Month: October 2025

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comparing him to former PM Indira Gandhi, citing the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

Addressing a public gathering in Bihar’s Nalanda, Rahul said that during the 1971 war, Indira Gandhi did not fear or bow before the United States, whereas Prime Minister Modi neither has a “vision” nor the “ability” to stand up to the US President Donald Trump.

“During the 1971 war in the Bangladesh struggle, America sent its aircraft and navy to intimidate and threaten India. Indira Gandhi, who was the Prime Minister, said we are not afraid of your navy, do what you must, we will do what we must,” Gandhi said.

“Indira Gandhi was a woman, but she had more guts than this man. Narendra Modi is cowardly. He has neither a vision nor the ability to stand up to the President of America. I challenge him: if Narendra Modi has the courage, then at any meeting in Bihar, he should say that the President of America is lying and that he (PM Modi) did not bow to him and that he did not stop Operation Sindoor. He cannot do that,” Rahul Gandhi said.

This comes after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday again claimed that he intervened to stop a potential war between India and Pakistan following India’s Operation Sindoor.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEOs Luncheon in Gyeongju, South Korea, Trump claimed that his mediation had prevented hostilities between the two nuclear-armed nations earlier this year.

Continuing his attacks, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha claimed that US President Trump has “insulted” PM Modi 50 times.

“The President of America has insulted Narendra Modi 50 times. Trump said – I told Modi on the phone to stop ‘Operation Sindoor’. Narendra Modi stopped ‘Operation Sindoor’ within two days. But Narendra Modi doesn’t have the guts to say, “The President of America is lying.” Narendra Modi had to meet Trump, but he’s not going to meet him out of fear; he’s sitting in hiding. Narendra Modi doesn’t have the guts,” Rahul Gandhi said.

This is not the first time Trump has made such claims. He has repeatedly said he brokered peace between India and Pakistan, but Indian officials have previously dismissed the claim. (ANI)

In a vibrant celebration of art, culture and collaboration, the Australian High Commission, in partnership with Kirrikin and the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), hosted a landmark fashion showcase in New Delhi on October 28.

The event marked the Indian debut of Kirrikin, an Indigenous Australian fashion label founded by Amanda Healy, a Wonnarua woman and social enterprise leader.

Kirrikin’s distinctive designs, translating hand-painted First Nations artworks into luxurious, contemporary fashion, brought the essence of Australia’s Indigenous heritage to the Indian runway.

Designed in Australia and crafted in Noida, India, the label stands as a shining example of cross-cultural collaboration under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA).

The showcase drew an eclectic audience including diplomats, cultural representatives, and fashion industry leaders, all gathered to witness the confluence of fashion, art and heritage.

The evening’s highlight also featured a soulful Didgeridoo performance by First Nations artists, evoking deep-rooted spiritual connections to land and culture.

Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green described the event as “a powerful celebration of the creativity, resilience, and cultural richness of Australia’s First Nations peoples. Kirrikin’s journey exemplifies the strength of trade and cultural exchange under the Australia-India partnership. We are proud to bring their designs to the runway in Delhi in collaboration with the Fashion Design Council of India.”

Reflecting on the milestone, Kirrikin founder Amanda Healy said, “Celebrating this collaboration with the Australian High Commission and the Fashion Design Council of India is a proud moment for Kirrikin. Bringing First Nations fashion, art, and storytelling to India is an honour, and this showcase highlights the creativity and powerful voices of Indigenous Australian designers.”

FDCI Chairman Sunil Sethi added, “Fashion has always been a bridge and this event is a true meeting of cultures.”

Swati Dave, Chair of the Centre for Australia-India Relations, said, “The Centre for Australia-India Relations is committed to supporting First Nations businesses like Kirrikin to increase trade and investment with India, and we are proud to support this fashion showcase, celebrating First Nations creativity and entrepreneurship.”

The event underscored the growing creative and cultural exchange between Australia and India, setting the tone for future collaborations celebrating diversity, sustainability and design innovation. (ANI)

Kerala MLA M. B. Rajesh on Thursday stated that the state is set to become the first in India to eradicate extreme poverty.

He explained that the initiative was the first decision taken by the second Pinarayi Vijayan government in its “very first cabinet meeting” after returning to power in 2021, to launch an exclusive scheme to eradicate extreme poverty.

