As appellate tribunals in West Bengal disclose that over 82,782 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) appeals have been disposed of so far—with a striking 91% resulting in names being re-added to the electoral rolls—fresh questions are mounting over the massive backlog of millions of pending cases.


West Bengal: Over 82 thousand S.I.R. appeals disposed of so far

A new study has shown how snake bites disproportionately affect countries like India and how it is a significant cause of mortality. According to researchers, an estimated 1.3 million persons in India are bitten by snakes annually.


India emerges as snake attack capital of world with 1.3 million annual cases, study reveals

India's food safety landscape is undergoing a massive, high-stakes overhaul as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bodies intensify a nationwide enforcement crackdown.


Food safety crackdown intensifies in India, big facilities under FDA lens

The Indian football team will face 2026 World Cup participants Panama on September 26 ahead of their highly-anticipated friendly against Brazil.

India to face Panama ahead of Brazil friendly

India is rapidly expanding its surveillance architecture with a combination of 52 planned satellites, advanced drones, border sensors and integrated command networks. The effort aims to provide persistent monitoring across land, sea, air and space domains. Lessons from recent conflicts have highlighted the growing importance of real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). By linking satellites, drones and battlefield sensors into a common network, India hopes to improve threat detection, target tracking and military decision-making while strengthening border security and maritime awareness.


The new surveillance war: 52 satellites to boost India's eyes in orbit 

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cracked down hard on the booming quick-commerce sector, suspending the food licenses and issuing notices to restaurants in Mumbai. Watch the full video to know more on this.


Maharashtra FDA crackdown: 31 notices served after inspection at 37 sites, 4 licences cancelled

Fresh questions have emerged over the August 15 forest shootout in Karnataka's Hanur region that killed three Tamils, after postmortem reports revealed two victims were shot from close range, contradicting the forest department's version of events. The autopsy found multiple shotgun injuries to the chest and abdomen, with one victim, Sebastian David Kumar, sustaining two shotgun entry wounds. Karnataka Police have now ordered a CID probe, even as Tamil Nadu leaders demand a full CBI investigation into the killings.


Karnataka forest encounter: Autopsy report sparks new questions over shootout

Student union elections are set to make a historic comeback to Karnataka’s college campuses after a massive 37-year ban. Originally halted in 1989 by the then-Congress government under Veerendra Patil due to concerns over campus violence and politicization, the Siddaramaiah government is moving forward with plans to revive campus polls across Pre-University (PU) and affiliated degree colleges.


Student elections set to return to Karnataka after 37 years

Bengaluru is gearing up for a major traffic and urban mobility overhaul with a proposal to introduce premium congestion-based parking pricing across high-density commercial hubs and tech corridors. Aimed at curbing vehicular congestion, encouraging public transport adoption, and streamlining parking management, the new civic policy could significantly alter daily commuting costs in India's Silicon Valley.

Bengaluru eyes premium pricing for parking

Experience the vibrant colors, rich cultural heritage, and joyous spirit of Onam, Kerala's most celebrated harvest festival! From stunning intricate flower carpets (Pookkalam) adorning doorsteps to traditional folk dances, rhythmic boat races (Vallam Kali), and the grand, multi-course Onasadya feast, Onam brings people together in a celebration of unity, prosperity, and mythic homecoming of King Mahabali.

Onam Kerala: Flower carpets, festivities & feasts mark Onam celebrations

Operation Sindoor thrust India's Akash missile system into the spotlight, showcasing the indigenous air-defence platform in a live combat environment. As countries grapple with missile threats, drone swarms and shortages of advanced systems such as the Patriot, India's defence industry is emerging as an increasingly attractive alternative. Backed by Vision 2030, New Delhi is building a mature defence-industrial complex, with production crossing $18 billion and exports reaching more than 80 countries. From Akash and Pinaka to advanced drones, radars and electronic warfare systems, India is rapidly transitioning from one of the world's largest arms importers to a significant exporter of next-generation military technology.


India's defence revolution: How Akash is driving a global military push

India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing for the 25th round of Special Representative talks on the boundary question. The discussions focused on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), strengthening confidence-building measures and advancing the gradual normalization of bilateral ties.


