was the primary weapon used, which was launched from our Sukhoi Mark 1 platform. When it comes to defensive weapon systems, the Akashteer system, the anti-drone system, and the MRSAM were used," the DRDO chairman said during a press interaction in Pune.&nbsp;He said Akashteer helped Indian forces identify&nbsp;threats coming towards India. It also helped decide what kind of weapons could be used to neutralise projectiles.&nbsp;"All the sensors were networked using the Akashteer, which helped in identifying the threats coming towards us and then deploying the right kind of weapon to neutralise those threats. Advanced early warning and control aircraft were also used for advanced surveillance. This is broadly what I can say without getting into too much," the DRDO Chairman said.&nbsp;ACM AP Singh today said that Indian forces shot down at least five Pakistani fighter jets and one&nbsp;Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).&nbsp;"We have at least five fighters' confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &amp;C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he said.&nbsp;India dismantled nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The action led to a four-day conflict in which Indian forces attacked strategic Pakistani air bases.

Dr Samir V Kamat, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman, said on Saturday that Indian forces used BrahMos missiles and the Akashteer defence systems during Operation Sindoor.

Dr Samir V Kamat, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman, said on Saturday that Indian forces used BrahMos missiles and the Akashteer defence systems during Operation Sindoor. His remark came on a day the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, revealed that the Indian military downed at least six Pakistani planes during the four-day conflict. He said that BrahMos was used as an offensive weapon, which was launched from the Sukhoi Mark 1 platform. Akashteer system and MRSAM were used as defensive weapons. "When it comes to offensive weapons, BrahMos was the primary weapon used, which was launched from our Sukhoi Mark 1 platform. When it comes to defensive weapon systems, the Akashteer system, the anti-drone system, and the MRSAM were used," the DRDO chairman said during a press interaction in Pune. He said Akashteer helped Indian forces identify threats coming towards India. It also helped decide what kind of weapons could be used to neutralise projectiles. "All the sensors were networked using the Akashteer, which helped in identifying the threats coming towards us and then deploying the right kind of weapon to neutralise those threats. Advanced early warning and control aircraft were also used for advanced surveillance. This is broadly what I can say without getting into too much," the DRDO Chairman said. ACM AP Singh today said that Indian forces shot down at least five Pakistani fighter jets and one Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). "We have at least five fighters' confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he said. India dismantled nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The action led to a four-day conflict in which Indian forces attacked strategic Pakistani air bases.

Operation Sindoor: IAF chief AP Singh today revealed that Indian forces downed at least 6 Pakistani aircraft.

'BrahMos from Sukhoi Mk 1': DRDO chief reveals how India attacked Pakistan

At least seven people were killed in the Hari Nagar area of Jaitpur, Delhi, on Saturday morning after a wall collapsed following heavy overnight rain that lashed the national capital, officials said. As per reports, the fire department received a call about the incident at 9.16 am, and three fire trucks were rushed to the spot along with police teams, the Delhi Fire Service said. “Seven people have died in the wall collapse incident in Harinagar, Jaitpur, including 3 men, 2 women, and 2 girls,” Delhi Police said.&nbsp;According to police, the incident occurred near an old temple adjacent to which were jhuggies where several scrap dealers lived. The sudden collapse of the wall, weakened by heavy rain, trapped eight residents. All were rescued and rushed to the hospital in critical condition.&nbsp;Additional DCP (South East) Aishwarya Sharma said, “There is an old temple here, and next to it are old jhuggies where scrap dealers live. The wall collapsed due to heavy rain overnight. We have now evacuated these jhuggies so that no such incident occurs in future.”&nbsp;The victims were identified as Shabibul (30), Rabibul (30), Muttu Ali (45), Rubina (25), Dolly (25), Rukhsana (6) and Haseena (7).&nbsp;Authorities have relocated residents from the vulnerable structures nearby.The wall collapse came as Delhi experienced intense rainfall since late Friday night, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert for Saturday in most parts of the capital, warning of heavy rain accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi: On the wall collapse incident in Hari Nagar, Addl DCP South East Aishwarya Sharma says, &quot;There is an old temple here, and next to it are old jhuggies where scrap dealers live. The wall collapsed due to heavy rain overnight. 8 people were trapped and were rescued… <a href="https://t.co/RC3ViE3OZE">pic.twitter.com/RC3ViE3OZE</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1954067247112016033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Waterlogging severely disrupted traffic near Panchkuian Marg, Mathura Road, Shastri Bhawan, RK Puram, Moti Bagh, and Kidwai Nagar. The downpour, which began around 11 pm on Friday, continued into Saturday morning, affecting both vehicular movement and daily activities across the city.Authorities have urged residents in low-lying and structurally unsafe areas to remain vigilant as more heavy rain is forecast. In the 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday, Delhi’s primary weather station at Safdarjung recorded 78.7 mm of rainfall, Pragati Maidan 100 mm, Lodhi Road 80 mm, Pusa 69 mm, and Palam 31.8 mm, according to data shared by the weather department.The temperature was recorded at 23.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, 3.2 notches below the average. “Local police responded to the collapse by 9.20-9.22 am and made arrangements for earthmover machines to remove the debris and rescue people. Eight people were pulled out from the debris and rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre and the Safdarjung Trauma Centre. Of the eight, four were men, two women, and two children,” said DCP (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari.

Local police reached the spot within minutes and made arrangements for earthmover machines to remove the debris and rescue people. Eight people were pulled out from the debris and rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre and Safdarjung Trauma Centre.

At least seven people were killed in the Hari Nagar area of Jaitpur, Delhi, on Saturday morning after a wall collapsed following heavy overnight rain that lashed the national capital, officials said. As per reports, the fire department received a call about the incident at 9.16 am, and three fire trucks were rushed to the spot along with police teams, the Delhi Fire Service said. “Seven people have died in the wall collapse incident in Harinagar, Jaitpur, including 3 men, 2 women, and 2 girls,” Delhi Police said. According to police, the incident occurred near an old temple adjacent to which were jhuggies where several scrap dealers lived. The sudden collapse of the wall, weakened by heavy rain, trapped eight residents. All were rescued and rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Additional DCP (South East) Aishwarya Sharma said, “There is an old temple here, and next to it are old jhuggies where scrap dealers live. The wall collapsed due to heavy rain overnight. We have now evacuated these jhuggies so that no such incident occurs in future.” The victims were identified as Shabibul (30), Rabibul (30), Muttu Ali (45), Rubina (25), Dolly (25), Rukhsana (6) and Haseena (7). Authorities have relocated residents from the vulnerable structures nearby. The wall collapse came as Delhi experienced intense rainfall since late Friday night, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert for Saturday in most parts of the capital, warning of heavy rain accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms.

Local police reached the spot within minutes and made arrangements for earthmover machines to remove the debris and rescue people. Eight people were pulled out from the debris and rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre and Safdarjung Trauma Centre.

7 killed, including 2 children, in Delhi wall collapse after heavy rain

&nbsp;ICICI Bank, India's second-largest private lender, has increased the minimum balance requirement for its savings accounts for customers in metro and urban areas. The minimum balance required has been raised from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000. In semi-urban branches, the new requirement is Rs 25,000 from Rs 5000. For rural branches, the minimum balance has been increased to Rs 10000 from Rs 2500.&nbsp;Those who fail to maintain the minimum balance will be forced to pay either 6 per cent of the shortfall of Rs 500 per month, whichever is lower. Those who maintain the balance will avoid these charges.&nbsp;In the case of Family Banking, the family must collectively maintain 1.5 times the program's eligibility criteria; otherwise, non-maintenance charges will apply individually to members who do not meet their own MAB requirement. Pensioners are exempt from these charges.&nbsp;Those who can't keep the balance for ECS/NACH auto debit over financial reasons will have to pay Rs 500 per instance. The bank has capped three charges per month for the same mandate.&nbsp;ICICI has also announced a fee of Rs 200 per instance in case of the return of cheques deposited by the customer due to financial reasons.&nbsp;In case of the return of cheques issued by the customer, a charge of Rs 500 will be imposed in case of financial reasons and Rs 50 for non-financial reasons.&nbsp;If a transaction at another bank's ATM or a point of sale (POS) terminal is declined due to insufficient balance, a fee of Rs 25 per instance will be charged.



ICICI Bank, India's second-largest private lender, has increased the minimum balance requirement for its savings accounts for customers in metro and urban areas. 

ICICI Bank, India's second-largest private lender, has increased the minimum balance requirement for its savings accounts for customers in metro and urban areas. The minimum balance required has been raised from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000. In semi-urban branches, the new requirement is Rs 25,000 from Rs 5000. For rural branches, the minimum balance has been increased to Rs 10000 from Rs 2500. Those who fail to maintain the minimum balance will be forced to pay either 6 per cent of the shortfall of Rs 500 per month, whichever is lower. Those who maintain the balance will avoid these charges. In the case of Family Banking, the family must collectively maintain 1.5 times the program's eligibility criteria; otherwise, non-maintenance charges will apply individually to members who do not meet their own MAB requirement. Pensioners are exempt from these charges. Those who can't keep the balance for ECS/NACH auto debit over financial reasons will have to pay Rs 500 per instance. The bank has capped three charges per month for the same mandate. ICICI has also announced a fee of Rs 200 per instance in case of the return of cheques deposited by the customer due to financial reasons. In case of the return of cheques issued by the customer, a charge of Rs 500 will be imposed in case of financial reasons and Rs 50 for non-financial reasons. If a transaction at another bank's ATM or a point of sale (POS) terminal is declined due to insufficient balance, a fee of Rs 25 per instance will be charged.

