News Menu, May 22: PM in Bikaner airbase today, Waqf case continues in top court
Good morning, on May 22, 1906, the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, received the US patent for their 'Flying Machine.' Their innovation and its commercial use revolutionised the way humans travel and nations fight their wars. Let's see what else is waiting to make history with the news menu of India Today.Chai: Storm In Delhi's CupIndia Today reports a massive dust storm, heavy rain, and hailstorm battering Delhi-NCR Wednesday evening due to a cyclonic circulation over Haryana. The temperature fell dramatically, Metro lines faltered, and trees fell in many places. In Noida, the welcome board in Sector 14A collapsed. A divyang man was killed in Southeast Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin when a pole fell on his head during the storm.advertisement
This chai's brewed with nature's fury, too wild for Delhi's crumbling streets.Chaos at the airport as 50 flights were delayed, 10 diverted, and some cancelled. An IndiGo flight hit turbulence, landing in Srinagar with a broken nose; all passengers and crew were safely evacuated.The Wright Brothers should have invented weather proof flights, no? Spy In Soup: Jyoti's Pak ContactsIndia Today reports Haryana Police sharing fresh details on YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, arrested May 15 for espionage under the Official Secrets Act. Her custody ends Thursday; police rule out access to sensitive data but confirm Pakistan contacts. Was this dish cooked in haste? Time will tell. Bikaneri Snacks: PM Modi's BlitzIndia Today details PM Modi's Bikaner visit to worship at the Karni Mata temple in Deshnok. The temple's deity is considered the patron and protector of Bikaner, a city known for its sweets and crispy snacks. The Deshnok temple is famous as an abode of rats, said to be under Karni Mata's protection. Spotting a white rat here is considered a good omen. Having squished the rats across the border, will the PM spot a messenger of luck?advertisementThe PM will also visit IAF's Nal airbase, inaugurate Amrit Bharat Deshnok Railway Station, flag off a Bikaner-Mumbai train, and launch Rs 26,000 crore in projects in Palana. Like the assortment of Bikaneri snacks, this platter is hot with symbolism, simmering with spice.Dessert: Sweet Gets New NameIndia-Pakistan tension affects sweets; 'Moti Pak' is now 'Moti Shree.' That's taking it too far, though. The sweet—a variation of motichoor ladoos—has nothing to do with Pakistan. The pak in this moti (pearl-like balls of besan) means pure, pristine. What's in a name, that which we call motipak by any other word will taste as sweet!Bangla-Pak Khichdi In DhakaA month after the Pahalgam attack, intelligence intercepts expose a covert Pak-Bangladesh terror coordination. Radical Islamists in Dhaka pledge allegiance to Pakistan, with Jamati leaders justifying strikes on India. Despite Operation Sindoor's success, sleeper cells remain active. Continental Buffet: Sindoor's Global PushIndia Today reports the third of seven all-party delegations, led by Kanimozhi, leaving Thursday to expose Pakistan's terror sponsorship, following groups led by Sanjay Jha and Shrikant Shinde on Wednesday.Meanwhile, three children and two others were killed in a terror attack on a school bus in Pakistan. Amid cries for payback, Pakistan seeks action against snakes in its own garden.advertisement Bitter Bite: Chhattisgarh Naxal OperationIndia Today covers a major operation in Chhattisgarh, neutralising 30 Naxals, including top commander Basavaraju with a 1-crore bounty. Who was he? India Today profiles the face of Naxals. Legal Platter: Courtroom BattlesIndia Today tracks the Supreme Court hearing the Waqf Amendment Act case Thursday, with the Centre arguing Waqf isn't essential to Islam since it is based on the concept of charity, which is voluntary. Seasonal Mess: Weather-Covid TangoIndia Today reports heavy rain alerts for Goa till May 26, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, with Yamunotri and Badrinath inundated. Rajasthan's heat hits 47.6C in Sriganganagar; Gujarat releases 30,689 MCFT of Narmada water. Kerala braces for rising COVID-19 cases with 182 in May.Parting Bite: The Wright Brothers, inventors of the aeroplane, said, 'The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air.'So, keep soaring on the infinite highway. The sky, as the cliche goes, is the limit.
