SPECIAL

Oct302025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

City doctors report 50 pc rise in eye problems as smog continues to engulf Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) The national capital's continued poor air quality and thick smog engulfing the city are not only harmful for the lungs but also eye health, said ophthalmologists on Thursday, while reporting a 50 per cent surge in eye-related problems.The thick blanket of smog and dangerously high levels of pollution have led to a spike in cases of eye allergies, dryness, burning sensations, and excessive watering, affecting both adults and children.Doctors say that the toxic cocktail of smoke, particulate matter, and chemical residues released during firecracker burning is not only harmful for the lungs, but for the eyes as well."If your cornea gets damaged, you need a corneal transplant to restore your vision. However, if pollution levels continue to rise, a time will come when n...

Oct262025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Trump warns Hamas to return bodies of Israeli hostages, says he is ‘watching very closely’ over next 48 hours

SPECIAL, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Washington, Oct 26 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has issued a warning to Hamas, demanding the group begin returning the bodies of the deceased hostages quickly and said that Arab nations involved in peace efforts would "take action" if Hamas fails to comply."Hamas is going to have to start returning the bodies of the deceased hostages, including two Americans, quickly, or the other Countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action. Some of the bodies are hard to reach, but others they can return now and, for some reason, they are not," Trump wrote late Saturday evening on Truth Social."Let's see what they do over the next 48 hours. I am watching this very closely," the President added.While all the living hostages have been returned from Gaza, the remains of 13 deceased hostages...

Oct262025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Indian Ambassador to US extends Diwali greetings to citizens, diaspora

SPECIAL, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Washington, Oct 26 (IANS) Indian Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, spoke exclusively to IANS, extending Diwali wishes to Indian citizens and members of the diaspora community.He made the remarks on Saturday during a special Diwali celebration hosted at his residence for members of the Indian diaspora in Washington, DC."It gives me great pleasure, on my behalf and on my Embassy's behalf, to wish everybody a very, very warm, healthy, prosperous Diwali. At the onset of festive season, it's a great time of the year and should bring the best of blessings, health, prosperity to you and your family members and your loved ones," he told IANS.Earlier, Ambassador Kwatra addressed the diaspora members and praised the community's positive role in strengthening the India-US relationship.On Thursday...

Oct252025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Rs 10 crore ransom demand on Bettiah BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal

INDIA, SPECIAL, STATE'S, TOP STORIES

Bettiah, Oct 25 (IANS) Sanjay Jaiswal, the BJP MP from Bettiah, Bihar, has received death threats for his son and a demand for Rs 10 crore in ransom. The incident has shocked the town and put the police on high alert. On 23 October, two unknown callers rang the MP from different mobile numbers.They warned: “Pay Rs 10 crore, or your son Shivam will be killed.”Dr. Jaiswal immediately went to the Bettiah city police station and filed an FIR the next day. Sadar SDPO Vivek Deep confirmed the case. “We have registered the FIR. The MP got calls on Friday. The criminals demanded Rs 10 crore and threatened to kill his son if the money was not paid. We are investigating. Raids are on, and we will arrest the culprits very soon.”Dr. Shivam Jaiswal, the MP’s son, is a doctor. He has been given extra po...

Oct142025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

File contempt case against those defending shoe attack on CJI, urges lawyer Manoraj Rajeev

INDIA, SPECIAL, STATE'S

Mangaluru: The legal fraternity in Karnataka has expressed outrage after a section of people appeared to justify the recent incident in which advocate Rakesh Kishore hurled a shoe at Chief Justice Gavai in the Supreme Court. Lawyers have now urged the state government to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against those supporting the act on social media. Senior advocate and former government prosecutor Manoraj Rajeev, who heads the Dakshina Kannada District Congress legal cell, said defending such an act amounts to contempt of court. “The incident is an insult to the judiciary, an attack on the Constitution, and an act bordering on terrorism. Anyone glorifying it must be held accountable,” he said. Rajeev highlighted that posts justifying Kishore’s actions have surfaced on platforms ...