ICICI Bank also revealed the charge of ATM usage denial due to insufficient balance.

ICICI Bank's minimum balance requirement increased. Penalty to be 6 per cent of...

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced the delisting of 334 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs).&nbsp;Of the 2,854 RUPPs, 2,520 remain. This delisting exercise is part of a comprehensive and continuous strategy of the Election Commission to clean up the electoral system.&nbsp;"The Commission, after considering all the facts and recommendations of the CEOs, has delisted 334 RUPPs. Now, out of the total of 2854 RUPPs, 2520 are remaining," EC said in a statement, adding, "These RUPPs will now not be eligible to avail any benefit under the provisions of Section 29B and Section 29C of the RP Act, 1951 read with the relevant provisions of the Income Tax Act,1961 and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. Any party aggrieved by this order can appeal to the Commission within 30 days of the order."&nbsp;The Election Commission stated that there are six national parties and 67 state parties registered with the ECI. According to the guidelines for registering political parties, a party that does not contest elections continuously for six years will be removed from the list of registered parties.&nbsp;Earlier, in June 2025, ECI had directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to conduct verification enquiries of 345 RUPPs regarding compliance with the said conditions.&nbsp;The CEOs conducted enquiries, issued show-cause notices to these RUPPs and provided each party an opportunity to respond and present their case through personal hearings.&nbsp;"Thereafter, based on reports of the CEOs, 334 RUPPs out of the total of 345 RUPPs have been found not complying with the above conditions. The remaining cases have been referred back to the CEOs for reverification," the statement read.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the EC today reiterated that it has not received a single claim or objection from any political party regarding the draft electoral rolls in Bihar.&nbsp;"So far, after over a week since the beginning of the Claims &amp; Objections period, not even a single claim or objection has been submitted by any political party," EC said.&nbsp;The window to submit claims and objections to rectify any errors on draft electoral rolls opened on August 1.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Earlier, in June 2025, ECI had directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to conduct verification enquiries of 345 RUPPs regarding compliance with the said conditions.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced the delisting of 334 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs). Of the 2,854 RUPPs, 2,520 remain. This delisting exercise is part of a comprehensive and continuous strategy of the Election Commission to clean up the electoral system. "The Commission, after considering all the facts and recommendations of the CEOs, has delisted 334 RUPPs. Now, out of the total of 2854 RUPPs, 2520 are remaining," EC said in a statement, adding, "These RUPPs will now not be eligible to avail any benefit under the provisions of Section 29B and Section 29C of the RP Act, 1951 read with the relevant provisions of the Income Tax Act,1961 and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. Any party aggrieved by this order can appeal to the Commission within 30 days of the order." The Election Commission stated that there are six national parties and 67 state parties registered with the ECI. According to the guidelines for registering political parties, a party that does not contest elections continuously for six years will be removed from the list of registered parties. Earlier, in June 2025, ECI had directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to conduct verification enquiries of 345 RUPPs regarding compliance with the said conditions. The CEOs conducted enquiries, issued show-cause notices to these RUPPs and provided each party an opportunity to respond and present their case through personal hearings. "Thereafter, based on reports of the CEOs, 334 RUPPs out of the total of 345 RUPPs have been found not complying with the above conditions. The remaining cases have been referred back to the CEOs for reverification," the statement read. Meanwhile, the EC today reiterated that it has not received a single claim or objection from any political party regarding the draft electoral rolls in Bihar. "So far, after over a week since the beginning of the Claims & Objections period, not even a single claim or objection has been submitted by any political party," EC said. The window to submit claims and objections to rectify any errors on draft electoral rolls opened on August 1. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Earlier, in June 2025, ECI had directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to conduct verification enquiries of 345 RUPPs regarding compliance with the said conditions.

334 registered unrecognised political parties delisted by Election Commission

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has made two important announcements for the rehabilitation and relief of the people affected by the recent disaster in Dharali village of Uttarkashi district.&nbsp;According to a release by the Chief Minister's Office, Dhami has announced that an immediate assistance of Rs. 5 lakh each will be provided for the rehabilitation of those whose houses have been completely damaged or destroyed by the disaster in village Dharali, Tehsil Bhatwadi, District Uttarkashi.&nbsp;Apart from this, the families of those who died in the disaster will also be given an assistance amount of Rs 5 lakh each, so that they can get financial support in this difficult time.&nbsp;The Chief Minister has announced the formation of a three-member committee for rehabilitation, overall revival, and strengthening of sustainable livelihood of the villagers affected by the disaster. This committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary, Revenue, which will submit its preliminary report to the government within a week.&nbsp;This committee will prepare a blueprint of a long-term and effective policy for the future of Dharali village, so that the safety and livelihood of the local community can be ensured.&nbsp;The Chief Minister also clarified that the state government stands with every disaster-affected citizen and all possible assistance will be provided. Relief and rehabilitation measures will be implemented quickly and effectively at the government level.&nbsp;After the devastating flash-floods that hit Dharali and Harsil, 816 civilians have been rescued by the Indian Army, ITBP, NDRF, and SDRF till Saturday, according to a release.&nbsp;The road access has also been opened till Limchigad, and the work on a 90-ft Bailey Bridge is in progress.&nbsp;According to the release, today's rescue air plan includes deployment of two Mi-17 and one Chinook from Dharasu for stores and personnel induction, with eight civil helicopters from Matli continuing civilian evacuation.&nbsp;Under 'Operation Dharali,' the Indian Army has been victorious in its efforts to restore mobile and internet connectivity in Uttarakhand's Harsil.&nbsp;The Army managed to repair an optical fibre cable, meant for Army communication, which was damaged by flash floods.&nbsp; &nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The families of those who died in the disaster will also be given an assistance amount of Rs 5 lakh each, so that they can get financial support in this difficult time.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has made two important announcements for the rehabilitation and relief of the people affected by the recent disaster in Dharali village of Uttarkashi district. According to a release by the Chief Minister's Office, Dhami has announced that an immediate assistance of Rs. 5 lakh each will be provided for the rehabilitation of those whose houses have been completely damaged or destroyed by the disaster in village Dharali, Tehsil Bhatwadi, District Uttarkashi. Apart from this, the families of those who died in the disaster will also be given an assistance amount of Rs 5 lakh each, so that they can get financial support in this difficult time. The Chief Minister has announced the formation of a three-member committee for rehabilitation, overall revival, and strengthening of sustainable livelihood of the villagers affected by the disaster. This committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary, Revenue, which will submit its preliminary report to the government within a week. This committee will prepare a blueprint of a long-term and effective policy for the future of Dharali village, so that the safety and livelihood of the local community can be ensured. The Chief Minister also clarified that the state government stands with every disaster-affected citizen and all possible assistance will be provided. Relief and rehabilitation measures will be implemented quickly and effectively at the government level. After the devastating flash-floods that hit Dharali and Harsil, 816 civilians have been rescued by the Indian Army, ITBP, NDRF, and SDRF till Saturday, according to a release. The road access has also been opened till Limchigad, and the work on a 90-ft Bailey Bridge is in progress. According to the release, today's rescue air plan includes deployment of two Mi-17 and one Chinook from Dharasu for stores and personnel induction, with eight civil helicopters from Matli continuing civilian evacuation. Under 'Operation Dharali,' the Indian Army has been victorious in its efforts to restore mobile and internet connectivity in Uttarakhand's Harsil. The Army managed to repair an optical fibre cable, meant for Army communication, which was damaged by flash floods. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The families of those who died in the disaster will also be given an assistance amount of Rs 5 lakh each, so that they can get financial support in this difficult time.

Uttarakhand cloudburst: CM Dhami forms rehabilitation panel for Dharali disaster victims

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has revealed that after Pakistan closed its airspace to India during Operation Sindoor, the country incurred a loss of ₹4.1 billion ($14.46 million). The loss was primarily borne by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA). Asif wrote to the National Assembly’s Question Hour and said that Pakistan’s airspace remained closed from April 24 to June 30, 2025, for all Indian aircraft - which resulted in a massive loss to its aerial authority. The minister said that the closure resulted in Pakistan facing a decline of 20 per cent in the overall air traffic.&nbsp;Asif said a similar restriction in 2019, during a previous period of Pakistan-India tensions, resulted in an even higher loss of ₹7.6 billion for the authority. He revealed that before the tensions between the two nations, Pakistan’s daily earnings from overflying rights averaged $508,000.<h2>How many Pakistani jets did India shoot down during Operation Sindoor?</h2>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-is-russian-made-s-400-air-defence-system-that-india-used-to-take-down-pakistani-jets-during-op-sindoor-1754730443622">What is Russian-made S-400 air defence system that India used to take down Pakistani jets during Op Sindoor</a>&nbsp;Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday revealed the extent of damage the Indian military wreaked on the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor in May. He said the Indian forces downed at least five Pakistani fighter jets and another large aircraft during the four-day-long conflict. While six aircraft were shot down in the air, at least two were destroyed on the ground. Among the likely Pakistani casualties was an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), which was crucial for Pakistan's air strength.&nbsp;"We have at least five fighters' confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &amp;C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he said.

