It is the same story every year. Once again, India's National Capital Region has been enveloped in toxic smog. Parts of Delhi have recorded AQI of 500. Who is at fault here? Is there a solution? Priyanka Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: India's National Capital Region enveloped in toxic smog

The 32nd International Maritime Boundary Line(IMBL) meeting between India and Sri Lanka witnessed the discussion of Maritime Security and the safety of Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait. The Palk Strait is a narrow strip of sea that connects Southern India with Sri Lanka.&nbsp;The meeting provided a forum for the Navies and Coast Guards from both sides to further enhance mutual cooperation and synergy in operations.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/isros-risat-2-satellite-bows-out-after-13-years-of-service-makes-atmospheric-re-entry-531294">Also read |&nbsp;ISRO's RISAT-2 satellite bows out after 13 years of service; makes atmospheric re-entry</a>

Held at sea, in the Bay of Bengal, the meeting was conducted on board the Sri Lankan Naval ship Sayura. It was co-chaired by RAdm S Venkat Raman, Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu &amp; Puducherry Naval area and RAdm TMAA Tennekoon, Commander of Northern Naval Area, Sri Lankan Navy.&nbsp;

The Indian delegation urged the Sri Lankan security agencies to show a more humane approach towards the Indian fishermen. Both delegations reiterated the need for expeditious information sharing, especially on issues that require immediate action.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/northeast-monsoon-rains-in-southern-india-15-ndrf-teams-on-standby-in-tamil-nadu-530242">Also read |&nbsp;Northeast monsoon rains in southern India: 15 NDRF teams on standby in Tamil Nadu</a>

The emphasis on the issue of Indian fishermen is noteworthy, given that the Sri Lankan Navy and Coast Guard have been arresting and seizing the boats of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, on allegations of transgressing into Lankan waters and poaching there. Given the proximate nature of the southern Tamil Nadu coast and the Northern Sri Lankan coast, there are differences in the perception of the International maritime boundary.&nbsp;

Though the waters are patrolled by both sides, Sri Lankan nationals cross over into India, via illegal ferries or fishing boats. This has been rampant since the time the worst-ever economic crisis struck Sri Lanka in March this year and several people decided to flee the country, due to the skyrocketing prices and inability to sustain their livelihoods.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The 32nd International Maritime Boundary Line(IMBL) meeting between India and Sri Lanka witnessed the discussion of Maritime Security and the safety of Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait.

The 32nd International Maritime Boundary Line(IMBL) meeting between India and Sri Lanka witnessed the discussion of Maritime Security and the safety of Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait. The Palk Strait is a narrow strip of sea that connects Southern India with Sri Lanka. The meeting provided a forum for the Navies and Coast Guards from both sides to further enhance mutual cooperation and synergy in operations. Also read | ISRO's RISAT-2 satellite bows out after 13 years of service; makes atmospheric re-entry Held at sea, in the Bay of Bengal, the meeting was conducted on board the Sri Lankan Naval ship Sayura. It was co-chaired by RAdm S Venkat Raman, Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval area and RAdm TMAA Tennekoon, Commander of Northern Naval Area, Sri Lankan Navy. The Indian delegation urged the Sri Lankan security agencies to show a more humane approach towards the Indian fishermen. Both delegations reiterated the need for expeditious information sharing, especially on issues that require immediate action. Also read | Northeast monsoon rains in southern India: 15 NDRF teams on standby in Tamil Nadu The emphasis on the issue of Indian fishermen is noteworthy, given that the Sri Lankan Navy and Coast Guard have been arresting and seizing the boats of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, on allegations of transgressing into Lankan waters and poaching there. Given the proximate nature of the southern Tamil Nadu coast and the Northern Sri Lankan coast, there are differences in the perception of the International maritime boundary. Though the waters are patrolled by both sides, Sri Lankan nationals cross over into India, via illegal ferries or fishing boats. This has been rampant since the time the worst-ever economic crisis struck Sri Lanka in March this year and several people decided to flee the country, due to the skyrocketing prices and inability to sustain their livelihoods. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'Be more humane towards our fishermen': India tells Sri Lanka

Usage of emerging technologies like cryptocurrency and crowdfunding by terrorist will be among the key focus areas at the 'No Money For Terror' ministerial conference that will be hosted by India later this month. The meet, which will take place in New Delhi from November 18-19 will be the third edition of the conference since 2018. The meeting in Delhi is being organised by India's ministry of home affairs.&nbsp;

The first such conference took place in Paris in 2018, followed by another iteration in Australia in 2019. The meet was due to take place in India in 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid pandemic due to restrictions on global travel.&nbsp;

While usage of cryptocurrency remains a worry, given its decentralised nature and lack of policing - focus on dark web by terrorists to seek transfer or crowdsource funds will be topping the agenda at the meet.&nbsp;

The meet will deliberate on the usage of formal and informal channels of funds for terrorism, current global trends in terrorism and terror financing and seek international cooperation to address challenges in combating terrorism financing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-envoy-emphasises-dialogue-as-russia-ukraine-conflict-looms-over-g20-bali-summit-531098">Read more:&nbsp;Indonesia envoy emphasises dialogue as Russia-Ukraine conflict looms over G20 Bali summit</a>

Sources pointed out that the conference in Delhi, "intends to include discussions on technical, legal, regulatory and cooperation aspects of all facets of terrorism financing and attempt to set the pace for similar high level official and political deliberations, focused on countering terror financing."

The conference also aims to strengthen the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) role in setting global standards. Sources explained that "more coordination is needed among states for international organisations to foster effective mechanism to combat terrorism financing."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-fatf-toothless-against-a-terror-state-352444">WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: The FATF: Toothless against a terror state?</a>

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It added that there is need for "better information sharing and cooperation among various stakeholders and, Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs)."

This is the second major conference under Indian leadership that will take place on dealing with the issue of counter-terrorism. Last month, India hosted the United Nations Security Council's counter-terror committee meeting.

This was the first time the committee met in India and only the seventh time that the meeting took place outside of New York. In December, under India's presidency of the security council, a meet on global counter-terror architecture will take place.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Usage of emerging technologies like cryptocurrency and crowdfunding by terrorist will be among the key focus areas at the 'No Money For Terror' ministerial conference that will be hosted by India later this month.

