News highlights: Tejashwi meets Kharge to finalise RJD-Cong seat-sharing for Bihar polls

Latest news updates, October 13: US President Donald Trump is set to meet hostage families in Israel and co-host a Cairo summit. Catch all the latest news developments from across the world here

11:45 PM

Egyptian president says Trump's Mideast proposal is 'last chance' for peace in region

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi says that US President Trump's Mideast peace proposal represents the last chance for peace in the region.

11:29 PM

2 AK-47 rifles, ammunition, sourced from Pak, seized along IB in Punjab's Tarn Taran: Officials

The BSF on Monday recovered two AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition from an area near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab's Tarn Taran district

10:27 PM

BJD slams BJP govt over delay in inventory of Lord Jagannath's Ratna Bhandar

The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday raised serious concerns over the safety of jewellery and valuables stored in Lord Jagannath's Ratna Bhandar at Puri, accusing the Odisha BJP government of misleading the public in the name of religion.

9:43 PM

WHO's new TB guidelines calls for food assistance to tackle disease

The WHO has released new guidelines to tackle tuberculosis and undernutrition, recommending that food assistance be provided to households with TB patients while the undernourished or food insecure be screened for the disease

9:32 PM

NTCA seeks TN report on 'outside agency' contract in critical tiger habitat

Following a complaint by an NGO that Tamil Nadu has contracted an "outside agency" to develop an elephant conservation centre at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, the NTCA has sought a factual status report from the state Forest Department

9:12 PM

Bihar court issues summonses to Rahul, Tejashwi over hurling of 'abuse' at PM

A court in Bihar's Sheikhpura district issued summonses to INDIA bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav and Mukesh Sahani in connection with alleged abuses hurled at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Congress' Voter Adhikar Yatra in Aug

8:33 PM

Net direct tax revenue jumps 6% to ₹11.89 trn till Oct 12

Net direct tax collection grew 6.33 per cent so far this fiscal to over ₹11.89 trn due to higher corporate tax mop-up and slower refunds

8:11 PM

Tejashwi meets Kharge to finalise RJD-Cong seat-sharing for Bihar polls

RJD leader and former Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge evening and is learnt to have discussed a seat-sharing arrangement ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls

8:01 PM

Plane crash along Massachusetts highway forces closure of roadway

A plane crashed along a highway in Massachusetts, US, early Monday, sending a plume of smoke into the air and forcing the closure of the major highway, the Massachusetts State Police said in a statement

7:01 PM

Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over fare hikes during festivals

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP-led government of "regularising black marketing" in the name of surge pricing over steep rise in travel fares during the festive season

6:29 PM

Govt opens PM Gati Shakti portal to pvt sector

The govt said it has opened the PM Gati Shakti portal to the private sector to help them optimise last-mile delivery services and develop infrastructure-based applications

6:05 PM

Monsoon withdrawal in Meghalaya from October 14, says IMD

The India Meteorological Department said complete withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from Meghalaya is expected by October 14. The state recorded one of the most deficient monsoon seasons in recent years in 2025, it said

5:27 PM

Mediation not adjudication, solution for Mahanadi river water dispute: Ex-SC judge Gowda

Calling for an urgent political intervention to end the decades-long Mahanadi river water dispute, retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Gopala Gowda urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh to "come to the mediation table and settle it".

4:53 PM

India, US to hold trade talks as New Delhi seeks higher energy imports

India and the United States are set to hold trade talks this week, with New Delhi pledging to import US energy and gas as it aims to address Washington's concerns over its Russian oil purchases, an official said.

4:42 PM

Retail inflation in Sep slips to 1.54%, says govt data

Retail inflation slipped to 1.54 per cent in September from 2.07 per cent in the preceding month mainly due to subdued prices of food items, including vegetables and pulses, according to government data released on Monday. The consumer price index (CPI) based inflation was 5.49 per cent in September 2024. "The decline in headline inflation and food inflation during September 2025 is mainly attributed to favourable base effect and decline in inflation of vegetables, oil and fats, fruits, pulses and products, cereal and products, egg, fuel and light," the National Statistics Office (NSO) said. 

