A Constitution Bench led by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud hears the electoral bonds case on October 31, 2023. Photo: YouTube/@supremecourtofindia5950

Supreme Court flags possibility of electoral bonds being used to trade favours

A Constitution Bench on October 31 raised the scenario of influential entities covertly setting up persons with verified accounts to purchase electoral bonds for them through the regular banking route in order to curry favour or anonymously enter into a quid pro quo with ruling political parties.

Suspected extremists kill police officer in Moreh; Manipur CM vows action

Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh has vowed action against extremists who gunned town a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) in the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh on Tuesday. Chingtham Anand Kumar, the SDPO, was on duty overseeing the cleaning of the grounds of a school when suspected Kuki militants opened fire on him. He succumbed to his injuries at a local primary health centre.

India to choose between Bangladesh and Nepal candidates for WHO regional chief

India, along with other South Asian and South East Asian countries, will choose between candidates from Bangladesh and Nepal for the post of Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), bringing a bitterly fought campaign to an end.

The vote will take place on November 1, the third day of the 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia being hosted by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Delhi.

Kalamassery blast accused Martin sent to judicial custody till November 29

Martin V.D., the sole accused in the Kalamassery Jehovah’s Witnesses convention centre blast case, was on October 31 remanded in judicial custody till November 29.

Martin informed the court that he would argue his case as the party in person and declined to receive legal aid provided by the State. Though a lawyer engaged by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority was present at the court, the accused said he wanted to present his case in his voice.

October rain in southern India ‘sixth lowest’ since 1901

The northeast monsoon, which replaced the southwest monsoon in October, and brings vital rain to several parts of southern India, has been the “sixth lowest” since 1901 so far, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General, M. Mohapatra said at a briefing on October 31.

Apple warns Opposition MPs about ‘state-sponsored’ attacks on their iPhones; government assures probe

Over a dozen Opposition leaders and journalists received email alerts from U.S.-based tech giant Apple on Monday night, informing them that their digital devices were being targeted by “state-sponsored attackers”. On Tuesday, the Union government said it would launch an investigation into the alerts, though the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw described Opposition claims of snooping as “vague”.

List anti-pollution steps: SC to Delhi, 4 States

The governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan were on Tuesday directed by the Supreme Court to file affidavits within a week enumerating measures initiated by them to control air pollution in the national capital.

A three-judge Bench of Justices S.K. Kaul, Sudhanshu Dhulia, and P.K. Mishra said the city is now marred by worsening air quality and it is difficult to even step outside the house, adding that stubble burning is a major cause of the rising pollution. It posted the matter for hearing on November 7.

Maratha quota stir | Jarange Patil issues fresh ultimatum, lashes out at State government

With no let-up in the Maratha quota stir, beleaguered Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called for an all-party meeting on November 1 in a bid to defuse the situation even as quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil issued a fresh 24-hour ultimatum to the government on Tuesday to grant immediate reservation to the Marathas via a special session of the State Legislature.

Trains involved in accident not fitted with Kavach but have Vigilance Control Device, says Waltair Divisional Railway Manager

Train no. 08532 Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger and the 08504 Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger, which were involved in the rear collision in Vizianagaram district, do not have the anti-collision device – Kavach. While railway officials suspect overshooting of the signal as the cause of the accident, they do not rule out other possibilities.

Canada bans WeChat and Kaspersky on government phones

Canada on Monday banned popular Chinese messaging app WeChat and Russian platform Kaspersky from government smartphones and other mobile devices, citing privacy and security risks.

Two dead as Bangladesh garment workers protest low pay

Thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh walked off the job in protest at low wages Monday, sparking clashes with security forces and damaging multiple factories in unrest that left at least two people dead, police said.

ICC World Cup | New Zealand and South Africa cross swords in a key clash

Even before the Men’s World Cup began, November 1 clash was supposed to be among the matches to watch out for in the league stage. The manner in which the tournament has progressed makes it a tantalising affair.

After all, New Zealand and South Africa are among the rank favourites to enter the semifinals. The winning outfit at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium will set one foot in the last-four, while the losing team may well have to face the table-topper in the semifinal.

Israeli police take shelter while sirens sound as rockets from Gaza are launched towards Israel, near Sderot, southern Israel, October 9, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Israel-Palestine conflict LIVE updates

The Israeli government promised Monday to hunt down Hamas fighters and to punish the Gaza Strip following a surprise weekend attack that killed more than 900 people in Israel, including at least 260 at a crowded music festival that became the scene of one of the country’s worst civilian massacres. A day after formally declaring war, Israel’s military worked to crush Hamas fighters who might remain in southern towns and intensified its bombardment of Gaza, where almost 500 people have died since Saturday’s unprecedented incursion.

Election Commission announces dates for Assembly polls in 5 States

Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram would be held between November 7 and 30. The counting of votes would take place on December 3 for all the five States, the Election Commission announced on Monday, setting the ball rolling for the crucial polls which are being considered to be the semi-finals to the 2024 general elections.

Our government will conduct a country-wide caste census: Congress Working Committee

A Congress-led government will conduct a nation-wide caste census as part of the decadal census that was due in 2021, remove the cap of 50% on reservation through legislation and implement the women’s reservation law to provide 33% quota for women in Lok Sabha and Assemblies at the earliest, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) said in a resolution that was unanimously adopted on October 9.

Israel fighting a war that it did not choose, says Foreign Minister Eli Cohen

Israel will fight a long war against terror and defeat those that are responsible for the attack that has killed hundreds of people, Foreign Minister of Israel Eli Cohen said on October 9. Addressing an online press conference attended by the global media, Mr Cohen hit out at Hamas and Iran and claimed that Israel has “no dispute” over land with Palestinians.

HC, ACB court dismiss Chandrababu Naidu’s bail petitions in skill development, IRR and FiberNet scam cases

Former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s quest for a relief in the skill development scam case has ended in despair once again as the ACB Special Court here dismissed his bail petition on Monday. However, the judge, B.S.V. Himabindu, also turned down the CID’s plea to allow it to take him into custody for an additional five days to extract more information on his role in the scam.

PM Modi to interact with India’s Asian Games contingent on Tuesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with and address India’s Asian Games contingent at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium here on Tuesday, his office said.

EU reverses earlier announcement that it was ‘immediately’ suspending aid to Palestinians

The European Union on late on October 9 reversed an earlier announcement by an EU commissioner that the bloc was “immediately” suspending aid for Palestinian authorities and instead said it would urgently review such assistance in the wake of the attacks on Israel by Hamas.

Sikkim flash flood | Death toll rises to 34; IAF begins rescuing stranded tourists

The death toll in Sikkim’s flash flood has risen to 34, officials in the state said on Monday, while the administration in adjoining northern West Bengal said that 40 bodies have been fished out from the downstream of Teesta River.

NewsClick editor, HR to be produced in court on October 10; 25 journalists questioned for second time

Delhi Police Special Cell has questioned about 25 journalists and contributors of the NewsClick for a second time in connection with a UAPA case registered against the online news portal for allegedly peddling “anti-national” agenda in the country, sources said on Monday.

Kargil results make BJP’s bid for Ladakh parliament seat an uphill task in 2024

The results thrown up in the Ladakh Hill Development Council (LAHDC-K) elections will make it an uphill task for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to retain the Lok Sabha seat of Ladakh in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Cricket World Cup 2023 | Battered Sri Lanka looks to get its act together against confident Pakistan

A confident Pakistan, eager to keep the momentum going after its emphatic win over The Netherlands in its opener here, takes on a battered Sri Lanka in its second match of the World Cup on Tuesday.