“Kerala is all set to create yet another history by becoming the first Indian state to eradicate extreme poverty. This was the first decision taken by the second Pinarayi government in its very first cabinet meeting after coming back to power in 2021. The government launched an exclusive scheme to eradicate extreme poverty,” Rajesh told ANI.

He said that after identifying and finalising the list of extremely poor families, micro-plans were prepared for each family. He said the government had lifted 64,006 families out of extreme poverty.

“The very first step was to identify extremely poor families through an elaborate process. A process was carried out involving public representatives, local bodies, social organisations, and voluntary organisations to find out about extremely poor families. 4 lakh people were trained by the Kerala Institute of Local Administration to carry out this exercise,” he said.

“After identifying and finalising the list of extremely poor families, micro plans were prepared for each and every family…These micro plans had immediate plans, medium-term plans and long-term plans. After four years, we have implemented these micro plans and through the implementation of micro plans we have been able to bring these 64,006 families out of extreme poverty,” he added.

Rajesh further claimed that “after China, Kerala is becoming second place in the world to eradicate extreme poverty.”

However, the Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar criticised the state’s ruling CPM government for claiming credit for reducing extreme poverty, calling it “mocking the poor.”

“For the CPM government today, which has actually brought only about a few lakhs of people out of extreme poverty, to say that they are responsible for bringing people out of extreme poverty is mocking the poor because when ASHA workers were asking for a small salary increase… the CPM tried to take credit for this, which is mocking the poor… These people are now making it a profession to use propaganda to mislead the people and to spread lies and try to get political benefit out of this,” Chandrasekhar told reporters earlier this week.

Chandrasekhar also cited recent World Bank data, highlighting the impact of central government schemes.

“The World Bank, in April 2025, published an extensive report showing that in an unprecedented surge of people coming out of poverty in the last 10 years, PM Modi’s policies have helped almost 20 crore Indians who lived below extreme poverty to come out of it. This is a fact and a finding of the World Bank. It has happened because of a series of policies and schemes that the PM focused on, including but not limited to PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, PM Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, and many other schemes that have helped to achieve it,” he added. (ANI)

India’s star batter Shreyas Iyer has given an update on his recovery after sustaining an injury to his lower rib cage while taking a catch during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney.

Sharing a story on his Instagram, Iyer said he is making steady progress and expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from fans.

“I’m currently in recovery process and getting better, every passing day. I’m deeply grateful to see all the kind wishes and support I’ve received- it truly means a lot. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday provided an update about Iyer’s injury.

As per a statement released by BCCI, a repeat scan was done on October 28, which has shown significant improvement in Shreyas’s fitness, and he is on the road to recovery.

The BCCI Medical Team, in consultation with specialists in Sydney and India, will continue to monitor his progress.

“Shreyas Iyer sustained a blunt injury to his abdomen, resulting in a laceration of his spleen with internal bleeding on 25th October during the third ODI against Australia,” said a statement from BCCI.

“The injury was promptly identified, and the bleeding was immediately arrested. His condition is now stable, and he continues to be under observation. A repeat scan done on Tuesday, 28th October, has shown significant improvement, and Shreyas is on the road to recovery. The BCCI Medical Team, in consultation with specialists in Sydney and India, will continue to monitor his progress,” the statement added.

During the third ODI, Iyer took a fantastic diving catch while running from backward point to dismiss a dangerous Alex Carey on a Harshit Rana delivery.

However, as he dived, he landed awkwardly on his elbows and ribs, basically his left side. After taking the catch, he was in extreme pain, clutching his ribs as he was taken back to the pavilion by the medical staff.

During the ODI series in Australia, Shreyas scored 72 runs in two games, including a valiant 77-ball 61 in the second Adelaide ODI, during which he stitched a century stand with Rohit Sharma.

The injury puts his participation in South Africa ODIs starting from November 30 at home in doubt. (ANI)

Grammy Award winner Enrique Iglesias set the stage ablaze with his electrifying performance at his Mumbai concert, marking his grand return to India after 13 years. The global pop icon greeted thousands of fans with a warm “Namaste,” winning hearts as he performed on Day 1 of his two-day concert series at the MMRDA Grounds.

Enrique got the audience grooving and singing along to his classic hits. The Spanish singer could be seen warmly greeting the crowd with folded hands, drawing cheers from thousands of adoring fans.