Usage of emerging technologies like cryptocurrency and crowdfunding by terrorist will be among the key focus areas at the 'No Money For Terror' ministerial conference that will be hosted by India later this month. The meet, which will take place in New Delhi from November 18-19 will be the third edition of the conference since 2018. The meeting in Delhi is being organised by India's ministry of home affairs. The first such conference took place in Paris in 2018, followed by another iteration in Australia in 2019. The meet was due to take place in India in 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid pandemic due to restrictions on global travel. While usage of cryptocurrency remains a worry, given its decentralised nature and lack of policing - focus on dark web by terrorists to seek transfer or crowdsource funds will be topping the agenda at the meet. The meet will deliberate on the usage of formal and informal channels of funds for terrorism, current global trends in terrorism and terror financing and seek international cooperation to address challenges in combating terrorism financing. Read more: Indonesia envoy emphasises dialogue as Russia-Ukraine conflict looms over G20 Bali summit Sources pointed out that the conference in Delhi, "intends to include discussions on technical, legal, regulatory and cooperation aspects of all facets of terrorism financing and attempt to set the pace for similar high level official and political deliberations, focused on countering terror financing." The conference also aims to strengthen the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) role in setting global standards. Sources explained that "more coordination is needed among states for international organisations to foster effective mechanism to combat terrorism financing." WATCH | Gravitas: The FATF: Toothless against a terror state? × It added that there is need for "better information sharing and cooperation among various stakeholders and, Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs)." This is the second major conference under Indian leadership that will take place on dealing with the issue of counter-terrorism. Last month, India hosted the United Nations Security Council's counter-terror committee meeting. This was the first time the committee met in India and only the seventh time that the meeting took place outside of New York. In December, under India's presidency of the security council, a meet on global counter-terror architecture will take place. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Usage of crypto by terrorists on the agenda at Delhi "No Money For Terror" meet

The T20 World Cup finally has its four semi-finalists – England, New Zealand, Pakistan and India. The semi-final fixtures will depend on who wins the final Group of 12 match between India and Zimbabwe. If India wins, they will face England and a loss will mean a meeting against New Zealand.

England, India and New Zealand all booked their spot in the final four of the tournament but it took a mammoth effort from Pakistan to script a brilliant comeback after a bad start. The Babar Azam-led side defeated Bangladesh in their final match to narrowly qualify for the knockout stages.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-thrash-bangladesh-by-five-wickets-to-miraculously-seal-semi-final-spot-in-t20-world-cup-2022-531590" hreflang="en">Pakistan thrash Bangladesh by five wickets to miraculously seal semi-final spot in T20 World Cup 2022</a>

Pakistan will have to wait for all the results to know their opponent in the semi-finals.

Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by five wickets on Sunday after they chased down a total of 128 with Mohammad Rizwan scoring 32 off 32 balls. Earlier, Shaheen Afridi took four wickets to restrict Bangladesh to a modest total despite Najmul Hossain Shanto slamming a half-century.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/almost-choked-sachin-tendulkar-takes-a-cheeky-dig-at-south-africa-as-they-get-knocked-out-from-t20-wc-531603" hreflang="en">Tendulkar takes a cheeky dig at SA as they get knocked out from T20 WC</a>

Despite losing to South Africa, India always looked well set to reach the next stage of the competition and it was also quite comfortable for England and New Zealand. However, with losses against India and Zimbabwe, Pakistan was almost eliminated from this year’s competition.

With the combinations and calculations looking quite negative for the side, Pakistan got a glimmer of hope as South Africa crashed out of the tournament after a shocking loss against Netherlands. The result meant that the Pakistan vs Bangladesh turned into a virtual knockout clash.

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The T20 World Cup finally has its four semi-finalists – England, New Zealand, Pakistan and India. The semi-final fixtures will depend on who wins the final Group of 12 match between India and Zimbabwe.

The T20 World Cup finally has its four semi-finalists – England, New Zealand, Pakistan and India. The semi-final fixtures will depend on who wins the final Group of 12 match between India and Zimbabwe. If India wins, they will face England and a loss will mean a meeting against New Zealand. England, India and New Zealand all booked their spot in the final four of the tournament but it took a mammoth effort from Pakistan to script a brilliant comeback after a bad start. The Babar Azam-led side defeated Bangladesh in their final match to narrowly qualify for the knockout stages. Also read | Pakistan thrash Bangladesh by five wickets to miraculously seal semi-final spot in T20 World Cup 2022 Pakistan will have to wait for all the results to know their opponent in the semi-finals. Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by five wickets on Sunday after they chased down a total of 128 with Mohammad Rizwan scoring 32 off 32 balls. Earlier, Shaheen Afridi took four wickets to restrict Bangladesh to a modest total despite Najmul Hossain Shanto slamming a half-century. Also read | Tendulkar takes a cheeky dig at SA as they get knocked out from T20 WC Despite losing to South Africa, India always looked well set to reach the next stage of the competition and it was also quite comfortable for England and New Zealand. However, with losses against India and Zimbabwe, Pakistan was almost eliminated from this year’s competition. With the combinations and calculations looking quite negative for the side, Pakistan got a glimmer of hope as South Africa crashed out of the tournament after a shocking loss against Netherlands. The result meant that the Pakistan vs Bangladesh turned into a virtual knockout clash.

T20 World Cup 2022:  Four semi-finalists confirmed as Pakistan beat Bangladesh

A Cinereous vulture is a giant bird found in parts of Asia and Europe, known to live in large groups and&nbsp;capable of high-altitude flight for very long distances. What if one such bird is forced to be lonely and confined to a cage, owing to circumstances. That was exactly the plight of a vulture that was found in India's southernmost district Kanyakumari, back in 2017. The bird was found in an injured condition at a time when the&nbsp;southern peninsular India was being battered by Cyclone 'Ockhi'. The then juvenile vulture is said to have lost its way and sustained injury, thus necessitating captive treatment.

Over the last five years, the bird has been under the care of the Udhayagiri Zoo and was being treated by the forest department officials of Tamil Nadu. With the bird having fully recuperated and understood to be capable of living in the wild, the officials led by Supriya Sahu, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment &amp; Forests, Tamil Nadu took measures to re-wild the bird, by taking steps to rehabilitate it to its natural ways.&nbsp;

Considering the requirements and existing natural habitats of the Cinereous vultures in India, it was chosen that the bird could be rehabilitated in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, nearly 2,600kms away from Kanyakumari. Jodhpur offered a unique advantage of supporting a considerable population of this species, given how the city had dumping grounds where cattle carcasses were disposed, thus offering food for scavengers. With the nod from the relevant authorities in Rajasthan, it was decided to transport the bird.&nbsp;

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This week, a lone Cinereous <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vulture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vulture</a> travelled 600kms by road from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kanyakumari?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kanyakumari</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> ,then <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jodhpur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jodhpur</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#delhi</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/airindiain?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@airindiain</a> 
 
After 5yrs of care in TN, vulture is being re-wilded in suitable habitat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rajasthan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rajasthan</a> 
 
Hats off <a href="https://twitter.com/supriyasahuias?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@supriyasahuias</a> &amp; team <a href="https://t.co/KExrOwws6B">pic.twitter.com/KExrOwws6B</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1588562294052909056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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However, moving by road or rail would have meant up to five days of travel and caused considerable stress to the bird. Hence, the bird was moved from Kanyakumari to Chennai via road, a distance of 600 kms. Thereafter, the bird was cared for at the zoo in Chennai and then taken on an Indian Airlines aircraft to Jodhpur, via Delhi. In all, the bird travelled a distance of 2,600 kms, this week, as part of the rehabilitation efforts.&nbsp;

In Jodhpur, the bird would be cared for at a local zoo and its acclimatization to the conditions there would be monitored closely. Very soon, the bird would be released into the wild and can join its feathered friends and family. As a matter of precaution and to study the efficacy of the re-wilding effort, forest officials would be tagging the bird to locate its whereabouts and keep a close watch on its health.&nbsp;

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A Cinereous vulture is a giant bird found in parts of Asia and Europe, known to live in large groups and capable of high-altitude flight for very long distances.