Not just jets, Pakistan also lost $14.46 million during Operation Sindoor as Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the country airspace ban to India left it at a huge loss. 

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has revealed that after Pakistan closed its airspace to India during Operation Sindoor, the country incurred a loss of ₹4.1 billion ($14.46 million). The loss was primarily borne by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA). Asif wrote to the National Assembly’s Question Hour and said that Pakistan’s airspace remained closed from April 24 to June 30, 2025, for all Indian aircraft - which resulted in a massive loss to its aerial authority. The minister said that the closure resulted in Pakistan facing a decline of 20 per cent in the overall air traffic. Asif said a similar restriction in 2019, during a previous period of Pakistan-India tensions, resulted in an even higher loss of ₹7.6 billion for the authority. He revealed that before the tensions between the two nations, Pakistan’s daily earnings from overflying rights averaged $508,000. How many Pakistani jets did India shoot down during Operation Sindoor? Also read: What is Russian-made S-400 air defence system that India used to take down Pakistani jets during Op Sindoor Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday revealed the extent of damage the Indian military wreaked on the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor in May. He said the Indian forces downed at least five Pakistani fighter jets and another large aircraft during the four-day-long conflict. While six aircraft were shot down in the air, at least two were destroyed on the ground. Among the likely Pakistani casualties was an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), which was crucial for Pakistan's air strength. "We have at least five fighters' confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he said.

Not just jets, Pakistan also lost $14.46 million during Operation Sindoor as Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the country's airspace ban to India left it at a huge loss.&nbsp;

Not just jets, Pakistan also lost over $14 million during Operation Sindoor - Here's how

A year has passed since the horrific RG Kar rape and murder case in India's West Bengal. The family of the victim alleged that justice had not been served in the case. To mark one year into the case, a massive protest was organised in Kolkata on Saturday (August 9) - which later turned into chaos after police launched a lathi charge on the protesters. The protest was led by senior leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Agnimitra Paul. A section of the protesters also did a march demanding justice in the case. As part of the 'Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan', the protestors raised slogans for justice for the RG Kar victim.&nbsp;The protest was joined by a pool of people at the request of the victim's family. Several BJP workers also participated after the call from the Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. He urged politicians to join the protest without any party flag.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Kolkata | West Bengal Police deploys lathi charge at protestors during the &#39;Nabanna Abhiyan&#39; rally. The rally has been called to mark the one-year anniversary of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder. <a href="https://t.co/F3jtMFmXk3">pic.twitter.com/F3jtMFmXk3</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1954098069806485639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-is-russian-made-s-400-air-defence-system-that-india-used-to-take-down-pakistani-jets-during-op-sindoor-1754730443622">What is Russian-made S-400 air defence system that India used to take down Pakistani jets during Op Sindoor</a>&nbsp;"The Mamata Banerjee administration is fearing this massive crowd, which has gathered in protest," Adhikari said.<h2>What does the family allege?</h2>The father of the victim alleged that the Kolkata Police stopped the family from doing the march, even when the court had allowed them to organise a peaceful protest.&nbsp;the family has said that they were unsatisfied with the progress of the case, as the CBI has not come up with any results yet. The father earlier had alleged that the authority told him to bring evidence in the case. "Is it my job or theirs?" the victim's father asked.&nbsp;The main accused in the case, Sanjay Roy, was sent for life imprisonment in the case, but the family has alleged that there is more to explore and the authorities were not making significant progress in the investigation.

A massive protest erupted in West Bengal demanding justice in the RG Kar rape case after a year, but it turned into chaos after the Kolkata Police launched a lathi-charge on the protesters. 

A year has passed since the horrific RG Kar rape and murder case in India's West Bengal. The family of the victim alleged that justice had not been served in the case. To mark one year into the case, a massive protest was organised in Kolkata on Saturday (August 9) - which later turned into chaos after police launched a lathi charge on the protesters. The protest was led by senior leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Agnimitra Paul. A section of the protesters also did a march demanding justice in the case. As part of the 'Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan', the protestors raised slogans for justice for the RG Kar victim. The protest was joined by a pool of people at the request of the victim's family. Several BJP workers also participated after the call from the Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. He urged politicians to join the protest without any party flag.

A massive protest erupted in India's West Bengal demanding justice in the RG Kar rape case after a year, but it turned into chaos after the Kolkata Police launched a lathi-charge on the protesters.&nbsp;

One year of RG Kar rape case: Kolkata Police launches lathi-charge on protesters demanding justice

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday celebrated Raksha Bandhan at his residence here, with school children and members of the spiritual organisation Brahma Kumari tying rakhis on his wrist. The festival is the celebration of the traditional bond between brothers and sisters.

PM Modi celebrates Rakshabandhan with children, Brahma Kumaris, shares happy pictures

Two Indian Army soldiers died in the line of duty in a marathon combat with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. The encounter entered its ninth day on Saturday. The army said in a post on X that the two bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice fighting well-entrenched terrorists were L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh.&nbsp;Over the past nine days, 10 soldiers have sustained injuries during the gun battle, one of the longest-ever. Hundreds of soldiers are engaged in the encounter. The forces are also using drones and attack helicopters to weed out the terrorists who appear to be well-trained in jungle warfare.&nbsp;The security forces are also dropping explosives from drones in the forested areas of Akhal.&nbsp;The encounter began last Friday after the security forces received a tip-off about the presence of terrorists in Akhal. One terrorist was killed on Friday itself.&nbsp;There were reportedly five terrorists hiding in the forest at the start of the operation.The mountain range currently cordoned off connects the Pir Panjal range.&nbsp;Here are some of the major encounters that took place in Jammu and Kashmir over the past few years.&nbsp;1. Kokernag Encounter: The week-long encounter in the Gadol forests in Anantnag district ended on 19 September, where the Resistance Front commander Uzair Khan was killed along with at least two senior Indian Army officers and a J&amp;K Police officer. After losing 4 security forces personnel on the first day, Indian security forces were finally able to clear the terrorist hideout on the 7th day of the operation, as the dense jungles and rough terrain of the area provided cover to the terrorists. 2. EDI Encounter, Pampore: On 20 February 2016, four Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, armed with AK-47 Assault rifles, UBGL, hand grenades, and explosives, attacked a CRPF convoy on the main road linking Srinagar to Jammu, killing two CRPF personnel and a civilian. The terrorists then took refuge in the government-run multi-story building hosting the "Entrepreneurship Development Institute" in Pampore. For the security forces, their main focus was to safely evacuate the civilians stuck in the building. Units of the Indian Army and Central Reserve Police Force cordoned off the building and launched a joint operation, in which they used armored vehicles to evacuate 120 civilians from the building. During the ongoing evacuation, the terrorists attacked with automatic gunfire and hand grenades. During the ensuing battle, three personnel from the Indian Army lost their lives. 3. Pathankot attack: On January 2, 2016, four terrorists belonging to the United Jihad Council attacked the Indian Air Force's Pathankot Airbase, part of its Western Air Command. Four terrorists and two security forces personnel were killed in the initial battle, with an additional security force member dying from injuries hours later. The gun battle and the subsequent combing operation lasted about 17 hours, resulting in five terrorists and three security personnel dead.&nbsp;4. Uri brigade attack: The 2016 Uri attack was carried out on 18 September 2016 by four terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed against an Indian Army brigade headquarters near the town of Uri in the Indian Jammu and Kashmir. 19 Indian soldiers were killed in the attack, and 19–30 others were injured.

Two Indian Army soldiers died in the line of duty in a marathon combat with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district.

