Vande Mataram Row Sparks Opposition Rift As Allies Clash Over Full Song Rendition

As America marks 25 years since the September 11 terror attacks, New York City has settled two lawsuits with 9/11 Health Watch, ending a multi-year legal battle to release files concerning air quality and health concerns. Meanwhile, Donald Trump honoured first responders at the White House but sparked controversy over his personal account of 9/11. Trump claimed firefighters carried him away near One Liberty Plaza during the aftermath, an account challenged by critics who noted he was not at the site at the time. Surfacing archival footage, photographs, and past contradictory statements have fuelled online debate, prompting social media scrutiny and memes.

The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Kerala DGP seeking a criminal case against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena, and son-in-law Mohammed Riyaz in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited bribery case. The ED alleges that Vijayan received a bribe from CMRL via his daughter, with Mohammed Riyaz acting as a mediator. The state government stated that the ED request under Section 66 (2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has been forwarded to the Home Secretary for legal scrutiny before taking steps as per law. The CPM has termed the probe vendetta politics.

A former Kerala chief minister confronted journalists after questions were raised regarding an Enforcement Directorate investigation concerning family members. The politician declined to provide answers to media queries regarding the impending probe and objected to reporters following near the venue. The leader refused to comment on the allegations during the interaction with members of the press.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has reiterated his stance encouraging families to have more children, highlighting that children are wealth. Addressing criticism regarding state financial incentives provided to families having a third child, he defended the measure by stating that while he previously advocated population control when numbers were rising, population levels are now decreasing. He cautioned that several countries have suffered due to declining populations and warned that India could face similar consequences without intervention.