A formation Chetak, Cheetah and LCH helicopters at the ‘Ex Iron Fist 2013’ by the Indian Air Force at Pokran rang
| Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan
Israel strikes Gaza, Syria and West Bank as war against Hamas threatens to ignite other fronts
Israeli warplanes struck targets across Gaza, two airports in Syria and a mosque in the occupied West Bank allegedly used by militants, as the 2-week-old war with Hamas threatened to spiral Sunday into a broader conflict. Israel has traded fire with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group since the war began, and tensions are soaring in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces have battled militants in refugee camps and carried out two airstrikes in recent days.
ICC World Cup | Kohli masterminds India’s chase after Shami burst
Like the endearing warmth of the fireplace in a cold Himalayan cottage, India too found its comfort zone up in the hills. Virat Kohli (95, 104b, 8×4, 2×6) played the shepherd guiding his flock, and chasing New Zealand’s 273, the Men in Blue coasted home with a four-wicket victory. India finished with 274 for six in 48 overs in a key World Cup game at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on October 22.
Mizoram contest animated by distant thunder in Myanmar and Manipur
Nowhere in India are elections as bland as in Mizoram, where the influential church – mostly Presbyterian – and community-based NGOs issue stricter dos and don’ts than the Election Commission of India. The lack of colour and hyperbole, however, is compensated to some extent by strong ethnic passions in a State wary of the vai, a term that refers to any non-Mizo residing in Mizoram.
‘Cash for query’ allegations | Mahua Moitra has clarified stance to Trinamool leadership: O’Brien
The Trinamool Congress made it clear on Sunday that the party will not comment on the allegations of “cash for query” against its MP Mahua Moitra. Party’s leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien said it will wait till the House investigates those allegations.
BJP president J.P. Nadda termed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s letter, which objected to a government order that reportedly asked senior government officers to be deployed as “Rath Prabharis” in various districts to showcase the achievements of the Modi government, “baffling” and remarked that governance was an “alien concept” for the Opposition party.
Verstappen holds off Hamilton to earn hard-fought 50th career F1 victory at the U.S. Grand Prix
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen charged to his 15th win of the season and the 50th of his Formula One career at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, when he started from sixth and then held off the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton over the final laps at the Circuit of the Americas.
To curb evasion, EU report calls for 2% global wealth tax on billionaires
Pointing out that tax evasion is enabling billionaires to enjoy effective tax rates equivalent to 0% to 0.5% of their wealth, the European Union Tax Observatory in its ‘Global Tax Evasion Report 2024’ has called for a global minimum tax on billionaires equal to 2% of their wealth.
Tej turns into extremely severe cyclone; IMD issues yellow alert in eight districts on Oct. 23
The very severe cyclone, Tej, that formed over the Arabian Sea on Sunday intensified into an extremely severe cyclone. The cyclone, which is moving north-westwards, is likely to cross Yemen coast close to Al Ghaidah (Yemen) in the early hours of Tuesday as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.
Iraq sentences Saddam Hussein’s daughter for promoting political party
A Baghdad court on Sunday sentenced in absentia the exiled daughter of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to seven years in prison for “promoting” her father’s outlawed Baath party. According to the ruling, which AFP was able to review, Raghad Saddam Hussein was found guilty of the crime of “promoting the activities of the banned Baath party”, during television interviews she gave in 2021.
The Army will start phasing out the first lot of the vintage Cheetah and Chetak helicopters from 2027 onwards on completion of their Total Technical Life (TTL) while it looks to induct the indigenous Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) in numbers to replace them, according to defence sources.
Congress releases third list of seven candidates for Chhattisgarh polls, drops four MLAs
The ruling Congress on Sunday released its third and final list of seven candidates for the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls scheduled for next month. Of the seven seats for which the party named candidates on Sunday, the Congress had won six in 2018, but the party has chosen to drop four of those this time. The two sitting MLAs to retain their candidature are Ambica Singh Deo from Baikunthpur and Kuldeep Juneja from Raipur (North).