4 Rail Lines, 6-Lane Highway: New Corridor to Replace 137-Year-Old Malviya Bridge in Varanasi

 The Congress on Wednesday appointed B K Hariprasad, Gaurav Gogoi and Mohan Markam as AICC senior coordinators for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections.

As the opposition party gets battle-ready for the next round of assembly polls, it had on Tuesday appointed three AICC senior observers for Jharkhand elections -- Tariq Anwar, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu.

CJI DY Chandrachud has reportedly recommended the name of senior-most Supreme Court justice Sanjiv Khanna as his successor. Govt had written to outgoing CJI last Friday to send his recommendation as per the Memorandum of Procedure.

In a thinly veiled reference to both China and Pakistan , External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar underscored the obstacles terrorism poses to regional cooperation while emphasizing the importance of respecting territorial integrity in connectivity initiatives. Speaking at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Jaishankar called for introspection on "good neighbourliness" amid India’s tense relations with both Pakistan and China.

"If friendship has fallen short and good neighbourliness is missing somewhere, there are surely reasons to introspect and causes to address," Jaishankar said, as he addressed the gathering, which included Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

CJI DY Chandrachud Recommends Justice Sanjiv Khanna As His Successor 

In a major embarrassment for himself and the Canadian government, Justin Trudeau admitted today that he had only intelligence and "no hard evidentiary proof" to support the charges he made against the Indian government regarding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a wanted terrorist in India. Trudeau's claim that the Indian ambassador was a "person of interest" in Nijjar's killing has escalated tensions, leading to an unprecedented diplomatic standoff between India and Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday admitted he didn't provide India with real proof over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.

MLA Zeeshan Siddique met with senior police officers on Wednesday, four days after his father, NCP politician Baba Siddique, was allegedly shot dead by three gunmen. He is believed to have provided some information during the meeting.

Zeeshan, who represents the Bandra (East) assembly constituency, arrived at the Mumbai Police Commissioner's office around 5 p.m., according to officials.

While police continue to investigate the motive behind the shocking murder, they have yet to record Zeeshan's statement.

"Senior officers and Zeeshan discussed the investigation. He shared some information in his possession," a police official said. Zeeshan left the commissioner's office after approximately 45 minutes.

Former Congress leader Baba Siddique, 66, was killed near Zeeshan's office on Saturday night.

Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) leader Devendra Fadnavis hintedthat Eknath Shinde could be the chief ministerial face for the Mahayuti alliance in the upcoming Maharashtra elections. While addressing an event to release a report card on the government's performance, Fadnavis stated, "Our Chief Minister is sitting here," while flanked by Shinde and NCP's Ajit Pawar .

Fadnavis challenged NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar to declare the chief ministerial candidate for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), saying, "We don't need to announce the chief minister's face." He suggested that the MVA's reluctance to name a candidate indicated doubts about their prospects in the elections.

Nayab Singh Saini will take oath as the next chief minister of Haryana on Thursday, tomorrow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the swearing-in. Nayab Singh Saini earlier today staked claim to form the next government in Haryana , hours after he was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in the state.

Amid ongoing probe into a series of hoax bomb threat calls to Indian air carriers, Mumbai police have arrested a minor in connection with making fake calls on four flights. The accused, a class 11 dropout from Chhattisgarh allegedly created a fake social media account in his friend's name to send the threats, following a dispute over money. This act of revenge involved sending threats on October 14 through the impersonated account,  leading to some flights being diverted.

The minor was nabbed in Rajnandgaon, and officials are probing whether there is a larger conspiracy behind these threats. The Mumbai police have issued a notice to the 17-year-old boy's father and another person from Rajnandgaon to join questioning in connection with bomb threats posted on social media targeting 4 flights. Of the four, three of them were international originating from Mumbai.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , has approved an increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi crops for the marketing season 2025-26. This decision aims to provide "remunerative prices to the growers for their produce."

Among the crops, the highest increase in MSP is for "Rapeseed & Mustard at Rs 300 per quintal," followed by "Lentil (Masur) at Rs 275 per quintal." For gram, wheat, safflower, and barley, the respective increases are "Rs 210 per quintal, Rs 150 per quintal, Rs 140 per quintal, and Rs 130 per quintal."

At least 5 people have lost their lives while rescuing others who went into a tank of an effluent treatment plant at the Emami company in Gujarat 's Kutch. Speaking on the matter, plant head of Emami Agrotech Ltd, Mainik Pal said that they received information that around 12.30 pm some people have fallen unconscious in the tank. In an attempt to rescue them, four people also lost their lives.

The plant head further said that it's a very sad and unfortunate incident. We have announced to provide compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the family of deceased and an investigation is underway.

Amid a series of hoax bomb threat calls to Indian air carriers, Air India Flight AI 103 from Delhi to Washington had received a bomb threat on October 14. “I placed explosives onboard flight AI103. This is extremely serious. The plane must be evacuated as quickly as possible. I won't spare anyone, you're all going down with me”,  the threat message sent to AI 103 read. This incident is part of a series of bomb threats t

Soon after Omar Abdullah took oath as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, he asked the Director General of Police of the Union Territory not to create a 'green corridor' or traffic stoppage for his convoy.

