Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday said that plastic waste is a major challenge in making Delhi clean and green, and addressing it requires collective efforts using modern recycling and waste management technologies. The CM said that while plastic manufacturing may be a business, responsible growth must be the vision. “Improper recycling and disposal of plastic can have serious environmental consequences. Ms. Gupta made the comments at the 12th ‘International Plastindia 2026 Plastic Exhibition, Conference and Convention’. She added that the industry plays a vital role in positioning India as a reliable global sourcing hub.

नईदुनिया प्रतिनिधि, जबलपुर। हाई कोर्ट के मुख्य न्यायाधीश संजीव सचदेवा व न्यायमूर्ति विनय सराफ की युगलपीठ ने विगत सुनवाई में नाले के जहरीले पानी से सब्जी की खेती किए जाने के मामले में मध्य प्रदेश प्रदूषण नियंत्रण मंडल के सुझाव पर अमल करते हुए रिपोर्ट पेश करने के निर्देश दिए थे। बुधवार को सुनवाई के दौरान राज्य शासन की ओर से स्टेटस रिपोर्ट पेश करने समय प्रदान करने का आग्रह किया गया।कोर्ट ने आग्रह को स्वीकार करते हुए अगली सुनवाई 17 फरवरी को निर्धारित कर दी। जनहित याचिका के साथ डेमोक्रेटिक लायर्स फोरम की ओर से दायर याचिका की संयुक्त रूप से सुनवाई हो रही है, जिसमें अधिवक्ता रवींद्र गुप्ता पक्ष रख रहे हैं। दरअसल, एक विधि छात्र ने मुख्य न्यायाधीश को पत्र लिखकर अवगत कराया था कि जबलपुर के शहरी व ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में नाले के दूषित पानी का उपयोग कर सब्जी की खेती होती है। ऐसी सब्जी मानव जीवन के लिए खतरनाक है।हाई कोर्ट ने पत्र की सुनवाई जनहित याचिका के रूप में करने की व्यवस्था दे दी थी। मामले की सुनवाई करते हुए मप्र प्रदूषण नियंत्रण मंडल को नाले के पानी की जांच कर रिपोर्ट पेश करने के निर्देश दिए थे। जिसके बाद रिपोर्ट में बताया गया कि नाले के दूषित पानी से उगाई जाने वाली सब्जी मानव जीवन के लिए खतरनाक है। शहर के लगभग सभी नालों के पानी में भारी मात्रा में सीवेज मिलता है, जिस कारण वह अत्यंत दूषित हो गया है और इसका उपयोग निस्तार और सिंचाई के लिए किया जाना मानव जीवन के लिए खतरनाक है। नालों के पानी में बीओडी, टोटल कोलीफार्म या फेकल कोलीफार्म की मात्रा निर्धारित मानक सीमा से अधिक है। नमूना रिपोर्ट और जांच से स्पष्ट है कि यह अनुपचारित सीवर का जल है जो पीने, नहाने या खेती सहित किसी भी अन्य उपयोग के लिए उपयुक्त नहीं है। खेती के लिए पानी के उपयोग का प्रतिबंधित किया जाए।

The police on Thursday said Mr. Kumar has a third wife, Tina, with whom he has a three-year-old daughter. A senior Ghaziabad police officer told The Hindu that they are matching the note purportedly left behind by the three sisters with their handwriting samples. According to the note, the girls expressed distress over not being allowed to teach their three-year-old half-sister “their Korean culture”. Based on this, the police are examining whether the polygamous household structure may have affected the children’s psychological well-being. “Till now, none of the wives have raised complaints about the arrangement,” the officer said.

The writing was on the wall. William Lewis, publisher of The Washington Post, and blue-eyed boy of its owner, Jeff Bezos, scarcely attended meetings with the editorial staff of the venerable newspaper since he took over in early 2024. Last year, he said that the opinion pages would defend “two pillars: personal liberties and free markets”. It should have come as little surprise then that the Post has now led what is widely being described as a “bloodbath” for quality journalism. The fate of the Post is a cautionary tale and its moral is this: while democracy may die in darkness, the free press dies in broad daylight.

The government has expanded the criteria for recognising entities as startups by doubling the turnover threshold to Rs 200 crore, according to a notification. ADVERTISEMENTThe age and turnover limit criteria for such Deep Tech Startups have also been significantly expanded. According to the notification, the age limit has been extended from 10 years to 20 years from the date of incorporation or registration, and the turnover limit has been enhanced to Rs 300 crore. "This step addresses the unique requirements of deep tech entities operating in areas with long gestation periods, high R&D intensity, and capital-intensive development cycles," the DPIIT said. Further to support innovation-driven growth at the grassroots in agriculture, allied sectors, rural industries, and community-based enterprises, the government has extended startup recognition eligibility to cooperative enterprises.

The blast occurred at Thangsko area of Mynsngat village, around 30 km from the district headquarters at Khliehriat, officials said. Local elders at Mynsyngat told PTI that they fear that more than 30-40 people were trapped inside when the blast occurred. Thangsku is a remote and forested area where hundreds of illegal coal mine shafts are present. Anti-mining activist Agnes Kharshiing blamed the government and district authorities for the tragedy, alleging that illegal coal mining had continued despite repeated warnings and previous accidents. Ms. Kharshiing was once attacked by the coal mafias that left her injured and under treatment for a long time.

