Month: August 2025

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Monday mourned the death of Special Commando Vikas Bhandari as he made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. He hailed from the Sakri village panchayat in the Baijnath sub-division of Kangra district, according to a press statement.

Commando Vikas Bhandari, who was stationed in the Kupwara sector of Jammu and Kashmir, attained martyrdom while serving the nation.

The Chief Minister said that the people of the country and the state were proud of their brave sons who had been making supreme sacrifices for the security and integrity of the nation. Special Commando Vikas Bhandari laid down his life while fulfilling his duty to the country and the nation would remain indebted for his sacrifice.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh was proud of its “brave son Shaheed Vikas Bhandari, who made the supreme sacrifice while serving the motherland.” He said that his sacrifice would always be remembered.

They have prayed for the peace of the departed soul and conveyed their deepest sympathies to the bereaved family.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reviewed the situation arising from incessant rainfall in Mandi, Kullu, and Kinnaur districts.

The CM personally spoke to the Deputy Commissioners of the affected districts, sought detailed reports on the extent of damage, and directed them to send comprehensive reports to the state government.

Furthermore, he also instructed the district administrations to extend all possible assistance to the affected families and to ensure swift and effective relief measures.

He also directed that the restoration of blocked roads be expedited and that relief operations be intensified. Appealing to the public to stay away from rivers and streams, the Chief Minister urged people to strictly follow the advisories issued by the district administrations from time to time.

Emphasising the safety of the citizens, the CM said that the safety of every citizen was the top priority of the state government and assured that the government stood firmly with the people in this difficult time. (ANI)

Actor Faissal Khan opened up about the alleged torture and injustice that happened to him by his brother Aamir Khan and family.

The actor alleged that he was confined in a nursing home by his family and was under forced medication by the doctors.

While talking to ANI, the actor said that his brother Aamir Khan was brainwashed by his mother Zeenat Hussain and other family members, which led to a series of alleged torture and injustice with him.

“Aamir was brainwashed. He was brainwashed after listening to everything. When it happened in 2007, he was an adult. So he should have understood that people are instigating him. My mother must have brainwashed Aamir. Nikhat Hegde, Santosh Hegde and Imtiaz, all of them together brainwashed Aamir, and it was his fault that he took a step,” said Faissal Khan.

He alleged that Aamir arranged for a doctor to put him under forced medication.

“He brought the police and the doctor because only a powerful person can do all this. So Aamir did wrong with me. So God will give him a reward for that, too. My mother, Nikhat, Santosh Hegde, and Imtiaz — Aamir took a step in the instigation of all these people,” said Faissal Khan.

However, Faissal clarified that he won’t be imposing any compensation on the actor or filing a defamation suit against him for the alleged torture by Aamir Khan.

“We are not going to impose any compensation on him. Nor are we going to punish him. The punishment will be given by God. We will only legally cut ties. Now I have issued a public notice, which is not legal. That is from my side. But we will legally cut these ties. That will be our next step. We will file a writ petition after a month. We will not file a defamation case against him,” Faissal Khan added.

Earlier on Monday, Faissal Khan issued a notice declaring the severing of all familial and estate ties with his family, including his late father Tahir Husain, mother Zeenat Tahir Husain and brother Aamir Khan.

The actor organised a press conference along with his Advocate, Usman Vanjara. The actor shared that his advocate is also a friend of his father, Tahir Hussain.

He added to the claims of Faissal Khan and said that Aamir came under the influence of Santosh Hegde and Nikhat.

“Aamir, though, is an intelligent person, makes good films also, but he came under a deliberate impression and listened to them, especially Santosh Hegde and Nikhat,” said Advocate Usman Vanjara.

As per the notice, the actor stated that he would not reside in Aamir Khan’s residence and would not claim any maintenance from him.

“I, FAISSAL KHAN, have, from the date hereof, severed all ties familial, as well as, in estate with my family members, the names whereof are more particularly described in the Schedule hereunder written,” read a portion of the public notice.

