News
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BJP firms up Gen Z outreach after student protests
New Indian ExpressArchived
The BJP is tightening a Gen Z outreach plan after nationwide protests over alleged NEET irregularities and the education minister's resignation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 15 August speech announced a free online coaching network. Party leaders said the Yuva Morcha will run m
Supreme Court halts High Court assets case against Gandhi
The HinduArchived
The Supreme Court on 17 August ordered the Allahabad High Court to defer a disproportionate-assets case against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi until further orders. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said courts must follow principles of natural justice before directing a
Experts question Aadhaar and mobile fields in Census
Telegraph IndiaArchived
The Registrar General has notified 40 questions for Census 2027 Population Enumeration, 13 more than in 2011. New fields include mobile, Aadhaar, voter ID and passport numbers, plus the number of bank accounts, if available. Former NSC acting chair P.C. Mohanan said personal iden
Masood says he will stand, not sing
Times of IndiaArchived
Congress MP Imran Masood on 17 August said he would stand when Vande Mataram is recited but would not sing it. He told ANI he cannot worship anyone except Allah and cited his constitutional right. He said he would not insult the song. The BJP had filed a complaint over the Indepe
Jharkhand exam protest enters day 24 with fresh talks
The HinduArchived
Jharkhand's JPSC-JSSC protest at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi entered its 24th day on 17 August. The government invited a student delegation, with a legal adviser, to the State Guest House at 2 pm. The same group of ministers was to attend the meeting. ADM Dhananjay Kumar
Seven devotees die in Lakhisarai temple stampede
The HinduArchived
At least seven devotees, most of them women, died and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede at Ashok Dham temple in Lakhisarai, Bihar, on 17 August. The crush came around 6.40 am on the third Monday of Shravan, as people arrived for jalabhishek. The injured were taken to S
NTA orders fresh NET in English, Commerce, Sociology
Times of IndiaArchived
The National Testing Agency will re-conduct UGC-NET June 2026 papers in English, Commerce and Sociology on 9 and 10 September. The June tests ran from 22 to 30 June across 87 subjects. NTA withheld answer keys for the three papers after complaints. Rahul Gandhi said students were
Ramdev flags exam leaks and recruitment interviews
The HinduArchived
Yoga teacher Ramdev on 15 August at Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, spoke about student protests over education and government recruitment. He listed missing teachers, books, electricity, water and toilets, and named cheating and paper leaks. He said government job interviews were
BCI chief apologises after NALSAR enrolment order
Times of IndiaArchived
Bar Council of India chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra apologised to law students on 15 August after a now-withdrawn order that state bar councils not enrol NALSAR's 2026 graduating batch. The 13 August circular followed student objections to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as con
Dhaka links Rahman visit to Hasina extradition request
The HinduArchived
Bangladesh's foreign ministry said on 16 August that a propitious environment was needed before Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visits India. Spokesperson AKM Shahidul Karim asked New Delhi to act on requests to extradite Sheikh Hasina and those accused in the killing of Sharif Osm
About 600 students leave Melghat tribal hostel
NDTVArchived
Nearly 600 tribal students left a government residential school at Doma in Chikhaldara, Amravati, after rumours that some girls were possessed. The school houses 810 children. The episode began on 22 July when four girls cried and laughed without control. Some said they heard ank
Foreign asset scheme runs till 31 December 2026
The HinduArchived
CBDT opened the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers Disclosure Scheme from 16 August to 31 December 2026. Undisclosed foreign assets up to Rs 1 crore attract 30 percent tax plus an equal levy, a 60 percent outgo. Already-taxed foreign assets omitted from a return, up to Rs 5 crore,
IPS officer's mother found dead; jewellery reported missing
