Nearly 70% of verified Gaza war dead women and children, UN rights office says

NEW DELHI: The Centre's decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census has led to a political clash, with the BJP and Congress vying for credit. Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this policy shift, prompting Congress to claim it as a victory for Rahul Gandhi's long-standing advocacy. In response, BJP leaders criticized Congress for its historical opposition to caste census, asserting that the current government is taking necessary steps toward social justice. Caste enumeration,...

When the remains of 757 Ukrainian military casualties were exchanged, forensic experts discovered that Viktoriia Roshchyna, a 27-year-old journalist missing since July 2023, was among them, having suffered severe torture in Russian custody. Reports detail her harrowing experiences, including electric shocks, drugging, starvation, and mutilation, as she attempted to document war crimes; her body was returned with missing organs and signs of strangulation. Authorities have initiated a war crimes investigation, highlighting the systemic abuse faced...

Chhattisgarh government sources reported the successful reclamation of a section of the Koragutta Hills in Bijapur from Maoist forces after a nine-day operation, where counter-Naxal troops hoisted the national flag at 5,000 feet. Although key Maoist leaders like Hidma and Damodar were initially contained, they escaped into Telangana due to insufficient monitoring by local special forces. The CPI (Maoist) then issued a statement calling for a time-bound ceasefire and peace talks, urging civil society to...

NEW DELHI: The Indian government is considering limited punitive strikes against Pakistan using long-range weapons without crossing the Line of Control (LoC), amidst ongoing skirmishes along the international boundary in Jammu and Kashmir. A cabinet committee led by the Prime Minister is reviewing military options, including concentrated artillery fire and potential airstrikes targeting terrorist facilities, while maintaining strategic messaging to keep Pakistan on alert. This approach follows recent escalations and diplomatic measures, including the suspension...

NEW DELHI: The Indian government has announced a nationwide caste census, reversing its previous stance against such enumeration, citing political manipulation by opposition-ruled states. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, welcomed the decision as a victory and called for a timeline for implementation, while others emphasized the necessity of caste data for social justice and policymaking. The decision has been framed as a response to public demand and is seen as crucial ahead of upcoming elections,...

Apple CEO Tim Cook informed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that advanced robotics technology is crucial for relocating iPhone manufacturing to the U.S. This discussion follows Apple's temporary exemption from heightened tariffs on Chinese imports, which could have inflated iPhone prices. While Apple is diversifying production, with 20% of iPhones now assembled in India, Cook aims to develop U.S. manufacturing, emphasizing the need for skilled technicians and framing this shift as part of a broader AI...