Hindustan Times

A fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Amravati District Women's Hospital in Maharashtra around 3:30 a.m. on Monday, resulting in the deaths of three newborns. Hospital staff evacuated infants from the third-floor unit, with six transferred to another facility for treatment; the cause remains under investigation by police.

India communicated its standard practice of limiting media questions after high-level bilateral meetings ahead of the Modi-Trump encounter at the June G7 summit in France. The government described the request as routine VVIP coordination, while unverified reports indicate the US side proceeded with a 45-minute press conference. Sergio Gor, the US Ambassador to India, is referenced in related coverage of pre-meeting coordination.

Multiple outlets report that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced the Annapoorani Super Six scheme providing three free LPG cylinders annually to eligible households and expanded free bus travel for women. Verified details include an estimated annual cost of ₹4,000 crore for the LPG scheme, direct bank transfers to female heads of households, and eligibility criteria covering income under ₹2.5 lakh, small farmers, and families with disabilities. Several elements including announcement date, exact beneficiary numbers, scheme name, and transgender eligibility remain disputed or unverified across sources.

BPSC examination controller Rajesh Kumar Singh used the Hindi proverb “haathi chale bazaar, kutte bhonke hazaar” during questioning about candidate protests over a new two-stage teachers’ recruitment exam format. The video circulated widely on social media, prompting criticism and a request from Singh to disregard the remark. Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav called for an apology, while reports differ on whether the comments addressed exam irregularities or the format change itself.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was granted a 21-day temporary release from Sunaria Jail on Tuesday and left the facility at approximately 6:05 a.m. This marks his 17th such release since 2020, with the convict heading to Dera headquarters in Sirsa. Supported reports confirm his imprisonment since August 2017 and convictions in two murder cases.

The Tamil Nadu government has abandoned the Parandur greenfield airport project previously selected by the prior DMK administration. Supported reports indicate new sites will undergo technical feasibility studies by expert teams. Unverified claims include details on an Assembly announcement, Chennai airport capacity figures, and a planned fifth terminal expansion.

A CRPF personnel sustained a leg injury in a gunfight in Taphou, Senapati district, on Monday. Two houses belonging to a Kuki family and a Poumai family were set ablaze by an unidentified group, locals blocked National Highway 2, and additional security forces were deployed. The Taphou Kuki Village Authority condemned the events.

Heavy rainfall occurred across Delhi-NCR on Monday, with the India Meteorological Department issuing red alerts for parts of the region. Supported reports confirm waterlogging, traffic congestion in Gurugram, and children in flooded streets. IMD alert details remain disputed between sources, and several specific flooding incidents lack verification.

The Ministry of External Affairs denied political clearance for Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's US travel while approving the UK portion. Reddy described the decision as an insult to Telangana. The denial occurred amid a proposed itinerary tied to the Telangana Rising 2047 initiative.

Police in Bihar used water cannons and detained dozens of protesters attempting to march on the governor's residence in Patna on Tuesday. Demonstrators demanded cancellation of the Bihar Public Service Commission exam amid allegations of question paper leaks. Officials later stated that most demands had been addressed and the situation had become peaceful.

Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi sent a letter dated August 20, 2026, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi objecting to the use of open-ended questions for caste enumeration in the Population Census 2027. The letter, written in Hindi and briefed to reporters by Jairam Ramesh on August 25, 2026, argues that regional variations in caste names risk fragmenting counts. The government has selected open-ended recording for the first post-Independence caste count.

Gurdeep Singh, a 28-year-old man from Punjab, India, was shot dead in New York City in a suspected robbery while working as a pizza delivery driver. He had entered the United States in 2017 via the dunki route after incurring debt and was supporting his family through long work hours on a work permit. His family in India has appealed for assistance with body repatriation and prosecution of those responsible.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra, representing Krishnanagar in West Bengal, was directed by the Nadia district administration on August 14 to vacate the local Circuit House. She made an urgent oral mention before the Supreme Court after a prior High Court protective order, which the court declined to list immediately. A crowd gathered outside the facility that evening chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'.

