newsmart – Latest News

thehindu.com | 3 hrs. 27 min. ago

IDL commissions bulk explosives silo plant in West Bengal

livemint.com | 4 hrs. 6 min. ago

Haryana Electricity Strike Latest News: Gurugram faces power cuts; state govt to challenge HERC order

Top updates | The protest follows the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission's (HERC) decision to grant private company Eleven Power a parallel licence to distribute electricity in Gurugram and Nuh for 25 years.

thehindu.com | 5 hrs. 11 min. ago

‘Society should extend support to families of police martyrs’

Deputy Commissioner Rahul Pandve was speaking at the Police Commemoration Day in Yadgir

thehindu.com | 6 hrs. ago

Sonam Wangchuk calls for electoral reforms, questions value of polls amid unfulfilled promises

Talking about the State Election Commission of Ladakh scheduling the Panchayat General Elections across all Panchayat in the Union Territory, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said, “If election promises have no meaning, then what is the meaning of elections?” He called for nationwide reform of the electoral process, urging accountability so politicians actually fulfil their written promises.

euronews.com | 6 hrs. 17 min. ago

EIB to double climate funding to €30bn as extreme weather costs soar

The European Investment Bank's €30 billion for climate financing reflects a shift from climate mitigation to economic protection -- and comes a week before the European Commission is due to present its own climate resilience plan.

scmp.com | 6 hrs. 49 min. ago

Europe still has no clear goal on China

This month alone, Europe has threatened China with a trade “kill switch”, rebuked it in parliament, sent its trade commissioner on a much-trumpeted trip to Beijing and announced three new economic security instruments. The sequence exposed a European Union that has no clear goal on China, no hierarchy of priorities and has reached no agreement on what it wants from Beijing or on what it would pay to get it.

China has built its European policy around this vacuum. Its method rewards patience:...

thehindu.com | 8 hrs. 1 min. ago

Vice-President calls for stronger Centre-State coordination for legal reforms

Speaking during the inauguration of a conference on ‘Cooperative Federalism and Law Reforms: National and State Perspectives’, organised by the Law Commission of India, he says that cooperative federalism did not mean uniformity in every matter and that the States must retain the flexibility to address their specific needs

thehindu.com | 9 hrs. 17 min. ago

Why are Andhra Pradesh’s civic poll nominations under the Supreme Court’s scrutiny?

Explained | The Supreme Court has asked the State Election Commission to decide where candidates were unable to file nominations

koreatimes.co.kr | 11 hrs. 20 min. ago

6 more election offices entered false voter turnout data: special counsel

A special counsel team said Thursday that six additional local election commissions have been found to have falsely entered voter turnout data during the June 3 local elections, bringing the total to 36 commissions. Special counsel Lee Tae-han's team has been investigating various suspicions surrounding the National Election Commission (NEC), the state election watchdog, after unprecedented ballot shortages were reported during the local elections, forcing some voters to turn back without casting their votes.

In a press release, Lee's team said that following last week's disclosure of 30 local commissions that falsely entered voter turnout figures, it identified six more through searches, analysis of seized items and questioning of officials. The six were the local commissions in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province; Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province; two districts in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province; Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province; and Gangneung, Gangwon Province.

iol.co.za | 12 hrs. 19 min. ago

Chaskalson argues Madlanga Commission cannot expose state secrets as ruling on Sifolo’s closed-door testimony reserved

Evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson has told the Madlanga Commission that it is not a high court and therefore has no power to set aside a decision to classify information.

iol.co.za | 15 hrs. 6 min. ago

SAHRC to launch report on children’s online privacy and safety

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will launch its conference report titled; Children's Rights to Privacy and Safety on Online Platforms: Legislative Gaps and the Case for Reform.

smh.com.au | 15 hrs. 32 min. ago

One Nation NSW leader hit with ‘please explain’ for charging taxpayers for 71 beers, 23 bottles of wine

Mike Newman was questioned over his spending habits during his 28-month stint as a senior trade commissioner in Japan, with one executive rejecting a $211 bill for lunch.

koreatimes.co.kr | 15 hrs. 36 min. ago

Soongsil University, Chung-Ang University team develops technology to disrupt lip-sync deepfakes

A joint research team from Soongsil University and Chung-Ang University has developed a technology to disrupt lip synchronization in deepfake videos that use artificial intelligence (AI) to make a person's lip movements match an audio track. Soongsil University said Tuesday that the team, led by professor Choi Dae-sun of its AI Security Center and professor Kwon Jun-seok of Chung-Ang University, developed the technology, dubbed MUTE.

According to the team, MUTE is the first technology to disrupt lip synchronization in deepfake videos using audio protection alone. The paper, titled “MUTE: Multi-Level Alignment Uncoupling Against Talking-Head Exploitation for Voice Protection,” was accepted for presentation at the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) 2026, one of the world’s leading AI conferences.

