IBTimes

Kulgam Police arrested three persons, including a woman from Anantnag, in two separate operations and recovered heroin from their possession. Police suspect the woman's involvement in a narco-terror module operating across South Kashmir and are investigating the wider drug-trafficking network.

Testing found excessive heavy metals beyond specified limits, prompting the regulator to advise consumers not to buy or use the products and direct authorities to prevent their sale, distribution and advertising

Alerts were also sounded in Jeddah and Taif before being lifted shortly afterwards. Authorities said the threat had passed and urged residents to follow Civil Defence instructions. The Houthis, however, denied Saudi-led claims that they targeted Mecca.

Nifty was at an intraday high of 23,281, an increase of 162 points or 0.70 per cent in morning trade, while Sensex rose over 500 points or 0.67 per cent to 74,505.

Ashneer Grover has criticised the new UPI Merchant Discount Rate, calling any levy on UPI ax collection. The government has clarified that person-to-person payments will remain free, while specified merchant transactions above 2,000 will attract MDR, capped at 0.4 per cent.

Meta has agreed to report child sexual abuse and other child safety-related matters directly to appropriate law enforcement agencies in India. The move comes amid government scrutiny over alleged child sexual abuse material-related advertisements on Instagram

The Central Consumer Protection Authority has fined Rapido operator Roppen Transportation Services Rs 10 lakh for misleading ride-booking prompts, unfair trade practices and dark patterns.

Two SpiceJet flights from Delhi to Dubai were delayed by more than 24 hours, leaving around 200 passengers stranded at the airport. Frustrated travellers staged protests at Terminal 3, while the airline attributed the disruption to operational issues following the grounding of an aircraft and said alternate flights were being arranged

US President Donald Trump called Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during a live event in Los Angeles and dismissed fears that AI or robots could take over the world. Trump described AI safety concerns as a hoax, defended data centres and urged the US to maintain its lead over China in artificial intelligence.

Shah Rukh Khan surprised fans during an AskSRK session as he dropped a dialogue from his upcoming film King and reacted to its clash with Avengers: Doomsday. The actor also teased the film's trailer, action sequences, music and shared witty responses to several fan questions.

BJP seeks month-long session, accuses NC government of undermining legislative accountability; Omar hits back, says BJP-ruled states have held even shorter sessions

Jammu and Kashmir Police have busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked terror module in Rajouri with the arrest of three overground workers. Investigators said the accused were allegedly providing logistical support and facilitating the movement of terrorists in the Pir Panjal region.

At least seven people were killed in three separate road accidents across Karnataka between Monday night and Tuesday morning amid Ganesh festival celebrations.

Videos of their meeting quickly surfaced on social media, drawing attention particularly because Vijay and Ajith have spent more than two decades at the centre of one of Tamil cinema's most fiercely debated star rivalries.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim entertained guests at PM Narendra Modi's BRICS gala dinner in Delhi by singing a popular Kishore Kumar song. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped the dinner after attending the BRICS Summit and holding bilateral talks with PM Modi earlier in the day.

BOPEE has invited offline applications for four MBBS seats under the Central Pool for the 2026-27 academic session, reserved for spouses and children of civilian terror victims in Jammu and Kashmir. Selection will be based on NEET-UG 2026 rank, with priority given to children who lost both parents, followed by children of deceased sole breadwinners and dependents of victims with permanent disabilities or serious injuries.

Days after the conclusion of Jammu and Kashmir Police's 100-day Nasha Mukti Abhiyan, a probationer sub-inspector posted in Kathua's Hiranagar was allegedly caught consuming heroin. The incident has raised questions about drug abuse within the police force, particularly as several police personnel have previously faced arrest, dismissal or termination in narcotics-related cases.

Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati, a senior judge of the Rajasthan High Court, has been appointed Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court by President Droupadi Murmu. He is scheduled to take the oath on September 9 at SKICC, Srinagar.

Sonam Wangchuk says padyatra will be revived if the Centre talks fail to deliver substantive progress on statehood, the Sixth Schedule safeguards and other key demands.

Jammu and Kashmir is set for a political showdown on September 2, with the ruling National Conference and opposition BJP announcing rival demonstrations. While the NC plans protests outside BJP offices demanding restoration of statehood and accountability from the Union government, the BJP will gherao the Civil Secretariat over the Omar Abdullah government's alleged failures.

Congress has once again refused to join Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's government in Jammu and Kashmir, maintaining that it will not accept any cabinet berth until statehood and the constitutional rights of the people are restored. JKPCC chief Tariq Hamid Karra said the party would continue supporting the National Conference government against any attempt by the BJP to destabilise it.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the J&K Police Crime Branch has arrested Junaid-ul-Islam from Bengaluru in connection with an alleged Rs 2-crore investment fraud case. The accused allegedly collected money from several people in Kashmir by promising monthly returns of 10 per cent while claiming an association with an e-commerce company.

Punjab Police has busted an alleged arms-smuggling module in Amritsar, arresting two suspects and recovering 10 sophisticated pistols, magazines and live ammunition. The action comes amid an NIA probe into suspected Pakistani and Australian links to a June drone-based arms drop near the Punjab border in June this year.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said issues concerning the Union Territory must be resolved by New Delhi and not Washington during his meeting with US Ambassador Sergio Gor. Meanwhile, former CM Mehbooba Mufti urged Gor to review and withdraw the US travel advisory for Kashmir, saying it was hurting tourism and the livelihoods of thousands of families.

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has expressed concern over the growing drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly among youth, and called for a comprehensive strategy combining strict enforcement with prevention, early intervention, de-addiction, rehabilitation and social reintegration.

Security has been intensified across parts of Jammu and Kashmir following a purported threat letter issued by the United Liberation Council, a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked shadow outfit, targeting Kashmiri Hindu employees. The communication allegedly names six employees and contains threats against government officials and police personnel. Security agencies are examining the threat, while Panun Kashmir has demanded a probe into the purported communication.

The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra will remain suspended from August 9 on the Chandanwari and Baltal routes to facilitate track repairs and maintenance following recent rains. More than 4.8 lakh pilgrims have performed darshan at the Holy Cave so far. The traditional Chhari Mubarak procession will proceed through the Pahalgam route and mark the formal culmination of the 2026 pilgrimage on August 28.

J&K Police have issued a public advisory cautioning citizens that scammers are exploiting AI-powered deepfake and morphing tools to misuse publicly shared photos, videos, reels, and voice clips creating fake identities and impersonation scams that appear alarmingly authentic. The advisory urges the public to limit exposure of personal content, use masked copies of sensitive documents like Aadhaar, enable two-factor authentication, and report suspicious accounts or DMs promptly.

A high-level committee headed by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar will visit J&K from August 10 to 12 to conduct a ground-level assessment of demographic changes, cross-border movement, alleged infiltration, identification of foreign nationals, document verification and unusual settlement patterns. The panel is expected to visit sensitive areas along the IB and LoC, interact with officials and residents, and examine alleged movement from border districts to the interior and Kashmir Val

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has reiterated that normal relations with Pakistan can move forward only in an environment free from terrorism, hostility and violence. In the Lok Sabha, he outlined India's diplomatic and strategic measures following the Pulwama and Pahalgam terror attacks. Separately, MoS External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said India is pursuing permanent membership of an expanded UN Security Council through bilateral and multilateral engagements.

The J&K government has ordered an immediate review of the PMAY-G 2.0 beneficiary list following complaints that several deserving rural families were wrongly excluded from the housing scheme. The Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department has directed field officers to identify and rectify such cases, warning that officials responsible for negligence or improper verification will be held accountable.