Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed the 29th Chief of the Air Staff and will take charge after Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh retires on October 31, 2026. The Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Dixit will become an Air Chief Marshal. Fighter pilot commissioned in 1986, he has logged over 3,500 flying hours and is an Experimental Test Pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor. He has flown aircraft including Mirage-2000, MiG variants, Jaguar, Kiran, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas. Dixit has participated in Operations Safed Sagar, Rakshak and Sindoor, and commanded a Mirage 2000 squadron and frontline bases. He has received honours, including Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026. (PC: X)

Saudi Arabia’s failure to rein in Iran-backed Houthis has exposed weaknesses in its decades-long policy of outsourcing national security to the United States and Pakistan, West Asia expert Prof. Alvite Ningthoujam said. American fighter jets and personnel had provided a security guarantee, while Pakistan supported the kingdom through military deployments and agreements dating back to the 1960s. Despite formalising their alliance through a mutual defence agreement in 2025 and the Mecca Agreement this year, neither country came to Saudi Arabia’s aid during the Houthi offensive. Ningthoujam said Riyadh became complacent, believing it could “buy security,” while focusing more on internal dissent than external defence. He said the kingdom’s security policy collapsed. (PC: Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP)

Smriti Mandhana has been appointed captain of the Indian women’s cricket team after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down across all three formats. Mandhana, who has captained India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs, will make her full-time debut as captain in the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe. The left-handed batter has also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women’s Premier League titles, in 2024 and 2026. The BCCI said Mandhana brings considerable experience and leadership qualities into the role. She has been part of India’s team since 2013 and is the highest run-scorer in international women’s cricket and T20Is. Mandhana called the appointment a special honour and thanked the BCCI, selectors, teammates and supporters for their trust. (PC: X)

Police in Hyderabad have registered Telangana’s first FIR over allegedly fraudulent Form 7 applications used to seek deletion of voters from electoral rolls. A BJP Booth Level Agent, S Balachander, has been booked after allegedly submitting 30 pre-printed Form 7 forms in Musheerabad. The applications targeted voters who were all Muslims, including a Congress booth-level agent. Officials said field verification found the voters were residents of the area, leading to rejection of the applications. Balachander has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Representation of the People Act. The BJP has denied allegations of attempting voter deletions. (PC: The Indian Express)

Police investigating the death of Premanand Maharaj’s disciple Rasik Dulari are examining restrictions on mobile phones and outside contact at the Mathura ashram. Dulari died on September 25 after falling from the fourth floor. According to police sources, disciples were allegedly required to surrender their personal phones and were given new devices and SIM cards. Investigators are examining how these phones were monitored and who had access to records. Police are also checking whether residents were restricted from contacting family and friends. The probe is examining Dulari’s mental and physical condition, his digital records and his final days. Police have recorded statements from 85 people so far. (PC: NDTV)

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed the next Chief of the Air Staff and will become the 29th Chief of the Indian Air Force. He will take charge as Air Chief Marshal on October 31, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who retires the same day. Dixit is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff. An experienced fighter and experimental test pilot, he has logged more than 3,500 flying hours. He has commanded a Mirage 2000 squadron and held key positions, including Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command. (PC: NDTV)

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained on Tuesday as Delhi Police cleared an INDIA bloc protest at Akashvani Bhawan. The Opposition leaders had staged a sit-in after police stopped their march towards the Election Commission office. The protest was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Several other leaders, including KC Venugopal and Deepender Singh Hooda, were also detained. Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav and Abhishek Banerjee were taken into custody. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of irregularities in the process. (PC: India Today)

India has condemned an attack on the Panama-flagged vessel MT On Peace, which was hit by a projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz off Oman's coast. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 12 crew members were injured, including 11 Indians, and that 17 of the 19 crew are Indian. The injured were evacuated with Omani help and are being treated in Khasab. India thanked Oman and called for an immediate end to attacks on shipping, saying such incidents are a deep concern. Separately, UKMTO reported that a tanker near Khasab turned back after Iran's IRGC threatened to target it. (PC: HT)

The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday signed a ₹661.5 crore contract with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited to buy BrahMos fire control systems and launchers for Indian Navy ships. The deal was signed under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. It requires at least 68% indigenous content, with Indian industries, including MSMEs, taking part. The ministry said the project is expected to create jobs over the next three years. The systems will strengthen the maritime strike capability of frontline warships. The contract follows the Defence Acquisition Council's August 2025 approval for the equipment. (PC: X)

Starbucks has launched a limited-edition festive menu inspired by Bengali flavours for Durga Puja, under its "Aamar Pujo, Aamar Starbucks" campaign. The food range includes a Shorshe Chicken Burger, Kosha Mangsho Roll, Bhekti Bhaja Sandwich, Dhakai Chicken Wrap, Aloo Postho Burger and Chingri Turnover. For dessert, the chain is serving Gurer Sandesh Flan and Kalakand Pie. The drinks list adds a Saffron Latte and a Choco Saffron Frappuccino. The unusual mix has become a talking point on social media. Some users praised the idea, while others questioned the price of coffee and said they preferred homegrown cafe brands. (PC: NDTV)