NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the formation of seven empowered groups to assess the implications of the ongoing military conflict in West Asia on energy supplies, essential commodities and supply chains, and chart a strategy to cushion its impact on the Indian economy.In a statement in Rajya Sabha, Modi said the conflict had rattled economies across the world and cautioned that recovery from the damage inflicted in West Asia would take time. Drawing from govt’s playbook during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said the new groups would function as quick-response teams focusing on key areas such as petrol and diesel, fertilisers, gas, supply chains and inflation.“I am fully confident that through these shared and coordinated efforts, we’ll be able to navigate these circumstances more effectively,” the PM said, noting that an inter-ministerial group was already meeting regularly to track developments and address emerging challenges arising out of the situation.The seven panels, comprising senior officers from various ministries and departments, have been tasked with identifying risks and preparing short-, medium- and long-term strategies in a time-bound manner.Their mandate includes assessing vulnerabilities in energy supplies and pricing, ensuring adequacy of strategic reserves, and taking steps to manage price volatility and prevent supply disruptions. They will also examine potential bottlenecks – from shipping routes and ports to aviation corridors and critical imports and recommend pre-emptive measures.The groups are expected to explore alternative sources of imports to reduce dependence on any single region, while keeping a close watch on domestic availability and price stability of essential commodities, including food, fertilisers and fuels.During the pandemic, govt had set up 11 such empowered groups comprising officials and experts to take swift decisions and ensure coordination between the Centre and the states. Flagging the likelihood of a prolonged disruption, Modi said the conflict’s adverse effects may last a long time. “But I assure people that govt remains vigilant and proactive, and is taking every necessary decision with seriousness.”

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Tuesday said trials in UAPA cases investigated by National Investigation Agency must be concluded within one year by additional exclusive special courts to allay misgivings about long pendency and consequent denial of bail for years.A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the Centre and states must take steps to depute a dedicated public prosecutor for these special courts to expedite pending trials.Identify how many special NIA courts needed for speedy trial: SC to statesThe advocates general of 17 states, where more than 10 cases are pending, expressing the willingness of each state to avail of the central funding to set up exclusive NIA courts.“The state govts must identify how many such exclusive special courts are required to be established for trial of NIA-investigated cas-es on a day-to-day basis with a categorical commitment that each trial must be completed in all circumstances within a year,” the bench said.Seeking the states’ response to this within four weeks, the bench asked the HCs to take necessary steps for adequate number of court staff for these special courts.“The prosecuting agency, Centre and states must take steps to appoint a dedicated public prosecutor, and notify special PP where sufficient PPs are not available in the cadre, to each of these special courts,” the bench said.Since the opinion of the HCs is required for some of the issues relating to establishment of special NIA courts, the registrars general will present their views before the court during the next date of hearing, it said.Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati informed that the ministry of home affairs has written to the states that “in view of the security concerns, it is not advisable to construct a separate court complex for this purpose. It is, however, suggested that state govts may earmark one existing court for setting up a special court, exclusively for trial of NIA cases”. Bhati also had informed the court about the central funding for setting up of NIA courts.Delhi has the highest number of NIA cases pending at 59, followed by J&K (38), Assam, Kerala and Gujarat (33 each), Punjab and West Bengal (32 each), Jharkhand (28), Karnataka (27), TN (23), Telangana (22) and Maharashtra (21).Bhati had informed the court that the Centre has taken a decision to grant Rs 1 crore one-time grant for establishment of special NIA courts and bear a recurring expenditure of Rs 1 crore annually.Additional solicitor general S D Sanjay said the Narcotics Control Bureau is in the final stages of preparing a policy for establishment of special courts for cases under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. He said in Delhi 14 more special courts would come up in Rouse Avenue Court complex for MCOCA and UAPA cases.

maxx crosby trade details (Getty Images)

In the high-stakes world of NFL trades, some deals change the league, and others become the stuff of “what-if” legends. This March, the Dallas Cowboys found themselves at the center of the latter. For weeks, the football world watched as Jerry Jones attempted to fill the massive defensive void left by Micah Parsons’ departure to Green Bay. The target was clear: Raiders’ All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby.

Why the Cowboys Maxx Crosby trade fell apart: Full story behind failed deal

Taliban frees American academic Dennis Coyle after more than a year in detention (Picture credit: AP)

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Tuesday released American academic Dennis Coyle, who had been held for more than a year, in a move welcomed by Washington but accompanied by renewed US demands for the return of other Americans still believed to be in the country.Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said Coyle was released in Kabul on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, after an appeal from his family and after the Supreme Court considered his previous imprisonment sufficient. The ministry said the release was made on grounds of “humanitarian sympathy and goodwill”.