A Cinereous vulture is a giant bird found in parts of Asia and Europe, known to live in large groups and capable of high-altitude flight for very long distances. What if one such bird is forced to be lonely and confined to a cage, owing to circumstances. That was exactly the plight of a vulture that was found in India's southernmost district Kanyakumari, back in 2017. The bird was found in an injured condition at a time when the southern peninsular India was being battered by Cyclone 'Ockhi'. The then juvenile vulture is said to have lost its way and sustained injury, thus necessitating captive treatment. Over the last five years, the bird has been under the care of the Udhayagiri Zoo and was being treated by the forest department officials of Tamil Nadu. With the bird having fully recuperated and understood to be capable of living in the wild, the officials led by Supriya Sahu, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment & Forests, Tamil Nadu took measures to re-wild the bird, by taking steps to rehabilitate it to its natural ways. Considering the requirements and existing natural habitats of the Cinereous vultures in India, it was chosen that the bird could be rehabilitated in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, nearly 2,600kms away from Kanyakumari. Jodhpur offered a unique advantage of supporting a considerable population of this species, given how the city had dumping grounds where cattle carcasses were disposed, thus offering food for scavengers. With the nod from the relevant authorities in Rajasthan, it was decided to transport the bird. This week, a lone Cinereous #vulture travelled 600kms by road from #kanyakumari to #chennai in #TamilNadu ,then #chennai to #jodhpur via #delhi by @airindiain After 5yrs of care in TN, vulture is being re-wilded in suitable habitat #Rajasthan Hats off @supriyasahuias & team pic.twitter.com/KExrOwws6B — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) November 4, 2022 × However, moving by road or rail would have meant up to five days of travel and caused considerable stress to the bird. Hence, the bird was moved from Kanyakumari to Chennai via road, a distance of 600 kms. Thereafter, the bird was cared for at the zoo in Chennai and then taken on an Indian Airlines aircraft to Jodhpur, via Delhi. In all, the bird travelled a distance of 2,600 kms, this week, as part of the rehabilitation efforts. In Jodhpur, the bird would be cared for at a local zoo and its acclimatization to the conditions there would be monitored closely. Very soon, the bird would be released into the wild and can join its feathered friends and family. As a matter of precaution and to study the efficacy of the re-wilding effort, forest officials would be tagging the bird to locate its whereabouts and keep a close watch on its health. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: In a first, vulture rewilded after five years of captive care

Air pollution is amongst the most severe health crises of our time. According to the United Nations, it's responsible for seven million premature deaths every year.

WION Climate Tracker: India’s National capital Delhi records AQI level of over 400

Indonesia's Ambassador to India Ina Krisnamurthi has emphasized on "dialogue" as Russia-Ukraine conflict looms large over the G20 Bali summit due to take place later this month. The summit takes place from 15th to 16th November at the Nusa Dua Convention Center in the Bali, a well-known tourist destination nicknamed the "Island of the gods".

Indonesia's envoy Krisnamurthi speaks to WION on the G20 Bali summit | WION Exclusive

The air quality of the national capital of India is getting worse with each passing day. Air Quality Index (AQI) in the New Delhi and its nearby areas has reached above 600.

India's national capital records AQI level of over 600

India bridge collapse 130+ killed South Korean Halloween crush 150+ killed Indonesia Football stampede 135 killed 3 Asian countries rocked by 3 major man-made disasters within a month. What led to this? Who is responsible? Watch the Worst Crowd Disasters of 2022 on WION Wideangle.

WION Wideangle | 2022: Worst Crowd Disasters

The Kashmir Valley has been splashed with&nbsp;the colour red in the autumn season. It's a magical change that thousands of tourists from across India and the world come to witness. The chinar (maple) trees in Kashmir look as if they have been decorated&nbsp;with layers of colours. The visuals that tourists have seen only in Bollywood films.&nbsp;

The world-famous Mughal gardens of Kashmir have a red carpet spread of these chinar trees with the background of Zabarwan Hills. The Nishat garden, Shalimar Bagh, Naseem Bagh, and Chinar Bagh are seeing a huge&nbsp;rush of tourists enjoying these beautiful visuals and taking photos in these breathtakingly beautiful locations.&nbsp;

''I am loving it. I came specially for this, and I have seen this in 'Mohabbatein' movie. We wanted to experience it and we love it. Kashmir is so beautiful. It's amazing, especially the weather and I will say that everyone should come here. We always saw it in movies but finally&nbsp;got to see it in real life. We are taking pictures and videos and sharing it on social media so that more people should come here,'' said Pooja, a tourist from&nbsp;Chandigarh.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/live-imran-khan-injured-in-assassination-attempt-530873" hreflang="en">Imran Khan Attacked LIVE: Ex-Pak PM injured</a>

Some of the tourists had&nbsp;just read about&nbsp;autumn&nbsp;and never seen it. As the rest of India does not have four&nbsp;seasons like the Kashmir Valley.

''It's definitely beautiful and we had read in our schools about these Mughal gardens, a picture was formed in our heads of how it will be. I have visited the Pinjore&nbsp;Gardens in Chandigarh&nbsp;which is inspired by this, but it's nowhere comparable to this, this is so much beautiful. The calm and crisp air, and autumn is very beautiful,'' said Surbhi, a tourist from&nbsp;Delhi.&nbsp;

The government has also announced special festivals for the tourists coming to the Valley during the&nbsp;autumn&nbsp;season.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-over-90-votes-counted-netanyahu-on-course-to-become-israel-pm-530821" hreflang="en">With over 90% votes counted, Netanyahu on course to become Israel PM</a>

''This is just a superb experience. We have just seen these visuals in movies and to see this in reality is just awesome. I have been taking pictures and videos and I even went live to social media to show my friends how beautiful it is. People should come to Kashmir and witness the beauty of nature. It's just a beautiful place,'' said Mona, another&nbsp;tourist.&nbsp;

Autumn is one of the most favourite seasons for Bollywood filmmakers to shoot their movies in the valley, and that’s why there are over a dozen film crews shooting various projects in the valley these days.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The Kashmir Valley has been splashed with the colour red in the autumn season. It's a magical change that thousands of tourists from across India and the world come to witness.

