Sankushmedia

25/10/2025

In a historic decision, Saudi Arabia has officially abolished the decades-old Kafala or sponsorship system, granting new rights and freedoms to millions of migrant workers. This marks a major shift in the country’s labour laws, impacting around 13 million foreign workers, many of whom are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Philippines.

Under the previous Kafala system, a worker’s employment and residency were tied to a single employer, restricting their ability to change jobs, travel, or leave the country without the employer’s permission. The system had long been criticised for enabling exploitation and forced labour, as workers often faced withheld passports, unpaid wages, and poor working conditions.

The new labour reforms allow workers to change jobs without employer consent after their contract ends, travel freely without exit permits, and hold residency independent of a single sponsor. These changes are expected to create a fairer and more transparent labour environment, in line with global human rights standards.

For millions of Indian and Asian migrant workers, this move is a major relief, offering better job mobility, legal protection, and dignity at work. The reform is also part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which aims to modernise the economy, attract global investment, and improve its international image.

The true impact, however, will depend on how effectively these new rights are implemented and enforced in the years ahead.

24/10/2025

The Defence Ministry of India has approved a major modernisation plan worth ₹79,000 crore to strengthen the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The decision was taken by the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, focusing on enhancing India’s military capabilities and self-reliance under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

For the Army, the approval includes the procurement of the Nag Missile System (Tracked) Mk-II (NAMIS) designed to destroy tanks, bunkers, and enemy fortifications. The plan also covers the Ground-Based Mobile ELINT System (GBMES) for continuous electronic intelligence and high-mobility vehicles equipped with material-handling cranes to improve logistics in difficult terrains.

The Navy will receive significant upgrades, including Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) to support amphibious, joint, and humanitarian missions. Additional acquisitions include 30 mm naval surface guns, lightweight torpedoes, electro-optical infrared tracking systems, and smart ammunition to enhance surface, subsurface, and coastal defence operations.

For the Air Force, the plan introduces the Collaborative Long-Range Target Saturation/Destruction System (CLRTS/DS), an autonomous precision strike system capable of long-range navigation and payload delivery in complex environments.

This initiative follows a ₹67,000 crore defence procurement package approved in August 2025, marking India’s continued effort to modernize and indigenize its armed forces.

23/10/2025

The Aurangabad Railway Station in Maharashtra has officially been renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station, following a government gazette notification issued on October 15. The move aligns with the earlier renaming of the city of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023 and comes amid heightened political activity ahead of local and civic body elections in the state.

The Maharashtra government took this decision to honour Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and to move away from the city’s Mughal-era name derived from Emperor Aurangzeb. The renaming is seen as both a cultural and historical restoration, reflecting pride in the Maratha legacy.

Originally opened in 1900 under the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, the Aurangabad Railway Station lies on the Kacheguda–Manmad section under the Nanded division of the South Central Railway zone. It serves as a key junction connecting major cities across India.

The demand to rename the station and city dates back to the late 1980s when local leaders and citizens began pressing for change following communal tensions in the region. The official approval now marks a significant moment in Maharashtra’s identity transformation and a reaffirmation of its historical heritage.

23/10/2025

In a bold step for India’s AI security landscape, Matters.AI has raised ₹55 Crore to transform how enterprises protect data. The startup is building the world’s first AI Security Engineer, a system that doesn’t just monitor but thinks.

Unlike conventional tools that flood teams with alerts, Matters.AI’s platform learns, predicts, and acts autonomously, protecting sensitive data across Cloud, SaaS, Endpoints, and On-Prem environments.

The ₹42 Crore Seed round, co-led by Kalaari Capital and Endiya Partners, follows an earlier ₹13 Crore Pre-Seed round backed by Better Capital and Carya Venture Partners.

Born from a simple question - “Where is my sensitive data right now?” the platform brings intelligence to cybersecurity. Using semantic graphs and predictive models, it identifies threats by understanding context and intent, not just patterns.

From endpoint visibility to GenAI governance across tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot, Matters.AI unifies everything into one control plane, where visibility meets action.

With fresh funding, the company plans to scale R&D, strengthen its teams, and expand into India and the U.S., building systems that think, not just alert.

As CEO Keshava Murthy puts it: “The world doesn’t need another dashboard screaming alerts - it needs a system that can think.”

23/10/2025

President Droupadi Murmu made history on October 22, 2025, by becoming the first woman President of India to offer prayers at the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, one of the country’s most sacred hill shrines dedicated to Lord Ayyappa.

She arrived at the base camp in Pamba around 11 a.m. and followed the traditional rituals observed by Ayyappa devotees. Murmu performed a ceremonial wash in the Pamba River before carrying the sacred ‘irumudikettu’ bundle on her head and climbing the 18 holy steps to reach the sanctum sanctorum. Her visit was marked by simplicity and devotion, reflecting her deep respect for the temple’s traditions.

