"Great Progress": After Call, Trump Says He Will Meet Putin In Budapest

President Donald Trump said Thursday he will meet again with Russia's Vladimir Putin in an effort to end the war in Ukraine. A date has not been set, but Trump wrote on social media that the meeting would take place in Budapest, Hungary.

"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," Trump wrote after talking to Putin. They previously met in Alaska in August, which did not produce a diplomatic breakthrough.

Before Trump and Putin meet, US officials led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio will sit down with Russian representatives next week. It's unclear where that meeting will take place.

The call came ahead of Trump's meeting on Friday at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been pressing Trump to sell Kyiv Tomahawk missiles that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian territory. Zelensky has argued that such strikes would help compel Putin to take Trump's calls for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the war more seriously.

Trump had told reporters travelling with him to Israel on Sunday that he had planned to discuss the Tomahawks with Putin as a way to pressure him to end Russia's war in Ukraine. "Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don't think so," Trump said on Sunday. "I think I might speak to Russia about that."

With a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal holding, Trump has said he's now turning his attention to bringing the war in Ukraine to an end and is weighing providing Kyiv long-range weaponry as he looks to prod Moscow to the negotiating table.

Ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza was central to Trump's 2024 reelection pitch, in which he persistently pilloried President Joe Biden for his handling of the conflicts. Yet, like his predecessor, Trump also has been stymied by Putin as he's unsuccessfully pressed the Russian leader to hold direct talks with Zelensky to end the war, which is nearing its fourth year.

But fresh off the Gaza ceasefire, Trump is showing new confidence that he can finally make headway on ending the Russian invasion. He's also signalling that he's ready to step up pressure on Putin if he doesn't come to the table soon.

"Interestingly, we made progress today, because of what's happened in the Middle East," Trump said of the Russia-Ukraine war on Wednesday evening as he welcomed supporters of his White House ballroom project to a glitzy dinner.

Earlier this week in Jerusalem, in a speech to the Knesset, Trump predicted the truce in Gaza would lay the groundwork for the US to help Israel and many of its Middle East neighbours normalise relations. But Trump also made clear his top foreign policy priority now is ending the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

"First, we have to get Russia done," Trump said, turning to his special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has also served as his administration's chief interlocutor with Putin. "We gotta get that one done. If you don't mind, Steve, let's focus on Russia first. All right?"

Trump is set to host Zelensky for talks on Friday, their fourth face-to-face meeting this year.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump has said he's weighing selling Kyiv long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. Putin has made clear that providing Ukraine with Tomahawks would cross a red line and further damage relations between Moscow and Washington.

But Trump has been undeterred.

"He'd like to have Tomahawks," Trump said of Zelensky on Tuesday. "We have a lot of Tomahawks."

Agreeing to sell Ukraine Tomahawks would be a splashy move, said Mark Montgomery, an analyst at the conservative Foundation for Defence of Democracies in Washington. But it could take years to supply and train Kyiv on the Tomahawk system.

Montgomery said Ukraine could be better served in the near term with a surge of Extended Range Attack Munition, or ERAM, missiles and Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS. The US already approved the sale of up to 3,350 ERAMs to Kyiv earlier this year.

The Tomahawk, with a range of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometres), would allow Ukraine to strike far deeper in Russian territory than either the ERAM (about 285 miles, or 460 km) or ATACMS (about 186 miles, or 300 kilometres).

"To provide Tomahawks is as much a political decision as it is a military decision," Montgomery said. "The ERAM is shorter range, but this can help them put pressure on Russia operationally, on their logistics, the command and control, and their force disbursement within several hundred kilometres of the front line. It can be very effective."

Zelensky is expected to reiterate his plea to Trump to hit Russia's economy with further sanctions, something the Republican, to date, has appeared reluctant to do.

Congress has weighed legislation that would lead to tougher sanctions on Moscow, but Trump has largely focused his attention on pressuring NATO members and other allies to cut off their purchases of Russian oil, the engine fueling Moscow's war machine. To that end, Trump said Wednesday that India, which became one of Russia's biggest crude buyers after the Ukraine invasion, had agreed to stop buying oil from Moscow.

Waiting for Trump's blessing is legislation in the Senate that would impose steep tariffs on countries that purchase Russia's oil, gas, uranium and other exports in an attempt to cripple Moscow economically.

Though the president hasn't formally endorsed it - and Republican leaders do not plan to move forward without his support - the White House has shown, behind the scenes, more interest in the bill in recent weeks.

