‘Sharm nahi aati… terrorist’: Bengaluru professor suspended over offensive remarks against Muslim student; probe underway
A professor at PES University was suspended after allegedly making communal remarks against a Muslim student in class.
No Elon Musk in call between Modi and Trump, clarifies MEA amid West Asia conflict
The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday clarified its position after the New York Times reported that Tesla CEO Elon Musk was present in the telephonic conversation between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump. The MEA categorically stated that only PM Modi and the US President were on the call.
West Bengal Election 2026: Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of instigating Raghunathganj riot , says ‘All my rights have been…’
Following the riot in Raghunathganj on Ram Navami, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ‘instigating’ it, while citing the transfer of police officers ahead of the state elections. Her statement comes as the state prepares for the upcoming Assembly Election, with her confidently stating that, despite these riots, she will win
Does India have only 5-10 days of oil reserves left? Here’s what govt has to say
The central government assured that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG anywhere in the country, as the US-Israel-Iran war escalates, and the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted.
Who is close to PM Modi? This is what ex-minister Smriti Irani has said
Smriti had credited Modi for her opportunities in the Rajya Sabha, “In my ten years of working with him as minister, if you look back at my two opportunities of serving in the Rajya Sabha, they were courtesy of him,” she said.
Texas Supreme Court ends lawsuits against power generators over 2021 winter storm
Tens of thousands of residents and small businesses sought damages from power generators after losing electricity during the storm that resulted in billions in losses and 246 deaths.
Voting rights groups sue Texas over removal of potential noncitizens from the voter roll
The lawsuit says officials failed to check for proof of citizenship that voters may have already provided the state.
NASA races to build moon base as US challenges China in new space race
NASA is racing to establish a permanent human presence on the moon as the U.S. looks to beat China’s ambitions on the lunar surface amid intensifying competition in space. The Trump administration’s push for a roughly $20 billion moon base marks a major shift in NASA’s strategy, moving away from plans for a lunar-orbiting space station and toward building infrastructure directly on the moon as a long-term foothold for deep space exploration. “This time, the goal is not flags and footprints,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said as he outlined the plan. “This time, the goal is to stay.” BEIJING LEVERAGES UN TROOPS, FUNDING TO EXPAND GLOBAL INFLUENCE, HOUSE REPORT WARNS “The reason you want to have a lunar base is that it acts as a focal point of our ongoing efforts to not just be around the Earth, but go into deep space,” Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society space exploration nonprofit, told Fox News Digital. “It’s like the reason that we have our base stations in Antarctica.” Dreier said a sustained presence on the moon would allow the U.S. to store supplies, build out infrastructure and expand its capabilities over time in ways that are not possible with a station orbiting the moon. The shift also reflects a recalibration of NASA’s earlier plans, which centered on the Gateway program — a proposed space station in orbit around the moon that had been a cornerstone of the Artemis program but faced delays, funding uncertainty and growing questions about its necessity. Originally envisioned as a staging point for astronauts traveling to and from the lunar surface, Gateway was designed to serve as a communications hub and transfer point in orbit. NASA is now redirecting resources toward building infrastructure directly on the lunar surface instead. While the new approach sharpens NASA’s focus, Dreier cautioned that the administration’s timeline and budget remain highly ambitious. “Probably not,” he said when asked whether $20 billion would be enough to build and sustain a lunar base. “It’s an ambitious level.” Dreier added that the roughly seven-year timeline is aggressive, particularly given the technical challenges of operating on the moon, suggesting the effort may begin with a limited initial presence that expands over time. China is aiming to land astronauts on the moon by around 2030, a milestone that would mark its first crewed lunar mission and significantly expand its presence beyond Earth orbit. The push for a lunar base comes as China also rapidly advances its own capabilities, conducting increasingly complex robotic missions and laying the groundwork for a long-term presence on the moon. “They have gone from launching one or two satellites or space science satellites to launching dozens,” Dreier said. “They have landed huge amounts of mass now on the moon, on the far side of the moon.” He noted that China has also successfully carried out robotic sample return missions, launching material from the lunar surface back to Earth — a technically demanding feat that underscores its growing capabilities. NASA RETURNS HUMANS TO DEEP SPACE AFTER OVER 50 YEARS WITH FEBRUARY ARTEMIS II MOON MISSION “They’re developing their capability very fast,” Dreier said. “That is more capability than the United States has at the moon right now.” “At the Moon, China actually has the advantage right now,” he added. China is working with international partners, including Russia, on plans for a long-term presence near the lunar south pole — a region believed to contain water ice and other key resources. “We find ourselves with a real geopolitical rival, challenging American leadership in the high ground of space,” Isaacman said. Dreier said the push to build sustained operations on the moon could also strengthen broader U.S. capabilities in space, particularly as orbit becomes more contested. “The moon is the ultimate high ground,” he said. “If we have to have space contested, let’s make it a race to the moon … rather than something far more direct and destructive in the Earth orbit.” Fox News Digital reached out to NASA for comment.
