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.

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)

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)

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)

The Civil Aviation Ministry has summoned outgoing Air India CEO Campbell Wilson as scrutiny of the airline increases following a serious mid-air incident involving flight AI2379. The Airbus A320, flying from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude during cruise. The flight carried 137 passengers, including 3 infants, and 8 crew members. Thirteen passengers and 4 cabin crew were taken to hospital after landing. The DGCA classified the incident as serious and handed the investigation to the AAIB. Investigators have secured the flight data and cockpit voice recorders to determine what caused the sudden altitude loss. (PC: India Today)

With just 2 days left in the Monsoon Session, the government is trying to end the Parliament deadlock over student protests, the Ram Temple donation case and the FCRA bill. Sources said the government is ready for Home Minister Amit Shah to respond to the student protests, but wants a proper discussion before his statement. The opposition has demanded accountability over the July 20 police action during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march. The government is also open to a discussion on alleged irregularities in Ram Temple donations. On the FCRA bill, the government has offered to send it to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, but opposition parties remain divided over the proposal. (PC: India Today)

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s helicopter made an emergency landing in Kolaghat, Purba Medinipur, on Tuesday after bad weather affected his journey, officials said. Adhikari had taken off from Dumdum for Keshpur in Paschim Medinipur, where he was scheduled to attend a programme commemorating freedom fighter Khudiram Bose. The pilot decided to land at an open ground in Kolaghat as a precaution due to the weather conditions. After the landing, Adhikari continued his journey to Keshpur by road. No injuries or other problems were reported in the incident. (PC: News Indian Express)

Police detained 110 ABVP workers in Ranchi on Tuesday as protests over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations intensified. The protesters were marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly when clashes broke out, with some activists seen climbing onto police vehicles. The action came a day after police used water cannons and tear gas against thousands of JPSC-JSSC job aspirants during a march. Protesters are demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exam, a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and reforms in the recruitment process. The Jharkhand government said it supports peaceful protests, while accusing the BJP of politicising the students’ movement. (PC: HT)