Assam's flood toll has climbed to 87 with two new fatalities, even as water levels recede in most inundated areas, affecting nearly 1.3 lakh people. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for extremely heavy rainfall in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, which could impact several bordering Assam districts.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a fresh investigation into the 2024 rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The decision follows a request from the victim's mother, now a BJP MLA, and includes a separate probe into alleged cremation irregularities. Adhikari criticised previous police handling and vowed to ensure justice, despite a CBI investigation having already led to a conviction.
Haryana is set to host a grand felicitation ceremony on August 7 for its athletes who excelled at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will present cash awards totalling Rs 13.47 crore to 10 medal winners and 13 participating athletes, reinforcing the state's commitment to sports development and recognising international achievements.
The Centre has approved a fourth railway line through the strategically important 'Chicken's Neck' corridor, a crucial link for Northeast India. This, along with other infrastructure projects like a double-line underground project and station redevelopment, aims to enhance connectivity, capacity, and passenger services in the region.
India's largest IT firm, TCS, has received threat-intelligence alerts regarding a potential leak of 'basic' employee data, but the company asserts there is no indication of customer data or operational systems being affected.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has issued a show-cause notice to actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their advertisement for Vimal Elaichi, claiming it prima facie amounts to "indirect or surrogate" promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licences of four Domino's Pizza outlets, including three in Mumbai, and several other chain restaurants like KFC and Pizza Hut, citing alleged violations of food safety and hygiene norms during a special drive.
President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to a bill which now provides 'Vande Mataram' with the same legal protection and status as India's national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana'.
The Sports Ministry has directed Hockey India to investigate allegations of intimidation and sexual harassment made by former India captain Asunta Lakra. Lakra accused HI general secretary Bhola Nath Singh and highlighted institutional protection for alleged misconduct, urging an independent inquiry and stronger safeguards for women athletes.
Researchers at IIT-Guwahati have developed an inexpensive and efficient catalyst for producing hydrogen from water, a crucial step for the National Green Hydrogen Mission and the transition to sustainable energy. The catalyst uses nickel salt and an anthracene-based organic molecule, offering a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel-derived hydrogen.
A deleted video posted by actor Vikram, showing him cuddling a Lar Gibbon, has brought to light the illegal possession and transfer of these endangered primates in Tamil Nadu, prompting a forest department investigation.
Former US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim of mediating the India-Pakistan conflict, stating that 11 jets were shot down during the May 2023 hostilities. He also suggested the conflict could have escalated to a nuclear level and claimed credit for averting a major catastrophe, a claim consistently denied by India which maintains no third-party intervention occurred.
Punjab Kings all-rounder Shashank Singh is set to play for Pondicherry in the 2026-27 domestic season after securing an NOC from the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh. Singh alleges a lack of support from Chhattisgarh during his injury recovery and claims he was unfairly excluded from state tournaments and camps, despite being a top domestic performer. He plans to focus on white-ball cricket moving forward.
The Indian Racketlon team, captained by Vikramaditya Chaufla, is set to defend its title at the Racketlon World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The six-member squad, including last year's champions, will compete in the Challenge Cup, aiming to showcase India's growing prowess in the unique multi-racket sport.
'As long as the vehicle has a flex engine, it is irrelevant if the mixture is 15 per cent or 30 per cent; the performance is the same.'
Indian MMA fighter Sangram Singh is set to face Pakistan's Mohammed Abid Ali for the prestigious STRIKE Asia Champion Title in Kuala Lumpur. This highly anticipated fight marks a significant step in Singh's transition from professional wrestling to MMA, where he holds an unbeaten 3-0 record.
The India U20 men's football team secured a 3-0 victory over Singapore in the first of two friendly matches held in Bengaluru, as they prepare for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
Pakistan's Olympic gold-medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem will skip the upcoming Diamond League meet in Lausanne to concentrate on his preparation for the Asian Games and another international event. He will undergo a training camp in South Africa under coach Terseus Liebenberg, aiming to improve his performance after recent struggles.
Insurers are bracing for claims worth nearly 5,000 crore from the recent floods in Gujarat, predominantly for property losses, though they do not foresee an increase in premiums within the competitive property insurance market.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has accelerated India's preparations for the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup by appointing Bibiano Fernandes as head coach and Ranjit Bajaj as team manager. The tournament, scheduled for October in Azerbaijan, will feature an 8vs8 format with direct entry for all FIFA member associations. The AIFF also addressed other matters, including the Santosh Trophy format and budget approvals.
Indian golf veteran Jeev Milkha Singh secured a creditable tied 7th position at the 2026 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship in Aberdeen, finishing two-under for the week. South African Darren Fichardt won the tournament, while another Indian golfer, Jyoti Randhawa, missed the cut.