BSP leader Mayawati issued a statement on the hijab row calling for local resolution between schools and authorities rather than court intervention. She referenced the Constitution framed under Dr. B R Ambedkar and emphasized rights to religious customs for all faiths. The Allahabad High Court separately dismissed a related petition from a minor student in a private Prayagraj school.

On August 25, 2026, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging exemption from the Teachers Eligibility Test for 328,701 teachers appointed before August 23, 2010. The resolution, moved by School Education Minister Rajmohan, calls for amendments to Section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, and NCTE guidelines. It references a Supreme Court directive requiring TET clearance by August 31, 2028, for promotions.

A video showed fish being prepared at a banquet hall in Ayodhya for a welcome program for Congress state president Ajay Rai during the month of Sawan. Yogi Adityanath addressed the event in a speech in Raebareli, accusing Rai of duplicity after visiting Hanumangarhi temple. The program was attended by members of the Nishad community.

Nazia Khanam, a 30-year-old Assistant Section Officer in the Ministry of Defence who was three months pregnant, was found dead at her Dwarka home on Friday following an argument with her husband. Police registered a case of cruelty and abetment of suicide against the husband and in-laws after a PCR call at approximately 4:20 pm, with the husband reported as absconding. The family alleged dowry harassment, while the husband stated the couple argued before she locked herself in a room.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin and held talks with First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov during a two-day visit to Moscow. The meetings addressed bilateral trade growth, Russian fertilizer supplies to India, and upcoming summits including BRICS. Jaishankar is also scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

A chlorine gas leak occurred early Monday morning at a water treatment plant in Godhni, Nagpur, leading to 56 hospitalizations including 8 ICU cases. Responders contained the leak by submerging a faulty cylinder, and the National Disaster Response Force was deployed. The precise origin and cause remain undetermined, with reporting limited to two left-center sources.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated on August 25, 2026, that the government is considering annual random drug tests for all pilots. Current DGCA rules require testing of 10 percent of pilots, while DGCA is consulting stakeholders on changes. Air India began voluntary 100 percent testing on August 13 after an August 4 incident involving a marijuana-positive pilot.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju posted a video on X on August 23, 2026, showing himself swimming in a river in Arunachal Pradesh and stating he is a local athlete for whom such conditions are routine. He advised caution in deep water and referenced prior exchanges with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on fitness. The posts drew commentary across political perspectives focused on authenticity, regional knowledge, and personal capability.

Students marched in Patna on Tuesday against alleged irregularities in the 70th BPSC examination, moving from Gandhi Maidan toward Raj Bhavan. Police deployed water cannons and detained protesters after demonstrators broke through barricades and attempted to approach the chief minister's residence. The Bihar government stated that nearly all student concerns had been resolved, while protesters continued demands for a single-tier exam, greater transparency, and oversight by the Bihar Staff Selection Commission.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued notices dated August 25 to 20 rebel TMC MPs who joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, requiring responses within seven days to petitions filed by Abhishek Banerjee under the anti-defection law. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the matter and issued notices to the MPs while handling related procedural requests. Sources consist exclusively of left-center outlets, limiting perspective diversity.

Deepender Singh Hooda, the Congress MP from Rohtak, faced internal party criticism after comments on the death of Sajjan Kumar, who was serving life sentences for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Hooda denied using specific phrasing attributed to him, expressed regret over any hurt caused, and issued a video statement. Kuldeep Sharma separately wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge requesting Hooda's removal from the Congress Working Committee.

A commuter traveling from Sector 48 to New Delhi Railway Station on Monday encountered waterlogged roads after rain began at 12:45 p.m., advancing only 500 metres by 3 p.m. The Gurugram district disaster management authority issued orders on Tuesday restricting school buses to safe routes during flooding. All details derive from two left-center sources with no additional perspectives represented.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy returned to Hyderabad on August 24, 2026, after spending three days in London. The Centre denied permission for the US portion of his trip. Reddy held meetings with UK universities that agreed to explore collaborations and later convened state officials while receiving support from Congress figures.