NEW DELHI: Delhi’s air quality worsened again on Saturday after a brief improvement earlier in the week, with several parts of the city recording pollution levels in the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories. Residents across the capital woke up to thick smog, which reduced visibility in many areas. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), air quality in Dhaula Kuan stood at an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 252, categorised as ‘poor’. In Akshardham and Anand Vihar, the AQI touched ‘410’, placing both areas in the ‘severe’ category. The ITO area recorded an AQI of 379, which falls under the ‘very poor’ category. The city’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 332 at 4pm on Friday compared with 234 on Thursday. At 11am on Friday, the AQI was recorded at 320, up from 218 at the same time a day earlier. By the afternoon, several areas entered the severe category. Jahangirpuri recorded an AQI of 403 and Anand Vihar 405 by 2pm. By 6pm, pollution levels worsened further, with Bawana registering an AQI of 423, Vivek Vihar 418, Jahangirpuri 414, Narela 413, Anand Vihar 406, Rohini 405, DTU 404 and Nehru Nagar 403. Weather officials attributed the spike in pollution to calm wind conditions linked to an approaching western disturbance. The India Meteorological Department said wind speeds remained low during the early morning hours and briefly reached 10kmph from the southwest later in the day. Weather analysts warned that a series of western disturbances could keep pollution levels elevated in the coming days.The weather department has issued a yellow alert, warning of moderate to dense fog. The minimum temperature is expected to remain between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius on Saturday and between 5 and 7 degrees on Sunday.

NEW DELHI: Top 10 extreme weather events such as wildfires, heatwaves, floods and cyclonic storms cost the world more than $122 billion in 2025, said a report – Counting the Cost 2025 – released by a global not-for-profit organisation, Christian Aid. Exceptionally heavy monsoon rainfall experienced by large parts of India and Pakistan from June to Sept is listed as one of the 10 most expensive and impactful climate disasters in the year.The extreme rainfall events in India and Pakistan, put together, took at least 1,860 lives and cost a combined total of $5.6 billion. Though the region comes at fifth in the list of 10 in terms of suffering financial loss, it reported the highest number of casualties.Globally, the US – the largest historical carbon emitter – bore the brunt with the fires in California topping the list as the single biggest one-off event at $60 billion in damage (nearly 50% of the total cost globally) and leading to the deaths of more than 400 people.

The annual report of Christian Aid, released on Saturday, underlined that most of these estimates are based only on “insured losses”, meaning the true financial costs are likely to be even higher, while the human costs are often uncounted.Second on the list after the US were the cyclones and floods that struck Southeast Asia in Nov, causing $25 billion in damage and killing more than 1,750 people across Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Malaysia. Third were the devastating floods in China which displaced thousands, caused $11.7 billion in damage and killed at least 30.

“These disasters are not ‘natural’ — they are the inevitable result of continued fossil fuel expansion and political delay. While the costs run into the billions, the heaviest burden falls on communities with the least resources to recover. Unless govts act now to cut emissions and fund adaptation measures, this misery will only continue,” said Joanna Haigh, emeritus professor of Atmospheric Physics, Imperial College London.Though the top 10 focuses on financial costs, which are usually higher in richer countries because they have higher property values and can afford insurance, some of the most devastating extreme weather events this year hit poorer nations, which have contributed little to causing the climate crisis and have the least resources to respond.“The suffering caused by the climate crisis is a political choice. It is being driven by decisions to continue burning fossil fuels, to allow emissions to rise, and to break promises on climate finance,” said Patrick Watt, Christian Aid CEO, while urging world leaders to act in 2026.

‘Dhurandhar’, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh in the lead, has created history at the box office by crossing the Rs 1000 crore mark worldwide, just as it entered its fourth week at the box office. The film that began its box office run on December 5, has emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters in Indian cinema.

‘Dhurandhar’ box office collection Day 22

The film has maintained a strong run well into its fourth week at the Indian box office. On Day 22, early box office reports on sacnilk indicate that ‘Dhurandhar’ earned an estimated Rs 15 crore net in India. This is said to be a good start for a film in its fourth weekend at the box office. Over its first three weeks, the film collected approximately Rs 207.25 crore in its opening week, and followed it up with an impressive collection of Rs 253.25 crore in week two. In week 3, the film earned a total of Rs 173 crore. With Friday’s collections, the film’s total India net collection stands at around Rs 648.50 crore.

‘Dhurandhar’ occupancy

Occupancy on Friday reflected steady audience interest, with the Hindi version registering an overall footfall of 28.20%. Morning shows opened on a slower note with footfalls at 14.74%, while evening shows saw the highest turnout at 34.90%.

‘Dhurandhar’ gross total collections

The film’s all-India gross collection now stands at an estimated Rs 778 crore. As per the report, the film received a significant boost from its overseas markets, which helped push it into the record books. The latest reports indicate that the film’s international collections have crossed the Rs 200 crore mark with an estimated collection of around Rs 225 crore. This makes ‘Dhurandhar’ the rare few films that has been able to achieve this this record in overseas markets.