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Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
7 Maoists killed in ongoing Bijapur operation, key leaders among those neutralised
This is an AI-generated image, used for representational purposes only. NEW DELHI: At least seven Maoists, including two top leaders of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), have been killed in a series of encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district over the past three days, police said on Saturday. The ongoing anti-Naxal operation is taking place inside the dense forest region of Indravati National Park. The latest casualties include two prominent figures: Central Committee Member Narasimha Chalam alias Sudhakar, and Bhaskar alias Mailarapu Adellu, a Special Zonal Committee (SZC) member of the Telangana State Committee (TSC) of the Maoists. Sudhakar carried a bounty of Rs 40 lakh, while Bhaskar had a combined reward of Rs 45 lakh announced by the governments of Chhattisgarh and Telangana. "So far, a total of 7 dead bodies of Maoist cadres have been recovered by security forces during the ongoing anti-Naxal operations in the National Park area of Bijapur district," confirmed Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, P Sundarraj, as quoted by news agency ANI. "These include the bodies of Central Committee Member Gautam alias Sudhakar and Telangana State Committee Member Bhaskar." According to PTI, Saturday's recovery of two bodies followed a gun battle, while three others were found after an encounter that took place during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Affordable Flats in Chattarpur A D Infra Learn More Undo The identities of five other Maoists killed, including two women, are yet to be ascertained. The operation was launched on June 4 following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of senior Maoist leaders, including Sudhakar, Bandi Prakash, and Pappa Rao, all associated with the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC). Personnel from the Chhattisgarh police's Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and CRPF's elite CoBRA unit are involved in the joint operation. Security forces have also seized a significant cache of arms and ammunition from the encounter sites, including two AK-47 rifles and explosives, as per officials quoted by news agency PTI. Search and area domination efforts are continuing across the rugged terrain to neutralise any remaining Maoist presence. Some personnel sustained injuries during the operation due to snake bites, honeybee stings, dehydration, and other challenges associated with forest combat. 'They are being provided with appropriate medical attention. Right now their condition is normal and out of danger,' Sundarraj said. This operation marks the third major blow to the Maoist hierarchy in Chhattisgarh in just over three weeks. On May 21, General Secretary of the CPI (Maoist) Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, 70, was killed in a massive encounter in the Abujmarh forest area of Narayanpur district. A total of 26 other Maoists were neutralised in that action. Officials say the continuing operation in Bijapur is aimed at completely sanitising the Maoist-infested forest belt and uprooting the leadership network that has long directed armed insurgency in central India.
India.com
15 minutes ago
- India.com
Rs 500 notes to be discontinued from March next year? Here's what govt says
Representational Image The Central government has rejected the claims made in a YouTube video that the Rs 500 currency not would be phased out from circulation from March next year. In a post on X, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) fact-checked the claim, stating that no such announcement has been made by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and Rs 500 notes would continue to remain legal tender. 'A YouTube video on the YT Channel 'CAPITAL TV' (capitaltvind) falsely claims that the RBI will discontinue the circulation of Rs 500 notes by March 2026. RBI has made NO such announcement. Rs 500 notes have NOT been discontinued and remain legal tender,' the PIB informed. The fact-check came after a video on video-sharing platform YouTube claimed that the government was planning to phase out the Rs 500 note from March next year, akin to how Rs 2000 currency notes were removed from circulation. The 12-minute video, which has over 5 lakh views on YouTube, has been widely shared on other social media platforms. However, authorities have rejected the claims made in the video, and urged netizens to always verify such information from official sources. 'Don't fall for such misinformation. Always verify news from official sources before believing or sharing it,' the PIB added in its post. Earlier, the government phased out the Rs 2000 notes, urging people to deposit this denomination in the banks. However, Rs 2000 are still considered legal tender, and Rs 6,181 crore worth of notes are still in circulation, according to media reports. Currently, Rs 500 is most widely-circulated currency note in India, accounting for 41% of the total notes, with an 86% share in transactions done via cash. The government is urging citizens to use smaller denominations and digital payments, but Rs 500 notes continues to be a big part of cash transactions in the country.
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
Farm reset: Government says agriculture sector reshaped in 11 years, budget surged five-fold since 2013 & crop output jumped
A surge in budget allocation and sustained policy focus over the past 11 years has led to a wide-ranging transformation in India's agricultural sector, the Centre said on Saturday, crediting flagship schemes with driving output, procurement, and farmer support to new highs. In an official statement, the government said its agri reforms have empowered farmers and repositioned India on the path from food security to global agricultural leadership. The transformation, it said, has focused on inclusive development — covering smallholders, women-led groups, allied sectors, and traditional practices such as millet farming. 'Over the past eleven years, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India's agricultural sector has undergone a profound transformation, rooted in the philosophy of Beej Se Bazaar Tak (seed to market),' the statement said, quoted PTI. Budgetary support for the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has risen nearly five times — from Rs 27,663 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 1,37,664.35 crore in 2024-25. Foodgrain output also recorded an increase from 265.05 million tonnes in 2014-15 to an estimated 347.44 million tonnes in 2024-25. The government said it has sharply increased minimum support prices (MSP) for key crops. Wheat MSP rose from Rs 1,400 per quintal in 2013-14 to Rs 2,425 per quintal in 2024-25, while the paddy MSP increased from Rs 1,310 to Rs 2,369 per quintal between 2013-14 and 2025-26. Since its launch in 2019, the PM-KISAN scheme has disbursed Rs 3.7 lakh crore to over 110 million farmers. Separately, about Rs 10 lakh crore in credit has been sanctioned to 7.71 crore farmers under the Kisan Credit Card initiative. Crop procurement volumes have seen a sharp uptick. Kharif procurement between FY15 and FY25 totalled 787.1 million tonnes, compared with 467.9 million tonnes in the previous decade. MSP procurement of pulses jumped from 1.52 lakh tonnes (2009–2014) to 8.3 million tonnes (2020–2025), while oilseeds procurement has grown multifold over the same period. The Centre highlighted additional measures such as investments in modern irrigation, digital agri-marketplaces, tech-led solutions, and credit support. Allied sectors like dairy and fisheries have also expanded during the period. 'As India enters Amrit Kaal, its empowered farmers stand ready to lead the nation from food security to global food leadership,' the government said. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
