Month: October 2025

Violent clashes erupted in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), as Pakistani security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters demanding the Self-Rule Charter of Demands.

The protests, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), have resulted in over half a dozen casualties and several serious injuries in the past three days, according to the sources.

The protests, which began as peaceful demonstrations, have spread across multiple districts of PoJK. Shops, businesses, and transport services have been shut down, reflecting widespread discontent with Islamabad’s handling of the situation.

This comes after the administration ordered an indefinite lockdown amid last week’s protests led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC)

The demonstrations, which drew massive public support, centred around a 38-point charter of demands put forward by the JKJAAC.

The unrest is a response to the government’s failure to address the committee’s 38 demands, including the elimination of reserved seats in PoJK; 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan were abolished.

The protesters are also demanding economic relief, including slashing electricity tariffs, providing subsidised wheat flour, and ending perks for government officials. Additionally, they are demanding free education and health facilities for the people of PoJK.

The internet services have been shut down across the region. The protests have turned violent, with clashes between protesters and police reported in several districts.

The protests have paralysed daily life in PoJK, with markets, shops, and transport services shut down. Demonstrators have taken to the streets, defying government crackdowns, and reports indicate that several caravans of protesters have broken through blockades to enter Muzaffarabad

In Dudyal, Mirpur, the Action Committee declared that the body of a protester would not be buried until the administration concedes to their demands, while security forces were seen clearing bridges to disrupt the march.

Across the region, including Mirpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad, the JKJAAC has mobilised residents in large rallies and demonstrations, reflecting an unprecedented unity in the struggle for rights.

The protests underscore growing resentment against the government’s inaction on the Committee’s demands.

Rights activists, political figures, and diaspora leaders condemned what they described as systematic oppression by Pakistani authorities in PoJK and pledged continued backing for the people’s struggle. (ANI)

Nothing beats the feeling of celebrating festivals with your family members. This Durga Puja, our Bollywood celebrities are also ensuring they indulge in festive vibes surrounded by their loved ones.

On Wednesday, actor Ajay Devgn joined her wife Kajol and daughter Nysa at the 79th North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja.

For darshan, Ajay opted for traditional wear. He arrived at the pandal donning a green kurta. He even posed for the fam-jam pictures with Kajol, Nysa, sister-in-law Tanisha, brother-in-law Ayan, and nephews Danish and Aaman Devgan.

Earlier on Tuesday, actor Priyanka Chopra took some time off her schedule to visit the Durga Puja pandal.

Dressed in a royal blue suit, Priyanka exuded desi vibes as she offered prayers to Goddess Durga. In the visuals captured by the paps, the ‘Mary Kom’ star was seen extending her greetings to the devotees present at the pandal.

She also met with Kajol’s sister Tanisha and filmmaker Ayan Mukerji there.

The Hindu festival of Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a yearly celebration that honours the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over Mahishasur. Hindu mythology holds that the goddess comes to her earthly abode at this time to bless her devotees.

Durga Puja culminates on Vijayadashami (Dussehra), which falls on the tenth day of the festival and celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. (ANI)

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved a 3 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners, effective from July 1, 2025.

This raises the existing rate from 55 per cent to 58 per cent of the basic pay or pension, according to a release by the Cabinet.

The hike, aimed at offsetting the impact of inflation, will benefit approximately 49.19 lakh Central Government employees and 68.72 lakh pensioners.

The total financial implication of this decision on the exchequer is estimated at Rs 10,083.96 crore annually.

The revision follows the formula based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission.

In other decisions, the cabinet approved the ‘Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses’ – a landmark initiative aimed at boosting domestic production and achieving self-sufficiency (Aatmanirbharta) in pulses.

The Mission will be implemented over six years, from 2025-26 to 2030-31, with a financial outlay of Rs 11,440 crore.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2026-27.

The government has increased the MSP of Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2026-27, to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce.

The absolute highest increase in MSP has been announced for Safflower at Rs 600 per quintal, followed by Lentil (Masur) at Rs 300 per quintal.

For Rapeseed & Mustard, gram, barley, and wheat, there is an increase of Rs 250 per quintal, Rs 225 per quintal, Rs 170 per quintal and Rs 160 per quintal respectively. (ANI)

Mukesh Ambani has reclaimed his position as the richest Indian, overtaking Gautam Adani, according to the M3M Hurun India Rich List 2025 released on Wednesday. With a wealth of Rs. 9.55 lakh crore (USD 105 billion), the 68-year-old Reliance Industries Chairman returned to the top spot, while Adani, 63, and his family followed closely with Rs. 8.15 lakh crore.