Two Indian Army soldiers died in the line of duty in a marathon combat with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. The encounter entered its ninth day on Saturday. The army said in a post on X that the two bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice fighting well-entrenched terrorists were L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh. Over the past nine days, 10 soldiers have sustained injuries during the gun battle, one of the longest-ever. Hundreds of soldiers are engaged in the encounter. The forces are also using drones and attack helicopters to weed out the terrorists who appear to be well-trained in jungle warfare. The security forces are also dropping explosives from drones in the forested areas of Akhal. The encounter began last Friday after the security forces received a tip-off about the presence of terrorists in Akhal. One terrorist was killed on Friday itself. There were reportedly five terrorists hiding in the forest at the start of the operation. The mountain range currently cordoned off connects the Pir Panjal range. Here are some of the major encounters that took place in Jammu and Kashmir over the past few years. 1. Kokernag Encounter: The week-long encounter in the Gadol forests in Anantnag district ended on 19 September, where the Resistance Front commander Uzair Khan was killed along with at least two senior Indian Army officers and a J&K Police officer. After losing 4 security forces personnel on the first day, Indian security forces were finally able to clear the terrorist hideout on the 7th day of the operation, as the dense jungles and rough terrain of the area provided cover to the terrorists. 2. EDI Encounter, Pampore: On 20 February 2016, four Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, armed with AK-47 Assault rifles, UBGL, hand grenades, and explosives, attacked a CRPF convoy on the main road linking Srinagar to Jammu, killing two CRPF personnel and a civilian. The terrorists then took refuge in the government-run multi-story building hosting the "Entrepreneurship Development Institute" in Pampore. For the security forces, their main focus was to safely evacuate the civilians stuck in the building. Units of the Indian Army and Central Reserve Police Force cordoned off the building and launched a joint operation, in which they used armored vehicles to evacuate 120 civilians from the building. During the ongoing evacuation, the terrorists attacked with automatic gunfire and hand grenades. During the ensuing battle, three personnel from the Indian Army lost their lives. 3. Pathankot attack: On January 2, 2016, four terrorists belonging to the United Jihad Council attacked the Indian Air Force's Pathankot Airbase, part of its Western Air Command. Four terrorists and two security forces personnel were killed in the initial battle, with an additional security force member dying from injuries hours later. The gun battle and the subsequent combing operation lasted about 17 hours, resulting in five terrorists and three security personnel dead. 4. Uri brigade attack: The 2016 Uri attack was carried out on 18 September 2016 by four terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed against an Indian Army brigade headquarters near the town of Uri in the Indian Jammu and Kashmir. 19 Indian soldiers were killed in the attack, and 19–30 others were injured.

Akhal encounter: Over the past nine days, 10 soldiers have sustained injuries during the gun battle, one of the longest-ever.&nbsp;

Akhal encounter enters ninth day: What's happening in Jammu and Kashmir's forest?

In a big revelation, India's Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday (Aug 9) revealed that Indian forces downed as many as five Pakistani fighter jets and another large aircraft during Operation Sindoor in May this year. In a first such statement, an Indian Air Chief Marshal said that most of the Pakistani aircraft were downed by India's Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system. India's statement comes days after America increased tariffs on India, citing its purchase of oil from Russia.&nbsp;&nbsp;"We have at least five fighters confirmed killed, and one large aircraft," he said, adding that the large aircraft, which could be a surveillance plane, was shot down at a distance of 300 km (186 miles). This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill," prompting applause from the crowd that included serving air force officers, veterans, and government and industry officials. India's Air Chief Marshal Singh also said, “A key reason for success was the presence of political will.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, speaking on Operation Sindoor, revealed that India shot down at least five Pakistani fighter jets and one large surveillance aircraft, possibly an ELINT or AEW&amp;C, at a range of 300 km — marking the longest recorded surface-to-air kill in… <a href="https://t.co/WOpfasxdJl">pic.twitter.com/WOpfasxdJl</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1954097038041211102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>What are S-400?</h2>The S-400 missile system has multi-target capability and can simultaneously track and engage up to 80 targets. It can handle multiple types of aerial threats: aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. It has a long range. It uses multiple missile types:<ul><li>40N6: up to 380 km (for large, distant targets).</li><li>48N6: up to 250 km.</li><li>9M96 series: up to 120 km and 40 km (for smaller, faster targets).</li></ul>Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-many-pakistani-jets-did-india-shoot-down-and-how-iaf-chief-reveals-1754726147198">How many Pakistani jets did India shoot down during Operation Sindoor and how? IAF chief reveals</a>&nbsp;The effective altitude engagement is from 5 meters up to 30 km+. It has advanced radar system as it is quipped with phased-array radars that can detect stealth aircraft and low-flying targets. Its detection range is up to 600 km for large aerial objects. It is fully mobile and can be deployed in 5–10 minutes. All components (launchers, radars, command vehicles) are mounted on trucks for rapid movement. It can be integerated into broader air defense networks (like India's IACCS).

The Russian-made S-400 air defence system was used to down five Pakistani fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, Indian Air Chief Marshal AP Singh revealed

In a big revelation, India's Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday (Aug 9) revealed that Indian forces downed as many as five Pakistani fighter jets and another large aircraft during Operation Sindoor in May this year. In a first such statement, an Indian Air Chief Marshal said that most of the Pakistani aircraft were downed by India's Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system. India's statement comes days after America increased tariffs on India, citing its purchase of oil from Russia. "We have at least five fighters confirmed killed, and one large aircraft," he said, adding that the large aircraft, which could be a surveillance plane, was shot down at a distance of 300 km (186 miles). This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill," prompting applause from the crowd that included serving air force officers, veterans, and government and industry officials. India's Air Chief Marshal Singh also said, “A key reason for success was the presence of political will.”

The Russian-made S-400 air defence system was used to down five Pakistani fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, Indian Air Chief Marshal AP Singh revealed

What is Russian-made S-400 air defence system that India used to take down Pakistani jets during Op Sindoor

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday credited India's political will for the success of Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, saying no restrictions were put on the military. Speaking in Bengaluru, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief further said that the military got full freedom to respond to Pakistan's attack on civilian areas and military installations.&nbsp;"A key reason for success was the presence of political will. There were very clear directions given to us. No restrictions were put on us... If there were any constraints, they were self-made...We decided how much to escalate...We had full freedom to plan and execute. Our attacks were calibrated because we wanted to be mature about it...There was a synchronisation between the three forces...The post of CDS made a real difference. He was there to get us together...NSA also played a big role in getting all the agencies," he said.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-many-pakistani-jets-did-india-shoot-down-and-how-iaf-chief-reveals-1754726147198">Also read: How many Pakistani jets did India shoot down during Operation Sindoor and how? IAF chief reveals</a>&nbsp;He said that the Indian&nbsp;forces downed at least six Pakistani planes.&nbsp;He also revealed the rationale behind not escalating the conflict further.&nbsp;"People got down to their egos in the war...Once we achieved our objective, we should have looked for all windows of opportunity to stop...Some people very close to me said, 'Aur maarna tha'. But can we continue to be at war?... The nation has taken a good decision," said the officer.&nbsp;Reminiscing about the Balakot strike, ACM AP Singh said that this time, the Indian forces had intelligence about the damage they wreaked in Pakistan.&nbsp;“In Balakot, we could not get anything from inside, and it became a big issue trying to tell our people, unfortunately, as to what we have been able to achieve. We had intelligence of what had gone on inside, had a human kind of intelligence where we had a very clear picture of inside in terms of there had been huge damage. There have been so many terrorists who have been neutralised, but we could not convince our people that, look, we have achieved that...So I'm very happy that this time we were able to take care of that ghost of Balakot that we were able&nbsp;to tell the world what we have achieved."&nbsp;He said the Indian forces sent out the message to Pakistan that if they continued the conflict, they would sustain more damage.&nbsp;"It was a high-tech war. In 80 to 90 hours of war, we were able to achieve so much damage that it was clear to them that if they continue, they are going to pay for it more and more. So they came forward and sent a message to our DGMO that they wanted to talk. This was accepted on our side," he added.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday credited India's political will for the success of Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, saying no restrictions were put on the military.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday credited India's political will for the success of Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, saying no restrictions were put on the military. Speaking in Bengaluru, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief further said that the military got full freedom to respond to Pakistan's attack on civilian areas and military installations. "A key reason for success was the presence of political will. There were very clear directions given to us. No restrictions were put on us... If there were any constraints, they were self-made...We decided how much to escalate...We had full freedom to plan and execute. Our attacks were calibrated because we wanted to be mature about it...There was a synchronisation between the three forces...The post of CDS made a real difference. He was there to get us together...NSA also played a big role in getting all the agencies," he said. Also read: How many Pakistani jets did India shoot down during Operation Sindoor and how? IAF chief reveals He said that the Indian forces downed at least six Pakistani planes. He also revealed the rationale behind not escalating the conflict further. "People got down to their egos in the war...Once we achieved our objective, we should have looked for all windows of opportunity to stop...Some people very close to me said, 'Aur maarna tha'. But can we continue to be at war?... The nation has taken a good decision," said the officer. Reminiscing about the Balakot strike, ACM AP Singh said that this time, the Indian forces had intelligence about the damage they wreaked in Pakistan. “In Balakot, we could not get anything from inside, and it became a big issue trying to tell our people, unfortunately, as to what we have been able to achieve. We had intelligence of what had gone on inside, had a human kind of intelligence where we had a very clear picture of inside in terms of there had been huge damage. There have been so many terrorists who have been neutralised, but we could not convince our people that, look, we have achieved that...So I'm very happy that this time we were able to take care of that ghost of Balakot that we were able to tell the world what we have achieved." He said the Indian forces sent out the message to Pakistan that if they continued the conflict, they would sustain more damage. "It was a high-tech war. In 80 to 90 hours of war, we were able to achieve so much damage that it was clear to them that if they continue, they are going to pay for it more and more. So they came forward and sent a message to our DGMO that they wanted to talk. This was accepted on our side," he added.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said the Indian forces downed at least 6 Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor.