Maruti Suzuki India's CFO, Arnab Roy, has urged the central government to introduce an amnesty scheme or an 'as-is' settlement option to resolve past indirect tax disputes, aiming to clear legacy litigation and foster growth in the automotive industry. Roy emphasised the need for a 'smarter way to address the past' to provide long-term certainty for businesses.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced declines in early trade due to a surge in Brent crude oil prices, which rose above USD 90 per barrel, coupled with subdued global cues and ongoing US-Iran skirmishes. Track Sensex, Nifty on Auigust 12.
Descendants of a Madhya Pradesh businessman are seeking repayment from the UK government for a Rs 35,000 loan made during World War I. The UK Debt Management Office has responded, asking for further documentation to examine the claim, which the family estimates to be worth crores today with interest.
'He wanted to know what products I'd brought along, so I showed him jackfruit flour, which research has linked to managing type 2 diabetes.' 'Then jackfruit seed flour, a strong source of protein that rural households have eaten for generations without it ever becoming a commercial product. I gave him ripe jackfruit chips too.'
Over 14,000 members of the academic and scientific community have petitioned Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking intervention against Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "gau mutra expert" remark concerning IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti during parliamentary proceedings. The petition calls for the withdrawal of the derogatory expression, arguing it undermines the dignity of an eminent scientist and the institution he leads, and urges for respectful democratic discourse.
Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha lauded RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's address at an IIMUN event, calling it 'inspirational' and praising his thoughtful responses regarding youth protests and the need for dialogue.
As the agitation over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations entered its 14th day, talks between the state government and student protesters on Friday failed to break the deadlock, with students deciding to continue their protest and hunger strike until their demands, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination, are met.
The challenge thrown by the youth movement creates the opportunity for a more consequential debate on India's economic trajectory because it must remain centered on India's youth as its driving impulse, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Commonwealth gold medalist para-athlete Dilip Gavit was reportedly unable to meet MNS chief Raj Thackeray in Nashik despite waiting for nearly two hours, according to his coach.
Rising Indian badminton star Tanvi Sharma, fresh from her Taipei Open win, has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Korea Masters Super 300 tournament. She is joined by compatriots Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj and Ashmita Chaliha in the women's singles. In men's doubles, Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy also secured a quarterfinal spot, while other Indian campaigns in mixed doubles, women's doubles, and men's singles concluded.
'The anger among the PoK public is unlikely to subside against Pakistani State in the near future.'
Anthropic has introduced Rupee-denominated pricing for its Claude AI assistant in India, making its Pro and Max plans more accessible to one of its largest user communities. This move, alongside the opening of its Bengaluru office and increased revenue, highlights Anthropic's growing focus on the Indian market, a sentiment echoed by rival OpenAI.
A World Bank report highlights how Artificial Intelligence-powered weather forecasts have enabled small farmers in Telangana, India, to save up to USD 560 by adapting their farming practices to specific risks. The report, "The Promise of Artificial Intelligence," advocates for developing countries to rapidly adopt small, low-cost AI tools to enhance productivity, improve government services, and avoid missing out on the AI revolution.
The Payments Council of India has confirmed that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services will continue to be free for consumers and small merchants, despite a recent Lok Sabha Bill. This clarification addresses concerns about potential charges, emphasising that while a sustainable financial model for UPI infrastructure is being developed, transaction charges will not be passed on to users or small businesses.
Vidarsa K Vinod, a 27-year-old rifle shooter from Kozhikode, has secured a spot in the Indian squad for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Her path from an NCC introduction to elite competition was marked by financial struggles, training with borrowed equipment, and overcoming setbacks like the COVID-19 pandemic. With crucial support from her family, husband, and the National Centre of Excellence, she now aims to become the World No. 1 in her sport.
The Jammu and Kashmir government announced that the PGTI golf tournament, J&K Open, will become an annual event, with plans to establish a world-class golf academy and position the union territory as India's golfing capital.
Indian physicist Deepak Dhar, a professor at ICTS-TIFR in Bengaluru, has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal for his significant contributions to statistical mechanics. He shares the honour with three other physicists for their work on understanding complex systems, with applications in diverse fields like biology, finance, and AI. Dhar is particularly recognised for his "sandpile model" and has previously received the Padma Bhushan and Boltzmann Medal.
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) plans to invest approximately Rs 1 trillion in petrochemical projects over the next five to six years, aiming to significantly increase its petrochemical intensity and production capacity to meet growing domestic demand.
A three-day 'AI Champions for Digital Governance' programme has commenced in New Delhi, hosted by ITDC, SCOPE, and LBSNAA. The initiative aims to train senior leadership and operational teams in applying artificial intelligence within public sector organisations, aligning with the IndiaAI Mission. Experts highlighted AI's role in improving efficiency, productivity, and public service delivery, while also emphasising responsible adoption and data quality. The programme seeks to build an AI-ready nation and contribute to India's vision of future-ready governance systems.