The names mentioned in the notice include Zeenat Tahir Hussain, Aamir Khan, Reena Datta, Junaid Khan, Ira Khan, Farhat Datta, Rajiv Datta, Kiran Rao, Nikhat Hegde, Santosh Hegde, Seher Hegde, Mansoor Khan, Nuzhat Khan, and Imran Khan, among others.

“And I will from the date hereof not reside in the residence of my brother Aamir Khan, and I will also now claim any monthly allowance/maintenance from my brother Aamir Khan,” read the notice issued by Faisal Khan.

The ‘Mela’ actor’s decision was based on the past events, including being subjected to alleged forced medication and his confinement to home against his wishes by family members for their personal interests.

The portion from the notice read, “During the period 2005 to 2007, I was subjected to unwanted forced medication. During the period 2005 to 2006, I was confined to home, akin to house arrest, against my wishes, by some family members for their personal interests.”

He also alleged being forced to give up on his signatory rights by his family members. He also allegedly accused his mother, Zeenat Tahir Hussain, and elder sister, Nikhat Hegde, of making false allegations against him that he was suffering from “paranoid Schizophrenia.” (ANI)

The much-awaited action drama ‘Baaghi 4’ has unveiled its first song, titled ‘Guzaara’ just days after the release of its teaser.

The track features Tiger Shroff and Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu, who is making her Bollywood debut with the film.

The song is the Hindi version of the popular Punjabi track ‘Tere Bina Na Guzaara E,’ composed by Josh Brar. The original song was a big hit when it was first released in 2024.

The new rendition shows Shroff and Sandhu enjoying a bike ride through the city, visiting a gurudwara and a church, and sharing romantic moments together.

Take a look:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNfD05FsJGS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Earlier this month, the makers shared the film’s teaser, which introduced Tiger Shroff as Ronny in a darker and more intense role. The teaser shows him as both the hero and the villain of his story, driven by loss and vengeance, with powerful action sequences and emotional undertones.

The film also stars Sanjay Dutt and Sonam Bajwa. Kannada filmmaker A. Harsha makes his Bollywood debut with Baaghi 4.

The film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under the Nadiadwala Grandson banner and is set to hit theatres on September 5, 2025.

The ‘Baaghi’ franchise started in 2016 with the release of the first film, directed by Sabbir Khan. It was an action-packed thriller inspired by the 2004 Telugu movie ‘Varsham’ and the 2011 Indonesian film ‘The Raid: Redemption.’ The movie featured Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor, and Sudheer Babu in lead roles.

The second instalment, ‘Baaghi 2,’ came out in 2018. Directed by Ahmed Khan, it was a remake of the Telugu movie Kshanam. This film starred Tiger Shroff alongside Disha Patani, Manoj Bajpayee, and Randeep Hooda.

In 2020, ‘Baaghi 3’ was released, again directed by Ahmed Khan. It starred Tiger Shroff, Riteish Deshmukh, and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead roles. (ANI)

Stand-up comedian Zakir Khan has made history by becoming the first Indian comedian to perform a Hindi-language show at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden.

The comedian, loved across India for his relatable humour and “sakth launda” persona, shared the emotional moment with fans on Instagram.

Calling it a “big day”, Zakir wrote about how overwhelming it felt to perform for “6,000 people with Hindi comedy.” He went on to thank his friends and team for their support on what he described as a “special milestone.”

Among those cheering for him were well-known names. He shared that his friend, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, and actor Kal Penn showed up to support him, something that made the night even more special.

A part of his post read, “I am still processing… Thode din baad theek se bataunga kaisa laga. Abhi ke liye samajh lo ki it was a big day, not just because of the venue or capacity, but because some of my favourite people were in the audience that day.”

“@vikaskhannagroup bhai, who is opening the best restaurants in the world, called @bungalowny in New York. @kalpenn bhai, he left his rehearsal just to support me,” Zakir wrote.

“Anjaan desh, paraye logon ke beech itna pyar karne wale log mil gaye, aur kya hi chahiye. Log bahut door-door se drive kar ke aaye the, bahut se log toh 2-3 ghante ki flight se bhi aaye the. Main yeh sab kabhi bhool nahi paunga. It was big for me, for comedy in India, and for our desi culture here,” he added.

