IBTimes

J&K fast bowler Auqib Nabi has received his maiden India Test call-up after replacing injured Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka. The selection rewards the Baramulla pacer's outstanding domestic performances, including 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons and a pivotal role in J&K's historic maiden Ranji Trophy triumph.

The government also clarified that FSSAI's action against several alcohol manufacturers relates to the use of flavouring substances that mimic standardised alcoholic beverages and misleading age-related claims, affecting brands including Old Monk, McDowell's, Bagpiper, Antiquity Blue and Royal Challenge.

Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 contestant Gaurav Khanna's painful injuries after a rubber-bullet stunt have gone viral. Amid online criticism, Banijay CEO Deepak Dhar said the stunt was not brutal and complied with all required safety procedures.

Replying in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Programme Implementation Rao Inderjit Singh said the ministry has also integrated administrative datasets and introduced new quality frameworks to strengthen India's national statistical ecosystem.

The Karnataka Cabinet expansion has sparked fresh dissent within the Congress, with several MLAs protesting after being denied ministerial berths despite Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's appeal for patience.

Congress retained the Datia Assembly seat, defeating the BJP for the second consecutive time. Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh defeated BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari by 6,056 votes. The party also led at former Home Minister Narottam Mishra's polling booth. Congress workers celebrated in Bhopal by distributing sweets and Melody toffees after the party's victory.

As Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor claims his electoral win, we trace his remarkable journey from high-profile campaign strategist to standalone politician. Here is a look at the major victories and setbacks along the way

Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary congratulated Prashant Kishor on his victory in the Bankipur Assembly bypoll, saying the people had chosen Jan Suraaj in the democratic process. He said he respects the public mandate and wished Kishor success.

The Sensex surged 544.39 points, or 0.7 per cent, to close at 78,639.03. Meanwhile, the Nifty recorded a stronger advance, ending at 24,774.30, up 391 points or 1.6 per cent, following the introduction of the new Closing Auction Session (CAS).

The Indian rupee surged to a near one-month high on Monday as crude oil prices fell by up to 7 per cent to below the $80-a-barrel mark amid hopes of a deal to end the Iran conflict, while strong foreign inflows further supported the currency.

The BJP retained Gujarat's Manjalpur Assembly seat after Satish Govindbhai Patel defeated Congress' Bhikhabhai Rabari by over 30,000 votes, according to the Election Commission. Meanwhile, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor strengthened his lead in Bihar's Bankipur, while Congress led in Madhya Pradesh's Datia

Months after facing backlash over the viral 370 biryani crowd-work controversy, comedian Pranit More made an emotional return to stand-up during a June 14 show in Georgia. Welcomed with loud cheers and applause.

A Delhi court on Monday acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers. The verdict brings relief to the political leader, in one of the most high-profile legal battles in Indian sport.

He ruled out immediate electoral politics, saying the group aims to function as a public pressure movement, and pledged to continue supporting students and raising issues related to education and unemployment across the country

The government is replacing a colonial-era law with one that seeks to preserve access to banking evidence while protecting banks from unnecessary legal proceedings, shifting the emphasis to better-targeted judicial oversight rather than unrestricted access to banking records.

The Jharkhand Crime Investigation Department (CID), which is probing alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, launched a major statewide crackdown on Monday, carrying out simultaneous raids at more than 20 locations across the state.

The U.S. President said he will order American forces to hold off on new strikes against Iran, claiming West Asia allies had reached the parameters of a deal to end the war

The blast occurred near sensitive government buildings during a public demonstration, prompting security forces to seal off the area and launch a search operation. The attack comes days after another assault in Hangu district killed nine police personnel, highlighting the surge in militant attacks on law enforcement in Pakistan's border regions.

Sensex surged 800 points or 1.02 per cent to an intraday high of 78,895.10 in early deals, while Nifty climbed 192.85 points or 0.79 per cent to 24,576.45.

Videos broadcast by local news outlet iNews showed frightened passengers wearing life jackets and gathering aboard rescue vessels. Other footage captured thick plumes of smoke rising from the ferry as some passengers climbed down the vessel while others jumped into the sea.

Court finds government canteen inspection reports contradicted by independent advocates' survey; it appreciates the FDA's overall work but adds that the authority's actions should reflect transparency and accountability

According to FSSAI, the inspection revealed multiple non-conformities that posed a significant risk to food safety. Food products were found to be manufactured, packed and stored under unhygienic conditions, increasing the possibility of contamination.

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.

The ground rescue team has reached Nirmal Purja 'Nims Dai' at approximately 5,700m on Broad Peak, where three additional bodies have also been sighted, though their identities remain unconfirmed, said Alpine Club of Pakistan

SEBI's revised trading framework will come into effect from August 3, introducing a Closing Auction Session (CAS) for F&O-eligible stocks in the equity cash segment to improve price discovery and market efficiency.

