The Department of Homeland Security has identified the intended victim as Gregory Bovino.
Bovino has taken on a highly visible role in immigration enforcement campaigns in both Los Angeles and Chicago.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/us/chicago-charges-money-kill-bovino.html
**Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 Schedule Announced by Election Commission**
The Election Commission on Monday announced the schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections 2025. The state’s 243 assembly seats will go to the polls in two phases, on November 6 and 11, with the counting of votes set for November 14, reported ANI.
In the 2015 Assembly elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) secured 80 seats with an 18.8% vote share, while its ally, the Congress, won 27 seats with 6.8%. The Janata Dal (United), then part of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), bagged 71 seats with 17.3% vote share. The BJP won 53 seats with the highest vote share at 25%, and other parties took 8 seats with a combined 22.5%.
However, the alliance was short-lived. In 2017, Nitish Kumar exited the Mahagathbandhan and realigned with the BJP-led NDA, forming the government with Sushil Kumar Modi as Deputy Chief Minister.
In 2020, Nitish Kumar retained power under the NDA banner, winning 125 seats. But in August 2022, he once again broke away from the BJP and re-joined the RJD and Congress, forming a new government and becoming a central figure in the opposition INDIA bloc.
In January 2024, ahead of the general elections, Nitish Kumar rejoined the NDA. This time, the NDA includes JD(U), BJP, Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Jitin Manjhi’s Hindustan Awami Morcha, and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP).
In the upcoming elections, the NDA will face off against the INDIA bloc, comprising Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), CPI, CPM, and Mukesh Sahani’s Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). A new entrant, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, will also make its debut.
The NDA is banking on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the various welfare schemes rolled out by the Centre and State. Notably, on September 26, the PM launched the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, transferring Rs 10,000 each to 75 lakh women’s bank accounts—a move being seen as a potential game changer, according to ANI.
The PM also unveiled youth-centric projects worth over Rs 62,000 crore, including the inauguration of the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University in Bihar.
Meanwhile, the BJP continues to highlight the alleged corruption and lawlessness of the Lalu Yadav era as part of its campaign narrative.
The Election Commission has also released the final electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The number of electors now stands at 7.42 crore, down from 7.89 crore in June.
According to the Commission, 65 lakh names were removed from the draft list, while 21.53 lakh new voters were added. Significant additions include 1.63 lakh voters in 14 Patna constituencies, 85,645 in Madhubani, and 56,423 in Nalanda after the revision process.
France’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Sebastien Lecornu, resigned on Monday, just one day after announcing his cabinet and only two weeks after taking office.
In an official statement, the Elysee Palace confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron has accepted his resignation.
This story has been sourced from a third-party syndicated feed and agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for the dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, or accuracy of the text.
Mid-day management and mid-day.com reserve the sole right to alter, delete, or remove (without notice) the content at their absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
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https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/french-prime-minister-resigns-after-only-2-weeks-in-office-23597431
**Bihar Assembly Election Schedule to Be Announced Today**
*By Chanshimla Varah | Oct 06, 2025, 10:23 AM*
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to announce the schedule for the Bihar Assembly elections today, Monday, during a press conference at 4:00 PM. With the term of the current 243-member Bihar Assembly ending on November 22, elections must be conducted before that date.
**Political Parties Advocate for Post-Chhath Polls**
Several political parties in Bihar are urging that the elections be held after the Chhath festival, which concludes in October. Their rationale is that scheduling polls post-festival would encourage greater voter participation, as many residents working outside the state return home during this time.
The previous Bihar Assembly elections in 2020 were conducted in three phases amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
**New Measures Announced for Voter List Revision**
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has introduced new initiatives to ensure a cleaner and more accurate voter list for the upcoming elections. A special intensive revision (SIR) of the voter rolls was conducted—the first after 22 years, with the last revision taking place in 2003.
These measures will be implemented nationwide and include a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) guaranteeing that Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) are delivered to voters within 15 days of registration. Additionally, a mobile deposit facility will be available at polling booths to streamline the voting process.
**ECI Reviews Election Preparedness with Bihar Visit**
The announcement follows a recent two-day visit by an ECI delegation to Bihar to assess poll readiness. The team was led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and included Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The upcoming Bihar elections are expected to witness a keen contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal United (JDU) alliance and the opposition Mahagathbandhan, headed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/politics/bihar-assembly-election-schedule-to-be-announced-today/story
The Maharashtra government finds itself ensnared in an unenviable political trap, squeezed between the determined demands of the Maratha community and the rising fury of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). What began as an attempt to placate one influential section of society has spiralled into a full-blown social confrontation.
The escalating conflict—now set to culminate in a massive OBC march to Nagpur on October 10—threatens to tear at the state’s social fabric and has left the administration struggling to balance between the devil and the deep blue sea.
