A recent examination of 45 plastic cattle tanks has shed light on the significant role that species arrival order plays in biodiversity. Tanks with low nutrients exhibited similar communities irrespective of this order, while high nutrient tanks presented diverse variations. This phenomenon, termed the priority effect, has implications for community stability and ecosystem restoration efforts, cautioning restoration ecologists against presuming automatic self-repair in nutrient-rich habitats.

The Uttar Pradesh government has tightened character verification rules for direct recruitment to government jobs, making individuals associated with organisations that advocate changing the existing social system through violence ineligible for appointment. The order clarifies that political ideology alone, an FIR or a pending investigation cannot automatically disqualify a candidate.

The International Monetary Fund has nominated Min Liao, China’s Vice Minister of Finance, for Deputy Managing Director. His appointment follows the term expiration of Bo Li, which ends on November 30, 2026. Liao has extensive experience in financial regulation and macroeconomic governance, contributing to global economic policy coordination. He has played significant roles in various financial institutions since beginning his career.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has named Germany, Japan and China as three countries with strong positions in advanced manufacturing, citing China’s integration of computing and industrial production. He also said US export restrictions had accelerated China’s semiconductor ambitions, while maintaining that American technology companies were prepared to compete globally.

Beijing has promoted General Zhang Shengmin, the key player in the recent anti-corruption fight that cut deep into the military’s top leadership, to its top decision-making body, the Politburo. More to follow...

Pramod Bhagat has urged authorities to take action against former head coach Gaurav Khanna for publicly predicting India's medal tally at the Asian Para Games.

What are Southeast Asian nations doing to help the United States tackle its challenges? A reporter with the American right-wing organisation Turning Point USA put the question bluntly to US President Donald Trump’s defence chief this week in the Philippines. As US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth pitched closer naval ties and maritime security cooperation at a gathering of defence ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and other regional powers, the question injected...

PHDCCI has recommended abolishing Long Term Capital Gains tax and modifying short-term capital gains taxes. The chamber suggests increasing the holding period for long-term investments to attract genuine investors. It emphasizes that current tax structures discourage investment due to double taxation on equities. Foreign Portfolio Investors have withdrawn significant funds from Indian equities, impacting investment levels. Government analysis of these recommendations may lead to changes in tax policy and structure.

Allahabad High Court has ordered the demolition of two illegal 10-storey towers at Ghaziabad's Gulmohar Greens and extra floors in four other towers. It directed an FIR against Friends Land Developers, imposed a Rs 25 lakh penalty and ordered refunds to 85 ground-floor residents for common areas sold illegally, with 10% interest.

The Portland Trail Blazers’ decision to assign centre Yang Hansen to their NBA G League affiliate has caught many Chinese basketball fans off guard, sparking a flurry of online debate over his current standing and future in the league. The Trail Blazers announced on social media early Thursday morning that the 21-year-old had been assigned to the Rip City Remix. The move came just three games into Portland’s 2026-27 NBA season as Yang continued to struggle to enter the regular rotation or secure...

In April 2026, Texas took a significant step by deploying 400 tonnes of concrete railroad ties to form two artificial reef piles. This project is designed to transform the flat bottom of the Gulf into a thriving habitat for marine life. Researchers are closely examining how these artificial reefs influence fish communities, with valid concerns about potential fish migration from other regions.

On October 30, ISRO will launch the NVS-03 navigation satellite using its GSLV-F18 rocket. This mission aims to enhance the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system, which currently struggles with aging satellites and insufficient atomic clocks. Successful deployment of NVS-03 is crucial for reviving reliable positioning services in India, with future launches, NVS-04 and NVS-05, planned to further solidify the system's dependability.

Odisha has refunded Rs 69.23 crore in college admission fees to over 1.11 lakh students. This refund is part of the Gyanodaya - Shiksha Ru Samruddhi scheme implemented for the 2026-27 academic session. Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj advised students to check their bank accounts for the refund. Students who did not receive the money can update their bank details for transfer.

Nitin Nabin chaired a meeting with party national general secretaries at the BJP headquarters on Thursday to discuss organisational matters, the upcoming action plan and future programmes. Senior leaders, including B L Santhosh, Smriti Irani, Vinod Tawde and Sunil Bansal, attended the meeting.

