The air quality in Delhi continued to be in the severe category for the third consecutive day on Saturday, with an AQI (Air Quality Index) of 413 recorded at 7 am. During a late-night inspection at Anand Vihar bus terminus on Friday, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai, highlighted that vehicles using BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel, arriving from Uttar Pradesh, have been playing a significant role in worsening the air quality. This was emphasised as the AQI in Anand Vihar reached an alarming 999 during the night, indicating extremely hazardous conditions. “Delhi government has been trying its best to curb the air pollution. Anand Vihar has the highest AQI. I came here and found out that all buses are BS3 and BS4 coming from Uttar Pradesh. I appeal to Yogiji to not send these vehicles to Delhi. Electric buses and CNG vehicles ply in Delhi. Bus depot manager, and traffic staff have also been careless to allow these banned vehicles inside Delhi,” the minister said. Dig deeper

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rejected any calls for a humanitarian ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Palestinian militant group Hamas. In a discussion with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Netanyahu further said that Israel intends to continue its operations at full capacity until the release of hostages held by Hamas. Blinken, in his third visit to Israel since the outbreak of the conflict, is scheduled to meet with leaders in Jordan. The conflict between Israel and Hamas began after Hamas initiated attacks on Israeli towns on October 7, resulting in the loss of at least 1,400 lives. Dig deeper

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Best Print Read

Kalakshetra’s director Revathi Ramachandran who has been in the centre of the storm over sexual harassment complaints by students against teachers has “demitted” her office on October 31, the institution said. Aneish Rajan “has taken over as Director (IC)” from November 1, with Kalakshetra Foundation’s Governing Board members and Advisor present during the occasion, the institute posted on X on Thursday. The appointments to the Chennai-based foundation are made by the Union ministry of culture. “… Revathi Ramachandran handed over the charge to Shri Aneish Rajan in the presence of Kalakshetra Foundation’s Governing Board members and Advisor,” a spokesperson of Kalakshetra told HT. “… Ramachandran demitted office following completion of her tenure on October 31, 2023.” Dig deeper

Global Matters

Mark Zuckerberg reportedly tore his ACL while training MMA, and had to undergo a surgery. A flight scheduled for early next year had to be delayed as a result of his injury. Mark took to Instagram to announce the news. “Tore my ACL sparring and just got out of surgery to replace it. Grateful for the doctors and team taking care of me. I was training for a competitive MMA fight early next year, but now that’s delayed a bit. Still looking forward to doing it after I recover. Thanks to everyone for the love and support,” he wrote, posting a series of his photos from the hospital. Dig deeper

Entertainment Focus

Director Avinash Arun, responsible for helming the second season of the popular web series “Pataal Lok,” expressed his astonishment at the initial edit of the upcoming season. During an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Avinash described the forthcoming season as ‘another formidable project’ and also discussed his new film “Three of Us,” featuring Jaideep Ahlawat, Shefali Shah, and Swanand Kirkire. Avinash confirmed that the second season of “Pataal Lok” is expected to be released next year. He shared, “It is shaping up exceptionally well. I can’t reveal too much, but I’m personally captivated and pleasantly surprised. After reading the script for ‘Pataal Lok 2,’ I thought, ‘this is like a different beast.’ It will be available sometime in the coming year.” Dig deeper

Lifestyle and Health

Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone, two prominent actresses in Bollywood, recently made a stylish appearance at Shahrukh Khan’s 58th birthday celebration, turning heads with their dazzling outfits. The birthday bash, hosted by King Khan, was a lavish affair attended by top celebrities in the industry, including Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, MS Dhoni, Ananya Pandey, Kareena Kapoor, Karishma Kapoor, Shanaya Kapoor, and many others. While some attendees opted for elegant gowns, others chose chic dresses. What particularly stood out were the glamorous looks of Deepika and Alia, earning them top spots on the best-dressed list. Dig deeper

Sports Goings

India’s undefeated World Cup 2023 campaign faced a significant setback as the International Cricket Council announced on Saturday that star all-rounder Hardik Pandya would be unable to participate in the remainder of the tournament. Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been designated as Hardik’s replacement. The renowned Indian all-rounder sustained an ankle injury and an awkward landing during the match against Bangladesh in Pune on October 19. He left the field with a limp and was unable to continue in the game. Subsequently, he missed the next three matches against New Zealand, England, and Sri Lanka. Although the BCCI and the team management had initially hoped for Hardik’s recovery in time for the semifinals, India has now learned that he will not be fit to participate. Dig deeper

That’s all we have at this hour in our morning briefing. Catch you in the afternoon.