Release linked to Eid appeal and judicial review

The Taliban said Coyle, an academic researcher, had been detained since January 2025 and was freed after going through the judicial process.According to news agency AP, Afghan authorities had accused him of violating laws but never publicly specified which laws he had allegedly broken.The foreign ministry said Coyle had been released following an appeal from his family and after Afghanistan’s Supreme Court “considered his previous imprisonment sufficient”.The ministry also said Afghanistan believed such steps could “further strengthen the atmosphere of trust between countries” and expressed hope that Kabul and Washington would resolve remaining issues through “understanding and constructive dialogue”.

Taliban leader personally ordered release

According to The New York Times, Afghanistan’s leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada personally ordered Coyle’s release after his family wrote to him seeking a pardon for Eid al-Fitr.Coyle, 64, is from Colorado and had worked in Afghanistan for more than 20 years researching languages.Coyle family’s website said he had not been charged with a crime and was being held in “near-solitary conditions”. US State Department designated him as wrongfully detained in June.

Rubio welcomes release but says more Americans remain detained

US secretary of state Marco Rubio welcomed the release but made clear Washington still expects the Taliban to return other Americans.In a post on X, Rubio wrote, “Earlier this month, I met Molly, Amy, and Patti as they asked for help freeing their brother Dennis Coyle from detention in Afghanistan. Today, Dennis is on his way home. We thank the UAE and Qatar for their support. The release is a positive step towards ending the practice of hostage diplomacy.”In separate comments, Rubio said, “President (Donald) Trump is committed to ending unjust detentions overseas, Dennis joins over 100 Americans who have been freed in the past 15 months under his second term in office.”“While this is a positive step by the Taliban, more work needs to be done,” Rubio added, according to AP.Rubio also said, “We are still seeking the immediate return of Mahmood Habibi, Paul Overby, and all other unjustly detained Americans. The Taliban must end their practice of hostage diplomacy.”

Taliban rejects ‘hostage diplomacy’ charge

The release comes just weeks after the United States sharply escalated pressure on Kabul.Earlier this month, the US State Department designated Afghanistan as a sponsor of wrongful detention, accusing it of engaging in “hostage diplomacy”. Afghanistan was grouped alongside Iran as a country singled out for detaining Americans in hopes of extracting policy concessions.Afghanistan rejected that accusation.Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said his country “has not arrested citizens of any country to achieve political goals” and insisted Coyle was released only after going through the judicial process for “violating the laws”.Rubio had designated Afghanistan a “state sponsor of wrongful detention” this month, accusing the Taliban government of “kidnapping individuals for ransom or to seek policy concessions”.

UAE and Qatar helped broker the release

Both sides acknowledged regional mediation in securing Coyle’s freedom.Rubio and Muttaqi thanked the United Arab Emirates for helping mediate the release, and said Qatar had also played a role.The Taliban’s foreign ministry said Muttaqi met in Kabul with former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad ahead of the release.Khalilzad travelled to Kabul for the handover and described Coyle’s release as a “very positive development” and a “good decision” by the Afghan government.Coyle left Afghanistan on Tuesday afternoon aboard a jet bound for the UAE, with UAE officials facilitating the transfer.

Focus shifts to other missing or detained Americans

Washington says other Americans remain unaccounted for in Afghanistan.The State Department said earlier this month the Taliban was believed to be holding at least four US nationals, including Coyle and Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company.The FBI and Habibi’s family believe he was taken by Taliban forces in 2022, but Afghan authorities deny holding him.Habibi’s brother, Ahmad Habibi, welcomed Coyle’s release but said: “We hope that our family will soon have the same feeling of relief, when Mahmood is returned home to us.”Rubio mentioned Paul Overby, who is listed on the FBI’s missing persons website as having disappeared in Khost province in 2014 while researching a book.The New York Times identified him as Paul Edwin Overby Jr., a Massachusetts author last seen in southeastern Afghanistan.

Possible swap demand tied to Guantanamo detainee

A spokesperson for the Afghan government had said earlier this year Kabul was ready to release two US citizens, but wanted an Afghan detainee held at Guantanamo Bay freed in exchange.That detainee is Muhammad Rahim, who the US accuses of being an al-Qaida member and a courier and interpreter for Osama bin Laden, the paper said.Rahim’s lawyer, James G. Connell III, said on Tuesday: “Rahim is a 60-year-old man who has been imprisoned for 18 years without ever being charged with a crime. He is no threat to anyone, and should be released from Guantánamo.”One of Rahim’s sons, Muhammad Ibrahim Rahimi, attended Coyle’s release at Kabul airport and asked Khalilzad to deliver a letter to Donald Trump seeking his father’s release, reported The New York Times.Coyle’s release comes against the backdrop of deeply strained US-Taliban relations since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 after the chaotic withdrawal of US troops, nearly 20 years after they were first ousted in the US-led invasion following the 9/11 attacks.While Tuesday’s release may ease tensions slightly, Washington’s statements and the unresolved cases of other Americans suggest the issue of detentions will remain a central flashpoint in US-Afghanistan relations.