At the heart of the turmoil lies a controversial Government Resolution (GR) passed in September 2025. The order, designed to appease Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil after months of agitation, streamlines the process for members of the Maratha community to secure Kunbi caste certificates. Kunbis fall under the OBC category, and the GR would effectively make Marathas eligible for reservation benefits already enjoyed by the OBCs.
For the Marathas—a politically powerful community that has long felt economically and educationally disadvantaged—this move represents long-overdue recognition of their claim to affirmative action.
However, what seems like a solution for one group has ignited a storm among another. The OBC community sees the GR not as an act of inclusion but as an encroachment. Their fear is simple yet legitimate: the reservation quota is a limited resource. The Supreme Court’s 50 per cent ceiling on total reservations leaves no room for expansion without reducing the share of others.
Any significant addition of Marathas under the OBC umbrella would directly eat into the quota meant for the OBCs in government jobs and education.
OBC leaders across party lines—ranging from senior figures like Chhagan Bhujbal to grassroots organisations—have denounced the move as a politically expedient step that undermines their hard-won constitutional rights.
The state government’s firefighting efforts, including announcements of enhanced welfare funds and new development schemes for the OBCs, have done little to calm tempers. Protesters dismiss these gestures as cosmetic palliatives that fail to address the core injustice.
Many OBC organisations also question the credibility of the verification process, which depends heavily on pre-1967 archival records and self-declared affidavits—an arrangement they fear could open the floodgates for mass reclassification and, eventually, the erosion of their identity and entitlements.
This volatile situation calls not for quick political fixes but for statesmanship and foresight. The government must urgently initiate transparent, inclusive consultations with credible representatives from both communities.
Hastily implementing the GR without broad consensus risks triggering prolonged litigation, social unrest, and even communal polarisation, as seen in Manipur.
A sustainable resolution must balance the Maratha community’s aspirations with the constitutional rights of the OBCs. Maharashtra’s social harmony and the credibility of its governance depend on dialogue, evidence-based policymaking, and an unwavering commitment to justice for all.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/obc-backlash-to-maratha-quota-move
The government’s debt service burden more than tripled in August, driven by higher amortization payments following a mammoth settlement of maturing bonds.
Debt payments surged by 257 percent year-on-year to P664.7 billion, according to the latest cash operation report from the Bureau of the Treasury.
This increase brought the total debt service payments for the first eight months of the year to P1.54 trillion, remaining nearly flat compared to the previous period.
https://business.inquirer.net/550897/govt-debt-service-surged-by-257-in-aug-to-p664-7b
The Trump administration plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said Saturday. Pritzker revealed that the guard received word from the Pentagon in the morning that the troops would be called up. He did not specify when or where they would be deployed, but President Donald Trump has long threatened to send troops to Chicago.
“This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will,” Pritzker said in a statement. “It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.”
A spokesperson for the governor’s office said she could not provide additional details. The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to questions about Pritzker’s statement.
The escalation of federal law enforcement in Illinois follows similar deployments in other parts of the country. Over the summer, Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles as part of his law enforcement takeover in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Tennessee National Guard troops are expected to help Memphis police.
In response, California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued to stop the deployment in Los Angeles and won a temporary block in federal court. The Trump administration has appealed the ruling, which deemed the use of the guard illegal. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has indicated that it believes the government is likely to prevail.
Pritzker called Trump’s move in Illinois a “manufactured performance” that would pull the state’s National Guard troops away from their families and regular jobs. “For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control,” said the governor.
He also noted that state, county, and local law enforcement have been coordinating to ensure the safety of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Broadview facility on the outskirts of Chicago. Federal officials reported the arrests of 13 people protesting near the facility on Friday. The facility has been frequently targeted during the administration’s surge of immigration enforcement this fall.
Last month, Trump said he was sending federal troops to Portland, Oregon, calling the city war-ravaged. However, local officials have suggested that many of his claims and social media posts appear to rely on outdated images from 2020, a time when demonstrations and unrest gripped the city following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
City and state officials sued to stop that deployment the next day. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut heard arguments Friday, with a ruling expected over the weekend.
Trump has federalized 200 National Guard troops in Oregon, but so far, they do not appear to have moved into Portland. They have been seen training on the coast in anticipation of deployment.
___
Associated Press reporter Rebecca Boone contributed.
Thomas Peipert, The Associated Press
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/trump-plans-deploy-national-guard-191248616.html
**Madhya Pradesh Progresses Towards Amrit Harit Maha Abhiyan Targets, Plans New Initiatives for 2026**
*Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)* – Madhya Pradesh has achieved approximately 60% of its target under the Amrit Harit Maha Abhiyan, a campaign aiming to plant over one crore saplings by the end of 2025. The Urban Administration Department (UAD) is already looking ahead, preparing proposals for 2026 with a focus on securing land and introducing innovative plantation concepts across the state.