'We had full freedom': IAF chief lauds 'political will' during Operation Sindoor

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday revealed the extent of damage the Indian military wreaked on the Pakistan&nbsp;Air Force during Operation Sindoor in May. He said the Indian forces downed at least five Pakistani fighter jets and another large aircraft during the four-day-long conflict. While six aircraft were shot down in the air, at least two were destroyed on the ground.&nbsp;Among the likely Pakistani casualties was an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), which was crucial for Pakistan's air strength.&nbsp;"We have at least five fighters' confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &amp;C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he said.&nbsp;Air Chief Marshal Singh, speaking at the annual 16th Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Lecture in Bengaluru, said the Russia-made S-400 air defence system shot down the Pakistani aircraft.&nbsp;"Our air defence systems have done a wonderful job. The S-400 system, which we recently bought, has been a game-changer. The range of that system has kept their aircraft away from their weapons like those long-range glide bombs that they have; they have not been able to use any one of those because they have not been able to penetrate the system," he added.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, speaking on Operation Sindoor, revealed that India shot down at least five Pakistani fighter jets and one large surveillance aircraft, possibly an ELINT or AEW&amp;C, at a range of 300 km — marking the longest recorded surface-to-air kill in… <a href="https://t.co/WOpfasxdJl">pic.twitter.com/WOpfasxdJl</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1954097038041211102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;In May, India destroyed nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Islamabad reacted with attacks on Indian civilian areas and military installations. The Indian military thwarted most of these attacks and later attacked air bases deep inside Pakistan.&nbsp;After four days of intense conflict, Pakistan's DGMO was forced to call his Indian counterpart, urging a cessation of hostilities.&nbsp;ACM AP Singh said none of the Pakistani aircraft could come close to the Indian borders because of India's robust air defence.&nbsp;"None of their aircraft could come anywhere near the boundaries of Akash and even MRSAM. All their aircraft were taken on by LRSAM because they were trying to stay away, but still, they were within our range at times, and that is the opportunity targets that we got. As far as our offence was concerned, that night we didn't have any hold bar and we decided that we would go attack at Pan Front, we would stretch resources. The idea was once again not to attack one particular airfield and decimate that airfield. The idea was to give him that feeling or give him that indication that look, we can attack you deep inside, at will, wherever we want to...Bholari, an AEW&amp;C hangar, was attacked," he added.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday revealed the extent of damage the Indian military wreaked on the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor in May.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday revealed the extent of damage the Indian military wreaked on the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor in May. He said the Indian forces downed at least five Pakistani fighter jets and another large aircraft during the four-day-long conflict. While six aircraft were shot down in the air, at least two were destroyed on the ground. Among the likely Pakistani casualties was an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), which was crucial for Pakistan's air strength. "We have at least five fighters' confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," he said. Air Chief Marshal Singh, speaking at the annual 16th Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Lecture in Bengaluru, said the Russia-made S-400 air defence system shot down the Pakistani aircraft. "Our air defence systems have done a wonderful job. The S-400 system, which we recently bought, has been a game-changer. The range of that system has kept their aircraft away from their weapons like those long-range glide bombs that they have; they have not been able to use any one of those because they have not been able to penetrate the system," he added.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said that among the likely Pakistani casualties was an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

How many Pakistani jets did India shoot down during Operation Sindoor and how? IAF chief reveals

Amid US president Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreeing to meet to discuss Ukraine war in Alaska next Friday (Aug 15), US leaders see India as an important player in persuading Russia to end war in Ukraine and improve relations its relation with Moscow further.&nbsp;Taking to micro-blogging site X US Senator Lindsey Graham wrote, "As I have been telling my friends in India, one of the most consequential things they could do to improve India-U.S. relations is to help President Trump end this bloodbath in Ukraine."&nbsp;"India is the second largest purchaser of Putin's cheap oil -- the proceeds of which fuel his war machine,' he further said, as reported by news agency ANI.&nbsp;He expressed hope that Indian Prime Minister in his recent phone call with the Russian President Putin emphasized the need to end the Ukraine war "justly, honorably and forever".&nbsp;The US Senator speaking further instilled confidence in India of having influence in this matter and hoped it would be utilised "wisely" by India.&nbsp;"I have always believed India has influence in this matter and I am hoping they will use it wisely," Graham said.&nbsp;The remarks by Graham came on Friday (Aug 8) just after Prime Minister Modi spoke to Putin and said he had a "very good and detailed" conversation.&nbsp;Soon after the call PM Modi took to X to write, "I thanked him for sharing the latest developments on Ukraine. We also reviewed the progress in our bilateral agenda, and reaffirmed our commitment to further deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. I look forward to hosting President Putin in India later this year," he said in a post on X.&nbsp;

He expressed hope that Indian Prime Minister in his recent phone call with the Russian President Putin emphasized the need to end the Ukraine war justly, honorably and forever.

Amid US president Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreeing to meet to discuss Ukraine war in Alaska next Friday (Aug 15), US leaders see India as an important player in persuading Russia to end war in Ukraine and improve relations its relation with Moscow further. Taking to micro-blogging site X US Senator Lindsey Graham wrote, "As I have been telling my friends in India, one of the most consequential things they could do to improve India-U.S. relations is to help President Trump end this bloodbath in Ukraine." "India is the second largest purchaser of Putin's cheap oil -- the proceeds of which fuel his war machine,' he further said, as reported by news agency ANI. He expressed hope that Indian Prime Minister in his recent phone call with the Russian President Putin emphasized the need to end the Ukraine war "justly, honorably and forever". The US Senator speaking further instilled confidence in India of having influence in this matter and hoped it would be utilised "wisely" by India. "I have always believed India has influence in this matter and I am hoping they will use it wisely," Graham said. The remarks by Graham came on Friday (Aug 8) just after Prime Minister Modi spoke to Putin and said he had a "very good and detailed" conversation. Soon after the call PM Modi took to X to write, "I thanked him for sharing the latest developments on Ukraine. We also reviewed the progress in our bilateral agenda, and reaffirmed our commitment to further deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. I look forward to hosting President Putin in India later this year," he said in a post on X.

He expressed hope that Indian Prime Minister in his recent phone call with the Russian President Putin emphasized the need to end the Ukraine war "justly, honorably and forever".

Amid Trump-Putin meet over Ukraine, US Senator urges India to help end conflict

Two Indian Army soldiers have been killed in the ongoing anti-terror operation called ''Operation Akhal'' in South Kashmir's Kulgam district. The operation entered its ninth day and became one of the longest anti-terror operations in the Kashmir Valley ever. According to security forces, gunfire continued during the intervening night at the operation site.The Indian Army confirmed the killing of two soldiers in the gunfight at the operation Akhal site. Two army soldiers succumbed to their injuries, while two others were also injured during the exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces. ''Update: OP AKHAL, Kulgam. Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, in line of duty for the nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. Indian Army expresses deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. Operation continues,'' said the Indian Army.The operation is being carried out by the Indian Army, including the Para Commandos and RR, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF. Security forces had pushed in helicopters and drones to locate hiding terrorists in the area. Forces were using high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones and thermal imaging devices, along with elite Para Special Forces brought to carry out the operation.The Northern Army Commander, Lt General Pratik Sharma, had also visited the Devsar area in South Kashmir. He had taken a review meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Grid in South Kashmir. The Northern Army commander was briefed on the security situation, operational readiness, and ongoing operations in the region.The operation started on August 1 after security forces received an input about the presence of terrorists in the area. However, the terrain, being a dense forest, has posed major challenges for the security forces. On the first day, a terrorist belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba was killed in the initial firing, and his body was recovered along with arms and ammunition. On the second day, sources said two more terrorists were killed, but no bodies were recovered, and there was no official confirmation.OP AKHAL was the third operation in the last two weeks. It started with Operation Mahadev, in which three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack were neutralised by the security forces. All three Pakistani terrorists were killed in the forest area of Lidwas in DachigamOne more operation called Operation Shiv Shakti was carried out by security forces in which two terrorists were killed by security forces. These two terrorists were trying to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir via the Line of Control at the Poonch sector, and the forces foiled the bid and killed both the infiltrators. The security remains on high alert across Jammu and Kashmir.

Two Indian Army soldiers were killed in an anti-terror operation in the Kulgam district of South Kashmir. The operation, codenamed "Operation Akhal," has been ongoing for nine days, making it one of the longest in the Kashmir Valley's history.