Take a look

Ahead of the show, Zakir’s poster lit up Times Square billboards, and he even appeared on U.S. media outlets, marking how big the moment was for Indian comedy.

His friend, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, also shared an emotional note before the performance. Calling Zakir’s success a “dream come true”, Khanna wrote, “God is kind to people who are kind. And this dream is coming true as the entire world watches our boy create history tonight. Though I never leave Bungalow, today, for the love & respect for this man, I’ll be there in the crowd to cheer for him as he walks on the stage, making way for millions of kids to follow.”

Zakir Khan first rose to fame in 2012 after winning Comedy Central’s “India’s Best Stand-Up” competition. Since then, he has built a massive fan base both in India and abroad. (ANI)

The Supreme Court’s recent verdict on stray dogs has sparked a major debate in the country with several Bollywood celebrities, including Adah Sharma, Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor and Raveena Tandon openly speaking out against the decision.

Now, Manoj Bajpayee has also joined in but with a more neutral take on the matter.

Taking to his Instagram Stories on Monday, the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ actor wrote that “fear” should not be the reason to decide a dog’s fate. Bajpayee said that while “these animals didn’t choose the streets and deserve compassion,” people also “deserve to feel safe,” adding that the only way forward should be through “empathy.”

“These animals didn’t choose the streets and deserve compassion. People deserve to feel safe, too, and the way forward should be empathy. Fear should not decide their fate,” Bajpayee wrote on Instagram.

The court, in its August 11 order, directed authorities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad to ensure that localities are free of stray dogs. It also ruled that captured animals should not be released back onto the streets.

This soon led to protests by animal lovers and rights groups in several parts of India, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, urging the court to rethink its order.

After the backlash, a three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria reserved its order on petitions seeking a stay on the directive. The bench said it would pass an interim order after hearing arguments from all sides.

At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, said there was a “loud vocal minority” opposing the order, while a “silent suffering majority” supported action. “In a democracy, there is a vocal majority and one who silently suffers. We had seen videos of people eating chicken, eggs, etc., and then claiming to be animal lovers. It was an issue to be resolved. Children were dying… Sterilisation did not stop rabies; even if you immunised them, that did not stop mutilation of children,” Mehta submitted.

Citing World Health Organisation data, the Solicitor General said 37 lakh dog bites were reported in 2024, with 305 rabies deaths, most among children under 15 years of age. “Dogs do not have to be killed… they have to be separated. Parents cannot send children out to play. Nobody is an animal hater,” he added. (ANI)

Congress MP and Deputy Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Monday lambasted the Election Commission of India (ECI) for “evading” accountability and questions being raised by the opposition regarding the “hurried” conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

Alleging that the EC was operating under officials who remain “biased,” Gogoi pointed out that the constitutional body didn’t take different political parties into confidence before conducting the SIR drive in Bihar and remained silent on doubts related to the addition of 70 lakh voters within months after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra concluded.

“When the elections to the Bihar assembly are merely months away, why did the Election Commission not take different political parties into confidence before carrying out SIR? EC was silent on this question. They were also silent on how 70 lakh new voters were added between the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections. It is clear that EC is under such officials who are not unbiased,” Gogoi said while addressing a press conference at the Constitution Club of India.

Highlighting the importance of the right to vote to keep democracy alive, the Congress leader said that the Election Commission, which is the guardian of this suffrage, was unable to answer questions about the alleged discrepancies in elections and electoral rolls revision.

“The right to vote is the most important right mentioned in the constitution, which keeps our democracy alive. The guardian of this right to vote is the Election Commission of India, which is a constitutional body. However, the EC is unable to answer questions being raised by various political parties across the country. The EC is trying to run away from its accountability,” Gogoi said.

He further alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar held a press conference only to attack the opposition parties, raising questions instead of explaining the hurried conduct of the SIR drive in Bihar.

“The Supreme Court’s observation regarding the SIR drive in Bihar rejects all crucial arguments of the EC. Despite this, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) held a presser only to attack political parties instead of explaining the hurried conduct of the SIR exercise,” Gogoi added.