4:23 PM

Israel's Netanyahu tells parliament he is 'committed to this peace'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Monday that he is “committed to this peace” in a speech to parliament. He added: “Today, the Jewish calendar marks the end of two years of war.” The ceasefire started on Friday and included the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for hostages. The later stages of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire are still being worked out, however.

2:41 PM

IDF says it received remaining 13 hostages

The Israeli military has said it has taken custody of the remaining 13 living hostages from Red Cross in the Gaza Strip.

2:27 PM

Former Akali leader Jagdeep Cheema joins BJP

Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Jagdeep Singh Cheema joined the BJP in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini here on Monday. Cheema is the son of former Punjab minister Randhir Singh Cheema. He unsuccessfully contested assembly elections from Amloh in 2012 and Fatehgarh Sahib in 2022 on a SAD ticket. Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma also attended Cheema's joining ceremony.

12:50 PM

Red Cross heads to collect second batch of Gaza hostages, says IDF

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Monday said that the International Committee of the Red Cross is en route to collect the second group of living hostages to be released in Gaza as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement.

12:40 PM

Benjamin Netanyahu greets Trump at Tel Aviv airport

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets US President Donald Trump at Tel Aviv's Gurion airport.

12:34 PM

Trump lands in Israel

Live television footage showed Air Force One, carrying US President Donald Trump, landing at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. Trump is scheduled to address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, before travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to participate in a summit aimed at ending the Gaza conflict.

12:25 PM

Air Force One, carrying President Donald Trump, flies over Hostages Square in Tel Aviv

US President Donald Trump lands in Israel to mark US-brokered ceasefire as Hamas begins releasing Israeli hostages after two years of war.

11:52 AM

7 hostages freed by Hamas now in Israeli custody, says IDF

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Monday confirmed that seven hostages released earlier by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are now in Israeli custody. According to the military, the freed hostages have crossed into Israel and will be taken to a military base to reunite with their families. They are expected to be airlifted by helicopter to Israeli hospitals for medical evaluation and care.

11:40 AM

Israeli army confirms Hamas hands over first seven hostages in Gaza

The Israeli military on Monday confirmed that the first group of seven hostages had been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza as part of the ceasefire agreement. Crowds gathered at Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square erupted in cheers after reports emerged that Hamas had transferred the hostages to Red Cross officials in Gaza.

10:56 AM

Hamas releases first seven hostages to Red Cross under Gaza truce

Israel said on Monday that Hamas has handed over the first group of seven hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Hamas released the hostages earlier in the day, marking the first stage of the exchange deal brokered to support the truce between the two sides. There was no immediate information on the condition of those freed.

10:39 AM

Hamas publishes names of 20 Israeli hostages to be released

Palestinian group Hamas published on Monday the names of the 20 Israeli hostages to be released under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel. The names included Bar Abraham Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Matan Angrest, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Horn, Eitan Abraham Mor, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Rom Braslavski, Ariel Cunio and David Cunio.

10:26 AM

India searches premises of cough syrup maker linked to child deaths

The Enforcement Directorate is searching seven sites on suspicion of money-laundering by Sresan Pharma, the cough syrup maker linked to the deaths of several children over the last month. At least 19 children died in Madhya Pradesh after taking the syrup, banned after a test this month showed it contained levels of a toxic chemical, diethylene glycol, that were nearly 500 times the permissible limit. India, known as the 'pharmacy of the world', supplies 40% of generic medicines used in the United States, and more than 90% of all medicines in many African nations.

9:27 AM

Iran declines invitation to attend Gaza peace summit in Egypt

Iran said on Monday that neither President Masoud Pezeshkian nor Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would attend the Gaza peace summit in Egypt, despite receiving an invitation from Cairo. According to the state news agency IRNA, Egypt extended the invitation to Tehran on Sunday evening to participate in the summit held on Monday in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

9:01 AM

Israel to confer highest civilian award on Trump

Israel President Isaac Herzog on Monday announced that the country will confer its highest civilian honour on US President Donald Trump in recognition of his role in securing the release of hostages from Gaza and helping to end the conflict. “Through his tireless efforts, President Trump has not only helped bring our loved ones home but has also laid the foundations for a new era in the Middle East built on security, cooperation, and genuine hope for a peaceful future,” Herzog said in a statement issued by his office.