Big Stories Today: Gayatri Prajapati gets life imprisonment in minor gangrape case, Army agrees to grant permanent commission to eligible women after SC warning
The Central government on Friday agreed to grant permanent commission (PC) to 11 women Army officers Maoist, Amit Shah, Congress Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook, Anil Deshmukh, Bahrain, Bharat Biotech, Covaxin, Covid-19, IGP Kashmir, Kangana Ranaut, Lancet, Nawab Malik, Ashok Gehlot, Sonia Gandhi
Former UP minister Gayatri Prajapati, 2 accomplices sentenced to life imprisonment in Chitrakoot minor gangrape case
Former Uttar Pradesh Minister in the previous Samajwadi Party government, Gayatri Prajapati on Friday was sentenced to life imprisonment in a Chitrakoot gangrape case. Along with Gayatri Prajapati, accomplices Ashish Shukla and Ashok Tiwari were also sentenced to life terms. He and his two accomplices have also been fined Rs 2 lakh. The former UP Minister, who was a key figure in the previous Akhilesh Yadav government, was convicted by a special court of lawmakers on Wednesday for raping a woman. The special court in Lucknow had two days back pronounced Prajapati guilty in the gang rape case, and had also convicted his two associates.
Indian Army agrees to grant permanent commission to eligible women after Supreme Court warning
The Central government on Friday agreed to grant permanent commission (PC) to 11 women Army officers who meet the eligibility criteria after the Supreme Court threatened to initiate contempt proceedings.
The Centre, which was initially reluctant, conveyed its acquiescence to a Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud to grant PC to the officers within 10 days.
NIA files chargesheet against 7 Naxals in Dummugudem Maoist case of Telangana
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed the chargesheet against seven Naxals and conspirators in the Dummugudem Maoist case of Telangana. Top members of banned CPI (Maoist) hatched a criminal conspiracy along with overground workers to wage war against the government by carrying out attack on security personnel, said NIA
Maoist leader Prashant Bose alias Kishan Da, carrying Rs 1 crore reward, arrested by Jharkhand Police
Top Maoist leader Prashant Bose alias Kishan Da, who was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head, has been arrested in Jharkhand along with his wife Sheela Marandi, a senior police officer said on Friday.
80% single dose and 39% double doses of Covid-19 covered, informs Health Ministry
Health workers will knock at every door, check, inspire and motivate under Har Ghar Dastak, says Manohar Agnani, Additional Secretary, Union Health Ministry during an online interactive session on the ongoing Har Ghar Dastak campaign. He said: “80 percent of the single-dose and 39 percent of the double doses of Covid-19 covered. He said: “Every individual has a role, we’ve requested NGOs too. By November 30 we should reach our goal. We have 3 vaccines Covaxin, Covishield and SputnikV.”
Amit Shah reaches Varanasi to check BJP poll preparedness
Ahead of the state assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached Varanasi on Friday. During the two-day visit, Shah will attend Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhasha Sammelan in Varanasi. He will also hold meetings with BJP office-bearers including state chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Congress writes to Mark Zuckerberg alleging Facebook of spreading hate, demands internal inquiry
The Congress on Friday has written to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg claiming Facebook is spreading hate and demanded an internal inquiry.
It is not the first time that Congress has written to the social media giant. In earlier letters to Zuckerberg, the Congress raised issues of bias with many Facebook executives asked to set up a high-level inquiry into the Facebook India leadership team and submit a report to Facebook Inc. within a reasonable period of time. A Wall Street Journal report in August 2020 had said Facebook India’s leadership had supported the ruling BJP and violated the company’s own hate-speech rules. Following the story, the executive responsible had resigned in October 2020.
Rupee gains 7 paise to close at 74.45 against U.S. dollar
The rupee strengthened by 7 paise to close at 74.45 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, as a firm trend in domestic equities boosted investor sentiments. Besides, lower crude prices in the international market also supported the local unit, forex dealers said.
Bahrain approves emergency use of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin
Bahrain’s National Health Regulatory Authority has approved the emergency use of India’s indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, said the Indian Embassy in Bahrain on Friday.
Covaxin recently received emergency use approval from the World Health Organization (WHO) for people aged 18 and above. Earlier on November 10, Hong Kong and Vietnam also joined the list of countries that approved the jab.
