THE HEADLINES::
- JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar to take oath for 10th time as Chief Minister of Bihar in Patna today; Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders to attend event.
- Supreme Court to give opinion on President’s reference over timelines for Bills' assent.
- India extends Visa-on-Arrival facility for UAE nationals at three more international airports of Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad.
- Centre writes to Delhi and NCR state governments to postpone physical sports competitions in view of air pollution.
- 56th edition of International Film Festival of India to begin in Goa today.
- In Badminton, Indian shuttlers, Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy enter second round of Australian Open Super 500 in Sydney.
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Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar will take oath today for the 10th time as the Chief Minister of Bihar. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna at 11:30 AM. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many dignitaries will attend the event. Yesterday JDU chief Nitish Kumar was elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislature party. The decision was taken during a joint meeting of newly-elected MLAs of the five constituent parties of the coalition in Patna. NDA had achieved a landslide victory in the recently concluded state Assembly elections, returning to power by clinching 202 seats in the 243-member House. Earlier in the day, BJP leader Samrat Choudhary was elected as the leader of the party legislature, while Vijay Sinha was elected as the deputy leader.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 21st installment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi of more than eighteen thousand crore rupees at Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu yesterday. The amount will support nine crore farmers across the country. Mr Modi also inaugurated the South India Natural Farming Summit on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said, the agriculture sector has witnessed transformative reforms in the past 11 years. He said, the country is on the path to becoming a global hub in natural farming.
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The Supreme Court will deliver its opinion today on the reference made by the President under Article 143 of the Constitution, seeking the top court’s opinion on whether timelines can be imposed on Governors to act on Bills passed by state legislatures in the absence of a constitutionally-prescribed time limit.
A Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, on September 11, had reserved its decision after hearing oral arguments over 10 days from Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for the Centre, as well as from Opposition-ruled states, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh, who opposed the Presidential reference.
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President Droupadi Murmu will visit Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh today to participate in the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas celebrations.
"The state-level concluding ceremony of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas will be held today at the PG College Ground in Ambikapur city of Chhattisgarh. As part of the event, a seminar was organized highlighting the glorious history of tribal communities and the valour of their icons. Today, President Droupadi Murmu will honour the family members of tribal uprising heroes and freedom fighters in Ambikapur. The programme will be presided over by the Governor of Chhattisgarh, Ramen Deka. Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and many other public representatives will also be present on the occasion. Vikalp Shukla, Akashvani News, Raipur".
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Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has said that National Cooperative Development Corporation-NCDC has emerged as a strong medium for empowering cooperatives and providing them financial assistance. The Minister made these remarks while addressing the 92nd General Council meeting of the NCDC in New Delhi yesterday. Mr Shah emphasized the need to promote the circular economy in the sugar mills and dairy sector, which will directly benefit farmers.
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India has expanded its Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) facility for UAE nationals to include Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad international airports. With this move, UAE citizens now have access to VoA at nine major entry points across India. Earlier the facility was available at centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi.
The facility is available exclusively to UAE nationals who have previously obtained an Indian e-visa or a regular paper visa. UAE citizens arriving in India under this scheme may stay for up to 60 days and can enter for tourism, business, conferences or medical purposes.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will co-chair the 16th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with Foreign Affairs Minister of Australia Penny Wong in New Delhi today. Ms Wong arrived in the National Capital yesterday to attend the dialogue. The visit offers an opportunity to build on the various facets of India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
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The Commission for Air Quality Management has written to Delhi government and NCR State governments to postpone physical sports competitions in November and December to safeguard the health of students from Air Pollution. In consultative meeting convened yesterday to examine the current air quality trends, the Commission deliberated upon measures to safeguard children’s health especially during the winter months of November and December. The Commission has also emphasized that students affected by such postponements should not face any disadvantage. It also urged the Delhi government and NCR State Governments to explore ways to reschedule such events or provide alternative opportunities for students to engage in similar activities at a later time without compromising their health or academic progress.
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The 56th edition of International Film Festival of India, IFFI 2025 is all set to roll out the red carpet, with the festival kickstarting from today. The closing ceremony will be held on November 28, 2025. The WAVES Film Bazaar will be formally inaugurated by Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting Dr. L.Murugan at around 11 am today, hours before the festival opens with a first of its kind grand parade, replacing the traditional indoor opening ceremony. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Sanjay Jaju will also be present on the occasion. Goa's Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant, inspected the venue last evening, ensuring everything is in order for the mega event. Our correspondent captures the thrill hours before IFFI 2025 kickstarts.
