Month: August 2025

The Supreme Court’s order to relocate all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters has sparked debate among the public.

While some have welcomed the move, others have criticised the decision, arguing that it goes against animal welfare principles.

Amid the ongoing debate, Vir Das took to Instagram on Monday evening, urging Delhiites to consider adopting an indie dog if they can.

“If you are a resident of Delhi. Can I persuade you to adopt an indie off the streets, more than one? They are extremely healthy, low maintenance, and will provide you with more love, affection and gratitude than you could ever imagine. Am also asking you to wholeheartedly and generously,” he posted.

“Support your nearest animal welfare NGO. I plan on doing so, and I hope you will too. As appeals are filed in court and processes take their time, it’s important for our humanity to kick in immediately. Please do your part, big or small, it all adds up,” Vir Das requested.

He also shared a picture of two dogs that he had adopted from the streets a few years ago.

Earlier today, a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said that all localities should be made free of stray dogs and there should not be any compromise. It also made it clear that no captured animal will be released back on the streets.

It also ordered contempt proceedings against any individual or organisation that attempts to obstruct the authorities from carrying out the capture drive.

“If any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action against any such resistance,” said Justice Pardiwala.

The apex court also directed the states and municipal authorities to create dog shelters with sufficient staff to sterilise and immunise them.

“NCT Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, MCD, NMDC shall start picking up stray dogs from all localities, particularly from more vulnerable localities. It is for the authorities to look into and if they have to create a force, do it at the earliest. However, this should be the first and foremost exercise to make all localities free of stray dogs. There should not be any compromise in undertaking the exercise,” said the bench.

It further directed that authorities in Delhi-NCR must set up a helpline so all dog bite complaints can be registered, with the offending animal picked up within four hours of a complaint.

It also ordered all authorities to maintain a record of daily stray dogs captured and detained. The bench stated that CCTV monitoring will ensure compliance, and no dog should be released back into the street or public spaces. (ANI)

Australian Army Chief Lt General Simon Stuart arrived in New Delhi for an official visit. On Monday, he met the senior leadership of the Indian Armed Forces.

The Australian Army Chief will travel to Agra tomorrow to visit the 50 (Independent) Parachute Brigade, also known as the Shatrujeet Brigade, a specialised airborne formation of the Indian Army headquartered in Agra.

It is known for its rapid deployment capabilities and is directly under the command of the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO). The brigade is composed of airborne battalions, artillery batteries, a field hospital, signal and engineer units, making it a self-contained, highly mobile force.

He will also interact with all ranks and visit the iconic Taj Mahal before returning to New Delhi to deliver a keynote address at the National Defence College, the Ministry of Defence noted in an official statement.

As per the MoD, the official visit of Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, Chief of the Australian Army, to India from 11 to 14 August 2025. The visit aims to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and enhance strategic engagement between the two nations.

The visit commenced with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial, where General Stuart paid homage to the fallen heroes of the Indian Armed Forces.

This was followed by a Guard of Honour at South Block and a formal call-on with General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff.

The Chief of the Australian Army was briefed on India’s security perspective, Operation Sindoor, and recent advancements in technology absorption within the Indian Army. He also met senior leadership of the Indian Armed Forces, including General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff; Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Chief of Naval Staff; Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Chief of Air Staff; and Shri Rajesh Kumar, Defence Secretary. On the sidelines of the visit, the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Australian Army met the Army Subedar Major of the Indian Army at South Block, fostering camaraderie and collaboration between all ranks, the official statement said.

As per the official statement, on 13 and 14 August, the Chief of the Australian Army will proceed to Pune, where he will interact with Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, and visit the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla.

He is scheduled to address the cadets on leadership, joint training, and cooperation. During the two-day visit, he will also participate in other defence cooperation engagements.

This high-level visit reaffirms the strong and growing India-Australia defence partnership and underscores the shared commitment of both nations towards a stable, secure, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday had a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during which he reaffirmed India’s steadfast and consistent position for the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict and support for efforts aimed at restoration of peace.

President Zelenskyy shared his views on the recent developments related to Ukraine.

According to a PMO release, the Prime Minister thanked the Ukraine President and “reaffirmed India’s steadfast and consistent position for peaceful settlement of the conflict and support for efforts aimed at earliest restoration of peace”.

PM Modi reiterated India’s commitment to extend all possible support in this regard.

The leaders also reviewed progress in the India-Ukraine bilateral partnership and discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, the release said. They agreed to remain in touch.

