News Spotlight

An American cybersecurity and intelligence agency, Resecurity, has issued an alert about a potential data breach involving Aadhaar and passport information of over 815 million Indian citizens. The alert, which was posted by a threat actor known as 'pwn0001' on 'Breach Forums' on October 9, 2023, has raised concerns about the security of sensitive personal data for a significant portion of India's population, which stands at just over 1.486 billion people. Resecurity's report states that "HUNTER investigators established contact with the threat actor and learned they were willing to sell the entire Aadhaar and Indian passport dataset for $80,000." However, it remains unclear how the data was initially leaked on the dark web. The dataset comprises various fields related to Indian citizens, including names, father's names, phone numbers, passport numbers, Aadhaar numbers, age, gender, addresses, and pincodes. Additionally, 'pwn0001' shared ...

Cricket is more than just a sport in the subcontinent, particularly in India, it's a religion. However, for Pakistan, cricket assumes an even greater significance. In a deeply religious country, cricket isn't just a recreational activity; it's also a platform for the overt expression of allegiance to radical Islamism. Pakistani cricketers, who have a massive following in a nation where cricket is the most beloved sport, have on several occasions openly promoted casual bigotry against non-Muslims, especially targeting the Indian cricket team. Here are some incidents highlighting the support of Pakistani cricketers for radical Islamism: Waqar Younis' Communal Utterances Against Hindus: Recently, Pakistani fast bowler Waqar Younis made headlines for expressing his delight when Mohammad Rizwan recited the Namaz in front of Hindus during the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match. His comments received widespread backlash, including from Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle. Younis...

New Delhi: Investigators have revealed that a timer-based low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED) was employed in the recent explosion at a convention center in Kerala, which resulted in two fatalities and more than 50 injuries. In response to the incident, the Central government swiftly dispatched specialized teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the National Security Guard (NSG) to take over the investigation. The explosion occurred around 9:30 am on a Sunday at a private convention center in Kalamassery, Kerala, during a meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian sect. A person named Dominic Martin, who claimed to be a member of the religious group but expressed disagreement with some of its teachings, has taken responsibility for the blast. Following the attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and offered all necessary assistance. He subsequently deployed an NIA team, including a superintendent of police (SP) ...

Amidst growing concerns regarding the recent internet and communications blackout in the Gaza Strip, a notable development emerged from the technology sector. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of SpaceX, made a significant announcement on October 28th. He disclosed that Starlink, the satellite network operated by SpaceX, would provide assistance to globally recognized aid organizations operating in Gaza. This response was prompted by a heartfelt appeal from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, often referred to as AOC, a prominent figure in U.S. leadership. AOC, well-known for her outspoken opinions, raised questions about the rationale behind Israel's decision to cut off internet access in Gaza. In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), she openly challenged the ethical aspects of this action and expressed profound concerns about the consequences of disconnecting an entire population of 2.2 million people. AOC's message was clear: "Disconnecting an entire population of 2...

  A proposal made by a committee within the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to use the term 'Bharat' instead of 'India' in the next series of educational textbooks has reportedly gained unanimous acceptance from its members. The NCERT comprises 25 panels responsible for altering and enhancing the content of NCERT books. It's important to note that this proposal has been approved by a smaller committee within the NCERT but is still pending final approval. The proposal has now been forwarded to the NCERT in Delhi for further evaluation. According to IC Issac, the chairman of the panel, this proposal was initially put forth several months ago and has now received the committee's support. This recommendation from the NCERT panel emerges in the context of an ongoing debate about whether the country should be officially renamed 'Bharat'. This debate was ignited when the Centre issued G20 dinner invitations on behalf of "P...

The Defense Blog, citing reports from journalist Doron Kadosh, affiliated with the Israeli radio network operated by the Israel Defense Forces – Army Radio (also known as Galei Tzahal or Galatz),   reports on the deployment of submarines in the Middle East . Israel’s decision was reportedly dictated by rising tensions with Iran and the presence of Palestinian Hezbollah in Lebanon. Kadosh was to relay that  submarines had been deployed at combat positions  along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the Middle East in response to escalating threats from Iran and Hezbollah. The submarines are a vital element of Israel’s combat capabilities. The Defence Blog emphasizes that their deployment in the Middle East “is a clear signal of this country’s commitment to maintaining a strong deterrent stance”. The Israeli Navy currently operates five modern Dolphin I/II class submarines. All were designed and constructed by the German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW). Work is ...