Lebanon’s parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, a move that could make the country the first in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment. A majority of lawmakers in the 128-seat parliament supported the legislation, while Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc opposed it. The bill will now go to the cabinet before being sent to President Joseph Aoun for approval. Lebanon has not carried out an execution since 2004, although courts have continued to issue death sentences. Under the proposed law, capital punishment would be replaced with life imprisonment with hard labour. Rights groups welcomed the move after decades of campaigning. (PC: BBC)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced new packaging rules for pan masala, banning plastic-based materials, aluminium foil and metallised layers. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026, manufacturers can use plastic-free paper, paperboard, cellulose and other naturally derived materials. Tin and glass containers are also permitted. The rules specifically prohibit polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, PVC and other synthetic polymers, copolymers and laminates in packaging. The amendment, notified in the Gazette of India on August 10, does not ban pan masala itself but regulates how the product can be packaged. (PC: India Today)

Prashant Kishor has promised to arrange jobs for at least 10,000 youths in Bihar’s Bankipur within 3 months. During his “gratitude tour”, the Jan Suraaj leader asked educated families to submit their children’s CVs to his office. Kishor said he had contacted people across the country to create employment opportunities for Bihar’s youth. He also promised major improvements in government schools within a year, saying Bankipur children would be supported with private-school fees if needed. Kishor further pledged action on ration cards, full 5 kg foodgrain entitlements and ₹1,100 pensions for eligible senior citizens within 3 months. (PC: NDTV)

A Zepto warehouse in Bengaluru’s Hoskote was sealed on Tuesday following a special inspection by Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA). Officials said they found unhygienic food handling and storage conditions, non-compliant labelling, misbranding and other violations of food safety regulations. The department issued a notice to the warehouse and recommended legal proceedings before the adjudicating officer. Zepto said it fully cooperated with authorities and was taking steps to address the observations. The action is part of a wider food safety drive across Bengaluru targeting storage and distribution facilities. Officials have also seized expired or unfit food items during recent inspections. (PC: HT)

US President Donald Trump reportedly made a secret plane switch after leaving a NATO summit in Turkey last month. According to US media reports, Trump boarded Air Force One in front of cameras before being moved to a smaller military aircraft. A catering truck was reportedly used to hide the transfer. The move came after US intelligence detected a possible Iranian missile threat against his plane. Journalists and some White House staff on Air Force One were reportedly unaware of the switch. Trump later returned to the presidential jet in the UK. The White House has not confirmed the reported operation but said security measures protect the president.

The pilot-in-command of Air India flight AI2379 has tested positive for marijuana in a second laboratory test, sources said. The test followed the August 4 Phuket-Delhi flight incident, when the aircraft suddenly lost around 300 feet during cruise. Both pilots were tested for psychoactive substances and have been removed from flying duties while the investigation continues. The Airbus A320 was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members. Twenty passengers and four cabin crew were injured. Investigators are also examining reported technical problems, including autopilot and hydraulic failures. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said it will study all technical, medical and operational evidence before reaching conclusions.

India said it is assessing the national-security and regional-stability implications of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on August 7. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi remains committed to safeguarding its national interests and will take “all necessary measures”. The pact builds on a 2025 Pakistan-Saudi defence agreement and states that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all. Jaiswal also urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for alleged human-rights violations, including violence in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where more than 90 people were reportedly killed. He said India’s Pakistan policy remains unchanged. (PC: Reuters)

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia’s coffee-growing heartland on Monday, killing 224 people and leaving more than 3,000 missing, while over 900 were injured. More than 1,500 homes were damaged or destroyed, with deaths concentrated in Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo. Rescue operations entered a second day as emergency teams searched collapsed buildings using excavators and bare hands. Cali reported at least 85 deaths, while Pereira recorded 66. Parts of a hospital in Cali collapsed, trapping patients and forcing around 600 people to receive treatment outdoors. Tremors were also felt in Venezuela. The disaster has revived memories of the devastating 1999 earthquake, which killed more than 1,000 people in the region.

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday gave assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, making it law and criminalising intentional disruption or prevention of the singing of India’s national song, “Vande Mataram”. The amendment gives the national song legal protection similar to that already provided to the national anthem. Earlier, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act prohibited intentionally preventing the singing of the national anthem or causing disturbance to an assembly engaged in singing it. The government said the new law extends comparable protection to “Vande Mataram”, adding a fresh criminal provision concerning deliberate interference with its singing. (PC: Rashtrapati Bhavan)

Madhya Pradesh is facing a growing human-wildlife conflict, with at least 50 people killed in wild animal attacks and more than 45 tigers dying in the first eight months of 2026. Tigers accounted for 22 human deaths, followed by wild boars with eight, elephants with seven and sloth bears with four. Thirty fatalities occurred between March and May, when villagers, particularly tribal communities, enter forests to collect tendu leaves and mahua flowers. The state’s tiger population is now estimated at around 1,000, while forests and wildlife corridors face increasing fragmentation from settlements and infrastructure. Officials say conflicts are intensifying along forest fringes, exposing both communities and wildlife to growing risks. (PC: NDTV)