Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said manual drilling will commence tomorrow as fresh efforts begin to rescue workers trapped in the damaged Himalayan tunnel after drilling operations faced yet another snag. A specialized Hyderabad machine has been called in to cut the augur trapped inside since Friday, when drilling hit an obstruction thought to be metallic debris. Earlier, officials were hopeful as radar showed just 10-12 meters remained to reach the workers and no major barriers ahead. However, the latest setback has forced a shift to manual digging even as PM Modi monitors the prolonged rescue daily. All options are being tapped to expedite completion of the tunnel operation and ascertain the fate of those trapped inside.

A Delhi court sentenced four men to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan in 2008. Vishwanathan, who worked with the India Today group, was shot dead while returning home from work in an attempted robbery. The court held Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Ajay Kumar and Baljeet Malik guilty of murder and organized crime charges, but said the case did not warrant the death penalty. A fifth convict, Ajay Sethi, was found guilty of receiving stolen property and abetting organized crime. The murder, initially believed to be a car accident, was uncovered as a gunshot homicide through forensic reports.

The Union Health Ministry is closely tracking the recent H9N2 avian flu and pediatric respiratory illness outbreaks in China. While reassuring that India currently faces low risk, the ministry noted WHO concerns about the surge in China and lack of details. Expert Dr Ajay Shukla said the respiratory illness spike could stem from lockdown-weakened immunity rather than unusual pathogens. He added that while specifics remain unavailable, the illnesses are possibly bacterial not viral. With no impact in India yet, Shukla stated experts are on "wait and watch" as WHO presses China for transparent data-sharing on the undiagnosed pneumonia wave striking its children post-COVID. He advised precautions if India reports any cases.

India head coach Rahul Dravid is in talks with IPL team Lucknow Super Giants for the mentor role from 2024, according to reports. With Dravid's Team India contract expiring, he is unlikely to seek an extension owing to his desire for family time amidst the hectic schedule. This opens the door for an IPL coaching position. LSG had always wanted Dravid on board but his India duties prevented that earlier. Now with mentor Gautam Gambhir's departure back to KKR, Dravid could fill the void unless BCCI manages to convince him to continue coaching the national side. Landing Dravid would be a big boost alongside new head coach Justin Langer as LSG aims to build on their impressive maiden IPL season.

Former Pakistan cricketer Abdul Razzaq has courted fresh controversy with inflammatory remarks following India's loss in the ICC World Cup final. Razzaq called India "overconfident" and accused them of tampering with the Ahmedabad pitch to suit their advantage. He shockingly said India's defeat was "great for cricket" and that a victory would have been very sad for the sport. Razzaq pointed to contrasting batting performances in the two semi-finals to allege unfair conditions. He added that any team trying to make advantageous pitches does not deserve to win major tournaments. This comes after Razzaq recently faced massive backlash and had to apologize for an inappropriate reference involving Aishwarya Rai Bachchan while analyzing Pakistan's early World Cup exit. 

The makers of 2022's Kannada blockbuster "Kantara" have announced details about the much-awaited prequel. Production company Hombale Films revealed the prequel's title - "Kantara - A Legend: Chapter 1" - and first look poster release date. The mystical poster featuring the sun's fiery outline will be unveiled on November 27 at 12:25 pm. Writer-director Rishab Shetty returns to craft another captivating story about the sacred bond between man and nature. This darshana into the unseen past continues the Kantara mythos that began with the original film released earlier this year. Fans await plot and cast details for this next chapter in the simmering Kantara saga.

A huge fire erupted in a shopping mall in Pakistan's Karachi on Saturday, killing at least 11 people. The blaze started early morning at the multi-storey RJ Mall, trapping many inside. Around 50 were rescued but officials say more remain trapped as rescue efforts continue. Survivor Rauf Hamid said smoke was so thick people didn't understand what was happening. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab confirmed 11 deaths on X. The fire's cause is unclear. Many of the injured are hospitalized. Geo News said the fire brigade is struggling to contain the raging blaze and fears of more deaths are rising.

Russia positively assessed the results of the G20 summit under India's "extremely productive" chairmanship. Kremlin spokesperson Peskov said "good results" were achieved at the timely summit despite differences on Ukraine. He stated it was significant leaders could express views and be heard. President Putin thanked India for focusing the G20 on pressing socio-economic issues. Peskov said Biden's absence did not negatively impact outcomes. Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said India's Global South-centric presidency brought development issues back to the G20's center.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi showcased support for India's indigenous defense capabilities as he completed a successful sortie on the Tejas aircraft at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru. Modi shared on X, "Successfully completed a sortie on the Tejas, significantly bolstering my confidence in our country's indigenous capabilities." This event underscores India's commitment to bolstering defense production, with a record-breaking ₹15,920 crore in defense exports. The Indian Air Force's plan to acquire 97 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft and upgrade Sukhoi-30MKI jets aligns with Modi's vision. The Tejas, a single-engine multi-role fighter, symbolizes India's prowess in high-threat air environments.

For rioters who unleashed mayhem in Dublin, it vented rage at an out-of-touch government allowing uncontrolled immigration that leaves killers roaming free. Rumors tied a horrific stabbing of kids to foreigners, sparking groups to storm the scene and confront indifference to their anti-asylum protests. "People need to fight for this country," said one masked mother, arguing legitimate havoc was needed after peaceful criticism got "ignored." Others echoed wrecking the capital would force action on safety. Police bore the brunt as missiles flew, cars burned and mobs bloodied isolated officers. Despite nuanced language, xenophobic conspiracy theories galvanized an eruption of long-simmering anti-immigration sentiments kept bottled until shattered on Dublin's streets.