THE HEADLINES:
- Political activity regarding formation of government in Bihar intensifies; JDU legislature party meeting to elect its leader likely to be held today.
- One killed and more than 10 feared trapped in a mine cave-in, in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district.
- 3 Maoists killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district.
- US cuts tariffs on several food items including those imported from India.
- National Press Day being observed today.
- World Boxing Cup Finals begin in Greater Noida in National Capital Region.
- In men’s cricket, match underway between South Africa and India on day three at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
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In Bihar, political activities regarding the formation of a new NDA-led government have intensified. The residence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna has become the main center of political activity as several rounds of meetings with different parties have taken place.
Several senior NDA leaders met the Chief Minister and held discussions on forming the next government. Senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president Upendra Kushwaha met Nitish Kumar today. Meetings of the legislature parties of NDA’s constituent parties are also scheduled to take place today.
The process of electing the legislature party leaders of the Hindustani Awam Morcha and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha will be completed today.
JD(U) has summoned all its 85 newly elected MLAs to Patna as the legislature party meeting is likely to be held today, in which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected be elected as its leader.
The BJP’s legislature party meeting is likely to take place tomorrow. After all constituent parties of the NDA elect their legislature party leaders in separate meetings, a joint meeting of all 202 newly elected MLAs will be held to choose the new leader of the NDA legislature party.
Following this, the claim to form the government along with the letter of support from the MLAs will be submitted to the Governor. Tomorrow, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the last meeting of the current government’s cabinet will be held. In this meeting, a recommendation will be made to dissolve the existing cabinet, after which the path for the formation of the new government in the state will be cleared.
“All five constituent parties of the NDA will hold separate meetings to elect their respective legislature party leaders, after which a joint meeting will be held where the leader of the NDA will be elected. A meeting of the Lok Janshakti Party was held yesterday in which the party’s state president Raju Tiwari was elected leader of the legislature party. Meetings of the Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha legislature parties are expected to be held today. Dharmendra Kumar Rai, Akashvani News, Patna.”
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In Uttar Pradesh, one person lost his life and more than a dozen are feared to be trapped in a mine which caved in last evening in Sonbhadra district. Rescue teams of NDRF, SDRF and local administration are working on a war footing to rescue the trapped workers. Senior Officials are on the spot. Additional DGP, Piyush Mordiya informed media that a wall inside the Krishna Mines quarry in Billi Markundi village of Obra suddenly caved in, trapping the workers. The body of the deceased has been recovered.
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In Chhattisgarh, three Maoists, including two female rebels, have been killed in an encounter with security forces in Sukma district today. According to the police, a team of the District Reserve Guard was sent on a search operation after intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the forest of Tumaalpad area. Intermittent exchange of fire had been taking place between the security forces and the Maoists since morning. So far, bodies of three Maoists have been recovered from the spot. They carried a total reward of 15 lakh rupees on their heads. Security personnel have also seized one rifle, BGL launchers and other arms and explosives from the site. IGP, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P. said, additional teams of police and security forces have been rushed to the area. An intensive search operation is going on in the area.
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The Delhi Crime Branch has filed two separate FIRs against Al-Falah University, one for cheating and the other under sections of forgery. According to a Delhi Police source, a team from the Crime Branch unit visited the University office in Okhla in the national capital yesterday. The Delhi Police has also issued a notice to the university and requested certain documents from them. It said, the FIRs were registered after University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) flagged serious irregularities at the university during their reviews.
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All gates of Delhi Metro’s Lal Qila Station are now open for commuters. Lal Qila Metro Station was earlier closed after the blast in a car near the Red Fort in Delhi on the 10th of this month.
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Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan today said that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India continues to uphold the highest standards of accountability and transparency in public finance. He said this while addressing the Audit Diwas Celebrations 2025 in New Delhi. The Vice President also said that as the nation moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the CAG will continue to play a crucial role in strengthening fiscal discipline and transparent governance.
