India

The FIDE World Championship Match 2026 between reigning champion Gukesh D and challenger Javokhir Sindarov will be held in Geneva from November 25 to December 15. The contest will be the youngest World Championship match in chess history, featuring two 20-year-old grandmasters

The MEA said six Indian ships carrying 125 seafarers remain west of the Strait of Hormuz, while 41 Indians are serving on foreign vessels in the region. India is closely monitoring their safety following recent attacks on merchant ships in Gulf waters

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the Maharashtra Home Department to withdraw police cases against students involved in NEET protests. The move is aimed at protecting students' academic and professional futures while the State begins the legal process of withdrawing pending FIRs

The Supreme Court agreed to hear pleas by a former IPS officer and two injured persons seeking action over alleged pellet firing during the CJP-led NEET protest. The petitions also seek restrictions on use of metallic projectiles and allege police excesses

Karnataka will decide on the CWRC's direction to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu after consulting Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. The State cited poor monsoon, low reservoir levels and drinking water needs, while considering an appeal before the CWMA

Opposition leaders criticised the BJP over the welcome accorded to former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Parliament after his resignation amid NEET-UG 2026 protests. Congress leaders questioned the gesture during debate on the Public Examination Amendment Bill, alleging failure of the system

Net FDI in India declined to USD 6.95 billion in FY26 from USD 27.99 billion in FY23 due to higher repatriation by foreign investors and increased ODI outflows, the government told Rajya Sabha. Gross FDI, however, reached a record USD 94.84 billion

The Centre informed the Supreme Court that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's draft final report on the June 2025 Air India AI-171 crash will be submitted in October in a sealed cover. The court also noted simulation tests conducted during the probe

Hundreds of international passengers faced long queues and delays at Chennai airport after several terminal entry gates remained closed during peak morning hours. Travellers heading to destinations including London, Dubai and Singapore urged authorities to ensure smoother access and passenger movement

The Supreme Court restrained states from taking coercive action against student protesters over exam irregularity agitations and directed preservation of digital evidence. The court said allegations of police excesses and violence require a fair probe while seeking responses from six states

A Parliamentary Standing Committee has summoned representatives of Meta, Google, X and Snapchat, along with MeitY and Home Ministry officials, for an August 3 meeting to discuss social media regulation, user privacy and public order following heightened online mobilisation during recent student protests

The BJP has intensified its Instagram outreach following the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers using reels to engage young people, promote exam reforms and defend the government's anti-paper leak legislation amid sustained Opposition criticism

Official police records show the Rapid Action Force fired non-lethal munitions, including two rounds of plastic pellets, during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' protest near Jantar Mantar on a Delhi Police officer's directions. The use of force has triggered political controversy

Retired Delhi Police personnel have sought permission to stage a peaceful dharna at Jantar Mantar on July 31 in solidarity with officers injured during the 'Chalo Sansad' protest and to demand strict legal action against those allegedly involved in violence and vandalism

AIMIM spokesperson Waris Pathan opposed making the recitation of 'Vande Mataram' compulsory, saying certain lyrics conflict with Islamic beliefs. Citing Article 25, he argued that respecting the national song should not require mandatory recitation and criticised the BJP and RSS

Kerala has launched a 24x7 highway enforcement system by dividing national highways into six zones with dedicated patrol teams. The initiative, announced after a fatal bus accident, aims to curb overspeeding, improve road safety and strengthen traffic law enforcement

Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the seventh consecutive day as Opposition MPs protested police action against NEET paper leak demonstrators and demanded a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah. Amid the disruptions, the MSME Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to relax restrictions on the inter-state transport of stone aggregates, warning the curbs could delay national highway projects and affect key infrastructure linking the Vizhinjam port and southern India

Two bodies were recovered from the Yamuna in east Delhi's Gandhi Nagar after four people were feared drowned. Rescue teams suspended the search due to adverse weather conditions, with the identities of the victims and circumstances surrounding the incident still under investigation

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his planned Bihar visit after sensing a BJP defeat in the Bankipur assembly bypoll. He also accused the state government of acting under pressure following protests over the NEET paper leak.

The Lok Sabha began debating the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, after a week-long deadlock. The government said the legislation strengthens action against paper leaks, while the Opposition sought broader stakeholder consultations before its passage

Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut triggered controversy after calling Gen Z protesters "Generation Gutter" and describing protest videos as "puke inducing". Her remarks sparked widespread criticism from Congress leaders and social media users following the end of the CJP-led agitation

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deny approval for Karnataka's Mekedatu dam, arguing it violates the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and the Supreme Court's 2018 judgment, while seeking protection of downstream states' water rights

Veteran actor Rekha will receive the Excellence in Cinema Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2026, where Umrao Jaan will be screened in tribute to her career. She will also hoist the Indian flag during the festival's Independence Day celebrations