### Transforming Bhopal’s Seven Hills into Seasonal Floral Landscapes
One of the highlight projects for 2026 is the beautification of Bhopal’s seven hills — Arera Hills, Shyamala Hills, Idgah Hills, Katara Hills, Danish Hills, Neori Hills, and Kaliyasot Hills. The UAD plans to transform these hills with seasonal flower beds, planting between 25,000 to 30,000 flowering plants to ensure year-round bloom cycles.
Six varieties of seasonal plants will be used to keep the hills vibrant throughout the year, aiming to turn Bhopal into a natural floral destination. A senior UAD official stated, “The goal is to make the hills come alive with blossoms season after season, creating a unique natural floral attraction in Bhopal.”
### Addressing Land Challenges for 2026 Plantation Drive
Securing land within municipal limits continues to be a major challenge for expanding plantation activities. While smaller Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have exceeded their targets — such as Chand in Chhindwara at 227%, Dhanpuri in Shahdol at 160%, and Bhedaghat in Jabalpur at 142% — larger cities are lagging behind.
Bhopal, notably, has achieved just 17% of its plantation target, with issues including encroachments in several patches. Of five key plantation patches in Bhopal, three face encroachments: a 19-acre area in Damkheda and two 13-acre patches. However, patches in Jahgariya Kurd measuring 15 and 23 acres remain encroachment-free.
Following directives from the UAD on September 2, ten municipal corporations have collectively marked nearly 500 acres for the 2026 plantation drive. This figure is expected to rise to 700–800 acres by the end of the year.
### Land Identified So Far for 2026 Plantation Drive
– Satna: 100 acres (11 patches)
– Gwalior: 84.79 acres (4 patches)
– Bhopal: 84 acres (5 patches)
– Rewa: 64 acres
– Chhindwara: 61 acres
– Jabalpur: 55 acres
– Ratlam: 25.50 acres
– Burhanpur: 11 acres
– Dewas: 3 acres
– Khandwa: 2.99 acres
Satna currently leads in total land identified for plantation activities.
### Innovative Concept Plantation Drives Across Madhya Pradesh
For 2026, the UAD plans to roll out innovative concept plantations across 416 ULBs. These will include unique models such as Nagar Vans (urban forests), Herbal Forests, Oxygen Parks, and Botanical Gardens. The final designs and plantation types will depend on local conditions and available land resources.
These concept plantations aim not only to increase green cover but also to enhance biodiversity, improve air quality, and offer recreational and educational spaces for citizens.
—
*Story by Utsav Gupta*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/mp-news-state-achieves-60-plantation-target-bhopal-hills-to-bloom-by-2026
**Whining Tone Among Opposition Leaders Intensifies**
The number of complaints among the leaders of the opposition camp is increasing as the state government completes two years in office. Alongside the government, the MPCC president and the Leader of the Opposition are also marking their two-year tenure. Congress leaders are hopeful that the high command may consider some changes within the party in the coming days. Consequently, each leader is staking their claim.
Earlier, a former minister expressed his views in a whining tone, targeting both the party’s state in-charge and the MPCC president. Soon after, a former party president took the leadership to task. A senior legislator frequently takes indirect jabs at the leadership whenever the opportunity arises. Adding to the complexity, a former chief minister is reportedly pursuing his own agenda quietly, unhappy with some decisions made by the high command. Since open criticism is not an option, he is working behind the scenes.
However hard they may try, party leadership is not expected to make any changes, at least for now.
—
**”Savings” Is the New Buzzword in BJP’s State Unit**
The new state head of the BJP brings a different style characterized by a focus on plain living and saving every penny. The BJP office incurs a substantial expense on fuel to run vehicles for party leaders. To cut down on these costs, the new state unit head has emphasized the adoption of electric vehicles, and the party is already implementing this advice.
The state unit head has acquired an electric vehicle for his own use and preparations are underway to procure similar cars for other leaders. He believes that switching to electric vehicles will significantly reduce expenditures on petrol and diesel.
Since taking over as the state party head, he has maintained a low profile and limits his use of party facilities, even paying his own hotel bills during official trips. While he has not yet imposed restrictions on others’ expenses, plans to do so are expected soon.
—
**A Former MP Becomes Active Again**
A former Member of Parliament from the state capital has returned to active politics following a favorable court judgment. Previously, after being denied a ticket and with a pending legal case against her, she had maintained silence on public issues.
The court’s acquittal has now encouraged her to re-engage in politics. Her recent statement against a particular caste brought her back into the limelight, though it was met with disapproval from some leaders within her own party. They expressed concern that such comments could disrupt the social harmony prevailing in the state and are wary of turning the state into another UP.