Bollywood celebrities, including Malaika Arora, Vidya Balan, Rakul Preet Singh, Jaccky Bhagnani, Rubina Dilaik, Anu Malik and Disha Parmar, were among several stars who attended global pop icon Enrique Iglesias’ concert at the MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai on October 29. The event marked the Spanish singer’s much-anticipated return to India after 13 years and drew an enthusiastic crowd of over 25,000 fans.

Taking to her Instagram story, Rakul shared the glimpses from the memorable concert. In the pictures, she can be seen grooving to the music with Jackky Bhagnani.

Dressed in an all-black casual look with his signature cap, Iglesias performed several of his chart-topping hits, including ‘Subeme La Radio’, ‘Freak’, ‘Chasing The Sun’, ‘Be With You’, ‘Heartbeat’, ‘Duele el Corazon’ and his breakthrough single ‘Bailamos’. He captivated the audience with the rendition of songs like ‘Me Pase’ ‘El Perdon’, ‘Cuando Me Enamoro’, and timeless classics such as ‘I Like How It Feels’, ‘Bailando’ ‘Tired Of Being Sorry’, ‘Ring My Bells’, ‘Takin’ Back My Love’, ‘Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)’, ‘Hero’ and ‘Escape’. The grand finale, featuring ‘I Like It’ was unforgettable as hundreds of white balloons with his initials (EI) filled the sky amid fireworks.

Other celebrities spotted at the star-studded event included Abhinav Shukla, Tina Dutta, Aditya Seal, Anushka Ranjan, Sonal Chauhan, Tanisha Mukherjee, Jai Bhanushali, Gurmeet Choudhary, Debina Bonnerjee, Elnaaz Norouzi, Orry Awatramani, Pragya Jaiswal and Shriya Saran.

Many were seen dancing, singing along, and capturing unforgettable moments on their phones as Iglesias brought his signature passion and energy. The two-day concert series is promoted and produced by EVA Live.

This event featured a high-energy, 90-minute set comprising 19 chart-topping hits and fan favourites spanning his illustrious career, marking his debut performance in Mumbai, as per the press release.

Supporting acts included Jonita Gandhi, the talented Indo-Canadian singer and the electrifying EDM duo Progressive Brothers, who entertained the crowd with their thrilling performance.

The Spanish superstar greeted the Mumbai crowd warmly and quickly established a connection with fans spanning multiple generations. Fans from cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Goa, Pune, Kolkata and Chandigarh had travelled to Mumbai to be part of the event, showcasing Iglesias’ widespread popularity in India.

The second day of the concert, scheduled for October 30, is expected to draw an even larger audience of around 30,000 people. (ANI)

On the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday highlighted the monumental role of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in uniting India post-independence and announced a series of grand celebrations to mark the Iron Man’s 150th birth anniversary.

Addressing the gathering, Shah said, “We all know that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a big role in uniting India post-independence. Tomorrow is the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel…This year’s unique celebrations of the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas will include a grand parade. The Home Ministry has decided that, from this year onward, a grand parade will be held on every 31st October…During the Parade, CAPFs and State Police forces will showcase their skills, discipline, and valour. PM Modi will take part in the parade at 7:55 A.M., the way parade is conducted in Republic Day, the same will be held on the Birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel every year.”

Amit Shah accused Congress of deliberately sidelining Sardar Patel post-independence, delaying Bharat Ratna by 41 years due to lack of respect, and failing to build any samadhi or memorial. He credited Narendra Modi, as Gujarat CM, for commissioning the world-famous Statue of Unity and Sardar Patel Memorial.

“Unfortunately, after Sardar Patel’s death after independence, the Congress party spared no effort to forget him. There was a 41-year delay in awarding the Bharat Ratna to a great personality like Sardar Patel, solely due to the Congress party’s distinct lack of respect for him. For a great personality like Sardar Patel, neither a samadhi nor a memorial was built in the entire country. When Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he commissioned the Statue of Unity and built the Sardar Patel Memorial, a magnificent monument that has become famous worldwide,” he said in a press conference.

The Home Minister also announced a fortnight-long cultural programme in Ekta Nagar from November 1 to 15.

“From November 1 to 15, 2025, Ekta Nagar will host Bharat Parv, showcasing cultural performances and a diverse food festival representing various states. The celebration will conclude on November 15 with special events marking Birsa Munda Jayanti, honouring the rich heritage and indomitable spirit of India’s tribal communities,” he added.