India, China push for settlement of border dispute in 'long-term' interests

Fresh attention has returned to Pakistan's Kirana Hills, a site long associated with the country's strategic nuclear infrastructure, after former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan shed light on what happened during Operation Sindoor. According to Chauhan, an Indian loitering munition likely struck the Kirana Hills area, but it was not the intended target. He said the munition had been searching for radar systems around Sargodha and appears to have hit one of the hills after failing to locate its designated target within its operational window.

Operation Sindoor: General Anil Chauhan on key aspects of India's strategy

India's Unified Payments Interface, better known as UPI, has completed a decade of transforming the way people pay. What began as a domestic digital payments platform has grown into one of the world's largest real-time payment networks, processing billions of transactions every month. From roadside vendors and small businesses to international partnerships, UPI has reshaped India's financial ecosystem and become a global benchmark for digital payments. As UPI turns 10, this report explores its remarkable journey, the numbers behind its success and how India's fintech innovation is influencing payment systems worldwide.

10 Years Of UPI: From India’s Streets To The World 

Operation Sindoor proved India's Akash system in combat. Patriot missiles are in short supply. 
Ukraine urgently wants more Patriot missile batteries. Now America is rebuilding its arsenal which has been severely depleted during the Iran war. The Akash Missile System is an indigenous, mobile medium-range surface-to-air missile defence system developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation. This short explainer shows how Akash’s networked radars, mobile launchers and dual-mode seekers offer affordable, scalable defence against missiles, drones and low-orbit threats. Watch the video to know why nations are lining up for Aakash and how drone swarms forced a rethink in layered air defence.

How Akash became the world's most wanted air-defence system 

India's gig economy is expanding rapidly, creating new opportunities in sectors ranging from food delivery and ride-hailing to beauty and home services. But while platform-based work promises flexibility and income generation, a growing gender gap remains a major challenge. Studies show women continue to face barriers including safety concerns, limited access to opportunities, lower earnings and higher dropout rates. As India's gig workforce grows into a major pillar of the economy, questions remain about whether the benefits are being shared equally. This report examines the challenges facing women in the gig economy and what can be done to bridge the gap.


India’s gig boom leaves women behind

A study has named India the country where most snake attacks happen every year. According to scientists from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, around 2.1 to 7 million people are bitten by snakes in a year, with India being the world's snake attack capital, with up to 1.3 million cases. Nigeria is second with 666,000 cases, Indonesia 490,000, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 467,000 snake attacks in a year.&nbsp;The mortality rate was highest in low-income countries, with sub–Saharan Africa accounting for 45 per cent of global snake bites and related deaths. This is nearly three times the incidence observed in South Asia, the researchers said. They added that the findings show that the previous estimates were extremely toned down and not correct.&nbsp;Lead author Dileepa Ediriweera called Snake envenoming (SE) an important public health problem in the study published in PLOS Medicine. Several cases of snake bites and creatures swallowing humans have been reported in the past, with a few from last year and this year. However, estimating their number has remained a challenge. For the study, the researchers reviewed data on snake bites from 79 countries between January 2007 and March 2025. &nbsp;

Map showing snake attack estimates in the world

<h2>Snake attacks - Countries in top 20</h2>Their analysis showed that between 2.1 and 7 million snake attacks happen each year, 75 per cent of which occurred in just 20 countries. India is top of their list, as they noted that between 409,000 and 1.3 million attacks take place every year. In Nigeria, the second-placed country, the number of incidents stood between 198,000 and 666,000. Brazil (48,000–162,000), Vietnam (33,500–113,000), and China (28,900–97,400) were also in the Top 20 list.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/23ft-python-swallows-man-returning-from-party-in-indonesia-1785404766607">23ft python swallows man returning from party in Indonesia; family find body whole inside reptile</a><h2>Deaths from snake attacks</h2>Fatalities from these incidents stood between 274,000 and 513,000 every year overall. But the researchers clarified that the figures are likely conservative and the caseload and resulting deaths could be much higher. "The true burden may be substantially higher, potentially up to three times greater for envenomings and twice as high for mortality," they wrote in the study.