The finance ministry’s nowcasting model estimates India’s GDP will grow 7.35% in Q2 FY27, following 7.8% growth in the previous quarter, supported by stronger industrial output, energy consumption, port traffic, GST collections and automobile sales.

The West Bengal government is initiating strict measures against firecracker violations during Kali Puja and Diwali. Authorities emphasize the importance of self-awareness and adherence to pollution-control guidelines this festive season. Residents are urged to respect silence zones near sensitive locations like hospitals and old-age homes. Vigilance will be heightened for illegal firecracker sales and safety inspections at firecracker markets.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) case arises from the CBI's FIR, which has alleged that Yadav entered into a criminal conspiracy with the owner of Sujata Hotels, Sarla Gupta, wife of his close associate Prem Chand Gupta, a Rashtriya Janata Dal MP in the Rajya Sabha, and IRCTC officials for "undue pecuniary advantage to himself and others" between 2004 and 2014.

Top European economic and finance officials are set to visit Beijing as they seek to persuade Chinese policymakers to let the yuan strengthen in order to help shrink a surging trade gap, the South China Morning Post reported exclusively. Maarten Verwey, the European Commission’s director general for economic and financial affairs, would lead a delegation to the Chinese capital in the week of November 23. This would be followed by a joint mission around year-end probably comprising European...

A Delhi court has decided to reserve its order regarding the framing of charges against 14 accused individuals. This decision is related to the NEET-UG paper leak case, which has raised significant concerns. The Central Bureau of Investigation previously filed a chargesheet against 13 of the accused earlier this year. After the NEET-UG was cancelled due to allegations of a paper leak, a re-examination was subsequently conducted.

Zomato has introduced a feature named 'Mehmaan Mode' to enhance guest experiences during festive gatherings. Guests will be able to view restaurant menus without seeing food prices, which promotes comfort while ordering. This feature was suggested by a LinkedIn user, Ayushmaan Agarwalla, and endorsed by Deepinder Goyal. The interaction led to a rapid rollout of the function to meet festive demands.

A local police official said patients were being transferred to another hospital when the explosion occurred. Images on social media and on television stations showed flames engulfing a vehicle, with one door open. Another image showed its blackened frame outside a building as people stood nearby.

The ‘New Amnesty Scheme 2025’, rolled out on October 1, 2025, is a one-time dispute resolution initiative aimed at reducing the backlog of court cases and promoting compliance under the erstwhile Employees’ State Insurance Act. Court cases filed up to March 31, 2025 are eligible under this scheme, the ministry said on Thursday.

A vessel is currently on fire in the Strait of Hormuz, with the crew's status still unknown. The UK Maritime Trade Operations have received the report from a nearby vessel. Vessels in the area are advised to exercise caution and report suspicious activity. The origin of the fire has not been verified, and no damage assessment has been conducted.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined plans to strengthen energy security, expand infrastructure, develop artificial intelligence and improve living standards in his October 28 state-of-the-nation address.

The Supreme Court instructed the presidents of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal and National Company Law Tribunal to submit proposals. These proposals would outline the requirements for infrastructure and staffing needed to improve tribunal functioning. The court highlighted concerns regarding the collapsing infrastructure at the NCLT Principal Bench. A joint meeting was suggested to identify priorities among stakeholders and tribunal leadership.

Absolute and IIT Kharagpur are developing an early warning system for soybean farmers to minimize crop losses. The Smart Scout project aims to detect lodging risks, assess damage, and estimate yields using artificial intelligence. This initiative is part of the Quad-backed AI-ENGAGE program focusing on agricultural innovations. Pilot trials will be conducted across major soybean-growing states in India over the next three years.

The Supreme Court dismissed TMC MP Mahua Moitra's plea regarding the public disclosure of ultimate beneficial owners. The court noted that no legal framework currently mandates such disclosure by the market regulator, SEBI. While the court acknowledged the importance of investor awareness, it emphasized limitations under Article 32 of the Constitution. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the petition, highlighting the absence of statutory provisions.