His remarks come after CEC Kumar on Sunday refuted all the recent “vote theft” claims made by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. He termed allegations of bias by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha an “insult” to the Indian Constitution.

The CEC also asked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to either furnish a signed affidavit or apologise to the nation for his remarks. “An affidavit will have to be given, or an apology should be made to the country. Teesra koi vikalp nahi (There is no third option.) If the affidavit is not received within seven days, it means that all these allegations are baseless.”

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi hit back at the CEC Kumar, alleging that the ECI is asking for an affidavit from him but doesn’t from BJP MP Anurag Thakur when he makes the same allegations.

“The Election Commission asks for an affidavit from me. But when Anurag Thakur says the same thing that I am saying, it does not ask for an affidavit from him,” Gandhi said. (ANI)

A six-month-old girl was strangled to death in Jalandhar district of Punjab by her maternal grandparents, said Sarabjit Singh Rai, SPD, Jalandhar Rural.

According to the police, the infant’s mother had run away with her lover after getting married for the third time. Before running away, she had left the baby at her maternal home. There, the girl would cry without her mother, which the maternal grandparents were unable to handle.

Due to this, they strangled the girl and threw the body in a culvert at the highway. When the police took both the accused into custody and interrogated them, the incident was revealed. The dead body was also recovered on their information.

Jalandhar Rural SPD Sarabjit Rai said that the maternal grandparents have been arrested and a case of murder has been registered against them.

Meanwhile, given a prevailing menace in Punjab, continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 168th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 301 locations on Saturday leading to the arrest of 38 drug smugglers after registration of 28 first information reports (FIRs) across the state.

With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached 25,909 in 168 days, said an official release. The raids have resulted in the recovery of 620 grams of heroin and 1612 intoxicant tablets/capsules from the possession of arrested drug smugglers. The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

Notably, CM Bhagwant Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab a drug-free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs. (ANI)

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has targeted Indian purchases of Russian crude oil, accusing it of funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine and called for New Delhi to stop, Al Jazeera reported, citing the opinion piece published in the Financial Times.

In an opinion piece published in the Financial Times on Monday, Navarro wrote, “India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs.”

Notably, US President Donald Trump and his administration have continuously targeted India over its purchase of Russian crude oil. India, on the other hand, has always maintained that India’s purchases are based on its domestic needs and economic security.

The Ministry of External Affairs also pointed out in its recent statement that the US and European Union purchase much more oil and other goods than India.

Further, Navarro slammed India for “cosying up” to Russia and China, saying “if India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one.”

India’s dependence on Russian crude is “opportunistic and deeply corrosive of the world’s efforts to isolate Putin’s war economy,” he added.

The adviser also said that it was risky to transfer cutting-edge US military capabilities to India as New Delhi’s ties to China and Russia deepen, as per Al Jazeera.

Navarro is the second senior Trump administration official to accuse India of financing Russia’s war in Ukraine. Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House, in the first week of August, said that New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude was “not acceptable”.

“What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia,” Miller, one of Trump’s most influential aides, said in an interview to Fox News.

In response, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the country is being ‘unfairly’ singled out for buying Russian oil. At the same time, the US and European Union continue to buy goods from Russia.

The EU and US trade much more with Russia than India does, New Delhi’s contention for being singled out – although this trade has dipped significantly since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The EU’s total trade with Russia plummeted to USD 77.9 billion in 2024, down from USD 297.4 billion in 2021.

Notably, the EU continues to import Russian gas, with expenditures reaching USD 105.6 billion since the war began. This amount is equivalent to approximately 75 per cent of Russia’s 2024 military budget, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

In contrast, the total trade between the US and Russia stood at USD 3.5 billion in 2024. US goods exports to Russia in 2024 were USD 528.3 million, down 11.8 per cent (USD 70.5 million) from 2023.

Meanwhile, on this 79th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his speech, said that, “Modi will stand like a wall against any policy that threatens their interests. India will never compromise when it comes to protecting the interests of our farmers.”

Notably, at the beginning of this month, United States President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods over the issue, straining US-India ties.

