Three young men from western Uttar Pradesh, Himanshu Sharma, Shakti Punder and Ashu Saini, have gone missing in Russia, their families said, alleging they were coerced into fighting on the Ukraine frontline. The trio had travelled to Russia in 2025 on student visas for language courses and part-time work. Relatives say a panicked final call on July 30 suggested the men were being pushed toward the frontlines against their will, with passports allegedly confiscated. Over 30 Indians have reportedly died serving with the Russian military in the conflict so far. Families are now seeking urgent government intervention. (PC: X)

Gurugram Police on Tuesday arrested Kalyan Bainsla, the car driver accused of ramming his speeding Ciaz into a woman biker's Aprilia RS 457 on Golf Course Road, two days after the incident went viral. Bainsla was nabbed from Rajgarh in Rajasthan. The biker, identifying herself as Sia, alleged she was deliberately targeted and that Bainsla fled without checking on her after the crash. Following CCTV analysis, police added the charge of attempt to murder under Section 109 of the BNS, which carries up to 10 years' imprisonment, to the earlier FIR for rash driving and causing hurt. (PC: India Today)

The Finance Ministry has notified that banks and payment system providers cannot charge fees on UPI and RuPay debit card transactions up to ₹2,000. The notification, issued under Section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, follows an amendment passed in Parliament's Monsoon Session. While small transactions remain fully protected, the rule opens the possibility of a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select higher-value merchant transactions above ₹2,000. The NPCI's UPI Steering Committee is expected to finalise MDR rates soon, with industry estimates suggesting 25-30 basis points for larger businesses. Person-to-person UPI payments remain unaffected. (PC: NDTV)

Chaos erupted at Delhi's IGI Airport as passengers of two SpiceJet flights to Dubai staged protests after delays stretched beyond 24 hours. Flights SG 5111 and SG 5105 were both rescheduled multiple times, leaving travellers stranded without clarity on departure, food, or accommodation. Passengers alleged no airline staff were available to address their concerns, prompting airport officials to step in with food and rest arrangements. A heated exchange between a passenger and an official over video recording further fuelled tensions. SpiceJet attributed the delays to the grounding of an aircraft and said alternate flights were being arranged, apologising for the inconvenience caused. (PC: India Today)

Several Delhi schools received bomb threats on Tuesday morning, triggering emergency evacuations as mid-term exams were underway. The British School, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Springdales and Air Force Bal Bharati School were among the institutions affected, with police, bomb disposal teams, sniffer dog squads and fire services deployed. Sardar Patel Vidyalaya confirmed all students were safely evacuated and that police were informed and taking necessary steps. The school was holding its first day of half-yearly exams when the threat arrived; senior school students had already finished most papers. Authorities are investigating; officials say the threats appear to be hoaxes, as in past incidents. (PC: HT)

Gurugram Police on Tuesday arrested Kalyan Bainsla, the car driver accused of ramming a woman biker on Golf Course Road, from Rajgarh in Rajasthan. Police said the arrest followed the addition of an attempt-to-murder charge under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The victim, known online as "Sia," sustained injuries after her sports bike was struck on Sunday. A viral video showed the car chasing and colliding with her before fleeing the scene. Bainsla has claimed the crash was accidental, saying he panicked and left fearing mob violence. The case has sparked nationwide outrage over women's safety on Gurugram roads. (PC: X)

The government has prohibited banks and payment system providers from imposing direct or indirect charges on UPI transactions of up to Rs 2,000 and payments made using RuPay-powered debit cards. A Finance Ministry notification specified both as electronic payment modes covered by the ban. The move leaves scope for a possible fee framework for higher-value merchant transactions. Under the notification, no bank or system provider can charge a person making or receiving a payment through the specified modes. The decision comes amid debate over introducing Merchant Discount Rate charges for larger transactions. The government’s move ensures payments through UPI up to Rs 2,000 and RuPay debit cards remain free from charges imposed by banks or payment system providers. (PC: Reuters)

Gurugram hit-and-run victim Sia released a video statement, challenging accused Kalyan Bainsla’s claim that he did not deliberately ram his car into her motorcycle. Bainsla had said two bikers overtook his car, moved ahead and slowed down, and that he did not know a woman was riding. Sia questioned why he followed them if their riding concerned him and alleged videos showed the car changing lanes before hitting her. She said her hair and bun were visible and alleged Bainsla had asked her to stop before the collision. She said two videos showed the car’s movements and being dragged before falling. She questioned why driver did not stop after the crash.

Tamil Nadu announced investment commitments worth around Rs 12,300 crore during Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s four-day UK visit. The projects are expected to create nearly 10,000 jobs. Samvardhana Motherson International will invest Rs 11,000 crore over five years. It plans to create about 7,000 jobs in manufacturing, engineering and logistics. A UK-based communications company will invest Rs 1,000 crore and create over 2,000 jobs through a Global Capability Centre. Sigma Technology Group and Wilson Power Solutions also signed agreements. The announcements came after Opposition parties criticised Vijay’s visit and questioned its purpose after photos of him with actor Trisha surfaced.  

Sia’s family has spoken about her condition after her motorcycle was allegedly chased and hit by a car in Gurugram. Her brother said she is experiencing something similar to “trauma”. He claimed four people were inside the car and “all of them were drunk”. Sia had said the car followed her on Golf Course Road and its occupants made offensive gestures before hitting her bike. She fell but was not seriously injured. Police registered an FIR after her video about the incident went viral. The accused denied intentionally hitting her. He claimed he lost control near a U-turn and was unaware of the collision.