Hyderabad student Sai Pradeep, fondly known as Deepu, died by suicide in the US on August 21, allegedly amid stress over his prolonged job search. A native of Dammaiguda, Pradeep moved to the US in 2024 to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His family and friends said he had struggled to find employment for around four months and was under considerable stress. His cousin Deepthi remembered him as loving, kind-hearted and determined. A GoFundMe campaign is seeking $35,000 to bring his remains back to India and cover funeral expenses, with remaining funds intended for his parents. By Tuesday morning, 821 donors had contributed $28,602. (PC: gofundme.com)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has opposed an upcoming event featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at Madison Square Garden on August 29. Mamdani described the RSS’s ideological vision as “incredibly troubling” and said he opposed what he characterised as an exclusionary approach, while emphasising his belief in pluralism and secularism. However, he acknowledged that the city may not have jurisdiction to cancel a private event. Bhagwat’s appearance is part of the RSS’s centenary-year global outreach programme and is expected to draw around 5,000 people. Interfaith and civil-rights groups, including Hindus for Human Rights and the Indian American Muslim Council, have protested against the event and called for its cancellation.

The United States has sanctioned four India-based companies and three Indian nationals over alleged trade involving Iranian oil and petrochemicals worth about $119 million. The sanctions form part of Washington’s wider campaign to restrict Iran’s international financial and energy networks. According to the US Treasury, Sadashiva Overseas imported around $69 million of Iranian-origin petroleum products between February 2024 and June 2025. PP Softtech and Prakrutees Infra Impex were each accused of importing around $25 million worth. The action comes amid heightened US pressure on countries and businesses maintaining commercial links with Tehran. The sanctions could increase scrutiny of India-based companies involved in Iran-related energy trade and add another layer to India-US economic and diplomatic calculations. (PC: X)

China has called for stronger “good-neighbourly” and mutually beneficial ties with India during talks between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. At the 25th round of Special Representatives’ talks, Wang said stable India-China relations served both countries and had wider global significance. Doval said the two nations were “partners, not competitors” and that ties had returned to the “right track”. The two sides discussed the boundary dispute, border management and cooperation, while agreeing to continue efforts towards a fair settlement. The next round of talks will be held in India in 2027. (PC: India Today)

Former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said India did not deliberately target Pakistan’s Kirana Hills nuclear facility during Operation Sindoor in 2025. He said an Indian loitering munition may have struck one of the hills inadvertently after failing to find a radar target near Sargodha. Chauhan said the munitions could loiter for around two hours before hitting an available location if no target was found. The remarks differ from earlier speculation that India had targeted the area, which is reportedly linked to underground nuclear facilities. The Indian Air Force had previously denied deliberately striking Kirana Hills. (PC: HT)

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, marking his first India visit since October 2019. Beijing has already sent an advance team for security and protocol preparations, while Xi is expected to arrive with a large delegation of officials, businessmen and state-backed media representatives. His participation could further efforts to restore India-China ties strained by the 2020 border standoff. Since 2024, relations have improved through troop disengagement, resumed direct flights and visas, eased curbs on Chinese firms and the revival of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. However, over 50,000 troops remain deployed on both sides of the LAC, while visa issues and Arunachal Pradesh tensions persist. (PC: The Indian Express)

A US military aircraft landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport on Tuesday, triggering speculation amid heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. Flight-tracking data reportedly indicated that the aircraft was likely a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a US Air Force transport plane designed to carry personnel, military equipment and cargo over long distances. The unusual arrival in Russia has prompted widespread theories about its possible purpose, although no official explanation for the flight has been provided in the report. The C-17 is primarily used for military logistics and strategic transport, making its reported presence at a Russian airport particularly notable. The aircraft’s identity and mission remain the focus of ongoing speculation. (PC: India Today)

The mystery surrounding the Kirana Hills incident during Operation Sindoor has been explained by former CDS General Anil Chauhan. He said an Indian loitering munition, believed to be a Harop drone, accidentally struck the Pakistani military’s nuclear-linked Kirana Hills area after running low on fuel. The drone had been sent to locate radars around Sargodha and Kirana Hills and was designed to loiter while searching for targets. When it failed to find one within its operational window, it eventually hit the hills. Chauhan reiterated that India had not deliberately targeted Kirana Hills. He also disclosed that the IAF had approval to strike Skardu, but bad weather forced commanders to switch the planned target to Bholari.

A bottle of Fanta in India may not be nutritionally equivalent to the same brand sold in the UK. According to a Reuters comparison, the UK version contains about 63 calories per can, while the Indian version delivers nearly three times the energy because of its higher sugar content. Britain’s 2018 Soft Drinks Industry Levy encouraged beverage companies to reformulate drinks with less sugar and more low-calorie sweeteners. India’s formulation, meanwhile, reflects stronger demand for sweeter flavours. The difference demonstrates how multinational food and beverage companies modify recipes according to local regulations, consumer preferences and ingredient supply chains. With health awareness increasing, Indian consumers are also seeing a wider range of low- and zero-sugar options. (PC: Reuters)

The US hosted a record 1.18 million international students in 2024-25, up 5% from the previous year. However, new international enrolments fell 7% to 277,118. India remained the largest source, with 363,019 students, up 10%. But Indian applicants to US colleges fell 15% in the 2025-26 application season, according to Common App data. Overall international applicants fell 10%, even as total US applications rose. International graduate enrolment also dropped 3%. Meanwhile, OPT participation rose 21%. Proposed changes to H-1B fees and student immigration rules are adding more uncertainty for Indian students planning to study and work in the US.