The Jammu and Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) Friday carried out raids in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts as part of its investigations into the “white collar” terror module, officials said. The early morning raids were carried out by the SIA in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts in central Kashmir, including at the residence of Tufail Bhat at Diyarwani area of Batamaloo locality of the city here, they said. Bhat was arrested here by the SIA last month in connection with the “white collar” terror module case. The raids were a part of the SIA’s investigations into the case, the officials added. The white collar terror module refers to professionals, including doctors, who have been radicalised and allegedly involved in the November 10 Delhi blast. NIA gets 10 more days to grill Soyab A Delhi court on Friday extended the NIA custody of Soyab, a Faridabad resident accused of harbouring Red Fort bomber Umar-un Nabi, for 10 more days.The probe agency produced Soyab at the Patiala House Court amid tight security on Friday upon the expiry of his previous 10-day custody, which was granted on November 26. Media persons were barred from covering the proceedings. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 December,2025 11:05 AM IST | Srinagar | AgenciesThe Aravali Hills, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world that spans approximately 700 km in length, has long served as a natural shield for blocking sand and dust from the Thar Desert while also aiding groundwater recharge and sustaining rich biodiversity for multiple states. But, with the Supreme Court recently accepting a new government definition that only hills taller than 100 meters will count, experts have warned that many parts of the ecologically vital Aravalis may no longer be protected and thus could expose many regions, including Delhi, to harsher weather and drought conditions. “Calling only hills above 100 metres ‘Aravalis’ erases the landscape that keeps North India breathing and feeds our wells. On paper, it’s ‘sustainable mining’ and ‘development’, but on the ground it is dynamite (with) roads and pits cutting through leopard corridors, village commons and Delhi-NCR’s last green shield,” said Harjeet Singh, founding director, Satat Sampada Climate Foundation. “Shrinking the definition means 90 per cent of this 700-km spine can be legally wiped away, a slow deletion of a mountain range and, with it, the water, wildlife and weather it steadies,” climate activist said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 December,2025 11:02 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Lok Sabha passed a bill to levy a cess on manufacturing units of pan masala, and utilise the fund for strengthening national security and improving public health. Replying to the debate on the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the cess will be shared with the states, as public health is a state subject. The bill was later passed by voice vote by the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to augment the resources for meeting expenditure on national security and for public health by levying a cess on the machines installed or other processes undertaken to manufacture pan masala and similar goods. The purpose of the bill is to create a “dedicated and predictable resource stream” for two domains of national importance — health and national security, she said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 December,2025 11:00 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesRailway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday informed the Rajya Sabha that work on the automatic train protection system, which should have been done during the 1980s or 1990s, is being carried out now at a fast pace and is giving good results. Replying to supplementaries during the question hour, the minister said what the entire world has installed long back, India is doing it now as previous governments did not carry out the same earlier. “This is a very complex system. It has to be designed for each and every section of the train. Our team is working day and night to make sure that this thing, which should have been installed in the 1990s or in the 1980s, is being done from 2014 onwards. “Something which the rest of the world has done way back, that work has now been taken up by PM Narendra Modi. Since then the development work has started,” the minister told the Upper House. He said this is called the automatic train protection system. “This work is going on at a very fast pace. Throughout the country, the work is going on and Odisha is included as a part of this project. This is giving us very good result,” he noted. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 December,2025 10:57 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday exuded confidence that the USD 100 billion bilateral trade target between India and Russia will be achieved ahead of 2030.Speaking at the India-Russia Business Forum, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Modi invited Russian businesses to ‘come and Make In India...and partner with India’. The Prime Minister recalled that last year, President Putin and he set a target of reaching USD 100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. “However, after further discussions with President Putin and considering the tremendous potential in our partnership, I am confident that we will achieve this target well ahead of schedule. We are making rapid progress towards this goal,” Modi said. He further said that simplified and predictable mechanisms are being created for businesses, and discussions have begun on the FTA between India and the Eurasian Economic Union. Whether it is business or diplomacy, the foundation of any partnership is mutual trust, he noted. “The greatest strength of India-Russia relations is this trust. It is this trust that gives direction to our joint efforts and also provides momentum,” the Prime Minister said, adding that this is the launchpad that gives inspiration to take flight towards new dreams and aspirations. He noted that India is a global leader in affordable, efficient electric vehicles, two-wheelers, and CNG mobility solutions, while Russia is a major producer of advanced materials. By partnering in EV manufacturing, automotive components, and shared mobility technologies, the two countries can not only meet their domestic demands but also contribute to the development of the Global South, Modi said. President Putin said Russia is for strengthening its multifaceted relations with India in various fields. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 December,2025 10:54 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesIn a landmark achievement and a proud moment for the nation, an Indian Army mountaineering team from Eastern Command has successfully summited Mount Kangto (7,042-metre)--the highest and hitherto unconquered sentinel peak of Arunachal Pradesh--approaching from the challenging Southern route, a release said. This accomplishment marks the first recorded successful ascent of the formidable Mount Kangto, long regarded as an unclimbed guardian of the Kameng Himalayas, the Army said in the release on Friday. The expedition team was 'Flagged In' by Lt Gen RC Tiwari, Army Commander, Eastern Command, who lauded the mountaineers for their courage, professionalism and perseverance. The team was formally 'Flagged In' by Lt Gen RC Tiwari, Army Commander, Eastern Command, who commended the mountaineers for their extraordinary courage, professionalism and perseverance. Flagged Off on November 3 from a forward base by the General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, the 18-member team undertook a gruelling expedition across rugged Himalayan terrain, the release said. "Braving extremely rarefied air, harsh sub-zero conditions, treacherous icy ridgelines, deep crevasses, and near-vertical ice walls, the climbers showcased the hallmark attributes of the Indian Army--unmatched grit, discipline, teamwork and an indomitable spirit," it said. The historic ascent stands as a tribute to the majestic Eastern Himalayas and reflects the Indian Army's unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of human endurance and operational excellence. The Army described the ascent as a moment of national pride, stating, "Nothing is impossible for the Indian Army." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 December,2025 10:50 AM IST | Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) | AgenciesUnion Home Minister Amit Shah has reviewed the progress of the pond interlinking works being carried out in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts. The review meeting, held by the Irrigation Department in Gandhinagar on Friday, focused on the coordinated efforts underway to link ponds for improved water management in the region. Officials informed that 1,349 ponds across 162 villages in the two districts are being connected under the project. The work is being undertaken jointly by multiple government agencies, including the Irrigation Department, AUDA, GUDA, GMC, and the Narmada Corporation. During the meeting, Shah instructed officials to resolve all obstacles to pond coverage and to ensure that the deepening work is completed before the monsoon, enabling smoother flow and storage of water once the rains begin. Shah emphasised the importance of completing the project on time, highlighting its long-term benefits for water conservation and rural development. Earlier, the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the two-day "Earth Summit 2025-26" at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, as per an official release by the Chief Minister's office. The summit is jointly organised by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). On this occasion, the Union Cooperation Minister and the Chief Minister also visited various stalls at the event. On this occasion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that a series of three "Earth Summits" has been organised to position the rural economy as the largest contributor to the nation's GDP. Union Minister Shah emphasised that the cooperative sector cannot advance without technology; however, developing software and managing data storage costs is not feasible for small cooperative societies. To overcome this challenge, NABARD has introduced over 13 digital services as portals under the 'Sahakar Sarathi' initiative, including Sahakar Sarathi, Sahakar Setu, Sangrah Sarathi, and others. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 December,2025 10:26 AM IST | Gandhi Nagar (Gujarat) | ANIIndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on Friday said that given the size, scale, and complexity of their operations, it will take some time to return to a full normal situation, "which we do anticipate between the 10 to 15th of December". Addressing the passengers in a video message amid the unprecedented situation where the airline had to cancel over a thousand flights in the last three days, the CEO apologised to the customers, saying the situation is a result of various causes and the company is taking a few fresh measures to address the situation. "We have experienced severe operational disruptions for the past few days. Since then, the crisis continued to aggravate, with today, December 5th, being the most severely impacted day with the number of cancellations well over a thousand or more than half of our number of daily flights," Elbers stated. "I, on behalf of all of us at Indigo, would like to extend our sincerest apologies for the major inconvenience this has caused to many of our customers on account of delays or cancellations," he added. The CEO of the airline, having over 60 per cent share in the domestic aviation market, said that amid the chaos and a lot of miscommunication, the company has decided on some lines of action, including detailed communication through major channels, and providing travel facilities to those who are stranded at various airports. "The situation is a result of various causes, yet for you as a customer, it's important how we as Indigo address this. We have defined three lines of action," Elbers emphasised. The first measure is customer communication, and for this, he said that messages have been sent on social media, and the company will extend more detailed communication with information on refunds, cancellations and other customer support measures. He further said that the company had stepped up our call centre capacity. "Secondly, due to yesterday's situation, we had customers stranded mostly at the nation's largest airport. Our focus was for all of them to be able to travel today itself, which will be achieved. For this, we also ask customers whose flights are cancelled not to come to airports as notifications are sent," he noted. The third step is the cancellations that were made for today are to align the crew and planes to be where they need to start tomorrow morning afresh. Earlier measures of the last few days, regrettably, have proven not to be enough, the CEO admitted. "So we've decided today for a reboot of all our systems and schedules, resulting in the highest number of cancellations so far, but imperative for progressive improvements starting from tomorrow," he highlighted. "With these actions, we expect tomorrow to have cancellations below 1,000, " Elbers said. He thanked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for providing specific flight duty time limitation (FDTL) implementation relief during this high time. "Still, there's lots of work in progress, but going forward from here, in alignment with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA, we do expect to further improve every day," the CEO noted. Meanwhile, the government said it has decided to institute a high-level inquiry into the massive IndiGo disruption, which will examine what went wrong at the airline, determine accountability wherever required for appropriate actions, and recommend measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future -- ensuring that passengers do not face such hardships again. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 December,2025 09:59 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSIn the wake of mass cancellations of IndiGo flights, Indian Railways has stepped up to handle the unexpected travel chaos, offering immediate relief to stranded passengers. To accommodate the sudden surge in demand, Western Railway has arranged extra AC chair car coaches on key long-distance trains, ensuring passengers have alternative travel options without long delays, and Central Railway has arranged seven special trains. On Western Railway, additional coaches have been attached to Train No. 12951 (Mumbai-New Delhi) and Train No. 12957 (Sabarmati-New Delhi) on multiple dates between December 6-10, 2025. The same coaches will return via their pairing trains—12952 and 12958—on corresponding dates, ensuring smooth turnaround and continued availability. The officials said that in response to the surge in passenger rush following widespread IndiGo flight cancellations, Indian Railways has stepped in to provide relief. A total of 37 trains have been strengthened with 116 additional coaches, covering 114 trips across key routes. The augmentation aims to accommodate stranded air travellers and ensure smoother travel options during the disruption. Railways officials said they are monitoring demand and are prepared to add more capacity if needed. As widespread IndiGo flight cancellations continue to disrupt travel across the country, Central Railway will be running seven ‘Train On Demand’ services over the next few days to help stranded passengers reach their destinations. The special services include long-distance and high-demand routes from Mumbai and Pune, covering key metros and major junctions. Railway officials said these additional services aim to “tide over the sudden passenger rush” triggered by the aviation sector’s crisis. Combined with extra coaches already attached to several long-distance trains, the move underscores the Railways’ crucial role as the nation’s most reliable emergency transporter. The trains announced are: CSMT-Nagpur, CSMT-Nizamuddin, CSMT-Howrah, Pune-Bangalore, CSMT-Varanasi-Lucknow, Nagpur-Pune, and CSMT-Madgaon. Officials said the move was taken as a priority to “clear the rush of wait-listed passengers” and ensure that those affected by the aviation disruption are not left stranded. With the rapid deployment of additional capacity, the Railways has once again proven to be a dependable lifeline for the public, stepping in at a critical moment to keep the nation moving.
05 December,2025 09:05 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday eased certain pilot duty regulations with immediate effect after low-cost carrier IndiGo experienced a major staffing shortfall, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of flights nationwide, reported the IANS. In a bid to contain the escalating crisis, the aviation regulator issued a fresh notification granting partial relief on flight crew duty norms, specifically relaxing a rule that prevented airlines from combining leave with weekly rest periods. Referring to its earlier directive stating that “no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest”, the DGCA noted, “In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, it has been considered necessary to review the said provision,” according to the IANS. Accordingly, the regulator confirmed that the instruction prohibiting leave from being substituted for weekly rest “is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect”. The fallout from IndiGo’s cancellation of nearly 500 flights was felt in Parliament on Friday, where opposition MPs accused the airline of engaging in “monopolistic practices” and criticised the government for “regulatory laxity”. Earlier in the day, Delhi Airport issued a new passenger advisory announcing that all IndiGo domestic departures from the airport had been cancelled until midnight. “IndiGo domestic flights departing from Delhi Airport on December 5, 2025 are cancelled until 23:59 hours. Operations for all other carriers remain as scheduled,” the advisory said, as per the IANS. IndiGo recorded 1,232 cancellations across its network in November alone. The government said that it was closely tracking IndiGo’s operational recovery and passenger support arrangements until full stability could be restored. The Ministry of Civil Aviation expressed serious concern over the recent wave of disruptions and cancellations. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu chaired a high-level review meeting with IndiGo’s senior management, attended by the Civil Aviation Secretary, the DGCA, senior ministry officials and representatives of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the news agency reported. Minister Naidu conveyed strong dissatisfaction with the way the airline had handled the situation, stressing that it had been given ample preparation time to ensure a smooth transition to the updated regulatory requirements. He directed IndiGo to restore operations urgently, ensure fares do not rise as a consequence of the disruption, and proactively inform passengers of any potential cancellations well in advance. The airline was also instructed to provide all requisite facilities — including hotel accommodation where necessary — to minimise passenger inconvenience, reported the IANS. (with IANS inputs)
05 December,2025 05:19 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentIndiGo on Friday announced that all its domestic flights departing from Delhi Airport (DEL) on December 5 stand cancelled till 11.59 pm, as the airline continues to face significant operational disruptions. In an official statement, IndiGo said, “We confirm that all IndiGo domestic flights departing from Delhi Airport on Dec 5, 2025 stand cancelled till 11:59 pm. We express our profound apologies to all our valued customers and stakeholders who have been significantly impacted by these unforeseen events.” The airline said it has deployed support measures for affected passengers, including refreshments, hotel accommodation, assistance in retrieving checked-in luggage, and options for rebooking on the next available flights as per passenger preference. Full refunds will also be issued where applicable. IndiGo has advised all passengers scheduled to depart from Delhi on Friday to contact on-ground staff at the airport for guidance on luggage collection and rebooking. Travellers can also visit the airline’s refund portal or reach customer service for assistance. “We understand the immense inconvenience and distress this has caused and sincerely regret the inconvenience,” IndiGo added. The airline continues to operate flights from other airports as per available capacity, while efforts are underway to restore normal operations.
05 December,2025 04:25 PM IST | New Delhi | A CorrespondentADVERTISEMENT
