IBTimes

Comedian Samay Raina, YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia and others have received major relief from the Supreme Court. The apex court quashed the criminal proceedings against the comedian, YouTuber and four other comedians over their insensitive remarks about persons with disabilities on Samay's show India's Got Latent.

Rani Mukerji has been honoured with an Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by Australia's La Trobe University for her nearly three-decade contribution to Indian cinema. She becomes the second Indian film personality after Shah Rukh Khan to receive the prestigious honour.

Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut celebrated Teej with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and later shared pictures from the festivities on social media. In her post, Ranaut thanked the Delhi CM for the warmth and hospitality she received during the celebration.

Actor Jr NTR has been discharged from KIMS Hospitals in Secunderabad after undergoing successful arthroscopic shoulder surgery on August 12. The actor, who suffered the injury on July 27, will now begin a structured rehabilitation programme under medical supervision

Shakeela has urged people to drastically limit excessive phone use after undergoing neck surgery, which she described as a major operation. In her YouTube vlog, the actress said she spent up to four hours gaming while lying sideways, before watching reels for hours.

After pictures from the 'Alliance' post-party surfaced on social media, fans have expressed concerns about actor Sohail Khan's health after his drastic 12-kg weight loss. A

The piece explores humanity's enduring fascination with extraterrestrial life, drawing on Carl Sagan's belief that the vastness of the universe makes life beyond Earth highly plausible, while cautioning that alien life may be radically different from humans. I

Priyanka Chopra and Khushi Kapoor paid tribute to late Bollywood superstar Sridevi on her 62nd birth anniversary. Priyanka unveiled the cover of Empress: The Definitive Biography of Sridevi, an upcoming biography authored by Dhiraj U. Kumarr

Karnataka's bandh over the release of 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu evoked a mixed response. Mandya witnessed intense farmer and pro-Kannada protests, while Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hassan and Ballari largely remained unaffected.

Students are demanding comprehensive recruitment reforms and a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the JPSC Civil Services and JSSC-CGL examinations. The agitation intensified after a clash near the Jharkhand Assembly on August 10, while the Congress and BJP have extended support to the protesting students.

Members of the Kashmiri diaspora in Belgium staged a protest march from the European Parliament to the United Nations office in Brussels, condemning alleged killings and human rights abuses by Pakistani forces in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The three Mumbai outlets whose licences got suspended include Vile Parle (West), Borivali (West), and R-City Mall, Ghatkopar (West). Additionally, the business licence of the Domino's Malkapur outlet in Satara's Karad was also suspended.

J&K Transport Minister Satish Sharma has reportedly sought the immediate removal of Transport Commissioner Vishesh Paul Mahajan, accusing him of defiance, insubordination and bypassing the ministry. The letter, dated August 6, has gone viral on social media, though the government has neither confirmed nor denied its authenticity.

Amid criticism of Ramayana's visual effects, Ranbir Kapoor said there is a new phenomenon where many social media users have become CG critics. Namit Malhotra also questioned judging big-screen visuals on phones, saying millions of dollars and years of work go into creating them.

Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person ever to hold the high-profile post, said she was leaving the demanding White House job to spend more time with her two children.

Indian-origin teenager Arjun Aravind, 17, has been charged with allegedly murdering his mother and 14-year-old brother at their Massachusetts home, authorities said. Police found both victims with apparent trauma after a welfare check

Sensex opened 145.56 points or 0.19 per cent higher at 78,111.91, while Nifty slipped marginally by 4.35 points or 0.02 per cent to 24,431.60.

For the visit, the actress opted for a khadi-coloured kurta paired with purple and bright green dupatta-and-pants set. Meanwhile, Vignesh kept it casual in cargo pants and a white checked shirt. The couple arrived at the temple with their twin sons, Uyir and Ulagam.

The complaint alleges that the cremation was carried out hastily, without a family member's signature and with the charges waived, raising concerns that it may have been intended to prevent a second autopsy. The fresh probe will be conducted separately from the CBI investigation

The Maharashtra FDA has suspended the food licence of Blink Commerce in Mumbai due to severe cockroach infestation and poor food storage practices.