A total of 2,73,183 candidates have registered for NEET-PG 2026, an increase of over 12.5 per cent compared to the previous year. The examination will be conducted in a single shift across around 340 cities and more than 1,300 examination centres.

In a historic medical first for Indian Railways, a live donor heart was rushed 250 km from Surat to Ahmedabad on Friday via a high-speed green corridor created aboard the Vande Bharat Express and across city streets to save the life of a critically ill cardiac patient.

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.

On Friendship Day 2026, Kangana Ranaut said personal freedom must come with accountability while sharing her conversation with two Gen-Z girls. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi's Instagram post featuring the Korean finger heart gesture went viral, drawing praise and humorous reactions online.

The country added 37 GW of solar capacity in 2025, surpassing the United States in annual additions to emerge as the world's second-largest solar growth market, it said.

A first-year medical student has been detained for questioning after a handwritten paper allegedly referring to bomb-making was found at a medical college in Ayodhya. Police are investigating its origin and the student's possible involvement.

Salman Khan made a surprise entry into the Alliance house to support his brother Sohail Khan after the latter suffered an emotional meltdown and kicked the storeroom door in anger. Salman also took a playful dig at Lock Upp 2 host Riteish Deshmukh

The complaints, lodged by seers and lawyers in Varanasi, accuse the leaders of insulting Lord Ram, the saint community and Sanatan Dharma. Pappu Yadav had dressed as a monk during the act, which sparked protests by seers, lawyers and Hindu organisations, including the VHP.

US embassies across nearly 10 Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have issued security alerts urging American citizens to exercise caution and be prepared to leave if tensions escalate

The advisory comes as Iran reportedly prepared a broad response plan against possible US-Israeli strikes, while renewed military exchanges involving the US, Iran, Israel, and Yemen's Houthis have heightened fears of wider regional conflict.

Stressing that drinking water remains the top priority, Shivakumar appealed for political unity and urged protesters to withdraw their agitation, saying water must be released once the Kabini reservoir reaches full capacity.

Spain has begun installing a 500-metre floating barrier off the coast of its North African enclave of Ceuta after a mass influx of migrants left at least 67 people dead and triggered a political debate across the European Union over border security and migration policy.

Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan has once again returned to the spotlight. A day after Hrithik responded to a viral social media post claiming that 'the world owes him an apology', Kangana shared a lengthy note on Instagram, asking the actor not to encourage online trolling directed at her.

The market snapped its recent losing streak as easing crude oil prices, improving geopolitical sentiment, strong corporate earnings for the April-June quarter and renewed buying by foreign institutional investors lifted investor confidence.

According to Trump, the proposed agreement includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Iran's nuclear programme, though neither Iran nor Israel has officially confirmed the claims. Earlier, Trump had said the US would continue military pressure on Iran until it could no longer threaten American forces or develop a nuclear weapon

Elvish Yadav is set to make his Bollywood debut in Vicky Jain's first production under VJ Frames. Directed by Remo D'Souza, the action film also stars Tiger Shroff and Abhishek Banerjee. Pre-production is currently underway.

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.

Nia Sharma's Maldives holiday photos have sparked fresh dating rumours after fans spotted Sikandar Singh in the pictures. Neither of them has confirmed the speculation.

The ban covers drones, UAVs, quadcopters, paragliders, paramotors, hang gliders, hot air balloons, microlight aircraft, and similar aerial platforms. Violators will face action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023

SEBI has barred Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Punit Goenka and Subhash Chandra from the securities market after finding that the company's Hyderabad property was mortgaged to secure Essel Group loans without required approvals.

August 2026 features several key financial deadlines and policy events, including the August 31 ITR filing deadline for self-employed professionals, freelancers, and businesses not requiring a tax audit. The RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will meet from August 35, with interest rates expected to remain unchanged.

During a call with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Araghchi also criticised Britain's stance toward Iran and accused Washington of failing to honour a June memorandum aimed at easing tensions.

The FIR was registered on the basis of a written complaint received from the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Despite strict provisions under the 2024 Act, major breaches such as the NEET-UG 2024 and 2026 paper leaks still occurred, highlighting weaknesses in detection, investigation, and institutional safeguards.

Preeti Pawar sealed her first ever Commonwealth Games gold in the women's 54kg final in Glasgow on Saturday. The 22-year-old, who hails from Bhiwani, defeated Canada's Scarlett Delgado 5-0 to seal a dominant win. Pawar is a Nayab Subedar in the Indian Army and adds a CWG medal to her 2022 Asian Games bronze.