Administration officials have gone through the legislation in depth, offering line edits and requesting technical changes, according to two officials with knowledge of the discussions between the White House and the Senate. That has been interpreted on Capitol Hill as a sign that Trump is getting more serious about the legislation, sponsored by close ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

A White House official said the administration is working with lawmakers to make sure that "introduced bills advance the president's foreign policy objectives and authorities." The official, who was granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations, said any sanctions package needs to give the president "complete flexibility."

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday the administration is waiting for greater buy-in from Europe, which he noted faces a bigger threat from Russian aggression than the US does.

"So all I hear from the Europeans is that Putin is coming to Warsaw," Bessent said. "There are very few things in life I'm sure about. I'm sure he's not coming to Boston. So, we will respond ... if our European partners join us."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/7XIoRz0
via IFTTT

BJP Announces All 101 Names For Bihar, Releases 3rd List Of 18 Candidates

Late on Wednesday night, the BJP announced its third list of 18 candidates, taking the total count of declared candidates to 101, also the number of seats allotted to the party in the final seat-sharing distribution within the NDA for Bihar polls.

Earlier today, the party had released its second list of 12 names. On Tuesday, the party had released a list of 71 names, fielding Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha from Tarapur and Lakhisarai seats, respectively, and six state ministers. 

The BJP has dropped 16 sitting MLAs from its list of 101 candidates.

According to the BJP list, folk singer Maithili Thakur will contest from Alinagar in Darbhanga district.

Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal has said that the NDA is going into the elections with "rock-solid unity."

Principal rival Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal is yet to announce its candidates. The Congress, RJD's alliance partner, has not released a formal list, although it has named some of its candidates on X. 

BJP allies Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), contesting on 101 seats, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), fighting on 29 seats, have also declared some of their candidates, while Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) has announced all of its six candidates for the polls.

In its third list, the BJP has named Satish Kumar Yadav as its candidate from Raghopur, a seat held by Tejashwi Yadav since 2015. Challenger Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, making its debut and contesting on all seats, has named Chanchal Singh as its candidate from Raghopur. 

Raghopur is the pocket borough of Lalu Yadav's family. Before Tejashwi, the seat was held by Lalu Yadav and his wife, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi.

The polling for the 243-seat assembly will be held in two phases: November 6 and 11. The votes will be counted on November 14.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/7F6pKSQ
via IFTTT

Kohli Recalls Dhoni, Kirsten's Words Amid ODI Future Speculation

Will the ODI series against Australia be Virat Kohli's last? The talismanic batter has already quit the Test and T20I format, and speculations are rife about his potential retirement from the 50-over format after the ODI series against Australia. With India preparing to assemble the right team for the ODI World Cup 2027, Kohli's lack of match practice in the lead-up to the marquee event has been cited as a potential problem when it comes to his selection in the format. In these unpredictable times, Virat recalled what former captain MS Dhoni and head coach Gary Kirsten told him ahead of the ODI World Cup 2011.

In a video shared by RCB on social media, Kohli revealed that he was backed by Dhoni and Kirsten, not because he was the most prolific or technically sound player, but for what he brought on the field.

"Gary and MS made it very clear to me that we are backing you to play at number three. And this is what you can do for the team. What you represent on the field, your energy, your engagement, that's of the biggest value to us. So we want you to play that way," Kohli said during the RCB podcast.

"I was never looked upon as an outright match-winner who could change a game from anywhere. But I had this thing where I'm going to stay in the fight, I am not going to give up. And that is what they backed. So that very thing God blessed me with that helped me improve my game and technique," he added.

"."- Virat Kohli

Watch Virat reveal how Coach Gary Kirsten and Captain MS Dhoni saw the fire in him and backed him to take the No. 3 spot.

The full episode of @bigbasket_com presents RCB Podcast: Bold & Beyond ft. Virat Kohli is… pic.twitter.com/rammpyTwWd

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) October 15, 2025

Kohli wasn't the most hyped player in the team when he made his debut, but gradually became an indispensable member of the side. He himself admitted that it was the hunger to become the 'best' that brought him to where he stands today.

"I have never been shy to admit that I was not the most technically sound, naturally gifted player. I evolved a lot while playing because I was keen on learning, very keen to get better. I wanted to be the best," said Kohli.