Despite her recent vocal presence, it is widely believed that the BJP will not assign her any significant responsibility.
—
**Tense Trio Faces Uncertain Future Amid Cabinet Expansion Rumors**
The mere mention of a state cabinet expansion has put three ministers on edge. These ministers have been involved in various disputes, and media rumors suggest that all three could be dropped from the cabinet. Consequently, they oppose any expansion and are making every effort to retain their ministerial positions.
One minister has allied himself with a central minister to secure his berth, maintaining close contact with him. Another relies entirely on the support of his political boss, believing only the boss can safeguard his position. The third minister lacks a powerful patron and is instead attempting to retain his post by leveraging caste equations with the head of state.
—
**Ongoing Tug of War Between Minister and Former Minister**
The rivalry between a current minister and a former minister in the state shows no sign of abating. Recently, the head of state visited the current minister’s constituency and announced plans to change the area’s name, following the minister’s recommendations. The minister was delighted by this announcement.
However, the former minister quickly opposed the renaming, rallying protests from a particular caste community whose support politicians nationwide seek. The community petitioned the minister, urging him not to proceed with the name change. Concerned about potential unrest, the government is now hesitant to engage in this dispute.
The current minister perceives canceling the name change as a personal insult and is pressuring the administration to honor the head of state’s announcement. This situation echoes a previous incident where a protest led by the former minister thwarted the current minister’s attempt to create a new district.
—
**BJP’s Singing Ministers Charmer Public with Their Voices**
Several BJP leaders are showing hidden talents for singing, with a minister from Indore leading the charge. He performs both bhajans (devotional songs) and classic Bollywood numbers from the golden era of Indian music.
Another minister from the Chambal region also sings bhajans at public events, with his videos frequently going viral on social media. A woman minister from the state capital similarly enchants audiences with her silky voice during religious functions organized by her followers.
Meanwhile, another minister, who is the daughter-in-law of a former chief minister, is reportedly undergoing vocal training. There is growing anticipation to see how many more BJP leaders will take up singing and showcase their talents at public functions in the near future.
—
*Story by Nitendra Sharma*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/madhya-pradesh-political-punch-whining-tone-tense-trio-bjps-songbirds-more
Uttar Pradesh Minister OP Rajbhar has taken a sharp swipe at the Samajwadi Party’s new educational initiative, “PDA Pathshala,” calling it a “Parivar Development Authority” rather than a school for children. Rajbhar mocked the program, saying it teaches the alphabet not with educational values but with references to the Samajwadi Party’s top family members.
“In their school, A stands for Akhilesh, D for Dimple, and P for Parivar,” he said, accusing the SP of promoting family politics under the guise of social welfare.
The Samajwadi Party launched PDA Pathshala earlier this year in protest against the Yogi Adityanath government’s decision to merge or close down several primary schools across Uttar Pradesh. The party claims the closures have deprived thousands of children from backward, Dalit, and minority communities of basic education.
The PDA Pathshala aims to fill this gap by offering free grassroots learning in informal community-run setups, focusing on literacy, social awareness, and political education. The move has sparked controversy and intensified the political slugfest between the Samajwadi Party and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Uttar Pradesh government has registered FIRs against several SP leaders and workers for allegedly running unauthorized schools and politicizing education. BJP leaders have accused the SP of using children as instruments of political indoctrination.
“They are trying to poison young minds with divisive propaganda instead of providing real education,” said a senior BJP spokesperson.
The Samajwadi Party, however, has defended its initiative, arguing that PDA Pathshala is a social response to government apathy.
“When the government shuts schools and denies education to Dalits, OBCs, and minorities, we will open doors of learning ourselves,” an SP functionary said. “The BJP fears an aware generation that questions inequality.”
The row over PDA Pathshala reflects deeper political tensions in Uttar Pradesh as the 2027 assembly elections draw closer. Education has become the new battleground for warring parties seeking to shape the social narrative.
While the Yogi Adityanath government insists that merging schools is meant to optimize resources and improve standards, opposition parties see it as a step that disproportionately affects children from weaker sections.
Analysts view the PDA Pathshala campaign as part of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s broader strategy to rebuild his party’s traditional support base among OBCs, Dalits, and minorities. By invoking the legacy of Ambedkar, Charan Singh, and Mulayam Singh alongside contemporary figures like Akhilesh and Dimple Yadav, the SP appears to be blending social justice with emotional symbolism.
Minister OP Rajbhar’s remarks have further inflamed the debate, highlighting how education, identity, and politics are now deeply intertwined in Uttar Pradesh’s evolving electoral landscape. The controversy is expected to intensify as both parties use the issue to rally their respective constituencies in the run-up to the 2027 polls.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/up-minister-op-rajbhar-mocks-sps-pda-pathshala-calls-it-parivar-development-authority
