Two children were killed and three others injured in an explosion in Gowargo tehsil of Panjgur, Balochistan, in an incident that local sources have alleged may have involved a quadcopter operated by Pakistani security forces, according to The Balochistan Post. The children were reportedly playing in Fateh Ali Bazaar when they spotted a suspicious object hanging from a tree. The object exploded after the children disturbed it, killing two boys, aged nine and 10. Three other children, aged seven, nine and 12, sustained injuries in the blast.
The precise nature and source of the explosive device were not immediately established. However, a source cited by the report alleged that explosives had been attached to a Pakistani military quadcopter and subsequently placed in the area. The source also claimed that local journalists were later instructed by Pakistani forces to report the incident as an explosion involving a hand grenade or another explosive device. The incident has once again raised concerns over allegations of civilian casualties linked to military drone and quadcopter operations in Balochistan.
In a separate incident on September 24, four young men were reportedly killed and two others injured in a military drone strike in Balicha, Kech. Their families disputed official allegations that the victims were suspected militants, saying the men had gone to the area for a picnic, The Balochistan Post reported. The incident was followed by a boycott of courts across the Makran division, with lawyers demanding an independent inquiry. On September 18, five civilians were reportedly injured in alleged quadcopter attacks in the Balochabad and Bullo areas of Mand.
Balochistan has also continued to face allegations of enforced disappearances and other human rights violations. Critics and local communities say reports of arbitrary arrests, disappearances and limited accountability have deepened insecurity and mistrust, further complicating efforts to establish lasting peace and restore public confidence in state institutions.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Air Chief-designate Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on Wednesday met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after being selected to become the next Chief of the Air Staff. Singh congratulated Dixit on his appointment and conveyed his best wishes for his new responsibility. The Centre has appointed Air Marshal Dixit, who is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff. He will assume the rank of Air Chief Marshal and take charge from the afternoon of October 31.
Dixit will succeed the incumbent Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who is scheduled to retire from service on October 31. His appointment comes at a time when the Indian Air Force is placing increasing emphasis on strengthening indigenous defence capabilities and expanding the use of locally developed platforms.
During his career, Air Marshal Dixit has been closely associated with efforts to promote indigenous aircraft programmes, including the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, supporting the government's broader Aatmanirbhar Bharat push in defence production. Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986, Dixit is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Staff Service College in Bangladesh and the National Defence College. He has accumulated more than 3,500 hours of flying experience.
Over the course of his career, Dixit has held several important operational and staff positions. As a commanding officer, he re-equipped No. 9 Squadron with Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft and later led a frontline fighter base in the Western Sector as well as a major fighter training establishment in the Southern Sector.
He subsequently served as Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command and held key appointments at Air Headquarters, including Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects) and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans) at Vayu Bhawan. In recognition of his distinguished service, Dixit has received several military honours, including the Vayu Sena Medal in 2006, Vishisht Seva Medal in 2011, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years at the helm of government as a landmark phase in India’s democratic journey. He said the occasion was being marked through the ‘Seva Jyoti Yatra’, organised across districts nationwide to commemorate Modi’s 25 years in public service.
Speaking at the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha – Seva Jyoti Yatra’ in Gurugram, Shah said October 7 represented an important day in the history of Indian democracy. He highlighted Modi’s journey from becoming Gujarat Chief Minister in 2001 to serving as the country’s Prime Minister since 2014, noting that he had completed 25 continuous years in public office as the head of a government.
Shah said the nationwide ‘Seva Jyoti Yatra’ was organised to mark the milestone. As part of the programme, groups of young participants carried the yatra’s torch through different locations, with one such procession scheduled to reach a point near the Gurugram venue. Shah also appealed to people to participate in the programme in large numbers.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and several other leaders were present at the Gurugram event. Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to grassroots workers and swayamsevaks for their contribution to public service. Speaking at a ‘Seva Jyoti’ programme at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, he said the spirit of service remained central to the work of countless party workers and volunteers.
Modi said he had never considered himself alone in his journey, crediting the dedication of swayamsevaks and karyakartas who, according to him, have worked to preserve the country’s cultural traditions while serving society. He expressed respect for those who continue to contribute to the nation with dedication. Modi completed 25 years as head of a government on Wednesday. His political journey at the helm of government began on October 7, 2001, when he assumed office as Gujarat Chief Minister. He later became Prime Minister in 2014 and has since served three consecutive terms.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has criticised the BJP following a CBI search in Sangrur, alleging that the use of central investigative agencies against political rivals is often linked to approaching elections. Reacting to the search, Mann said the CBI action indicated that the election season had arrived. He accused the BJP of deploying agencies such as the CBI and Enforcement Directorate against Opposition leaders and people associated with them in states heading towards polls.
