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J&K Congress chief Tariq Karra began a hunger strike in Srinagar demanding restoration of statehood. The protest, part of the ‘Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq’ campaign, will be held across districts till August 21, awaiting developments in Parliament on the issue

A controversy broke out in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen after a convent school allegedly distributed Hindi alphabet charts with Islamic references. The principal admitted an “inadvertent” error as authorities launched an inquiry, citing guidelines against religious content in school study materials

Sharad Pawar backed Rahul Gandhi’s “vote theft” claims, urging the Election Commission to hold a detailed probe to protect electoral integrity. Pawar criticised the EC for seeking an oath from Gandhi and said Opposition parties will march to the EC office

Four helicopters evacuated 287 more people from disaster-hit Uttarkashi on Saturday, taking the total rescued to over 1,000. Four deaths confirmed, 49 missing, and road restoration underway with Bailey bridge construction to reconnect flood-hit Dharal

Indian Railways has launched a discounted ‘Round Trip Package’ for the 2025 festive season, offering a 20 per cent rebate on return fares. The scheme applies to confirmed tickets in both directions and aims to ease festival travel congestion

Elon Musk’s Starlink will store Indian user data within the country, with no traffic routed abroad, Parliament was informed. The company has received key approvals and is preparing to roll out satellite-based internet services while meeting national security requirements

Uddhav Thackeray lashed out at the Modi government over rising US tariffs, alleged foreign policy failures, and ties with Pakistan and China. He questioned the PM’s silence on key issues and accused the BJP of weakening democracy and ignoring national crises

Rescue teams have saved 409 people from flood-hit areas in Uttarkashi. Of these, 274 are currently safe in Harsil, while 135 have been moved to Uttarkashi and Dehradun. Relief operations are ongoing with support from multiple armed, medical, and disaster agencies.

The Election Commission has initiated a large-scale revision of electoral rolls for the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls, capping voters per booth at 1,200 and increasing polling stations, BLOs, and volunteers to ensure a smoother, more accessible voting process

The Lok Sabha passed the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, which replaces the 1958 Act and empowers the Centre to detain stateless vessels. The bill aims to modernise maritime law, even as Opposition protests over Bihar electoral rolls continued

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan, the first of 10 planned Common Central Secretariat buildings under the Central Vista project. It will house several ministries, replacing outdated structures to streamline government operations and enhance administrative efficiency

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Japan and China later this month. The trip includes summit talks in Japan and potential participation in the SCO summit in China, marking his first visit there since the Ladakh standoff

Paytm is now fully Indian-owned after Ant Group exited by selling its residual 5.84 per cent stake. The move marks a major shift in the company’s ownership structure, aligning with its long-standing vision of building a homegrown tech champion

WhatsApp has rolled out a ‘Safety Overview’ feature to protect users from being added to unknown groups, as part of a broader anti-scam push. Over 6.8 million scam-linked accounts were banned, with operations disrupted across Southeast Asia

India and Russia have reaffirmed their defence partnership as Deputy Defence Minister Aleksandr Fomin met Ambassador Vinay Kumar in Moscow. The talks come amid tensions with the US over India’s Russian oil imports and Trump’s proposed tariff hikes

Infosys has inaugurated a new Centre for Advanced AI, Cybersecurity, and Space Technology in Hubballi, Karnataka. Part of its global Living Labs network, the facility enhances digital innovation and pushes its local workforce beyond 1,000 employees

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Lok Sabha that confirmed/RAC e-ticket passengers can avail of travel insurance by paying a premium of just Rs 0.45. Over Rs 27 crore has been disbursed in settled claims over five years, he said

The Kinnaur Kailash Yatra in Himachal Pradesh has been suspended after heavy rain damaged trekking routes. ITBP and NDRF rescued 413 stranded pilgrims. Statewide, 617 roads are shut due to landslides, and schools have been closed in several districts

RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra dismissed US President Donald Trump's "dead economy" jibe, asserting that India is doing well and contributing 18% to global growth—more than the US. Inflation won't be impacted by potential oil-related sanctions, he added

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha that a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar cannot be allowed as the matter is sub judice. He cited House rules and the autonomy of the Election Commission