"There's no denying I wanted to be the best. And that hunger, that desire to keep improving and eventually win more games for your team, is what helped me improve my game," he added.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/pos68V9
via IFTTT

Amid Tension In Gwalior, A Cop-Lawyer Face-Off With "Jai Shri Ram" Slogans

"Jai Shri Ram, Jai Shri Ram" -- the chant rang out loud in the heart of Gwalior this evening, as a heated confrontation unfolded between a police officer and a lawyer amid prohibitory orders and tightened security across the city. What started as a dispute over enforcing prohibitory orders, quickly turned into a dramatic face-off between senior police officer Hina Khan and advocate Anil Mishra. Both sides chanted of "Jai Shri Ram" before a stunned crowd.

The atmosphere in Gwalior has been tense over the installation of a statue of BR Ambedkar at the Madhya Pradesh High Court premises. Though the Dalits have called off their protest march planned for October 15, a security blanket has been firmly spread over the city in view of earlier instances of caste conflict.

According to eyewitnesses, advocate Mishra, former president of the lawyers' association, arrived with his supporters to recite Ramayan's Sundar Kand near Phoolbagh on Monday evening. 

Hina Khan stopped the gathering, citing the ongoing prohibitory orders. Angry, Mishra accused her of being "against Sanatan Dharma" and began chanting "Jai Shri Ram".

To everyone's surprise, DSP Hina Khan walked up to Mishra, looked him in the eye, and began chanting "Jai Shri Ram" too.

Eyewitnesses say the officer then calmly asked, "What else?" before turning back to manage the crowd. 

The encounter became a talking point in the city. 

The clash comes as Gwalior remains on high alert over the Ambedkar statue issue. More than 4,000 police personnel have been deployed across the city, and Section 163 is in force, prohibiting any public gatherings.

The controversy had taken a casteist turn and escalated after Anil Mishra made derogatory remarks about BR Ambedkar in a viral video, calling him "a slave-agent of the British and a liar." The remarks triggered outrage across the Gwalior-Chambal region, leading to multiple police cases.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/gR9Kx0I
via IFTTT

Pakistan Lost Over 100 Soldiers During Operation Sindoor: Top Officer

Pakistan is understood to have lost over 100 military personnel along the Line of Control during Operation Sindoor, Indian Army's Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai said on Tuesday, citing list of awards conferred posthumously by that country's military.

The top military official also said that Pakistan lost at least 12 aircraft during the conflict in May while echoing the details shared by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh a few days ago.

Lt Gen Ghai also said that the Indian Navy was fully ready to play its part and if Pakistan had decided to continue with the hostilities any further, it could have been "catastrophic for it, not only from the sea but from other dimensions as well".

Sharing certain details of the May 7-10 hostilities, Lt Gen Ghai said Pakistan had resorted to cross-border firing immediately after India pounded nine terror targets on May 7.

"Pakistanis possibly unwittingly let out their awards list last month on the 14th of August, and the number of posthumous awards that they awarded suggests to us now that their casualties on the LoC were also in excess of 100.

"We went after terrorists, and once that had been achieved, it wasn't our intention to escalate it unless compelled to do so. There was also cross-border firing by Pakistan immediately once the terror targets were engaged," he said.

"Pakistanis possibly unwittingly let out their awards list on August 14, and the number of posthumous awards that they awarded suggests to us now that their casualties on the LoC were also in excess of 100," Lt Gen Ghai said.

The Director General Military Operations (DGMO) even said Pakistan's drone attacks against India was a "dismal failure".

He said Pakistan sent drones even after the two DGMOs had spoken.

"A variety and class of drones were utilised in an attempt to cause casualties and damage to (our) men and material. But everything was a dismal failure," he said.

The attacks, he said, led to the Indian Air Force's precision strikes on Pakistan installations on the intervening night of May 9 and 10.

"We hit 11 of their air bases. If you see, eight air bases, three hangars and four radars were damaged. Pakistani air assets were destroyed on the ground as well," he said.

Lt Gen Ghai said the Pakistani losses on the ground included one C-130 class of aircraft and one one AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control), four to five fighter jets.

He said Pakistan also suffered losses in the air.

"We now know that the world's longest ever ground-to-air kill was at 300 kilometres plus and five high-tech fighters (were hit). I think the impunity with which these attacks were carried out is what is significant," he said.

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan.

The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.

Lt Gen Ghai also mentioned killing of the three terrorists in June who carried out the Pahalgam attack, adding the Army was determined to "chase them to the depths of hell and we did".

"It took us 96 days but we did not let them rest," he said.