PM Modi said in a post on X that President Zelenskyy apprised him of his perspectives on recent developments

“Glad to speak with President Zelenskyy and hear his perspectives on recent developments. I conveyed India’s consistent position on the need for an early and peaceful resolution of the conflict. India remains committed to making every possible contribution in this regard, as well as to further strengthening bilateral ties with Ukraine,” he said.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been raging since 2002.

The conversation with President Zelenskyy came days after PM Modi’s talk with President Vladimir Putin over telephone.

During their conversation on August 8, President Putin briefed PM Modi on the latest developments concerning Ukraine.

While thanking President Putin for his detailed assessment, Prime Minister reiterated India’s consistent position for peaceful resolution of the conflict.

The two leaders also reviewed progress in the bilateral agenda and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. The Prime Minister invited President Putin to India later this year for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

PM Modi’s conversations with President Putin and President Zelenskyy have come days ahead of the summit between US President Donald Trump and the Russian President.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in Alaska on August 15 and is expected to focus heavily on efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to a summit in Alaska between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a White House official told The Hill’s sister network NewsNation on Sunday. It remains unclear if Zelensky will attend the meeting as details are yet to be finalized, the report said. (ANI)c

The Kedarnath Yatra in Uttarakhand has been temporarily halted for three days due to a red alert issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting heavy rainfall in the region.

The district administration has been put on high alert, and security arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of pilgrims and locals.

As per the predictions by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rain is expected in Rudraprayag district and the entire state on August 12, 13 and 14.

The administration has been put on alert given the warning of heavy rains. Security arrangements have also been made.

“As per the predictions by the IMD, red and orange alerts have been predicted in Rudraprayag and other districts of the state. The administration has been put on alert and security arrangements have also been made,” District Magistrate Prateek Jain said in a self-made video.

Jain further appealed to all locals residing near water bodies to shift to safer places, further stating that the water level of the river was being constantly monitored and weather alerts would be issued from time to time.

“We are keeping a check on the rising water levels of the river here. We also appeal to residents to shift to safer places and be safe…All personnel, including the police, public work department and disaster management teams, have been asked to be on alert. We will be keeping a check on the weather, and will let the public know when the Kedarnath Yatra will resume,” Jain further added.

The Kedarnath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located at an altitude of over 11,000 feet in the Himalayas and holds immense religious significance. The Kedarnath Yatra doors for the year 2025 were opened for devotees on May 2.

Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming days for several districts of Uttarakhand, including Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Nainita and other districts of the state.

In light of this warning, the Uttarakhand Police has requested people to exercise caution and travel as per weather conditions. (ANI)

Karan Johar is celebrating 19 years of ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ – his third film as a director. Taking to his Instagram handle, the filmmaker shared a nostalgic post, along with BTS clips from the streets of New York.

He also shared a carousel of pictures with the team.

From Karan discussing scenes with the lead actors – Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, and Amitabh Bachchan, to the members having a fun time goofing around during breaks, the video included several unseen moments.

In his caption, Karan Johar shared his sentiments for the film and wrote, “Some love stories transcend time and still hold all the power they once did…KANK for me will always be that. My third film in and I was moved again by the absolute honour of having such terrific people on set with me to make a story that was bold…brave and full of only heart.”

Fans quickly flooded the comment section and showered the film with love,

Fashion designer Manish Malhotra, who also appears in the BTS visuals, wrote, “Memories for life .. New York.”

Directed by Karan Johar, nearly five years after ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,’ the 2006 film tells the story of Dev (Shah Rukh Khan) and Maya (Rani Mukerji), who come across each other in the middle of their failing marriages. While they try to help each other to save their marriages, Dev and Maya end up falling in love, leading to much drama in their lives.

The film opened to mixed reviews; however, it has managed to win the fans’ hearts over the years.

The songs of ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ became quite popular, including titles like ‘Mitwa,’ ‘Rock n Roll,’ ‘Where’s The Party Tonight,’ and ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.’

The film was completely shot in New York. (ANI)

The much-awaited official teaser for Tiger Shroff’s ‘Baaghi 4’ has been unveiled. Days after teasing fans with a bloodied poster, the actor confirmed the release date on Saturday, only to add to the growing buzz.

The teaser opens on a sombre note with Tiger’s voiceover in the background. As the character recalls the tragic loss of a loved one, the teaser continues with violent visuals, actions, and a lot of drama.

Tiger Shroff makes a fierce entry as Ronny, this time taking over as both the “hero and the villain” of his story. He appears fuelled by vengeance, armed, and driven by a rage that leaves no enemy breathing.

