To ensure continued passenger comfort, safety and regulatory compliance, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday directed all airline operators to implement enhanced passenger handling measures with an immediate effect.

In the light of the recent international airspace closures and overflight restrictions, several flight routes have been significantly altered, leading to extended flight durations and the possibility of technical stops.

According to the DGCA advisory, passengers must be proactively informed about route changes, extended travel times, and any technical halts during their journey.

This communication should occur at check-in, boarding, and via digital alerts.

“Airlines are required to revise catering based on the actual block time, ensuring adequate food, hydration, and special meal availability throughout the flight, including any technical stopovers,” said the advisory.

A devastating explosion ripped through an illegal firecracker factory in Uttar Pradesh's Deoband area in Saharanpur on Saturday morning, killing several people and leaving many buried under the debris. According to local reports, nine workers were inside the factory when the blast occurred. The impact of the explosion was so intense that body parts were flung as far as 200 metres from the site.

Eyewitnesses described horrific scenes, with half of a person’s body discovered far from the site and a severed palm found 150 metres away.

Rescue operations are currently underway as police teams have cordoned off the area. The factory, which was operating illegally on a one-bigha plot near National Highway-59, was completely flattened in the explosion.

Local residents, shocked by the incident, rushed to the site and were seen grieving and protesting.

Grief-stricken family members of the victims arrived at the scene and many of them were inconsolable. The explosion triggered widespread anger among the villagers, leading to a blockade on the highway and heated arguments with police personnel.

At least 12 people, including four cops, were injured in a violent scuffle between police and villagers in Dhankhora police station limits of Bihar's Katihar district on Saturday.

The incident occurred after police arrested a known liquor smuggler, Suraj Kumar from his native village Raipur, and detained him at the Dhankhora police station. Following his arrest, around 100 villagers stormed the police station, demanding his immediate release.

As the situation turned tense, villagers allegedly resorted to vandalism and attacked police personnel. In response, police took self-defence measures by firing at least six rounds in the air to control the crowd.

Despite this, four policemen sustained injuries in the confrontation. Villagers alleged that the police were harassing them unnecessarily, which fuelled their anger.

Team India has confirmed 43 medals at the inaugural Asian U-15 & U-17 Boxing Championships, organised by the newly recognised Asian Boxing body under World Boxing, with four more pugilists punching their way into the semifinals on Day 7.

India is now assured of at least 25 medals in the U-15 category and 18 in the U-17, as all semifinalists are guaranteed bronze.

Aman Siwach (63kg) and Devansh (80kg) led the charge in the U-17 boys' section, both securing Referee Stopped Contest (RSC) wins over opponents from the Philippines and Jordan, respectively, in the last set of quarterfinal bouts.

In the girls’ division, Simranjeet Kaur (60kg) posted a commanding 5-0 win over Jordan’s Aya Alhasanat, while Himanshi (70kg) ended her bout in the very first round with an RSC against Palestine’s Farah Abou Layla, joining their cohorts in the penultimate round.

Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistani-Canadian national accused of involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, has denied any role in the conspiracy during his interrogation by the Mumbai Crime Branch.

According to senior officials, Rana, who is currently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Delhi, was questioned for over eight hours by a team of Mumbai Police officers.

During the interrogation, Rana distanced himself from the attacks that claimed over 166 lives and injured hundreds on November 26, 2008.

Rana reportedly told investigators that he had "no connection whatsoever" with the planning or execution of the attack.

He also claimed that his childhood friend and co-accused, David Coleman Headley, was solely responsible for the reconnaissance and planning aspects.

The Karnataka Police, on Saturday, shot two accused persons involved in an ATM robbery case in the leg in Kalaburagi district.

Kalaburagi Police Commissioner S.D. Sharanappa has told the media that the police opened fire in self-defence when the accused attempted to attack them with sharp weapons.

The accused who were shot in the leg have been identified as Tasleem and Sharif.

Police Sub-Inspector Basavaraj and Constables Raju, Manjunath, and Firoz were also injured in the incident.

The injured accused and policemen were shifted to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) and are currently undergoing treatment, the Police Commissioner said.

Foreign investors have made a notable return to Indian equity markets this month, emerging as net buyers over the past two weeks, analysts said on Saturday.

In just the last seven trading sessions, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have turned decisively positive on Indian equities. This shift is largely attributed to a weakening US dollar, revisit of tariff agreements and a renewed sense of optimism surrounding India’s economic trajectory.

“Amid a challenging global backdrop, marked by sluggish growth in major economies like the United States and China, India continues to stand out higher for its economic resilience,” said Manoj Purohit, Partner and Leader, FS Tax, Tax and Regulatory Services, BDO India.

India is forecast to grow at a robust rate of over 6 per cent in FY26 and remains the only fastest-growing economy, making it a compelling destination for global investors.

Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, which was effectively retaliated by the Indian Army.

"On the night of April 25-26, unprovoked small arms firing was carried out by multiple Pakistan Army posts all across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.

"Own troops responded to the ceasefire violations appropriately with small arms. No casualties have been reported," the Defence Ministry spokesman said.

The Pakistan Army also resorted to small arms firing at some places along the LoC on April 24. The same was effectively retaliated.

Tensions mounted between the two countries after Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists sponsored and aided by Pakistan killed 26 innocent civilians, including 25 tourists and a local, on April 22 in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.

Just three minutes a day of moderate activity may be enough to boost better heart health in older adults, according to a study.

Previous studies have shown that as people age, many do not engage in physical activity, increasing their chances of experiencing a cardiovascular event.

In the new study, researchers from the UK and Australia noted that doing household chores or shopping for groceries -- referred to as incidental activities -- may also be enough to boost health. Incidental physical activity (IPA) encompasses activities of daily living outside the leisure-time domain and includes preparing meals, keeping the house clean, mowing the lawn, or gardening.

“Any daily IPA amount of vigorous or moderate-intensity was associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk in a dose-response manner,” said the researchers from the University of Sydney.

The Indian Embassy in Berlin organised a solemn event to honour the memory of the victims of the brutal terror attack that took place on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives, was carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The commemorative gathering, held on Friday, saw participation from over 100 attendees, including senior officials from various ministries of the Federal Government of Germany, members of the diplomatic corps, and the Indian diaspora in Germany.

India's Ambassador to Germany, Ajit Gupte, paid heartfelt tributes to the victims and shared Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong remarks condemning the terror attack.

Ambassador Gupte also drew attention to the perpetrators' intent to derail the peace and normalcy that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed in recent years, particularly with the surge in tourism in the region.