President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday undertook a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet at the Indian Air Force’s Ambala base, accompanied by Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, the force’s only woman Rafale pilot.

The 30-minute flight, which reached speeds of about 700 km/h and an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet, marked the President’s second experience aboard a combat aircraft after her Sukhoi-30MKI sortie in 2023. After the flight, Murmu described the experience as unforgettable and praised the professionalism of the Indian Air Force, saying it reflected the nation’s advancing air power and the skill of its personnel.

The sortie also carried symbolic weight. Earlier this year, false claims had circulated on Pakistan’s propaganda networks during Operation Sindoor, alleging that Rafale pilot Shivangi Singh had been shot down and captured. Although the Indian government promptly denied the reports, the misinformation persisted online.

A photograph released on Tuesday, showing President Murmu standing beside Squadron Leader Singh in full flight gear, has since been viewed as a strong rebuttal to those rumours.

Commissioned in 2017, Singh hails from Varanasi and is part of the second batch of women fighter pilots in the IAF. She initially flew the MiG-21 Bison before joining the Ambala-based Rafale squadron in 2020.

As the sound of Rafale roared across the skys Ambala, the flight stood as a clear reflection of India’s growing defence capability, gender progress in the armed forces, and enduring national pride.

The President’s sortie was conducted as part of a familiarisation programme with frontline defence systems. Indeed it was a matter of absolute pride for every Indian to see women leading in the skies.

Also Read: NITI Aayog Charts India’s Service Economy Future

India’s services sector considered as the backbone of its economy, came into sharper focus as NITI Aayog released two detailed reports mapping trends in output and employment across states. The launch, led by CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam along with Dr. Arvind Virmani (Member, NITI Aayog) and Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran (Chief Economic Adviser), brought together senior officials, industry leaders and researchers thus reflecting how central this sector is to India’s growth story.

Together, the studies under the topics, “India’s Services Sector: Insights from GVA Trends and State-Level Dynamics” and “India’s Services Sector: Insights from Employment Trends and State-Level Dynamics”,  ellaborate the nuances behind the numbers. With services now contributing nearly 55% of India’s Gross Value Added (GVA), the reports spotlight how growth and job creation are unfolding differently across regions.

The first report reveals a changing map of progress. While traditional leaders like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi still dominate, several other states are catching up, pointing toward a more regionally balanced growth pattern. It recommends a dual approach with national policies meant to strengthen digital infrastructure, finance, logistics and innovation, and the state-level strategies built on local strengths and create new service clusters in emerging cities.

The second report dives into employment realities. It highlights how India’s service sector holds both high-value, tech-driven roles and vast informal, low-paid segments. Persistent challenges include informality, uneven job creation, and gender and regional disparities. The study urges greater formalisation, targeted skilling, digital inclusion and social protection, especially for women, youth, gig and self-employed workers.

As India pursues its Viksit Bharat vison for 2047 , these insights highly emphasize that growth in services must be fairer, faster and inclusive. With more focus on investing in skills, innovation and talent, India can expand the scope of  services sector as a process of prosperity and a pathway to dignity for millions.

Also Read: Nvidia Crosses $5 Trillion, Exceeds India’s GDP

In what feels like a defining moment for the digital age, Nvidia has officially become the world’s first $5 trillion company, a feat that places its worth above the entire Indian economy, valued at about $3.9 trillion.

The rise is not just about numbers on a screen. It reflects a massive shift in global priorities, from oil and steel to data and intelligence. A decade ago, Nvidia was best known for powering video games. Today, it powers the brains of artificial intelligence, enabling technologies that write, paint, diagnose, and design faster than humans ever could.

On Tuesday, Nvidia’s stock soared 5%, pushing its market cap beyond Apple and Microsoft to reach uncharted territory. The rally comes on the back of relentless demand for its AI chips, particularly the Hopper and Blackwell GPU architectures, which are used by every major tech player, from Google and Amazon to Meta and Microsoft.

The reason for this success is Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s co-founder and CEO, whose trademark leather jacket and calm conviction have become icons of tech leadership. Huang’s early decision to pivot from gaming graphics to AI infrastructure transformed Nvidia into what some analysts now call “the most important company on the planet.”

Under his leadership, Nvidia has evolved from a component maker to a critical enabler of the AI revolution, powering cloud computing, autonomous vehicles, robotics, and scientific research.

Nvidia’s $5 trillion valuation is larger than the GDPs of India, the UK, or Japan, a comparison that underscores the widening gap between traditional economies and the explosive wealth creation of the AI era.

For investors, it’s proof that AI is not just a trend but a structural transformation. For policymakers, it’s a reminder that innovation, not just infrastructure, will define the next phase of global growth.

