Punjab Police suspended Barnala DSP Satvir Singh on Friday following allegations of a lathicharge on sanitation workers. The incident took place in Barnala district of Punjab. The action was taken against the senior officer amid mounting scrutiny over the use of force. The suspension signals departmental accountability in response to the alleged misconduct.
The European Union has accused TikTok of inadequately protecting children from online risks. EU regulators stated that accounts belonging to minors should only be visible to users they have explicitly permitted. TikTok currently allows children aged 13 and above to use its platform. The accusation raises concerns about the social media giant's compliance with EU digital safety standards.
Elon Musk has pushed back against allegations of racism by pointing to his personal relationships. His partner, Shivon Zilis, is of half-Indian descent and was raised in Canada. The couple share a son whose middle name is Sekhar, a tribute to Indian-American Nobel laureate physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Musk used these personal connections as evidence to counter the racism claims made against him.
India's MBBS admissions are highly competitive, with the number of candidates per seat rising steadily over the years. In 2017, approximately 16 aspirants competed for each available MBBS seat. This ratio climbed to 18 in both 2018 and 2019, reflecting growing demand for medical education. The competition eased slightly during the pandemic period, though the overall pressure on the 1.37 lakh available MBBS seats remains intense.
England white-ball captain Jos Buttler received a signed Team India jersey from Rohit Sharma following their recent ODI series. Buttler expressed deep admiration for Rohit, describing him as one of his favourite players in the game. Rohit capped the series with a century in the deciding match at Lord's, finishing as India's top run-scorer across the ODIs. The gesture highlighted the mutual respect between the two captains. Rohit continues to be regarded as one of cricket's finest ODI batsmen.
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has submitted his resignation from the central government. Sources indicate that his decision is linked to plans to contest the upcoming Punjab assembly elections. The state polls are scheduled to be held next year. Bittu's move signals his intent to shift focus from national politics to the state electoral arena.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk concluded a 26-day hunger strike following negotiations with Union ministers. His wife, Gitanjali Angmo, defended the decision and pushed back against critics who questioned his resolve. Wangchuk stated that ending the fast was a deliberate move to prevent the possibility of widespread violence. Separately, the Cockroach Janata Party announced it would carry on with peaceful protests, demanding the education minister's resignation over the alleged NEET paper leak.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has grossed an estimated $346 million worldwide in its opening week, marking the director's biggest box office debut to date. The epic action-adventure film is based on Homer's ancient poem and was produced on a reported budget of $250 million. Remarkably, the film recouped its entire production cost within just three days of hitting theaters. The Odyssey now ranks among the highest-grossing films of 2026, surpassing Nolan's previous records including Oppenheimer.
Heavy rainfall forced the closure of a major highway in Jammu and Kashmir, leaving a large number of tourists stranded. Northern Railway's Jammu Division launched a special train operation to address the crisis. Approximately 1,500 tourists were successfully evacuated through these dedicated train services. Railway officials confirmed that the operation ensured no tourist remained stuck due to the road disruption.
Maharashtra food safety authorities conducted a single-day inspection drive across the state, covering 61 food establishments including hotels, restaurants, dhabas, and bakeries. The crackdown resulted in action being taken against six of the inspected outlets. The drive targeted a wide range of food businesses to ensure compliance with food safety standards. Such inspections are part of ongoing regulatory efforts to monitor food quality and hygiene across Maharashtra.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued a clarification on Friday regarding his earlier remarks about flooding caused by a cloudburst. He stated that the India Meteorological Department has not officially reported any cloudburst occurring in Nagaland. The clarification came after Sarma had previously attributed flooding to a cloudburst event in the region. His statement aimed to correct the record and align his comments with the official meteorological data available.
Thousands of property owners in Delhi's Lal Dora and Abadi villages will soon receive QR-enabled smart property cards offering digitally verified ownership records. The Delhi government has completed surveys across 48 villages, with cards already prepared for 30 of them. The initiative is designed to reduce property disputes and strengthen land record management in these areas. The smart cards will be linked to online registration systems, ensuring tamper-proof and easily accessible digital records.
Billionaire Elon Musk has rejected accusations of racism, pointing to his Indian partner, his son's name, and the diversity of executives at his companies as evidence of no prejudice. Critics, however, argue that his public statements on immigration and demographics serve to amplify far-right narratives. Musk has defended his positions as calls for secure borders and safer cities rather than expressions of bias. Academics and researchers contend that his rhetoric on immigration and crime is at odds with established data and demographic studies. The controversy highlights ongoing scrutiny of Musk's political statements and their broader social implications.
Ethiopia's dryland regions have undergone a dramatic transformation in forest cover over the past nine years. The expansion was driven by two key practices: assisted natural regeneration and deliberate tree planting efforts. As forest density increased, severe topsoil erosion in the country's mountainous areas declined significantly. These results align closely with Ethiopia's broader environmental goals and green economy strategy. The success offers a replicable model for restoring degraded communal lands in similar regions.
President Droupadi Murmu has accepted Ravneet Singh Bittu's resignation from the Union Council of Ministers. Bittu, a grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, had switched from Congress to BJP earlier this year. He was appointed as a Minister of State in June, despite having lost his Lok Sabha election. The reason behind his resignation has not been officially disclosed.
Two private islands on the River Thames, historically associated with King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, are set to go under the hammer on July 28, 2026. The property spans nearly 2.9 acres and includes a five-bedroom house. The listing comes after the islands failed to attract a buyer in a previous sale attempt. The new guide price has been set at £1.65 million, lower than before to draw fresh interest.
Pragati Chaswal abandoned a well-paying advertising career to pursue environmental education for children. She established the SowGood Foundation, which teaches young students about the origins of food and sustainable practices. The initiative engages children through hands-on farming activities, helping them build a connection with nature. The program has so far reached over 78,000 students across multiple schools. Its broader aim is to foster environmental awareness and responsibility among the younger generation.
