India has moved up to ninth place globally in forest area, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s 2025 Global Forest Resources Assessment. The country also ranks third in annual forest growth, with a gain of 1.91 lakh hectares per year. India’s total forest area now stands at 72.7 million hectares, about 2% of the world’s forests. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav credited the rise to government initiatives like the “Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam” campaign and community participation. The FAO report shows that Asia is the only region with overall forest growth, led by China and India. (PC: X)

A cloud-seeding trial was carried out over parts of Delhi on Tuesday to help clear the city’s toxic air. The aircraft, which flew from Kanpur, has returned after completing the first test. Officials said rain is not expected before 5 pm as cloud moisture is below 20 percent, making rainfall unlikely. A second attempt may be made if weather permits. The Delhi government and IIT Kanpur have planned five trials between October and November at a cost of ₹3.21 crore. The project aims to reduce pollution levels after Delhi recorded its worst post-Diwali air in five years. (PC: NDTV)

Delhi Police have arrested a 21-year-old forensic science student from Moradabad for killing her live-in partner in Gandhi Vihar. The woman, who was fond of crime shows, allegedly used ghee and alcohol to set a fire and hide the murder. Police said she planned the crime with her ex-boyfriend after the victim refused to delete obscene videos of her. They strangled and beat him before setting the room on fire to make it look like an accident. CCTV and phone data helped police trace the accused. All three were arrested, and forensic reports are awaited. (PC: HT)

Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has faced backlash for comments seen as victim blaming after two Australian women cricketers were harassed in Indore. He said the players should have told authorities before leaving their hotel. His remarks drew anger from opposition leaders, activists and citizens, who called them “regressive” and “tone-deaf.” The players were “touched inappropriately” by a motorcyclist, who has since been arrested. The BCCI condemned the act and promised to review safety rules. Critics said the minister should focus on punishing the guilty, not blaming the victims. Vijayvargiya later called the incident “shameful” but repeated his advice. (PC: BBC)

A 21-year-old BSc forensic-science student from Moradabad allegedly conspired with her ex-boyfriend and an acquaintance to murder her 32-year-old live-in partner in Delhi when she found he had recorded obscene videos of her and refused to delete them. The trio reportedly strangled and beat the victim on October 5–6, then staged the scene as a fire by pouring oil, ghee and alcohol and detonating a gas cylinder. CCTV, mobile phone data and call records led to their arrests and recovery of the hard disk containing the videos. (PC: News18)  

19-year-old college student from Faridabad died by suicide after being blackmailed with AI-generated fake photos of his sisters. Police said two unidentified people hacked his phone and demanded ₹20,000 to stop spreading the deepfakes online. The student, a B.Com undergraduate, had received repeated threats and became increasingly distressed before consuming poison on Saturday evening. His family rushed him to a hospital, but he died during treatment. Police have registered a case and are tracing the suspects. Officials said they are examining his phone and chat history to find how the accused created and circulated the fake images.

Chief Justice of India Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has officially recommended Justice Surya Kant as his successor, following the seniority convention in judicial appointments. Justice Kant, currently the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, is expected to assume office as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on November 24, 2025, after Justice Gavai’s retirement. His tenure will continue until February 9, 2027. Known for his notable judgments on environmental protection and civil liberties, Justice Kant earlier served as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court in August 2019. (PC: The Hindu)    

The Supreme Court rebuked state governments for not following its August order to catch, sterilise, and release stray dogs. The court said, “Your country is being portrayed in a bad light internationally,” as dog attacks continued across several states. Only Bengal, Telangana, and Delhi’s civic body have filed replies, some delayed during the Diwali break. The court ordered all chief secretaries to appear personally and explain the delay. The August order required sterilisation and vaccination before releasing dogs. Rajasthan, Noida, and Chennai have started implementing the order through vaccination and microchipping drives. (PC: X)

The mother of the doctor who died in Satara district alleges her daughter was forced to sign a fabricated post-mortem report and that the death was disguised as suicide. The victim, a government doctor, had accused a police sub-inspector of repeated sexual assault and a software engineer of mental harassment in a suicide note found on her palm. Two individuals — the SI and the techie — have been arrested in connection with the case. The allegations have triggered major political uproar, with demands for a high-level independent investigation. (PC: NDTV)    

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) of deliberately spraying water near air quality monitoring stations, particularly at Anand Vihar ISBT, to artificially reduce Air Quality Index (AQI) readings. AAP claimed that data showed PM10 levels dropped abnormally from 736 µg/m³ to 221 µg/m³ during the spraying, only to rise again after it stopped. The party said this manipulation aimed to present falsely improved pollution data. Experts stated such actions only offer short-term dust suppression and do not reflect any real improvement in Delhi’s air quality.