‘Dhurandhar’ hits the Rs 1000 crore mark

With these figures, the ‘Dhurandhar’ worldwide gross collections now stand at approximately Rs 1003 crore.The film reached the Rs 1000 crore milestone in just 22 days, making it the second fastest Bollywood film to do so. The Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Jawan’, which released in 2023, holds the record by hitting the milestone in just 18 days.This achievement, however, is noteworthy, considering that ‘Dhurandhar’ received an ‘A’ rating, thus significantly limiting its audience to just adults. With this, the Ranveer Singh-led film has become only the ninth Indian film to enter the elite 1000-crore club and the first release of 2025 to hit this milestone.

The final voter list for UP will be released on Feb 28, 2026

LUCKNOW: UP has reported a whopping 2.89 crore or 18.7% of its total voters still falling under the “uncollectable” category during the enumeration phase for special intensive revision (SIR) of voter rolls that ended Friday, which includes death, voters who have shifted, enrolled as voters elsewhere, absentees or untraceable persons, and those who refused to sign or did not return forms.According to tentative data quoted by sources, this number includes almost 1.3 crore voters who have permanently shifted. Besides, nearly 45 lakh were deceased and around 23 lakh voters who were enrolled at two places and declared it during SIR. About 9.4 lakh SIR forms did not return while around 84.5 lakh voters were absent.In Lucknow, the number of registered voters whose details couldn’t be collected was 12 lakh (approx 30%), including around 5.4 lakh who had duplicate registration and have opted to be registered voters as their native places while 4.3 lakh were untraceable. Lucknow district has approximately 39 lakh registered voters.Officials said 90% voter mapping had been completed in the state, and no extension of deadlines would be granted. The state at present has over 15.4 crore registered voters, and booth level officers began distributing SIR forms on Nov 4. The first deadline to complete the enumeration process was Dec 4, but it was extended twice and finally ended on Friday.The draft electoral rolls will be published on Dec 31, 2025, with the window for claims and objections open from Dec 31 to Jan 30, 2026. From Dec 31, 2025 to Feb 21, 2026, authorities will process decisions on forms and address claims and objections. The final voter list for UP will be released on Feb 28, 2026.Chief electoral officer Navdeep Rinwa said the revision, based on the eligibility date of Jan 1, 2026, aims to ensure a clean and accurate electoral roll ahead of upcoming elections. In the recently concluded SIR in other states, 43 lakh voters were untraceable in Madhya Pradesh, 27 lakh in Chhattisgarh and 24 lakh in Kerala after the enumeration stage.

HYDERABAD: Over 24,600 Indians were deported from 81 countries in 2025, as per the latest ministry of external affairs data tabled in Rajya Sabha. It wasn’t the US but Saudi Arabia that recorded the highest deportations – over 11,000 in 12 months.While in comparison, only 3,800 Indians – mostly private employees – were deported from the US in 2025, these numbers are the highest recorded from the country in the last five years, the report says. Experts attribute it to the recent crackdown and increased scrutiny of documents, visa status, work authorisation, overstays, etc, by the Trump administration.Most deportations from the US were carried out from Washington DC (3,414) and Houston (234).

Most Indians deported for staying beyond visa validity Countries that saw a significant number of deportations of Indians include Myanmar (1,591), UAE (1,469), Bahrain (764), Malaysia (1,485), Thailand (481), and Cambodia (305). According to latest MEA data, common grounds for deportations, especially from Gulf countries, include overstaying visa or residency, working without a valid work permit, violation of labour regulations, absconding from employers, and involvement in civil or criminal cases.“This is a pattern with Gulf countries, which see a large migration of workers from India who either take up jobs as labourers in the construction sector, become caregivers, or work as househelp. Most of them are low-skilled workers who migrate through agents and, in many cases, in an attempt to earn extra money, end up involved in minor offences,” said Bheema Reddy, vice-chairman of Telangana govt’s NRI advisory committee. “In other instances, lack of awareness about local laws and regulations proves costly,” he added.In many cases, these migrant workers fall prey to fraud perpetrated by agents back home and are deported once caught by police abroad.Deportations from countries like Myanmar and Cambodia, however, follow a different pattern. “Most of these are linked to cyber slavery. These countries have emerged as major hubs of a multi-billion dollar cybercrime industry where Indians are lured with promises of high-paying jobs but are later trapped, forced to work in illegal operations, and eventually detained and deported,” Reddy explained.It is, therefore, important that workers are made aware of rules before they land on foreign shores, said Naga Bharani of Telangana Overseas Manpower Company. “People should be told to closely track their visa timelines, and comply with local rules. There is always an option to apply for a visa extension,” she said. Deportation of Indian students was the highest from UK, with 170 sent home in 2025. This was followed by Australia (114), Russia (82) and US (45).