While some analysts warn of overheating valuations, few doubt Nvidia’s staying power. As AI systems become as common as smartphones, Besides supplying chips, Nvidia is fueling a new kind of industrial revolution, one built on intelligence, computation, and imagination.

Also Read: 91-Year-Old Naga Leader’s Return Sparks Unity Call

A powerful wave of emotion swept through Manipur’s Senapati district this week as thousands of people gathered to welcome Thuingaleng Muivah, the 91-year-old general secretary of the NSCN (Isak-Muivah). For many Nagas, his return was not merely political, it was deeply personal, symbolising endurance, identity, and hope.

The United Naga Council declared the day a Genna,  a traditional occasion of reverence,  as shops, offices, and schools remained closed. From Nagaland to Arunachal and Manipur’s hill villages, people arrived in traditional shawls and headgear, carrying banners that read “Unity and Honour.” The air was charged with song, colour, and anticipation as Muivah appeared, frail yet resolute, supported by aides.

In his address, the veteran leader called upon Nagas to rebuild their nation through love, understanding, and forgiveness, urging unity among all Naga tribes. Reaffirming his faith in the 2015 Framework Agreement with the Indian government, Muivah said:

“The only honourable negotiated agreement must reflect our history and political rights — our flag, our constitution, our sovereignty.”

His words drew thunderous applause from the vast crowd. For many young Nagas, it was a rare chance to see the man whose name they had grown up hearing.  Students referred to the moment as if witnessing history in motion where he emphasized that unity is the only way forward.”

The massive turnout termed as one of the largest public gatherings in recent Naga history cited both the reverence for Muivah and the lingering desire for closure to the decades-old peace talks. Though challenges remain over the core demands of flag and constitution, the emotional energy of the day was undeniable.

Also Read: ED Flags ₹35-Lakh Job Scam in Tamil Nadu

A fresh storm has hit Tamil Nadu’s political and administrative circles after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged a massive “cash-for-jobs” racket in the state’s Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department (MAWS). The revelation has raised serious questions about fairness in public recruitment which is a process that millions of young Indians trust as their pathway to secure government employment.

According to the ED’s letter to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, bribes ranging from ₹25 lakh to ₹35 lakh per post were allegedly paid to secure over 2,500 civic jobs. The agency has sought a detailed police probe, claiming large-scale manipulation during the 2024–25 and 2025–26 recruitment drives that filled 2,538 posts, including assistant engineers, town-planning officers, junior engineers, and sanitary inspectors. Over 1.12 lakh candidates had applied.

The ED says it found digital evidence by way of WhatsApp chats, cash and hawala trails, and internal documents during searches conducted in April 2025 as part of a separate bank-fraud investigation. The trail, officials say, led to individuals allegedly linked to the MAWS recruitment process.

Because the agency cannot register a case directly under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) without a predicate offence, it has asked the state police to file an FIR, paving the way for a money-laundering probe.

The Tamil Nadu government has strongly denied the allegations. Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru maintained that the recruitment was conducted transparently through Anna University and termed the ED’s claims as politically motivated

For thousands of job-seekers, the allegations cut deep. If true, they suggest that money, not merit, decided who made it into government service. The ED’s preliminary findings indicate that at least 150 candidates may have benefited from manipulated results.

The matter now rests with the Tamil Nadu Police. The ED has submitted a 230-page dossier containing names, money trails, and alleged middlemen. The controversy has already triggered a political storm, with questions over integrity and transparency in Tamil Nadu’s public recruitment system.

Also Read: CBI Charges DIG Bhullar Again for Amassing Wealth

A senior Punjab Police officer, DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, is once again under the scanner after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a new case alleging that his assets far exceed his known sources of income.

The development follows his arrest earlier this month, when he was allegedly caught accepting a bribe of ₹8 lakh from a scrap dealer. The CBI has since widened its probe, uncovering a startling amount of wealth amounting to crores in cash, gold ornaments, expensive watches, property papers linked to several assets, and a fleet of luxury vehicles.

Investigators are now looking at this case from the “disproportionate assets” angle, by examining how the officer’s lifestyle and holdings stand unmatched to his declared earnings.

The case has raised serious questions about integrity and accountability within the police force. A man once entrusted with upholding the law now faces the possibility of losing not just his rank, but his reputation. Cases like these also send a message that those holding power can be subject to scrutinity when it comes to wrongful income declarations.

As this investigation deepens, Bhullar’s case stands as a telling example of how corruption can corrode the very institutions meant to safeguard justice. Such steps are meant to showcase a system governed transparency, not power, which is the true measure of strength.