India and the US have been negotiating for months to finalise a free trade agreement, with Trump accusing New Delhi of denying access to US goods by imposing high tariffs. (ANI)

Union Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya said that the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana official portal went live on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the scheme during his Independence Day address on August 15.

Mandaviya said the government had launched a significant job scheme aimed at creating over 3.5 crore jobs in the next two years.

“The Union Cabinet on 1st July, 2025, approved the employment-linked incentive scheme named as Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana. The scheme aims to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector. It is a Central Sector Scheme. With an outlay of nearly Rs 1 Lakh Crore, the Scheme aims to incentivise the creation of more than 3.5 Crore jobs in the country, over a period of 2 years,” Mandaviya said.

He also said that the scheme will apply to jobs created between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027.

“The benefits of the Scheme would be applicable to jobs created between 01st August 2025 and 31st July 2027. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana during his 12th Independence Day address from the Red Fort on 15th August 2025. Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojna portal has become live from today, on 18th August 2025,” he added.

The Union Cabinet on July 1 approved the Employment Linked Incentive Scheme named as Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana. The scheme aims to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector.

The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana consists of two parts. Part A offers a one-time incentive to first-time employees equivalent to the average one-month wage (Basic plus DA) up to Rs 15,000, paid in two instalments. Employees with a gross wage up to Rs 1 lakh are eligible for this incentive.

Part B provides support to employers for generating additional employment in all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector. Under this part, establishments will receive an incentive of up to Rs 3,000 per month for each additional employee, including first-timers and re-joiners, for a sustained period of at least six months. The incentive will be paid for two years, but for establishments in the manufacturing sector, it will be provided for four years.

To be eligible under Part B, establishments with fewer than 50 existing employees must hire at least two additional employees, while those with 50 or more existing employees must hire at least five additional employees. The new hires must be maintained for at least six months.

Exempted establishments under the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, are also included. These establishments must file the Electronic Challan-cum-Return and open Universal Account Numbers for all their existing and new employees using the facility provided on the UMANG App. (ANI)

Andhra Pradesh IT & HRD Minister, Nara Lokesh, met with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Monday.

The meeting was held to push for fast-track approvals to major highway expansions, urban mobility projects, including the Kuppam-Bengaluru-Chennai industrial corridor.

The discussions focused on building seamless connectivity, city decongestion, and infrastructure that can accelerate Andhra Pradesh’s growth momentum.

A major highlight of the meeting was the discussion on the Kuppam-Hosur-Bengaluru greenfield highway, which would be 56km long and requires an investment of ₹3,000 crore. Minister Lokesh urged the fast-track approval of the project and described it as a game-changer for regional growth, as stated in the release.

Furthermore, the Minister emphasised the need for early approval and direct linkage to the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway (NE-7).

According to the release, the HRD Minister also underlined revival efforts in the Kuppam Area Development Authority (KADA) region, spanning 1,051 sq km, including plans for a major industrial park to boost investment and employment.

He further urged the immediate widening of NH-65 (Kanuru-Machilipatnam, 59.8km).

Minister Lokesh also sought support to commence the project, pointing out that the DPR is already complete and in-principle approval has been granted. He stressed that this highway will play a crucial role in seamless Amaravati-Hyderabad connectivity while opening up additional port linkages.

On urban infrastructure, the Minister reiterated the state’s request for integrated double-decker flyovers with metro corridors along NH-16, including a 20km elevated corridor in Visakhapatnam and a 4.7km stretch in Vijayawada, modelled after Nagpur’s successful urban design. He also sought support for the 50km Vijayawada Eastern Bypass to ease city traffic congestion.

The Minister further emphasised the need for quick upgrades and bypasses on Kurnool-Yemmiganur road, Vinukonda-Guntur NH-544D, Kakinada Port-NH-216 (South Side), and the Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple link road, noting their importance for balanced regional connectivity.

Minister Lokesh also underlined the urgency of road safety improvements, innovative traffic management, and the development of green corridors. He sought support for advanced tolling systems and real-time traffic information technology, reiterating Andhra Pradesh’s readiness to provide land acquisition, environmental clearances, and compliance with the latest MoRTH technical standards. (ANI)