“Har Aashiq Ek Villain Hain… No escape. No mercy. Brace yourself — a Bloody, Violent Love Story begins. #Baaghi4Teaser Out Now,” Tiger wrote in the caption.

Actor Sanjay Dutt is seen as a menacing killer antagonist, setting the stage for the “bloody and violent” story. “This is Dutt like you’ve never seen him before completely unleashed,” the makers said about his role.

The teaser also includes glimpses of the lead actresses, Sonam Bajwa and debutant Harnaaz Sandhu, who also ace the action scenes.

Earlier this March, the makers released an intense new poster of the film on Tiger’s 35th birthday. He was seen in a fierce and darker look, exuding a powerful aura. In the poster, Tiger’s face was partially visible with blood dripping from his forehead while he held a cigarette between his lips.

“This time he is not the same,” read the tagline in the poster.

Sharing the same on his Instagram handle, Tiger expressed gratitude towards the franchise that helped him become an “action hero.”

“The franchise that gave me an identity and allowed me to express my eagerness to prove myself as an action hero…is now the franchise that is changing my identity. He’s definitely not the same this time, but I hope you guys accept him the way you did 8 years ago,” the actor wrote in the post.

Tiger completed the shooting of ‘Baaghi 4’ in July this year and shared the update with his fans. With pictures of himself from the sets, he wrote, “And finally it comes to an end … thank you for all your love and allowing this franchise to reach so far. Don’t think I’ve ever bled as much for any film. This one’s for you. #4 coming soon.”

A fourth instalment in the beloved ‘Baaghi’ franchise, the film is directed by A. Harsha and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala.

‘Baaghi 4’ will be released on September 5, 2025. (ANI)

The fourth edition of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 began on Monday at the Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Cricket Stadium in Mysuru with an action-packed double-header. The tournament will be held as a closed-door event, with all 34 matches taking place at the venue from August 11 to August 28.

Mystics’ top-order batter, Smaran R, recently named as a standby for the South Zone squad in the Duleep Trophy, said, “I have always enjoyed playing the Maharaja Trophy. Over the years, it has grown into a feeder line system to the bigger stages like the IPL.

On a personal front, I feel I’m in a good headspace, raring to go out there and try contributing as much as possible for the team’s success.” Speaking about the season opener against the Dragons, he added, “It’s important to start the season well. With a good blend of experience and some quality youngsters, we are confident heading into the season.”

The second match of the day will bring a repeat of last year’s final as defending champions Mysore Warriors take on the Bengaluru Blasters. Among the Blasters’ retentions this season is 24-year-old all-rounder Shubhang Hegde, who believes the side is entering the tournament with clarity and confidence. “I’m really excited. I was part of the auction table as well, so I knew exactly what we wanted and what we got was good,” he said. “We’re excited because we’ve filled in most of the blanks, and I think we’ve got everything we need for any kind of pitch that we’re going to be on,” he said.

Action will continue on Tuesday with the Hubli Tigers beginning their campaign against the Shivamogga Lions in the first match of the day. The second fixture will see Mysore Warriors take on the Gulbarga Mystics.

The league stage will run until August 25, followed by the playoffs comprising Qualifier I, the Eliminator, and Qualifier II, culminating in the Final on August 28. The top four sides at the end of the league stage will advance to the knockout phase. On all matchdays, the first clash will start at 3:15 pm, followed by the second match at 7:15 pm.

Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 – Match Schedule

11 August – Gulbarga Mystics vs Mangaluru Dragons – 3.15 pm

11 August – Bengaluru Blasters vs Mysore Warriors – 7.15 pm

12 August – Hubli Tigers vs Shivamogga Lions – 3.15 pm

12 August – Mysore Warriors vs Gulbarga Mystics – 7.15 pm

13 August – Bengaluru Blasters vs Hubli Tigers – 3.15 pm

13 August – Mangaluru Dragons vs Shivamogga Lions – 7.15 pm

14 August – Mysore Warriors vs Mangaluru Dragons – 3.15 pm

14 August – Gulbarga Mystics vs Bengaluru Blasters – 7.15 pm

15 August – Shivamogga Lions vs Bengaluru Blasters – 3.15 pm

15 August – Hubli Tigers vs Mangaluru Dragons – 7.15 pm

16 August – Shivamogga Lions vs Gulbarga Mystics – 3.15 pm

16 August – Mysore Warriors vs Hubli Tigers – 7.15 pm

17 August – Mangaluru Dragons vs Bengaluru Blasters – 3.15 pm

17 August – Mysore Warriors vs Shivamogga Lions – 7.15 pm

18 August – Mysore Warriors vs Bengaluru Blasters – 3.15 pm

18 August – Gulbarga Mystics vs Hubli Tigers – 7.15 pm

19 August – Gulbarga Mystics vs Shivamogga Lions – 3.15 pm

19 August – Mangaluru Dragons vs Hubli Tigers – 7.15 pm

20 August – Gulbarga Mystics vs Mysore Warriors – 3.15 pm

20 August – Hubli Tigers vs Bengaluru Blasters – 7.15 pm

21 August – Mangaluru Dragons vs Mysore Warriors – 3.15 pm

21 August – Bengaluru Blasters vs Shivamogga Lions – 7.15 pm

22 August – Hubli Tigers vs Gulbarga Mystics – 3.15 pm

22 August – Shivamogga Lions vs Mangaluru Dragons – 7.15 pm

23 August – Hubli Tigers vs Mysore Warriors – 3.15 pm

23 August – Bengaluru Blasters vs Gulbarga Mystics – 7.15 pm

24 August – Bengaluru Blasters vs Mangaluru Dragons – 3.15 pm

24 August – Shivamogga Lions vs Mysore Warriors – 7.15 pm

25 August – Shivamogga Lions vs Hubli Tigers – 3.15 pm

25 August – Mangaluru Dragons vs Gulbarga Mystics – 7.15 pm

26 August – Qualifier I – 3.15 pm

26 August – Eliminator – 7.15 pm

27 August – Qualifier II – 7.15 pm

28 August – Final – 7.15 pm

Mysore Warriors Squad: Karthik S U, Karthik CA, Prasidh Krishna, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey, Gowtham K, Yashovardhan Parantap, Venkatesh M, Harshil Dharmani, Lankesh KS, Kumar LR, Goutham Mishra, Shikhar Shetty, Sumit Kumar, Dhanush Gowda, Kushaal M Wadhwani, Sharath Srinivas, Shamanth SM, Gautham Sagar, M R Jayanth

Bengaluru Blasters Squad: Mayank Agarawal, Shubhang Hegde, Suraj Ahuja, Naveen MG, A Rohan Patil, Chetan L R, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Siddharth Akhil, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Rohan Naveen, Kruthik Krishna, Rajvir Wadhwa, Bhuvan Mohan Raju, Rohan M Raju, Niranjan Naik, Prateek Jain, Ishaan S, Vaibhav Sharma A, Punith S

Hubli Tigers Squad: Mayank Agarawal, Shubhang Hegde, Suraj Ahuja, Naveen MG, A Rohan Patil, Chetan L R, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Siddharth Akhil, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Rohan Naveen, Kruthik Krishna, Rajvir Wadhwa, Bhuvan Mohan Raju, Rohan M Raju, Niranjan Naik, Prateek Jain, Ishaan S, Vaibhav Sharma A, Punith S

Gulbarga Mystics Squad: Luvnith Sisodia, Pravin Dubey, Vyshak V, Smaran R, Siddharth KV, Monish Reddy, Lavish Kaushal, Prithviraj, Harsha Wardhan Khuba, Sheetal Kumar, Jasper EJ, Mohith BA, Faizan Raiz, Sourab M Muttur, SJ Nikin Jose, Prajwal Pavan, Younus Ali Baig, Likhit M Bannur, Santosh Basavaraj, Shashikumar K

Shivamogga Lions Squad: Koushik V, Nihal Ullal, Hardik Raj, Avinash D, Vidwath Kaverappa, Anirudha Joshi, Aneeshwar Gautam, Dhruv Prabhakar, Sanjay Ashwin C, Anand Doddamani, Sahil Sharma, Deepak Devadiga, Bharath Dhuri, Rohit K, Tushar Singh, Darshan MB, Maribasava Chandrashekhar Gowda, Sireesh Balgaar, Mohammed Ashfaq, Ashok.

Mangaluru Dragons Squad: Paras Gurbax Arya, Macneil Hadley Noronha, Lochan S Gowda, Abhilash Shetty, Sharath BR, Ronit More, Shreyas Gopal, Melu Kranthi Kumar, Sachin Shinde, Aneesh KV, Thippa Reddy, Santoke Singh, Aadarsh Prajwal, Abhishek Prabhakar, Shivaraj S, Pallav Kumar Das, Shreevathsa R Acharya, Rohan Rajendra Revankar. (ANI)

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday issued a strong statement in response to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff during his visit to the United States.

“Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade,” the MEA official spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added,”The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups.”

The MEA spokesperson further expressed regret that these remarks were made from the soil of a friendly third country. “It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country,” the official said.

“India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail and will continue to take all necessary steps to safeguard its national security, the MEA spokesperson affirmed.” the MEA statement further said.

Despite this firm stance, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir has once again threatened India, warning that Islamabad would plunge the region into nuclear war and could take “almost half of the world” down if faced with an existential threat in a future conflict with New Delhi. During his ongoing visit to the United States, General Munir also stated that Islamabad will defend its water rights “at all costs” if India proceeds with dam construction on the Indus River.

Munir also repeated his anti-India rhetoric by describing Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” asserting that it is not India’s internal matter but an unresolved international issue, Pakistan-based media outlet ARY News reported on Monday. “We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do so, we will destroy it,” Munir told members of the Pakistani-American community in Tampa, Florida, according to a report published today in The Dawn.

At a black-tie dinner in Washington, DC, hosted by Adnan Asad, Pakistan’s honorary consul in Tampa, Munir said the Indus River “is not the Indians’ family property,” adding that Islamabad has “no shortage of resources to undo the Indian designs to stop the river,” the Dawn reported.

ARY News cited Munir as condemning “Indian aggression under Operation Sindoor,” calling it a grave violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. He also stated, “A bilateral conflict due to any mistake by India would be a huge blunder.” Munir credited Pakistan’s response with successfully preventing a wider conflict and thanked US President Donald Trump for his role in defusing tensions between the two countries.

Ahead of the Pahalgam attack, India had strongly rebutted Pakistan Army Chief General Munir’s remarks describing Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” calling the claim baseless and asserting that the only relationship Pakistan has with Kashmir is to vacate the territory it occupies illegally.

Meanwhile, Munir recently visited two US cities over the weekend and flew to Brussels on Sunday after completing his second high-profile trip to the United States in less than two months. Like his previous visit, he engaged with political and military leadership in the host country, Dawn reported.

In Tampa, the Pakistan army chief attended the US Central Command (CENTCOM) change of command ceremony. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), his engagements included the retirement ceremony of General Michael E. Kurilla, Commander of CENTCOM, and the change of command where Admiral Brad Cooper assumed charge.

Dawn quoted ISPR as saying that Field Marshal Munir praised General Kurilla’s “exemplary leadership and invaluable contributions in strengthening Pakistan-US military relations” and expressed confidence that Admiral Cooper “would take this partnership forward to address shared security challenges.”

On the sidelines of the ceremony, Asim Munir met US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and chiefs of defence from other friendly countries. He invited General Caine to visit Pakistan and reaffirmed Islamabad’s role as a key regional security stakeholder, Dawn reported. (ANI)

A first-year intermediate student studying at RNR Intermediate College, located at ISKCON Centre in Nellore city of Andhra Pradesh, was found dead under suspicious circumstances on Sunday.

The deceased has been identified as Hemashree, a native of Rasapalayam village in Satyavedu mandal, Tirupati district.

The student’s parents alleged that the college management was responsible for their daughter’s death. Upon hearing the news, a large number of relatives, along with the parents of students, staged a protest in front of the college.

Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Student Wing leaders and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) members also staged protests at the college.

Police arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. However, until evening, the student unions and the girls’ parents continued their protest outside the college. When student union leaders attempted to enter the premises forcibly, police intervened, carried out a lathi-charge, and later took the student union leaders and the deceased girl’s mother to the police station.

Speaking to ANI, Ashrith Reddy, YSRCP Student Union District President, Nellore, said, “Today morning, a first-year student in the college of RNR inter college, a student named Hemashree, hanged herself and this management, they have not even one per cent of responsibility to tell the parents? Till 10 o’clock, they haven’t passed any kind of message regarding the suicide of that particular student and they carelessly have taken the body from here and placed the body in the premises of Enel Hospital which is nearby, half-kilometre and after placing the body, the management has vanished away from the place and till now, not even one person from the management have come here and addressed the parents or the student unions.”

“We, the student unions, representing different parties, have come here. We have been protesting since this afternoon, but nobody has come from the management, and nobody is addressing us or the parents and telling us some kind of responsible information regarding the suicide,” he added.

Reddy further added, “Student is undergoing so much pressure from the management regarding the studies and all, but the management still haven’t come here and, we YSRCP Union are protesting since this afternoon in the premises of the college and hospital also, and the college management has sent the police to control us.” (ANI)