Mid Day

From Harry Potter fans forcing a 430-million power cable route to be changed to protect Dobbys unofficial grave, to a 500-kg wedding cake and a fake NASA gravity shutdown claim, these bizarre stories offer a mix of internet hoaxes, unusual creations and curious discoveries

It explains his origins. And in doing so, it places him firmly below the Tirthankara and the Kshatriya.

As various powders were handed to me, and as I gently spread all over the white sheet and rubbed sandalwood on her face and forehead, her eyes opened.

Cockroach Janta Party convenor Abhijeet Dipke launched the School Thik Karo campaign in Hingoli, alleging poor facilities in government-run schools. Dipke said a Zilla Parishad school in Santuk Pimpri lacked water in toilets and had broken windows and inadequate benches

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that government doctors will not retire until March 31, 2027. He also announced Rs 20,000 salary arrears for Class IV employees, a Rs 1,000 hike in ASHA worker incentives and revised remuneration for NHM healthcare staff

The Student Bar Council of NALSAR University of Law has condemned the Bar Council of India over its withdrawn order barring state bar councils from enrolling the universitys 2026 graduates as advocates. The student body also sought an apology from BCI Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra over his remarks

An ADNOC-owned tanker was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with the UAE blaming Iran for the incident. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon, while Houthi missile attacks on Yemen raised fears of a wider conflict

Luigi Mangione, 28, pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges in the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York. Mangione admitted tracking Thompson to an investor conference and shooting him. Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence, with sentencing scheduled for December 18

The new generation has developed skills that the older generation never had to learn reverse sweeps, scoops, switch hits and the ability to score at extraordinary speed. That is also courage. But Test cricket asks different questions can you do it when the ball is moving, when the pitch is helping fast bowlers?

The Indian team seems to be beset with injury problems and are without the spearhead of their attack Jasprit Bumrah. While Bumrah has a knee injury, it is seen that most players suffer from hamstring injuries. Clearly theres something wrong with their training and thats why these recurring hamstring injuries

Taliban marked five years in power at Afghanistans traditional Loya Jirga assembly hall on Saturday, while UN special rapporteur Richard Bennett warned that the country is facing a deepening human rights crisis, particularly affecting women and girls

Mumbais auto rickshaw and taxi drivers began using more Marathi on Saturday after the language was made mandatory for them. While some drivers are still learning and completing certification, others are embracing basic Marathi phrases in daily conversations with passengers

IMD Mumbai chief scientist Bikram Singh explains how rainfall intensity, soil saturation and risks such as landslides, flooding and waterlogging determine weather alerts. He also discusses El Ninos likely impact on Maharashtra, warning of weaker rainfall in late August and September

MHB Colony Police arrested a 30-year-old electrician after allegedly busting an indoor hydroponic cannabis cultivation setup at a house in Ganpat Patil Nagar, Borivali West. Police seized dried cannabis

An old bungalow partially collapsed in Mumbais Walkeshwar area on Saturday morning, with a portion of the ground-plus-two-storey structure falling onto a nearby chawl. Three people were rescued from the site and reported to be unhurt. Fire brigade and BMC teams responded to the incident

A Mumbai Monorail train broke down near Mysore Colony Station in Chembur in 2025, leaving 582 passengers stranded inside the train. It had stopped at a height of around 40 to 50 feet above the ground, creating a challenging and dangerous situation

Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to move to higher ground, but later lifted the warning when Indonesia's meteorological agency said monitoring showed no significant sea-level changes that would pose a threat to coastal communities

Albanese reflected on the significance of the occasion for the Indian-Australian community, highlighting the enduring bonds between the two countries and the communitys contribution to strengthening bilateral ties

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that Iran has made no decision yet on the resumption of negotiations with the United States, the state-run IRIB news agency reported Saturday

Police said the three girls were travelling on a two-wheeler when a private bus allegedly hit them from behind. The impact caused the accident, resulting in the deaths of all three girls

Hilly districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Ramban and Udhampur are notorious for deadly road accidents.Experts attribute these road accidents to bad road conditions, over-speeding, overloading, road rage and other rash and negligent driving behaviours

Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, also extended his warm wishes on India's 80th Independence Day, highlighting the countrys remarkable development journey and reaffirming Moscow's steadfast support for its progress

