Month: November 2025

US president Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said that documents signed by former Democratic president Joe Biden using an autopen stand terminated. He claimed that the majority of Biden’s orders were signed with an autopen, a machine that produces a copy of a given signature.

“Any document signed by Sleepy Joe Biden with the Autopen, which was approximately 92% of them, is hereby terminated, and of no further force or effect. The Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States,” Trump posted on ‘Truth Social’.

Announcing the cancellation of all executive orders and “anything else” that was not directly signed by Biden, Trump reiterated his claims that people had illegally operated the autopen. The Republican leader threatened to prosecute Biden on “charges of perjury” if the latter claimed that staff was acting under his direction.

“The Radical Left Lunatics circling Biden around the beautiful Resolute Desk in the Oval Office took the Presidency away from him. I am hereby cancelling all Executive Orders, and anything else that was not directly signed by Crooked Joe Biden, because the people who operated the Autopen did so illegally. Joe Biden was not involved in the Autopen process and, if he says he was, he will be brought up on charges of perjury,” the US president said.

Trump has time and again claimed that Biden was unable to control the executive office, given his age and mental state. He has repeatedly criticised Biden for using an autopen during his presidency.

While the practice has been routine in the White House, Trump has claimed that Biden’s reliance on the device shows he was not in control of his presidency. He had earlier claimed that Biden aides made several decisions without his knowledge.

Earlier in the day, Trump said that he would permanently pause migration from all “third-world countries” to allow the US system to terminate illegal admissions into the United States.

This comes in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard service members in Washington, DC, on Wednesday by an Afghan national, which resulted in the death of one National Guard member and left the other critically injured.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country, end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country, denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity, and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.” (ANI)

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has announced special early-morning services on both polling and counting days of the upcoming MCD bye-elections, enabling the timely movement of polling staff deployed across 12 wards.

In a post on X on Friday, DMRC said that train operations across all lines will commence at 4:00 am on Sunday, November 30, the polling day, with trains running at a frequency of 30 minutes till 6:00 am, after which regular Sunday schedules will resume.

“To ensure smooth and timely movement of polling personnel and staff during the MCD Bye-Elections in 12 wards, Delhi Metro will start services early on both polling and counting days,” the post read.

“On Sunday, 30th November 2025 (Polling Day), train services will begin from all terminal stations at 4:00 AM with a frequency of 30 minutes till 6:00 and thereafter regular services as per the Sunday timetable. Additionally, the last train service from all terminal stations will depart at 11:30 PM instead of the usual 11:00 PM,” the post further read.

“On Wednesday, 3rd December 2025 (Vote Counting Day), services will commence at 4:00 AM with a frequency of 30 minutes till 6:00 AM, followed by the regular weekday timetable,” the post added.

Earlier on November 28, the State Election Commissioner (SEC), Vijay Dev, imposed a 48-hour silence period ahead of the upcoming by-elections to 12 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, according to an official release.

The SEC has ordered to prohibit the display of any election matter, including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey in any media, including electronic, in connection with the bye-elections to Municipal Corporation of Delhi from 05:30 P.M. of 28.11.2025 to 05.30 P.M of 30.11.2025.

On November 10, a total of 132 nominations were submitted for the 12 seats in the Delhi MCD bye-elections. Among these nominations, 59 were male, and 74 were female.

Women candidates have submitted their nominations from notable areas, including Shalimar Bagh-B, Ashok Vihar, Dwarka-B, Dichaon Kalan, and Greater Kailash.

The last date of filing of nominations was November 10, and the scrutiny of papers will take place on November 12. The last date of withdrawal of nomination is November 15. Polling will be held on November 30. (ANI)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah was named as the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2025 in the Outstanding Achievement category on Friday, a recognition of his influential role in shaping cricket’s global future.

The award reflects Shah’s leadership at a time when the sport is evolving rapidly. His push for strong governance, deeper pathways for emerging cricket nations and a bold expansion of the women’s game have contributed to cricket’s most transformative phase in decades. His pioneering efforts to bring cricket back to the Olympic stage have strengthened the sport’s global footprint and unlocked new opportunities.

Shah has also played a pivotal role in driving record fan engagement and modernising the game’s commercial approach. His decisions have helped cricket adapt to new audiences, new markets, and a changing media landscape while keeping the core of the sport intact, according to a press release.

The honour was followed by an insightful interaction with Shah on global cricket and his vision for the game. Women’s cricket took centre stage, coming on the heels of a landmark ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

The evening also celebrated India’s exceptional women’s side, fresh off their triumphant campaign at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, head coach Amol Muzumdar and key members of the squad received the Indian of the Year Award in the Sports category. Their win reflects a team that has carried the weight of expectation, delivered under pressure and redefined what Indian women’s cricket stands for on the world stage.

