The Supreme Court has transferred the Delhi-NCR stray dogs case to a new three-judge bench, set to hear it tomorrow. The court directed civic bodies to establish shelters for 5,000 dogs within eight weeks, ensuring humane care, sterilisation, and constant monitoring. Overcrowding must be avoided, and CCTV surveillance will track compliance. Adoption schemes may be considered but re-release of strays onto streets is banned. Violations will invite strict action against both officials and individuals. The case, now encompassing four related petitions, aims to address animal welfare while managing urban stray populations in a structured, humane manner.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Gaza ceasefire negotiations are now focused on a comprehensive deal to release all remaining hostages simultaneously, abandoning earlier plans for a phased exchange. Hamas leaders are in Cairo for preliminary talks with Egyptian mediators, alongside Qatar and the US. The proposal could involve ending the war and withdrawing Israeli troops in return for the hostages, though Israel insists Hamas must disarm and relinquish control of Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes have intensified, with over 120 Palestinians killed in the past day. Netanyahu faces mounting domestic pressure amid growing humanitarian concerns in Gaza. (PC: BBC)

In a rare show of unity, Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi joined BJP’s Maneka and Varun Gandhi in condemning the Supreme Court’s order to permanently shift stray dogs to shelters. Calling it “inhumane” and “impractical,” they warned it would lead to “institutionalisation of cruelty” and strain resources, with insufficient shelters available. Rahul urged humane solutions like sterilisation and vaccination, while Maneka criticised the judgment as financially unviable and ecologically harmful. Varun warned of a moral crisis, and opposition leaders from Trinamool and Shiv Sena also sought a review. The Delhi government has signalled compliance despite widespread criticism. (PC: The telegraph)

US President Donald Trump warned of “very severe consequences” if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to end the Ukraine war following their upcoming Alaska summit. In a virtual meeting with European leaders, French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump prioritised a ceasefire, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Putin of “bluffing” and intensifying military pressure. European leaders stressed Ukraine’s participation in any peace talks, fearing concessions to Moscow. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the talks “constructive” but insisted on protecting European security. Russian forces are pushing toward Pokrovsk in Donbas, raising concerns that Moscow could secure a major advantage before the summit. (PC: NDTV)

Indian cricket all-rounder Arjun Tendulkar, son of legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar, has got engaged to Saaniya Chandok, granddaughter of prominent Mumbai businessman Ravi Ghai. The private ceremony was attended by close family and friends. Arjun, 25, represents Goa in domestic cricket and has played for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. He began his career with Mumbai in 2020/21 before moving to Goa, where he made his first-class and List A debuts. Saaniya, known for maintaining a low public profile, hails from a business family owning Mumbai’s InterContinental hotel and ice cream brand Brooklyn Creamery. The couple’s wedding plans remain under wraps.

Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday hit back at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s warning over the Indus Waters Treaty, saying, “BrahMos hai humare paas… such threats will have no effect on India.” Sharif had vowed Pakistan would not allow “even one drop” of water to be taken by India. Owaisi advised Sharif “not to talk such nonsense.” The tension follows India’s suspension of the treaty in April after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam killed 26. Earlier, BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty also issued a similar “BrahMos” warning over remarks by Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto. (PC: HT)

The U.S. State Department on August 11, 2025, officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its armed wing, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), a stronger classification than their 2019 designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group. This move, announced during Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s Washington visit, heightens sanctions and legal constraints on the groups and marks deeper US-Pakistan counterterrorism cooperation. Pakistan welcomed the decision as validation of its efforts, while analysts link the timing with U.S. strategic and economic interests in Balochistan’s oil and rare earth potential. (PC: AP)  

The UN’s human rights office has condemned a targeted Israeli airstrike in Gaza that killed four Al Jazeera journalists, including renowned correspondent Anas al-Sharif, calling it a grave breach of international law. Israel claimed Sharif led a Hamas cell, but provided limited evidence. Media groups, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, denounced the attack as an assassination. The strike also killed two other journalists and another civilian. Funerals drew large crowds in Gaza. Since October 2023, at least 186 journalists have been killed in the conflict, the deadliest period for the profession since records began in 1992. (PC: BBC)

National Guard troops and federal agents have appeared across Washington DC after President Donald Trump ordered their deployment, citing violent crime concerns. Around 800 National Guard personnel and 500 federal agents will aid local police, erect barricades, and patrol urban centres. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, dismissed Trump’s move as an “authoritarian push,” urging residents to protect the city’s autonomy. Trump has threatened similar actions in New York and Chicago. The deployment follows DC’s 100th homicide this year, though official data shows crime rates fell in 2024. Critics accuse city officials of manipulating statistics to downplay crime levels. (PC: BBC)

U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed a “land swap” as part of a peace deal—suggesting that both Ukraine and Russia would cede territory to each other to end the war. This framing comes ahead of his upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which Trump describes as a “feel-out” session . Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has strongly rejected any such concessions, citing constitutional prohibitions and national sovereignty . European leaders echoed this stance, warning that negotiating Ukraine’s future without its involvement threatens peace and undermines international norms.