Addressing the gathering, Shah said, “Bihar is buzzing with election fervour, yet today I’ve gathered you all to discuss the magnificent parade planned in Ekta Nagar, Kevadia Colony, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the esteemed Sardar Patel. As we all recognise, Sardar Patel’s monumental role in consolidating the country post-independence, in moulding modern India, and in forging a cohesive nation was truly unparalleled…”

Shah revealed that the iconic ‘Run for Unity’ initiative will be scaled up nationwide.

“This year, the ‘Run for Unity’ is being scaled up significantly. The initiative is taking place in every state, Union Territory, district, police station, school, and university across the nation,” Shah stated.

Modelled on the Republic Day Parade held every year on January 26 in New Delhi, a moving parade will be organised this year on October 31 at Ekta Nagar, an official Gujarat CMO press release said.

Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi and Director General of Police Vikas Sahay presented a detailed outline of the entire plan for this grand celebration.

They mentioned that 16 contingents, including BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF, SSB, and contingents from Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and NCC, will participate in the National Unity Day parade. 16 medal-winning valiant soldiers from BSF’s Operation SINDOOR and five Shaurya Chakra awardees from CRPF will also take part in the parade, riding in an open jeep.

The parade will be led by nearly 100 members of the Heralding Team, dressed in vibrant uniforms and playing a range of musical instruments.

The Parade will also feature nine band contingents performing patriotic melodies.

In addition, four school bands will present special performances, including two from Gujarat that won at the state level and two that earned top honours at the national school band competition. (ANI)

Hitting out at the opposition’s Mahagathbandhan alliance, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday attacked Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, asserting that no seats are vacant for their sons either in Bihar or Delhi.

Shah took a shot at the INDIA bloc and said that the RJD Supremo wanted to see his son Tejashwi Yadav as Chief Minister, and Sonia Gandhi wanted Rahul Gandhi to be the Prime Minister.

In an interview with News18, Shah said, “Lalu Yadav wants to see his son Tejashwi as CM, and Sonia Gandhi wants Rahul Gandhi to be the PM. Want to tell both of them – no seats are vacant for their sons in either Bihar or Delhi.”

On being asked about the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Chief Minister’s face for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, Shah praised Nitish Kumar’s leadership and said that there is no confusion at all that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would fight under Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

“We are fighting the Bihar Elections under Nitish ji’s leadership, no confusion about that at all,” he added.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Mahagathbandhan’s Chief Ministerial candidate and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav claimed that the BJP will not make Nitish Kumar the Chief Minister after the Assembly elections.

As Mahagathbandhan released its manifesto titled ‘Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran,’ Tejashwi Yadav took a jibe at the NDA for not declaring its Chief Ministerial face, calling CM Nitish Kumar a “puppet” in the alliance.

Addressing the press conference in Patna, he said, “Nitish Kumar is like a puppet in NDA. The BJP is just using the face of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already confirmed that Nitish Kumar will not become the CM of Bihar. He said that the MLAs will decide the CM for Bihar. BJP will not make Nitish Kumar the Chief Minister after the elections.”

“The INDIA alliance has declared me as the CM face, but the NDA has not done even a single press conference to declare who will be the CM face of the NDA,” he added.

The assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14. (ANI)

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday visited cyclone-affected areas in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district.

CM Naidu also conducted an aerial survey of the areas in Amaravathi affected by Cyclone Montha.

Meanwhile, reacting to the impact of cyclone ‘Montha’, Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centreuty officer Naga Bhushanam informed that an orange alert has been issued for NTR, Palnadu, and Prakasam districts, and that fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea for the coming days.

“The weather system could intensify into a depression within the next 24 hours, affecting districts such as NTR, Palnadu, Prakasam, Sri Potti Sriramulu, and Guntur. There is a chance of heavy to very heavy rainfall, with wind speeds reaching up to 60-70 km/h, gusting to 80 km/h. An orange alert has been advised for NTR, Palnadu, and Prakasam districts. The fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea today and tomorrow,” Bhushanam explained.

Meanwhile, in Telangana, heavy rain occurred in the Warangal district due to the impact of Cyclone Mortha.

Reacting to the impact of cyclone ‘Montha’, IMD Scientist Dr A Dharma Raju informed that the Northern and Eastern districts of Telangana would receive heavy to very heavy rainfall and three districts would receive extremely heavy rainfall.