Two Indian Army soldiers have been killed in the ongoing anti-terror operation called ''Operation Akhal'' in South Kashmir's Kulgam district. The operation entered its ninth day and became one of the longest anti-terror operations in the Kashmir Valley ever. According to security forces, gunfire continued during the intervening night at the operation site. The Indian Army confirmed the killing of two soldiers in the gunfight at the operation Akhal site. Two army soldiers succumbed to their injuries, while two others were also injured during the exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces. ''Update: OP AKHAL, Kulgam. Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of the Bravehearts, L/Nk Pritpal Singh and Sep Harminder Singh, in line of duty for the nation. Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. Indian Army expresses deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. Operation continues,'' said the Indian Army. The operation is being carried out by the Indian Army, including the Para Commandos and RR, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF. Security forces had pushed in helicopters and drones to locate hiding terrorists in the area. Forces were using high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones and thermal imaging devices, along with elite Para Special Forces brought to carry out the operation. The Northern Army Commander, Lt General Pratik Sharma, had also visited the Devsar area in South Kashmir. He had taken a review meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Grid in South Kashmir. The Northern Army commander was briefed on the security situation, operational readiness, and ongoing operations in the region. The operation started on August 1 after security forces received an input about the presence of terrorists in the area. However, the terrain, being a dense forest, has posed major challenges for the security forces. On the first day, a terrorist belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba was killed in the initial firing, and his body was recovered along with arms and ammunition. On the second day, sources said two more terrorists were killed, but no bodies were recovered, and there was no official confirmation. OP AKHAL was the third operation in the last two weeks. It started with Operation Mahadev, in which three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack were neutralised by the security forces. All three Pakistani terrorists were killed in the forest area of Lidwas in Dachigam One more operation called Operation Shiv Shakti was carried out by security forces in which two terrorists were killed by security forces. These two terrorists were trying to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir via the Line of Control at the Poonch sector, and the forces foiled the bid and killed both the infiltrators. The security remains on high alert across Jammu and Kashmir.

Two Indian Army soldiers were killed in an anti-terror operation in the Kulgam district of South Kashmir. The operation, codenamed "Operation Akhal," has been ongoing for nine days, making it one of the longest in the Kashmir Valley's history.

Operation Akhal: Two Indian Army soldiers killed, two injured in the ongoing operation at Kulgam

Indian national capital New Delhi on Saturday (Aug 9) woke up to heavy rain lashing the region, with key stretches flooded and slowing traffic across the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for several districts of the capital, including North, West, South, South East, and Central Delhi, warning of very heavy rainfall with lightning and thunderstorms. Ghaziabad is also on red alert, while Gautam Buddha Nagar is under a yellow alert for thunderstorms and lightning.<h2>Waterlogging reported in THESE areas</h2>Areas like RK Puram, Vasant Kunj, Connaught Place, Minto Bridge, and Kidwai Nagar received a major lashing from heavy downpours. Major waterlogging has been reported at Panchkuian Marg, Minto Road, Mathura Road, and near Bharat Mandapam's Gate No. 7. Reports suggest that slow vehicular movement and congestion has been witnessed near AIIMS and the Barapullah flyover as rainwater collected on low-lying stretches.<h2>Delhi, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh: IMD prediction for the next few days</h2>The IMD has predicted said moderate to heavy rain, along with thunderstorms and lightning, was likely across most of Delhi-NCR through the day. Maximum temperatures are expected between 32–34°C, with minimums around 24–26°C.In Haryana, an orange alert is in place for Palwal, Gurgaon, and Faridabad, with forecasts of moderate to heavy rainfall.Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh is bracing for more wet weather. The IMD has issued an orange alert for August 11–12 in three districts, with the rest under a yellow alert. The state has already endured a deadly monsoon season — since June 20, at least 202 people have died in rain-related incidents, including floods, landslides, and road accidents. Rainfall in Himachal this month is 35 per cent above normal, with districts like Solan, Kullu, Kinnaur, Bilaspur, and Una recording nearly double their usual totals. Since June 1, the state has received 13 per cent more rainfall than average, with Shimla seeing the highest levels, followed by Mandi, where rain is 65 percent above normal. Chamba, Una, Bilaspur, and Kangra have also logged 40 per cent surpluses.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Delhi and several areas of the Indian national capital region (NCR).

Indian national capital New Delhi on Saturday (Aug 9) woke up to heavy rain lashing the region, with key stretches flooded and slowing traffic across the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for several districts of the capital, including North, West, South, South East, and Central Delhi, warning of very heavy rainfall with lightning and thunderstorms. Ghaziabad is also on red alert, while Gautam Buddha Nagar is under a yellow alert for thunderstorms and lightning. Waterlogging reported in THESE areas Areas like RK Puram, Vasant Kunj, Connaught Place, Minto Bridge, and Kidwai Nagar received a major lashing from heavy downpours. Major waterlogging has been reported at Panchkuian Marg, Minto Road, Mathura Road, and near Bharat Mandapam's Gate No. 7. Reports suggest that slow vehicular movement and congestion has been witnessed near AIIMS and the Barapullah flyover as rainwater collected on low-lying stretches. Delhi, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh: IMD prediction for the next few days The IMD has predicted said moderate to heavy rain, along with thunderstorms and lightning, was likely across most of Delhi-NCR through the day. Maximum temperatures are expected between 32–34°C, with minimums around 24–26°C. In Haryana, an orange alert is in place for Palwal, Gurgaon, and Faridabad, with forecasts of moderate to heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh is bracing for more wet weather. The IMD has issued an orange alert for August 11–12 in three districts, with the rest under a yellow alert. The state has already endured a deadly monsoon season — since June 20, at least 202 people have died in rain-related incidents, including floods, landslides, and road accidents. Rainfall in Himachal this month is 35 per cent above normal, with districts like Solan, Kullu, Kinnaur, Bilaspur, and Una recording nearly double their usual totals. Since June 1, the state has received 13 per cent more rainfall than average, with Shimla seeing the highest levels, followed by Mandi, where rain is 65 percent above normal. Chamba, Una, Bilaspur, and Kangra have also logged 40 per cent surpluses.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Delhi and several areas of the Indian national capital region (NCR).

IMD issues red alert as heavy rain batters Delhi; waterlogging reported in THESE areas

Nepal is considering legalising polygamy, i.e., the practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time. The move has triggered an uproar, with critics slamming the move as "regressive". In today's day and age are there other nations that allow Polygamy? Does India? 

Nepal mulls legalising polygamy — THESE are the countries where it's still legal in 2025

New Delhi experienced overcast skies and fresh spells of rain on Friday night, bringing relief from the humid conditions but also causing disruptions across the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall and thunderstorms through Saturday morning, advising residents and commuters to be prepared for possible delays.&nbsp;The showers, which extended into late evening, led to traffic congestion and water-logging in several parts of Delhi and neighbouring Noida. Visuals from across the National Capital Region (NCR) showed vehicles navigating flooded stretches, with some areas reporting slow-moving traffic. The timing of the rain is likely to affect travel ahead of the Rakshabandhan festival, with authorities urging commuters to factor in extra time for their journeys.&nbsp;According to the IMD, Delhi can expect thunderstorms accompanied by rain on Saturday. The minimum temperature is likely to settle around 27 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is expected to hover near 36 degrees Celsius. Rain and thunderstorm activity are predicted to persist for the next few days.&nbsp;The IMD has also issued a forecast for another spell of rain on August 13 and 14, which could bring temperatures down by a few degrees. The department says the wet weather may help ease humidity levels in the city, but could also contribute to further traffic and drainage issues if heavy showers continue.&nbsp;Meanwhile, air quality in the capital remained in the “moderate” range on Friday. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 116. Experts suggest that intermittent rainfall may temporarily help disperse pollutants, keeping AQI levels from slipping into the “poor” category.The upcoming rainfall, while welcome for its cooling effect, will require residents to stay alert to the possibility of waterlogging and traffic delays, especially during the festive travel rush.

The showers, which extended into late evening, led to traffic congestion and water-logging in several parts of Delhi and neighbouring Noida. Visuals from across the National Capital Region (NCR) showed vehicles navigating flooded stretches, with some areas reporting slow-moving traffic.

New Delhi experienced overcast skies and fresh spells of rain on Friday night, bringing relief from the humid conditions but also causing disruptions across the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall and thunderstorms through Saturday morning, advising residents and commuters to be prepared for possible delays. The showers, which extended into late evening, led to traffic congestion and water-logging in several parts of Delhi and neighbouring Noida. Visuals from across the National Capital Region (NCR) showed vehicles navigating flooded stretches, with some areas reporting slow-moving traffic. The timing of the rain is likely to affect travel ahead of the Rakshabandhan festival, with authorities urging commuters to factor in extra time for their journeys. According to the IMD, Delhi can expect thunderstorms accompanied by rain on Saturday. The minimum temperature is likely to settle around 27 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is expected to hover near 36 degrees Celsius. Rain and thunderstorm activity are predicted to persist for the next few days. The IMD has also issued a forecast for another spell of rain on August 13 and 14, which could bring temperatures down by a few degrees. The department says the wet weather may help ease humidity levels in the city, but could also contribute to further traffic and drainage issues if heavy showers continue. Meanwhile, air quality in the capital remained in the “moderate” range on Friday. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 116. Experts suggest that intermittent rainfall may temporarily help disperse pollutants, keeping AQI levels from slipping into the “poor” category. The upcoming rainfall, while welcome for its cooling effect, will require residents to stay alert to the possibility of waterlogging and traffic delays, especially during the festive travel rush.