Some of the most significant reforms for women’s cricket in India, such as equal match fees with their men’s counterparts, and the game-changing Women’s Premier League (WPL) becoming a reality during his tenure as the BCCI honorary secretary from 2019-2024.

Speaking during his acceptance speech, Jay dedicated the award to the Women’s World Cup-winning skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur, and former cricketers Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj, among the biggest names in Indian women’s cricket. He highlighted some big measures taken by BCCI during his tenure as honorary secretary and named the introduction of WPL and pay parity for women’s teams as his favourite reforms.

“Harman, Jhulan di and Mithali are here. I would like to dedicate this award to all of you. I would like to take you all (the audience) back to the time before December 1 last year (when he began his tenure as ICC chairman). From 23 October 2019 (when he started as BCCI secretary) until then, we made many decisions and achieved several milestones. We strengthened domestic structures, achieved pay parity, and introduced the WPL. We did the 50,000 crore media rights deal without controversy. We made the NCA (Centre of Excellence) with 20 lakh square feet of construction and all the facilities. Players play in Cape Town, Perth, Sydney, Lord’s, and Melbourne; all pitches are available there. My favourites were the pay parity and the WPL launch. The result is out there for you all to see. I want to congratulate Harman and the entire team for winning our hearts, competing with our boys and putting pressure on them (to win ICC titles).” (ANI)

Ahead of Vladimir Putin’s scheduled visit to India, foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Russian President need to discuss the path ahead, given the emergence of a new world order.

“At this time of the early 21st century, when a new world matrix is under construction…the world order is crumbling and a new world order is emerging. At this juncture, it becomes extremely important what the two leaders discuss and what the path ahead is,” Sachdev told ANI.

He said that India-Russia relations remain “strategic, trusting, and have gone deeper”, especially after the Ukraine war. Despite the US imposing 25 per cent additional tariffs, he added, India continued to buy crude oil from Russia.

“Definitely, the relationship between Russia and India is very strategic, very trusting, and I would say that after the Ukraine war, India-Russia relations have gone even deeper and more mature. India stood by Russia and kept buying crude oil despite the tariffs,” Sachdev said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to India from December 4-5 next month at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the visit, Putin will attend the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit and hold talks with PM Modi, according to an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday.

The President of India will also receive Putin and host a banquet in his honour.

The visit will provide an opportunity for the leadership of India and Russia to review progress in bilateral relations, outline the vision for strengthening the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’, and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, the MEA statement said.

The upcoming visit will mark Putin’s first to India since 2021. The two leaders last met in person on September 1 this year in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.

Kremlin has described Putin’s upcoming visit to India as an important moment for both nations. Russian state news agency TASS cited a Kremlin statement, “The visit is of great importance, providing an opportunity to comprehensively discuss the extensive agenda of Russian-Indian relations within the particularly privileged strategic partnership in the political, trade, economic, scientific, technological, cultural, and humanitarian spheres, as well as to consider topical international and regional issues.”

“These issues will be at the heart of negotiations with the Indian delegation led by [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi,” the Kremlin said as per TASS.

Building on this announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs had yesterday said that preparations for the annual summit are already underway, with Putin’s December arrival aligning with the state visit outlined by the MEA.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to media queries during the weekly briefing, said the dates will be announced soon and noted that both nations are working to further strengthen bilateral ties.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Putin in Moscow last week ahead of the annual summit. Jaishankar had also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings during the meeting.

Following the discussions, Jaishankar wrote on ‘X’: “Honoured to call on President Putin of Russia in Moscow today. Conveyed greetings of Prime Minister @narendramodi. Apprised him of preparations underway for the upcoming Annual India-Russia Summit. Also discussed regional and global developments. Deeply value his perspectives and guidance on further advancement of our ties.”

Earlier this month, the Kremlin also said Russia is “actively preparing” for President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, expected before the end of the year, according to state news agency TASS.

India and Russia signed their Declaration on Strategic Partnership in 2000, establishing the framework for annual summits and cooperation across political, defence, economic and technological sectors. In 2010, the relationship was elevated to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.” (ANI)

Air travel across several routes may face disruptions as domestic carriers Air India and IndiGo on Saturday announced potential delays and schedule adjustments following a technical directive issued by Airbus for its global A320 family fleet.

In a post on X, Air India wrote it is “aware of a directive from Airbus related to its A320 family aircraft currently in-service across airline operators,” noting that the requirement will involve a “software/hardware realignment” on part of its fleet.

“We are aware of a directive from Airbus related to its A320 family aircraft currently in service across airline operators. This will result in a software/hardware realignment on a part of our fleet, leading to longer turnaround time and delays to our scheduled operations,” the post read.