Indian ExpressArchived
Indravati, mother of Lucknow-posted IPS officer Ashutosh Mishra, was found unresponsive on a cot at her home in Rudha Dhamrua, Ambedkar Nagar, around 9 am on 16 August. She was 94, Indian Express said, and had lived alone after her husband's death. A domestic worker found the mai
BRS protests after court stay on marriage-aid schemes
Hindustan TimesArchived
Bharat Rashtra Samithi called statewide protests on 17 August at constituency and mandal centres over Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak. Working president KT Rama Rao said the Congress government was using a High Court stay as a reason to stop the schemes. He said they were laun
Licensed firearms must travel in the aircraft hold
FirstpostArchived
Indian rules allow some licensed firearms on flights only if declared at check-in, kept unloaded, and packed separately from ammunition in hold baggage, not in the cabin. Air India Express permits one licensed revolver, pistol or shotgun within a 5 kg cap. Air India charges Rs 50
Depression over Bay keeps north Odisha on red alert
The HinduArchived
North Odisha remained under flood pressure on 17 August after a Bay of Bengal low intensified into a depression. IMD issued a red warning of extremely heavy rain for Balasore, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj through 18 August. Chief Secretary Anu Garg said about five lakh people were aff
Poonawalla resubmits BJP resignation after July refusal
Times of IndiaArchived
Shehzad Poonawalla on 17 August again asked BJP president Nitin Nabin to accept his resignation as national spokesperson and from active primary membership. He first wrote on 30 July citing financial and personal circumstances. The party declined the letter and asked him to recon
Dimagi Naxal Party page gains 1.6 lakh followers
NDTVArchived
An Instagram handle named Dimagi Naxal Party gained about 1.6 lakh followers in a day, then disappeared, NDTV reported. The account had 62 posts, followed 35 users, and was created this month with one username change. Who ran it was not stated. A separate X account named Dimagi N
Delhi Police enquire into Vande Mataram complaint
Times of IndiaArchived
Delhi Police said it was enquiring into a complaint against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the singing of Vande Mataram at the AICC headquarters on 15 August. Advocates Shubh Sharma and Kunal Vinayak filed it at IP Estate police station on 16 August. Police said the complaint
Census 2027 self-count opens in snow-bound areas
Hindustan TimesArchived
Self-enumeration for Census 2027 began on 17 August in Ladakh and snow-bound parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Residents can file online until 31 August on the official census portal. House-to-house counting in these areas runs from 1 to 30 September.
Nabin team likely to reserve 13 posts for women
India TVArchived
BJP president Nitin Nabin was expected on 17 August to unveil his first national organisational team. Party sources told India TV that 33 percent of posts would go to women, 13 of 38. The exercise was linked to Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur
CISF suspends ASI after Yellow Line photo complaint
The HinduArchived
A CISF assistant sub-inspector was suspended after a woman accused him of photographing her without consent in a Delhi Metro coach. The incident was near AIIMS on the Yellow Line late on 16 August. A video showed passengers asking him to delete images from his phone. CISF said a
Speaker calls Vijay's first 100 days a milestone
The PrintArchived
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar on 17 August told the House that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had completed 100 days in office. He listed women's safety, social welfare, 200 units of free power and a cooperative farm-loan waiver. Vijay's office released a 100-day repor
Film says Sirsa intercept preceded BrahMos wave
CNBC TV18Archived
A Discovery series aired on 15 August said Pakistan launched a high-speed missile toward Delhi about 71 hours into the May 2025 standoff. Analyst Nitin Gokhale said it was intercepted over Sirsa around 1.30 am on 10 May. The Defence Ministry had described attacks on air bases tha
Shah and Congress clash over Vande Mataram at AICC
Times of IndiaArchived
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Sonia Gandhi asked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to stop Vande Mataram at the AICC headquarters on Independence Day. He called the act a sin that people would not forgive and asked the party to apologise to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Punjab ticket-cap row draws in Ravneet Bittu
