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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.
JDU MP Ajay Kumar Mandal from Bhagalpur has written to CM Nitish Kumar, seeking permission to resign over ticket distribution issues. He alleged that local leadership and his 20-25 years of service are being ignored, claiming certain party members distribute tickets in his constituency without consultation, sidelining dedicated workers ahead of assembly polls.
Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation for National Highway projects worth over ₹2,000 crore in Puducherry today, aiming to enhance connectivity and ease congestion. The event, attended by Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan and CM N. Rangaswamy, is expected to significantly boost tourism, infrastructure, and the Union Territory’s economic growth.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued an alert against three substandard cough syrups, Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife, identified in India, after 25 child deaths linked to kidney failure in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. WHO urged global regulatory bodies to report detections and enhance vigilance across supply chains to prevent further harm.
Senior IPS officer Om Prakash Singh has been appointed as the acting Director General of Police (DGP) of Haryana after incumbent Shatrujeet Singh Kapur went on leave amid the controversy over IPS officer Y Puran Kumar’s suicide. The appointment order was issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Mishra Singh, confirming Singh’s additional charge.
An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 struck China’s Xinjiang province, with the epicenter located at 41.65°N latitude and 81.14°E longitude. The quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, prompting residents to flee their homes in panic. So far, no casualties or major damage have been reported, and authorities are monitoring the situation.