The film features Pankaj Tripathi, Divyenndu, Ali Fazal, Jitendra Kumar, Ravi Kishan, Abhishek Banerjee, Rasika Dugal, Mohitt Maalik, Sheeba Chadha, Rajesh Tailang, Pramod Pathak, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Harshita Shekhar Gaur, Shweta Tripathi in pivotal roles.

Accor's second luxury signing in one Himalayan pilgrim town in under a year suggests global hospitality has stopped treating spiritual tourism as a niche , and started treating it as a business.

The deceased, identified as Arjun Mahesh, a native of Kasaragod, was found hanging inside a room at Sky Grand Empire Hotel in Maravoor, under the Kavoor police station limits on Monday. He was reportedly working as an automobile engineer in Dubai.

Samay Raina's latest India's Got Latent bonus episode was dropped for YouTube members only. Samay took a sly dig at Badshah while singing a Honey Singh song, referencing Brown Rang and their long-standing feud. He also joked about vlogger Saurav Joshi's marriage to Avantika Bhatt, s

Actor Amruta Khanvilkar's legal team has warned of legal action over defamatory rumours about her personal life, following reports that she and her husband, Himanshu Malhotra, have been living separately for over a year. The couple has dismissed the separation claims, stating that any such content violating Amruta's privacy or making unverified allegations will be taken seriously.

CINTAA General Secretary Upasana Singh confirmed the resignations, while the association's legal counsel rejected claims that the Executive Committee had been dissolved, saying it remains operational under the Constitution and that replacement members have been inducted.

Over Rs 62,683 crore remains unclaimed in Public Sector Banks across India as of June 30, 2026, according to the Union Government. To help depositors, nominees and legal heirs recover their money, the Centre and the RBI have introduced a series of measures, including simplified claim procedures, special outreach drives, the UDGAM portal, and the nationwide Your Money, Your Right campaign.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced the launch of the first-ever Rehabilitation and Socio-Economic Reintegration Scheme for Drug Abuse Victims, 2026. The pilot project will begin in the two worst-affected districts of Jammu and Kashmir, focusing on treatment, counselling, skill development, employment, and long-term reintegration of drug abuse victims.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh reviewed the implementation roadmap of the Ujh Multipurpose Project in Jammu and Kashmir, saying it will generate up to 212 MW of electricity, irrigate nearly 90,000 hectares across J&K and Punjab, supply drinking water to Kathua, and strengthen water security, agriculture and border management.

The Crime Branch's Economic Offences Wing has chargesheeted a former ICICI Prudential Life Insurance employee for allegedly siphoning off over 10.75 lakh by fraudulently surrendering an insurance policy using forged documents and a fake SBI account. The investigation found evidence of forgery, cheating and attempted fraud involving multiple insurance policies, with the case now before a Jammu court.

Thousands of residents reportedly boycotted the first phase of PoJK Assembly elections as JAAC-led protests intensified, with demonstrators calling the polls a sham and demanding political rights.

The Union Government informed the Rajya Sabha that it has launched the National Mental Health Survey-2 to assess mental health disorders, including those linked to prolonged conflict, natural disasters and substance abuse in Jammu and Kashmir. It said the Union Territory has around 120 psychiatrists, 40 clinical psychologists, 21 addiction treatment facilities and expanded Tele-MANAS services as part of efforts to strengthen mental healthcare across all districts.

The Centre informed the Rajya Sabha that 35 workers lost their lives and three others suffered serious injuries at NHPC and CVPPL hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district over the past five years. It also stated that compensation has been paid in most cases, safety audits are being conducted regularly, and there is no evidence that project-related blasting or tunnelling has caused damage to nearby houses or structures.

Mehbooba Mufti's remarks at Jantar Mantar on Kashmir protests have triggered a political storm, with the NC, Apni Party and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah demanding a public apology.

The Jammu and Kashmir Sarnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC) has demanded a high-level probe into the alleged misappropriation of lakhs of kanals of evacuee land meant for the rehabilitation of families displaced from PoJK. The demand comes after the ACB unearthed a major Custodian land scam and registered multiple FIRs against revenue officials and beneficiaries.

FASTag-based toll collection on National Highways reached a record 70,278.18 crore in 2025-26, marking a steady rise over the past three years, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the Rajya Sabha. The Centre said it has reviewed the toll pricing mechanism to reduce the burden on commuters through measures such as an annual pass, rationalised toll charges and lower penalties for UPI payments.

