Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) Explained: What It Is, How It Works, Features and More

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) introduced the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) in 2016 as a new method for direct benefit transfers from the government to the citizens, plugging leakages in the system. AePS, a “bank-led model”, is claimed to bring people living in underserved parts of the country into the fold of the formal banking system. Using AePS, you can check your account balance using AePS by either visiting a micro ATM or a local agent outlet, withdraw cash, deposit money, transfer money from one AEBA to another, and get a copy of your mini account statement.

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Propeller: One-Way Night Coach OTT Release: Where to Watch John Travolta’s Emotional Family Drama

Propeller: One-Way Night Coach is a nostalgic family drama set in the golden era of aviation.

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Upcoming Smartphones in June 2026: Motorola Edge 70 Pro+, Xiaomi 17T, Lava Bold N2 5G and More

Brands like Motorola, Huawei, and Xiaomi are set to unveil new devices across flagship, mid-range, and budget segments in June this year. Here we have listed the smartphone launches set to take place next month. Our picks include the Xiaomi 17T, Motorola Edge 70 Pro+, Lava Bold N2 5, and Huawei Nova 16 series, among others.

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Oura Ring 4 Review: An Always-on Solution to Effective Health Tracking

Oura’s Ring 4 arrives a bit too late to India, a good four years after its global launch. It offers good activity tracking and excellent sleep tracking, but has a few flaws in terms of functionality. And there’s also the fact that a lot of its features are blocked behind a subscription plan. Our review explains why it functions better as a passive health tracker versus a full-blown fitness smartwatch.

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Faces Out on OTT: Know Where to Stream This Psychological Thriller Film Online

Faces is a Malayalam psychological thriller film that has been written and directed by Neelesh EK. The film explores the dark conspiracy, thriller, and intense sequences surrounding a rare mental condition caused by trauma.

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How to Block a Debit or Credit Card In Case of Loss or Theft: A Step-By-Step Guide

All major banks in India let customers block their credit or debit cards using different methods, in case their card has been lost or stolen. While you can always visit the nearest branch to block your card, it is not always possible, especially if it is a bank holiday. You can either block your credit or debit card via your bank’s mobile banking app, internet banking portal, or SMS service. In case a bad actor gets access to your credit or debit card’s CVV number and you card’s number, they can use it to transfer money to their bank accounts.

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Vijay's In-Flight Photo With Air Hostess Wins Internet: "Extra Special Duty"

A picture taken aboard a flight featuring an air hostess and C. Joseph Vijay has gone viral on social media, with fans celebrating the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's humble and approachable public image. The photograph was clicked during Vijay's return journey from New Delhi following his first official multi-day visit to the national capital since taking oath as Chief Minister earlier this month. The cabin crew member identified as Uma Meenakshi shared the image online, calling the flight duty "extra special" after getting the opportunity to meet the actor-turned-politician in person.

Dressed in his now-signature monochrome black-and-white formal attire, the Chief Minister appeared relaxed in the viral picture, which quickly spread across fan pages and political circles.

"Crew duty became extra special today with Honourable Chief Minister Shri C. Joseph Vijay (fondly known as Thalapathy) @actorvijay onboard," the air hostess wrote on Instagram while sharing the image.

See the post here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by UMA MEENAKSHI (@yamtha.uma)

The actor-turned politician's supporters praised Vijay for maintaining the same down-to-earth persona that made him one of Tamil cinema's biggest stars long before entering politics. Many users commented on how comfortably he interacted with ordinary people despite now holding the state's top political office.

The flight came at the end of a politically significant visit to Delhi, where the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam founder held meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several senior Union ministers. Discussions reportedly focused on central funding for Tamil Nadu, infrastructure expansion, welfare programmes, investment opportunities and pending state projects.

From Tamil Cinema Superstar to Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister

Vijay's rise from cinema superstar to Chief Minister has been one of the most closely watched political developments in recent Tamil Nadu history. After launching Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in 2024, he rapidly transformed his massive fan base into a political support network, positioning himself as a fresh alternative in the state's Dravidian political landscape.

His campaign focused heavily on youth engagement, governance reform, anti-corruption messaging, and welfare-driven development. Riding on enormous popularity among younger voters and first-time supporters, TVK emerged as a major political force within a remarkably short period.

Vijay, who also heads the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), won a trust vote on May 13 with the support of Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MLAs. The TVK emerged as the largest party after winning 108 seats in the assembly elections.

