UPDATED: Nov 2, 2026 08:29 ISTAir quality across Delhi-NCR plunged into the very poor category as winter conditions set in, with Delhi's ITO recording an Air Quality Index of 349. Authorities imposed fines exceeding 68 lakh rupees on the first day of curbs and turned back 1,539 non-BS6 vehicles at Delhi borders under Graded Response Action Plan measures.

A ban on non-BS6 vehicles remains enforced from 1 November to 31 January. Ground reports from the Ghazipur border showed commercial vehicles undergoing verification at toll points, while checking for private vehicles remained minimal during early morning hours.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav is monitoring coordinated central and state efforts to address the crisis. With winter onset and the festive season approaching, thick smog has lowered morning visibility and raised health concerns for vulnerable groups, the elderly, and children as pollution levels persist above the 300 mark in several bordering areas.

Read MoreVIDEOS FROM OTHER SECTIONSLATEST VIDEOSAmit Shah Mocks Rahul Gandhi's PM Ambitions as Congress Retorts over Ramlila RallyA fierce war of words has broken out between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress following the opposition alliance's rally at Ramlila Maidan. Addressing a gathering in Chandigarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah targeted Rahul Gandhi's prime ministerial aspirations, asserting that he would remain confined to a mock parliament and continue in the opposition even after the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

In response, Congress leaders dismissed his remarks, describing him as an outgoing minister and asserting that the Ramlila Maidan rally saw historic mobilization. Congress accused the ruling dispensation of evading critical issues such as vote manipulation and unemployment while attempting to divide the public on communal lines.Opposition Mega Rally at Ramlila Maidan, Attacks on CEC and BJP CounteroffensiveThe opposition INDIA bloc held a massive show of strength at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan to protest against alleged vote theft and target the Election Commission.

Addressing the gathering, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded the resignation and imprisonment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of hijacking democratic institutions and claiming the 2024 general election was illegal. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav also took aim at the central government, alleging widespread manipulation of voter lists and predicting the defeat of the ruling alliance in upcoming state assembly polls.

In response, the BJP mounted a sharp counteroffensive, dismissing the opposition rally as an exaggerated flop and questioning the turnout figures. Ruling party leaders hit back at Rahul Gandhi, questioning whether claiming the 2024 election was illegal implied that sitting opposition MPs were also illegitimate, as the political war of words intensified.BJP Alleges Fake AI Images Used to Inflate Ramlila Maidan Crowd as Congress Faces HeatA political war of words has broken out between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress party over the attendance figures at the INDIA bloc rally held at Ramlila Maidan.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of deploying poorly created, fake artificial intelligence images to artificially amplify crowd numbers. While the Congress projected that around 10 lakh people would attend the rally, authorities had capped the capacity at 50,000.

BJP leaders, including Sambit Patra, questioned the whereabouts of the claimed 10 lakh attendees and argued that trick photography cannot make anyone prime minister. Patra further highlighted drone footage showing empty chairs during speeches.

Ground reports confirmed high attendance at the venue early in the day, but the BJP maintains the crowd was exaggerated and chairs remained unoccupied by late afternoon.Trump Warns Iran: 'We Still Have to Take Care of One or Two Sites'United States President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iran, stating that American forces have largely decimated Iranian military and manufacturing capabilities. Trump said, "We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes." Addressing his military strategy, he claimed that Iranian naval, air force, anti-aircraft, and nuclear assets have been neutralised.

Referencing past conflicts and the assassination of General Soleimani during his first term, Trump asserted that the United States did not start the war but is finishing it. Additionally, Trump confirmed speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid coalition challenges following Israel's recent election season.