For the first time in the history of the list, a woman has made it to the top three. Roshni Nadar Malhotra, 44, and her family secured the third spot with a wealth of Rs. 2.84 lakh crore. She not only became the richest woman in India but also the youngest among the top 10.

The 2025 edition of the list marks an expansion in India’s billionaire community. The country now has more than 350 billionaires, six times the count since the list was first published 13 years ago. In total, 1,687 individuals have wealth above Rs. 1,000 crore, an increase of 284 new entrants compared to last year. On average, India created one new billionaire every week for the past two years.

The report also noted that India’s richest individuals added wealth at a rate of Rs. 1,991 crore per day. In absolute terms, the Bajaj family, led by Niraj Bajaj, recorded the highest gains this year, with their wealth increasing by Rs. 69,875 crore to Rs. 2.33 lakh crore, propelling them to sixth place.

Among the youngest names to debut, Aravind Srinivas, the 31-year-old founder of Perplexity, entered the billionaire ranks with a net worth of Rs. 21,190 crore, making him the youngest billionaire on the list. Zepto co-founders Kaivalya Vohra, 22, and Aadit Palicha, 23, also made it, becoming the youngest entrants overall.

The entertainment industry experienced a significant milestone with Shah Rukh Khan joining the billionaire club for the first time, boasting a wealth of Rs. 12,490 crore. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of Paytm, returned to the billionaire list after a sharp rise in the company’s stock price boosted his wealth to Rs. 15,930 crore.

Mumbai continued to dominate as the city with the most individuals on the list, with 451 names, followed by New Delhi at 223 and Bengaluru at 116. In total, 101 women featured this year, including 26 dollar billionaires.

The combined wealth of the top 10 richest Indians accounted for 28 per cent of the overall list, while Ambani and Adani together made up 12 per cent of the total wealth. The cumulative wealth of the 2025 list stood at Rs. 167 lakh crore, which is greater than the GDP of Spain and almost half of India’s GDP. (ANI)

Who shares the best onscreen chemistry with Shah Rukh Khan: Rani Mukerji, Kajol, or Juhi Chawla? It’s a question fans have asked for years, but never really found a single answer to. That’s because Shah Rukh manages to look so effortless and natural with all three of them. Now, Rani Mukerji herself has shared her take on why his chemistry works so well.

When asked about it, the actress smiled and said, “Because Shah Rukh’s name is love; his second name is love.”

Shah Rukh Khan’s screen pairings with the three actresses have created several iconic moments in Bollywood. With Kajol, he gave fans some of the most iconic romantic films of all time, including ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,’ ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,’ and ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…’ Their chemistry is still remembered for its romance, emotion, and lighthearted banter.

With Rani Mukerji, Shah Rukh shared some deeply emotional and powerful partnerships, especially in films like ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna,’ ‘Chalte Chalte’ and ‘Saathiya,’ Their performances together often touched moviegoers with depth and maturity.

Juhi Chawla brought out a different side of Shah Rukh: playful, boyish, and full of comfort. The two have collaborated in movies like ‘Darr,’ ‘Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman’ and ‘Yes Boss.’

This year has been extra special for both Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji as they celebrated their first National Awards. Rani won Best Actress for her role in Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway, while Shah Rukh was honoured with Best Actor for Jawan (shared with Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail).

Speaking to ANI about receiving the honour almost 30 years into her career, and sharing the special moment with his long-time collaborator SRK, Rani shared, “30 years just became even sweeter because we had an entire country and fans rooting for us. And when you have people rooting for you and your win, that is, I think, the most deserving and the most satisfying feeling. Because when you win an award and people say, ‘Oh, she doesn’t deserve it,’ there’s no value in that award. But when you win an award and people say that you deserve it, and it’s well-earned, that’s what makes me fulfilled as an actor.” (ANI)

As the clock has struck midnight in the US, the federal government officially shut down after a deadlocked Congress failed to pass a funding measure to keep the lights on — and the Capitol is clueless as to what would follow, CNN reported.

This is the first government shutdown since 2019.