The showers, which extended into late evening, led to traffic congestion and water-logging in several parts of Delhi and neighbouring Noida. Visuals from across the National Capital Region (NCR) showed vehicles navigating flooded stretches, with some areas reporting slow-moving traffic.&nbsp;

Delhi, Noida lashed by heavy midnight rain ahead of Rakshabandhan festivities

The Delhi Assembly on Friday passed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) 2025 Bill. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her ministers later greeted the media after the passage of the bill.&nbsp;AAP proposed eight amendments to the bill, but all were rejected by the BJP government. 41 BJP MLAs voted in its favour and 17 AAP MLAs voted against it.AAP leader Atishi opposed the bill.&nbsp;"The new Fee Regulation Bill of the BJP government in Delhi is a direct attack on the rights of the parents of Delhi. There is no provision in the bill to listen to the parents, and their right to go to court has also been taken away from them. Every line in this law has been written for the benefit of private school owners. Our clear demand is... the bill should be sent to the select committee and the opinion of the parents should be heard," she wrote on X.&nbsp;Education Minister Ashish Sood said on Thursday that after the passage of the bill, fees of all private&nbsp;schools would be regulated.&nbsp;"This bill replaces a toothless, reactive framework with a proactive, empowered, and transparent one. Earlier, the DoE could only approve the fee increases by the schools under the land clause, while there are hundreds of smaller private schools where the fee increase goes unchecked. The parents of bigger schools complain, but if the fee of a small private school in Najafgarh increases from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500, it is a 50% hike. This is a huge burden for the parents of that school, but they, in most cases, do not complain,” he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.&nbsp;He said after&nbsp;the passage of the bill, the land clause&nbsp;could be applied to all 1,443 schools in Delhi. Under the clause, schools built on subsidised DDA land are required to inform the Department of Education before hiking their fees.

The Delhi Assembly on Friday passed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) 2025 Bill. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her ministers later greeted the media after the passage of the bill.

The Delhi Assembly on Friday passed the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) 2025 Bill. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her ministers later greeted the media after the passage of the bill. AAP proposed eight amendments to the bill, but all were rejected by the BJP government. 41 BJP MLAs voted in its favour and 17 AAP MLAs voted against it. AAP leader Atishi opposed the bill. "The new Fee Regulation Bill of the BJP government in Delhi is a direct attack on the rights of the parents of Delhi. There is no provision in the bill to listen to the parents, and their right to go to court has also been taken away from them. Every line in this law has been written for the benefit of private school owners. Our clear demand is... the bill should be sent to the select committee and the opinion of the parents should be heard," she wrote on X. Education Minister Ashish Sood said on Thursday that after the passage of the bill, fees of all private schools would be regulated. "This bill replaces a toothless, reactive framework with a proactive, empowered, and transparent one. Earlier, the DoE could only approve the fee increases by the schools under the land clause, while there are hundreds of smaller private schools where the fee increase goes unchecked. The parents of bigger schools complain, but if the fee of a small private school in Najafgarh increases from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500, it is a 50% hike. This is a huge burden for the parents of that school, but they, in most cases, do not complain,” he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. He said after the passage of the bill, the land clause could be applied to all 1,443 schools in Delhi. Under the clause, schools built on subsidised DDA land are required to inform the Department of Education before hiking their fees.

Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) 2025 Bill passed: AAP proposed eight amendments to the bill, but all were rejected by the BJP government.&nbsp;

Delhi School Education bill passed; Atishi calls it attack on rights of parents

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of large-scale voter fraud and challenged him to either formally verify his claims or apologise to the nation. Accusing him of repeating an ‘old political script’, the poll body said in a statement that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha has raised “baseless” charges similar to those made in 2018 by then Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath, which were dismissed by the Supreme Court. “At his recent press conference, Rahul repeated a tired script. In 2018, it was then Kamal Nath, the then President of MPCC; today, it’s the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha playing the same tune,” the EC said.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2018, Congress leaders attempted to mislead the court by producing documents from a private website to claim errors in electoral rolls, including instances where “the same face was shown again for as many as 36 voters.” The EC said those defects had been rectified months earlier and the details shared with the party.&nbsp;“The Court refused to accept the prayer of Kamal Nath. Now, in 2025, they, being aware that the same trick cannot be played in court, are trying to mislead the people by claiming irregularities in the electoral rolls,” it added.&nbsp;<h2>‘Trying to sensationalise issue with baseless claims in media’</h2>&nbsp;The commission referred to a specific case of one name of Aditya Srivastava, which Rahul claimed appeared in three different states. “In fact, [this] was rectified months ago,” it said. It further reminded the Congress leader that the Kamal Nath judgment had “settled” the position on machine-readable electoral rolls, and accused him of disregarding the Supreme Court’s decisions.&nbsp;“Law provides a specific procedure for both making objections to the roll and for making an appeal. Instead of availing the legal processes, he tried to sensationalise the issue by making baseless claims in the media,” the EC said.&nbsp;“If Rahul believes in his analysis and believes that his allegations against the EC are true, he should have respect for the law and sign the Declaration, or apologise to the nation for raising absurd allegations against the EC.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The chief electoral officers (CEOs) of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Haryana had asked Rahul to submit the names of voters he believes were wrongly included or removed, along with a signed oath under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Rahul alleged ‘vote chori’ in Karnataka constituency</h2>&nbsp;On Thursday, Rahul alleged “vote chori” in a Karnataka constituency involving 1,00,250 votes and irregularities in the rolls.Dismissing the EC’s demand for a signed declaration, he said, “I am a politician; what I say to the people is my word. I am saying it to the people publicly, take it as an oath. Interestingly, they haven’t denied the information.”&nbsp;He accused the EC of colluding with the BJP to “undermine democracy” and warned polling officials allegedly involved of consequences if the Opposition came to power.He also claimed that the EC was “destroying evidence” by limiting the preservation of CCTV and webcasting footage to 45 days unless election results were legally challenged.&nbsp;“It is the 21st century; you can keep as much data as you want in a hard drive, even 10 years old data, but the Election Commission wants to destroy the CCTV footage in 45 days,” he said.&nbsp;<h2>EC issues detailed rebuttal&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;The ECI issued a detailed rebuttal to Rahul Gandhi’s five-question challenge, where he accused the poll body of bias, tampering, and shielding the ruling party. It said if Rahul Gandhi does not sign the declaration, it would mean that he does not believe in his analysis, resultant conclusions and is making absurd allegations.&nbsp;&nbsp;At a press conference on Thursday, Rahul had presented what he called an “atom bomb” of proofs of the ECI resorting to “vote chori”.&nbsp;&nbsp;BJP’s Amit Malviya scoffed at the Congress leader and said, “... he (is) indulging in political theatre only to obfuscate facts, plant doubts in people’s minds, and tarnish the image of a constitutional body entrusted with free and fair elections.”

In its sharp rebuttal, the Election Commission of India said that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha has raised “baseless” charges similar to those made in 2018 by then Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath, which were dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of large-scale voter fraud and challenged him to either formally verify his claims or apologise to the nation. Accusing him of repeating an ‘old political script’, the poll body said in a statement that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha has raised “baseless” charges similar to those made in 2018 by then Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath, which were dismissed by the Supreme Court. “At his recent press conference, Rahul repeated a tired script. In 2018, it was then Kamal Nath, the then President of MPCC; today, it’s the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha playing the same tune,” the EC said. In 2018, Congress leaders attempted to mislead the court by producing documents from a private website to claim errors in electoral rolls, including instances where “the same face was shown again for as many as 36 voters.” The EC said those defects had been rectified months earlier and the details shared with the party. “The Court refused to accept the prayer of Kamal Nath. Now, in 2025, they, being aware that the same trick cannot be played in court, are trying to mislead the people by claiming irregularities in the electoral rolls,” it added. ‘Trying to sensationalise issue with baseless claims in media’ The commission referred to a specific case of one name of Aditya Srivastava, which Rahul claimed appeared in three different states. “In fact, [this] was rectified months ago,” it said. It further reminded the Congress leader that the Kamal Nath judgment had “settled” the position on machine-readable electoral rolls, and accused him of disregarding the Supreme Court’s decisions. “Law provides a specific procedure for both making objections to the roll and for making an appeal. Instead of availing the legal processes, he tried to sensationalise the issue by making baseless claims in the media,” the EC said. “If Rahul believes in his analysis and believes that his allegations against the EC are true, he should have respect for the law and sign the Declaration, or apologise to the nation for raising absurd allegations against the EC.” The chief electoral officers (CEOs) of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Haryana had asked Rahul to submit the names of voters he believes were wrongly included or removed, along with a signed oath under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Rahul alleged ‘vote chori’ in Karnataka constituency On Thursday, Rahul alleged “vote chori” in a Karnataka constituency involving 1,00,250 votes and irregularities in the rolls. Dismissing the EC’s demand for a signed declaration, he said, “I am a politician; what I say to the people is my word. I am saying it to the people publicly, take it as an oath. Interestingly, they haven’t denied the information.” He accused the EC of colluding with the BJP to “undermine democracy” and warned polling officials allegedly involved of consequences if the Opposition came to power. He also claimed that the EC was “destroying evidence” by limiting the preservation of CCTV and webcasting footage to 45 days unless election results were legally challenged. “It is the 21st century; you can keep as much data as you want in a hard drive, even 10 years old data, but the Election Commission wants to destroy the CCTV footage in 45 days,” he said. EC issues detailed rebuttal The ECI issued a detailed rebuttal to Rahul Gandhi’s five-question challenge, where he accused the poll body of bias, tampering, and shielding the ruling party. It said if Rahul Gandhi does not sign the declaration, it would mean that he does not believe in his analysis, resultant conclusions and is making absurd allegations. At a press conference on Thursday, Rahul had presented what he called an “atom bomb” of proofs of the ECI resorting to “vote chori”. BJP’s Amit Malviya scoffed at the Congress leader and said, “... he (is) indulging in political theatre only to obfuscate facts, plant doubts in people’s minds, and tarnish the image of a constitutional body entrusted with free and fair elections.”