A youth performs ‘Gatka’, an ancient form of Sikh martial arts, during a procession on the eve of Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary, in Amritsar

NEW DELHI: Extolling the valour of the Sahibzade (sons) of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, PM Narendra Modi Friday said their supreme sacrifice represents the ultimate expression of India’s indomitable courage, against the cruel Mughal Sultanate, shaking the very existence of religious fanaticism and terror.The PM said the saga of the ‘Sahibzades’ sacrifice should have been on the lips of every citizen, but unfortunately, even after independence, the mentality of slavery continued to dominate. “That is why, for decades after independence, attempts were made to suppress such truths,” he added.Asserting that India has resolved to free itself from the “colonial mindset” once and for all, the seeds of which were sown by British politician Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1835, Modi said that in this effort India’s linguistic diversity is emerging as a source of strength. The PM said it will be ensured that 10 years from now the nation is completely free from the “mentality of slavery”.“Macaulay had tried to crush India’s language diversity, but now, as our nation frees itself from the mentality of slavery, linguistic diversity is becoming our strength,” Modi said while speaking at a programme at Bharat Mandapam on ‘Veer Bal Diwas’, observed annually since 2022 to commemorate the martyrdom of Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh the sons of Guru Gobind Singh (10th Sikh Guru).“The valor and ideals of Mata Gujri, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and the four Sahibzadas continue to give strength to every Indian even today; they remain our inspiration,” the PM said.“Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji, and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji – at such a tender age, they had to confront the mightiest power of that time. That battle was between the fundamental values of India and religious fanaticism,” the PM added.“Our Sahibzadas were very young at that time. But Aurangzeb, in his cruelty, did not care about their age. He knew that if he wanted to frighten Indians into conversion, he would first have to break their morale but not one of the four Sahibzadas wavered,” the PM added.“The memories of our sacrifices and valor will no longer be buried. The heroes and heroines of our nation will no longer be pushed to the margins,” Modi said.Addressing children and youth in the audience, the PM also stressed that “Gen Z & Gen Alpha” will lead India to the goal of a “Viksit Bharat”.

Donald Trump has appointed Mora Namdar as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, placing her in charge of US passport issuance and visa approvals. The role gives Namdar significant authority over who is allowed to enter or remain in the United States, at a time when immigration and travel rules are again a central focus of the administration. While she has prior experience in government, the appointment has attracted attention because Namdar is also the owner of a chain of beauty salons in Texas, an unusual background for one of the State Department’s most powerful operational posts.

Who is Mora Namdar

Mora Namdar is a US attorney and government official who is the daughter of Iranian immigrants and a native of Texas. She is fluent in Persian and has spent years working on US foreign policy, particularly issues related to the Middle East and North Africa. This is not her first time in the consular role. Namdar previously served as acting Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs in 2020 during Trump’s first term, giving her direct experience overseeing visas and passports.Before her latest appointment, she held senior positions within the State Department, including work in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and served in legal and compliance roles at the US Agency for Global Media. Alongside her public service career, she founded and ran her own law firm. In a recent statement, Namdar indicated that the firm is no longer operating in an active capacity, as she focuses fully on her government role.

The beauty salon business

Outside Washington, Namdar is also known as the owner of a mini-chain of beauty salons operating under the name Bam in Texas. The salons offer blowouts, professional makeup services, hair extensions and styling for events. In past interviews, Namdar described the brand as “fun and cheeky” and said the original salon was inspired by friends asking her to do their makeup for weddings and special occasions. She has spoken about wanting to treat beauty and styling as a form of art rather than a routine service.For years, she balanced running the salons with her legal and government work, a combination that has now become a focal point of public discussion following her appointment.

A powerful role in US immigration policy

As Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Namdar oversees one of the most influential bureaus in the State Department. The office handles millions of passport applications annually and plays a central role in deciding who receives, keeps or loses a US visa. Consular officers under her leadership have the authority to deny or revoke visas on grounds ranging from security concerns to foreign policy considerations.In Senate testimony, Namdar has described visa adjudication as a critical national security function, arguing that the US must retain broad discretion to refuse entry to individuals seen as undermining American interests.

Links to Project 2025

Namdar has also been linked to Project 2025, a wide-ranging conservative agenda that has influenced Trump’s second term. She contributed to the project by authoring a chapter focused on the US Agency for Global Media, in which she accused the organisation of mismanagement and security risks. She contributed to the project by authoring a section critical of the US Agency for Global Media, accusing it of mismanagement and security risks and calling for major reform or even closure.Although Trump sought to distance himself from Project 2025 during the campaign, many contributors to the initiative have since been appointed to senior roles across the administration, reinforcing the idea that personnel choices are a key mechanism for implementing its priorities.