The study was conducted as part of a research and development project supported by the Personal Information Protection Commission and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA). The research team included doctoral student Kim Dong-hyun, master’s student Kim Seung

theguardian.com | 23 hrs. 41 min. ago

Reform UK fined for failing to declare it was publisher of campaigns material

Party given additional penalty by Electoral Commission for not paying original fine on timeReform UK has been fined more than £2,000 for failing to declare it was the publisher of campaign material seen by voters – including an additional penalty for failing to pay on time.Nigel Farage’s party was sanctioned by the Electoral Commission after four items of election material were missing an “imprint” – a declaration of the publisher so voters know who has paid for the promotional message.

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thehindu.com | 1 days ago

Economist Prabhakar to join Dipke, Prakash Raj, Neha at nationwide anti-SIR protests on October 23

The People Against SIR alliance has called for marches across the country, demanding the scrapping of the electoral roll revision exercise and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar

thehindu.com | 1 days ago

Local body polls in Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP welcomes Supreme Court directions, urges SEC to ensure free and fair elections

Sajjala urges the State Election Commissioner to ensure CCTV surveillance at the nomination centres

iol.co.za | 1 days ago

Western Cape crime crackdown: SAPS deploys 175 new police vehicles for festive season

The Acting Minister of Police, Mr Firoz Cachalia, together with the National Commissioner of the SAPS, Lt Gen Fannie Masemola, and the Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Sizakhele Dyantyi, officially launched the Western Cape Safer Festive Season Operations at Nyanga Rugby Stadium today.

thehindu.com | 1 days ago

Watch: CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka released from jail

Above the Fold | Oct 21, 2026 | Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are released from judicial custody in Delhi, while fresh concerns emerge over cybersecurity breaches and the Election Commission’s ECINet platform.

theguardian.com | 1 days ago

Booking.com under investigation by EU regulators over fake listings and scams

European Commission calls accommodation website’s approach to fraudulent listings and phishing scams as ‘absolutely substandard’EU regulators have opened an investigation into Booking.com, alleging that the accommodation website has not done enough to protect consumers from fake listings and scams.The European Commission, which regulates the world’s biggest tech companies operating in the EU, said Booking.com may have breached the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) with its “absolutely substandard” approach to tackling fraudulent listings and phishing scams, where criminals impersonate a third party to trick people to hand over money.

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iol.co.za | 1 days ago

EFF takes Tshwane mayor to Public Protector and SAHRC over Bronkhorstspruit water crisis

EFF Treasurer-General Omphile Maotwe Omphile Maotwe with SAHRC Commissioner Professor Tshepo Madlingozi.

iol.co.za | 1 days ago

Madlanga Commission and two others set for additional R516m funding

The Madlanga the Nkabinde and Khampepe commissions are set to receive about R560 million from government, the finance minister, Enoch Godongwana announced.

thehindu.com | 1 days ago

How Tamil actor M.R. Radha got away with staging a ‘banned’ play in 1959

The Madras Government, in April 1959, banned popular actor M.R. Radha’s Tamil play Thooku Medai. He submitted the script of another drama Kathal Bali to the Madras Commissioner of Police and obtained a licence to perform it. On noticing that the play was similar to the banned Thooku Medai, the police registered a case.

thehindu.com | 1 days ago

YSRCP distorting Supreme Court order on ULB elections in Andhra Pradesh, alleges TDP

Dismissing the opposition party’s claim that the court reprimanded the State Election Commission, the TDP legal cell says the court mandated the election body to take a decision on giving aggrieved candidates extra time for filing nominations by the end of October 22 based on merits of the complaints and evidence it has

euronews.com | 1 days ago

EU probes whether Booking.com is doing enough to tackle fake listings and phishing scams

There is no fixed legal deadline for the investigation to conclude, but Booking.com can propose measures to address the European Commission's concerns.

thehindu.com | 1 days ago

Hookah services offered in some pubs and cafes in Chennai, alleges PIL in Madras High Court

Chief Justice’s Bench orders notices to the DGP, Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police and Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise

timesofindia.indiatimes.com | 1 days ago

Virginia is turning 100,000 tons of demolished bridge concrete into fish habitat; 951 tons already underwater

The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion project involves dismantling an old bridge and using the concrete for artificial reefs. This initiative helps divert demolition waste from landfills while enhancing underwater habitats. Approximately 100,000 tons of concrete is expected to be repurposed for marine life by 2027. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission manages the artificial reefs that support local fisheries and marine ecosystems.