Soros-backed group among liberal orgs pumping eye-popping cash into Virginia gerrymandering effort
A group fighting to get Virginia voters to approve an April 21 referendum to let Democrats in the state redraw its congressional maps is being pumped with liberal cash, receiving over $38 million from less than a dozen left-wing entities over the last three months, including from the George Soros-backed Fund For Policy Reform Inc. The Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) tracks state spending in Virginia and, according to its database, Virginians for Fair Elections has received $5 million from the Soros-funded and founded entity, which is within his Open Society Foundations Network of groups known for pushing liberal causes. Soros’ latest cause is a massive gerrymandering effort in Virginia, where the state’s congressional delegation could go from effectively 6 Democrats and 5 Republicans, to 10-Democratic-leaning districts and one Republican-leaning district, per VPAP. Virginians for Fair Elections is one of the main vehicles pushing Virginia voters to vote “yes” on April 21 to redraw the state’s maps. Virginia’s decision to redraw its maps came after mid-decade redistricting efforts by Republicans in Texas, which significantly changed the state’s electoral maps. VIRGINIA DEM ADMITS REDISTRICTING PUSH AIMS TO ‘STOP TRUMP’, NOT ABOUT ‘FAIRNESS’ Tens of millions of dollars have been pumped into the state of Virginia ahead of the April 21 referendum vote, with the vast majority going to the Democratic side of the issue. Besides money from Soros’ network, in 2026, Virginians for Fair elections received $20 million from the nonprofit counterpart of House Democrats’ House Majority PAC, $100,000 from Sen. Tim Kaine’s, D-Va., leadership PAC, a little over $10 million from the progressive nonprofit that funds ballot initiatives nationwide, The Fairness Project, almost $500,000 from the Democratic Party of Virginia, $1 million from the Global Impact Social Welfare Fund, $1 million from a group called American Opportunity Action, and then several other smaller donations from wealthy liberal backers. The main group opposing redistricting, Virginians For Fair Maps, has only raised a little over $3 million from just two donors in 2026. $560,000 came from the Republican Party of Virginia while the remaining $2.5 million came from a group by the same name, Virginians for Fair Maps, according to VPAP. OBAMA ENDORSES VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT COULD HELP DEMS GAIN 4 SEATS Despite the fundraising advantage, the referendum is still expected to be close. Since polls opened March 6 for early voting, turnout in Republican-heavy counties has been high compared to the state’s election turnout in November, when Democrats performed very well and Spanberger took over the Governor’s mansion, while Jones took over the attorney general’s Office. Democrats in the state have reportedly been urging Spanberger to get more assertive in the redistricting effort. Democrat Beth Macy, who is running for Congress in one of the five House districts currently held by Republicans, said Virginia Democrats “gotta stop bringing a spork to a knife fight,” according to Politico. She added that it would be “helpful” for Spanberger “to be the spokesperson on redistricting because she did so well and won by so much.” Soros’ network of groups and PACs has also been a powerful force behind supporting dozens of far-left district attorneys, such as the formerly recalled San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, Chicago’s Kim Foxx, and L.A.’s George Gascon. In 2022, 1 in 5 Americans were represented by a Soros-linked prosecutor, according to data from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund. In Virginia, Soros’ Democracy PAC donated at least $500K to help Spanberger become governor and to help Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, who fantasized about killing his Republican rival and his family, get elected. His PACs have also donated millions to the campaign coffers of far-left district attorneys in Virginia. Fox News Digital reached out to Soros’ Open Society Foundations and the other top donors pumping millions into the redistricting battle, but did not receive a response from Soros’ group ahead of publication. “No one wanted to take this action, but in a democracy, we can’t let entire states rig their congressional maps just to bend to the will of one person. We have to respond. This amendment is a temporary, one-time exception that gives Virginia voters a voice and meets the needs of the current moment, while ensuring Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting process will resume after the 2030 census,” Alexis Magnan-Callaway, a spokesperson for The Fairness Project, told Fox News digital. “The ballot measure allows Virginia voters, not politicians, to decide for themselves whether they want new, temporary districts,” she continued. “This isn’t about favoring one party over another. This is about restoring fairness across the board by temporarily changing Virginia’s congressional districts.”