The Kashmir Valley has been splashed with the colour red in the autumn season. It's a magical change that thousands of tourists from across India and the world come to witness. The chinar (maple) trees in Kashmir look as if they have been decorated with layers of colours. The visuals that tourists have seen only in Bollywood films. The world-famous Mughal gardens of Kashmir have a red carpet spread of these chinar trees with the background of Zabarwan Hills. The Nishat garden, Shalimar Bagh, Naseem Bagh, and Chinar Bagh are seeing a huge rush of tourists enjoying these beautiful visuals and taking photos in these breathtakingly beautiful locations. ''I am loving it. I came specially for this, and I have seen this in 'Mohabbatein' movie. We wanted to experience it and we love it. Kashmir is so beautiful. It's amazing, especially the weather and I will say that everyone should come here. We always saw it in movies but finally got to see it in real life. We are taking pictures and videos and sharing it on social media so that more people should come here,'' said Pooja, a tourist from Chandigarh. Also read | Imran Khan Attacked LIVE: Ex-Pak PM injured Some of the tourists had just read about autumn and never seen it. As the rest of India does not have four seasons like the Kashmir Valley. ''It's definitely beautiful and we had read in our schools about these Mughal gardens, a picture was formed in our heads of how it will be. I have visited the Pinjore Gardens in Chandigarh which is inspired by this, but it's nowhere comparable to this, this is so much beautiful. The calm and crisp air, and autumn is very beautiful,'' said Surbhi, a tourist from Delhi. The government has also announced special festivals for the tourists coming to the Valley during the autumn season. Also read | With over 90% votes counted, Netanyahu on course to become Israel PM ''This is just a superb experience. We have just seen these visuals in movies and to see this in reality is just awesome. I have been taking pictures and videos and I even went live to social media to show my friends how beautiful it is. People should come to Kashmir and witness the beauty of nature. It's just a beautiful place,'' said Mona, another tourist. Autumn is one of the most favourite seasons for Bollywood filmmakers to shoot their movies in the valley, and that’s why there are over a dozen film crews shooting various projects in the valley these days.

India: Tourists arriving in thousands to witness the fall in Kashmir valley

The rescue operation for the Morbi cable bridge collapse in Gujarat is still underway as the officials are yet to retrieve two bodies of the missing since the incident occurred on October 31.

So far, 134 have been declared dead even as instances of loopholes and mismanagement on the part of the company that repaired the 150-year-old bridge have come to the fore.

The last body was found on Monday, and since then, rescue teams have been scrambling to find the missing ones in the Machchu river. At least 40 boats have been pressed into service and a specialised machine to remove the hyacinth weeds from the dirty water has been dispatched, yet their efforts did not yield any result.

As rescue officials face the mammoth task to locate the missing, they are now looking to drain large volumes of water from the 10-kilometre stretch of the river.

Watch |&nbsp;India: CCTV footage captures the moment Gujarat bridge collapsed

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According to the Hindustan Times newspaper, Gujarat’s irrigation department has set up two large pumps on the bank of the river to remove water. In the last 48 hours, at least 700,000 litres of water have been drained.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/node/530540" hreflang="en">Morbi bridge collapse ‘will of God’, says arrested manager of Oreva company</a>

“We have deployed two pumps of 50 horsepower each. They are pumping out around 12,000 litres of water every minute,” Hindustan Times quoted Prasanna Kumar, the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) commandant overseeing the search operations as saying.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/node/530153" hreflang="en">Morbi toll rises to 135, hospital renovation ahead of PM's visit invites ire</a>

The rescue mission takes inspiration from the 2018 Thailand cave rescue operation where hundreds of thousands of litres were removed from the cave and surrounding hills every hour to save the 12 trapped children and their soccer coach.

That operation had also spawned a film '13 Lives', and a mini-series, 'Thai Cave Rescue'.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The rescue operation for the Morbi cable bridge collapse in Gujarat is still underway as the officials are yet to retrieve two bodies of the missing since the incident occurred on October 31.

The rescue operation for the Morbi cable bridge collapse in Gujarat is still underway as the officials are yet to retrieve two bodies of the missing since the incident occurred on October 31. So far, 134 have been declared dead even as instances of loopholes and mismanagement on the part of the company that repaired the 150-year-old bridge have come to the fore. The last body was found on Monday, and since then, rescue teams have been scrambling to find the missing ones in the Machchu river. At least 40 boats have been pressed into service and a specialised machine to remove the hyacinth weeds from the dirty water has been dispatched, yet their efforts did not yield any result. As rescue officials face the mammoth task to locate the missing, they are now looking to drain large volumes of water from the 10-kilometre stretch of the river. Watch | India: CCTV footage captures the moment Gujarat bridge collapsed According to the Hindustan Times newspaper, Gujarat’s irrigation department has set up two large pumps on the bank of the river to remove water. In the last 48 hours, at least 700,000 litres of water have been drained. Also read | Morbi bridge collapse ‘will of God’, says arrested manager of Oreva company “We have deployed two pumps of 50 horsepower each. They are pumping out around 12,000 litres of water every minute,” Hindustan Times quoted Prasanna Kumar, the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) commandant overseeing the search operations as saying. Also read | Morbi toll rises to 135, hospital renovation ahead of PM's visit invites ire The rescue mission takes inspiration from the 2018 Thailand cave rescue operation where hundreds of thousands of litres were removed from the cave and surrounding hills every hour to save the 12 trapped children and their soccer coach. That operation had also spawned a film '13 Lives', and a mini-series, 'Thai Cave Rescue'. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Morbi bridge collapse: Inspired by Thailand cave rescue ops, officials drain river to find missing bodies

The United Kingdom saw a third prime minister in just seven weeks. But why was India celebrating? Rishi Sunak is the first Indian-origin prime minister to sit in the 10 downing, but is New Delhi's jubilation misplaced? Mariam Wardak finds out.

South Asia Diary: Why is India celebrating Rishi Sunak's win?

The air corridor between India and Afghanistan has been reopened and the trade between the countries would resume, officials in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Kabul said, according to Bakhtar News Agency.

The trade between Kabul and New Delhi was halted after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year.

Afghanistan’s commerce ministry spokesperson Abdul Salam Jaweed said India and Afghanistan signed a trade agreement on Monday.

India has been a major importer of Afghani saffron, dry fruits, and asafoetida plant. The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) hoped that trade of these goods would be conducted through the air corridor.