संवाद सहयोगी, कटड़ा। रोपवे परियोजना को लेकर एक बार फिर कटड़ा में माहौल गरमा गया है। स्थानीय संगठनों का कहना है कि यदि उनकी मांगों पर ध्यान नहीं दिया गया तो वे आंदोलन तेज करने से पीछे नहीं हटेंगे। बुधवार को पिट्ठू, घोड़ा, पालकी यूनियन के अध्यक्ष, माता वैष्णो देवी संघर्ष समिति के सदस्य तथा विभिन्न सामाजिक व व्यापारिक संगठनों के प्रतिनिधियों ने रोपवे परियोजना को लेकर गठित उच्च स्तरीय समिति के सदस्यों से मुलाकात की। संगठनों ने प्रस्तावित रोपवे परियोजना का विरोध दर्ज कराया और इसे धार्मिक आस्था, परंपराओं तथा स्थानीय रोजगार के लिए घातक बताया।विभिन्न संगठन के प्रतिनिधियों ने कहा कि माता वैष्णो देवी की यात्रा केवल एक धार्मिक यात्रा नहीं, बल्कि आस्था और परंपरा से जुड़ा विषय है। पैदल यात्रा, पिट्ठू, घोड़ा और पालकी के माध्यम से श्रद्धालुओं की सेवा वर्षों से चली आ रही है, जिसे रोपवे लगने से गहरा आघात पहुंचेगा। संगठनों ने कहा कि रोपवे से यात्रा की मूल भावना समाप्त हो जाएगी और श्रद्धालुओं का पारंपरिक मार्गों से जुड़ाव खत्म हो जाएगा।हजारों परिवारों की रोजी-रोटी पर खतरा इससे आस्था को ठेस पहुंचेगी। माता वैष्णो देवी संघर्ष समिति के सदस्यों ने कमेटी से स्पष्ट कहा कि रोपवे परियोजना से कटड़ा और आसपास के क्षेत्रों में हजारों परिवारों की रोजी-रोटी पर सीधा असर पड़ेगा। पिट्ठू, घोड़ा और पालकी सेवाएं केवल रोजगार का साधन नहीं हैं, बल्कि पीढ़ियों से चले आ रहे पारंपरिक कार्य हैं, जिनसे स्थानीय लोग अपने परिवार का पालन-पोषण करते हैं।यदि रोपवे लगाया गया तो इन सेवाओं की मांग कम हो जाएगी और सैकड़ों मजदूर बेरोजगार हो जाएंगे। वहीं घोड़ा, पिट्ठू और पालकी यूनियन के अध्यक्ष भूपिंदर सिंह जमवाल ने अपनी पीड़ा रखते हुए कहा कि पिछले कई वर्षों से उन्हें लगातार बेकूफ बनाया जा रहा है और आश्वासनों के अलावा कुछ भी नहीं मिला। उन्होंने कहा कि यदि प्रशासन वास्तव में रोपवे लगाकर इन सेवाओं को समाप्त करना चाहता है, तो प्रभावित मजदूरों को सम्मानजनक मुआवजा दिया जाना चाहिए। यूनियन अध्यक्ष ने मांग रखी कि प्रत्येक मजदूर को कम से कम 20-20 लाख रुपये दिए जाएं, ताकि वे अपने परिवार का गुजर-बसर कर सकें।प्रतिनिधियों ने आरोप लगाया कि रोपवे परियोजना को लेकर स्थानीय लोगों की भावनाओं और आजीविका की अनदेखी की जा रही है। विकास के नाम पर केवल बड़े कारपोरेट और ठेकेदारों को फायदा पहुंचाया जा रहा है, जबकि जमीन से जुड़े मेहनतकश लोग इससे प्रभावित हो रहे हैं। संगठनों ने समिति से अपील की कि किसी भी निर्णय से पहले स्थानीय जनता, धार्मिक संगठनों और सेवा प्रदाताओं की राय को गंभीरता से सुना जाए।वहीं उच्च स्तरीय समिति ने आश्वासन दिया कि रोपवे परियोजना को लेकर अंतिम निर्णय लेने से पहले सभी पहलुओं पर विचार किया जाएगा। समिति के सदस्यों ने कहा कि श्रद्धालुओं की आस्था, स्थानीय रोजगार और क्षेत्र के सामाजिक-आर्थिक संतुलन को ध्यान में रखते हुए ही कोई फैसला लिया जाएगा।इस मौके पर माता वैष्णो देवी संघर्ष समिति के अध्यक्ष बलिराम राणा, भाजपा के पूर्व राज्य मंत्री अजय नंदा, कांग्रेस के पूर्व मंत्री जुगल किशोर, कांग्रेस नेता राजेश सदोत्रा, वरुण मगोत्रा, भाजपा के प्रभात सिंह मंगली, रमन सिंह, सोनू ठाकुर, कारण दीप सिंह, सोहन चंद, जगदीश कुमार, सहित भाजपा का कांग्रेस सहित अन्य पार्टियों से बड़ी संख्या में नेता व कार्यकर्ता मौजूद रहे।

I am surprised how we still do not have flights from Bengaluru to South Korea because the numbers are really good,” Mr. Nair told The Hindu. Mr. Nair also said that BIAL has had discussions with a few international airlines to start operations to a couple of European cities. But, the COVID-19 outbreak led to postponement of the services and later Russian invasion of Ukraine impacted their plans to start flight services to Bengaluru. “American airlines are still looking at India very seriously, but till the time the airspace closure gets settled we may not be able to start flights. I don’t want to name them, but right now the environment is not very conducive for them to start direct flights,” Mr. Nair said.