Mann referred to the legal action involving Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren before the state assembly elections and cited similar cases involving people associated with former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He also claimed that Aam Aadmi Party leaders had faced comparable action before the Delhi assembly elections.
According to Mann, the CBI search continued for nearly six hours but yielded no findings, with the officials leaving the premises without recovering anything significant. He alleged that the operation was politically motivated and intended to damage his reputation and that of the Punjab government. Mann further linked the action to the BJP's anti-drug campaign in Punjab, claiming that the campaign had not produced the political results the party expected.
The chief minister maintained that the search was part of an attempt to create a negative narrative against the AAP government ahead of the upcoming elections. The CBI conducted a search at the residence of Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Mann's Officer on Special Duty, in Gharachon village in Sangrur. The operation quickly became a political flashpoint, with representatives of Waris Punjab De and the Akali Dal Punar Surjeet reaching the village and publicly welcoming the CBI team.
After the CBI vehicles departed, some locals were seen beating dhols, dancing bhangra and showering flower petals on the departing vehicles. Sources said the agency was probing allegations involving individuals accused of causing substantial losses to the Punjab government and misappropriating public funds.
BJP leader Tarun Chug criticised the celebrations, calling them an “extraordinary display of shamelessness.” Taking aim at AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Chug said the phase of political theatrics was over and asserted that those responsible would have to account for every rupee allegedly taken from the people of Punjab. He urged the AAP leadership to allow the investigation to continue and said the facts should determine the outcome.
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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met senior executives of leading US companies in New York and invited them to explore investment opportunities in India. Goyal held discussions with leaders from Blackstone, Neuberger Berman, Estée Lauder, IBM, General Atlantic and AIA Group on expanding investments and business partnerships across sectors including manufacturing, technology, AI, financial services and energy. The meetings also focused on strengthening India-US economic and commercial ties.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.
The Flydubai incident has raised questions about how airlines recruit and screen pilots, particularly after reports that the co-pilot had previously been grounded by another airline. Shantanu Gangakhedkar, Aerospace Lead at Frost & Sullivan, outlines the standard checks pilots undergo, including licence verification, medical assessments, employment history and security screening. He also discusses whether stronger international information-sharing is needed, speaking to Hairianto Diman and Andrea Heng.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
Simon Hattenstone, a features writer at The Guardian, has supported Manchester City for more than five decades. His connection with the club began when he was a child, during a difficult period in his life when he was recovering from a serious illness. He would attend matches in his hometown alongside his father, forming a bond with the club that would remain with him for much of his life.
For many years, being a Manchester City supporter meant experiencing far more disappointment than success. The club endured long periods away from the spotlight, with occasional moments of excitement breaking up years of frustration. That changed dramatically when City's fortunes began to improve, eventually leading to an extraordinary period of trophies, high-profile players and international attention. According to the original account, that remarkable rise was later overshadowed by allegations and a major legal dispute.
Guardian football writer Jonathan Liew has described the case as being about much more than Manchester City's transformation into one of football's biggest clubs. The allegations concern claims that the club benefited from hundreds of millions of pounds in improperly reported or unlawful income following its change in fortunes after 2008. The legal findings and the club's position on those matters have become part of a much wider debate surrounding football finances.
The story also raises broader questions about how the Premier League has evolved as international investment has poured into English football. The arrival of enormous amounts of overseas money has transformed clubs, transfer markets and commercial competition, while also raising difficult questions about financial regulation, ownership and competitive balance. Manchester City's story, therefore, has become part of a much larger discussion about how money has reshaped both English football and the business surrounding it.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.
Severe flooding in Bangkok has displaced thousands of residents and put the city’s drainage network under immense strain. Intense rainfall has also triggered deadly flooding in Nepal, India and the United States. Poh Kok Ing and Hairianto Diman speak with Bangkok-based Singaporean Ang Geck Geck and Tim Fletcher, Professor of Urban Ecohydrology at the University of Melbourne, to explore why cities are increasingly vulnerable to extreme downpours and how improved drainage, green infrastructure and smarter urban planning could help reduce flood risks.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
Modern buildings often represent a heavy reliance on resource extraction and high-carbon construction. But could shifting away from emissions-intensive concrete toward sustainably sourced timber offer a more environmentally responsible way to build the cities of tomorrow?
Disclaimer: This image is taken from The Guardian.
