Surat

This episode of India First reports on the military escalation between the United States and Iran following strikes on ninety Iranian targets and retaliatory ballistic missiles in Jordan.

At least nine people have died in rain-related incidents in Gujarat's Surat district over the past few days as relentless monsoon showers triggered flood-like conditions, widespread waterlogging and disrupted normal life. Water inundated homes, shops and commercial complexes, including ground-floor establishments at Poddar Arcade in Varachha, while public transport and city bus services were severely affected. Officials said more than 3,400 people were rescued and over 3,800 shifted from low-lying areas as authorities responded to the crisis.

The monsoon has once again exposed glaring infrastructure failures and poor urban planning across India's major cities, triggering widespread waterlogging, traffic snarls and loss of life. In Mumbai, the Andheri subway was shut, parts of the Western Express Highway were inundated, and a commuter was injured after being struck by a falling tree branch, while neighbouring Vasai, Virar and Navi Mumbai battled severe flooding and power outages. In the Delhi-NCR region, a spell of rain caused a three-kilometre traffic jam on National Highway 48 in Gurugram and led to road cave-ins. As roads vanish under floodwaters and normal life grinds to a halt, the recurring monsoon chaos has once again raised serious questions over the preparedness, accountability and planning of civic authorities across the country.

Monsoon rainfall has caused widespread waterlogging and traffic jams across Mumbai, Gurugram, and Surat, while a waste-to-energy plant collapsed in Pune.

This edition of News Today covers the escalating Ram Mandir donation theft controversy in Ayodhya following the resignation of temple trust General Secretary Champat Rai.

A day after a boy died in Mumbai after a tree fell on his school bus, now an elderly man has died after he fell into an open manhole.

In this edition of Political Stock Exchange, watch the findings of the CVoter survey on how people responded to this and other questions related to the examination system mess amid massive anger over NEET-UG leak, CBSE, CUET chaos.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is heading towards a massive victory in the Gujarat municipal elections, securing twelve out of fifteen municipal corporations.

Two Railway Police Head Constables averted a major tragedy at Surat Railway Station on Thursday, pulling a woman to safety just as she was about to fall beneath a moving train. The dramatic rescue, captured on CCTV, has drawn widespread praise.

An India Today ground report reveals how the acute LPG crisis, linked to the impact of the West Asia war, is forcing thousands of migrant workers in many cities to abandon their jobs and return to their villages.

In an interview, Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister, Harsh Sanghvi, detailed the state's new Uniform Civil Code (UCC), positioning it as a law for gender justice. Following Uttarakhand, Gujarat has become the second state to pass a UCC bill, which aims to create a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, and succession for all communities. Sanghvi, who also manages the Home, Police, and Transport portfolios, noted that the legislation was drafted after the Justice Ranjana Desai Committee reviewed over 20 lakh public suggestions. Key provisions include the mandatory registration of marriages and live-in relationships, a measure intended to protect women from fraudulent relationships. The law also grants legitimate status to children born from live-in unions and allows deserted women to claim maintenance. Sanghvi clarified that while parental notification is required for marriage registration, their consent is not. He also defended the exemption of tribal communities from the UCC's provisions.

Fuel panic is sweeping across Indian cities as long queues form at petrol pumps from Hyderabad, Nagpur, Prayagraj to Lucknow, triggered by social media rumours and actual shortages.

Surat’s ₹21-crore overhead water tank, built to supply drinking water to 33 villages, collapsed during a trial run even before its inauguration.

In this news bulletin, author and Mumbaikar Meghna Pant discusses the challenges of voting in Mumbai as turnout figures hover around 57%. Pant argues that low participation is not due to voter apathy but rather a 'broken' and 'inefficient' administrative system. She states, 'Low voter turnout in Mumbai is not apathy, it is administrative,' highlighting the exhaustion caused by long queues and manual voter roll searches. Pant calls for the urgent digitisation of the process, suggesting QR code scans and digital tokens to respect the time of working professionals and caregivers. The discussion also touches upon the need for better voter education regarding local governance, such as the BMC, to engage the youth and Gen Z. Host Sonal and Pant further explore the idea of a candidate-tracking app to provide voters with historical data and performance ratings, aiming for a more accountable and informed voter base in India's financial capital.

In this Special Report, India Today’s Gujarat Bureau Chief Brijesh Doshi reports on a massive fire at a textile mill in Surat. Doshi states, ‘It has been more than nine hours that the fire is still going on.’ Visuals show plumes of black smoke as firefighters struggle to contain the blaze. The reporter notes that while the fire was briefly controlled earlier, it spread to the 8th floor and continues to rage.

The fire broke out due to an electrical wire, and it soon spread across all the floors in the building.

A massive fire broke out at a seven-storey textile market in the Parvat Patiya area of Surat, Gujarat. The blaze, which erupted around 7:15 am, reportedly started on the eighth floor due to a suspected short circuit. Visuals showed plumes of black smoke billowing from the structure as 22 fire tenders rushed to the spot. According to the report, the fire brigade managed to bring the situation under control after more than three and a half hours, around 11 am. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident. The assessment of property damage is currently underway.

The ongoing friction between industry leaders and the Karnataka government is in focus, with Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at the forefront of a debate over Bengaluru's civic amenities. Sparked by Mazumdar-Shaw's comments on the city's garbage and infrastructure problems, where she cited the progress of cities like Indore and Surat, the exchange has escalated. In response, Mr. Shivakumar stated, 'You can't kick the very ladder that helped you climb.' He urged for collective effort rather than criticism, highlighting the government's work on potholes and infrastructure. Mazumdar-Shaw defended her stance, clarifying that her criticism is directed at all past governments and is a call for accountability to fix decades of deteriorating infrastructure. The public debate also touched on the role of citizen intent in maintaining cleanliness and the responsibility of corporations.

In a wide-ranging interview, Gujarat's Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi asserted that the law against 'love jihad' was necessary to combat a deliberate 'modus operandi'. He stated, 'If any Salim becomes Suresh and traps an innocent daughter of my state... I will definitely oppose it'. Sanghvi also confirmed that Gujarat is preparing a bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, building on the state's grassroots 'Khel Mahakumbh' program. Addressing the economic situation in Surat, he noted a market shift from real diamonds to lab-grown (CVD) diamonds, stating that Indian businesses have successfully captured this new market. He defended the use of bulldozers, claiming they were only used against illegal encroachments on government land, particularly those linked to drug trafficking near sensitive border areas like Dwarka and Kutch. He also took a swipe at the opposition, saying governments are not formed by those who 'go on tourism during elections'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted by the Indian diaspora upon his arrival in Japan. In Tokyo, members of the Indian community, including artists, welcomed him with cultural performances and music. Attendees raised slogans such as, "Jab Tak Surat Chand Rahega, Modi Tera Naam Rahega." Some also congratulated the Prime Minister for "successful operations in Doha." The report notes that meetings with the diaspora are a consistent feature of the Prime Minister's foreign visits. A key sentiment expressed was the desire for stronger bilateral ties, with one person stating, "We hope that there will be more friendship and cooperation between India and Japan." The welcome involved both Indians residing in Japan and some Japanese individuals.