Leaders of both parties are privately and publicly adamant that they will not be blamed for the funding lapse: Republicans insist Democrats need to simply agree to extend current funding for another seven weeks. Democrats refuse to do so without major concessions for lending their votes to pass any funding measure in the Senate, as per CNN.

Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer are placing the blame squarely on US President Donald Trump and Republicans.

“After months of making life harder and more expensive, Donald Trump and Republicans have now shut down the federal government because they do not want to protect the healthcare of the American people,” the Democratic leaders said in a joint statement.

Senators left the Capitol tonight in a state of deep uncertainty about how long the shutdown could last. The Senate is on track to vote again tomorrow morning on the same GOP funding plan — which Republican leaders have vowed to put on the floor day after day until enough Democrats yield and agree to reopen the government.

The shuttering of the federal government means that hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be furloughed, while others who are considered essential will have to keep reporting for work — though many won’t get paid until the impasse ends. Still others, however, will continue collecting paychecks since their jobs are not funded through annual appropriations from Congress, as per CNN.

Every government shutdown differs, but typically functions that are critical to protect lives and property are deemed essential and stay open. Previous shutdowns canceled immigration hearings and delayed federal lending to homebuyers and small businesses, among other impacts, CNN reported. (ANI)

Malayalam superstar Mammootty is back on the sets, resuming his work after a brief break.

Taking to his Instagram handle, the actor shared a picture of himself, posing by the side of his car as he appeared healthy and rejuvenated in an orange shirt, white trousers and black shoes.

“Back to doing what I love most in life after a short break. Words aren’t enough to thank everyone who checked on me during my absence. The camera is calling,” Mammootty wrote in the caption.

Fans were elated as soon as they received an update. Many took to the comment section and expressed their excitement and anticipation for his next project.

Mammootty has already arrived in Hyderabad for the shooting of his next, where he met filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.

Producer Anto Joseph took to his Instagram handle and penned a note, further adding details about the superstar’s next schedule.

“Dear Mammookka is coming…To continue acting in the movie directed by Mahesh Narayanan from October 1st. It was just a short break. I think it was all this time. The break that came unexpectedly was survived by the power of the prayers and presence of people all over the world. Mammookka will join the Hyderabad schedule. Heartfelt thanks and love to those who came in prayers, and those who helped when I was troubled,” he wrote.

This came after reports suggested that Mammootty was struggling with certain health issues.

Mammootty and Mohanlal will come together for the much-awaited film, marking a reunion after a long time. South Indian actor Nayanthara is also a part of the project.

Earlier this year, the official social media handle of Anto Joseph Film Company confirmed the news, showing Nayanthara’s arrival on set.

Directed by Mahesh Narayanan, the film is currently in production. Details surrounding its plot or release date are yet to be unveiled. (ANI)

The much-awaited teaser of Dhanush and Kriti Sanon starrer ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ is finally out to offer a glimpse into a love story of rebels.

Billed as the spiritual sequel to Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor starrer ‘Raanjhanaa’, ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ is directed by Anand L Rai, while the music is composed by AR Rahman.

The two-minute and four-second teaser opened with the Haldi ceremony of Kriti Sanon, which was gatecrashed by Dhanush.

With a swollen eye and bruises over the nose, Dhanush steps towards Kriti Sanon with a monologue describing his sorrow for the passing of his father.

Dhanush, with anger in his eyes, starts pouring the holy Ganga water on Kriti, asking her to wash away her old sins before starting on a new chapter in her life.

It was followed by the flashback scenes of Dhanush and Kriti Sanon as they fall in love with each other. At the end, Dhanush curses Kriti Sanon in anger and says, “May Shankar bless you with a son. Then you’ll understand that the ones who die for love. They, too, are somebody’s son,” as shown in the teaser.

T-Series, the leading music label in India, shared the teaser of the movie on their Instagram handle on Wednesday.

The film is slated to release in theatres on November 28, 2025.

Director Aanand L Rai first revealed the project on the 10th anniversary of ‘Raanjhanaa’, his 2013 romantic drama that also starred Dhanush in a leading role.

The teaser released along with the announcement featured a brief, intense monologue from Dhanush, set against the backdrop of narrow alleys and rising tension.”Pichli baar toh Kundan tha, maan gaya. Par iss baar Shankar ko kaise rokoge?” he says, signalling a new and more volatile character in this instalment.

