Two Indian farmers from West Bengal’s Nadia district were allegedly kidnapped and taken into Bangladesh on Tuesday by Bangladeshi farmers seeking the release of a farmer they claimed was detained by the BSF, Bangladesh’s Prothom Alo reported. The incident comes days after a 35-year-old tea farmer from West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district was allegedly abducted by Bangladeshi men near the India-Bangladesh border. The latest abducted farmers were identified as Sachin Karmakar and Narayan Deb. The BSF guards India’s border with Bangladesh. According to the report, the Bangladeshi villagers crossed into an Indian village before taking the two farmers across the border. The incidents have raised fresh concerns over security and cross-border tensions along the India-Bangladesh border. (PC: India Today)

India has warned China that the state of affairs along the border will influence broader bilateral ties, amid reports of an alleged Chinese incursion in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district. Reports claimed Chinese troops crossed the LAC near Pukar La and Ollo, though Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu had denied any such incursion and said the Army was effectively guarding Indian territory. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stressed that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border remains essential and cited discussions at the August 6 WMCC meeting. India and China agreed to use existing diplomatic and military channels to prevent misunderstandings. India also reiterated Arunachal Pradesh is an “inalienable part” of India. (PC: NDTV)

The US government has filed a civil denaturalisation case against Indian-born Harinder Singh, also known as Harinder Singh Sanghera and Rushpal Singh, alleging he obtained American citizenship using a false identity. Authorities said he was stopped at JFK Airport in 1991 as Rushpal Singh and ordered deported in 1995, but there is no record he left the US. In 1996, he allegedly applied for immigration benefits as Harinder Singh, changing his date of birth, entry date and basis for his claim. The INS approved his permanent residency application in 2000, and he became a US citizen in 2008. The Justice Department seeks to revoke his citizenship and cancel his naturalisation certificate. (PC: Pexels)

The UK Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into the Al-Khair Foundation following allegations that the prominent Muslim-registered charity and some of its partners may have links to Hamas. The regulator said it received a complaint last month alleging connections to Hamas and possible funding for the group. The commission initially assessed the concerns and gathered additional information before escalating the matter to a formal investigation. The development follows the arrest of a senior figure in a US terror-related case, raising further scrutiny around the charity. The inquiry will examine the allegations and the organisation’s activities and partnerships. The claims remain allegations, and the Charity Commission’s investigation is ongoing. (PC: Times Now)

Baloch separatist leader Mir Yar Baloch called on the international community to recognise what he described as the “Republic of Balochistan” as an independent country, as supporters marked August 11 as Balochistan’s Independence Day. In a message on X, he urged countries and international organisations to stop referring to Balochistan as a province of Pakistan and thanked media, Indian outlets, researchers and think tanks for highlighting the issue. The group claimed Balochistan declared independence on August 11, 1947, and said its campaign seeks international recognition. It outlined plans for foreign policy, defence, currency, passports and diplomatic missions. Pakistan and the international community do not recognise the claim. Security allegations remain unverified. (PC: AFP)

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday said he would not travel to Jharkhand to join students protesting alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations, saying he did not want to “hijack” the movement. Dipke strongly condemned Monday’s police action against protesters, calling it a “brutal lathi-charge”. Thousands of students and job aspirants had marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Police used water cannons and tear gas after protesters breached multiple barricading layers. Protesters alleged that police also used lathis, injuring several people, including student leader Devendra Nath Mahato, who had been on a nine-day hunger strike.

The pilot-in-command of Air India flight AI2379 has tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory laboratory test, sources said on Tuesday. The pilot had earlier undergone a mandatory psychoactive substance screening after the August 4 flight suddenly lost around 300 feet in altitude during cruise. The Airbus A320 was carrying 137 passengers and 8 crew members when the incident occurred, leaving at least 17 people injured. Both pilots have been removed from the flying roster pending investigation. The DGCA has classified the incident as serious, while the AAIB is examining flight records, reported technical problems and other factors behind the sudden altitude loss. (PC: India Today)

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake has killed at least 132 people in western Colombia, with rescuers racing to find survivors trapped under collapsed buildings. Cali and Pereira are among the worst-hit areas, while the remote Choco region is also facing heavy damage. Authorities said around 1,600 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, while more than 700 people were injured in Valle del Cauca alone. Over 2,700 people were reported missing on citizen-run websites, although the figure has not been officially confirmed. Soldiers, firefighters, volunteers and search dogs are working through the rubble as authorities warn the death toll could rise. (PC: Al Jazeera)

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday criticised the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over stop-sale orders against Cadila Pharmaceuticals, saying a “shoot first and ask questions later” approach does not apply in law. The court said the regulator had the power to act but questioned how those powers were exercised. The FDA had seized stocks and stopped the sale of several Cadila medicines over concerns about similar branding and possible medication errors. Following the court’s observations, the FDA agreed to revoke the orders and follow due process, including issuing show-cause notices and hearing Cadila before taking fresh action. (PC: India Today)

Former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has been sentenced to death in absentia by a Syrian court over charges linked to war crimes and crimes against humanity during the country’s long civil war. His brother Maher Al-Assad and cousin Atef Najib were also sentenced to death in the same case. The court accused Najib of involvement in the deadly crackdown in Daraa in 2011, including torture and the killing of children. Bashar Al-Assad fled Syria for Moscow in December 2024 after opposition forces captured Damascus and ended his rule. The verdict marks the first major trial of former government figures under Syria’s transitional authorities. (PC: NDTV)