In its sharp rebuttal, the Election Commission of India said that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha has raised “baseless” charges similar to those made in 2018 by then Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath, which were dismissed by the Supreme Court.

‘Verify claims or apologise to nation’: EC slams Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote theft’ charge, cites 2018 SC verdict

On Thursday (August 8), the Supreme Court heard the petition of a stepmother who raised an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, who was denied pension benefits after his death. The court said “why should 'mother' be a static expression? Why should adoptive parents not be entitled (to pension)?"&nbsp;The mother raised the deceased officer since the age of six, the court noted that a case should be viewed on facts to ascertain who played a role in nurturing and shaping the child’s life. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was quoted by news outlet Live Law, “(Mother) need not be a biological mother".&nbsp;While the IAF counsel said that the apex court itself has held that 'mother' includes only 'biological mother'. And said, “Regulations are clear and they have not been challenged.” Further adding that the if law-making authority could have included 'mother' should include 'stepmother'.&nbsp;During the hearing, Justice Kant also posed a hypothetical situation to the IAF counsel, he asked, “What will happen in a case where a mother abandons her child and his father, grandmother look after...then mother comes suddenly after 20-30 years saying I am entitled...on another hand, suppose mother dies due to complication at the time of delivery, stepmother comes in and raises the child...whom would you like to give the benefit?”&nbsp;He added, "Your definition can be flexible and on facts you can determine who has played role of mother. Why should 'mother' be a static expression? Why should adoptive parents not be entitled (to pension)?"&nbsp;The deceased officer's biological mother passed away, and his father married the petitioner. Thereafter, she has been the one looking after him. On April 30, 2008, the Air Force officer died due to ‘aluminium phosphide poisoning’. According to an internal enquiry, it was later termed as a case of ‘suicide’.&nbsp;&nbsp;Later in 2010, the Air Force Record Office, rejected the appellant's claim for ‘Special Family Pension’, she was not even granted the ordinary family pension due to income criteria.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

On Thursday (August 8), the Supreme Court heard the petition of a stepmother who raised an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, who was denied pension benefits after his death.

On Thursday (August 8), the Supreme Court heard the petition of a stepmother who raised an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, who was denied pension benefits after his death. The court said “why should 'mother' be a static expression? Why should adoptive parents not be entitled (to pension)?" The mother raised the deceased officer since the age of six, the court noted that a case should be viewed on facts to ascertain who played a role in nurturing and shaping the child’s life. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was quoted by news outlet Live Law, “(Mother) need not be a biological mother". While the IAF counsel said that the apex court itself has held that 'mother' includes only 'biological mother'. And said, “Regulations are clear and they have not been challenged.” Further adding that the if law-making authority could have included 'mother' should include 'stepmother'. During the hearing, Justice Kant also posed a hypothetical situation to the IAF counsel, he asked, “What will happen in a case where a mother abandons her child and his father, grandmother look after...then mother comes suddenly after 20-30 years saying I am entitled...on another hand, suppose mother dies due to complication at the time of delivery, stepmother comes in and raises the child...whom would you like to give the benefit?” He added, "Your definition can be flexible and on facts you can determine who has played role of mother. Why should 'mother' be a static expression? Why should adoptive parents not be entitled (to pension)?" The deceased officer's biological mother passed away, and his father married the petitioner. Thereafter, she has been the one looking after him. On April 30, 2008, the Air Force officer died due to ‘aluminium phosphide poisoning’. According to an internal enquiry, it was later termed as a case of ‘suicide’. Later in 2010, the Air Force Record Office, rejected the appellant's claim for ‘Special Family Pension’, she was not even granted the ordinary family pension due to income criteria.

On Thursday (August 8), the Supreme Court heard the petition of a stepmother who raised an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, who was denied pension benefits after his death.

'Mother' needn't only be biological: Supreme Court asks IAF to look into exclusion of stepmother from pension scheme

Amid the chaos around Donald Trump's tariff imposed on India, former Indian diplomat Rakesh Sood said that the American president loves two things the most: tariffs and the Nobel Peace Prize. He hinted that Trump's moibe must be a prize India has to pay for not endorsing him for the peace prize, as done by Benjamin Netanyahu. Talking to the news agency ANI, Sood said, "There are two things that President Trump loves - One is tariffs, and the second is the Nobel Peace Prize, so he will do anything to get to the bottom of these two." The former diplomat said that Trump many a time claimed credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan during the Operation Sindoor, but India did not give any importance to his claims. "We've not given him comfort on the Nobel, so I guess we are facing the tariffs. We'll see how we deal with it," Sood said.<h2>Trump and his love for peace prize</h2>Trump has been repeatedly endorsed for the Nobel Prize. In 2024, he was endorsed by his party's leader, Buddy Carter, for his efforts in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Pakistan also nominated him for his alleged role in establishing peace between India and Pakistan during a cross-border crisis. Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been named a war criminal by the UN for his occupation in Gaza, nominated Trump for the peace prize.&nbsp;Trump himself has repeatedly expressed his keen interest in getting the recognition for which he often compared himself with former winners like former US president Barack Obama. Even on Friday (August 8), the White House again claimed "a ceasefire between India and Pakistan" among the list of US President Donald Trump's "Foreign Policy Victories."

https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1953579654784462949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1953579654784462949%7Ctwgr%5E87cacd073c65e54345f4cc7add1755c7fc7da065%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aninews.in%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Ftwo-things-president-trump-loves-tariffs-and-nobel-prize-former-diplomat-rakesh-sood20250808174131

<h2>Trump's 'tariff tantrum' risks years of US-India ties</h2>Representative Gregory Meeks, a Democrat and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems posted on the social media platform X on Friday (August 8) and said, “The US has deep strategic, economic, and people-to-people ties with India. Trump’s latest tariff tantrum risks years of careful work to build a stronger US-India partnership." Meeks added that any concerns should be addressed in a mutually respectful manner.&nbsp;

Amid the chaos due to Donald Trump tariff imposition on India, a former diplomat said that the American president loves two things most - tariffs and the Nobel Peace Prize. He hinted it was due to India not recognising Trump repeated credit claims of halting tensions with Pakistan. 

Amid the chaos around Donald Trump's tariff imposed on India, former Indian diplomat Rakesh Sood said that the American president loves two things the most: tariffs and the Nobel Peace Prize. He hinted that Trump's moibe must be a prize India has to pay for not endorsing him for the peace prize, as done by Benjamin Netanyahu. Talking to the news agency ANI, Sood said, "There are two things that President Trump loves - One is tariffs, and the second is the Nobel Peace Prize, so he will do anything to get to the bottom of these two." The former diplomat said that Trump many a time claimed credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan during the Operation Sindoor, but India did not give any importance to his claims. "We've not given him comfort on the Nobel, so I guess we are facing the tariffs. We'll see how we deal with it," Sood said. Trump and his love for peace prize Trump has been repeatedly endorsed for the Nobel Prize. In 2024, he was endorsed by his party's leader, Buddy Carter, for his efforts in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Pakistan also nominated him for his alleged role in establishing peace between India and Pakistan during a cross-border crisis. Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been named a war criminal by the UN for his occupation in Gaza, nominated Trump for the peace prize. Trump himself has repeatedly expressed his keen interest in getting the recognition for which he often compared himself with former winners like former US president Barack Obama. Even on Friday (August 8), the White House again claimed "a ceasefire between India and Pakistan" among the list of US President Donald Trump's "Foreign Policy Victories."

Amid the chaos due to Donald Trump's tariff imposition on India, a former diplomat said that the American president loves two things most - tariffs and the Nobel Peace Prize. He hinted it was due to India not recognising Trump's repeated credit claims of halting tensions with Pakistan.&nbsp;

Trump LOVES two things most - tariff and Nobel Peace Prize. Ex-diplomat hints at why US imposed tariffs on India

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Trump loves two things most - tariff and Nobel Peace Prize