Breaking News, October 17 | HIGHLIGHTS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked scientists to aim to send the first Indian to the Moon by 2040 and set up an Indian space station by 2035, according to an official statement. He gave these directions during a meeting to review the preparedness of the Gaganyaan mission and the first demonstration flight of the crew escape system test vehicle scheduled for October 21.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched maritime projects worth Rs 23,000 crore and unveiled the long-term vision document for the blue economy. The blueprint outlines strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing port facilities, promoting sustainable practices, and facilitating international collaboration, an official statement said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Tuesday accused the government of using the Army "politically" for elections and claimed the ruling party has hurt its dignity by "capitalising on the popularity of soldiers". He claimed the Narendra Modi government has asked the Army to set up selfie points across the country where its schemes will be promoted instead of the bravery of soldiers.

Vishvaraj Singh Mewar, a descendant of celebrated Mewar king Maharana Pratap Singh and Bhawani Singh Kalwi, son of Karni Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi, joined the BJP on Tuesday, as the party gears up for the Rajasthan assembly polls scheduled for November 25. They joined the party in the presence of Rajasthan BJP president C P Joshi, Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, its national general secretary Arun Singh and BJP chief spokesperson Anil Baluni.

Two people were arrested after a dead female blackbuck was found in their car during an operation to check the hunting of the endangered antelope in a forest area here, police said on Tuesday.

The Delhi Police has made the fourth arrest in the case of a robbery in West Delhi's Baba Haridas Nagar where the accused posed as Enforcement Directorate officials, officials said on Tuesday. The incident occurred on Friday night when the accused kidnapped the complainant, then entered his house and looted Rs 3.20 crore at gunpoint. Three accused were arrested earlier and Rs 1.27 crore was recovered from them.

A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages. Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, who was heading the bench pronouncing its verdict on 21 pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriages, said the court can't make law but only interpret it and it is for Parliament to change the Special Marriage Act.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that the opposition INDIA alliance represents 60 per cent of the country, more than the BJP does. Addressing reporters in Aizawl, the capital of poll-bound Mizoram where he is visiting to campaign for party candidates, Gandhi said the opposition alliance will defend the "idea of India" by protecting its values, constitutional framework and freedom of people irrespective of religion or culture to express themselves and live in harmony.

The court can't make law but only interpret it and it is for Parliament to change the Special Marriage Act, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud said on Tuesday while pronouncing his verdict on 21 pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriages.

A special court in Pakistan on Tuesday adjourned till next week the indictment of former prime minister Imran Khan in the cipher case. The case pertains to a secret diplomatic document that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Khan used to criticise his opponents for allegedly orchestrating his ouster from power in April last year.

As the campaign for the November 30 Assembly polls gathers pace in Telangana, the 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme for farmers is a trump card of the ruling BRS. BRS MLC and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha on Tuesday said the 'Rythu Bandhu', a first of its kind scheme in the country, was appreciated even by the United Nations.

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for traffic on Tuesday due to landslides in Ramban district, leaving over 200 vehicles stranded. Snowfall in the high altitude areas and rains in plains of Jammu region continued for the second day, triggering cold wave conditions. 

Former Congress legislator Kulbir Singh Zira was arrested from his residence in Ferozepur district early on Tuesday on charges of obstructing an officer from performing his duties a few days ago, officials said. A large number of his supporters gathered at the police station and raised slogans against the AAP government following the arrest.

Acting Chief Justice of Orissa High Court Justice B R Sarangi inaugurated a fast-track court to deal with Pocso Act cases in Rourkela via video conferencing. The 21st Fast Track Special Court (FTSC) came up at Rourkela in the Sundergarh district on Monday.

Former IAS officer Vijoy Kumar Singh and several other retired Jharkhand government officials joined the Bharatiya Janata Party at the state BJP headquarters here. Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi and other senior party leaders, who were present on the occasion, welcomed the new members on Monday. Singh said, "I joined BJP as I wanted to utilise my experience and ability in serving the nation after retirement. Modi ji's leadership, party's policies and programmes influenced me to join."

A man who was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and raping a woman in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district died in police custody, prompting the administration to order a magisterial probe into the matter on Monday, officials said.

Four persons, including a minor, were charred to death and two others sustained injuries after a truck caught fire following a multi-vehicle accident on Monday near Navale bridge on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune, police and fire brigade officials said. The incident took place near Swaminarayan Temple at around 9 pm, resulting in four deaths and injuries to two others, Sinhgad Road police station senior inspector Abhay Mahajan said.

Former MP and Bihar strongman Mohammed Shahabuddin's son Osama Shahab and his two friends were arrested in Kota district of Rajasthan on Monday when they were travelling in a car, a police officer said.

Gusty winds accompanied by rain lashed parts of the national capital on Monday, making the weather pleasant. Windy conditions today brought the mercury down to 30.5 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average. Rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning was recorded in parts of Noida, Indirapuram, south Delhi and east Delhi.

A man shot himself in the leg and later informed police to allegedly implicate his wife in a false case, police here said on Monday. According to a complaint filed by the man’s wife Reena, she got married to Sandeep, a resident of Tauru, in 2013. He used to beat her up, so she moved to her maternal home in Intra colony five months ago, they said.

Former Congress MLA in Odisha Yudhistir Samantaraya died at a private hospital here on Monday, his family said. He was 73. His younger brother Dhirendra said that the ex-MLA had been under treatment for a long time and died this morning.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to permit a married woman, a mother of two, to terminate her over 26-week pregnancy as the foetus was healthy and the AIIMS medical board found no abnormality with it.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday left for Dubai to invite investors for the Global Investors Summit to be held in Uttarakhand in December. Dhami, in a post on X, said that Uttarakhand is becoming a centre of investment due to the efforts of our ‘double engine’ government.

Three passengers were killed while 23 others injured after a private bus they were travelling in overturned while overtaking Rajasthan’s Phalodi district on Monday, police said.

Amid ongoing protests over ticket distribution for the Rajasthan Assembly polls due next month, BJP national president J P Nadda on Monday held meetings with senior party leaders and office bearers from Udaipur and Jodhpur. Nadda reached Udaipur where he held a meeting of division-level party officer bearers. He took their feedback and emphasised the importance of organisational strength for winning elections.

Preparations have started in Ayodhya for Deepotsav, during which 24 lakh 'diyas' (earthen lamps) will be lit on Ram ki Pairi and a light-and-sound show organised on the eve of Diwali, officials said on Monday.