The Uttar Pradesh Police has invoked the National Security Act against senior journalist and writer Satyam Verma and theatre activist Aakriti Chaudhary in connection with the labour unrest that erupted in Noida on 13 April.

The action comes nearly a month after the workers’ agitation and violence in Noida, during which clashes, alleged arson and vandalism were reported.

The NSA allows preventive detention of individuals for up to one year without formal trial under certain circumstances linked to national security and public order.

Bail hearing deferred

On Wednesday, a hearing on the bail pleas of Verma and Chaudhary was held in the Surajpur Sessions Court. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court adjourned the matter.

In a statement, the Satyam Verma Release Forum alleged that the prosecution failed to provide concrete evidence linking the two accused to the violence.

According to the statement, defence lawyers highlighted “the hollowness of the allegations and the illegal nature of the arrests”, while government lawyers were unable to produce substantive proof against either Verma or Chaudhary.

Police claim evidence exists

According to reports quoting Laxmi Singh, police possess “solid electronic and videographic evidence” against Verma, Chaudhary and 65 others arrested in the case.

The police commissioner reportedly said none of those arrested were workers or residents of Noida and alleged that “outsiders” had attempted to incite violence.

Police had initially detained around 365 people under preventive measures from the protest site, although most were later released.

According to police claims cited in media reports, Verma and Chaudhary were identified as active members of “Mazdoor Bigul Dasta”, an organisation allegedly linked to mobilisation during the protest.

Authorities have accused the group of playing a major role in violence and arson in different parts of Noida during the agitation.

Meanwhile, the court has reserved its order on 31 bail applications linked to the Noida violence case.

Defence disputes allegations

Advocate Ali Zia Kabir, appearing for Verma and Chaudhary, has denied the allegations and claimed that Verma was not even present in Noida during the protest.

According to the defence, the police initially filed an FIR against unidentified persons and later added Verma’s name.

Apart from Verma and Chaudhary, those arrested in the case include labour activist and auto driver Rupesh Roy, factory worker and activist Manisha, student Himanshu Thakur and artist Srishti, a former student of Santiniketan.

Verma, who worked with UNI for nearly three decades, is associated with public advocacy platforms and has been known for writing on social and political issues. He was detained by Uttar Pradesh Police from Lucknow on 17 April.

Chaudhary, a postgraduate in history from University of Delhi, has earlier been associated with student organisation Disha and was reportedly preparing for doctoral studies.

Instagram has introduced a new feature called “Instants”, allowing users to share temporary photos with close friends and selected followers in a move aimed at encouraging more casual and authentic interactions on the platform.

The new feature, rolled out by Meta, is designed to offer a more spontaneous alternative to heavily edited posts and polished Stories. Shared photos disappear once viewed, although users can save them privately in an archive for up to a year and later repost them as recap Stories.

Instants can be accessed directly from the Instagram inbox, where they appear as a stack of small photo previews in the bottom-right corner of the direct messages section. Unlike Instagram Stories or Reels, Instants are displayed in their original format without editing tools or filters.

Users can choose whether to share their Instants with their Close Friends list or with followers they mutually follow. Recipients can react to the images, reply to them and share their own Instants in response.

Instagram said all viewed Instants would automatically move to a private archive after 24 hours. Archived content remains visible only to the account holder and cannot be accessed by followers or friends.

The platform has also introduced an optional standalone Instants camera app in selected countries, including India, to provide faster access to capturing and sharing photos instantly.

To reduce clutter in the messaging interface, users can temporarily hide the Instants photo stack using a long-press and swipe gesture within the inbox.

A Business Today report said the feature includes the same privacy and safety protections already available across Instagram, including options to block, mute and restrict users. Teen accounts will also continue to operate under parental supervision settings.

With Instants, Instagram appears to be targeting users seeking more private and low-pressure ways to share everyday moments, as social media platforms increasingly compete to promote more personal and real-time communication.

Congress’s Manipur unit on Thursday alleged that the continuing violence in Manipur is the result of both the state and Union governments failing to properly exercise their constitutional powers to address the crisis.

The remarks came a day after three church leaders were shot dead in Kangpokpi district and another civilian was killed in Noney district in what was suspected to be a retaliatory attack.

Addressing a press conference, state Congress president and former chief minister O. Ibobi Singh condemned the killings and said the violence reflected a collapse of governance and law enforcement in the state.

“We strongly condemn the killings. Three persons belonging to one community were killed on Wednesday morning, while a civilian of another community was killed in the evening in what appears to be a retaliatory act,” Singh said.

Questioning the Centre’s handling of the situation, Singh said the Union government appeared to be remaining a “mute spectator” despite repeated incidents of violence.

“How long will the Central government remain a mute spectator to the series of killings happening in the state?” he asked.

“It appears as if the state has been left on its own, and the different communities are being allowed to engage in killings,” the three-time former chief minister added.