"The wait is finally over. As the curtains part on IFFI 2025, the city of Goa has transformed into a canvas of cinematic dreams. IFFI 2025 is all set to enthrall all cinephiles from across the globe. The curtain raiser parade is a symphony of colors, a kaleidoscope of cultures, and a celebration of the magic of cinema. With every step, the rhythm of the parade echoes the beat of creativity. The air is alive with anticipation, as the who's who of the film fraternity gather to witness the inauguration of this grand spectacle. As the curtains rise, the world is invited to revel in the magic of film. The festival promises to be an unforgettable experience, screening over 240 films from 81 countries, Japan is the country of focus this year. Some icons of cinema like Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Ritwik Ghatak, P. Bhanumathi, Bhupen Hazarika, and Salil Chowdhury will be honoured as well. While, 50 years of Rajnikanth will be given a befitting tribute. For the very first time an AI film hackathon is being held too. IFFIESTA: featuring music, live performances, and theatrical storytelling is something that everyone is watching out for. With its rich cultural heritage and stunning beaches, Goa is the perfect host for this cinematic extravaganza. THIS IS SAIRA MUJTABA, AKASHVANI NEWS, GOA."
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The GST Bachat Utsav kicked off on 22nd of September as the Narendra Modi government slashed GST rates in many sectors, benefitting citizens across the country. Today, our correspondent brings a report on how the new GST rates in the electronics sector are helping citizens.
"The next-generation GST reforms have brought significant relief to the electronics sector by lowering tax burdens and making electronic items more affordable for consumers. The reduction of GST on air-conditioners and dishwashers from 28 per cent to 18 per cent has boosted sales in the household appliances sector. Similarly, televisions, monitors and projectors now attract 18 per cent GST instead of 28 per cent, this decision is increasing investments in the digital ecosystem. Talking to Akashvani News, Vineet Sharma, an electronics trader from Jammu and Kashmir, hailed the move and said that the reduction of 10 per cent GST on electronic items like LCD TVs has eased the financial burden of consumers. The new reforms are aimed at promoting the Make in India initiative, stimulating demand in the sector and enabling citizens to access modern and sustainable technologies at lower cost. With Rohan and Samarth, Saklen Akhtar for Akashvani News, Delhi".
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In Ukraine, at least 26 people were killed and many other missing after a Russian drone and missile attack overnight in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil. Ukraine's interior minister Ihor Klymenko said 26 people were still missing after the overnight strikes, including three children. He added nearly 100 people had been hurt.
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In Badminton, Indian shuttlers, Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy reached the second round of men’s singles in the Australian Open Super 500 badminton tournament at Sydney yesterday. Paris Olympics 2024 semi-finalist Lakshya defeated Chinese Taipei's Su Li-yang by a 21-17, 21-13 scoreline to advance to the next round. Prannoy, beat Indonesia's Yohanes Saut Marcellyno 6-21, 21-12, 21-17. Former World No. 1 Srikanth booked his place in the round of 16 after defeating Chinese Taipei's Lee Chia-hao 21-19, 19-21, 21-15.
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In Cricket, The International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled the match schedule for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia from 15 January to 6 February 2026. Sixteen teams will compete across 41 matches, culminating in the final at the Harare Sports Club on 6 February.The opening day will see India take on the USA, Zimbabwe face Scotland, and Tanzania mark their historic tournament debut against the West Indies. The competition will be played across five venues in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
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India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast cold wave conditions over West and East Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra and Telangana today. The Met Department also predicted heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal today.
Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi-NCR continues to be in a very poor category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 400 as of 7 AM this morning. In view of the poor air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management has imposed Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan in the national capital and adjoining areas.
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TODAY'S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- On the recently held Bihar Elections, The Times Of India writes "Nitish Kumar to take oath as CM for 10th time today" .
- The Tribune citing a US report says "Post Operation Sindoor, China ran drive to derail Rafale deals".
- Financial Express quoting External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on terrorism at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization says " Zero tolerance ".
- "NIA gets custody of Anmol Bishnoi after deportation" reports Hindustan Times.
- "Odisha Likely to Raise Snakebite Death Compensation to 10 Lakh rupees" informs The Asian Age.
- "Michelle Bachelet gets Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2024", reports The Statesman.
- And finally,"Declared extinct decades ago, a tiger returns to ‘new home’ -in Gujarat forest" reports The Indian Express.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar to take oath for 10th time as Chief Minister of Bihar in Patna today; Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders to attend event.
- Supreme Court to give opinion on President’s reference over timelines for Bills' assent.
- India extends Visa-on-Arrival facility for UAE nationals at three more international airports of Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad.
- Centre writes to Delhi and NCR state governments to postpone physical sports competitions in view of air pollution.
- 56th edition of International Film Festival of India to begin in Goa today.
- In Badminton, Indian shuttlers, Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy enter second round of Australian Open Super 500 in Sydney.
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