“Air India regrets any inconvenience this may cause to passengers till the reset is carried out across the fleet. We request customers to check their flight status at https://airindia.com/in/en/manage/flight-status.html before heading to the airport and connect with our contact centre at 011-69329333, 011-69329999 for any further assistance,” the post further read.

Meanwhile on November 11, Air India announced the successful completion of the retrofit programme for its legacy A320neo fleet, with the final of 27 aircraft returning to service with brand-new cabin interiors and in the airline’s vibrant new livery. With these, combined with 14 newly delivered A320neo aircraft and those integrated following the merger of Vistara into Air India, the airline now operates 104 A320 Family aircraft, featuring new or upgraded cabin interiors, Air India said in a press release.

In a separate post on X, IndiGo emphasised that “safety comes first” and confirmed it is carrying out the mandated updates across its A320 aircraft “with full diligence and care, in line with all safety protocols.”

“Safety comes first. Always…Airbus has issued a technical advisory for the global A320 fleet. We are proactively completing the mandated updates on our aircraft with full diligence and care, in line with all safety protocols. While we work through these precautionary updates, some flights may see some slight schedule changes,” the post read.

“Our teams are here 24×7 to support you with rebooking, updates, and information. Please check your latest flight status on our app/website before heading to the airport. Thank you for your patience and trust on us,” IndiGo wrote.

Both airlines assured customers of continuous assistance as they undertake the precautionary measures mandated by Airbus. (ANI)

With cyclonic storm Ditwah advancing towards the north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, authorities have intensified preparedness measures as the weather system continues to move across coastal Sri Lanka and the adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, prompting an orange alert in the region.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Ditwah moved north-northwestwards at a speed of seven kmph over the past six hours and, as of 23:30 hrs IST on Friday, was centred near latitude 8.8°N and longitude 80.8°E. The storm lay about 60 km west-northwest of Trincomalee, 160 km northwest of Batticaloa, 260 km south-southeast of Karaikal, 370 km south-southeast of Puducherry and nearly 470 km south of Chennai.

The IMD said the system is likely to maintain its north-northwestward movement across the Sri Lankan coast and adjoining Bay waters, before emerging over the southwest Bay of Bengal. It is expected to reach near the north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by the early hours of November 30.

Amid the cyclone alert, the Villupuram district administration has stepped up precautionary measures. District Collector Sheikh Abdul Rahman announced the closure of all schools on Saturday due to predicted heavy rainfall.

“In Villupuram district, all schools will remain closed tomorrow due to heavy rainfall. No special classes or examinations should be conducted under any circumstances. A total of 103 locations in our district have been identified as vulnerable areas,” he said on Friday.

Rahman added that 103 locations in the district have been marked as vulnerable. “For rescue operations, 55 boats are on standby. Five National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel will arrive in the Villupuram district tonight. As there is a possibility of electric poles falling, 12,700 poles have been kept ready. A total of 253 JCB vehicles are on standby. Nineteen coastal fishermen have not ventured into the sea. There is a likelihood of rainfall beginning tomorrow afternoon,” he said.

Meanwhile, the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka has risen to 69, with 34 people still missing as of Friday, as the country continues to face severe weather conditions. India commenced Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the affected island nation. (ANI)

Eight more people have been arrested in connection with the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court residential compound in the Tai Po district, Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said on Friday.

According to the Global Times, the ICAC has launched an investigation into possible corruption linked to the building’s repair and maintenance works. The eight arrested individuals include engineering consultants, scaffolding subcontractors, and a middleman.

A local official informed that firefighting and rescue operations were nearly concluded after days of efforts to combat the deadly fire that claimed at least 128 lives.

The number of people who have been killed in the devastating fire at an apartment complex in Hong Kong rose to 128, with as many as 200 people still missing, CNN reported on Friday, citing officials, as firefighters brought the blaze under control 42 hours after it ignited.

According to CNN, at least 79 people were injured in the fire, which rapidly spread through multiple buildings in a public housing estate in the Tai Po neighbourhood, Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang said during a press conference on Friday.

He warned that the death toll could rise further as there are about 200 people whose situation is unknown. As per him, this figure includes a number of dead bodies yet to be identified.

Wang Fuk Court, an affordable housing complex completed in 1983, houses around 4,000 residents in 1,984 units. When the fire broke out, all eight buildings were enclosed in green mesh and scaffolding as part of a major renovation project. The fire started from the scaffolding outside one building and spread to six others, Xinhua reported.

On Thursday, Hong Kong Police arrested three men linked to the renovation project on suspicion of “gross negligence” and for suspected manslaughter.

Officials said early findings indicate that the polystyrene boards and other construction materials, such as nets and canvas, did not meet safety standards, CNN reported.

“These polystyrene boards are extremely inflammable, and the fire spread very rapidly,” Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung said, as quoted by CNN, adding that their presence on residential windows was “unusual” and had been referred to the police for further investigation.