‘Law and order completely collapsed’

Referring to the ethnic conflict that erupted in Manipur in May 2023, Singh recalled earlier observations made by the Supreme Court of India regarding the law-and-order situation in the state.

“Even the Supreme Court had previously said the law and order in the state has completely collapsed,” he said.

The Congress leader appealed to communities to reject retaliatory violence and stressed that revenge attacks would not resolve the crisis.

“Killings between communities will never bring any solution. It's time to shun revengeful acts,” he said, reiterating that maintaining law and order was fundamentally the responsibility of the government.

Singh further alleged that constitutional powers available to both the state and Union governments were not being properly utilised to restore peace and normalcy.

“Constitutional powers given to the government are not being rightly used by both the state and union governments. This, I believe, is the cause of the unrest,” he said.

Manipur has witnessed prolonged ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023, resulting in the deaths of at least 260 people and displacement of thousands across the state.

India’s imports of Russian crude oil declined by 15 per cent in April to €4.5 billion ($5.27 billion), down from €5.3 billion ($6.26 billion) in March, according to fresh data released by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

The Helsinki-based think tank attributed the fall largely to reduced intake at Nayara Energy’s Vadinar refinery, which underwent a maintenance shutdown beginning on 9 April.

Despite the decline, India retained its position as the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian oil and fossil fuels, moneycontrol reported.

CREA said Russian crude unloading patterns shifted significantly across Indian refineries during the month. Imports at Vadinar and Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery reportedly dropped by nearly 92 per cent and 38 per cent respectively, while intake at Indian Oil’s Vadinar facility increased by 87 per cent.

“The decline in Vadinar refinery’s Russian crude imports was driven by maintenance-related shutdowns beginning on 9 April 2026, as the refinery runs exclusively on Russian feedstock,” the report stated.

The data also showed that state-owned refineries in New Mangalore (MRPL) and Visakhapatnam (HPCL), which had halted Russian crude purchases in late 2025, resumed imports in March and continued buying in April. Russian crude intake at the Visakhapatnam refinery surged by 149 per cent month-on-month.

Analysts warned that Indian refiners could face complications if the United States does not extend its waiver allowing purchases of Russian oil beyond the 16 May deadline.

Although India has continued importing Russian crude throughout the Ukraine conflict, the US waiver specifically permitted transactions involving sanctioned Russian entities such as Rosneft and Lukoil.

According to CREA, India imported Russian fossil fuels worth a combined €5 billion ($5.86 billion) in April. Crude oil accounted for around 90 per cent of purchases at €4.5 billion, followed by coal imports valued at €297 million ($347.83 million) and oil products worth €209 million ($244.77 million).

The report also highlighted a sharp rise in the price of Russia’s Urals crude blend, which climbed 19 per cent month-on-month in April to an average of $112.3 per barrel.

That figure remained well above the revised European Union and UK price cap of $44.1 per barrel introduced in February 2026.

CREA said demand for Russian crude had strengthened after the extension of the US sanctions waiver, while tanker shortages and wider market pressures also contributed to higher prices.

“In April, the price discount of Urals-grade crude oil relative to the global benchmark Brent narrowed sharply as demand for Russian crude increased,” the report noted.

The think tank argued that Western price caps on Russian oil had failed to create a lasting reduction in Moscow’s export earnings, claiming the measures had only delivered limited and temporary effects on selected crude grades and shipping routes.

In scenes rarely witnessed within the historic premises of the Calcutta High Court, Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that she was manhandled and heckled by a group of lawyers and outsiders after attending a hearing linked to post-poll violence cases.

The dramatic confrontation unfolded shortly after Banerjee stepped out of the courtroom dressed in a lawyer’s robe — a striking and symbolic appearance that had already triggered intense political speculation across Bengal. As she attempted to leave the court premises, lawyers allegedly surrounded her on the staircase and began shouting “chor, chor” slogans, making it nearly impossible for her to move towards the exit.

Eyewitnesses said the situation quickly turned chaotic as hundreds gathered near the exit gates, with some raising aggressive political slogans, including calls to “send Mamata Banerjee to Bangladesh”. Her security personnel reportedly struggled to create a safe passage through the crowd before finally escorting her to her car amid heavy commotion.

According to Kalyan Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MP and senior advocate, the incident was orchestrated by individuals linked to the BJP. He specifically accused lawyer Suryaneel Das, counsel associated with BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, of organising the gherao.

“The lawyers came dangerously close to the former chief minister and her security personnel found it extremely difficult to handle the situation,” Kalyan Banerjee said. He questioned how such a breach could occur within the high court premises, adding that if this was the situation inside the court, one could imagine the wider law-and-order scenario in the state.

The Trinamool leader also criticised the sloganeering inside and around the courtroom, saying the high court was not a place for political intimidation or street-style protests.

