Top news headlines of today – 22 Nov 2025

The heads of state attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg on Saturday adopted a Declaration by consensus despite US attempts to stop it.

“It is a great moment for us because we believe that this will revolutionise the (African) continent,” South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said on host broadcaster SABC, calling the Declaration as “an affirmation of multilateralism.”

Generally, the adoption of the Declaration happens at the end of the Leaders' Summit. This time it happened at the start of the meet.

“The Declaration has been negotiated and agreed upon by the Sherpas who needed to agree on (it). The various leaders who are here have been briefed by their Sherpas on what is in the Declaration, so there was nothing that stops us from putting the Declaration forward for adoption by the leaders who are in the first segment of this (two-day) meeting,” Lamola said about the unusual step of adopting the Declaration early in the start of the meeting.

Follow this page as we track big developments of the day, with a focus on Delhi air pollution.

Nov 22, 2025 18:07 IST
Despite US attempts to block it, G20 leaders clear Declaration at Johannesburg meet
The heads of state attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg on Saturday adopted a Declaration by consensus despite US attempts to stop it.
 
“It is a great moment for us because we believe that this will revolutionise the (African) continent,” South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said on host broadcaster SABC, calling the Declaration as “an affirmation of multilateralism.”
 
Generally, the adoption of the Declaration happens at the end of the Leaders' Summit. This time it happened at the start of the meet. READ MORE



Nov 22, 2025 17:59 IST
PM Modi proposes three initiatives at G20, including one to counter drug-terror nexus
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for a profound rethink of the global development parameters and proposed setting up of a G20 initiative to counter the drug-terror nexus and a global healthcare response team.
 
Addressing the opening session of the G20 Leaders' Meeting here, Modi proposed creation of a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository under the G20 to preserve eco-balanced, culturally rich, and socially cohesive ways of living. READ MORE



Nov 22, 2025 17:04 IST
Bill on civil nuclear sector among 10 proposed legislations planned for Parliament winter session
A bill seeking to open up the civil nuclear sector for private players is among the 10 new proposed legislations listed by the government for introduction in the winter session of Parliament, beginning December 1.
 
Besides the crucial 'The Atomic Energy Bill, 2025', which seeks to govern the use and regulation of atomic energy in India, the Higher Education Commission of India Bill is also on the agenda. READ MORE



Nov 22, 2025 16:56 IST
CAQM makes GRAP more stringent in Delhi-NCR amid worsening air quality
The Commission for Air Quality Management has tightened the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi-NCR, advancing several pollution-control measures to earlier stages to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region.
 
The revised schedule, finalised on November 21 after consultations with stakeholders, shifts multiple actions from higher alert stages to lower ones, meaning restrictions will now be triggered sooner as the Air Quality Index (AQI) worsens.
 
Under the new framework, several curbs that previously fell under Stage II ('Poor' AQI 201-300) will now be enforced at Stage I. READ MORE



Nov 22, 2025 16:41 IST
Bowlers give India upper-hand, South Africa end day one at 247/6
Temba Bavuma paid price for his momentary indiscretion while Tristan Stubbs fell prey to Kuldeep Yadav's guile as bowlers put India on top in the second Test, reducing South Africa to 247 for six on an attritional opening day's cricket, here.
 
It was a track with a difference where survival, unlike Kolkata, wasn't difficult but at the same time, it wasn't a belter either where a team could just race away with a flurry of boundaries. READ MORE



Nov 22, 2025 15:18 IST
Over Rs 84 crore PUC fines issued during GRAP checks from Oct 14 to Nov 18: Delhi Traffic Police
The Delhi Traffic Police has imposed fines of over Rs 84.98 crore for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate violations during GRAP stages one and two from October 14 to November 18, officials said.
 
The amount corresponds to 84,981 challans according to official data accessed by PTI, each carrying a penalty of Rs 10,000.
 
The Western Range issued the highest with 22,867 PUC challans, followed by 20,554 in the Southern Range and 13,423 in the New Delhi Range. The Eastern Range issued 12,441 challans, the Northern Range recorded 10,211, and the Central Range issued 5,485, the records showed.



