US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could strike Iran’s heavily fortified underground Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility “very soon” if American officials detect activity there. Located near the damaged Natanz uranium-enrichment complex, the site reportedly contains deeply buried tunnel systems believed to be capable of protecting nuclear equipment. Trump said Washington is closely monitoring movements at the facility and defended the ongoing US military campaign, claiming it has prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. His warning follows recent US strikes on Iranian military targets, including air-defence and radar systems. Iran has condemned the attacks and vowed defensive retaliation. (PC: Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a temporary halt to airstrikes with Russia during upcoming US-led peace talks. Zelensky said Ukraine would not carry out airstrikes during the visit of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, provided Moscow also refrains from attacking Kyiv. The envoys are expected to visit Moscow and then Kyiv as Washington seeks to revive efforts to end the war. The proposal comes amid intensified long-range attacks by both sides, with Russian strikes continuing across Ukraine and Ukrainian drones targeting sites deep inside Russia.

Iranian state media claimed that Tehran launched a surprise missile attack targeting a US military base in Jordan, reportedly striking an American facility in the country. However, US officials denied the claim, saying no such confirmed attack had taken place. The conflicting accounts came amid heightened tensions and recent exchanges of strikes between Iran and the United States across the Middle East. Reuters separately reported Iran’s claim of missile attacks on US bases in Jordan, though details of the reported strikes and their impact remained unclear.

India has built its first rock check dam across the Indus River at Upshi in Ladakh’s Leh district, raising water levels by nearly 10 feet and improving irrigation access for farmers. Made entirely from natural boulders without cement, the structure can store nearly 40 million litres of water. The accumulated water is being channelled into the Igoo Phey irrigation canal to support agriculture during the crucial sowing season. The project is part of efforts to tackle water scarcity and strengthen water security in the strategically important border region, with Ladakh proposing 36 more check dams. (PC: India Today)

Air India has terminated the pilot-in-command of a Phuket-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance following an August 4 mid-air altitude loss incident. The airline acted after the AAIB’s preliminary report flagged the positive test and a rare temporary failure of all three hydraulic systems. The Airbus A320 lost nearly 300 feet of altitude while cruising over Odisha, injuring 20 passengers and four crew members before landing safely in Delhi. The investigation has not established a direct link between the pilot’s drug test and the incident. Air India cited its “zero-tolerance” safety policy.

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has described the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a “war without winners”, saying peace can only come through negotiations. Speaking in Warsaw after meetings with Polish leaders, Jaishankar said the prolonged conflict was causing more deaths and destruction while increasing global costs. He said India remains in continuous contact with Moscow and Kyiv to support efforts for a cessation of hostilities. Responding to criticism of India’s Russian energy imports, he said the solution to the conflict “is not in trade, the solution is in negotiation.” His Warsaw visit followed recent talks in Kyiv and Moscow. (PC: X)

Rescuers in Nepal are racing to reach more than 150 workers feared trapped in seven hydropower tunnels, nine days after devastating flash floods hit the region near the Tibet border. Hopes rose after Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were found alive in the Trishuli 3A tunnel on Friday and airlifted to a Kathmandu hospital. Maharjan remains critical, while another body was found in the tunnel. Officials believe 39 others may still be trapped there. The disaster has left 1,311 people dead and 5,330 missing across Nepal and Tibet, with rescuers battling mud, rocks and floodwater. (PC: BBC)

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said he was dismayed to see police personnel personally assaulting protesters and demonstrators, calling it “very, very distressing” and a matter of grave concern. Speaking at the launch of Policing the Republic in New Delhi, he said the detachment expected of police officers appeared to be disappearing. Justice Bhuyan said police could maintain law and order without excessive force or violating people’s rights. He stressed that police credibility depended on professionalism, impartiality and adherence to the Constitution, while also raising concerns over custodial torture, deaths and political interference in policing. (PC: HT)

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution encouraging wider use of the Equal Earth map projection, moving away from the Mercator map that distorts the relative size of countries and continents. The “Correct the Map” resolution passed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions, as the United States voted against it. Led by Togo and supported by the Africa Group, the initiative aims to show Africa closer to its true scale. The resolution is voluntary and does not ban Mercator maps, which remain useful for navigation. Togo plans to change its school geography maps by year-end. (PC: India Today)

Airbus expects to deliver more than 1,200 aircraft to India over the next decade, averaging more than two aircraft a week, according to Jurgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia. The European aircraft maker currently has more than 500 aircraft among the nearly 800 flying in India. Airbus is also strengthening its maintenance and repair capabilities as India’s aviation sector expands. It has selected Indamer Technics to establish South Asia’s first comprehensive aircraft radome repair facility in Nagpur, supporting Airbus A320, A330, A350 and A380 aircraft and helping airlines reduce turnaround times. (PC: Economic Times)