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Netanyahu Orders Israel Army To Take Control Of 70% Of Gaza Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he had ordered the country's military to take control of 70 per cent of the Gaza Strip, in defiance of the terms of a fragile ceasefire that took effect in October.

"We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60 per cent of the territory in the strip," he said at a conference in an occupied West Bank settlement, according to a video aired by Israel's Channel 12 network.

He said the military had controlled 50 per cent of Gaza under the terms of the ceasefire, adding: "My directive is to move to... 70 percent".

"We're squeezing them from all (sides). We'll deal with what's left afterwards."

The first phase of the truce saw the last hostages seized in Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, released in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel.

The transition to the second phase, which was supposed to involve Hamas's disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, has been stalled for months.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israeli forces were to pull back behind a so-called "yellow line", a demarcation between the area under Hamas control and that held by the Israeli army.

Netanyahu announced on May 15 that the Israeli army had expanded its grip on the Gaza Strip.

"There were those who said: get out, get out. We did not get out. Today we control... how much? 60 per cent. Tomorrow we shall see," he said at the time.

Gaza remains gripped by daily violence, with both the Israeli military and Hamas accusing one another of violating the truce in effect since October 10.

Israel has killed more than 900 people since the ceasefire, according to Gaza's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

Israel said on Wednesday it had killed the new head of Hamas's armed wing in Gaza, Mohammed Odeh, after killing his predecessor earlier this month.

Since Hamas's October 2023 attack, Israel has systematically targeted the group's leaders, both in Gaza and across the region.

Odeh is the fourth head of the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades that Israel says it has killed since the start of the Gaza war.

On Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz repeated Israel's goal of ending Hamas's rule over the Palestinian territory and alluded to a plan for the forced displacement of its residents.

"The plan for voluntary migration from Gaza will also be implemented -- everything will be done at the right time and in the right way," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Indian Startup's Experimental Balloon Platform Rises 25 km Above Earth

A massive experimental balloon gently flew from the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday. It was part of India's private space sector's leap into the space domain, as a startup demonstrated how special high altitude balloons can transform communications, surveillance and scientific research.

Red Balloon Aerospace, a Hyderabad-based company founded in 2025, has successfully launched what it calls India's first indigenous private super-pressure balloon carrying commercial payloads. The mission, named SANA, marks a significant milestone not just for the company but for India's growing ambition in the emerging near-space economy.

The company's VISTA platform rose to about 25 kilometres above Earth, a region far above commercial aircraft but well below satellites. This Stratospheric Zone, between roughly 20 and 50 kilometres, has long remained underutilised globally despite offering unique advantages of persistent observation and lower costs.

Also read: Soumya Swaminathan Follows Her Father's Footsteps To London's Royal Society

India is no stranger to balloon-based science. Government institutions such as the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics have been using high-altitude balloons for decades, especially for astrophysics experiments and atmospheric studies. Their work has built a strong scientific foundation. What makes this moment different is that a private startup is now translating that legacy into commercial applications, moving swiftly to build an industry around near-space platforms.

Red Balloon Aerospace has achieved operational commercial flight within just eight months of its founding. This rapid development shows how private enterprise is accelerating innovation and deployment speed in sectors that were once dominated by government programs.

Mission SANA

Mission SANA carried payloads from seven national and international partners. These included biological experiments, propulsion demonstrations, onboard computing systems, earth observation sensors and navigation validation technologies. According to the company, all payload missions were completed, demonstrating that Indian platforms can meet global commercial standards.

Dr C V S Kiran, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, said the mission is only the beginning of a broader effort to build a near-space ecosystem.

"VISTA validates our core near-space platform technology, and this is only the beginning. Our advantage is execution speed, enabling us to design, test and deploy indigenous stratospheric platforms at a pace that demonstrates India's capability to compete globally in emerging space sectors," he added.

He said this mission placed India among five nations globally with indigenous stratospheric hydrogen balloon capability, alongside the United States, France, Japan, and China.

Hydrogen is much cheaper compared to Helium that is also used in high altitude balloons. However, hydrogen is risky to handle as it is highly flammable.

The technology behind VISTA sets it apart from conventional balloons. It uses a super-pressure design that allows it to maintain a stable altitude for extended periods, potentially lasting weeks or even months. 

Unlike traditional balloons that quickly rise and descend, this stability creates a persistent observational and communication platform high above the Earth.

Also read: Chandrayaan Lander Hopped A Little In 2023, Now ISRO Is Jumping At Discovery

Such platforms can act as floating towers in the sky. From this vantage point, they can support telecommunications, especially in remote or underserved regions, monitor natural disasters in real time, and enable surveillance over large geographic areas. They can also play a role in emerging non-terrestrial network technologies, complementing satellite systems.