The resumption of the air corridor was welcomed by Afghan traders who are hopeful that India would be a good market for its products.

“We need to export some of the commodities via the air corridor. However, we currently export pine nuts to India and UAE through an air corridor,” The Tolo news quoted Mohammad Younus Momand, head of the ACCI, as saying.

Watch |&nbsp;UN condemns a year-long Taliban ban on Afghan girls' education

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Another trader Mahbobullah Mohammadi opined, “Over the past several years, it has been proven that India has been the major market for Afghan products, particularly dry fruits.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghans-hate-pakistaniswill-make-islamabad-second-capital-taliban-official-warns-in-video-524007">‘Afghans hate Pakistanis…will make Islamabad second capital’: Taliban official warns in video</a>

Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi told Bakhtar News Agency that Afghanistan is looking to sell wheat to India.

The export of Afghan goods to India has increased exponentially this year, compared to the preceding year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-offers-the-taliban-a-warm-welcome-while-urging-peace-talks-401278">China offers the Taliban a warm welcome while urging peace talks</a>

According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, 30,000 tonnes of handicrafts have been exported from Afghanistan to India in 2022.

Though India has not officially recognised the Taliban to be the legitimate ruler of Afghanistan, it has been helping the crisis-hit country by sending aid like vaccines, food and medicines.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The air corridor between India and Afghanistan has been reopened and the trade between the countries would resume, officials in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Kabul said, according to Bakhtar News Agency.

The air corridor between India and Afghanistan has been reopened and the trade between the countries would resume, officials in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Kabul said, according to Bakhtar News Agency. The trade between Kabul and New Delhi was halted after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year. Afghanistan’s commerce ministry spokesperson Abdul Salam Jaweed said India and Afghanistan signed a trade agreement on Monday. India has been a major importer of Afghani saffron, dry fruits, and asafoetida plant. The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) hoped that trade of these goods would be conducted through the air corridor. The resumption of the air corridor was welcomed by Afghan traders who are hopeful that India would be a good market for its products. “We need to export some of the commodities via the air corridor. However, we currently export pine nuts to India and UAE through an air corridor,” The Tolo news quoted Mohammad Younus Momand, head of the ACCI, as saying. Watch | UN condemns a year-long Taliban ban on Afghan girls' education Another trader Mahbobullah Mohammadi opined, “Over the past several years, it has been proven that India has been the major market for Afghan products, particularly dry fruits.” Also read | ‘Afghans hate Pakistanis…will make Islamabad second capital’: Taliban official warns in video Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi told Bakhtar News Agency that Afghanistan is looking to sell wheat to India. The export of Afghan goods to India has increased exponentially this year, compared to the preceding year. Also read | China offers the Taliban a warm welcome while urging peace talks According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, 30,000 tonnes of handicrafts have been exported from Afghanistan to India in 2022. Though India has not officially recognised the Taliban to be the legitimate ruler of Afghanistan, it has been helping the crisis-hit country by sending aid like vaccines, food and medicines. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India, Afghanistan ink deal to reopen air corridor: Reports

Virat Kohli remained unbeaten as his remarkable knock helped India guide to a five-run win over Bangladesh in the Super-12 stage of the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

IND vs BAN: "I am in a happy place"- Virat Kohli's reaction after winning player of the match award

In Srinagar, the Jammu and Kashmir government opened an international-caliber football stadium as a present to the valley. The stadium was built in accordance with FIFA standards.

India: Jammu and Kashmir opens new stadiums to promote sports activities

'What others see as layoff, I see as time off'. This was Byju's CEO's message to sacked employees in an 'emotional' farewell note. The company plans to fire 2,500 employees in the next 6 months. Why? What went wrong for India's biggest ed-tech company? Priyanka Sharma explains.

Gravitas: Why is India's biggest ed-tech company on a firing spree?

Earlier this month, the Government of India declared a village in the Western state of Gujarat as the first village to run entirely on solar energy all the time.

WION Climate Summit: India's first fully solar-powered village 'transforming' residents' lives

India experienced extreme weather events between January and September this year which claimed 2,755 human lives and 69,000 animals across the country.&nbsp;

A latest report by India's environment think tank Centre for Science and Environment said that the "worse is happening now" with each month experiencing extreme weather days be it heatwaves, coldwaves, heavy rainfall, flooding, lightning, storms, cyclones, cloudburst and snowfall in different regions in the country through various seasons.&nbsp;

According to the report titled ' The State of Extreme Weather 2022', which analyzed extreme weather events in India in its first 273 days this year, more than 400,000 houses and 1.8 million hectares of cropland was damaged by weather disasters.&nbsp;

During a webinar ahead of the international climate conference COP 27 scheduled to begin on November 7 in Egypt, CSE Director General Sunita Narain said the extreme weather disasters were the "revenge of nature" and an impact of climate change.&nbsp;

Presenting the report, its authors Rajit Sengupta and Kiran Pandey said that on 241 out of the 273 days in 2022, India experienced extreme weather events.&nbsp;

While on 159 days the country saw lightning and storms, there was heavy rainfall, floods and landslides on 157 days, heatwaves on 66 days, coldwaves on 30 days, cloudburst on 11 days and snowfall on two days.

These events also claimed several lives.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/northeast-monsoon-rains-in-southern-india-15-ndrf-teams-on-standby-in-tamil-nadu-530242">Northeast monsoon rains in southern India: 15 NDRF teams on standby in Tamil Nadu</a>

Around 1214 human lives were claimed by heavy rain, floods and landslides between June and September with north-eastern state of Assam being hit the worst with 221 deaths followed by central India's Madhya Pradesh with 112 deaths.&nbsp;

Nearly 954 people were killed due to lightning and storm between July and September with Madhya Pradesh recording maximum deaths at 164 followed by Maharashtra at 94.&nbsp;

The report said that India recorded 66 days of heatwaves which claimed 45 lives with the early onset in March until July. The western state of Rajasthan was worst hit by heatwaves which lasted 42 days followed by Maharashtra with 24 days of heatwaves and 34 deaths. Rajasthan did not record any death due to heatwave, the report said.&nbsp;

The country also experienced cold waves or cold days for 30 days with 22 days in January and eight days in February in two states and Union Territories. While Madhya Pradesh had 21 days of cold waves, it lasted for 20 days in Uttar Pradesh. No lives were claimed.&nbsp;

The 11 days of cloudburst killed 33 people in four states with maximum deaths in Himachal Pradesh at 12.&nbsp;

Two places - Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh experienced snowfall which lasted two days in the entire 273 days and claimed a total of eight lives. While one person died in Jammu and Kashmir, seven deaths were recorded in Arunachal Pradesh.&nbsp;