“The cyclone has been weakening for the past 6 hours and may weaken into a depression in the next 6 hours. Northern and Eastern districts of Telangana will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall and three districts will receive extremely heavy rainfall. It is moving towards North and Northwest at a speed of 15 Km per hour… Tomorrow, some districts will receive light to moderate rainfall and some isolated pockets will receive heavy rainfall. The weather conditions in Telangana will improve after tomorrow,” IMD said.

Meanwhile, Cyclone Montha crossed the coast near Narasapuram, between Machilipatnam and Kakinada, at around midnight between 11:32 PM and 12:30 AM, and has since moved northwestward, said Dr Karuna Sagar, a scientist at the Meteorological Department in Amaravati. The IMD scientist also mentioned that it will continue moving north-northwestward and enter Telangana.

“The severe cyclonic storm over central Bengal moved west-northwestwards and it crossed yesterday over the Andhra Pradesh coast, especially south of Kakinada, near Narsapur. So it crossed around midnight, 11.30 to 12.30, and further it moved northwestwards and it weakened into a cyclonic storm by 2.30 a.m. today. So it will continue towards moving north-northwestwards, and it will enter the Telangana region also, we are expecting like that,” Sagar told ANI.

In addition to Andhra Pradesh, Odisha is also experiencing the effects of Cyclone Montha. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on October 28 that 11,396 people had been evacuated.

To address the Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS) ‘Montha’, 30 teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRF) and five teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed as part of the emergency response measures. (ANI)

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned the Taliban regime on Wednesday issued a severe threat to the Afghan Taliban, warning that Pakistan could strike “deep into Afghanistan” and “push them back to the caves” if another militant attack occurs on Pakistani soil, Dawn reported.

The aggressive statement followed the collapse of peace talks in Turkey and a surge in border clashes. Four days of negotiations in Istanbul between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban concluded without a resolution. The talks were mediated by Turkey and Qatar following deadly border clashes and a temporary ceasefire that began on October 19.

In a pre-dawn announcement, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the latest round of talks between the two countries in Turkiye, which aimed to address cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan soil, “failed to bring about any workable solution”.

“We will conduct strikes, we definitely will,” Asif told reporters at Parliament House, when asked about the options available for Pakistan in case of cross-border conflict with Afghanistan, as per Dawn.

“If their territory is used and they violate our territory, then, if we need to go deep into Afghanistan to retaliate, we surely will,” he added.

The defence minister said that Pakistan had indulged in talks to give peace a chance on the request of brotherly countries, who the rulers in Kabul were persistently beseeching; however, “venomous statements by certain Afghan officials clearly reflect the devious and splintered mindset of the Taliban regime”.

“Let me assure them that Pakistan does not require employing even a fraction of its full arsenal to completely obliterate the Taliban regime and push them back to the caves for hiding. If they wish so, the repeat of the scenes of their rout at Tora Bora, with their tails between the legs, would surely be a spectacle to watch for the people of the region.”

The defence minister said Afghanistan neither “fulfils the definition of a state” nor was the interim administration so considered. “They are benefiting financially by being the rulers.”

Asked whether the Afghan Taliban were taking their country towards a similar situation as the United States’ military operation in Tora Bora in December 2001, Asif said, “It is definitely a possibility.”

Asif’s latest remarks come hours after he issued a strongly worded warning to the Taliban rulers in Kabul, telling them to test Islamabad’s resolve at their “own peril and doom” if they wished to do so.

“We have borne your treachery and mockery for too long, but no more. Any terrorist attack or any suicide bombing inside Pakistan shall give you the bitter taste of such misadventures. Be assured and test our resolve and capabilities, if you wish so, at your own peril and doom,” Asif posted on social media platform X, as per Dawn.

In a separate development, the United Nations voiced concern over the collapse of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, hoping that the “fighting will not renew”.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was asked about the collapse of the negotiations and whether it was a concern for the UN.

Pakistan and Afghanistan saw a worsening of ties in recent days, which featured border skirmishes, counter-statements, and allegations, as per Dawn.

The hostilities began earlier this month when an attack was launched on Pakistan from Afghanistan on the night of October 11. The attack had followed an allegation from the Taliban of airstrikes by Pakistan into Afghanistan — an accusation which Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied. (ANI)