Also Read: Punjab DIG Bhullar Arrested in Major Graft Scandal

Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms to hit the Caribbean in recent years, has claimed at least 25 lives in Haiti and caused widespread devastation across Jamaica, before moving north toward the Bahamas on Thursday.

In Haiti, torrential rain triggered flash floods and river overflows, submerging villages and sweeping away homes and vehicles. The southern town of Petit-Goâve was among the worst affected after the La Digue river burst its banks, inundating entire neighbourhoods. Officials fear the death toll could rise as rescuers continue to search for missing residents in areas cut off by floodwaters.

One of the survivors stood helpless by the side of the ruins of her home and recalled the how the huge waves came in like a thick blanket of dark clouds, just to was away everything within seconds. With bridges washed away and roads blocked by debris, emergency teams are struggling to reach remote areas. Haiti’s response capacity, already weakened by years of political instability and limited infrastructure, has been stretched thin.

Across the sea, Jamaica bore the full brunt of Melissa’s Category 5 winds, the strongest ever recorded on the island. Roofs were ripped off, power lines snapped, and roads turned into muddy torrents. Thousands of homes remain without electricity or clean water, and several communities are still isolated.

Meteorologists warned that Melissa, though slightly weakened, continues to pack winds exceeding 200 km/h as it moves toward the Bahamas and parts of Cuba. Authorities in Nassau have issued red alerts, closed airports, and ordered mass evacuations from low-lying coastal areas.

Regional leaders and aid agencies have begun mobilising relief efforts, with supplies of food, water, and medical aid en route to affected islands. As the Caribbean braces for another landfall, exhausted survivors cling to hope that the storm’s fury will soon subside, allowing the long process of recovery to begin.

Also Read: Telangana Faces Cyclone Montha With Grit

Through the night, the skies over Telangana roared without pause. By dawn, Warangal and Hanamkonda had turned into islands  wherein homes half-submerged, roads washed away, and lives abruptly interrupted. The remnants of Cyclone Montha brought a deluge so fierce that nearly 1,200 residents had to be evacuated from low-lying areas before floodwaters could claim more ground.

In colonies where laughter once echoed from morning markets and school gates, silence hung heavy. Furniture floated in living rooms; people stood on terraces, clutching children and essentials, waiting for help. Rescue teams waded through waist-deep water through the night, carrying the elderly and those too frail to move. Twelve relief camps were set up across the twin cities, offering food, dry clothes, and shelter and, more importantly, reassurance that no one would be left behind.

The extent of damage was so much that in many areas like Hanamkonda, where water had entered homes by midnight yesterday and people had to run  for their life leaving behing their home full of their possessions and documents.

Further down south, in Mahabubabad district, train whistles fell silent. The Golconda Express stood stranded at Dornakal Junction, its tracks swallowed by muddy water. Railway staff and local police worked shoulder-to-shoulder to move passengers to higher platforms, serving biscuits and tea to those who had been waiting for hours.

The state’s emergency teams remained on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of continued heavy rainfall. Civic workers toiled through the chaos, clearing debris and restoring power where they could.

Yet, despite the echo of silent hardship, resilience shimmered as neighbours shared food across flooded balconies, volunteers guided strangers to safety, and children smiled shyly to cheer others in the relief camps. In the face of adversity when Nature’s fury cannot be questioned and storms arrive like uninvited and unruly guests creating havov, the hands of compassion always finds a way to help humanity stay afloat.

Also Read: Khalistani Chief Threatens Singer Diljit Over KBC Act

Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has found himself at the center of a controversy after a banned Khalistani outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), criticized him for touching Amitabh Bachchan’s feet during a recent episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 17.

The candid moment, widely circulated online, was hailed by fans as a display of humility and reverence. On the show, Amitabh Bachchan introduced Dosanjh as “Punjab da puttar” before warmly embracing him, drawing appreciation across India.

SFJ’s chief, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, however, released a video denouncing Dosanjh’s gesture, alleging that by bowing before Bachchan, the singer had “insulted every Sikh widow and orphan” affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Pannun accused Dosanjh of “betrayal” and reiterated SFJ’s demand that no Sikh should perform or celebrate on November 1,  a day the group observes as the Day of Remembrance for riot victims.

In its latest threat, SFJ warned it would attempt to disrupt Dosanjh’s upcoming concert in Australia, scheduled for November 1. The outfit also urged Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj to summon the artist for clarification.

The Indian government has designated SFJ a terrorist organization, while Pannun remains a wanted fugitive under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Dosanjh has so far refrained from making any public comment.

The controversy highlights how a simple act of respect on national television has spiraled into a debate over faith, identity, and the long shadow of historical trauma.

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