This innovative approach connects infrastructure development with environmental sustainability.

thehindu.com | 1 days ago

Vizianagaram Mayor poll moved to October 29 over Sirimanotsavam; counting stays on October 30

The State Election Commission accepts the district administration’s request to shift polling by a day

scmp.com | 1 days ago

China’s Type 051C gets a refit as the PLA Navy’s legacy warships near retirement

China’s Type 051C destroyer Shenyang has been spotted undergoing sea trials after a reported refit, as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) begins phasing out legacy warships following the commissioning of a massive wave of new vessels. Witness photographs circulating on social media appear to show the Shenyang, hull number 115 and lead ship of the Type 051C class, with its Russian-made hardware replaced by domestic air defence systems.

While precise details have yet to be independently confirmed,...

scmp.com | 1 days ago

‘Nepo baby’ uproar in Philippines after Gen Z jet-setter named urban poor commissioner

A Gen Z jet-setter in the Philippines has been named commissioner for the urban poor, raising eyebrows over her qualifications for a position dealing with issues such as food and housing insecurity. Zofia Canlas took her oath as commissioner for the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) on Monday, but drew widespread attention for social media photos depicting a fashion-forward lifestyle and lavish getaways, such as posing in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and other trips around...

iol.co.za | 1 days ago

WATCH: Madlanga Commission faces secrecy battle as media oppose closed-door intelligence testimony

The media has opposed the in-camera hearing of National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC) head Dr Ntandazo Sifolo at the Madlanga Commission.

thehindu.com | 1 days ago

Supreme Court defers AP municipal poll final list to October 25 on YSRCP plea, directs SEC to decide on nominations

The State Election Commission is directed to postpone the publication of the final list of candidates till October 25

koreatimes.co.kr | 1 days ago

Election official found dead after special counsel questioning

A National Election Commission (NEC) official was found dead Wednesday, a day after being questioned by a special counsel team investigating the election watchdog in connection with the unprecedented ballot shortages in the local elections. According to the sources, the official in his 40s was found in the flowerbed of an apartment building in Hwaseong, about 45 kilometers south of Seoul, at 7:06 a.m. with a suicide note expressing grievances he felt during the questioning.

Police suspect he jumped from his apartment. The investigation team has been looking into why the ballot shortages happened and if any corruption or irregularities were involved in contracts for election-related supplies, such as early voting ballot boxes and voting site banners used in last year's presidential election and the June 3 local elections.

The deceased underwent questioning at the investigation team's office Tuesday as a suspect over alleged obstruction of the bidding process and breach of trust. The questioning ended around 8:55 p.m., and the official left the office at 10:40 p.m. after reviewing his sta

euronews.com | 1 days ago

Arctic gas and oil should 'stay in the ground', says EU commissioner Síkela

European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela insists the EU will maintain its opposition to drilling for natural resources, including oil and gas, in the Arctic, despite the US and Norway taking a different approach.

iol.co.za | 1 days ago

Sibiya to remain in custody after court cites cellphone evidence concerns

Former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has been denied bail, with magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe saying the allegations against him suggest he violated his oath to protect the public and uphold the highest ethical standards.

iol.co.za | 1 days ago

NPA to probe role of teenager’s father in Shadrack Sibiya's rape and grooming case

Former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya will remain behind bars after being denied bail.

koreatimes.co.kr | 1 days ago

Home of ex-election watchdog chief raided over improper overseas trip

A special counsel team on Wednesday raided the home of a former National Election Commission (NEC) chief over allegations he took an improper overseas trip during his time in office. Investigators from special counsel Lee Tae-han's team searched Roh Tae-ak's home and seized a cell phone and other evidence as part of their probe into various alleged irregularities at the election watchdog.

The team said it launched the raid after detecting falsehoods in official reports written by an NEC employee on the outcome of Roh's trip. A separate search was conducted at the NEC headquarters in the morning, it said.

iol.co.za | 1 days ago

IEC receives more than 700 complaints over election disinformation ahead of polls

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo says the Electoral Commission has received more than 700 complaints about election-related disinformation ahead of the November 4 local government elections, with many linked to social media.

theguardian.com | 1 days ago

‘I forgot to pay’: Victoria’s premier Ben Carroll drives off without paying for petrol, sparking police inquiries

After being contacted by officers, politician says, he paid bill and is ‘grateful for the team at the servo for their understanding’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOn Tuesday night, Ben Carroll received a phone call: police were looking for him.The Victorian premier had met with the state’s police commissioner earlier that morning – so he wasn’t exactly hard to find.

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thehill.com | 1 days ago

Spanberger pushes for 6-year rate-hike freeze if Dominion-Next Era merger approved

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) is pushing for a six-year pause on electricity rate hikes in the commonwealth as part of a merger between NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy. Spanberger on Monday filed expert testimony with the State Corporation Commission (SCC), urging it to reject the proposed merger if the two companies do not agree...