Oct142025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

KSRTC gears up for Diwali: Special transport plan with 2,500 extra services across Karnataka

INDIA, SPECIAL

Bengaluru: To ensure hassle-free travel for festive commuters, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced special transport arrangements with 2,500 additional buses ahead of the Diwali celebrations. The move aims to help thousands of people residing in Bengaluru and other urban centres travel to their hometowns and join their families for the festival of lights. KSRTC officials said that, like every year, special services have been planned so that no one misses out on celebrating Diwali with their loved ones. This year, Naraka Chaturdashi falls on October 20, 2025, and Balipadyami on October 22, 2025. To handle the festive rush, KSRTC will operate extra buses from October 17 to 20 from Bengaluru to various destinations within the state. Return services from diff...

Oct52025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

One nation, one tax simplified — Modi govt’s GST reform aims at transparency, inclusion & growth

INDIA, SPECIAL, STATE'S, TOP STORIES

New Delhi: In a landmark move, the Narendra Modi government has overhauled the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure, replacing the existing multi-slab regime with just two simplified rates — 5% and 18%. The reform, hailed as one of the biggest tax simplifications since GST’s launch, is aimed at enhancing transparency, easing compliance, and providing direct relief to businesses and consumers.“The earlier complex structure had become a burden for small traders and industrialists. The new two-slab system simplifies taxation, supports entrepreneurship, and makes the tax regime more citizen-friendly,” a senior finance ministry official said. Relief for small industries and traditional sectors Small-scale industries across India are among the biggest beneficiaries of the new GST structu...

Sep262025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Head-on collision in north Afghanistan kills one, injures 11

SOUTH ASIA, SPECIAL, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Kabul, Sep 26 (IANS) A commuter lost his life and 11 others sustained injuries in a head-on road collision in northern Afghanistan's Jawzjan province, according to the provincial police on Friday.The collision took place between two passenger cars in the Qarabuyen Olya region, along the highway connecting Jawzjan to neighbouring Balkh province, leaving one dead on the spot and 11 others injured, said a police statement, Xinhua News Agency reported.Blaming reckless driving for the accident, the statement noted that the injured were promptly transported to a nearby health center for treatment, where most remain in critical condition.On Thursday, one traveller was killed and three others injured when their car overturned in eastern Afghanistan's Laghman province, the provincial police offic...

Sep262025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

Namibia unveils strategy to achieve food sovereignty, cut agricultural imports

SOUTH ASIA, SPECIAL, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Windhoek, Sep 26 (IANS) Namibia has unveiled a comprehensive national strategy to transform its crop sector, enhance food sovereignty, and reduce dependence on agricultural imports.The strategy was formalised on Friday in the Namibian capital of Windhoek, where Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani introduced the Namibian Agronomic Board's annual report, Five-Year Integrated Business Plan, Five-Year Crop Value Chain Development Strategy, and Potato Development Scheme, Xinhua News Agency reported."Together, these milestones are not simply documents; they are a renewed commitment to transform the crop subsector and accelerate food self-sufficiency," she said.According to Zaamwani, the new strategic direction is encapsulated in the Five-Year Integrated Str...

Sep262025 by TheStateLineNo Comments

SP questions BJP’s ‘objection’ to ‘I Love Muhammad’; saint, cleric say slogans for political gain wrong

INDIA, SPECIAL, STATE'S, TOP STORIES

Lucknow, Sep 26 (IANS) Following the police lathi charge on Muslim protesters in Bareilly after Friday prayers amid the ongoing ‘I Love Muhammad’ campaign, the Samajwadi Party on Friday questioned why the BJP finds the slogan problematic. Meanwhile, both a Mahant (Hindu religious leader) and a Maulana said that if such slogans are being raised for political gain, then it is wrong.Speaking to IANS, Samajwadi Party leader Ravidas Mehrotra condemned the police action and said, “Police brutally lathi-charged the crowd, injuring hundreds. BJP is spreading hatred across the state. If some people say, ‘I love Muhammad,’ what’s the issue? There should be no objection to anyone saying ‘I Love Muhammad,’ ‘I Love Krishna,’ or ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ I also say ‘I Love Muhammad,' why does the BJP have a pro...