NDA's CP Radhakrishnan won India's Vice Presidential election with 452 votes, defeating opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy who received 300 votes, with 14 abstentions. The election was held after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21 due to health concerns, making this the first VP election in 50 days. Radhakrishnan, Maharashtra's current governor, becomes India's 15th Vice President. A former RSS member who joined Bharatiya Janasangh in 1974, he served as BJP's Tamil Nadu State President (2004-2007). The polling achieved 96% turnout by 3 PM, with PM Modi voting first alongside other prominent leaders. Opposition framed this as an "ideological battle," urging conscience-based voting. (PC: India Today)

India’s foreign exchange reserves surged by $3.5 billion to $694.23 billion for the week ending August 29, nearing the all-time high of $704.89 billion set in September 2024. The rise was driven by a $1.7 billion increase in foreign currency assets and a $1.8 billion boost in gold holdings. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra confirmed the reserves can cover 11 months of imports. In 2025 alone, reserves have grown by $53 billion. The RBI continues strategic interventions buying dollars when the rupee is strong and selling during weakness to stabilize the currency. FX reserves include assets in USD, Euro, Yen, and Pound, with a growing preference for gold amid global uncertainties.

A Terrorist Was Killed In An Encounter With Security Forces In Kulgam District Of Jammu And Kashmir On Monday Morning. The Gunfight Began In Gudar Forest After Security Forces Launched A Search Operation Based On Intelligence Inputs. Officials Said The Terrorists Opened Fire First, Leading To A Fierce Exchange. A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Of The Indian Army Was Injured In The Firing. The Indian Army, Jammu And Kashmir Police, And CRPF Are Carrying Out The Joint Operation. Chinar Corps Said, “One Terrorist Was Eliminated.” The Operation Is Still Going On As Forces Search The Dense Forest Area. (PC: HT)

An Indian Army jawan was injured in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday. Officials said the anti-terror operation began in the Gudar forest after inputs about the presence of terrorists. Personnel from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF launched a joint search. The encounter started when terrorists opened fire at security forces. The injured Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was airlifted to the Army hospital in Srinagar. Operations in the area are continuing, and further details are awaited. Security forces have tightened cordon and search efforts to neutralize the terrorists. (PC: News18)

Former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, grandson of ex-Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, has been given the job of a library clerk in Parappana Agrahara prison. He is serving a life sentence for rape. Jail officials said his duties include issuing books to inmates and keeping records. Revanna will earn Rs 522 per day if he completes the work. Life convicts must take up some form of labour based on skills and interest. Revanna had sought administrative work but was placed in the library. He was sentenced last month after the court found strong evidence, including forensic reports, proving the crime. (PC: India Today)

A fire broke out on Sunday afternoon in a 23-storey residential building in Dahisar East, Mumbai, killing one woman and injuring 19 people. The blaze started around 3 pm in the New Jan Kalyan Society’s B Wing and was brought under control by 6:10 pm after seven fire trucks rushed to the spot. Fire officials said the fire began in the basement due to faulty wiring and spread through the electric duct. Rescue teams saved 36 residents, including children. A 4-year-old boy and a differently-abled girl are in critical condition, while several others remain under treatment. (PC: India Today)

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has issued a firm directive, dated August 30, mandating that all business, commercial, and institutional signboards in the city must prominently display Bengali at the top—alongside any other languages—by September 30, 2025 . This follows an earlier advisory from December 30, 2024, which only requested compliance but saw limited adherence . Mayor Firhad Hakim criticized slow compliance and warned that failure to comply could result in punitive measures, potentially including removal of non-compliant signs and trade license action . The move reinforces the city’s push to assert and uphold Bengali linguistic and cultural identity. (PC: PTI)

During Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations at Srinagar’s revered Hazratbal Shrine, a marble plaque featuring the Ashoka emblem was vandalized by a mob objecting to sculpted figures. Police registered an FIR and began investigations. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju condemned the act, calling Hazratbal a “symbol of peace and unity,” while Waqf Board chief Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi termed it a “terrorist attack.” The BJP demanded strict action, whereas former CM Omar Abdullah questioned placing a national emblem at a religious site, stressing such symbols belong to government institutions, not shrines. The incident has sparked widespread political and religious debate.

A 20-year-old woman from Haridevpur has accused two acquaintances, Chandan Mallick and Dwip (Deep) Biswas, of gang-raping her on the night of Friday, September 5, 2025, at a flat in the Regent’s Park area of Kolkata . The accused, who had lured her under the guise of celebrating her birthday and promised involvement in a Durga Puja committee, are currently absconding as police launched an investigation following the FIR filed at Haridevpur police station . The survivor managed to escape the next morning and reported the crime — authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward. (PC: India Today)  

Kolkata Municipal Corporation has issued a fresh mandate requiring all business and commercial establishments to display Bengali prominently at the top of signboards by September 30. This follows a similar December 30 circular that was largely ignored, with many establishments continuing to use English, Hindi, or other languages. The August 30 notification warns of punitive measures for non-compliance, stating Bengali must be displayed "in prominent size" above other languages to "promote linguistic authority and ensure inclusivity." The directive covers business, commercial, office, institutional, assembly, and other establishments across the city. This language policy push aligns with the Mamata Banerjee government's recent requirement for theaters to screen Bengali films during prime time slots between 3-9 PM.