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At the ongoing 44th India International Trade Fair, the Digital India pavilion is showcasing the journey of digital ecosystem transformation for delivering secure and inclusive digital public services in the country. The Pavilion showcases e-governance initiatives such as DigiLocker, UMANG, myScheme, NIXI, NIELIT, Cert-In, India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and Aadhaar. According to IT Ministry, these exhibits and installations highlight how the Digital India initiative is fostering transparency, inclusivity, and digital empowerment. Here is a report on major achievers of Digital India initiative:
“The visitors can see how the UMANG App reduces the need to visit multiple government offices or websites. It connects citizens to more than 210 Central and state government departments, with support for 23 Indian languages. It integrates over 2,100 e-governance services and has a user base of more than 9.63 crore people. The IndiaAI Pavilion presents the country’s vision for an inclusive and sustainable AI future. As a preview to the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, the pavilion displays the Summit’s core themes-People, Planet, and Progress-along with the Seven Chakras that guide global cooperation on safe and trusted AI. And finally, the India Semiconductor Mission showcases ongoing projects and training initiatives under the Semiconductor Fab, Display Fab, and Compound Semiconductor programmes. TRIPTI SRIVASTAVA, NEWS DESK.”
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The National Press Day is being observed in the country today. The day reaffirms the vital role of a free, responsible, and ethical press in strengthening the Nation’s democracy. The day marks the establishment of the Press Council of India, which began its work on this day in 1966 as an independent moral watchdog of the media.
“Since its formation, the Press Council of India has worked diligently to uphold press freedom, maintain journalistic standards, and address the challenges confronting the media. This day symbolizes a free and responsible press, central to democracy. The day is commemorated through various activities, including the National Awards for Excellence and the release of a Souvenir. As per official data, the media landscape continues to expand, with registered publications rising from about 60 thousand in 2004 to more than one-and-a-half lakh in 2024-25. Some recent reforms, including the new Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, and the fully digital Press Sewa Portal, are streamlining the registration process and enhancing transparency. National Press day serves as a reminder of the crucial role the press plays in strengthening the country’s democracy. The day not only celebrates the achievements of the press but also reinforces the responsibility it bears in building a more informed and transparent society, ensuring that the future of journalism remains strong, free, and responsible. With Rohan, Saklen Akhtar, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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In Kerala, Sabarimala temple will open this evening for the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has said that all arrangements have been completed. The sanctum sanctorum will open at 5 PM, during which E D Prasad will assume charge as the new Melshanthi (chief priest) of Sabarimala, and M G Manu will take charge as the Melshanthi of Malikappuram.
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US President Donald Trump has cut tariffs on food imports as affordability emerges as a potential political factor. India’s mango, pomegranate, and tea exports are likely to benefit from the move. The White House has announced that tropical fruits and juices, tea, and spices are among the imports that will not be affected by reciprocal tariffs. Other items mentioned in the White House factsheet include coffee and tea, cocoa, oranges, tomatoes, and beef. Trump had previously imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on imports from India and added an additional 25 per cent punitive tariff for buying Russian oil. To contain inflation, Trump earlier exempted generic medicines from tariffs, benefiting India, which supplies 47 per cent of the generic medicines prescribed in the US.
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The British government has announced that under new plans, aimed at slashing irregular immigration and countering the hard-right, Britain will drastically reduce protections for refugees and end automatic benefits for asylum seekers. The measures, modeled on Denmark’s strict asylum system, were announced as Prime Minister Keir Starmer comes under pressure from surging popularity for the anti-immigrant Reform UK party. Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said in a statement that it will end UK’s golden ticket for asylum seekers. The Home Office called the new proposals, which Mahmood is due to lay out in parliament tomorrow, the largest overhaul of asylum policy in modern times.
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Four Bangladeshi nationals have died after two boats carrying nearly 95 irregular migrants capsized off the Libyan coast. The Libyan Red Crescent confirmed the incident, which happened Thursday night near the coastal city of Al-Khums, about 118 kilometres east of Tripoli.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal today. Heavy rainfall over Kerala and Mahe is also predicted during the next two to three days.
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India is set to host the World Boxing Cup Finals from today until the 20th of this month at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida. This event is the final stage of the 2025 World Boxing Cup Series, after earlier stages in Brazil, Poland, and Kazakhstan.
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In Tennis, Spanish star and two-time year-end world number one Carlos Alcaraz is set to face Jannik Sinner in a much-anticipated ATP final championship clash at Turin in Italy tonight.
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In Men’s Cricket, South Africa defeated India by 30 runs in the second innings of the first Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Political activity regarding formation of government in Bihar intensifies; JDU legislature party meeting to elect its leader likely to be held today.
- One killed and more than 10 feared trapped in a mine cave-in, in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district.
- 3 Maoists killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district.
- US cuts tariffs on several food items including those imported from India.
- National Press Day being observed today.
- World Boxing Cup Finals begin in Greater Noida in National Capital Region.
- In men’s cricket, South Africa defeat India on day three at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
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