BENGALURU: Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), in collaboration with Sensing Local and the Institute of Urban Designers India - Karnataka Chapter, has launched a unique city-level initiative called ‘Revitalisation of Public Spaces in Bengaluru City’ under the project ‘Open as Desire’ and has identified 194 sites or public places that have been underutilised or unused for ages for various reasons. “The objective is to reimagine road and street infrastructure of Bengaluru not just as vehicular traffic routes, but as inclusive, people-centric public spaces that meet the needs of diverse communities. As part of this initiative, a public call was issued to citizens to identify underutilised or unused public spaces in their neighbourhoods. This received a good response from across the city, with residents’ welfare associations, urban planners, architects and academic institutions identifying over 250 sites. As per the survey, detailed site surveys are being undertaken to assess local conditions and determine appropriate interventions.

He said, Section 5B(2) of the 1952 Act empowers the Centre to issue such directions as it may think fit, setting out the principles which shall guide the CBFC in sanctioning films for public exhibition. It was also the duty of the board to ensure public order does not get endangered because of the screening of a movie for public exhibition. The film, as a whole, persistently portrays a particular section of society in a derogatory and prejudicial manner. The potential for incitement of disharmony and social unrest is not speculative but imminent and real.”Mr. Balamurali went on to state: “Such narratives are bound to disrupt public order and undermine social harmony. The contents capable of provoking communal disharmony or widespread social unrest cannot be cloaked under the guise of freedom of expression.” After the counter affidavit filed by CBFC counsel K.R.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the latter's scathing remarks, saying the PM was "scared of the truth" and had taken "refuge in lies." In a post shared on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Just so much panic from questions? In his remark, the Prime Minister questioned how changing a political party could make someone anti-national. The row erupted after Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu had a verbal exchange near the Makar Dwar of Parliament on Wednesday. They only know the jeep and mule model," he said, referring to outdated decision-making.The Prime Minister said his government was correcting the damage left behind.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru police on Thursday arrested a woman rowdy sheeter under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act, 2000 (KCOCA) in connection with the alleged kidnapping and extortion of a realtor last year. The arrested accused has been identified as Yashaswini alias Yashaswini Gowda, 47, a rowdy sheeter in the Basavanagudi Police Station limits. When Manoj demanded repayment, the accused allegedly began threatening him. On August 26, 2025, the accused allegedly called Manoj and asked him to come to Modi Hospital Road, claiming they would return the money. On August 27, 2025, the accused dropped Manoj near the Jnanabharathi campus, telling him to arrange for the transfer of more money.

The Kremlin on Thursday (February 5, 2026) said it regretted the end of the last treaty governing the nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States and called it a negative step. We express our regret in this regard," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters about the end of the New START treaty that restricts how many nuclear warheads the two sides can deploy. The ‍Kremlin said ​that it ‌could ​neither confirm nor deny reports that French President Emmanuel Macron’s top diplomat ​had visited ⁠Moscow this week. Mr. Macron’s most senior diplomat ​was in ⁠Moscow on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) to hold talks with ‌Russian officials, ‌said a French source ‍who was aware of the ‍meeting and two diplomatic sources. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that French sources ⁠were fond of leaking ​to the media.

A hit-and-run investigation in Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan has now turned into a case of cold-blooded murder of a man by his newly wedded wife and her lover. After police found inconsistencies with the autopsy report and Anjali's statements, they started questioning her again, and she finally confessed on Wednesday. 16 days before Ashish's murder, Anjali and Sanjay began plotting the crime, the police said, adding that she had deliberately led Ashish to an isolated area. Before she left home with Ashish on the pretext of an evening walk, Anjali had alerted Sanjay, who had two accomplices, namely, Rohit and Siddharth, waiting. As per the autopsy, the cause of death was blunt force trauma as well as suffocation.

On December 18, 2025, for non-coal mining projects, the policy of land acquisition first and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) later was changed. The Supreme Court of India helped in the dilution of environmental justice by recalling the case, Vanashakti vs Union Of India (2025) that banned retrospective environmental clearances. The Court realised how such a strict interpretation would ignore huge tracts of ecologically crucial land, thus foiling the objective of environmental conservation. In fact, India’s courts have been more enthusiastic about cow slaughter (Article 48) and uniform civil code (Article 44). Traditionally, courts have been the custodians of environmental rights as they have broadened the constitutional interpretation on issues of environmental damage.