Scouting America moves to shed ‘woke’ label with major recommitment to military, traditional American values
Scouting America, the Texas-based national organization founded as the Boy Scouts of America, is working to shed claims it has gone “woke” in recent years as it renews its focus on training young people with life skills, providing fun and educational outdoor experiences and revitalizing its partnership with the U.S. military. Since its inception by Lt. Gen. Robert Baden-Powell in February 1910, what is now Scouting America has remained dedicated to providing the key life tenets of faith, character and service to young people, as in one example it eliminated an otherwise recently conceived “DEI” merit badge and replaced it with a military-centric one. Chief Scout Executive Roger Krone told Fox News Digital that scouts have been central to key moments in history, a testament to the program’s values, importance and longevity. “In fact, I think all but one of the men that walked on the moon were Scouts. There is [also] a tendency for a certain percentage of membership to want to trade their Scout uniforms for military uniforms: we have a long tradition with the military,” Krone said. DAVID MARCUS: ONLY HEGSETH CAN SAVE STORIED VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE FROM WOKE STATE LAWMAKERS In 1915, professional scouter E. Urner Goodman founded Scouting America’s own honor society, the Order of the Arrow, at Treasure Island Scout Reservation in the middle of the Delaware River to recognize scouters who excel in their life of service. John F. Kennedy was the first scout president, and Gerald Ford is the only one to date who has earned Eagle Scout. President Jimmy Carter, though never a scout, earned the BSA’s Silver Buffalo Award for service to Georgia scouts. As part of its reaffirmation of American values, Scouting America will waive registration fees for military families’ children and participate in the America250 program. “Just as it has for 116 years, Scouting America is dedicated to shaping patriotic Americans grounded in faith, character and service,” Krone said. “Our relationship with the United States Military reflects a shared belief that leadership, service, and love of country are not abstract ideals—they are values forged through action, discipline, and commitment. The Scouting program is uniquely positioned to instill these values in our future leaders.” Fifteen percent of military academy cadets are Eagle Scouts, and more than 130 million Americans have been trained by the Boy Scouts since 1910. He noted that Baden-Powell, a British military hero, conceived the idea in the wake of the Industrial Revolution to instill merit and values in wayward children in London. VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS RETREAT ON VMI FUNDING THREAT AFTER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WARNS OF ‘EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES’ “There were kids in London that were getting in trouble because they had too much time on their hands. And so we started using these military tactics, learning how to track animals and using compasses and these things, to keep kids occupied they go on camp out some things like that. And that was the birth of the scouting program. So we have a proud tradition with the military.” Scouts continue wearing the American flag on their Class-A uniforms from their time as Cub Scouts through earning Eagle, and, as Krone noted, their meetings also begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Scout Oath, which include pledges to honor God, country and law. “There’s a deep connection between what we teach with character and leadership … to the military so it’s probably just natural.” Krone pushed back on Scouting America being called woke, noting that about 70 percent of sponsoring organizations are churches. The Catholic Church is said to be the largest holder of unit charters, Krone said, while across the country other houses of worship, from Methodist to Episcopal to the United Church of Christ, sponsor troops. “We are a very faith-based, faith-driven organization, very patriotic, we love God and country and so yeah, we strive very hard to be apolitical these days.” Scouting received blowback for allowing girls to join in the past decade. Krone said that Scouting remains a meritocracy and rank requirements aren’t changed by gender. “Whether you’re a young man in a program or a young woman in a program, you do the same exact thing. And it all is about using the outdoors as a classroom where you learn leadership and grit and resilience and you put the ideals of Scout … to practice in the outdoors and it is an amazing teacher. It’s an amazing program.” AMERICA’S BOYS NEED NOBLE MASCULINITY — NOT LOWERED EXPECTATIONS The Scouting program also takes kids away from their screens and away from potentially “woke” influences online and reconnects them with serving their community and working or camping outdoors. “We know one of the challenges I think our kids in our country face today is that they’re glued to the devices, they’re indoors or on a couch,” Krone said. “And I think there’s a lot of authors out there have written about the fact that it’s toxic, right? We’ve got to get kids back outdoors and get them off devices, you know, moving around. “We say it’s ‘social without the media’.” Scouting America’s youth leaders recently visited Capitol Hill, where they met with congressional leaders who included scouters among them. “Great day with [the] Boy Scouts. I enjoyed meeting Ricky Mason, Chair of the Scouts Executive Board, and outstanding young leader Joshua Nero, Chief of the Order of the Arrow (the highest ranked Scout), and taking him to meet Speaker Mike Johnson,” Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., said in a statement. “Scouts is a great program and more parents should get their kids off of their phones and out into the wilderness learning life skills and confidence with Scouting for America.” The Hill also hosts its own Congressional Scouting Caucus led by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., and Sanford Bishop, D-Ga. To be awarded the Eagle Scout rank, a scout must earn at least 21 merit badges, including 10 from a specific list that includes three “Citizenship” badges — Community, Nation