How Kochi Celebrated India's First Independence Day in a Downpour
On August 15, 1947, heavy rains could not dampen the spirit of independence in Kochi. While sirens and bells rang out across the city, the Elaya Raja Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran hoisted both the Indian Union and Cochin State flags at the Durbar Hall grounds. A large procession braved the weather, marching to a public meeting at Rajendra Maidan. Historical accounts recall a teacher telling students the rain was washing away 150 years of slavery, capturing the powerful emotions of the day.
Dr. Vece Paes, 1972 Olympic Hockey Medallist, Dies at 80
Dr. Vece Paes, a key midfielder in the Indian hockey team that won a bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, has passed away in Kolkata at age 80. Also the father of tennis legend Leander Paes, he was a multi-talented sportsman who also played football and rugby. After his hockey career, he became a distinguished sports medicine doctor, serving as a consultant for the BCCI and the Indian Davis Cup team, contributing significantly to Indian sports for decades.
EAM Jaishankar to Visit Russia Amid US Trade Tensions
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit Moscow next week for talks with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov and other top leaders. The visit comes days after NSA Ajit Doval's trip and amid strained US-India ties over New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian crude oil, which recently prompted new US tariffs. The discussions are expected to cover the bilateral agenda, the Ukraine conflict, and finalise plans for President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to India.
US Treasury Secretary Describes India as 'Recalcitrant' in Trade Talks
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described India as a "bit recalcitrant" in ongoing trade negotiations, though he expressed hope for agreements by October. The comment comes as Washington imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods in response to India's Russian oil purchases, raising the total tariff to 50%. Indian officials have called the US action "unjustified," and analysts noted the term suggests a US perspective of India being an obstacle in the talks.
Two Senior Maoist Commanders with ₹35-Lakh Bounty Killed in Chhattisgarh
Security forces killed two senior Maoist leaders, Vijay Reddy and Lokesh Salame, in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district. Reddy, a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, and Salame, a divisional committee member, carried a combined bounty of ₹35 lakh. The gunfight occurred in the Banda Pahad forest during an operation by a joint team of the District Reserve Guard and ITBP. With this operation, 229 Maoists have been killed in Chhattisgarh this year.
DRDO Guest House Manager Arrested for Spying for Pakistan
The guest house manager at a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan. The accused, Mahendra Prasad, was detained on August 4 and arrested after a joint interrogation. Police allege he used social media to share sensitive information with a Pakistani handler, including details about missile testing schedules and the movement of DRDO scientists and officers at the firing range. He has been remanded to two-day police custody.
Electoral Roll Discrepancies in Bihar Highlighted as Rahul Gandhi Meets 'Dead' Voters
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with a group of seven voters from Bihar who were declared "dead" and removed from the electoral rolls during the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The incident has drawn national attention to allegations of large-scale voter disenfranchisement in the poll-bound state. The group appeared before the Supreme Court, which is hearing petitions against the SIR exercise that has reportedly removed 65 lakh names from Bihar's voter lists, prompting calls for greater ECI accountability.
Supreme Court Cancels Olympian Sushil Kumar's Bail in Murder Case
The Supreme Court has cancelled the bail granted to Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar in the 2021 murder case of junior national champion Sagar Dhankar. A bench set aside a Delhi High Court order from March that had granted him bail. The apex court has ordered Kumar, the prime accused in the fatal assault at Chhatrasal Stadium, to surrender within one week. The case involves allegations of assault over a property dispute, which resulted in Dhankar's death from cerebral damage.
ED Widens Betting App Probe, Questions Cricketer Suresh Raina and Actors
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into a major money-laundering case linked to illegal online betting applications. As part of the nationwide probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the agency summoned and questioned former cricketer Suresh Raina in New Delhi and Telugu actor Manchu Lakshmi in Hyderabad. The investigation focuses on celebrity endorsements that allegedly helped promote unregulated gambling platforms, with the ED examining the nature of their association with these apps.
11 Pilgrims, Including 7 Children, Killed in Rajasthan Road Accident
Eleven people, including seven children and three women, were killed and several others injured in a tragic road accident in Rajasthan's Dausa district. The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday when a pickup truck carrying pilgrims collided with a stationary container truck. The victims, all from Uttar Pradesh's Etah district, were returning after visiting the Khatu Shyam and Salasar Balaji temples. Local authorities have launched an investigation, and the injured have been transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
ICICI Bank Reverses Minimum Balance Hike After Customer Feedback
Following "valuable feedback" from customers, ICICI Bank has rolled back a recent steep hike in its minimum average balance (MAB) requirement for new savings accounts. The MAB for urban locations, which was increased to ₹50,000 on August 1, has been revised down to ₹15,000. Requirements for semi-urban and rural areas were also lowered. The bank stated the reversal was to "better reflect their expectations and preferences." The change does not apply to salary, senior citizen, or Jan Dhan accounts.
AI Startup Perplexity Makes Audacious $34.5 Billion Bid for Google Chrome
AI startup Perplexity has made a bold, unsolicited $34.5 billion all-cash offer to acquire Google's Chrome web browser. The move comes as Google faces regulatory pressure following a US court ruling that it holds an unlawful monopoly in online search, with the Justice Department seeking Chrome's divestiture. Perplexity, led by Aravind Srinivas and valued at $14 billion, sees the acquisition as a strategic play to tap into Chrome's massive user base and advance its position in the competitive AI search landscape.
Parliament Passes New Income Tax Bill to Replace 1961 Act
Parliament has passed the new Income Tax Bill, 2025, which will replace the six-decade-old Income Tax Act of 1961. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated the new legislation aims to simplify the language of tax law and remove outdated provisions, without introducing any new tax rates. The bill, a money bill, was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote and returned to the Lok Sabha after Opposition parties staged a walkout, declining to participate in the debate.
Lok Sabha Passes New Income Tax Bill to Replace 1961 Act
The Lok Sabha has passed the Income Tax (No. 2) Bill, 2025, which will replace the six-decade-old Income Tax Act of 1961. The new legislation, which incorporates most recommendations from a select committee, aims to simplify tax laws, ease compliance for taxpayers, and modernise the legal framework. Key changes include streamlining sections and eliminating the separate concepts of "previous year" and "assessment year." However, it also grants authorities new powers to access taxpayers' digital accounts during searches.
Impeachment Motion Against High Court Judge Accepted, Probe Panel Formed
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has accepted a motion signed by 146 cross-party MPs to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court. The move follows the recovery of unaccounted cash at the judge's Delhi residence. A three-member committee, comprising a Supreme Court judge, a High Court Chief Justice, and a senior jurist, has been formed to investigate the charges. This initiates a rare and significant constitutional process for the removal of a sitting High Court judge.