India ranked as the fifth most polluted country in the world in 2024, with Byrnihat, Meghalaya, recognized as the most polluted metropolitan area globally. Despite a 7% decline in PM2.5 levels, New Delhi remained the most polluted capital. Major pollution sources include industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, and crop residue burning.
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Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi announced the party's decision to contest the 2027 Goa assembly elections independently, along with the upcoming Zilla Parishad and municipal elections. In the 2024 General Elections, BJP and INC each won a parliamentary seat, while BJP led the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly elections with 20 seats and the highest vote share of 33.31%.
Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah announced the launch of 10,000 new Multipurpose Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (M-PACS) aimed at bolstering agricultural infrastructure and efficiency. The government's vision includes forming 2 lakh such societies within five years, providing essential resources and financial inclusion for farmers, while modernizing PACs to generate employment for women and youth.
Shashi Tharoor revealed he was named after Lord Shiva's crescent due to his birth on Mahashivratri. He shared this personal detail amidst speculations of tension with Congress leadership, following his recent interactions and dissatisfaction over his role. Tharoor's recent actions, including praise for Kerala's Left government, indicate ongoing friction within the party.
Scrabble's official dictionary gains 1,816 new words, reflecting modern slang and cultural shifts. The update includes Hindi, Greek, Japanese, and Korean terms. These changes will be first embraced at the MuSigma KSSA Indian Open in Bangalore in January 2025. Players find learning new words easier than unlearning removed ones.
The Delhi High Court dismissed a woman's petition claiming homeopathic medicines healed her from 25 gunshot injuries. The court upheld lower courts' decisions, finding her allegations absurd and improbable, highlighting the impossibility of surviving such wounds without surgery. The woman in her petition alleged that she was attacked by individuals wielding “fully loaded revolvers and a machine gun.â€
Gurgaon is set to welcome its second Trump-branded residential project, making it the only city besides New York with two such developments. Smartworld Developers and Tribeca Developers are launching Trump Residences Gurgaon, a Rs 3,500 crore project. This follows the success of Trump Towers Delhi NCR, further solidifying the Trump brand's presence and confidence in the Indian real estate market.
Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma was arrested by the ED in connection with a multi-crore liquor scam. Congress claims the arrest is politically motivated, with Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap accusing former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of masterminding the scheme. Congress supporters staged a protest in Sukma.
The Election Commission invited party leaders for discussions to enhance electoral processes, addressing concerns over duplicate electors’ photo identity cards. It acknowledged some electors share the same EPIC number but remain distinct in demographic details and polling stations. The issue stemmed from a previously manual process, now being rectified with the ERONET 2.0 update to prevent further duplications.
The Lok Sabha has approved additional government spending of Rs 51,463 crore for the current financial year, primarily for repaying high-cost debt and providing financial aid to Manipur. This includes provisions for Manipur's 2025-26 budget, with estimated receipts at Rs 35,368 crore and expenditures at Rs 35,104 crore.
Amidst cheers and celebratory dances, Arvind Kejriwal launched AAP's election anthem 'Fir Layenge Kejriwal,' highlighting the party's achievements in Delhi, targeting opposition, and promoting key schemes like free electricity and water. The anthem promises additional benefits and portrays Kejriwal as a determined leader overcoming obstacles.