The tension reportedly began even before Banerjee left the courtroom. During the hearing, one lawyer allegedly shouted, “Don’t do drama here,” further escalating the atmosphere. At one stage, Kalyan Banerjee reportedly returned to the courtroom and requested the Bench to intervene after the chief minister found herself unable to descend the staircase because of the crowd pressing around her.

Several lawyers associated with the Trinamool Congress, including Chandrima Bhattacharya and senior advocate Baiswanor Chatterjee, were also present during the confrontation.

Many senior lawyers later remarked that they could not recall a similar scene unfolding inside the high court premises in recent memory, describing the incident as unprecedented and deeply disturbing for the dignity of the institution.

The confrontation came against the backdrop of a politically sensitive hearing related to alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal. The petition was reportedly filed by Shirshanya Bandopadhyay, son of Kalyan Banerjee, before a division bench headed by chief justice Sujoy Pal.

Banerjee’s arrival at court earlier in the day wearing a black lawyer’s gown had itself become the centre of political discussion in Kolkata. Her appearance revived memories of earlier legal battles following the 2021 assembly elections, particularly after her defeat in Nandigram to Suvendu Adhikari.

Political circles were rife with speculation over whether the chief minister was preparing for another significant legal move, possibly connected to the Bhabanipur assembly constituency or broader electoral disputes.

While the Trinamool Congress maintained silence on the exact legal purpose of her visit, the visual impact of the former chief minister entering court in full legal attire dominated headlines throughout the day.

The BJP, however, strongly denied responsibility for the ugly scenes. A BJP-aligned lawyer claimed the confrontation was created by lawyers once associated with the Trinamool Congress and insisted the BJP had no role in the incident.

BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar accused the ruling party of hypocrisy. “These are the things the Trinamool Congress itself taught people over the years. They had heckled lawyers and judges before and even threatened members of the judiciary. If Mamata Banerjee believes something improper happened, she should file a police complaint,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya launched a sharp political attack while speaking to reporters. Referring to alleged corruption involving Trinamool leaders, he claimed public anger against the ruling party was growing rapidly and described the incident as “a fallout of the Trinamool Congress’s own politics”. He also reiterated the BJP’s commitment to implementing the Uniform Civil Code.

Despite the political sparring that followed, visuals of a former chief minister being jostled, surrounded and shouted down within one of the country’s oldest constitutional institutions left many in Bengal shocked. For supporters of Mamata Banerjee, the incident was seen not merely as a political protest, but as a troubling moment that crossed the line between democratic dissent and personal intimidation inside a court of law.

India’s largest banks are still failing to adequately integrate climate risks into their lending and risk-management practices despite rising threats from floods, heatwaves and droughts, according to a new analysis by Bengaluru-based think tank Climate Risk Horizons.

The report, which assessed 35 Indian banks with a combined market capitalisation of around Rs 50 trillion, found that while disclosures related to climate change have improved sharply in recent years, most lenders are still not using climate-related information to shape credit decisions, portfolio exposure or long-term business strategy.

According to the study, 92 per cent of Indian banks now disclose at least some climate-related data, compared with just 40 per cent in 2022. However, researchers said this progress appears largely compliance-driven and influenced by regulatory pressure from the Reserve Bank of India rather than a deeper recognition of financial risks posed by climate change.

“The economic impacts of physical climate risks such as floods, heat and drought are worsening,” the report’s co-author Sagar Asarpur said, warning that climate risks directly affect borrower cash flows, collateral quality and overall portfolio stability.

Few banks stress-testing climate risks

The report found that fewer than half the banks studied had initiated climate stress-testing exercises, and none publicly disclosed the impact of those stress tests on capital adequacy, asset quality or portfolio performance.

Only a handful of lenders have taken concrete measures such as measuring financed emissions, introducing coal phase-out policies or setting net-zero targets.

According to the analysis, only Federal Bank and RBL Bank have announced clear timelines for phasing out coal-sector financing, while Union Bank of India has made a more limited commitment.

Just six of the 35 banks surveyed have announced net-zero targets, and only State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank include Scope 3 emissions within those targets.

The report also noted that only five banks currently disclose financed emissions — the greenhouse gases linked to borrowers and financed projects — despite such emissions typically accounting for over 95 per cent of a bank’s total climate footprint.

Climate costs rising rapidly

The findings come amid increasing concern over the economic costs of climate-related disasters in India.

According to reinsurance giant Swiss Re, extreme weather events causing losses exceeding USD 1 billion are becoming increasingly common in India. Separate estimates cited in the report suggested climate-linked losses in 2023 exceeded USD 12 billion.

Researchers warned that delayed action by banks could increase the risk of stranded assets, rising non-performing loans and broader financial instability.

The report said Indian banks now need to move beyond disclosure-led compliance and integrate climate considerations directly into credit appraisal, pricing models, capital planning and portfolio limits.