The newly sworn-in Chief Minister announced that he has directed the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police to reduce public inconvenience and limit the use of sirens. He also encouraged his cabinet colleagues to adhere to these guidelines.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, "I have spoken to the J&K DGP that there is to be no “green corridor” or traffic stoppage when I move anywhere by road. I have instructed him to minimise public inconvenience & the use of sirens is to be minimal. The use of any stick waving or aggressive gestures is to be totally avoided. I’m asking my cabinet colleagues to follow the same example..."
 

A surge of bomb threats targeting nearly 13 flights over the past two days has put Indian airlines and security agencies on high alert. Earlier in the day, three flights - Akasa Air, IndiGo and Air India received bomb threats, which later turned out to be hoax calls. Air India flight AI 103 from Delhi to New York got a bomb threat.  “I placed explosives onboard of flight AI103. This is extremely serious. The plane must be evacuated as quickly as possible", the threat message sent to the Airline reportedly read.

A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Mumbai was diverted to Ahmedabad following a bomb threat received via social media. The flight, carrying nearly 200 passengers and crew, had departed from Mumbai on Tuesday night, with the false threat being verified on Wednesday. 

EAM Dr S Jaishankar and other leaders participate in the documents signing ceremony at the 23rd Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government, in Islamabad.

Central Government notifies MSP for 6 crops in Rabi marketing season for 2025-26.

Wheat - Rs 2425 from Rs 2275
Barley - Rs 1980 from Rs 1850
Gram - Rs 5650 from Rs 5440
Lentil - Rs 6700 from 6425
Rapeseed/Mustard - Rs 5950 from Rs 5650
Safflower - Rs 5940 from Rs 5800

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "Malviya Bridge is 137-year-old...Now, it has been decided to build a new bridge that will have 4 railway lines on the lower deck and a 6-lane highway on the upper deck...This will be counted among the biggest bridges in the world in terms of traffic capacity...This will be built at an expense of Rs 2,642 Crores."

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "Union Cabinet has approved a 3% hike in DA for central government employees and Dearness Relief relief for pensioners. A total of Rs 9448 Crores annually will be added to the paycheck of central government employees..." 

The cabinet briefing has started, and Ashwini Vaishnaw speaking. A new bridge will be constructed, and four railway lines and a six-lane highway to be built. This will be a corridor to connect the east and west. This bridge will be built on the river Ganga.

 Mobile internet and and broadband services remained suspended for the third day in a row in trouble-torn Maharajganj on Wednesday, impacting daily life and businesses, officials said. However, the situation in and around the two is returning to normalcy with no untoward incident being reported since Tuesday, they said.

A Delhi-bound IndiGo aircraft from Mumbai was diverted to Ahmedabad after receiving a bomb threat, which later turned out to be a hoax, officials said on Wednesday.The aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked. After a thorough checking, nothing suspicious was found and the the flight took-off for Delhi on Wednesday morning, they said.

Three people were killed after their car skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge here in the early hours of Wednesday, police said. The deceased have been identified as Prikshit Bharti (28), Vinod Kumar (32) and Mukesh (32), they said. According to police, the accident took place around 2:00 am on Sarahan-Pulbahal Link Road in Chopal. The driver lost control of the vehicle, it skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge.

 Police have registered a case against the son of a ruling BJP MLA in Chhattisgarh for allegedly assaulting a tribal man during the Dussehra celebrations in Bemetara district, an official said on Wednesday.The incident took place on October 13 in Chechanmeta village located within the Saja police station limits and a case was registered against Krishna Sahu on Tuesday, he said.

The Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud has recommended to the Centre the names of three advocates for appointment as judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The three-member collegium, which also comprised Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B R Gavai, held the meeting on Tuesday and also decided to recommend the names of four senior judicial officers as judges of the Kerala High Court.

 The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred hearing on a contempt plea against Gujarat authorities for allegedly illegally demolishing residential and religious structures in the state despite an interim stay and without its prior nod. A bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan listed the plea after three weeks.

Nayab Singh Saini was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in Haryana here on Wednesday. Newly elected Haryana BJP MLAs elected Saini in a meeting, which was also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav as central observers.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred hearing on a contempt plea against Gujarat authorities for allegedly illegally demolishing residential and religious structures in the state despite an interim stay and without its prior nod. A bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan listed the plea after three weeks.

 In a thinly veiled message to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said cooperation in areas like trade, energy and connectivity is unlikely to flourish if activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism.In his address at a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar also asserted that cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality and that it should recognise the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations.

Disruptions of various kinds, such as extreme climate events, supply chain uncertainties, financial volatility, impacting growth: Jaishankar.

Cooperation must be based on mutual respect, sovereign equality;it should recognise territorial integrity, sovereignty: Jaishankar at SCO.
 

