News Archive

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Mahboob Alam, also known as Mahboob Alam Nadvi, on Saturday (14th September). He was serving as the Bihar state president of the banned Islamic fundamentalist group, the Popular Front of India (PFI). The arrest took place in Kishanganj; Mahboob Alam lives in the Hasanganj area of Katihar district, Bihar. He is the 19th person out of 26 suspects named in the Phulwarisharif criminal conspiracy case of 2022 to be arrested and chargesheeted.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) headquarters in Muridke, which was destroyed during India’s Operation Sindoor, is now being rebuilt. What makes this development more alarming is that the reconstruction is being financed through government money. Reports have revealed that the group is also diverting funds meant for flood victims towards this project. According to a detailed investigation, the LeT has managed to secure both state funds and donations collected under the label of flood relief in order to bring back its destroyed base, the Markaz Taiba headquarters.

A senior politician in the United States has renewed calls for harsh economic penalties on India, after Washington’s repeated efforts to pressure New Delhi into cutting Russian oil imports did not succeed. U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, who was recently in New Delhi as part of a high-level delegation, has openly demanded that stricter tariffs be imposed on countries that continue to buy Russian oil.

In the Hassan district of Karnataka, a joyful Ganesh idol immersion procession turned into a heartbreaking tragedy late on Friday, 12th September. A truck lost control and crashed into the gathering, leaving behind scenes of horror and panic. At least nine people lost their lives, while 22 others were injured in the dreadful accident, officials confirmed.

The Ministry of Defence has now received and begun discussions on a key proposal from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for acquiring 114 Rafale fighter jets that would be ‘Made in India’. These jets are to be built by French manufacturer Dassault Aviation with significant participation from Indian aerospace companies.

In her editorial “The making of an ecological disaster in the Nicobar” (The Hindu, September 8, 2025), Sonia Gandhi declares the Great Nicobar Project to be a “totally misplaced ₹72,000 crore expenditure” that poses an “existential danger” to the island’s indigenous communities and “threatens one of the world’s most unique flora and fauna ecosystems.” She accuses the Modi government of “trampling on tribal rights” and making “a mockery of all legal and deliberative processes.”

On 12th September, the Supreme Court asked why the ban on firecrackers is applied only in the Delhi-NCR region and not across the whole of India. The question was raised by a bench consisting of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran while hearing a petition filed by firecracker traders. These traders are challenging the year-round prohibition on manufacturing, selling, and using firecrackers in Delhi NCR.

On the evening of Friday, 12th September, a serious incident shook Shahjahanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. Reports revealed that a controversial social media post, containing remarks about Prophet Mohammad and the Quran, triggered anger among a section of the Muslim community. The reaction was immediate and explosive. Hundreds gathered outside the local police station, chanting slogans such as “Hand over the accused” and “Allahu Akbar.”

On Friday, US President Donald Trump once again showcased his signature mix of boldness and bluster. He defended his dramatic decision to slap huge tariffs on India because of its continued oil imports from Russia, calling it a move of “historic significance.” But instead of looking like a strategist, he ended up sounding more like a salesman bragging about his own “big deal” while openly admitting it had strained ties between Washington and New Delhi.