Morning Digest: Delhi air quality worsens as people defy firecrackers ban on Deepavali; 19 Indian seafarers stranded in Yemen evacuated, and more

Air pollution over 50 times WHO limit in parts of Delhi as people defy ban on firecrackers on DeepavaliAs Delhiites burst firecrackers well past the 10 p.m. deadline set by the Supreme Court for Deepavali night, air pollution shot up to over 50 times World Health Organisation (WHO) limits in parts of the city, official data showed. The overall air quality of Delhi continued to be in the “very poor” category while many parts of the city continued to reel under “severe” air quality.19 Indian seafarers stranded in Yemen evacuated, Embassy saysNineteen Indian seafarers stranded in Yemen’s Hodeidah and Sana’a for the past two weeks have been evacuated, with all of them safe and on their way back to their country, the Indian Embassy in Yemen said on Sunday (November 8, 2026). “All seafarers are safe, in good health, and on their way back to India. The Embassy sincerely thanks all concerned for their valuable cooperation and continued support in facilitating the safe evacuation of our Indian nationals,” the mission said in a post on X.‘Dimagi Naxals’ instigating people against Constitution: PM Modi as Maoists eliminatedTargeting political opponents, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (November 8, 2026) said armed Maoists had been eliminated, but “dimagi Naxals” (ideological supporters) had infiltrated several political parties and organisations and were instigating people against the Constitution and democracy.Delhi faces new challenge from Samosa caucusU.S. President Donald Trump lost as much as 10% of the Indian-American vote, say experts, with widespread disappointment over the Republican Party’s MAGA rhetoric that villainises immigrants. However, the ‘bluenami’, as it is being called for the Democratic Party’s official colour, is also being studied in South Block for a different reason — for the number of Indian-Americans elected, belonging largely to the Democratic Party in opposition, who are less reticent about criticising the Indian government on issues like civil rights and democratic freedoms.Fire engulfs Jammu’s Nehru Market, guts around 12 shopsFire gutted at least a dozen shops in the historic Nehru Market in the heart of Jammu city on Sunday (November 8, 2026) night, while a separate blaze broke out at the district police lines in Kathua district, officials said. No casualties were reported in either incident, which occurred amid widespread bursting of firecrackers on Deepavali. All the same, the exact cause of the blazes is yet to be ascertained.Jean Drèze urges T.N. govt. to take strict action amid report of ‘fake book’ at Kalaignar Centenary LibraryEconomist Jean Drèze on Sunday (November 8, 2026) said an English-language book attributed to him as the author and allegedly found in some public libraries of Tamil Nadu is “fake”. The confirmation comes following a media report alleging that a title listed in Madurai’s Kalaignar Centenary Library may not have been authored by Mr. Drèze. The book which lists him as the author was identified as the title ‘Democracy and Peoples Right in the Contemporary World’’.Revanth sets target of making one crore women millionaires by 2034Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy set a target of transforming one crore women into millionaires by 2034 by strengthening self-help groups (SHGs) and creating more opportunities for them in business and industry. Interacting with women members of self-help groups at the Lagacharla Industrial Hub in Kodangal constituency on Sunday (November 8, 2026), he said nearly 70 lakh women were already members of SHGs and the government aimed to increase the membership to one crore by 2034 and make every member financially prosperous.One child dead, 269 treated for burn injuries in T.N. during DeepavaliOne child succumbed to burn injuries, and 269 people were treated for firecracker-related burns across Tamil Nadu during the Deepavali festivities, according to official data tracking emergencies over a 24-hour window. As per the official bulletin, the state 108 emergency ambulance network received 16,079 calls between 7 a.m. on November 7 and 7 a.m. on November 8. Of the total distress calls, 2,475 were related to accidents, 396 for minor injuries, and 98 specifically for burn injuries.Egypt train collision kills 7, injures 112: Health MinistryTwo trains collided south of the Egyptian capital on Sunday (November 8, 2026), derailing several carriages, killing seven people and injuring more than 100 others, according to the authorities. Egypt’s railway authority said a train travelling from Giza to Fayoum crashed into the rear of another service heading south from Cairo to the city of Aswan. The Health Ministry said 112 people were injured and were now being treated in hospitals around the Giza area.Trump, in CBS interview, says deportation policy was ‘too tough’U.S. President Donald Trump said that his mass deportation of undocumented immigrants was “too tough”, according to an excerpt of an interview with CBS aired on Sunday (November 8, 2026). Asked about his deportation policy, Mr. Trump told CBS’ “60 Minutes”: “I think it was too tough...I think it might be too tough.” The excerpt was published by CBS on X ahead of a broadcast of the interview on network TV later on Sunday (November 8, 2026). It was recorded after the Republican Party’s heavy loss in midterm elections on Tuesday.Nvidia investigating reports that CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by Chinese intelligenceNvidia is opening an investigation into reports that CEO Jensen Huang was the “target of a foreign intelligence effort,” the company’s board of directors said Sunday (November 8, 2026). The announcement came after Mr. Huang acknowledged to the board that he had been intimate with a business executive whom U.S. intelligence determined was gathering information for Beijing, The New York Times reported.Democrats eye Musk, Miller probes after midterm routTech megabillionaire Elon Musk and President ‌Donald Trump’s newly appointed White House chief of staff, Stephen Miller, ​will likely be targets of congressional probes when Democrats take control ⁠of Congress in January, a senior lawmaker said on Sunday (November 8, 2026). California Representative Robert Garcia, who is in line to chair the powerful House Oversight Committee next year after Democrats’ sweeping midterm election victory, ‌said investigations will focus on Mr. Musk’s involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency’s firing of federal workers last year, and Mr. Miller’s role in Mr. Trump’s ‌hardline immigration crackdown.Eisenkot says Netanyahu’s party welcome to join government under him as new Israeli PMGadi Eisenkot, tasked on Sunday (November 8, 2026) with forming a new government, said he was open to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and one of his far-right allies joining but under him as the new leader. “If members of Likud and the Religious Zionist Party truly believe this is a time for unity, as they told the president, I cannot conceive of any reason why they would not support a government under my leadership and the principles I have presented,” Mr. Eisenkot said, referring to Mr. Netanyahu’s party and that of the far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich.Pope Leo takes Milei to task as he visits divided ArgentinaPope Leo XIV delivered a stinging critique of Argentina President Javier Milei’s harsh austerity measures on Sunday (November 8, 2026), insisting growth must benefit all in a speech met with rapturous applause. “The economy must be at the service of the people, rather than people being at the service of the economy,” he said, shortly after landing in Argentina on the second leg of a Latin America tour. Pope Leo stressed the plight of those who, “despite hard work, nonetheless struggle to meet their household’s needs.”P.T. Usha complains to IOA electoral officer over WhatsApp campaign for SOM pollsIndian Olympic Association (IOA) president P.T. Usha has lodged a complaint with the Electoral Officer alleging that former archer Dola Banerjee violated the Model Code of Conduct by circulating a WhatsApp message soliciting votes for a panel of four candidates in Monday’s (November 9, 2026) Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) elections. In her complaint, Usha objected to a WhatsApp message circulated through an account bearing Banerjee’s name, seeking support for the ‘New Bharat Panel’ and asking voters to elect four named candidates, along with their ballot serial numbers and roll numbers.Chennai Open tennis: Singles final postponed due to rain, unhealthy air qualityThe singles final of the WTA 250 Chennai Open between Indonesia’s Janice Tjen and Poland’s Magda Linette was postponed due to rain and poor air quality on Sunday. The contest will now be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, the reserve day for the tournament.