When these three terrorists were found and eliminated clinically, it seemed as if they were exhausted from running, and they also seemed very malnourished, he said.

"Often, people can turn around and tell you where they have vanished. But it is at times, like searching for a needle in a haystack. While it may seem very simple to the non discerning, these things take time," he said.

Lt Gen Ghai said there has been a "doctrinal shift in our strategy against terror".

"Our prime minister has spoken about it. And these are the three things he said. The terror attacks are an act of war. Therefore there will be decisive retaliation. We will not succumb to nuclear blackmail. And there is no distinction between terrorists and sponsors of terrorism," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/pN8VY3i
via IFTTT

Durgapur Medical Student's Friend Arrested In Rape Case, Total Now 6

The friend of the medical student who was raped near a private medical college in West Bengal's Durgapur has been arrested by the police, taking the total arrests in the case to six.

NDTV had reported earlier that the woman, a second-year MBBS student who had gone to West Bengal from Odisha to study, and her friend had stepped out of the IQ City Medical College in Durgapur's Shivapur area on October 10 and were accosted by a few people. She was allegedly taken to a forested area and raped.

In his police complaint, the survivor's father had named the friend and said he had "misled her and took her to a vacant place under false pretexts".

On Tuesday, before the friend was taken into custody, Asansol-Durgapur Commissioner of Police Sunil Kumar Choudhary had said five people had been arrested, whose presence had been established at the place where the crime was carried out, and the mobile phone snatched from the survivor had been recovered.

The police, Choudhary said, had also found that the survivor was sexually assaulted by one person.

"Till now, as per the technical and scientific evidence collected and the statement of the woman, we have found that physical sexual assault has been committed by one accused. The involvement of all five accused is being investigated," he said.

The police commissioner said twice that the friend's "role was not beyond doubt".

"The friend of the woman, who was also present at the place of occurrence... his role is also not beyond doubt. We are investigating his role also. We have examined him several times... His examination is going on. I want to say his role is also not beyond doubt," he emphasised.

Later in the evening, police said that the friend had been arrested. Officials said the woman and the friend had stepped out for dinner that night. "The friend had been taken to the scene of crime and interrogated several times before he was arrested," said an official.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/bXcW9Jr
via IFTTT

8th Pay Commission Soon? A Guide To Your Estimated Salary Hike And Allowances

The long-awaited 8th Pay Commission is set to bring significant hikes in salaries for central government employees and pensioners. With a fitment factor likely around 1.96, minimum basic pay could nearly double, while total pay including Dearness Allowance (DA) and House Rent Allowance (HRA) is expected to rise substantially.

Even if the full implementation of the 8th Pay Commission extends until 2027, the benefits will reportedly be effective from January 1, 2026. Over 50 lakh central employees and around 65 lakh pensioners are expected to receive arrears once the new pay structure is introduced.

What Is The Fitment Factor?

A key component of determining salaries under the 8th Pay Commission is the fitment factor. This multiplier is used to calculate a new basic salary by multiplying an employee's current basic pay. 

To understand, under the 6th Pay Commission, the minimum basic salary was Rs 7,000.

The 7th Pay Commission applied a fitment factor of 2.57, raising the minimum basic salary to Rs 18,000.

For the 8th Pay Commission, reports suggest the fitment factor could range from 1.92 to 2.86, with 1.96 being a likely possibility.

How Much Will Salaries Increase?

Assuming a fitment factor of 1.96, the minimum basic salary of Rs 18,000 could rise to Rs 35,280 for Level-1 employees. This does not include DA, but House HRA will be added depending on the city of posting.

The formula to calculate the new basic salary is:

Old Basic Salary x 1.96 = Basic Salary under 8th Pay Commission

Using this formula, basic salary increases can be estimated for all levels, from Level 1 to Level 18.

Total Salary Calculation

Let's consider a Level-9 central government employee as an example:

• Current basic salary: Rs 53,100
• Current DA (58% of basic): Rs 30,798
• HRA for metro cities like Delhi (27% of basic): Rs 14,337

Total current salary (Basic + DA + HRA) = Rs 98,235

Under the 8th Pay Commission:

New basic salary: Rs 1,04,076
DA reset: 0% = Rs 0
HRA (27% of basic): Rs 28,100.52

Total salary (Basic + DA + HRA) = Rs 1,32,177

Note: that these calculations are estimates, as the official formula has not yet been finalised.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/gLWnMo6
via IFTTT