New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has announced a significant enhancement in welfare measures for ex-servicemen (ESM) and their families, approving a 100 per cent increase in financial assistance under various schemes implemented by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) through the Kendriya Sainik Board. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the hike, which will take effect for applications submitted from November 1, 2025. Penury Grant The Penury…

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Kochi, Kerala: A controversy erupted this week after an eighth-standard student at St Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy, Kochi, was initially barred from wearing a hijab to school, prompting a temporary closure of the institution and widespread public debate. The school, which is run by a church organization, had announced a two-day holiday on Monday and Tuesday after tensions escalated between…

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Bengaluru: In a significant development, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday indicated that his government is examining steps to restrict the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in public spaces, particularly in government and government-aided schools, colleges, state-owned temples, public grounds, and other lands under the state’s jurisdiction. The announcement comes in the wake of a request from Karnataka Minister…

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday highlighted the Centre’s unwillingness to evolve on the method of execution for death row convicts, following the government’s indication that it may not be “very feasible” to allow prisoners the option of lethal injection as an alternative to hanging. The observation came during the hearing of a public interest…

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Baksa, Assam: Chaos and violence broke out outside the newly constructed Baksa District Jail on Wednesday as five accused in the mysterious death of singer Zubeen Garg were remanded to judicial custody following a court order. The unrest left several police personnel injured, three police vehicles torched, and prompted authorities to impose prohibitory orders in…

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In a united show of strength, the opposition in Maharashtra on Wednesday demanded that the upcoming local body elections be deferred until major discrepancies in the state’s voters’ list are resolved. The demand came during a meeting with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S. Chockalingam and State Election Commissioner (SEC) Dinesh Waghmare, attended by prominent opposition…

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The Supreme Court’s decision permitting the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR ahead of Diwali has sparked a wave of political reactions and public debate. While leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government welcomed the ruling as a “balanced approach” between tradition and environmental protection, critics expressed concern over its potential to worsen Delhi’s…

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In a major welfare push for India’s armed forces community, the Union government has approved a significant increase in financial assistance for non-pensioner ex-servicemen (ESM) and their dependents. The announcement, made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday, marks a 100% enhancement in aid under multiple welfare schemes administered by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare…

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The ongoing tariff tensions between the United States and China — now intensified by Beijing’s latest restrictions on rare earth mineral exports — appear to be opening an unexpected window of opportunity for India. A leading New Delhi-based trade think tank has suggested that Washington’s growing urgency to diversify its critical supply chains away from…

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The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday granted interim relief to former Corbett Tiger Reserve director Rahul, a 2004-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, by staying the state government’s sanction order permitting his prosecution in a case linked to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged illegal tree felling and unauthorised construction for a…

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