New Delhi, Nov 28: As Delhi-NCR’s air quality continues to deteriorate, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday said that India’s children are choking due to toxic air and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue.

LoP Gandhi took to ‘X’ and posted, “Every mother I meet tells me the same thing: Her child is growing up breathing toxic air. They are exhausted, scared and angry.”

“Modi ji, India’s children are choking in front of us. How can you stay silent? Why does your government show no urgency, no plan, no accountability?” he wrote.

He further added, “India needs an immediate, detailed Parliament debate on air pollution and a strict, enforceable action plan to tackle this health emergency. Our children deserve clean air – not excuses and distractions.”

LoP Gandhi also shared a video in which he is seen interacting with women who express deep concern about rising pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. In the video, the women speak about the harmful impact of polluted air on their children, saying that their health is worsening day by day.

They also warn that if this issue is ignored now, it will create long-term health and economic damage for the country. The women can be heard questioning why the government is not issuing proper health advisories or taking urgent preventive measures.

In the video, Rahul Gandhi responds by saying that pollution persists because several stakeholders benefit from the current system and resist meaningful corrective action.

Meanwhile, Delhi woke up to yet another day of toxic air on Friday, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 385, firmly in the “very poor” category. Air pollution across Delhi-NCR continues to remain hazardous, offering little respite to residents already struggling with a cold wave.

The spike in pollution comes barely a day after authorities lifted the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-III restrictions, which are enforced to curb severe pollution levels. However, the relief was short-lived, as air quality deteriorated rapidly once again. On Thursday, the city’s overall AQI rose sharply to 377, up from 327 the previous day, marking a significant decline in air quality within 24 hours.

Despite the worsening conditions, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has clarified that Stage-III curbs will only be reinstated if the AQI crosses 400, which falls under the “severe” category. Until then, authorities plan to continue monitoring the situation without reimposing stricter curbs.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), pollution levels surged steadily throughout the day on Thursday due to persistently low wind speeds. The AQI, recorded at 351 at 8 am, escalated to 381 by 7 pm, indicating continuous accumulation of pollutants over the region.

New Delhi, Nov 28: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that India is currently engaged in discussions on fair and balanced trade deals with 14 countries or groups representing nearly 50 nations, including the United States, the European Union, GCC countries, New Zealand, Israel, Eurasia, Canada, South Africa and the Mercosur group.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) here, the minister underlined that balanced and equitable trade agreements have already been concluded with Australia, the UAE, Mauritius, the United Kingdom and the four-nation EFTA bloc.

Highlighting broader global developments, the minister said that recent geopolitical and economic challenges have underscored the need for trusted partners and resilient supply chains. He stated that India’s expanding network of free trade agreements (FTAs) and economic partnerships is aimed at building long-term cooperation anchored in fairness, transparency and mutual benefit.

Goyal said that the idea of self-reliance is central in India’s civilisational ethos, recalling references from the Bhagavad Gita and Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on Swadeshi. He said that self-reliance has historically guided India’s progress and continues to remain central to the country’s economic strategy. He added that this vision has been strengthened through the focus on Atmanirbhar Bharat under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Referring to the recent EFTA agreement, the minister noted that the bloc has committed to invest $100 billion in India across innovation and precision manufacturing. He underscored India’s cost competitiveness in research and innovation, stating that high-quality innovation undertaken in India can be achieved at a fraction of the cost compared to Europe or the United States.

The Minister highlighted India’s strengths in innovation and technology, supported by a young demographic, increasing digital adoption and a growing talent pool. He said that India’s large number of STEM graduates and widespread internet access create strong potential in emerging areas such as applied artificial intelligence, automation, robotics and deep-tech innovation.

He noted that the recently announced $12 billion Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) fund, along with ongoing support to startups and deep-tech industries, will further accelerate India’s innovation ecosystem.

Goyal emphasised the importance of strengthening skilling to prepare India’s youth for future opportunities. He said that unlike many developed economies facing ageing populations, India’s youthful demographic is quick to adapt to emerging technologies and has already demonstrated high engagement with digital platforms. He added that this readiness positions India to play a major role in the global technology landscape.

The minister outlined India’s strengths through the ‘PESTLE’ framework, noting that Prime Minister Modi has consistently advanced the vision of self-reliance across sectors. He said that politically, a stable and predictable government committed to “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” has enhanced investor confidence. In the economic domain, initiatives such as the National Manufacturing Mission and the Rs 25,000 crore Export Promotion Mission are supporting India’s rise towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy.

On the social front, he highlighted that the four Labour Codes ensure better wages and protections, while the Antyodaya approach has supported the fulfilment of basic needs.

In the technology sector, Goyal pointed to initiatives aimed at reducing external dependence, including the Semiconductor Mission (Rs 76,000 crore) and the Rs 7,000 crore programme for permanent magnet production, which strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply chain security. In the legal domain, he referred to ongoing reforms, including progress toward Jan Vishwas 3.0, designed to enhance ease of doing business.

He further noted that the ‘Atomic Energy Bill 2025’ marks a historic shift by opening up the nuclear sector to strengthen energy sovereignty.

The Minister urged FICCI to adopt a mission-driven approach to promoting innovation, deepening research and development, strengthening industry-academia linkages and supporting India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.

New Delhi, Nov 28: The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested a notorious repeat offender with 68 criminal involvements, securing a major breakthrough in a high-profile snatching case targeting an NRI woman earlier this year, the Delhi Police said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Tarun alias Gadam Wala, a resident of Aman Vihar, had been on the run for over seven months and was declared an absconder by a city court.

According to officials, the arrest was made by the Western Range-I team of the Crime Branch following specific inputs received on November 24.

Tarun, a listed Bad Character (BC) of PS Aman Vihar, had managed to evade multiple police teams after being implicated in a snatching incident involving a woman visiting Delhi from California.

The case, registered under FIR No. 508/2025 at Karol Bagh police station, pertains to an incident on April 5 when the complainant was returning after withdrawing cash from a PNB ATM on Padam Singh Road.

“On April 5, 2025 at about 11:50 a.m., after withdrawing money from PNB ATM, Padam Singh Road, two unidentified boys on a black scooty snatched her gold chain (approx. 15 grams) and fled towards Ganga Mandir Marg. She raised an alarm, but they escaped,” the police said in iots press note.

“During investigation, co-accused Rahul (driver) was arrested and recovery of the scooty and gold chain were affected. However, his associate Tarun alias Gadam Wala had been absconding since the incident,” it said.

A team led by Inspector Mahipal and supervised by ACP Satendra Mohan, acting on secret information and technical surveillance, tracked Tarun to Aman Vihar and apprehended him without incident.

During interrogation, police said, Tarun confessed to being the pillion rider who snatched the chain.

He revealed that Rahul had stolen the scooty used in the crime and that he received Rs 6,000 as his share after the chain was sold. He also told investigators that he is a drug user and committed the crime to fund his addiction. Tarun had been released from jail in January 2025 after serving time in another snatching case.

Police records show the accused has been involved in 68 cases related to snatching, theft, burglary, robbery, and Arms Act violations.

“His capture marks a major success in ongoing efforts to curb repeat offenders and strengthen public safety,” said DCP Harsh Indora.