President Murmu is only the second Indian President to visit Sabarimala, after V. V. Giri’s visit in the 1970s. Her visit came at a significant time, as Sabarimala has been at the center of national debate since the 2018 Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the temple, overturning a centuries-old restriction.

BJP MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar praised her act, stating that she broke no traditions but upheld faith and devotion. The temple authorities extended a warm welcome, and her visit formed part of her four-day official tour of Kerala.

21/10/2025

Workers at the Fatehabad toll plaza on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway staged an hours-long protest on Monday, demanding a higher Diwali bonus. Employees of Shri Sai & Datar Company, which manages the toll operations, were upset after receiving only ₹1,100 as a Diwali bonus this year significantly lower than the ₹5,000 bonus given last year. In protest, the workers opened all toll gates, allowing more than 5,000 vehicles to pass through without paying the ₹665 one-way toll, leading to substantial revenue loss.

The protest, involving around 21 employees, began in the morning and caused chaos along one of Uttar Pradesh’s busiest expressways. Police were called to the site to control the situation and facilitate talks between the workers and company management. The company justified the reduced bonus by citing its recent takeover of operations in March 2025, claiming it could not offer a full-year bonus.

After several hours of disruption, the protest ended when the toll manager assured the workers of a 10% salary hike as a temporary measure. Following this assurance, employees resumed operations, and normal toll collection was restored after roughly two hours.

21/10/2025

The end of an era 💔

20/10/2025

19/10/2025

A delivery agent working for Zepto in Bengaluru recently shared a screenshot of his weekly earnings on social media, which quickly went viral. The post revealed that he earned around ₹21,000 in one week, working from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for 12-hour daily shifts. The screenshot, taken for the week of September 29 to October 5, showed that he completed 387 orders, and after deducting his fuel expenses, his take-home income was approximately 18,906.

He explained that his earnings vary depending on several factors such as weather, customer demand, and surge bonuses. For instance, he shared that during a three-day week with consistent evening rainfall, he earned about 12,000 while spending only ₹600-₹700 on petrol, as Zepto offers higher bonuses during rain. According to him, gentle rain that lasts for hours helps him earn more compared to heavy downpours that disrupt deliveries.

His post triggered a range of reactions online. Many netizens appreciated his dedication and the effort required to earn such an amount, while others questioned the sustainability of such income given the long working hours and physical strain involved. The viral post highlights the unpredictable yet opportunity-filled nature of gig economy jobs, where earnings depend heavily on timing, performance, and external conditions like weather and demand.

18/10/2025

Kerala-based Malabar Gold & Diamonds is facing boycott calls ahead of Dhanteras after being linked to a Pakistani influencer, Alishba Khalid. The controversy began when Khalid, who is based in London, participated in the launch of a new Malabar showroom in the UK. Social media users pointed out that she had earlier criticized India’s Operation Sindoor, calling it a cowardly act. This sparked outrage, with many accusing the jewellery brand of associating with an individual who had made anti-India remarks.

As the backlash intensified online, Malabar Gold & Diamonds approached the Bombay High Court seeking action against defamatory posts. The court issued an interim order directing major social media platforms such as Google, Meta, and X to remove posts linking the company with Pakistan or questioning its patriotism. The company clarified that it had hired a UK-based agency to handle the event and was unaware of the influencer’s nationality or her previous comments. Once the issue came to light, Malabar terminated her services immediately. Despite these clarifications, boycott trends have resurfaced just before Dhanteras, one of the most important gold-buying festivals in India, posing both reputational and commercial challenges for the jewellery brand.

17/10/2025

India has overtaken China to become the third most powerful air force in the world, according to the latest rankings released by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA). The United States retains the top position, followed by Russia, while China has slipped to fourth place.

The rankings are based on the TruVal Rating (TVR) system, which measures overall capability, readiness, and balance of air forces. India scored 69.4, surpassing China’s 63.8. Interestingly, this achievement comes even though India has fewer aircraft than China. The Indian Air Force’s advantage lies in its superior training, modern fleet composition, operational readiness, and strategic balance between different types of aircraft.

According to the report, around 31.6% of India’s aircraft are fighters, 29% are helicopters, and 21.8% are trainers — indicating a well-balanced force. In contrast, China’s air power is more concentrated, with 52.9% fighters and 28.4% trainers.

India’s fleet includes advanced aircraft such as the Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Mirage 2000, and Tejas. The country is also preparing to induct new-generation aircraft like the LCA Mk1A, LCA Mk2, MRFA, and the indigenous AMCA.

This ranking highlights India’s growing air dominance and its focus on modernization, quality, and self-reliance in defense technology.