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Nepal halts treks to Annapurna Base Camp as snowfall poses risk

Kathmandu, Oct 28, 2025

The local administration in Nepal’s Myagdi district, located in western Nepal, has barred the entry of people to the famous tourist destination—Annapurna Base Camp (ABC)—until October 31, citing snowfall in the area that could put the lives of trekkers at risk.

The District Administration Office (DAO), Myagdi, said in a statement that the move was taken as the ABC area has already experienced snowfall, and the high, hilly and mountainous regions of the district could see additional snow, posing risks to residents and trekkers.

October is the peak tourist season in Nepal, and a large number of trekkers travel to mountain regions, including the Annapurna Base Camp.

“As of Tuesday evening, over a dozen people who had reached ABC have not been in contact,” Senior Superintendent of Police Tul Bahadur Karki, spokesperson at the Gandaki Province Police Office, told IANS.

“We are not sure whether they are safe or not, as contact has not been established.”

However, a police official at the Myagdi District Police Office said that police have no information about anyone at ABC facing trouble.

“People are returning from the area, and we have deployed police personnel to assist them in case any problem arises,” the official said.

For the past few days, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has predicted snowfall in the high, hilly and mountainous regions of western Nepal, including in the ABC region.

The department said that weather conditions have deteriorated due to the effect of Cyclone ‘Mountha’, which developed over the Bay of Bengal.

Meanwhile, the Armed Police Force (APF) said in a statement that hundreds of individuals stranded in some mountainous districts due to snowfall have been rescued and relocated to safe areas by a joint team of the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police.

A total of 750 people stranded due to snow were safely brought from Tilicho Base Camp in Manang—a western mountainous district—to the Khangsar area of the same district, while an additional 50 individuals have been safely sheltered at Tilicho Base Camp itself.

“As accommodation and food facilities in Khangsar were insufficient for all the tourists visiting Manang, arrangements were made to safely send some of the tourists back,” the APF said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said that Nepal could experience snowfall and rainfall in the central and eastern regions of the country from October 30 to November 1.

Several government agencies in Nepal have also urged the public to exercise caution while travelling in the high, hilly and mountainous regions.

In a statement, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) urged all mountaineering and trekking teams, as well as domestic and international tourists, to exercise utmost caution over the next few days due to adverse weather conditions.

The board issued alerts for heavy rain, snowfall, and possible flooding in multiple districts, including Gorkha, Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, Nawalpur, Kaski, Parbat, Dolpa, Humla, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Lamjung, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Salyan, Rukum (East and West), Baglung, Surkhet, Banke, and Bardiya.

Likewise, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) also urged everyone to avoid travelling unless necessary and advised residents of flood-prone areas to move to safer locations if required.

“People living along riverbanks in potentially affected areas should remain alert and relocate to safer areas if risks are observed,” the authority said. “Do not leave paddy or other crops unharvested; if already harvested, store them safely without delay.” (Agency)

Harshvardhan Rane says he will sign his next with Milap Zaveri blindly

Actor Harshvardhan Rane

Mumbai, Oct 28, 2025

After “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat”, actor Harshvardhan Rane has expressed his desire to work with director Milap Zaveri once again.

He uploaded a photo posing with a diary with the title ‘Deewaniyat by Milap Zaveri’ in his hand.

Expressing his desire to work with the filmmaker yet again, Harshvardhan penned, “I trust Milap sirs choice of next massy script for me,

If he offers me, i will sign my next heartland film with him blindly.@milapzaveri (sic).”

Reacting to the post, Zaveri shared that he has already offered another film to Harshvardhan.

“I’ve already offered it to you my friend!!! Aur Haan toh hai hi, zyaada se zyaada Haan hi rahegi!!! (red heart, fingers crossed and bicep emojis),” the director commented.

It would be exciting to see what the actor and director duo come up with next.

Backed under the banner of Desi Movies Factory, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat” saw Sonam Bajwa as the female lead opposite Harshvardhan.

Released on 21 October during Diwali, the movie talks about the tumultuous relationship between Vikramaditya, a powerful politician, and Adaa, a free-spirited actress.