NDTVArchived
BJP leader Ravneet Bittu backed Congress MP Sukhjinder Randhawa in a Punjab ticket dispute. State Congress chief Raja Warring said one family should get one Assembly ticket. Randhawa, speaking at Issru with Charanjit Channi present, said capable winners in one family could get ev
Congress runs 16 student focus groups before Pune event
The HinduArchived
Congress has held 16 focus groups with exam aspirants in Delhi, Patna and Dehradun since June. The closed sessions feed Rahul Gandhi's Chhatron Ki Goonj meetings in Kota, Dehradun and Prayagraj. On 16 August he announced a fourth event in Pune on 22 August, limited to women aspir
Readers write on dimagi naxals and Vande Mataram
The HinduArchived
The 17 August letters page carried two notes. Kamal Laddha wrote that the Prime Minister used the Red Fort to introduce dimagi naxals after labels such as urban Naxals. He said the phrase seemed aimed at Gen Z protest leaders. Matthew Adukanil wrote that the Vande Mataram row sho
Vijay seeks probe after three Tamils shot in Karnataka forest
NDTVArchived
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay condemned the shooting of Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter and Kumar in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary on 15 August. He said they were Tamils living in Hanur taluk and that the Forest Department's explanation was unacceptable. He asked for a hiDhaka ties Rahman India visit to Hasina extradition
The HinduArchived
Bangladesh's foreign ministry said on 16 August that a propitious environment is required for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's possible India visit. Spokesperson A.K.M. Shahidul Karim said Dhaka has asked India to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives, and to hand over those
IPS officer's mother found dead; jewellery reported missing
Times of IndiaArchived
Indrawati, mother of IPS officer Ashutosh Mishra, was found dead at her house in Malipur, Ambedkar Nagar, on 16 August. A domestic worker found the body around 9 am. Blood was near her mouth. She had lived alone since her husband died 18 months earlier. Family members said a gold
CAG finds E. coli in water coolers at eight stations
The TelegraphArchived
A CAG report tabled on 12 August found E. coli in cooler samples at eight stations: Coimbatore, Palakkad Junction, Hyderabad, Madhupur, CSMT, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan and Lonavala. The audit covered 512 non-suburban stations. Bacteriological analysis was skipped at 59 stations in si
CJI tells law schools to lead on legal technology
Times of IndiaArchived
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant told National Law Universities on 16 August that legal education must lead, not merely adapt to, technology. At NLU Jodhpur he said tools reshape contracts and disputes. He asked schools to teach when output can be trusted, when it must be verifi
Editorial reads Red Fort speech as youth plus label
The HinduArchived
A 17 August editorial, United and Free, examined Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech. It listed pledges of AI training for one crore youth, free online coaching, and work on quantum and data centres. It also recorded his phrase dimagi naxals. The piece said Ind
CISF personnel suspended after Delhi Metro photo complaint
Times of IndiaArchived
A CISF personnel on the Delhi Metro was suspended after a woman alleged he photographed her inside a coach. Video from the Yellow Line on the night of 15 August shows passengers asking him to open his gallery and delete images. CISF Delhi Metro said a detailed inquiry had been or
Odisha evacuates 2.37 lakh as northern rivers overflow
The TelegraphArchived
Odisha has evacuated 237000 people to 293 relief camps after rain flooded northern districts. Chief Secretary Anu Garg said 515000 people in 947 villages across 49 blocks were affected. The Baitarani, Brahmani, Salandi and Budhabalanga were overflowing. Chief Minister Mohan Chara
Documentary says Pakistani missile was aimed at Delhi
WIONArchived
A two-part series, Declassified: Operation Sindoor, released on 15 August, said Pakistan launched a high-speed missile aimed at Delhi about 71 hours into the May 2025 standoff. Analyst Nitin Gokhale said it was intercepted over Sirsa around 1.30 am on 10 May. The Defence Ministry
Declared pistol discharges at Varanasi airport screening
