🌾 Pawar pushes for drought declaration in Maharashtra

NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar wrote to CM Devendra Fadnavis urging a drought declaration for Maharashtra. He wants relief of ₹50,000 per hectare based on actual taluka-wise damage, not just district averages. Rainfall deficits are high, with Marathwada showing a 69% deficit from June to August. Pawar listed nine measures, including aid for farmers and expedited loan waivers, noting 31 of 36 districts received less rainfall. He also recommended setting up daily monitoring control rooms across all districts. 🌾

💖 Ranveer Singh's secret 2015 engagement reveal

Ranveer Singh revealed he secretly engaged Deepika Padukone in 2015 during an appearance on 'Koffee with Karan'. This engagement happened three years before their private wedding in Italy in 2018. Singh justified the early commitment by saying he didn't want someone else to come along first. Padukone humorously dubbed his move as 'Advance booking' during the conversation. Currently, the couple is preparing for their second child, expecting a new arrival soon. 💖

🧐 Trump claims son will repay Russian oligarch

Donald Trump stated that his son, Donald Trump Jr., told him he would repay a Russian oligarch. This wealthy businessman, Umar Kremlev, reportedly paid for the wedding party in the Bahamas earlier this year. The payments, which were hundreds of thousands of dollars, were noted by ProPublica. Trump confirmed this conversation happened some time ago after the report surfaced. Democrats in Congress are investigating these claims. 🧐

⛽ Trump signs Russia sanctions bill; India, China face tariff risk 💥

President Donald Trump signed H.R. 5334, the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026," into law on Friday. This action targets Russia and its top energy buyers, including India and China. The act authorizes up to 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas, effective within 30 days. The sanctions aim to economically pressure Russia's war in Ukraine by cutting off key resources. Countries are exempt if their Russian gas imports are below 15% of total exports and they reduce those imports.

📰 WHCA slams Trump over media ban

The White House Correspondents' Association condemned Donald Trump's decision to bar CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from White House access. This action took place in Washington, DC, where Trump defended the restrictions against these outlets. The ban was implemented immediately, with Trump claiming the news organizations provided biased and fake coverage. WHCA president Jacqui Heinrich stated that the US Constitution protects press freedom from government interference. This move, according to the WHCA, impacts the public's right to an independent account of government activities. 📰

📈 Nifty might cross 23,600 next week, says expert

Technically, the index is trading below key moving averages, suggesting a weak overall trend. Sudeep Shah from SBI Securities highlighted the 23,050-23,000 zone as a crucial support area for Nifty 50. Bank Nifty's 57,500 is also noted as an important reference point. The outlook for both Nifty Midcap and Smallcap 100 is cautiously positive. Shah has picked two smallcaps for potential investment.

🧑‍🔬 Plastic waste turns into protein cookies

Scientists are transforming plastic waste and agricultural materials into protein-rich snacks using engineered yeast. This groundbreaking research was conducted at Southern Illinois University Carbondale as part of a NASA-led project. The prototype, µBites, was developed using PET plastic and corn stalks, and initial data shows they are safe to eat. The technology aims to solve both food shortages and plastic pollution in resource-limited settings. Researchers hope these cookies could be ready for public consumption within a few years. 🧑‍🔬

🚨 India forces spam reports to telcos, Truecaller objects

India has updated its anti-spam rules, making it mandatory for caller-ID apps to share user spam reports with telecom operators. This change was implemented by TRAI, the telecom regulator, on Friday to expand the pool of data used against spammers. Truecaller called this requirement 'anti-competitive' as it transfers valuable data to telcos. In 2025 alone, Truecaller users reportedly faced around 42 billion spam calls in India. The rules also bring AI-powered automated calls under the A2P framework. 📱

⚖️ SC questions CBI's super-fast bribery probe

The Supreme Court acquitted an RPF official because the CBI couldn't prove the intermediary took the bribe for him. Justices Dipankar Datta and N K Singh made this ruling in a case dating back to 2005. The CBI lodged an FIR on August 4, 2005, and set a trap within hours, catching the intermediary. The court noted this extreme speed raised doubts about verifying the complaint before the trap was set. Criminal liability requires proof the intermediary acted for the accused, not just that money exchanged hands. ⚖️

🏅 Pawan Sehrawat steps up for Asian Games flag duty

Pawan Sehrawat will now replace Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India's flag-bearer at the Asian Games opening ceremony. This change is happening in Nagoya because the shot-putter could not receive his official kit on time. Toor stated his kit would arrive at Nagoya airport only at 3pm, making it too late for the ceremony. The athletics contingent is still waiting for kits, with all equipment remaining in India. Sehrawat will join Manu Bhaker in leading the Indian contingent at the event. 🇮🇳

⚖️ SC questions liquor ban, points out five 'evils'

The Supreme Court questioned the effectiveness of alcohol prohibition, highlighting five associated 'evils' like revenue loss and corruption. Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran made these remarks while quashing certain Maharashtra Poisons Rules. Recent tragedies in Bhavnagar (Gujarat) and Sagar (MP) with 13 and 15 deaths served as a reminder to authorities. The court noted that bans often push trade underground, increasing lethal brews across states. Consequently, the SC rejected the Maharashtra government's plea as lacking a rational nexus to prevent hooch tragedies. 🥃