The drama further stars Shaad Randhawa as Sanjay, Sachin Khedekar as Ganpatrao Bhonsle, Ananth Narayan Mahadevan as Mr. Randhawa, and

Rajesh Khera as Raheja.

Following “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat”, Harshvardhan will be seen leading Omung Kumar’s “Silaa”, which will also feature Sadia Khateeb as the female lead and Karanveer Mehra as the antagonist.

The ‘Sanam Teri Kasam’ actor keeps on treating the netizens with glimpses from his shoot diaries. He recently posted snippets from the Kashmir schedule of the forthcoming drama.

Zee Studios presents the Blue Lotus Pictures and Stark Entertainment production in association with Innovations India, produced by Omung Kumar, Umesh KR Bansal, Pragati Deshmukh, Himanshu Tiwari, Ajay Singh, Dhananjay Singh, Abhishek Ankur, Captain Rahul Bali, and co-produced by Rahhat Shah Kazmi.(Agency)

Bihar polls: Owaisi slams NDA, INDIA Bloc over Muslim representation

Asaduddin Owaisi President 2

Patna, Oct 28, 2025

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi intensified his Bihar Assembly election campaign on Tuesday, addressing rallies in Dhaka and Munger.

In Dhaka of East Champaran district, he campaigned for Rana Ranjit Singh, the party’s candidate, while in Munger, he sought support for AIMIM candidate Monazir Hassan.

During his speeches, Owaisi launched a sharp attack on both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), accusing them of neglecting the state’s Muslim community.

Owaisi said Bihar must be freed from 15 years of Tejashwi’s jungle raj and 20 years of Nitish Kumar’s jungle raj.

Taking aim at Tejashwi Yadav, he said, “In Bihar, a son of the Mallah community, which comprises just 3 per cent of the population, can be made Deputy Chief Minister, and a son of the 14 per cent community can be made Chief Minister, but Muslims, with 17 per cent population, are denied both positions. This isn’t social justice — it’s political discrimination.”

The AIMIM chief also attacked the BJP-led government over the National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue.

He remarked, “After the NRC, only two infiltrators have been identified. Amit Shah and PM Modi say infiltrators have entered Bihar — so where are they? If they’re calling them rats, let me tell them that Owaisi doesn’t hunt rats.”

Later, at a massive rally held at Charwaha Vidyalaya grounds in Munger, Owaisi drew thousands of supporters as he continued his scathing criticism of both ruling and opposition alliances.

Owaisi also targeted PM Modi, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing them of engaging in politics of convenience.

He said, “Nitish’s heart beats for Rajgir, Lalu Prasad, and Rabri’s hearts beat for Tejashwi, and PM Modi’s heart beats for Ahmedabad.”

Challenging the RJD, Owaisi questioned, “How long will you keep scaring Muslims in the name of the BJP?”

He further said that both Lalu Prasad Yadav’s and Nitish Kumar’s governments have been symbols of “jungle raj”, arguing that Bihar continues to suffer from lawlessness and neglect under their rule.(Agency)

Indian student who lost US visa status charged with stabbing 2 teens

Man holding Knife Stabbbing

New York, Oct 28, 2025

An Indian student who lost his visa status allegedly went berserk on a flight to Germany and has been charged with stabbing two teenagers and slapping a woman, according to federal prosecutor Leah Foley in Boston.

After meal service on the Chicago-Frankfurt flight, Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli (28) stabbed a 17-year-old boy on the shoulder and another 17-year-old in the back of the head with a metal fork, her office said on Monday.

He also slapped a woman and tried to slap a flight crew, it said.

The flight was diverted to Boston, where Usiripalli was arrested.

“When flight crew members attempted to subdue Usiripalli, he allegedly raised his hand, formed a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth and pulled an imaginary trigger,” according to the prosecutor’s office.

It did not give a motive for the attack, but said that Usiripalli, who came to the US on a student visa, “presently does not have lawful status.”

Without identifying the institution, it said he was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies.

A person with the same name has a LinkedIn profile where he says he is a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

On LinkedIn, the institute says it “exists to proclaim the gospel through equipping people to be biblically grounded, practically trained, and to engage the world through gospel-centered living.”

