Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday launched a sharp attack on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, alleging a "conspiracy" to remove voters from the Pichhda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (PDA) communities. In a post on X, he demanded an immediate halt and review of the SIR process, insisting that any attempts to delete eligible voters be thoroughly investigated. Yadav also called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish data on the progress of SIR in UP, relieve Booth Level Officers of excessive pressure, ensure additional authorized staff are assigned, and prevent any influence by ruling party members or their associates.
He further urged a detailed investigation into the number of PDA community members allegedly being targeted for removal from voter lists in each assembly constituency and demanded that such efforts be stopped under all circumstances. Yadav accused ECI staff of being pressured to complete the SIR process rapidly, questioning the urgency and highlighting similar complaints from West Bengal.
Citing the death of a Fatehpur supervisor, who allegedly took his life due to extreme pressure while conducting the SIR, Yadav questioned who would support Election Commission employees facing such risks. During a press conference, he said that the supervisor’s family confirmed he was under immense government pressure to finish the process quickly, which led to his suicide. He added that people in West Bengal are also raising concerns, claiming that the hands of the Election Commission are "smeared with blood," and called on the ECI to step forward and support its officers.
The ECI is scheduled to conduct the second phase of the SIR across 12 states and Union Territories, with the final voter list to be published on February 7, 2026. The first phase was completed in Bihar in September ahead of the Assembly elections, and the process covers regions including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Sindh-based writer and educator Assadullah Channa, in an article for Pakistan Observer, criticises Pakistan for repeatedly failing to reform its madrassa education system, calling it a long-standing national weakness shaped by clerical control and political timidity. He argues that despite decades of pledges and several reform campaigns, madrassas still function outside government regulation, operating as religious and ideological centres disconnected from modern needs.
The Pakistan Observer notes that madrassas remain vital for many low-income families, offering free schooling, food, and accommodation. Yet Channa warns that their increasing independence, combined with the state’s inability to oversee them, has created a system resistant to modernisation and vulnerable to radical ideas.
From Ayub Khan’s 1961 attempt to introduce modern subjects, to Musharraf’s 2003 Madrasah Reform Project, to the 2014 National Action Plan, every reform effort has been blocked by powerful clerical groups. Channa says successive governments have avoided challenging religious leaders because they depend on them for political support. This reliance has made clerical organisations untouchable, enabling them to oppose reforms in the name of protecting Islam.
According to the article, this has resulted in a parallel education system producing graduates disconnected from Pakistan’s economic and social realities. The issue, Channa stresses, is not only administrative but ideological, as many madrassas still promote rigid, exclusivist teachings hostile to pluralism. Even after international pressure and tragedies like the 2014 Peshawar school attack, reform attempts have been inconsistent and short-lived. Channa concludes that without sustained political resolve and willingness from religious leaders to adapt, madrassa education will remain stagnant, holding back national development and reinforcing extremism.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday withdrew its earlier directive that barred airlines from replacing a crew member’s weekly rest with leave. The move comes amid large-scale operational disruptions across airlines, with over 500 IndiGo flights delayed or cancelled on Friday. The regulator said it reviewed the rule following repeated requests from airlines seeking stability in operations. It clarified that the instruction prohibiting substitution of weekly rest with leave is now removed with immediate effect.
Earlier, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) criticised the DGCA for granting what it called selective and unsafe exemptions to IndiGo under the revised Phase II Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) rules. ALPA argued that these relaxations compromise pilot safety and weaken the purpose of fatigue-management regulations.
The DGCA noted that IndiGo has requested temporary exemptions from certain FDTL norms for its A320 fleet until February 10, 2026, promising restoration of operational stability by then. IndiGo has been cancelling around 170–200 flights daily, far more than usual, due to difficulties implementing the new FDTL rules, crew-planning issues, and winter-related constraints. As disruptions continued nationwide, more than 500 IndiGo flights were delayed or cancelled on Friday. Delhi Airport also announced that all IndiGo departures from Delhi were cancelled until midnight, while other airlines continued operating normally.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
On Friday in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama released the National Book Trust’s new publication, Forest Resources in India: Integrative Governance and Community Participation for Sustainable Future. The book, written by Sushil Kumar Singla, Rakesh B. Sinha, and Krishan Kumar Raina, was also personally signed by the Dalai Lama during the event. Author Sushil Kumar Singla briefed him on the book’s themes, structure, and research findings.
The publication offers an in-depth look at sustainable forest management in India. It highlights India’s long-standing cultural traditions of nature protection, the crucial roles of women and local communities, and the governance systems that guide forest policy. It also stresses the links between agriculture, the environment, tribal development, and climate change, and calls for States and Union Territories to jointly balance development with conservation.
The epilogue states that India is progressing toward the goal of bringing one-third of its land under forest and tree cover by following the principles of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas. It emphasises that forestry must support livelihoods, promote self-reliance, and strengthen its contribution to the GDP and agriculture sector.
It notes that while constitutional provisions and central/state regulations have aided sustainable forest management, current pressures on natural resources require reforms that encourage simplification, deregulation, and faster decision-making to enhance both “Ease of Doing Business” and “Ease of Living.” The book also advocates stronger cooperation between public and private sectors and integration with related areas such as agriculture, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, tribal affairs, environment, rural development, Panchayati Raj institutions, and tourism. Local community participation in governance and monitoring remains a central theme of the publication.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from X/@nbt_india.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron were greeted by children waving Chinese flags and holding flowers during an official welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, as part of Macron’s three-day state visit to China, highlighting diplomatic warmth and cultural exchange between the two nations.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.
Across the globe, Gen Z is moving beyond online activism and taking to the streets — pushing back against existing systems, highlighting inequality, and demanding a future they can trust. Many young people feel increasingly shut out, with rising youth unemployment and shrinking economic opportunities adding to their frustration. We speak with CNA senior correspondent Wei Du, who followed a wave of Gen Z demonstrations in Asia for an Insight documentary, and Dr. Eugene Mark, Fellow and Co-coordinator of Thailand Studies at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, to understand the forces behind this new wave of youth-driven protests.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.
A new law in Texas now permits residents to sue abortion pill providers in other states. Supporters argue it helps enforce Texas’ abortion restrictions, while critics are concerned about how plaintiffs might gather evidence. In this special episode, Carter Sherman, the Guardian US reporter on reproductive health and justice, talks with individuals who provide, use, or protect abortion pills, as well as those opposing them in Texas.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.
On ‘Culture Club’, Melanie Oliveiro speaks with Her Excellency Jessica María López, Venezuela’s Ambassador to Singapore, about her country’s key cultural traditions, foods, drinks, and travel highlights. She discusses must-visit destinations such as Angel Falls and Caracas, as well as customs like Carnaval, joropo dancing, and family-oriented dishes such as arepas. Ambassador López also highlights cocuy, a traditional spirit central to Venezuelan drinking culture. Representatives from the restaurant Chimichanga will join to explain cocuy and how it differs from tequila and mezcal.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.
Pippa and Kiran talk about the prime minister’s Monday speech and consider whether it will distract from claims that the chancellor misled the public with her budget statements. Also: disorder at Your Party’s inaugural conference.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.