Technology holds great promise, as well as raising host of concerns: EAM S Jaishankar at SCO conclave 

EAM S Jaishankar on Wednesday took a swipe at Pakistan during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, stating that if cross-border activities between two nations are characterised by extremism and separatism, it is hardly likely to help bilateral trade, relations, and other activities.

Police have registered a case against the son of a ruling BJP MLA in Chhattisgarh for allegedly assaulting a tribal man during the Dussehra celebrations in Bemetara district, an official said on Wednesday.The incident took place on October 13 in Chechanmeta village located within the Saja police station limits and a case was registered against Krishna Sahu on Tuesday, he said.

We meet at a difficult time in world affairs; two major conflicts underway, each with global repercussions: EAM S Jaishankar at SCO meet.

Rains ceased on Wednesday in most parts of northern Tamil Nadu including Chennai, bringing respite to people, while Chief Minister M K Stalin said relief work is being carried out.Stalin announced that on October 16 and 17, food will be provided free of cost in Amma canteens in Chennai to support poor and ordinary people.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Mongolian PM Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai and other leaders posed for a family photo on Wednesday ahead of the metting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government in Islamabad.
Pakistan PM Sharif had ealier welcomed Jaishankar at the venue of the SCO Meeting.
Jaishankar is in Pakistan to participate in the 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government being held today.

Resident doctors from major hospitals in Delhi will hold a protest outside the Bengal Bhawan in the national capital on Wednesday evening to demand justice for the trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.The protest was announced was the Joint Delhi Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) Action Committee late Tuesday night.

A man was stabbed to death allegedly by six people in the Vikaspuri area of west Delhi, police said on Wednesday.The deceased was identified as Sanjay, a resident of Indira Camp in Vikaspuri who worked as a driver, they said.Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vichitra Veer said a PCR call was received around 11 pm on Tuesday regarding a stabbing incident in Vikas Puri.

The national capital on Wednesday recorded a minimum temperature of 19 degrees Celsius, slightly colder than normal for this time of the season, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).The relative humidity level in the city stood at 78 per cent at 8.30 am.

 Market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Wednesday amid unabated foreign fund outflows and tracking a weak trend in global markets. The BSE Sensex went down by 240.75 points to 81,579.37 in early trade. The NSE Nifty declined 62.7 points to 24,994.65.

Three persons were injured after a fire broke out in a 14-storey residential building at the upscale Lokhandwala Complex in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, officials said.      The blaze erupted at around 8 am and was confined to a flat on the 10th floor of Riya Palace building, located on 4th Cross Road at the Lokhandwala Complex in Andheri area, a civic official said.

Agitating junior doctors continued their fast-unto-death for the 12th consecutive day on Wednesday demanding justice for the deceased woman colleague of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and workplace security.Sourav Dutta of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, fasting since October 5 was hospitalised on Tuesday evening and is being treated at the CCU of the hospital in Jalpaiguri while Spandan Chowdhury and Rumelika Kumar joined the hunger strike on Tuesday.

EAM S Jaishankar Takes Morning Walk with Colleagues in Indian High Commission Campus in Pakistan

He shared the picture on X and wrote, “ A morning walk together with colleagues of Team @IndiainPakistan in our High Commission campus.”

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has called a high-level meeting on Wednesday following 10 bomb threats received on Monday and Tuesday.

According to the sources, Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday held a meeting with the Bureau of Civil Aviation, CISF, and other senior officials in airport security over the bomb threats.

Sources in CISF have confirmed that more than 10 bomb threats have been received on social media in last 24 hours.

Schools in Bengaluru Urban district will remain shut on Wednesday following heavy rain forecast, officials said.

Due to continuous rains in Bengaluru, the Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for the next two days. As a precautionary measure in the interest of students, all taluk Anganwadi centres, private/aided primary and high schools of Bengaluru City will be closed on Wednesday," a government order stated. 

 The Mumbai police have issued a notice to a teenage boy, his father and another person from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh to join questioning in connection with bomb threats posted on social media targeting three flights, officials said. Three international flights originating from Mumbai received bomb threats on Monday.

Three persons were killed on Tuesday when a speeding truck hit a bike here on Jagdishpur-Mohanganj road near Naugarh, police said. The accident took place in the evening and Raj Kumar (26), Amit Kumar (23) and Akash (25) sustained injuries, they said. They were rushed to the hospital, where they were declared brought dead.

One person died and three others were injured in a clash between two groups over an old rivalry at a village in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Tuesday, police said.The incident took place at Pandua village in the evening when a young man of one group was allegedly hacked to death by a member of the rival faction, they said.

Amid an escalation in diplomatic row between India and Canada over Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing, the United States has alleged that India is not cooperating with Canada on the latter’s investigation into the killing.

The external affairs minister will lead the Indian delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit on Wednesday.
 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, hours after landing in the Pakistani capital in the first such visit from New Delhi in nearly a decade.The brief exchange and handshake between Jaishankar and Sharif took place at a banquet dinner hosted by the Pakistani prime minister at his residence in honour of the delegates attending a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, hours after landing in the Pakistani capital in the first such visit from India in nearly a decade that came amid frosty ties between the two neighbours.