"While January saw cooler daytime temperatures, February remained almost half a degree colder than normal, resulting in 30 cold wave days and 12 hailstorm days. January was also abnormally wet. It was the seventh wettest since 1901 while February was drier than normal," said Kiran Pandey, Programme Director, Environment Resource Unit, CSE.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Should you retire early?&nbsp;

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The report also revealed that the months of March and April were unusually hot and led to the early onset of heatwaves with March being the warmest ever and the third driest in 121 years.&nbsp;

The experts noted that the monsoon season oscillated between dry and wet spells. It began in June with catastrophic floods in northeast India, especially Assam and Meghalaya.&nbsp;

"There was a dry spell in July and August in the northeast. However, the western part of the country suffered floods in July and flood-like conditions were caused in August in states of Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh," Pandey said.&nbsp;

Experts said that climate change is here and happening now and these extreme weather events are a result of the warming of planet. 
India will be addressing the 27th climate conference in Sharm El Sheikh on November 7 with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav leading an 18-member delegation.&nbsp;

According to the Indian government, the main agenda of the COP27 will be the failure of wealthy countries to keep the $100 billion pledge to aid the developing nations in dealing with the climate crisis to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees C.&nbsp;

The conference will be held from November 7 to 18 at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.

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India experienced extreme weather events between January and September this year which claimed 2,755 human lives and 69,000 animals across the country. A latest report by India's environment think tank Centre for Science and Environment said that the "worse is happening now" with each month experiencing extreme weather days be it heatwaves, coldwaves, heavy rainfall, flooding, lightning, storms, cyclones, cloudburst and snowfall in different regions in the country through various seasons.

India experienced extreme weather events between January and September this year which claimed 2,755 human lives and 69,000 animals across the country. A latest report by India's environment think tank Centre for Science and Environment said that the "worse is happening now" with each month experiencing extreme weather days be it heatwaves, coldwaves, heavy rainfall, flooding, lightning, storms, cyclones, cloudburst and snowfall in different regions in the country through various seasons. According to the report titled ' The State of Extreme Weather 2022', which analyzed extreme weather events in India in its first 273 days this year, more than 400,000 houses and 1.8 million hectares of cropland was damaged by weather disasters. During a webinar ahead of the international climate conference COP 27 scheduled to begin on November 7 in Egypt, CSE Director General Sunita Narain said the extreme weather disasters were the "revenge of nature" and an impact of climate change. Presenting the report, its authors Rajit Sengupta and Kiran Pandey said that on 241 out of the 273 days in 2022, India experienced extreme weather events. While on 159 days the country saw lightning and storms, there was heavy rainfall, floods and landslides on 157 days, heatwaves on 66 days, coldwaves on 30 days, cloudburst on 11 days and snowfall on two days. These events also claimed several lives. ALSO READ | Northeast monsoon rains in southern India: 15 NDRF teams on standby in Tamil Nadu Around 1214 human lives were claimed by heavy rain, floods and landslides between June and September with north-eastern state of Assam being hit the worst with 221 deaths followed by central India's Madhya Pradesh with 112 deaths. Nearly 954 people were killed due to lightning and storm between July and September with Madhya Pradesh recording maximum deaths at 164 followed by Maharashtra at 94. The report said that India recorded 66 days of heatwaves which claimed 45 lives with the early onset in March until July. The western state of Rajasthan was worst hit by heatwaves which lasted 42 days followed by Maharashtra with 24 days of heatwaves and 34 deaths. Rajasthan did not record any death due to heatwave, the report said. The country also experienced cold waves or cold days for 30 days with 22 days in January and eight days in February in two states and Union Territories. While Madhya Pradesh had 21 days of cold waves, it lasted for 20 days in Uttar Pradesh. No lives were claimed. The 11 days of cloudburst killed 33 people in four states with maximum deaths in Himachal Pradesh at 12. Two places - Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh experienced snowfall which lasted two days in the entire 273 days and claimed a total of eight lives. While one person died in Jammu and Kashmir, seven deaths were recorded in Arunachal Pradesh. "While January saw cooler daytime temperatures, February remained almost half a degree colder than normal, resulting in 30 cold wave days and 12 hailstorm days. January was also abnormally wet. It was the seventh wettest since 1901 while February was drier than normal," said Kiran Pandey, Programme Director, Environment Resource Unit, CSE. WATCH | Gravitas: Should you retire early? × The report also revealed that the months of March and April were unusually hot and led to the early onset of heatwaves with March being the warmest ever and the third driest in 121 years. The experts noted that the monsoon season oscillated between dry and wet spells. It began in June with catastrophic floods in northeast India, especially Assam and Meghalaya. "There was a dry spell in July and August in the northeast. However, the western part of the country suffered floods in July and flood-like conditions were caused in August in states of Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh," Pandey said. Experts said that climate change is here and happening now and these extreme weather events are a result of the warming of planet. India will be addressing the 27th climate conference in Sharm El Sheikh on November 7 with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav leading an 18-member delegation. According to the Indian government, the main agenda of the COP27 will be the failure of wealthy countries to keep the $100 billion pledge to aid the developing nations in dealing with the climate crisis to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees C. The conference will be held from November 7 to 18 at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India saw extreme weather disasters on 241 of 273 days of 2022, claiming 2577 lives

Deepening its scrutiny of Chinese firms in the country, India has now launched an investigation into the MG Motors accounts. Now the probe by India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs started after analysis of the company's financial statements.

India probes MG Motor over financial irregularities, scrutiny indicates suspicious transactions

After appearing in Singapore for the first time, the Omicron sub-lineage XBB of COVID-19 has found its way to the Indian public. The virus strain is known for its highly contagious nature but an expert panel has observed that Indian patients have reported mild illness and no increase in severity, even after contracting it.

After appearing in Singapore for the first time, the Omicron sub-lineage XBB of COVID-19 has found its way to the Indian public. The virus strain is known for its highly contagious nature but an expert panel has observed that Indian patients have reported mild illness and no increase in severity, even after contracting it. INSACOG, or Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics, a group of 54 laboratories across the country that monitor the different iterations of the virus made the observations. “Modest increase in the spread of XBB in Singapore has been observed. However, there has been no report of increase in severity of disease or increase in hospitalization associated with these variants," read the report. "Among the Indian patients, the disease is mild like with other Omicron sub-lineages, and no increase in severity is noted,” it added. While the severity might be low, the body said that nearly 50 per cent of te samples sequenced in the past couple of weeks tested positive for it. As reported by WION, the XBB variant was first reported in Singapore and is expected to become the next dominant strain of Covid. Health experts are hopeful that the population’s level of hybrid immunity will not lead to severe illnesses. Up until mid-October, over 60 per cent of the new cases in Singapore were attributed to the XBB variant. Read more: XBB, BA.5, BQ.1.1 & more: The 'Scrabble' COVID-19 variants taking over the world The new Omicron strains such as XBB, BA.5 and BQ.1.1are also known as "Scrabble" variants, a term coined by Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital. The nickname refers to the alphabets B, Q and X that fetch a whole lot of points in the game. WATCH | Workers flee manufacturing facility in China to avoid tightening covid-19 curbs × Experts say that XBB has been found to evade vaccine-derived protections in a research. However, vaccination can keep severe symptoms at bay. In fact, as it becomes colder outside, more variants are likely to emerge. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

What are the experts saying about the highly transmissible XBB Covid variant?