AAP announces first list of candidates for 2022 Punjab Assembly polls
The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday released the first list of 10 candidates for the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls. This is the second such announcement by a political party in the state. Earlier on Sunday last, the BJP announced that it will contest all 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly elections 2022.
Anil Deshmukh sent to Enforcement Directorate custody till November 15 in money laundering case
Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has been sent to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till November 15 in the money laundering case. Deshmukh’s judicial custody ended on Friday. In its arguments seeking custody, the ED said that they needed to question the former Maharashtra Home Minister for at least two more days.READ STORY
After meeting Sonia Gandhi, Sachin Pilot says those who worked for party should be given the respect they deserve
Congress leader and former Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence on Friday. After the meeting, Pilot said those who have worked for the party should be given the respect they deserve.
Pilot said he spoke about the political situation in the state, and said that if there was any change required, it should be done. Pilot met Sonia Gandhi a day after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Delhi government slaps Rs 5 lakh fine on NBCC for flouting anti-dust norms
The Delhi government on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the National Building Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) for flouting anti-dust norms at its construction site in Karkardooma, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai told the media. Earlier in October, the Delhi government issued a show-cause notice to the NBCC for not following the 14-point anti-dust guidelines at its World Health Organization (WHO) building redevelopment site in the capital.
133 terrorists including many top commanders neutralised in Jammu and Kashmir so far in 2021, says IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar
Kashmir Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar on Friday said 133 terrorists including many top commanders have been neutralised this year. He said: “Two terrorists including Shiraz Molvi and Yawar Bhat have been neutralised.” Shiraz was active since 2016 and was involved in several civilian killings. One other terrorist killed in the Srinagar encounter has been identified as Aamir Riyaz, he added.
Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik asks Centre to take back Kangana Ranaut’s Padma Shri, arrest her
Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik has launched a scathing attack on Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut for her controversial remarks on the country’s Independence and demanded that the Padma Shri award conferred on her should be revoked. The Nationalist Congress Party leader said the actor seemed to be speaking untruths.
Covaxin’s efficacy pegged at 77.8%, says Lancet study
In a study published in The Lancet, Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine developed by ICMR and Bharat Biotech, was found to have a 77.8 percent efficacy rate against symptomatic Covid-19. The study also found it to be 65.2 percent effective against the more dangerous Delta variant of the coronavirus in its preliminary analysis, but said further investigations are necessary to confirm it.
RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans
The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.
RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases
Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.
The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.
GDP outlook strengthened
In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.
The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.
“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.
Other key decisions
Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:
Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%
To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).
RBI reviews a challenging year
Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.
IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours
Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.
India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.
Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished
Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.
One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”
A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.
Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.
Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide
Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:
Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
Around 90 in Hyderabad
Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal
Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.
Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.
IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected
The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.
IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.
The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.
In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.
In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.
Delhi to install 305 mist sprayers across 9 major pollution hotspots
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that 305 mist sprayers will be installed across nine pollution hotspots in Delhi, alongside expert-led planning and coordinated measures to reduce dust and biomass-related pollution.
The Delhi government has announced a large-scale deployment of mist sprayer technology to tackle rising air pollution, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta confirming that 305 mist sprayers will be installed across nine pollution hotspots in the capital.
Mist sprayers to curb dust at critical locations
During an inspection at ITO, Gupta said the mist sprayers already operational at the site are performing effectively. She noted that 35 poles at ITO have been fitted with these machines, which are helping suppress dust—a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi.
According to the Chief Minister, trials conducted in certain NDMC areas have shown promising results, reinforcing confidence in the technology.
High-level committee to guide pollution-control measures
Gupta announced the formation of a high-level expert committee that will advise the government on effective measures to reduce pollution. The panel will include senior officials from various departments as well as environmental specialists, including experts from IITs. Officials stated that the committee will receive special powers to implement pollution-mitigation strategies.
Departments directed to repair roads, add greenery
The Chief Minister said departments including PWD, DSIIDC and DDA have been instructed to fix potholes, repair and carpet roads, plant foliage along dividers and islands, and take other measures to reduce pollution sources.
She urged residents to report potholes on the government portal for quicker action.
Appeal to RWAs to prevent biomass burning
To curb winter pollution, Gupta advised Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) to distribute electric heaters to security guards to discourage biomass burning, which significantly contributes to seasonal pollution spikes.
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