Xinhua reported that the HKSAR government has ordered a city-wide safety inspection on all scaffolding and construction materials used in renovation projects for buildings, according to the chief executive. (ANI)

The Afghan national, accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House, will be charged with first-degree murder, the Washington Post reported.

Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington, DC, said that more counts are likely to follow against suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal (29), who migrated from Afghanistan in 2021 under “Operation Allies Welcome” during Joe Biden’s tenure, after the chaotic withdrawal of US forces in Afghanistan.

The Washington Post reported that the upgraded charges of first-degree murder, instead of the initial charges of assault, raise the possibility for the suspected attacker to face the death penalty in the case.

The shooting that occurred on Wednesday, blocks from the White House, left two National Guard members severely injured. One of them (Spec. Sarah Beckstrom) has died, while the other remains wounded.

Although capital punishment has been abolished in District of Columbia, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday said she will seek the death penalty against the man accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, the Hill reported.

In August, US president Donald Trump had asserted that his government would seek capital punishment in every murder case that occurred in Washington, DC.

Meanwhile, Trump on Friday said that he would permanently pause migration from all “third-world countries” to allow the US system to terminate illegal admissions into the United States.

This comes in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard service members in Washington, DC, on Wednesday by an Afghan national, which resulted in the death of one National Guard member and left the other critically injured.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country, end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country, denaturalise migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity, and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.” (ANI)

Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, who won the hearts of the audience with their performance in the romantic drama ‘Saiyaara’, directed by Mohit Suri, have won big at the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2025.

The ‘Saiyaara’ stars won the GenZ Icon awards.

Expressing gratitude to everyone who helped him throughout his journey, Ahaan noted, “I think any artist has dreamed of coming on a stage and accepting their first award…”

“I think any artist has dreamed of coming on a stage and accepting their first award,” he said as quoted by CNN-News18.

He added, “I’ve practised in front of my bathroom mirror many times, at least 300 to 400 times. But I didn’t expect the possibility of me being completely and utterly speechless on such a big stage.”

Directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Yash Raj Films CEO Akshay Widhani, ‘Saiyaara’ marks Ahaan Panday’s acting debut. At the same time, Aneet Padda, who has previously appeared in ‘Salaam Venky’ and ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, plays her first lead role in a film.

The film, which stars newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, follows the love story of a singer and a lyricist, Krish and Vaani, whose emotional journey has left many viewers both smiling and in tears. The film has been widely appreciated for its emotional depth, performances, and soulful music. (ANI)

Artists, poets, cultural activists, and fans of traditional Baul music singer Abul Sarker on Friday took to the streets to protest his arrest and demand his immediate and unconditional release.

The interim government recently arrested the king of Baul music (Moharaja Abul Sarkar) after an Islamist extremist group claimed that a song by Abul Sarkar insulted Islam. Abul Sarker’s wife, Aleya Begum, denied the allegations, saying her husband is innocent.

His fans and supporters gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital, Dhaka, and protested by singing songs by Abul Sarkar. UNESCO declared Bangladesh’s traditional Baul music as Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Following the student-led uprising on August 5, 2024, radical Islamic groups have been carrying out attacks on various shrines, disrupting cultural activities, and attacking Bauls in Bangladesh.

“The issue is very simple, you know, what we call the Pala in our Bengali cultural tradition, it has been evolving for quite a long time in the Bangladesh cultural tradition. Pala is a theatrical performance, so what Abul was uttering is a kind of dialogue; in the Pala, what happens is that the two parties fight over a particular topic. People extracted a few seconds of the Pala and used it mainly to provoke a certain reaction among the people. Of course, people have religious sentiments,” Forhad Mozhar, a poet and an influential person of the current regime in Bangladesh, told ANI.

“Even if he did it, it could have been solved very easily; we could have sat down, and Abul Sarkar could have explained that we use it because we have done it for the last hundreds or thousands of years. If it has bad sentiments, I am sorry for that. We told our law and order department. But unfortunately, they have also lodged a case against him that we think is very wrong. That has created serious repercussions as well,” he added.

“Some of the groups who claimed them are religious groups… even in the Islamic religion, you cannot ask for the death penalty without any judicial process. Any individual can claim that they will execute that. That’s what happened, actually claimed that he is going to deliver the death penalty. Even to me, he will cut my bear and everything. These forces have emerged mainly after the 5th August, 2024,” Mozhar said.

“We have defeated the secular fascists. Religious fascism also emerged equally. Unfortunately, the present government failed to deal with them. In the beginning, they destroyed the mazars (Shrines) and beat people. Even Abul Sarkar’s Bhakas, the people who love him, went to Manikgonj for a human chain in support of him; they were beaten and thrown into ponds. Many had been injured. What they have done!” he said. (ANI)