Makeshift landlines have been established inside a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi to allow 41 trapped workers to make calls to their worried family members. The lines were set up 200 meters from the cave-in site by BSNL technicians. Workers have been stuck inside the tunnel since November 12. A telephone handset will be passed to the laborers through a small pipe used to provide food and supplies. Officials hope the lines will keep workers' spirits up during the difficult rescue. Drilling efforts are currently on hold as equipment hit an obstacle, further delaying the complex extraction process.

The CBI has initiated an enquiry against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra based on a complaint filed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accusing her of taking bribes to ask parliament questions. Dubey alleged Moitra took gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to target the Modi government and Adani Group in parliament. He cited a Supreme Court lawyer's letter with evidence of the "cash-for-query" deal. Though a Lok Sabha ethics panel suggested Moitra's dismissal over the charges, she has dismissed it as political vendetta and a "fixed match". The CBI move comes after the Lokpal directed the probe agency to investigate the claims that Moitra gave her parliament login access to Hiranandani associates to post questions from locations like Dubai and New Jersey. Moitra admits sharing her ID to aid in typing questions due to her busy schedule.

Pranshu, a 16-year-old queer artist from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, took their own life following a barrage of over 4,000 homophobic comments on an Instagram reel. The self-taught makeup artist, with 16,500 followers on 'glamitupwithpranshu,' faced cyberbullying after posting a Diwali transition reel. Actor Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju highlighted Instagram's failure to curb LGBTQ hate. The Nagjhiri police are investigating, while former Meta executive Arthur Bejar criticized Instagram's safety claims, testifying it's "categorically not" suitable for teens. The incident sparks outcry for #JusticeForPranshu, shedding light on social media's impact on mental health.

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.

In a critical turn of events, the Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation, aiming to save 41 trapped workers, encountered a significant hurdle when the American-auger drilling machine struck a metal girder, forcing a temporary halt. Faced with this challenge, officials are now contemplating the option of vertical drilling. The Border Roads Organisation has readied the site, and preparations are underway. Despite setbacks, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assures the public that the rescue operation is in its "final stage." Meanwhile, experts deploy ground-penetration radar and drones for a comprehensive understanding of the challenging rescue mission.    

Officials could not make any progress in rescuing the 41 workers as drilling could not resume Friday. Just 10-12 more metres of debris remain to be drilled inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi before evacuation pipes can be installed. A metal object damaged equipment blades halting operations. Senior officials hope to establish contact Saturday if no more hurdles emerge. On Thursday, the drilling platform got destabilized after the drill bit damaged tunnel steel pipes. The evacuation pipe got warped, narrowing its mouth so the machine couldn't push through. Officials said chopping 1.2m off the pipe took 7-8 hours. With at least the fifth obstruction hitting drilling, GPR scanning is being used to check the remaining debris. After a series of obstacles, the risky Uttarakhand tunnel rescue hopes to break through by Saturday barring any new setback.

In a setback to the Uttarkashi tunnel rescue mission, operations came to a standstill as the auger machine encountered another technical snag. The machine, having drilled 46.8 meters, is mere steps away from the debris's end. Experts assess the situation, considering manual cutting. Former advisor Bhaskar Khulbe expresses optimism, revealing strengthened platforms and ongoing welding efforts. Union Minister VK Singh monitors on-site, while Prime Minister Modi seeks updates. With challenges persisting, caution prevails, emphasizing the complex nature of this ongoing rescue operation in Uttarakhand.

Vibhuti Patel, owner of Raniba Industries Pvt. Ltd. in Morbi, faces charges for allegedly assaulting and humiliating Dalit employee Nilesh Dalsaniya over a salary dispute. The FIR reveals a distressing incident where Dalsaniya was beaten, filmed confessing under duress, and forced to hold Patel's footwear in his mouth. The accused, including Patel and others, face charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The police are actively searching for the accused involved in this appalling act of abuse and discrimination against a Dalit worker.

In a crucial development, officials report that merely 10-12 meters of drilling stand between rescuers and the 41 workers entombed in Uttarakhand's collapsed tunnel for the past 13 days. Encouragingly, ground penetrating radar signals no significant metal obstacles for the next 5 meters. Despite a setback involving a metal pipe entangling the drilling blades, the team is optimistic that welding and pushing in two more pipes, each 6 meters in length, could lead to a breakthrough. However, caution prevails, as unexpected hurdles might emerge, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of this arduous rescue operation.