Democracy is our dharma, and elections are its festival. Indeed, who here has not witnessed the beauty of the “Indian election season”.&nbsp;Politicians burst like crackers on prime-time television debates&nbsp; Streets and Newspapers are filled with colourful campaigns and party symbols. While the typical election campaign is commanded by the experienced and shrewd 'Netas' (politicians)&nbsp;with their inexperienced yet enthusiastic and young 'Karyakartas' (workers). The introduction of political consultancy firms might just shift the epicentre of Indian politics to corporate offices and IIT/IIM graduates.&nbsp;This is the corporatisation and professionalisation of democracy and elections.&nbsp;

Political Consultancy firms are organisations that assist political parties to win elections. These political consultancy firms offer various kinds of services which can include creating manifestos, promotional materials, campaign strategies, election funding policy ideas and media relations.&nbsp;

This phenomenon came to limelight in the aftermath of the 2014 elections. A key figure being Prashant Kishore, the founder of IPAC. Since then,&nbsp;such firms have played a huge role in elections in West Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab and others.&nbsp;

These political consultancy firms and election strategists claim to be politically uninterested, and ideologically ambiguous. Their only incentive is earning money in return for their service. You ask them, Modi or Gandhi? And they will reply, the one who pays me more. That is the corporate ethos seeping into our democratic culture.&nbsp;

So let us understand how democracy is being sabotaged&nbsp;by looking at three factors:&nbsp;money, traditional party structures and the rising influence of such firms.

The role of money has always been a controversial issue in Indian politics. The rise of political consulting firms will only make the situation worse. These professionals charge several lakhs for their services. Individual candidates can be charged up to an average&nbsp;of $30,000-$36,000 (Rs 25-30 lakhs). Whereas contracts with huge firms can go up to $18 million (Rs 150 crores). 

Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) estimated that this industry racked up to $96 million (Rs 800 crores) during the 2014 elections. The exaggeration of money's role in elections due to such firms can not be overstated. 

This means that the rich and elite, especially the spawns of corporate overlords and political dynasties, can pay such political consulting firms money to make up for their lack of experience and grasp of ground realities. Whereas those from humble backgrounds without access to such services will not stand a chance. Without a heavy profit margin, there will be no incentive to back a candidate.

Moreover, corporatisation and professionalisation are destroying the traditional structure of political parties. This usually consists of the upper order and the lower grassroot workers. 

Local units are usually responsible for campaigning, rallies and execution of plans. The local cadres have constantly provided India with her most diverse and charismatic leaders such as Lal Bahadur Shastri and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. 

They are a symbol of her representative democracy. However, today, the corporate machinery is replacing them and hence most local units view such firms as hostile.

A third problematic factor is the emergence of a strong lobby of political strategists who carry immense and unchecked influence. They influence government policies and&nbsp;have insight into what is going on in high-level meetings. They have essentially monopolised the connection between parties and people. 

They have the power to make or break elections and yet they lack any accountability or transparency. Party leaders and CM candidates have merely been reduced to the ‘face’ of the party, while allegations have emerged that the true authority rests with the election strategists.&nbsp;

Contrary to their claims of being uninterested in power, reports have emerged that various political consultancy firms are supposedly the ones deciding who is allowed to contest in elections.&nbsp;The supposedly uninterested assistants have become&nbsp;key figures in political parties' internal conflicts.&nbsp;

Though the prospect of using technology, data and recruiting firms to understand and change the political climate of India might sound exciting, the reliance on such firms will not have a healthy impact on Indian democracy. 

Such firms are like steroids; they may give a strong boost in the short run but will prove to be detrimental in the long term. The need of the hour is regulation and oversight. 

Though the law limits the amount of money that can be used by candidates during elections, the effectiveness and enforcement of such laws remain to be seen.The Election Commission needs to take&nbsp;cognisance of this pernicious trend and come up with possible solutions for the same.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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Democracy is our dharma, and elections are its festival. Indeed, who here has not witnessed the beauty of the “Indian election season”. Politicians burst like crackers on prime-time television debates Streets and Newspapers are filled with colourful campaigns and party symbols.

Democracy is our dharma, and elections are its festival. Indeed, who here has not witnessed the beauty of the “Indian election season”. Politicians burst like crackers on prime-time television debates Streets and Newspapers are filled with colourful campaigns and party symbols. While the typical election campaign is commanded by the experienced and shrewd 'Netas' (politicians) with their inexperienced yet enthusiastic and young 'Karyakartas' (workers). The introduction of political consultancy firms might just shift the epicentre of Indian politics to corporate offices and IIT/IIM graduates. This is the corporatisation and professionalisation of democracy and elections. Political Consultancy firms are organisations that assist political parties to win elections. These political consultancy firms offer various kinds of services which can include creating manifestos, promotional materials, campaign strategies, election funding policy ideas and media relations. This phenomenon came to limelight in the aftermath of the 2014 elections. A key figure being Prashant Kishore, the founder of IPAC. Since then, such firms have played a huge role in elections in West Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab and others. These political consultancy firms and election strategists claim to be politically uninterested, and ideologically ambiguous. Their only incentive is earning money in return for their service. You ask them, Modi or Gandhi? And they will reply, the one who pays me more. That is the corporate ethos seeping into our democratic culture. So let us understand how democracy is being sabotaged by looking at three factors: money, traditional party structures and the rising influence of such firms. The role of money has always been a controversial issue in Indian politics. The rise of political consulting firms will only make the situation worse. These professionals charge several lakhs for their services. Individual candidates can be charged up to an average of $30,000-$36,000 (Rs 25-30 lakhs). Whereas contracts with huge firms can go up to $18 million (Rs 150 crores). Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) estimated that this industry racked up to $96 million (Rs 800 crores) during the 2014 elections. The exaggeration of money's role in elections due to such firms can not be overstated. This means that the rich and elite, especially the spawns of corporate overlords and political dynasties, can pay such political consulting firms money to make up for their lack of experience and grasp of ground realities. Whereas those from humble backgrounds without access to such services will not stand a chance. Without a heavy profit margin, there will be no incentive to back a candidate. Moreover, corporatisation and professionalisation are destroying the traditional structure of political parties. This usually consists of the upper order and the lower grassroot workers. Local units are usually responsible for campaigning, rallies and execution of plans. The local cadres have constantly provided India with her most diverse and charismatic leaders such as Lal Bahadur Shastri and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. They are a symbol of her representative democracy. However, today, the corporate machinery is replacing them and hence most local units view such firms as hostile. A third problematic factor is the emergence of a strong lobby of political strategists who carry immense and unchecked influence. They influence government policies and have insight into what is going on in high-level meetings. They have essentially monopolised the connection between parties and people. They have the power to make or break elections and yet they lack any accountability or transparency. Party leaders and CM candidates have merely been reduced to the ‘face’ of the party, while allegations have emerged that the true authority rests with the election strategists. Contrary to their claims of being uninterested in power, reports have emerged that various political consultancy firms are supposedly the ones deciding who is allowed to contest in elections. The supposedly uninterested assistants have become key figures in political parties' internal conflicts. Though the prospect of using technology, data and recruiting firms to understand and change the political climate of India might sound exciting, the reliance on such firms will not have a healthy impact on Indian democracy. Such firms are like steroids; they may give a strong boost in the short run but will prove to be detrimental in the long term. The need of the hour is regulation and oversight. Though the law limits the amount of money that can be used by candidates during elections, the effectiveness and enforcement of such laws remain to be seen.The Election Commission needs to take cognisance of this pernicious trend and come up with possible solutions for the same. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Rise of political consultancy firms revolutionising or undermining democracy?

