Evening news wrap: MEA condemns attacks on seafarers, IAF gets new chief, opposition steps up protest against CEC and more

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed the next Chief of the Air Staff and will take charge on 31 October, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.
The INDIA bloc’s march to the Election Commission was halted by police, prompting Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi to shift the protest to the nearby Akashvani Bhawan premises.
India has condemned attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea and Strait of Hormuz after two foreign seafarers were killed and Indian crew members injured, highlighting growing risks to international shipping.
The Election Commission says it received no formal meeting request from any political party as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders continued their protest near its offices.
Bengal Congress has demanded fresh polling in Nandigram and Rejinagar, alleging intimidation, removal of polling agents and other irregularities during the bypolls.

Here are your top stories of the day:

Ashutosh Dixit named next IAF chief, to take charge on 31 October

The government has appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff, with effect from 31 October 2026. Dixit, currently the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, will succeed Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh and brings nearly four decades of service experience, including operational and strategic assignments and more than 3,500 hours of flying.Read full story

Rahul Gandhi shifts protest after march is stopped

The INDIA bloc’s planned march from Parliament House to the Election Commission was stopped amid heavy security and barricading in central Delhi. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi then entered the nearby Akashvani Bhawan premises and continued the protest, after several opposition leaders were detained.Read full story

MEA condemns attacks on commercial vessels as Indian seafarers are injured

The Ministry of External Affairs has condemned attacks on the MV Royad Mammadov in the Black Sea and the MT On Peace in the Strait of Hormuz. Two foreign seafarers were killed in the Black Sea incident, while several crew members, including Indian nationals, were injured; the MEA said the incidents threaten the safety of commercial shipping and international waterways.Read full story

EC-INDIA bloc standoff deepens: Poll panel says no meeting request as opposition protest continues

The Election Commission said it had received no request from any political party for a meeting as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders continued their protest near the poll panel’s offices.

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<button type="button" class="ZW6JD " disabled="">Post Comment</button></p> <p class="swnca">Be respectful · TOI community guidelines</p> </div> </div> <p>The opposition is seeking to raise allegations of “vote chori” and concerns over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, while the EC has maintained that its decisions on the exercise were unanimous.<span class="id-r-component br" data-pos="29"/>Read full story<span class="id-r-component br" data-pos="31"/></p> <p><h5>Congress alleges booth-level irregularities in West Bengal’s Nandigram and Rejinagar</h5> </p> <p>The Bengal Congress has demanded fresh polling in Nandigram and Rejinagar, alleging voter intimidation, forcible removal of polling agents and other electoral malpractice. Party leaders have called for the polling to be cancelled and repeated in the two constituencies, while the allegations form part of a wider dispute over the conduct of the bypolls.<span class="id-r-component br" data-pos="34"/>Read full story</div> </div> <footer class="entry-meta" aria-label="Entry meta"> <span class="cat-links"><span class="gp-icon icon-categories"><svg viewBox="0 0 512 512" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="1em" height="1em"><path d="M0 112c0-26.51 21.49-48 48-48h110.014a48 48 0 0143.592 27.907l12.349 26.791A16 16 0 00228.486 128H464c26.51 0 48 21.49 48 48v224c0 26.51-21.49 48-48 48H48c-26.51 0-48-21.49-48-48V112z" /></svg></span><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://fastkhabar.co.in/category/general-news/" rel="category tag">General News</a></span> <nav id="nav-below" class="post-navigation" aria-label="Posts"> <div class="nav-previous"><span class="gp-icon icon-arrow-left"><svg viewBox="0 0 192 512" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="1em" height="1em" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-miterlimit="1.414"><path d="M178.425 138.212c0 2.265-1.133 4.813-2.832 6.512L64.276 256.001l111.317 111.277c1.7 1.7 2.832 4.247 2.832 6.513 0 2.265-1.133 4.813-2.832 6.512L161.43 394.46c-1.7 1.7-4.249 2.832-6.514 2.832-2.266 0-4.816-1.133-6.515-2.832L16.407 262.514c-1.699-1.7-2.832-4.248-2.832-6.513 0-2.265 1.133-4.813 2.832-6.512l131.994-131.947c1.7-1.699 4.249-2.831 6.515-2.831 2.265 0 4.815 1.132 6.514 2.831l14.163 14.157c1.7 1.7 2.832 3.965 2.832 6.513z" fill-rule="nonzero" /></svg></span><span class="prev"><a href="https://fastkhabar.co.in/anupam-kher-raju-kher-recalls-being-diagnosed-with-bladder-cancer-brother-anupam-kher-slapped-him-when-he-said-hospital-would-be-too-expensive-hes-a-father-figure-to-me-hindi-movie-news/" rel="prev">Anupam Kher: Raju Kher recalls being diagnosed with bladder cancer, brother Anupam Kher slapped him when he said ‘hospital would be too expensive’: ‘He’s a father figure to me’ | Hindi Movie News</a></span></div><div class="nav-next"><span class="gp-icon icon-arrow-right"><svg viewBox="0 0 192 512" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="1em" height="1em" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-miterlimit="1.414"><path d="M178.425 256.001c0 2.266-1.133 4.815-2.832 6.515L43.599 394.509c-1.7 1.7-4.248 2.833-6.514 2.833s-4.816-1.133-6.515-2.833l-14.163-14.162c-1.699-1.7-2.832-3.966-2.832-6.515 0-2.266 1.133-4.815 2.832-6.515l111.317-111.316L16.407 144.685c-1.699-1.7-2.832-4.249-2.832-6.515s1.133-4.815 2.832-6.515l14.163-14.162c1.7-1.7 4.249-2.833 6.515-2.833s4.815 1.133 6.514 2.833l131.994 131.993c1.7 1.7 2.832 4.249 2.832 6.515z" fill-rule="nonzero" /></svg></span><span class="next"><a href="https://fastkhabar.co.in/everything-will-be-remembered-rahul-gandhi-removed-from-protest-site-after-high-drama-watch-india-news/" rel="next">‘Everything will be remembered’: Rahul Gandhi removed from protest site after high drama – watch | India News</a></span></div> </nav> </footer> </div> </article> <div class="comments-area"> <div id="comments"> <div id="respond" class="comment-respond"> <h3 id="reply-title" class="comment-reply-title">Leave a Comment <small><a rel="nofollow" id="cancel-comment-reply-link" href="/evening-news-wrap-mea-condemns-attacks-on-seafarers-iaf-gets-new-chief-opposition-steps-up-protest-against-cec-and-more-india-news/#respond" style="display:none;">Cancel reply</a></small></h3><form action="https://fastkhabar.co.in/wp-comments-post.php" method="post" id="commentform" class="comment-form"><p class="comment-form-comment"><label for="comment" class="screen-reader-text">Comment</label><textarea id="comment" name="comment" cols="45" rows="8" required>