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Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address on Saturday came just days after student-led protests demanding reforms in competitive exams and the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following the NEET-UG paper leak that sparked outrage across the country.

India celebrates its 80th Independence Day as Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads the celebrations from Delhi's Red Fort amid tight security. This year marks 150 years of 'Vande Mataram', which will be formally sung at the venue for the first time.

'Vande Mataram' was played in full for the first time during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flag hoisting. The rendition, performed by the Army band, was followed by the National Anthem.

Ahead of India's 80th Independence Day, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a massive wave of Tiranga rallies, with students, farmers, government employees, security personnel, youth and residents participating across cities, villages and border areas. From Jammu city to the Suchetgarh International Border and Srinagar, the celebrations have highlighted patriotism, national unity and growing public participation in the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, while observing Partition Horrors Remembrance Day in Srinagar, paid tribute to the millions who suffered during the 1947 Partition and said its wounds continue to linger in India's collective consciousness. He urged people, particularly the youth, to learn from the past, reject communal bitterness and work towards peace, harmony, national unity and a Viksit Bharat

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have booked BJP's Pulwama district president Showkat Gayoor in an alleged extortion and criminal intimidation case following a complaint by a contractor. The BJP has suspended Gayoor from all organisational posts and responsibilities. The case comes amid renewed efforts by the party to expand its political footprint in the Kashmir Valley and recalls an earlier case involving the BJP's former Bandipora district president.

Discover how fire sprinkler systems safeguard commercial properties, support risk management, and help lower fire insurance premiums.

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.

The attacker allegedly tried to stab Badal with a kirpan but was stopped by security personnel and detained by police. Badal sustained an injury to his hand and received stitches, while a security officer was also injured while intervening

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.

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.

A three-member inquiry committee constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has found all three charges against former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma proved in connection with the discovery of unexplained cash at his official residence in March 2025. T

Nearly 3,000 Kashmiri Pandit and other migrant employees working in the Kashmir Valley have reportedly been informally advised to work from home until August 20 following a fresh terror threat against Hindu employees. The administration has also reportedly exempted them from Independence Day stadium duties amid heightened security ahead of August 15 celebrations.

India's first-ever Global Black-necked Crane Festival has opened in Ladakh, attracting tourists, bird lovers, conservationists and experts from India and abroad. The August 1114 festival aims to promote black-necked crane conservation while strengthening ecotourism, local livelihoods and community participation across Changthang.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on major international economic and financial developments, the potential for cooperation between the banking systems of Iran and India, and ways to strengthen monetary and banking interactions between the two countries.

Doctors have reported an increase in patients with flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and body aches. While most cases are mild, elderly people and those with underlying health conditions face a higher risk of complications.

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police raided nine locations across the Union Territory in connection with the 1990 kidnapping and murder of Kashmiri Pandit poet and social activist Sarvanand Kaul Premi and his son Virendra Kaul. The long-pending case, registered under FIR No. 45/1990, is being thoroughly investigated to uncover the conspiracy and bring closure to the decades-old tragedy.

The party has argued that there is no evidence of illegal transactions and has sought permission to use the frozen funds for essential expenses. The hearing comes a day after the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the ED's freezing of three other TMC accounts

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran has resigned from the holding company after nearly a decade at the helm and will complete his current term without seeking reappointment. His exit follows differences between Tata Sons and Tata Trusts over governance, strategy and shareholder issues.

The Jharkhand Assembly's Monsoon Session was adjourned early amid disruptions and heated exchanges between the ruling coalition and Opposition over the recruitment row, police action against students and the BJP-called statewide bandh

Domestic equity markets traded lower in early deals on Wednesday as rising crude oil prices and geopolitical tensions weighed on investor sentiment. The Sensex fell up to 273 points, while the Nifty declined by 81 points.

Jammu and Kashmir has 5,138 unaudited functional cooperative societies, accounting for more than 56 per cent of the UT's total functional cooperatives, according to data presented in the Lok Sabha. The Ministry of Cooperation said only 3,994 of 9,132 functional societies in J&K have been audited.

Jammu and Kashmir's cultivable land increased from 10.74 lakh hectares in 2020-21 to 10.97 lakh hectares in 2024-25, registering a rise of 23,000 hectares, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha. The figures also show that the average monthly income of an agricultural household in J&K was Rs 18,918, significantly higher than the national average of Rs 10,218.

Adani Group shares gained up to 3.5% after a US court dismissed securities fraud and conspiracy charges against Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani. The ruling ended a legal challenge linked to alleged bribery and investor fraud claims. Investors reacted positively, with all major Adani stocks trading higher despite broader market weakness

The issue also triggered a political confrontation in Parliament, with NDA MPs accusing the Opposition of avoiding a discussion, while Congress MPs demanded Home Minister Amit Shah's presence to address the students' protest. BJP leaders, including Sambit Patra and Dharmendra Pradhan, attacked Rahul Gandhi

The Sensex declined 388.19 points, or 0.49 per cent, to settle at 78,154.25. The Nifty also ended lower, falling 112.10 points, or 0.46 per cent, to close at 24,471.70.

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing NEET and urged the Centre to amend relevant laws to enable medical admissions based on Class 12 board marks.

Abhishek Porel was arrested in Hooghly in an alleged rape case on Monday night. A medical student had filed a complaint against the Delhi Capitals cricketer, who accused that Porel had a physical relationship with her on the false promise of marriage.

Gold prices rose for the sixth straight session, climbing Rs 1,200 to a two-month high of Rs 1.57 lakh per 10 grams in Delhi, while silver touched Rs 2.42 lakh per kg. Strong investment and safe-haven demand ahead of key US inflation data

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

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.

India could manage the loss of discounted Russian crude more comfortably than a prolonged rise in global oil prices to $100 a barrel, as India has diversified its crude suppliers. A sustained oil price surge could significantly increase India's import bill, inflation and external financial pressures.

Ganderbal Police have uncovered an alleged conspiracy to falsely implicate a poultry businessman in a drug case, with his wife's alleged former lover suspected of orchestrating the plot. Police intercepted a courier from Kanpur containing cocaine, charas and diclofenac tablets and have detained a suspect from Srinagar. The roles of the woman, her alleged lover and other suspected conspirators are under investigation.

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

Counter-Intelligence Kashmir arrested Siraj Nabi Parray of Budgam for allegedly running a social media account glorifying terrorists and inciting youth toward terrorism. In a parallel pre-dawn operation, J&K Police's Counter-Intelligence Wing raided locations in Baramulla, Shopian, Anantnag, Kupwara and Bandipora.

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.

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.