Tere Ishk Mein is produced under the banners of Gulshan Kumar, T-Series, and Colour Yellow Productions. Producers include Aanand L Rai, Himanshu Sharma, Bhushan Kumar, and Krishan Kumar. (ANI)

With good monsoon and GST rate rationalization, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised the growth projections for FY 26 upwards.

The gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for FY26 has been revised upward to 6.8 per cent, with quarterly estimates of 7 per cent in Q2 as against 6.7 per cent announced earlier, 6.4 per cent in Q3 as compared to 6.6 per cent earlier, and 6.2 per cent in Q4 as against 6.3 per cent projected earlier.

Growth for Q1 of the next financial year FY27, is projected at 6.4 per cent as against 6.6 per cent earlier.

The growth projections in Q3, Q4 and Q1 of FY27 was revised downwards partly due to 50 per cent tariffs by US on Indian imports.

RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said US tariffs will moderate exports however he added that government policy steps may offset some impact of global headwinds.

The governor noted that the implementation of several growth-inducing structural reforms, many of which were announced by the PM Modi on 15 August, including the streamlining of GST, are expected to offset some of the adverse effects of the external adverts.

Taking all these factors into account, the governor stated that “real GDP growth for this year is now projected at 6.8 per cent. This is a revision from our earlier forecast of 6.5 per cent. Q2 now is projected at 7 per cent, Q3 at 6.4 per cent and Q4 at 6.2 per cent. Real GDP growth for Q1 next year is projected at 6.4 per cent. The risks are evenly balanced”.

In the last policy announcement despite the uncertain global trade environment due to ongoing tariff announcements and trade negotiations, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had kept the GDP growth projection for the current financial year 2025-26 unchanged at 6.5 per cent which is now revised upward to 6.8 per cent. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday praised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for its long-standing commitment to nation-building. He said the RSS has helped nurture and strengthen countless lives over the years.

Speaking during the centenary celebrations of RSS in the national capital, PM Modi said, “Just as human civilisations flourish along the banks of mighty rivers, similarly, hundreds of lives have blossomed and thrived along the banks and in the flow of the RSS. Since its formation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has pursued a grand objective. That objective has been nation-building.”

PM Modi said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), founded 100 years ago on Vijayadashami, was no coincidence, highlighting the festival’s symbolism of the victory of good over evil, truth over falsehood, and light over darkness.

“… Tomorrow is Vijayadashmi, a festival which symbolises the victory of good over evil, victory of justice over injustice, victory of truth over falsehoods, and victory of light over darkness… The establishment of RSS as an organisation on this great day 100 years ago, was no coincidence,” PM said.

He paid tribute to RSS’s founder, KB Hedgewar, praising his dedication to national service.

“It is the fortune of the volunteers of our generation that we have the opportunity to witness such a great occasion as the centenary year of the Sangh. On this occasion today, I extend my best wishes to the millions of volunteers dedicated to national service and congratulate them. I pay my humble tribute at the feet of the founder of the Sangh, our revered ideal, the most worshipful Dr. Hedgewar ji,” PM Modi said.

On the occasion, PM Modi released a specially designed commemorative postage stamp and coin highlighting the RSS’s contributions to the nation on the occasion of the organisation’s centenary celebrations.

“… This Rs 100 coin has the National Emblem on one side, and on the other side, there is an image of Bharat Mata, seated on a lion in ‘varad mudra’, and swayamsevaks bowing down before her with dedication. This is the first time in the history of independent India that an image of Bharat Mata has been shown on our currency… The special postal stamp launched today also has its importance… In 1963, RSS Swayamsevaks also proudly participated in the Republic Day Parade. This postal stamp has an image of that historic moment.” PM Modi said.

He said that the various sub-organisations within the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) work for different aspects of life without conflicting with each other, emphasising that the shared aim and essence of all RSS units is “Nation First.”

“Different organisations within the RSS serve the nation by working for every part of life… The RSS further has many sub-organisations, but no two sub-organisations within the organisation contradict or have divisions with each other. The aim and essence of all the sub-organisations within the RSS is the same- Nation First,” PM Modi said.

Founded in 1925 in Nagpur, Maharashtra, by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS was established as a volunteer-based organisation with the goal of fostering cultural awareness, discipline, service, and social responsibility among citizens. (ANI)