Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay rejected an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu Dam. He asserted his government would not compromise on Cauvery water rights. The opposition leader demanded the meeting, citing concerns over water release. Vijay stated the state's position was already conveyed to the Prime Minister. He urged the opposition not to politicize the serious water dispute.
The Supreme Court will continue CBI investigations into defaulting realtors. Builders cannot escape probes by settling with only a few homebuyers. Many bank officials are found to have colluded with these builders. CBI has completed probes in eighteen of fifty registered cases. Banks must grant prosecution sanctions for accused officials within two weeks.
Candidates holding temporary disability certificates can now pursue MBBS admissions, reflecting significant changes in the National Medical Commission's policies. The revised guidelines indicate that admission requests from persons with disabilities will be subject to assessment by medical boards. It is noteworthy that the presence of progressive or non-progressive disabilities will not inherently prevent admission, with a thorough evaluation of functional competency taking place.
Nearly all Indian students heading overseas for education plan to come back home after their studies. What's striking is that about 90% are pioneering this journey as the first in their families to study abroad. This trend highlights a shift towards self-driven decisions among students. Business and management fields are particularly appealing, with many utilizing Google searches and agents to find their perfect educational fit.
In a significant shift, alternative-fuel passenger vehicles have captured forty percent of the retail market, nearly matching petrol-powered models, which hold a slender one percent lead. July marked the highest sales figures for automobiles ever recorded. Additionally, electric two-wheelers are experiencing unprecedented market penetration, highlighting changing consumer preferences towards cost-effective options.
The finance ministry has sanctioned more posts for CERT-In, yet the hiring remains underway. With rising cyber threats dominating discussions, a parliamentary committee is pressing for expedited recruitment. The IndiaAI Mission's fellowship program initially struggled to attract candidates. In response, MeitY is implementing outreach sessions and promotional campaigns to encourage more applicants. Additionally, final touches are being made to recruitment guidelines for several scientific roles ahead of future job advertisements.
The Lok Sabha has taken a vital step by passing a bill aimed at simplifying tax rules to enhance investment attractiveness. The new legislation abolishes a limitation on specific electronic payment options, allowing banks and providers to charge merchants on transactions. Additionally, the government is empowered to revise the zero-MDR scheme for UPI and RuPay. This initiative is poised to drive advancements in the financial sector’s infrastructure and innovative capabilities.
In a significant move, the Supreme Court has granted interim bail for one week to Sumit Roy, who serves as the personal assistant to TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Roy is implicated in the Salboni land-grabbing case, which followed the arrest of former TMC MLA Sujoy Hazra. Notably, the court has stayed Roy's arrest until it reconvenes for the next hearing.
The Rajya Sabha approved the Appropriation Bill, 2026, authorizing fund withdrawals for excess expenditure. Opposition members repeatedly demanded Home Minister Amit Shah's presence in the House. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju was asked to convey their sentiments to Shah. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge sought the Home Minister's statement on student police action. The opposition also requested the Prime Minister's apology for the alleged police excesses.
The BJP has called out Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for allegedly spreading misinformation. They assert that Home Minister Shah is present at Parliament House, but is unable to participate due to ongoing protests. Continued disruptions by the opposition hinder legislative work, yet Shah is ready to address their concerns directly. The BJP confirmed Shah is in his office daily, awaiting the resumption of parliamentary activities.
Meta's international team is in ongoing talks with Indian government representatives today, aiming to align with local laws and tackle content moderation challenges. Officials are requesting insights into algorithms and preventive measures against harmful content. They are also discussing WhatsApp policies and strategies to combat CSAM. A meeting between IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Meta's global team is expected later today.
Among the models already launched are Sarvam AI’s 30-billion and 105-billion parameter models and Indus, Gnani.AI’s speech-to-speech model, BharatGen’s multilingual models and Avataar AI’s video-generation model. The IndiaAI Mission, approved in March 2024 with an outlay of Rs 10,371.92 crore over five years, is aimed at creating domestic capabilities in computing, foundation models, applications, research and responsible AI.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into a shocking episode of severe turbulence that struck an Air India flight. On Tuesday, multiple passengers and crew were injured as the plane faced an alarming drop in altitude for several minutes. Following a safe landing, medical teams promptly attended to those affected. Vital evidence has been gathered by the regulator to facilitate a comprehensive inquiry.
Arvind Kejriwal claims Meta restricted his account in India without explanation. He stated that verbal inquiries at Meta's India office yielded no reasons. Emails sent to the company received only routine acknowledgements. Kejriwal alleged Meta bowed down to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meta has not yet publicly responded to these claims.
A national investigation into Chandipura virus outbreaks is currently underway in Gujarat and Rajasthan, where 35 infections and 22 fatalities among young children have been reported. Researchers are analyzing the pathways of transmission and possible animal carriers. Increased surveillance for febrile illnesses and encephalitis cases is in effect, while whole-genome sequencing is being utilized to track the evolution of the virus strain currently affecting the regions.