Dr Jamshed J Irani, also known as the Steel Man of India, passed away at the age of 86 in Jamshedpur Monday night.

'Steel man of India' Jamshed Irani dies at 86

At least 134 people were killed and over 100 injured after a hanging bridge collapse in the western state of Gujarat. According to authorities over 500 people were celebrating a festival near the bridge at the time of the incident.

India: CCTV footage captures the moment Gujarat bridge collapsed

India's No.2 telecom carrier by subscribers Bharti Airtel reported a bigger-than-expected increase in second-quarter revenue on Monday, helped by 4G subscriber additions and higher revenue per user.

The company's consolidated revenue from operations rose nearly 22 per cent&nbsp;year-over-year to 345.27 billion Indian rupees ($4.17 billion) in the three months that ended September 30.

Analysts, on average, were expecting revenue of 339.21 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

Airtel, as the company is popularly called, said revenue from its India mobile services, which has 328 million subscribers, rose nearly 25 per cent&nbsp;to 189.58 billion rupees.

Its 4G data customers increased by five&nbsp;million from the previous quarter to 210 million in the latest quarter.

Airtel's average revenue per user (ARPU), a key performance indicator for telecom firms, was 190 rupees, clocking a 3.8 per cent&nbsp;sequential rise and a roughly 24 per cent&nbsp;year-on-year increase.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-government-pressing-mobile-manufacturers-to-release-5g-updates-524464">Read more:&nbsp;Indian government pressing mobile manufacturers to release 5G updates</a>

Earlier this month, market leader Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of conglomerate Reliance Industries said its ARPU rose just under one per cent&nbsp;sequentially to 177.2 rupees in the quarter.

Airtel's net profit for the September quarter climbed to 21.45 billion rupees from 11.34 billion rupees a year ago, but missed analysts' estimates of 24.67 billion rupees. Its expenses surged by 16.7 per cent&nbsp;in the quarter.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-business-news-watch-out-for-5g-scams-in-india-526329">WATCH |&nbsp;WION Business News | Watch out for 5G scams in India</a>

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The New Delhi-based company said mobile data consumption surged by 19.6 per cent, with consumption per mobile data customer at 20.3 GB per month.

Analysts expect telecom firms to announce tariff hikes by the end of fiscal 2023, having spent billions of dollars in the country's recent 5G auction. Airtel spent 430.84 billion rupees and launched its 5G services earlier this month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-regulator-greenlits-govts-proposal-to-convert-vodafone-ideas-192-billion-dues-to-equity-527206">Read more:&nbsp;Indian regulator greenlights govt proposal to convert Vodafone Idea's $1.92 billion dues into equity</a>

ARPU needs to be at 200 rupees and ultimately at 300 rupees for a financially healthy business model, Airtel said last November, when it raised tariffs. The stock hit a record high of 833.80 rupees earlier in the day and has risen nearly 22 per cent&nbsp;this year through Monday's close.

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India's No.2 telecom carrier by subscribers Bharti Airtel reported a bigger-than-expected increase in second-quarter revenue on Monday, helped by 4G subscriber additions and higher revenue per user.

India's No.2 telecom carrier by subscribers Bharti Airtel reported a bigger-than-expected increase in second-quarter revenue on Monday, helped by 4G subscriber additions and higher revenue per user. The company's consolidated revenue from operations rose nearly 22 per cent year-over-year to 345.27 billion Indian rupees ($4.17 billion) in the three months that ended September 30. Analysts, on average, were expecting revenue of 339.21 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Airtel, as the company is popularly called, said revenue from its India mobile services, which has 328 million subscribers, rose nearly 25 per cent to 189.58 billion rupees. Its 4G data customers increased by five million from the previous quarter to 210 million in the latest quarter. Airtel's average revenue per user (ARPU), a key performance indicator for telecom firms, was 190 rupees, clocking a 3.8 per cent sequential rise and a roughly 24 per cent year-on-year increase. Read more: Indian government pressing mobile manufacturers to release 5G updates Earlier this month, market leader Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of conglomerate Reliance Industries said its ARPU rose just under one per cent sequentially to 177.2 rupees in the quarter. Airtel's net profit for the September quarter climbed to 21.45 billion rupees from 11.34 billion rupees a year ago, but missed analysts' estimates of 24.67 billion rupees. Its expenses surged by 16.7 per cent in the quarter. WATCH | WION Business News | Watch out for 5G scams in India × The New Delhi-based company said mobile data consumption surged by 19.6 per cent, with consumption per mobile data customer at 20.3 GB per month. Analysts expect telecom firms to announce tariff hikes by the end of fiscal 2023, having spent billions of dollars in the country's recent 5G auction. Airtel spent 430.84 billion rupees and launched its 5G services earlier this month. Read more: Indian regulator greenlights govt proposal to convert Vodafone Idea's $1.92 billion dues into equity ARPU needs to be at 200 rupees and ultimately at 300 rupees for a financially healthy business model, Airtel said last November, when it raised tariffs. The stock hit a record high of 833.80 rupees earlier in the day and has risen nearly 22 per cent this year through Monday's close. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India's second largest telco Bharti Airtel posts strong Q2 numbers as users increase

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