Members of Odisha Transgenders Association stage a demonstration demanding withdrawal of the Centre’s proposed Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill (PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to give a precise definition of the term “transgender” and exclude “different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities” from the ambit of the proposed law.Before the bill was passed, the House rejected amendments moved by opposition members by a voice vote.The bill underlines that a transgender person “shall not include, nor shall ever have been so included, persons with different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities.”“The intent, object and purpose of the Act is and was to protect a specified class of persons socially and culturally known as transgender people who face societal discrimination of an extreme and oppressive nature.The purpose was and is not to protect each and every class of persons with various gender identities, self-perceived sex/gender identities or gender fluidities,” the bill sajd.It noted that it is imperative to give a precise definition for proper and definitive identification and protection of transgender persons, to whom the benefits of the present law must reach.The bill said that over the course of time, during the implementation of the transgender protection law, “certain doubts and difficulties have arisen and are likely to arise” regarding the “expanse of the definition” of transpersons.It inserts a new sub-clause to define a transperson as one having socio-cultural identities as ‘kinner’, ‘hijra’, ‘aravani’ and ‘jogta’, or eunuch, or a person with intersex variations or a person who, at birth, has a congenital variation in one or more sex characteristics as compared to male or female.It also contains provisions for “designation of an authority”, which will have the option to seek “expert advice” if required.A new clause defines “authority” as a medical board headed by a chief medical officer or a deputy chief medical officer appointed by the central government, state government or a Union territory administration.The bill also proposed to create specific offences with graded punishments that reflect the gravity of the harm, the irreversibility of the injury, and the particular vulnerability of child victims.Replying to the debate, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar said the proposed legislation aims to provide protection only to those who face boycott due to biological issues.He said the amendment will ensure that transgender persons continue to get legal recognition and protection.Kumar also said while the 2019 law had a provision for a maximum of two years of imprisonment, the amendment bill provides for a maximum of 14 years in jail with a penalty.Opposition members criticised the proposed legislation, saying it takes away the right to self-determination of identity and should be sent to a standing committee for wider consultations.Participating in the debate, Congress MP Jyothimani said the bill has been brought without consultations from transgender people and shows the government’s “callous” attitude.She said leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi have listened to transgender people and deeply understand what they feel.Jyothimani asserted that this bill is not a reform.A Supreme Court judgement has recognised that gender identity is a matter of self determination, she said.

Even after the release of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’, an earlier controversy linked to Ranveer Singh continues to follow the actor. Last year, when Ranveer imitated the Daiva (Bhoota Kola) ritual—associated with Rishab Shetty’s ‘Kantara Chapter 1’, it drew criticism from sections of the public who felt their religious sentiments were hurt.Ranveer Singh has reportedly told the Karnataka High Court that he is willing to submit an affidavit offering an unconditional apology for his actions. He also expressed readiness to visit the Chamundi temple, in line with the court’s directions.The statement was made during the hearing of his petition seeking to quash the FIR filed against him in the case. During the proceedings, the High Court orally observed that what the actor did (the imitation) was not correct.For those not in the know, earlier Ranveer had approached the Karnataka High Court, challenging the case registered against him over his mimicry of a character from Kantara: Chapter 1. The controversy stems from his imitation of the Chamundi daiva, which drew criticism for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.During the hearing, Justice M Nagaprasanna made strong oral observations about the responsibilities that come with stardom. “A superstar is not ‘ooper’ (above) law. You have no right to hurt the sentiments of people. You, being an actor, have influence on people. Being a superstar, you have to be responsible in making statements. You cannot be loose-tongued at all,” he remarked.Senior advocate Sajan Poovayya, representing Ranveer, argued that the actor had already acknowledged his mistake and apologised promptly. He stated that the remark was insensitive and made in poor judgment, adding that the magistrate’s order lacked proper application of mind.Responding to this, Justice Nagaprasanna underscored the lasting impact of public statements, saying, “I may forget, you may forget, and people may forget. The internet never forgets.”Meanwhile, the complainant’s counsel criticised the actor’s actions, describing them as a “shoot and scoot” attempt, implying a careless act followed by a quick apology.Following the uproar, Ranveer had issued a public apology on social media. He wrote, “My intention was to highlight Rishab’s incredible performance in the film. Actor to actor, I know how much it takes to perform that particular scene the way he did, for which he has my utmost admiration. I have always deeply respected every culture, tradition, and belief in our country. If I’ve hurt anyone’s sentiments, I sincerely apologise.”Meanwhile, the actor is currently enjoying the massive box-office success of ‘Dhurandhar 2’