The HinduArchived
Two AAICLAS screeners were injured at Varanasi airport around 9.30 am on 16 August when a passenger's licensed pistol discharged during a weapons check. Kamlesh Kedarnath Rai, flying with his wife on Air India Express IX-1810 to Mumbai, had declared the firearm. Airport director
BCI chairman apologises after NALSAR enrolment order
The HinduArchived
Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra apologised to law students on 15 August if his words or letters had hurt them. The note followed a 13 August BCI direction telling State Bar Councils not to enrol NALSAR's 2026 batch. The Council later withdrew the bar, saying stud
Congress questions Red Fort pitch on women's reservation
The HinduArchived
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day appeal on women's reservation was a dishonest pitch. He said Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in September 2023, yet it did not apply to the 2024 polls. Ramesh said the
Ex-deputy speaker found dead at Rampurhat party office
The TelegraphArchived
Ashis Banerjee, 74, former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time MLA from Rampurhat, was found hanging on 16 August at a Trinamool Congress office near his home in Hattala Para, Birbhum. Police recovered a purported note on his former MLA letterhead. He is survived by his wife
PM announces free online coaching for exam aspirants
News On AirArchived
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced free online coaching for competitive exams in his 80th Independence Day address from the Red Fort. He said poor and middle-class families spend thousands of crores on private coaching and that students often leave home for hubs. He also pledSmall taxpayers get window to declare foreign assets
The HinduArchived
The Income Tax Department opened FAST-DS from 16 August to 31 December 2026. Undisclosed foreign assets and income up to Rs 1 crore attract 30 percent tax plus an equal levy, a 60 percent outgo. Already-taxed foreign assets omitted from a return, up to Rs 5 crore, need a flat Rs
Married earning children may claim accident compensation
Deccan HeraldArchived
The Supreme Court held that major, married and earning children may file a Motor Vehicles Act claim after a parent's death. Justices N Kotiswar Singh and N V Anjaria said the amount depends on proven dependency. In Sameem Begum's appeal the bench added consortium for the widow an
China's Arctic route cuts Europe voyage to 20 days
NDTVArchived
Chinese shipping company Sea Legend began regular sailings along Russia's Northern Sea Route this weekend, cutting the journey between Ningbo and Felixstowe to about 20 days from roughly 40 days via the Suez Canal. The first vessel, a 35,000-tonne container ship, left Friday. The
Opinion piece questions how free citizens really are
The Indian ExpressArchived
An Independence Day column in The Indian Express argues that freedom in India remains unevenly distributed, citing caste hierarchies, restrictions on women and queer people, and unequal access to opportunity based on social status. The writer, from a Scheduled Caste background, f
Kisan Vikas Patra doubles money in 115 months
MintArchived
Kisan Vikas Patra offers a government-backed 7.5 percent annual interest rate for the July-September 2026 quarter, with invested money doubling in 115 months, or nine years and seven months, under current terms. The explainer covers the scheme's maturity period, investment limits
EPFO explains membership rules for EPF subscribers
MintArchived
A Mint explainer answers frequently asked questions on becoming an Employees' Provident Fund subscriber, covering membership conditions, employer obligations and pension scheme rules under the EPF Act. It notes coverage is mandatory for establishments with 20 or more employees, a
Padikkal's maiden century leads India on Day 1
ESPNcricinfoArchived
Devdutt Padikkal scored an unbeaten 131 on his return to the India Test side, ending India's 20-innings wait for a century from the number three position on the rain-curtailed opening day in Galle. India closed on 288 for 2 in 73 overs, with KL Rahul retiring hurt on 77 and Yasha
iPhone 18 Pro specs leak ahead of launch
India TodayArchived
A leaked specifications sheet suggests Apple's iPhone 18 Pro, expected to launch next month, will carry a faster A20 Pro chip, a variable-aperture camera and possible battery improvements over the iPhone 17 Pro. The report compares the leaked specs against the current Pro model,