The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Corridor has come under the spotlight after official data tabled in the Rajya Sabha revealed that 58 of J&K's 73 identified black corridors are located in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, through which the mega highway project passes.

The Union Territory of Ladakh will host India's first-ever Global Black-necked Crane Festival from August 10 to 14 across Leh, Tso Kar and Hanle to promote wildlife conservation, sustainable tourism and community participation. Dedicated to the Black-necked Crane, Ladakh's state bird and the world's only alpine crane, the festival aims to showcase the ecological and cultural significance of the Changthang wetlands.

Jammu and Kashmir Police has executed a court proclamation against Pakistan-based designated terrorist Mohammad Qasim alias Sulliman, directing him to appear before a designated court in Jammu by August 21. Qasim, who carries a Rs 10 lakh reward, is accused of involvement in the Katra and Narwal blasts and of operating a terror network in Rajouri and Poonch.

A Kashmiri youth was allegedly lured to Cambodia with a promise of a lucrative computer operator job but was instead forced into online scamming activities. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir, has filed a chargesheet against the accused in the overseas job fraud case registered in April.

The NIA Special Court in Jammu rejected the 20-day interim bail plea of former DySP Davinder Singh, accused in a high-profile terror-linked case, but granted him five days of custody parole on humanitarian grounds to attend his late father's religious rituals in Srinagar. The court held that with his regular bail already rejected and an appeal pending in the High Court, there was no ground for interim bail.

The Shri Amarnath and Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimages resumed on Saturday after a nearly week-long suspension caused by adverse weather and security concerns. Over 6,200 Amarnath pilgrims left Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar base camp for Kashmir, while around 2,000 devotees registered for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage in Katra as authorities closely monitored weather and safety conditions.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the first International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) would herald a new era in the Union Territory's partnership with the film industry and help restore Kashmir's historic status as a preferred filmmaking destination. Speaking at the curtain-raiser event, he outlined the government's vision to create a filmmaker-friendly ecosystem, promote local talent, and position IFFJK as a globally recognised annual film festival.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured the family of martyred Jammu and Kashmir Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi of the government's full support after speaking to his son over the phone. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the bereaved family in Budgam, paid tributes to the fallen policeman, promised continued assistance, and reaffirmed the administration's commitment to dismantling the terror ecosystem and eliminating terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir.

The sleuths of the ED conducted raids at nine locations in J&K and Punjab as part of a money laundering investigation into an alleged Pakistan-linked narco-terror funding network. The probe revealed a cross-border heroin smuggling racket with suspected links to Hizbul Mujahideen, leading to the seizure of incriminating documents and the freezing of bank accounts containing approximately 49.9 lakh.

The Shri Amarnath and Mata Vaishno Devi yatras remained suspended for the sixth consecutive day due to adverse weather conditions, leaving more than 15,000 pilgrims stranded at various locations across Jammu and Kashmir. The Shiv Khori and Machail Mata pilgrimages also remained suspended as authorities continued to monitor the weather and assess the safety of the routes before allowing the yatras to resume. So far, over 3.9 lakh devotees have paid obeisance at the Holy Cave Shrine during the ong

A political controversy erupted in J&K after security forces demolished the houses of two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists following the targeted killing of Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi in Anantnag. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti criticised the action as unconstitutional and counterproductive, while security agencies intensified anti-terror operations and detained thousands of suspects across the Kashmir Valley.

At Hyatt Centric Sector 17, a hidden speakeasy, destination-led dining and immersive heritage walks make a compelling case for Chandigarh as more than a stopover

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti joined protesting students at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, backing their demands while reviving the debate over the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A. Calling the August 5, 2019 decision unconstitutional, she accused the Centre of undermining democracy, demanded the resignation of the minister concerned, and said India's youth would play a decisive role in safeguarding the Constitution.

The killing of Police Head Constable Aashiq Hussain Qureshi in Anantnag has triggered one of the largest anti-terror operations in Kashmir in recent years. Security forces have detained over 2,000 terror associates, intensified surveillance across the Valley, and demolished the houses of two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists as investigations point to possible cross-border involvement.