📈 Aditya Birla Group starts charging brand royalty

Aditya Birla Group is implementing a new brand royalty framework for its operating companies starting June 1, 2026. This change affects listed companies like Grasim, Hindalco, and Novelis across various operations. The agreement mandates a 0.25% revenue payment, capped at Rs 225 crore annually per entity. This move signifies a shift from family-driven to structured governance, as explained by Satish Pai. Hindalco must disclose this related-party transaction through exchange filings by October. 💰

🇮🇳 Golconda Fort gears up for Independence Day bash

Arrangements are in full swing for the Independence Day fete at Golconda Fort. Personnel from Tamil Nadu Special Police (TSP) participated in the rehearsal held by the Telangana government in Hyderabad. The full dress rehearsal took place on Thursday, August 13, 2026, ahead of the August 15 celebrations. ACP Tolichowki Syed Fayaz mentioned 500 to 600 personnel are expected for the main ceremony. Last year Chhattisgarh and the previous year Karnataka participated in similar arrangements.

🇮🇳 Abhay Verma honors IAF officer in Operation Safed Sagar

Actor Abhay Verma paid a heartfelt tribute to the late IAF officer RS Dhaliwal on Thursday. Dhaliwal served with No. 17 Squadron during the 1999 Kargil War in the high mountains. The series, Operation Safed Sagar, focuses on the Golden Arrows Squadron's missions during the war. Verma shared stories of the officer's courage and determination while shooting the Netflix series. The show is directed by Oni Sen and stars Abhay Verma alongside Siddharth and Jimmy Shergill. 🫡

⚡ Naidu pushes pumped storage and solar power push

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu chaired a review meeting on the state's power sector at Amaravati on Thursday. He ordered a feasibility study for setting up pumped storage projects across the state's 130 reservoirs, including Polavaram. Officials were directed to expedite six lakh solar connections under PM Surya Ghar by September and aim for 10 lakh additional connections. The goal is to bring down power purchase costs to ₹4.60 a unit this year and ₹4 by 2029. Naidu also proposed performance-based ratings for the six state power utilities.

🚨 Green India Mission misses forest cover goals

The Comptroller and Auditor General found major shortcomings in the Green India Mission, noting a massive failure to meet forest cover targets. This audit specifically looked at the mission's performance across 16 states and UTs from 2015-16 to 2024-25. Against the 1.4 million hectare target, forest cover quality improved by only 0.11 mha, showing a nearly 92% shortfall. Furthermore, the increase in forest cover was only 0.03 mha against the target, resulting in a near 98% shortfall. The CAG also flagged improper planning and selecting less vulnerable areas for tree planting.

🏛️ Fast-track courts see low convictions across India

884 fast-track courts are currently operational across 21 States and Union Territories nationwide. Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal stated there are over 17.5 lakh pending cases in these courts. Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir recorded the lowest conviction rates for three straight years, from 2023 to 2025. This data raises questions about the courts' effectiveness as a solution for exam irregularities, according to Mukul Wasnik. Lessons from these rates should be considered by the government planning future legal reforms. 🧐

⚖️ Jharkhand protest case targets hundreds of marchers

A case has been filed against 600 protesters who participated in recent demonstrations. These individuals were gathered in Jharkhand, and the group included 500 students who were not identified. The filing of the case happened on a specific date, although the article does not provide it. The protest was part of ongoing local issues that sparked the massive turnout. Authorities are now proceeding with the legal steps against the accused persons. ⚖️

🏛️ Kerala HC delays closure of poultry waste unit

The Kerala High Court has extended the stay on the PCB's order to shut down Freshcut Organic Products Private Limited in Kozhikode. The court mandated that poultry waste must be moved using refrigerated vehicles, as only three out of eight were equipped. A joint inspection report stated there was no wastewater discharge, though the unit was partially inspected due to protests. Kozhikode generates 58.81 tonnes of poultry waste daily, with Freshcut processing 25 tonnes. Authorities were directed to conduct a further inspection once the processing unit is operational.

🏛️ Shiv Sena split: Sibal argues ECI timing matters

The Uddhav Thackeray faction argued before the Supreme Court that considering events after symbol application encourages defection. This case involves the Shiv Sena dispute where the Uddhav faction approached the SC against the ECI's decision. The argument referenced the 2003 BSP split case, noting that subsequent defections shouldn't count towards a majority. Sibal contended that allowing later events impacts the anti-defection law's intent to prevent defection. He further argued ECI lacks jurisdiction to judge a party's constitution through symbol allotment. 🗳️

🤔 Swiggy glitch taught a lesson

A cancelled Swiggy order sparked an unexpected realization for the person who experienced it. This incident occurred while the user was waiting for their food delivery. There were no specific dates or large numbers mentioned in the experience. The event served as a reminder to avoid judging people based on superficial situations. The user plans to reflect more on people's circumstances moving forward.

🚨 Two Afzalgunj shooter suspects arrested in Bidar

Karnataka police have arrested two key suspects connected to the Afzalgunj shooting from nearly 18 months ago. The suspects, Manish Kushwaha and Amit Kumar, were traced and taken into custody in Bidar on Wednesday, August 12. These men were previously involved in a ₹93 lakh ATM robbery in Bidar on January 16, 2025. They allegedly traveled to Hyderabad and visited Roshan Travels, leading to the shooting incident. The police plan to get a transit warrant to bring them to Hyderabad for further questioning.