India

The New Delhi District Police organised a ‘Raksha Ka Vachan’ outreach programme at government schools on Raksha Bandhan. Police officers interacted with girl students, discussed personal safety and encouraged them to seek assistance, while students tied rakhis to personnel

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge backed the suspension of two government school teachers in Yadgir for allegedly participating in an RSS route march. He said the Education Department was within its rights to initiate disciplinary action under applicable service rules

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reviewed India’s relief and rescue efforts in flood-hit Nepal with MEA officials and missions in Kathmandu and Beijing. India has sent 47.5 tonnes of emergency supplies and is mobilising Bailey bridges to support rescue operations

West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari attacked Left student groups at Jadavpur University over ‘Azadi’ slogans and references to slain Maoist leader Kishenji. Speaking at a Raksha Bandhan event, he urged people to oppose forces he accused of weakening India

Tamil film producers have indefinitely postponed their planned September 1 strike following an assurance from Tamil Nadu Minister Rajmohan that the Chief Minister would be apprised of their concerns and tripartite talks would be facilitated after the ongoing Assembly session

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Raksha Bandhan with schoolchildren at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence, sharing smiles, high-fives and warm interactions. He also extended festive greetings, wishing for lasting bonds of love, affection and mutual trust among people

Security forces recovered two hand grenades from a man during a joint checking operation in Baramulla and foiled a suspected Pakistani drone intrusion in Rajouri. Three drones crossed the LoC but were forced to retreat after counter-drone systems were activated

Digital payments to merchants in India rose 19.6 per cent year-on-year to Rs 11.73 lakh crore in July 2026, driven by UPI-P2M and credit card spending. UPI accounted for 77.3 per cent of total digital merchant payments.

Maharashtra’s autorickshaw and taxi unions welcomed the government’s decision to give non-Marathi drivers another year to acquire working knowledge of Marathi. The extension eases immediate livelihood concerns, while unions plan additional classes to help drivers meet the language requirement

The Trinamool Congress approached the Calcutta High Court over the removal of an alleged illegal billboard from Abhishek Banerjee’s Camac Street office. Tensions erupted during the removal, with clashes involving police and party workers, prompting the party to seek urgent judicial intervention

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested three more people in a money laundering probe linked to a pan-India cyber fraud involving transactions worth Rs 30,000 crore. The latest arrests take the total to five as investigators trace an extensive network of alleged shell companies

India operates 24 nuclear reactors with 8.78 GW capacity, while nine units totaling 7.5 GW are under construction. With initiatives including the Nuclear Energy Mission and SHANTI Act, the government aims to expand nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047

Gujarat has recorded 42 confirmed Chandipura virus cases and 28 deaths since June 30, with 324 suspected cases reported, health department data showed. Ten samples remain pending. The virus can cause rapidly progressing encephalitis, particularly affecting children during monsoon outbreaks

Ola Electric has launched the S1Z electric scooter range, bringing its indigenous Bharat Cell LFP technology to the mass market. Priced from Rs 79,999, the scooters offer up to 301 km of range, with deliveries beginning in December 2026

Indian chess star R Praggnanandhaa made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour, defeating Fabiano Caruana 15-13 in St Louis. He overcame a classical defeat with dominant rapid performance before securing the title in blitz

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced enhanced support for agri-entrepreneurs and FPOs, allowing eligible beneficiaries to combine low-interest Agriculture Infrastructure Fund loans with PMFME scheme incentives, including interest subvention and capital subsidies for food processing and infrastructure projects

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders extended greetings on World Sanskrit Day, highlighting Sanskrit's enduring contribution to India's knowledge, philosophy and culture, while calling for collective efforts to preserve, promote and pass the ancient language to future generations

Delhi Police Special Cell busted a Pakistan-linked ISI espionage network, arresting a young couple accused of sending Indian SIM cards to Pakistan and facilitating access to sensitive information. Investigators also alleged the husband was tasked with recruiting individuals for reconnaissance of cantonment areas

TASMAC will introduce an automated stock indent system across Tamil Nadu liquor shops from September 1, replacing manual submissions with handheld devices. The digital mechanism aims to streamline supply, reduce paperwork, prevent bottlenecks and allow supervisors to respond to local consumer demand

The rupee fell 10 paise to 95.55 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday, pressured by foreign investor outflows and global oil supply disruptions, though a weaker dollar and softer crude prices helped prevent a sharper decline

India and Canada aim to conclude negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by the end of 2026 and begin Bilateral Investment Treaty talks, while also exploring wider UPI use and targeting expansion of bilateral trade to CAD 70 billion by 2030

The UK has offered £5 million and emergency response support to Nepal after devastating flash floods killed hundreds and left more than a thousand missing, including around 33 British nationals. King Charles III and other British leaders expressed solidarity with affected communities

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP National President Nitin Nabin extended Raksha Bandhan greetings, highlighting the festival's message of love, mutual trust and sibling bonds while stressing cultural values, family ties and respect and empowerment for women

The IMD has forecast rainfall in several parts of India on Raksha Bandhan, including Delhi, where moderate showers are likely. Rainfall and thunderstorm alerts have also been issued for several Uttarakhand districts as the southwest monsoon remains active