Reacting to the Prime Ministers speech, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal questioned whether the government had acted on the promises made in Modis earlier Independence Day addresses

A flash flood swept away two shelters at the 5th Grenadiers Pasu Pani Army Camp in Dibang Valley, according to officials from the State Emergency Operations Centre, the news agency reported

Speaking to reporters on Independence Day, FDA chief Tukaram Mundhe said the quality of food has a direct impact on public health and the country's development

During an event, the Maharashtra government signed a memorandum of understanding with IIT Bombay for a new Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Technology Development and Public Policy, starting from the 2026-27 academic year

According to the officials, the fire was reported at M K Chamber building's B Wing, located at the Station Road in Bandra West area, at around 10.23 am

In the video shared by Kejriwal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking about the progress made in India's bioeconomy sector. Kejriwal shared this part of the video to allege that the Prime Minister's demeanour was under-confident, nervous and shaky during his speech

The participation of thousands of people in an event centred on the national flag, alongside the absence of BJP leaders, led to political discussion in the area

The meeting is scheduled to consider several matters, including the directorship of Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, who has decided not to seek another term when his current tenure ends in February 2027

The initiative was announced on Independence Day after Tawde hoisted the national flag at the Mayors residence. Following the flag-hoisting ceremony, she personally opened the main entrance to the premises, allowing residents to use the designated area for morning walks

I want to assure the people that we are for you, we will continue to represent you and work to bring Jammu and Kashmir to the level envisioned by the people who fought for freedom and were martyred, Abdullah said in his Independence speech at Bakshi Stadium here

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) received a call regarding the collapse at around 10.23 am. Emergency teams were alerted and rescue operations were carried out at the site

Tawde hoisted the national flag at the BMC headquarters on August 15 to mark Indias 79th Independence Day. She also extended her greetings to Mumbai residents and paid tribute to the freedom fighters who contributed to the countrys independence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 13th consecutive Independence Day address, urged political parties to support the early implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies

PM Narendra Modi delivered his 13th consecutive Independence Day address from the Red Fort as India marked its 80th Independence Day

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi extended Independence Day greetings to citizens on Saturday, saying freedom is not merely a gift from the countrys freedom fighters but also a responsibility. He called on people to follow truth and non-violence, uphold constitutional values and protect democracy

Thane Police have registered a case against the CEO and three partners of a Satara-based agribusiness firm for allegedly defrauding FMCG company Pitambari Products of Rs 40 lakh

Addressing a gathering at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur after hoisting the Tricolour on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day, Bhagwat urged people to strengthen the nation without compromising on its core principles and to confront challenges facing the country

NCP (SP) cited a response from the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha regarding the shutdown of 36,211 companies in Maharashtra over the past five years

Speaking after hoisting the national flag at Mantralaya to mark the 80th Independence Day, Fadnavis said Maharashtra remained the country's largest economy and had recorded a growth rate of around 8.8 per cent in the first half of the year

A US federal judge has rejected the Tohono Oodham Nations request to halt the Trump administrations plans to build 62 miles of border wall along its Arizona reservation

Delhi has been placed on high alert ahead of Independence Day, with more than 25,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel deployed across the capital. A multi-layered security grid has been established around the Red Fort

A Maryland state tax court has struck down the state's digital advertising tax, ruling that it violates federal and constitutional provisions. The court ordered officials to refund taxes already collected from companies including Apple, Google and Peacock TV. The first-of-its-kind tax was introduced in 2021 to raise funds for education

A Mumbai court has framed charges against Bangladeshi national Mohammad Shariful Islam in connection with the alleged stabbing of actor Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra residence in January last year

However, the lake levels remained significantly lower than in 2024, when the lakes had 13,48,606 million litres, accounting for 93.18 per cent of the total live storage

The initial quake was followed by several aftershocks.

The city is expected to witness a high tide at 1:44 pm, when the tide is forecast to reach 4.73 metres. Another high tide of 4.35 metres is expected at 2:02 am on Sunday, August 16

The Delhi government plans to redesign the Okhla Barrage on the Yamuna to reduce recurring frothing at Kalindi Kunj. The plan includes relocating polluting dhobi ghats, stopping garbage dumping, clearing solid waste and removing water hyacinth

According to the survey issued on Thursday, Sri Lanka stands out as Indias strongest supporter among the countries surveyed, with 79 per cent expressing a favourable opinion of India.