India tops the list for the number of snake attacks in the world in a year, according to an analysis. Researchers studied data from 2007 to March 2025 and pegged the caseload in India at over a million. The majority of cases were limited to just 20 countries.

A study has named India the country where most snake attacks happen every year. According to scientists from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, around 2.1 to 7 million people are bitten by snakes in a year, with India being the world's snake attack capital, with up to 1.3 million cases. Nigeria is second with 666,000 cases, Indonesia 490,000, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 467,000 snake attacks in a year. The mortality rate was highest in low-income countries, with sub–Saharan Africa accounting for 45 per cent of global snake bites and related deaths. This is nearly three times the incidence observed in South Asia, the researchers said. They added that the findings show that the previous estimates were extremely toned down and not correct. Lead author Dileepa Ediriweera called Snake envenoming (SE) an important public health problem in the study published in PLOS Medicine. Several cases of snake bites and creatures swallowing humans have been reported in the past, with a few from last year and this year. However, estimating their number has remained a challenge. For the study, the researchers reviewed data on snake bites from 79 countries between January 2007 and March 2025.

India tops the list for the number of snake attacks in the world in a year, according to an analysis. Researchers studied data from 2007 to March 2025 and pegged the caseload in India at over a million. The majority of cases were limited to just 20 countries.

India tops list of most snake attacks in the world with 1.3mn cases every year, study finds

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal appeared to take a veiled swipe at China while courting Japanese investors in Tokyo, using the case of Alibaba founder Jack Ma to highlight India's business environment. Goyal said entrepreneurs in India do not have to worry about "disappearing one day" and later emerging as professors at a Japanese university—a remark widely interpreted as a reference to Ma, who vanished from public view for months after criticizing Chinese regulators in 2020. Goyal used the example to pitch India as a stable destination where entrepreneurship is celebrated, intellectual property is protected and data security is respected.


Piyush Goyal alludes to Jack Ma's 'disappearance' while pitching to Japanese investor 

NSA Ajit Doval holds key talks with China's Wang Yi

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the transfer of DRDO-developed technologies for conventional missile systems to Indian defence companies. The move aims to accelerate domestic missile production, reduce import dependence and strengthen India’s indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem.

India: Defence minister approves technology transfer for conventional missiles 

NSA Ajit Doval meets China's foreign minister Wang Yi

As high-intensity conflicts in US-Iran war and Russia-Ukraine war drain Western Patriot stocks, military planners face an urgent missile crisis. Discover how India's combat-proven Akash missile system proved its lethality in Operation Sindoor, breaking the cycle of expensive interceptors and rewriting the manual against massed drone swarms and precision missile threats.


India's Akash vs America's Patriot | Made in India Akash missile system generates global interest

