Iran warns of wider fallout from any new U.S. strike; CBFC breach exposes 500+ applications
Tehran, October 24: Iran said on Saturday that United States warships would not be allowed to enter the Persian Gulf, and warned that any attack by the U.S. or Israel would have repercussions beyond the country, amid reports that Washington was considering resuming air strikes.
Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said in Tehran that "preserving the country's [territorial] integrity and safeguarding its national and religious identity are among the most important responsibilities of the Iranian nation today."
Iranian officials have repeatedly warned of severe retaliation in the event of a wider conflict. The latest remarks come against the backdrop of reports that Washington is weighing further air strikes; the stated threats have not been independently verified.
CBFC data breach exposes film applications
A data breach at the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has exposed information from applications relating to more than 500 titles, dozens of them feature films, according to a report by The Hindu. The leak appears to have originated from the e-Cinepramaan portal, launched nearly a decade ago to digitise the board's certification work.
The exposed material includes detailed shooting scripts, cut orders and other documents that filmmakers submit when seeking certification for films to be screened in Indian cinemas. The films themselves, which are usually handled separately, were not exposed.
Heavy rain forecast for Tamil Nadu, red alerts in Kerala
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned on Saturday of heavy to very heavy rain over the Nilgiris district and forecast heavy rainfall across several districts of Tamil Nadu over the next three days.
A red alert for extremely heavy rainfall has been issued for five districts of Kerala on Sunday and Monday. Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad are under red alert on October 25, while Idukki and Palakkad are under red alert on October 26. An orange alert was in force on Saturday for Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod, indicating the possibility of very heavy rain in isolated areas.
Odisha prepares for cyclone Arnab
A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a deep depression on Sunday and could develop into a cyclone, with the storm expected to near the Odisha coast on October 28. The state government has stepped up preparedness, with disaster response teams on high alert and Chief Minister Mohan Majhi targetting zero casualties.
Educational institutions in five districts will be closed on October 28 and 29. Fishermen along the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts have been advised not to venture into the sea.
Prime Minister to inaugurate RBI data centre
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Odisha on Sunday to inaugurate the Reserve Bank of India's ₹169-crore data centre and a Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar. According to the tentative itinerary, he is expected to land at Biju Patnaik International Airport around 4.10 p.m. aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft.
Supreme Court intervenes in Andhra Pradesh municipal poll case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday held that the YSR Congress Party had made out a prima facie case in its plea for more time to file nominations for urban local body elections in Andhra Pradesh. The party alleged that its candidates were met with violence and were blocked from filing nominations.
The court directed the State Election Commission to postpone publication of the final list of candidates till October 25 and to decide on the nominations.
Jamia shifts to online classes
Jamia Millia Islamia shifted to online classes on Saturday amid escalating tensions over a demand for students' union elections, after protesting students and university staff confronted each other at the site of a hunger strike. The Students' Federation of India alleged a crackdown at the strike site.
