AIADMK Protest Outside Police Station, War of Words Erupts Ahead of Dharapuram By-Polls

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday spoke with Captain Smit Machchhar, who thwarted a mid-air terror plot on a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight earlier this week. Netanyahu called the Indian pilot a "hero" of the entire world and invited him and PM Narendra Modi to light a flame on Israeli Independence Day. During the telephonic conversation, Machchhar, who is currently undergoing treatment in the UAE, recounted how he summoned the strength to open the cockpit door despite being severely wounded in the stabbing attack by his co-pilot. "I gave everything that I had and just went for the door and opened the door and thankfully people were waiting to pounce," he told Netanyahu.

The Kerala Home Department has directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to conduct a thorough inquiry into a 2006 case involving Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The allegations date back to his tenure as the Public Works Department secretary in Kerala, concerning irregularities in the MC Road upgradation project under the Kerala State Transport Project. The probe was originally initiated after Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been died by suicide, leaving a note that reportedly named Kumar amid claims of corruption and delayed bill clearances. Authorities have revived the investigation following a fresh complaint alleging the initial inquiry was derailed due to external pressure.

A ground report from Ashoka Road near Jantar Mantar highlights the situation surrounding ongoing protests called by the opposition bloc and various organisations demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR process. Heavy security deployment, including local police and Rapid Action Force personnel, is visible along with strict barricading across all major access points. Authorities have enforced Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to restrict unlawful assemblies. Prominent figures including Kapil Sibal, Prashant Bhushan, and Neera Bora were seen protesting earlier in the day before detentions were carried out. Barricades remain placed across multiple entry and exit corridors to maintain order.

The Aam Aadmi Party has encountered a fresh political setback following the resignation of its former chief spokesperson, who has joined the Congress. The outgoing leader cited a departure from founding principles and unfulfilled governance commitments regarding official perks and administrative appointments in Punjab. Highlighting internal disillusionment, the leader stated that the party prioritised self-interest ahead of national interests while elevating inexperienced individuals to prominent posts. Pitching for a consolidated opposition platform against the ruling central government, the switch was positioned as essential to safeguard constitutional plurality and national sovereignty, urging all anti-establishment votes to consolidate under a single umbrella.