Today in History (October 28th, 1886)
On October 28, 1886, U.S. President Grover Cleveland officially dedicated the Statue of Liberty—a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States—on Bedloe’s (later Liberty) Island in Upper New York Bay.
Summary of Today’s News
Pollution spikes to 10 times over WHO limit ahead of Deepavali.
Delhi faces severe air quality concerns, with PM2.5 levels reaching 160 µg/m³, exceeding the WHO limit by over 10 times. The Central Pollution Control Board warns of health risks from inhalable PM2.5 particles, primarily from fuel combustion and agricultural waste. Winter exacerbates pollution due to farm fires and firecracker use. Current AQI is 356 (very poor), with potential to worsen during Deepavali. Political blame ensues, with BJP attributing pollution to farm fires while AAP cites stubble burning in neighboring states.
Centre defends Aadhaar-based wage payment, says it ensures greater inclusion, efficiency.
The Union Rural Development Ministry defended the Aadhaar-based Payment System (ABPS) as a significant reform for the MGNREGS, aimed at improving targeting, efficiency, and payment speed while preventing leakages. In response to criticism from LibTech about high worker deletions since ABPS’s mandatory implementation, the Ministry reported a net loss of 39.3 lakh workers. They emphasized that ABPS directly credits benefits to bank accounts, with 99.3% of active workers eligible. Meanwhile, Congress criticized the BJP government for India’s low ranking of 176 out of 180 on the Nature Conservation Index, questioning the credibility of the index’s co-developer, Ben Gurion University.
UNSC to hold emergency meeting upon Iran’s request.
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday at Iran’s request, following Israel’s missile strikes in retaliation for an October 1 attack by Tehran. Algeria, China, and Russia support this request. Iran seeks to condemn Israel’s recent air strikes on its territory, prompting Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to send a letter to the UN chief and the Security Council’s head regarding the escalating situation.
Iran promises ‘appropriate response’ to Israeli air strike.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that while Iran does not seek war with Israel, it is ready to respond appropriately to recent strikes on its military sites. He attributed rising regional tensions to Israel’s aggression and U.S. support, which Iran does not acknowledge. Pezeshkian criticized the U.S. for failing to honour promises to end conflict in exchange for Iranian restraint. Additionally, Iran has called for an end to the Gaza war, which escalated after the October 7 attack by Hamas.
