BJP's office set on fire in Bengal's Arambagh

A controversy has erupted over visual artist Rehan Vadra's exhibition at Delhi's Bikaner House after around 70 photographs, including depictions of recent protests and the Indian tricolour, were taken down by venue management prior to the opening. Management stated the images breached booking guidelines against hosting political conversations and confirmed the remaining works continue to be displayed. Rehan stated that art knows no political boundary and maintained he avoided slogans. His parents, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra, backed him and questioned the removal of images featuring the national flag, while the venue defended its action as adhering strictly to institutional policy.

Delhi's air quality slipped into the poor category following Dussehra celebrations, renewing debate over primary pollution sources in the National Capital Region. While political accusations pointed towards stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, research from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi shows that firecrackers during festive seasons contribute significantly more to immediate toxic elemental PM2.5 levels than farm fires. Analysis indicates farm fires reached a five-year low, yet toxic air worsened due to fine particles, soot, and metals from fireworks alongside persistent vehicular emissions, industrial discharge, and road dust. Compounding the situation are seasonal meteorological factors, including falling temperatures, weak winds, and an El Niño pattern that limits unseasonal rain and western disturbances, preventing the dispersal of pollutants. In response, authorities have enforced Graded Response Action Plan Stage 1 measures across Delhi NCR, imposing restrictions on coal and wood stoves and mandating water sprinkling and covering of raw materials at construction sites.

The Bombay High Court has expressed serious concern over deteriorating air quality in Mumbai, questioning how civic and state authorities can sleep peacefully while citizens struggle to breathe. Pollution levels in the city have increasingly rivalled and surpassed those of the national capital. The court criticised slow enforcement, poor public warning, and ongoing violations of firecracker bans on public streets, footpaths, and near hospitals and schools. In addition to festival firecrackers, extensive construction dust from mega redevelopment, Metro, and coastal road projects, alongside vehicle emissions and weak post-monsoon winds, has severely degraded the city's air. The court highlighted a lackadaisical approach from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, directing authorities to formulate strict enforcement protocols and submit compliance reports.

In an exclusive interview with India Today's Manjit Negi, BrahMos Aerospace CEO and Managing Director Dr. Jaiteerth R. Joshi discussed the operational impact of the supersonic cruise missile during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. He stated that the Indian Air Force launched the weapon from Sukhoi-30 fighter jets to target crucial infrastructure and ground positions, highlighting that "pinpoint precision was a very, very important fact of BrahMos missile." Dr. Joshi explained that the weapon system evades adversary radars and air defense networks while maintaining supersonic speed across all phases of flight. Addressing tri-service integration, he noted its universal compatibility across naval warships, ground platforms, and fighter aircraft. Furthermore, Dr. Joshi shared progress on indigenous technological developments, including the advanced BrahMos-NG variant configured for carriage on aircraft wings, and ongoing conceptual design work under a national program to develop a hypersonic iteration of the cruise missile.