On its website, it said that it “reflects our belief that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God essential to every area of life.”

The prosecutor’s office said that if Usiripalli is convicted on the charge of assault on an aircraft with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, he could face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.(Agency)

Subsidies on phosphorus, potash for Rabi 2025-26 to boost farmers’ income: PM Modi

Narendra Modi India PM 2

New Delhi, Oct 28, 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that subsidies on phosphorus and potash will not only make fertilisers available to the annadatas at affordable rates but will also boost their earnings.

Chaired by PM Modi, the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilisers for fixing the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) rates for Rabi Season 2025-26 (from October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026) on Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilisers.

The tentative budgetary requirement for Rabi season 2025-26 would be approximately Rs 37,952.29 crore — Rs 736 crore more than the budgetary requirement for Kharif season 2025.

“We are committed to the welfare of our farmer brothers and sisters across the country. In this direction, our government has taken a significant step by approving subsidies on phosphorus and potash fertilisers for the Rabi season of 2025-26,” PM Modi said in an X post.

This will not only make fertilisers available to farmers at affordable rates but will also increase their earnings, the Prime Minister added.

The subsidy, including Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and NPKS (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potash, Sulphur) grades, will be provided based on approved rates for Rabi 2025-26, to ensure smooth availability of these fertilisers to the farmers at affordable prices.

It will help ensure the availability of fertilisers to farmers at subsidised, affordable, and reasonable prices will be ensured.(Agency)

FWICE appeals PM Modi to posthumously confer Padma Shri to Satish Shah

Satish Shah Actor 1

Mumbai, Oct 28, 2025

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has urged PM Modi to posthumously honour the late actor Satish Shah with a Padma Shri. On Tuesday, the body wrote a letter to PM Modi requesting him to confer with the honour given his contribution to the field of entertainment.

The letter read, “With folded hands and deep respect, we, the Federation of Western lndia Cine Employees (FWICE), the parent body of 36 affiliated associations and scores of members representing the vast workforce

of the lndian film, television, and digital industry, wish to humbly appeal to your good self to kindly consider conferring the Padma Shri Award (Posthumously) upon Late Shri Satish Shah, one of lndia’s

most beloved and distinguished actors.

Late Shri Satish Shah was a rare and gifted artist whose work brought joy, laughter, and emotion to

millions across our nation. Through his unforgettable performances in ‘Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi’, ‘Sarabhai

vs Sarabhai’, ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’, ‘Main Hoon Na’, and numerous other landmark films and

television shows, he became a household name and a symbol of excellence in the performing arts”.

The body lauded the late actor’s versatility, humour, and human warmth, which made him one of the most respected and admired figures in

lndian entertainment.

Beyond his immense talent, the late actor was also a kind and compassionate soul as he always

encouraged fellow artistes, technicians, and the entire fraternity.

The letter further mentioned, “He was deeply respected by the working community and supported several welfare initiatives of FWICE with generosity and grace. His

loss has left an emotionalvoid in the hearts of allwho knew him and in the creative world he helped

shape. Honoring him with the Padma Shri Award (Posthumously) would be a most fitting tribute to a life

devoted to art, culture, and service through entertainment. lt would recognize not just an actor, but

a man who made lndia smile for over four decades and inspired countless others to follow their

passion”.

The veteran actor, who was known for his work in films like ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’, ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’, ‘Main Hoon Na’, ‘Om Shanti Om’ and others, passed away at the age of 74 in Mumbai.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit took to his Instagram, and shared a picture of the late actor. He also shared a video in which he shared the reason behind the actor’s demise.

He said in the video, “I would like to share a sad news with you. Our friend, a great actor, Satish Shah has passed away due to kidney failure, a while ago, he suddenly fell ill at home. He was taken to the Hinduja hospital, Shivaji Park. He has passed away. His body will be brought to his residence in Bandra (sic)”.

He also penned a long note in the caption, as he wrote, “Sad and shocked to inform you that our dear friend and a great actor Satish Shah has expired a few hours ago due to kidney failure . He was rushed to Hinduja hospital where he breathed his last . A great loss to our industry . Om Shanti”.

