United Opposition demands JPC probe in Pegasus snooping case

The Congress party has decided to proceed with a mock parliament to stage a public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on 30 October. The event has been shifted to 10 Rajaji Marg, the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, after permissions were denied for Ramlila Maidan and Ashoka Hotel. The party stated that police cited security measures in refusing clearance. Around 100 Members of Parliament are expected to assemble at Kharge's residence at 3:30 PM for the demonstration. The initiative is intended to build political momentum ahead of a mega rally planned for 1 November and escalate pressure against the government.

Children of daily wage labourers and economically weaker families in Uttar Pradesh are getting access to quality education, residential facilities and meals free of cost under the state government’s Atal Awasiya Vidyalaya scheme. At the residential school in Moradabad, 718 students are studying in smart classrooms, learning English and aspiring to become IAS officers, judges and army doctors. Principal T P Singh and administrative officer Umesh Kumar Tripathi said the institution aims to help children overcome financial barriers through modern infrastructure, free education and a supportive learning environment. The scheme seeks to give children from disadvantaged backgrounds opportunities to pursue their ambitions without the financial burden of schooling, accommodation and food.

The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Supreme Court to challenge a Delhi High Court decision that quashed money laundering proceedings against digital news portal NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha. The probe agency contends that the High Court overlooked critical documentary material, email trails, and statements while examining the merits of the case prematurely. According to the investigation, around 92.3 crore rupees in alleged foreign exchange violations are under examination, including 9.59 crore rupees in foreign direct investment and 82.63 crore rupees received as software export receipts for allegedly non-existent services. Central to the probe are ties between the portal and Shanghai-based businessman Neville Roy Singham. The agency alleges that funds were routed through foreign entities to conduct an information warfare campaign against India, citing targeted editorial coverage of the farmers' protests, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, and national COVID-19 management. The central agency maintains that the foreign funding breached regulatory norms and seeks to revive proceedings before the top court.

Israel held crucial national elections marked by a significantly higher voter turnout of 44.9 percent compared to the 2022 polls, drawing tens of thousands of citizens back from overseas to cast their ballots. Over 7.3 million eligible voters headed to polling stations to elect 120 members to the Knesset in the country's first national election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks. At the center of the fierce political contest is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud-led coalition facing a formidable opposition bloc headed by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Key voting issues include post-attack security concerns, the ongoing war across West Asia, allegations of financial impropriety, and economic pressure from the rising cost of living. Amid long queues and potential voting extensions, neither major bloc is projected to secure a clear majority, leaving the electoral arithmetic highly contested while operational defense and bilateral relations with India remain consistently strong.