Red Balloon Aerospace says its technology addresses a critical gap in spatial infrastructure. While aircraft operate below 10 km and satellites orbit above 160 km, the stratosphere between 20 and 50 km has remained largely unused despite offering strategic advantages. Stratospheric platforms provide high-resolution imaging with longer dwell times than satellites, flexible deployment without orbital launch costs, and rapid response capability for disaster management and communications.

The economic model is equally important. By carrying multiple payloads from different customers on a single flight, the platform enables a shared or rideshare approach. This significantly reduces costs and makes near-space access more affordable for startups, research institutions and government agencies.

Red Balloon Aerospace is also developing a broader suite of platforms, including tethered aerostats and long-endurance airships. Together, these systems aim to create an integrated stratospheric infrastructure layer for communications, earth observation and strategic applications.

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6 Months Into Marriage, Lucknow Woman Found Dead After Dowry Harassment

A 26-year-old woman in Lucknow died by suicide on Monday, barely six months after her marriage, with her family accusing her husband and in-laws of sustained dowry harassment that drove her to take her own life.

Shweta Singh was found hanging at her in-laws' residence in Lucknow's Thakurganj area. Her family has alleged that she faced repeated demands for dowry, including pressure for a four-wheeler, and that her in-laws murdered her before staging the scene to look like suicide.

Shweta had married Bhupendra Singh, also known as Shubham Singh, on November 22, 2025. According to her father, Umesh Kumar Singh, the harassment began soon after the wedding. He claims her husband mentally tortured her on a daily basis. Her mother-in-law is said to have involved her own relatives in taunting Shweta, which left the young woman severely distressed.

Police registered a case on Tuesday following a complaint lodged by Umesh Kumar Singh. 

The accused include Bhupendra Singh, his mother, his father, his brother, his brother's wife, and his sister. They face charges under Section 80 (dowry death) and Section 85 (cruelty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Thakurganj Station House Officer Omveer Singh Chauhan said Shweta's in-laws took her to hospital after she was found hanging, where doctors declared her dead. 

The accused are currently on the run, and police have launched raids to trace them.

A senior police officer stated that further action will depend on the post-mortem report. Shweta's body has been sent for autopsy.

Her parents have levelled allegations of murder and dowry harassment against the entire family of her husband. 

(With inputs from Vivek Shahi)

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300 Tourists Rescued After Gulmarg Gondola Technical Issue Sparks Panic

What began as a scenic cable car ride over the snow-covered peaks of Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg turned into a terrifying ordeal for nearly 300 tourists on Sunday after the famed Gulmarg Gondola service suffered a sudden technical breakdown, leaving visitors stranded mid-air for hours.

A massive multi-agency rescue operation involving the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, paramilitary forces and Civil Defence teams was launched immediately to evacuate tourists trapped inside multiple chair cars suspended above the mountainous terrain.

Officials said the technical snag occurred around 1 pm, disrupting operations in the first phase of the Gulmarg Gondola service in north Kashmir's premier tourist resort.

"A sudden technical fault hit the operations in the first phase of the Gulmarg cable car," a senior official of the Gulmarg Development Authority said.

The first phase of the Gondola runs from the Gulmarg bowl to Kangdori, while the second phase extends up to Apharwat Peak at an altitude of nearly 4,000 metres.

Visuals from the spot showed tourists stranded mid-air as rescue teams worked to safely bring them down amid growing panic and anxiety.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary was among the senior officials who rushed to the spot to supervise rescue operations.

On the instructions of the Chief Minister, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister @Surinderch55 is in Gulmarg personally overseeing the rescue operation following the temporary stoppage of the Gondola service due to a technical fault. The local Hon'ble MLA @FarooqShah_JKNC is also on site… pic.twitter.com/btx9sosnqE

— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) May 25, 2026

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the rescue teams for the successful evacuation of all stranded tourists.

Applause to India's disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir. The disaster response teams comprising the SDRF, NDRF, Army personnel, local police, and the administration swung into action and rescued all the…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 25, 2026

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said they were closely monitoring the situation and had directed all available resources to ensure the safe evacuation of tourists.

Authorities said the exact cause of the technical snag is yet to be ascertained.

The Gulmarg Gondola, regarded as Asia's highest cable car project, is one of Kashmir's biggest tourist attractions, offering panoramic views of snow-clad Himalayan peaks at elevations exceeding 13,000 feet.

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