Tops news of the day: Restore forest at Kancha Gachibowli or have officers sent to jail, Supreme Court warns Telangana; Rajnath Singh calls for global supervision of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, and more

Supreme Court issues ultimatum to Telangana, Rajnath Singh questions Pakistan's nuclear security, Delhi air quality worsens.

The Supreme Court gave the State of Telangana a choice between restoring the ruined acres of Kancha Gachibowli forest where trees were felled for an IT infrastructure project during an extended weekend or face the prospect of its Chief Secretary and “half a dozen officials” being sent to a “temporary prison” near the bulldozed green cover.

On his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir following the launch of Operation Sindoor, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (May 15, 2025) questioned the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and called for its supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), citing concerns over what he described as “irresponsible” conduct by the neighbouring country.

Air quality of Delhi and other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) are in the upper end of the “poor” category on Thursday (May 15, 2025), as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. A layer of dust blanketed Delhi-NCR on Thursday (May 15, 2025) morning following overnight dust storms, which reduced visibility and caused a drop in the air quality.

BJP leader and former Union Minister John Barla joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday, and claimed that the saffron party did not allow him to work for tribal people. Mr. Barla, who was elected on a BJP ticket from Alipurduars in 2019 and served as Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, had expressed unhappiness after being denied a party ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“The Director General of Police (DGP) Maharashtra has formed a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the custodial death of Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur school sexual assault case,” an official said on Thursday (May 15, 2025). “DGP Rashmi Shukla formed the SIT as per the Supreme Court’s orders,” he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Apple CEO Tim Cook to raise production in the U.S. rather than expanding manufacturing in India on Thursday (May 15, 2025). Mr. Trump made the comments during a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar, on his Mideast tour, first discussing Apple’s plans to build manufacturing plants for its iPhone there.

A Supreme Court Bench of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih on Thursday (May 15, 2025) decided to devote an entire day on May 20 to hear arguments for and against an interim order to stay the provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.