His funeral was held at the Pawan Hans crematorium in the Vile Parle West area of Mumbai. Several actors, and his friends attended the funeral to pay their last respects to the actor.

The actor is survived by his designer Madhu Shah.(Agency)

Rajasthan bus fire: Vehicle took unpaved road, hit high-tension wire; cylinders on rooftop triggered blaze

Jaipur, Oct 28, 2025

The Rajasthan government on Tuesday said that the ill-fated sleeper bus which caught fire after coming in contact with a high-tension electric wire near Jaipur had taken an unpaved road to reach a brick kiln. Officials said the off-road route brought the vehicle dangerously close to the overhead power lines, leading to a fatal blaze.

According to officials from the Jaipur collectorate, the bus — carrying around 65 labourers from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh — was on its way to a brick kiln in Todi village when the accident occurred, barely 300 metres before the destination. The bus had gas cylinders, motorcycles, and household goods loaded on its rooftop. When the luggage brushed against an overhead high-tension wire, it triggered a massive fire followed by a series of explosions.

Two passengers, identified as Naseem (50) and Sahinam (20), both residents of Pilibhit, lost their lives in the incident. Five others sustained serious burn injuries and were shifted to Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Hospital. The injured include Najma (40), wife of Naseem; Sitara (49), wife of Noor Mohammad; Azhar (10), son of Naseem; Altaf (19), son of Noor Mohammad; and Nahim (19), wife of Nawab Hussain. Another injured woman, Chanda (40), wife of Jabbar Hussain, is undergoing treatment at CHC Shahpura.

District Transport Officer (DTO) Shahpura, Yashpal Singh Yadav, said the bus was registered in Uttar Pradesh and had entered Rajasthan for the first time. “This is the first time the vehicle has come from UP to Rajasthan. The owner and driver are both from Uttar Pradesh. Our investigation shows that the bus was not roadworthy, and its registration certificate and driver’s licence will be cancelled,” Yadav said. He added that strict action will be taken against operators violating safety norms.

The accident occurred near Manoharpur, around 50 kilometres from Jaipur, when the bus came in contact with the high-tension line and caught fire. Two people from Uttar Pradesh died on the spot, while ten others sustained burn injuries, officials said. Jaipur District Collector Jitendra Soni visited the site and said a detailed report will be submitted to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. “The fire started when the luggage on the roof brushed against the high-tension wire,” he said. Teams from the police, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and Regional Transport Office (RTO) have started an investigation.

Officials from the Electricity Department confirmed that the route where the incident occurred was a kachcha track cutting through agricultural fields and not a designated public road. As per the Central Electricity Authority Regulations, 2023, the minimum height for an 11 kV overhead line above non-public roads should be at least 15 feet, whereas at the accident site, it was about 17 feet — indicating that the excessive height of the overloaded bus led to the contact.

Authorities confirmed that the double-decker sleeper bus was carrying gas cylinders, a motorcycle, and several heavy items on its roof, which directly came in contact with the wires, sparking the fire. The power supply tripped automatically following the short circuit.

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma termed the incident “extremely tragic” and directed officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured. He expressed condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. Governor Haribhau Bagde also described the accident as “painful and unfortunate,” conveying his sympathy and strength to the families of the victims.(Agency)

President Murmu to take sortie in Rafale fighter jet at Ambala Air Force Station today

President Murmu to take sortie in Rafale fighter jet

New Delhi, Oct 29, 2025

President Droupadi Murmu will visit Ambala, Haryana on Wednesday where she will take a sortie in a Rafale fighter jet at the Ambala Air Force Station.

Notably, the President who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces also took a sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station, Assam on April 8, 2023.

It is worthy to note here that Rafale was also deployed during ‘Operation Sindoor’.

Earlier this month IANS reported that Dassault Aviation of France is planning a Rafale Assembly Line in India with an eye on the Indian Navy and Air Force orders.

According to sources close to the development, India can soon become the first country to produce a 4.5 generation fighter aircraft without being an Original Equipment Manufacturer or the OEM.

