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Prominent Indian-origin foreign policy expert and defense strategist Ashley Tellis has been arrested in the US for possessing classified defense documents and holding secret meetings with Chinese officials. During a search of the 64-year-old’s residence, authorities reportedly seized over a thousand documents marked ‘top secret.’
Israel received four hostage bodies handed over by Hamas via the Red Cross in Gaza. Transferred to IDF and Shin Bet personnel, the remains were then escorted into Israel and sent to Tel Aviv’s National Center of Forensic Medicine for identification. Identities remain unknown, with families to be notified after the process, Netanyahu’s office said.
Trump slammed China for withholding American soybean purchases and threatened to end cooking oil imports. Posting on Truth Social, he called China’s actions economically hostile and said the US can produce cooking oil domestically. Chinese exports, which peaked at 1.27 million tons in 2024, have already declined after Beijing removed export tax relief.
Several Tamil people and the TVK party have demanded an immediate ban on Bigg Boss Tamil, accusing it of insulting Tamil culture. TVK MLA Velmurugan criticized the ruling party and warned of mass protests if action isn’t taken. He claimed the show promotes vulgarity and goes against traditional Tamil values.
BRS working president KTR accused Congress of “massive electoral fraud” in Telangana’s Jubilee Hills by-election, alleging 23,000 suspicious votes, mass registrations, and unauthorised voter IDs. Claiming misuse of official machinery and collusion with officials, he said BRS will approach the Telangana High Court to rectify voter rolls before the by-poll.
US State Department employee Ashley Tellis is accused of removing classified documents and meeting Chinese officials since 2023. A South Asia expert with top-secret clearance, he advised the State and Defense Departments. Authorities recovered over 1,000 “TOP SECRET” and “SECRET” pages from his Vienna, Virginia residence.
The UN’s humanitarian convoy was struck by Russian drones while delivering aid to southern Ukraine, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. Coordinator Matthias Schmale condemned the attack, noting two World Food Programme trucks were damaged, though no injuries occurred. He called the strike a grave breach of international humanitarian law.
At IIT Dharwad’s ‘dhaRti BioNEST’ launch, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged young innovators to focus on innovation over profit. She said profitability follows commercialisation and scaling. Sitharaman called for investor, mentor, and regulatory support to help innovators develop transformative solutions before achieving commercial success.
The IMD has forecast heavy rain with thunder and lightning across Kerala till today, Oct 15, issuing orange alerts for Idukki, Kannur, and Kasaragod, and yellow alerts for multiple districts. Rainfall of 64.5 to 115.5 mm is expected as the state nears the northeast monsoon, with Tamil Nadu also likely to be affected.
Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty instructed a Christian-run Kochi school to permit a Muslim girl to wear her hijab, emphasising constitutional rights and secular values. The school violated the Right to Education Act, causing mental distress. Meanwhile, another hijab dispute in Palluruthy forced a two-day school holiday amid rising tensions.
India will restart all international postal services to the US from October 15, ending a two-month suspension. The halt followed changes in US customs rules under Executive Order 14324. The Department of Posts said it now meets new compliance requirements set by US Customs and Border Protection for postal imports.
The Maharashtra cabinet approved a new bamboo industry policy to develop at least 15 dedicated bamboo clusters statewide. The policy aims to tap into the carbon credit market, attract investments worth ₹50,000 crore, and generate over 5 lakh jobs within the next decade, boosting both the economy and sustainable development in the state.
Bihar’s first phase of Assembly polls begins soon, the Election Commission bans bulk SMS, voice calls, and political ads during the 48-hour silence period. Ads on TV, radio, cinema, and displays in polling areas are also prohibited. The directive aims to ensure a level playing field before voting concludes, promoting fair and transparent elections.
The Supreme Court deferred a plea to October 15 by Sonam Wangchuk’s wife challenging his NSA detention. Advocate Kapil Sibal argued no arrest grounds were shared, violating Article 22. The petition claims the detention aims to silence Wangchuk’s peaceful environmental movement in Ladakh and questions his transfer to a distant jail in Jodhpur.
Sikkim’s Ecclesiastical Department issued an advisory after tattoos depicting deities below the waist at a recent event were deemed offensive. The government urged people to respect local faiths, calling such depictions culturally insensitive. Citizens are asked to avoid actions that could hurt religious sentiments and traditional beliefs of the region.