Nov 22, 2025 13:26 IST
2026 polls: Cong appoints panel for seat-sharing talks with DMK, ends claims on aligning with TVK
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has constituted a 5-member committee to hold seat-sharing parleys with DMK for the 2026 Assembly election, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K Selvaperunthagai said on Saturday.
 
The Congress team tasked to hold talks with the ruling DMK will be led by party in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Girish Chodankar, the TNCC top leader said.
 
Selvaperunthagai and legislature party leader S Rajeshkumar will be part of the panel.
 
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram welcomed the party brass appointing the committee and said this would strengthen the INDIA bloc's unity.



Nov 22, 2025 13:26 IST
Speaker race picks up pace in Bihar; Prem Kumar, Damodar Rawat in contention
A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar allocated the portfolios among the state ministers, lobbying has intensified for the post of Speaker in the assembly, sources in the ruling NDA said on Saturday.
 
BJP MLA Prem Kumar, who has been elected for the ninth consecutive term from the Gaya Town assembly seat, is considered the frontrunner for the Speaker's post as he is one of the senior-most leaders of the party, they said.
 
The name of Jhajha MLA Damodar Rawat of the JD(U) was also doing the rounds, they said.
 
A special session of the assembly will soon be convened so that all 243 elected members can take the oath and elect a Speaker, the sources said.



Nov 22, 2025 13:01 IST
Two BLOs die across two districts in MP; kin allege SIR survey work pressure
Two teachers-cum-Booth Level Officers (BLOs) tasked with conducting voter list survey for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) died of "illness" in Raisen and Damoh districts of Madhya Pradesh on Friday, officials said.
 
Relatives and friends of the deceased teachers-cum-BLOs, however, blamed heavy workload and pressure to meet enumeration targets as the reasons for the deaths.
 
Separately, a BLO has been missing for the past six days in the Raisen district, and efforts are underway to trace him, officials said.
 
The two BLOs who died on Friday late night were identified as Ramakant Pandey and Sitaram Gond (50). They were posted in Raisen and Damoh districts, respectively.



Nov 22, 2025 13:00 IST
Maharashtra local body elections: BJP claims 100 councillors won unopposed days ahead of polling
Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan has claimed an unopposed election of 100 councillors of the ruling party in municipal councils and nagar panchayats across the state in the run-up to local body polls.
 
He said three candidates were elected unopposed as the presidents of municipal councils.
 
"Due to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as many as 100 BJP councillors have been elected unopposed even before the actual polling,” Chavan said on Friday, the last day for the withdrawal of nominations.



Nov 22, 2025 11:28 IST
Bumrah remove Markram as South Africa reach 82 for 1 at tea in 2nd Test
Jasprit Bumrah reaped the rewards for a probing morning spell by removing Aiden Markram with the final delivery of the first session as South Africa reached 82 for 1 at tea against India on the opening day of the second Test here on Saturday.
 
Bumrah bowled a probing spell, repeatedly asking questions to both Markram (38) and Ryan Rickleton (35 batting), who survived the opening six-over spell, largely due to KL Rahul dropping a regulation catch in the second slip when the former was batting on six. READ MORE



Nov 22, 2025 10:25 IST
No respite for Delhi as ‘very poor’ air quality continues, AQI at 360
There was no respite from toxic air for Delhi as it continued to face "very poor" air quality on Saturday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
 
The city's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 360, according to the 9 am hourly bulletin. According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe.
 
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 11.8 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.



Nov 22, 2025 03:08 IST
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh welcomes implementation of four Labour Codes
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) on Friday welcomed the implementation of the four Labour Codes, calling it a "significant milestone" in India's journey towards a fair, inclusive, and empowered labour ecosystem.
Read more...



Nov 22, 2025 03:07 IST
Delhi riots bail hearing: OpIndia reports court video showing CCTV neutralised first
New Delhi: OpIndia editor Nupur J Sharma, who posts on X under the handle @UnSubtleDesi, on Friday shared two posts detailing what she described as developments in the Supreme Court bail hearing linked to the 2020 Delhi riots case, and an OpIndia reconstruction video based on the chargesheet.
In her post, Sharma wrote that the OpIndia reconstruction shows a first stage in which a “Muslim mob” starts covering or breaking CCTV cameras. 
Read more...