Dassault has a current backlog of close to 200 Rafales which includes outstanding deliveries for existing orders of 80 aircraft for UAE, 42 for Indonesia, 12 for Croatia, Egypt 54, Greece 24, Qatar 36 and potential 26 for the Indian Navy.

The sources revealed that with its current capacity limited to 24 aircraft per year, there is a strong case for Dassault to establish an additional production line at its joint venture, Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) in India.

India is a big market and the Indian Air Force is looking at purchasing 114 fighter aircraft. Request For Proposal for this is expected in the next six months. This will be one of the largest orders for fighters anywhere in the world.

Indian Naval order for 26 aircraft is also expected to be finalised within the next six months with deliveries starting in 2027.

Sources earlier said that the Rafale manufacturing line at DRAL, MIHAN Special Economic Zone, Nagpur will see an additional half a million square feet infrastructure spread over 4 hangars, with production starting in 2028.

Annual capacity is planned at 24 aircraft per year or two aircraft per month. At an anticipated price of Rs 1,000 crore per aircraft in 2028, it will translate into Rs 24,000 crore sales per annum.

This will require an additional investment of close to Rs 3,000 crore. In terms of employment opportunities, DRAL will have more than 600 personnel to meet the requirements of the final assembly line for Falcon 2000. With Rafale, this could go past the 1,200 mark.(Agency)

Trump arrives in South Korea for high-stakes summits with Lee, Xi

Donald-Trump

Seoul, Oct 29, 2025

US President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea Wednesday ahead of high-stakes summits with President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the occasion of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering in the southeastern city of Gyeongju.

Trump, who is on his first Asia trip of his second term, comes to the US ally nation focused on securing deals in trade and investment following months of market turmoil and tensions over his threats to impose sweeping tariffs on imported goods.

After departing Tokyo aboard Air Force One earlier in the day, Trump landed at Gimhae International Airport in the southeastern city of Busan.

Trump will meet Lee in Gyeongju later Wednesday for their second summit in about two months. Whether the two sides will be able to finalize a framework trade deal reached in July remains a key point of interest as Seoul and Washington have put out differing assessments of where their negotiations stand.

The framework deal called for South Korea to invest US$350 billion in the US in exchange for Washington’s lowering of “reciprocal” tariffs from 25 per cent to 15 per cent, but the agreement has yet to take effect due to gaps over details of the investment package.

Trump said Friday that a trade deal with South Korea was “pretty close to being finalized.”

In a Bloomberg interview conducted the same day, however, Lee struck a different tone, Yonhap news agency reported.

“The method of investment, the amount of investment, the timeline and how we will share the losses and divide the dividends — all of these remain sticking points,” he said.

Trump’s two-day state visit to South Korea has drawn keen attention for reasons that extend beyond issues concerning just Seoul and Washington.

His highly anticipated summit with Xi on Thursday — their first meeting since 2019 — will be watched closely for any breakthroughs in the escalating US-China trade war.

China recently tightened export controls on rare earths, which are critical for the production of high-tech military and commercial products, including fighter jets and robots, while Trump responded with a threat to impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods starting November 1.

The world’s two largest economies have other trade issues to resolve as well. China stopped buying soybeans from the U.S. this year, potentially hurting American farmers that are a key Trump voter base. The US has separately used tariffs to pressure China to stop the flow of fentanyl.

Trump has expressed optimism about his upcoming meeting with Xi.

“When we leave South Korea, it could be wrong, but I think we’ll end up with a very strong trade deal,” he said last week. “Both of us will be happy.”

Besides the two summits, Trump’s visit to South Korea has touched off talk of a potential meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The two leaders met three times during Trump’s first term — in Singapore in June 2018, in Vietnam in February 2019 and in the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in June that year.

The meetings were aimed at yielding an agreement on dismantling North Korea’s nuclear weapons program in exchange for US concessions, including sanctions relief, but broke down over differences on how to match their steps.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his openness to reengaging Kim, even if it means extending his stay in South Korea.

The North has yet to respond to the overtures.(Agency)

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