The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has identified 62 dangerous buildings across the city after the Satya Niketan building collapse. According to a survey report, action has already been taken against 20 structures. Sixteen have been demolished and four have been sealed. The remaining 42 buildings are awaiting demolition or sealing. The report was recirculated after the collapse of a five-storey PG building in Satya Niketan that killed seven people. MCD said it surveys buildings before the monsoon every year. The civic body has also suspended several officials as investigations into the collapse continue.

Samsung India has started cutting jobs in its television and home appliance businesses. Around 80 to 100 executives have reportedly been asked to leave in batches. The cuts affect directors, managers and team leaders. Rising memory chip prices, weaker demand and higher raw material costs have increased pressure on the company. The falling rupee has also made electronic products more expensive. Reports suggest up to 25% of the sales and marketing staff could be affected. Samsung’s smartphone team is not part of the current cuts. The company hopes festive-season sales during Diwali will improve demand and support its business.  

BAPS has issued a statement after a controversy over its delegation’s private visit to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The tower was closed on Monday after staff went on strike over claims that female employees were excluded during the visit. BAPS said the visit was planned with the Eiffel Tower team to avoid disturbing other visitors. “At no point was anyone prevented access to the Eiffel Tower,” it said. The organisation apologised for any inconvenience caused. A French workers’ union accused management of sidelining female staff. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire called the reported treatment unacceptable and said an investigation would be launched.  

Russia and North Korea have opened their first road bridge across the Tumen River. The bridge connects the border cities of Khasan and Rason. It will make it easier to move goods and people between the two countries. North Korea said the bridge will support trade, tourism and travel. Russia called it a new “symbol of friendship”. The bridge can handle up to 300 vehicles and 2,323 people each day. Russia said it will first carry cargo, with passenger travel expected later this year. The bridge comes as military and economic ties between Moscow and Pyongyang continue to grow.  

Russia launched a major overnight attack on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, killing two people and injuring 10. Ukraine said Russia used dozens of missiles and 166 drones in the assault. Several buildings were damaged and fires broke out across Kyiv. Ukrainian officials accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “senseless terror” after US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner left Kyiv following peace talks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack was planned to cause maximum harm to civilians. Ukraine said it shot down many of the incoming weapons. The UK has also pledged £100 million for Ukraine’s winter air defence.  

Telegram users in India, Singapore and other parts of Asia reported problems with the app on Tuesday. According to Downdetector, users faced issues sending messages, loading chats and logging into their accounts. The outage began in the early morning. Singapore saw nearly 4,000 reports at the peak, shortly after 10:30 am local time. Problems were also reported in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. Users shared complaints on social media about being unable to access Telegram properly. The cause of the disruption was not immediately clear. Telegram had not provided details about the issue at the time.  

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said a building next to the collapsed Satya Niketan PG will be demolished on Wednesday. The building has been declared unsafe. At least seven people died and several were injured in the collapse. Gupta visited injured students at AIIMS and said the government will pay their full treatment costs. Police said repair and construction work was underway in the basement before the collapse. They are searching for the contractor involved. Police also said four floors of the building were illegally built, according to the FIR. The PG owner, his wife and son are in custody.  

Deaths linked to second-hand smoke in India have increased by nearly 50% since 1990, according to a new study published in The Lancet Public Health. The study estimated that 325,600 people died from illnesses linked to passive smoking in 2023. About 444 million Indians were exposed to second-hand smoke that year. Passive smoking is linked to serious diseases, including heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and COPD. Children are especially at risk. Researchers said smoke-free homes, workplaces and public places can help reduce exposure. They also called for greater awareness, stronger tobacco controls and better support to help people quit smoking.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday criticised the previous UPA government over delays in completing the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC). Speaking at a ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event in Vadodara, Modi said the project remained stuck in bureaucratic processes for years. He said his government helped speed up its implementation. The 2,800-km freight corridor has now been completed, marking a major milestone for India’s transport network. Modi said better connectivity is important for a developed India. He called the project a major achievement for 21st-century India. The corridor is expected to improve freight movement and strengthen the country’s infrastructure.  

Houthi rebels launched missile and drone attacks on several Saudi cities near the Yemen border. The attacks reportedly injured 73 people, including women and children. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said missiles and drones targeted key sites overnight. Targets included Aramco facilities in Abha, Najran and Jizan. A Saudi airbase in Khamis Mushait was also targeted. Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the attacks. Its foreign ministry said the country would not tolerate attacks on its territory or assets. It warned of “consequences” and said Saudi Arabia has the right to defend its people and national assets. The ministry also called for an immediate end to the escalation. (PC: Reuters)