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD) have raised concern over reports of human rights violations against a vast segment of people in India, including scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, particularly Dalits, and Rohingya Refugees. The report highlights the urgent need for action against “hate speech” and “hate crime” in India. The report further noted that there had been an increase in law enforcement operations targetting since a Union Home Ministry order in 2017 and the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.“The committee was gravely concerned about reports of large-scale violations perpetrated by law enforcement officials against ethnic and ethno-religious groups, indigenous and tribal people, including Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, particularly Dalits, and non-citizens,” the report read.“These included racially motivated violence, excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary and prolonged detention without due process, torture, ill-treatment and sexual violence,” it added. The report highlights racial profiling by law enforcement resulting in detentions and arbitrary arrest.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-debt-crosses-40-trillion-china-mocks-washington-1787667699241">Watch | China mocks Washington's $40 trillion 'Frankenstein Monster'</a>There are also concerns related to deportation, forcible return of individuals in need of international protection, which violates the principle of non-refoulement. The committee called on India to carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into all such allegations and ensure accountability for those responsible.&nbsp;India appeared before UNCERD earlier this month for the first time since 2007, with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta leading its delegation. India's mission defended its position during the review, highlighting constitutional safeguards, legal frameworks, and vast pluralistic diversity and reiterated its commitment "towards ensuring equality, dignity and opportunity for all Indians”.UN CERD is a panel of 18 independent rights experts that monitors compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by the 182 countries that are party to it. The opinion and recommendation are non-binding but carry significant reputational weight.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UN committee UNCERD raised concerns over alleged human rights violations, hate speech and hate crimes targeting Dalits, tribal communities and refugees in India.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD) have raised concern over reports of human rights violations against a vast segment of people in India, including scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, particularly Dalits, and Rohingya Refugees. The report highlights the urgent need for action against “hate speech” and “hate crime” in India. The report further noted that there had been an increase in law enforcement operations targetting since a Union Home Ministry order in 2017 and the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. “The committee was gravely concerned about reports of large-scale violations perpetrated by law enforcement officials against ethnic and ethno-religious groups, indigenous and tribal people, including Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, particularly Dalits, and non-citizens,” the report read. “These included racially motivated violence, excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary and prolonged detention without due process, torture, ill-treatment and sexual violence,” it added. The report highlights racial profiling by law enforcement resulting in detentions and arbitrary arrest. Also Read: Watch | China mocks Washington's $40 trillion 'Frankenstein Monster' There are also concerns related to deportation, forcible return of individuals in need of international protection, which violates the principle of non-refoulement. The committee called on India to carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into all such allegations and ensure accountability for those responsible. India appeared before UNCERD earlier this month for the first time since 2007, with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta leading its delegation. India's mission defended its position during the review, highlighting constitutional safeguards, legal frameworks, and vast pluralistic diversity and reiterated its commitment "towards ensuring equality, dignity and opportunity for all Indians”. UN CERD is a panel of 18 independent rights experts that monitors compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by the 182 countries that are party to it. The opinion and recommendation are non-binding but carry significant reputational weight.

UN committee UNCERD raised concerns over alleged human rights violations, hate speech and hate crimes targeting Dalits, tribal communities and refugees in India.

UNCERD raises concerns over human rights violations against SC, ST and Rohingya

Breaking: Wang Yi hails ties, says India-China relations globally significant 

Operation Sindoor thrust India's Akash missile system into the spotlight, showcasing the indigenous air-defence platform in a live combat environment. As countries grapple with missile threats, drone swarms and shortages of advanced systems such as the Patriot, India's defence industry is emerging as an increasingly attractive alternative. Backed by Vision 2030, New Delhi is building a mature defence-industrial complex, with production crossing $18 billion and exports reaching more than 80 countries. From Akash and Pinaka to advanced drones, radars and electronic warfare systems, India is rapidly transitioning from one of the world's largest arms importers to a significant exporter of next-generation military technology.

Operation Sindoor proved India's Akash system in combat. Patriot missiles are in short supply. Ukraine urgently wants more Patriot missile batteries. Now America is rebuilding its arsenal which has been severely depleted during the Iran war. The Akash Missile System is an indigenous, mobile medium-range surface-to-air missile defence system developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation. This short explainer shows how Akash’s networked radars, mobile launchers and dual-mode seekers offer affordable, scalable defence against missiles, drones and low-orbit threats. Watch the video to know why nations are lining up for Aakash and how drone swarms forced a rethink in layered air defence.

How Akash became the world's most wanted air-defence system

Vision 2030s: India's path to a mature defence complex 

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's possible visit to India for the BRICS Summit in September, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing for a key two-day visit. He will hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the border issue.

NSA Ajit Doval & Wang Yi hold India-China border talks

India has launched its first indigenous, non-GMO, high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seed varieties, Krisna459 and Godari234, in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru district. Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan unveiled the new seeds at the Gourmet Popcornica facility in Musunuru on August 24. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Governor S. Abdul Nazeer were also present at the launch.

Big step towards making popcorn truly 'Made in India' 

Indian NSA in Beijing: Border talks in China ahead of Xi's possible India visit

India’s defense manufacturing sector is experiencing a historic surge, transforming the nation from one of the world's largest defense importers into a major global defense exporter. Driven by the "Make in India" initiative and self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) policies, advanced indigenous defense systems—ranging from the Tejas fighter jet and Akash missile systems to artillery guns, radar systems, and naval hardware—are rapidly gaining traction among international buyers.


India's indigenous weapons storm the global market

india

India, News on India, stories on India, articles on India, India stories at Wion, India news, India latest news