India has built its first rock check dam across the Indus River at Upshi in Ladakh’s Leh district, raising water levels by nearly 10 feet and improving irrigation access for farmers. Made entirely from natural boulders without cement, the structure can store nearly 40 million litres of water. The accumulated water is being channelled into the Igoo Phey irrigation canal to support agriculture during the crucial sowing season. The project is part of efforts to tackle water scarcity and strengthen water security in the strategically important border region, with Ladakh proposing 36 more check dams. (PC: India Today)

Air India has terminated the pilot-in-command of a Phuket-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance following an August 4 mid-air altitude loss incident. The airline acted after the AAIB’s preliminary report flagged the positive test and a rare temporary failure of all three hydraulic systems. The Airbus A320 lost nearly 300 feet of altitude while cruising over Odisha, injuring 20 passengers and four crew members before landing safely in Delhi. The investigation has not established a direct link between the pilot’s drug test and the incident. Air India cited its “zero-tolerance” safety policy.

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has described the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a “war without winners”, saying peace can only come through negotiations. Speaking in Warsaw after meetings with Polish leaders, Jaishankar said the prolonged conflict was causing more deaths and destruction while increasing global costs. He said India remains in continuous contact with Moscow and Kyiv to support efforts for a cessation of hostilities. Responding to criticism of India’s Russian energy imports, he said the solution to the conflict “is not in trade, the solution is in negotiation.” His Warsaw visit followed recent talks in Kyiv and Moscow. (PC: X)

Rescuers in Nepal are racing to reach more than 150 workers feared trapped in seven hydropower tunnels, nine days after devastating flash floods hit the region near the Tibet border. Hopes rose after Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were found alive in the Trishuli 3A tunnel on Friday and airlifted to a Kathmandu hospital. Maharjan remains critical, while another body was found in the tunnel. Officials believe 39 others may still be trapped there. The disaster has left 1,311 people dead and 5,330 missing across Nepal and Tibet, with rescuers battling mud, rocks and floodwater. (PC: BBC)

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said he was dismayed to see police personnel personally assaulting protesters and demonstrators, calling it “very, very distressing” and a matter of grave concern. Speaking at the launch of Policing the Republic in New Delhi, he said the detachment expected of police officers appeared to be disappearing. Justice Bhuyan said police could maintain law and order without excessive force or violating people’s rights. He stressed that police credibility depended on professionalism, impartiality and adherence to the Constitution, while also raising concerns over custodial torture, deaths and political interference in policing. (PC: HT)

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution encouraging wider use of the Equal Earth map projection, moving away from the Mercator map that distorts the relative size of countries and continents. The “Correct the Map” resolution passed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions, as the United States voted against it. Led by Togo and supported by the Africa Group, the initiative aims to show Africa closer to its true scale. The resolution is voluntary and does not ban Mercator maps, which remain useful for navigation. Togo plans to change its school geography maps by year-end. (PC: India Today)

Airbus expects to deliver more than 1,200 aircraft to India over the next decade, averaging more than two aircraft a week, according to Jurgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia. The European aircraft maker currently has more than 500 aircraft among the nearly 800 flying in India. Airbus is also strengthening its maintenance and repair capabilities as India’s aviation sector expands. It has selected Indamer Technics to establish South Asia’s first comprehensive aircraft radome repair facility in Nagpur, supporting Airbus A320, A330, A350 and A380 aircraft and helping airlines reduce turnaround times. (PC: Economic Times)

Republic’s investigation has raised questions over a possible cover-up in the 2020 death of celebrity manager Disha Salian after the Bombay High Court ordered a CBI probe into the case. The court directed the agency to register an FIR, appoint a senior investigating officer, record her father Satish Salian’s statement and take relevant material from Malvani Police. The order flagged questions over the earlier inquiry, including CCTV footage, evidence handling, delayed seizure of electronic devices, injury records and forensic material. However, the court clarified that no individual is an accused unless sufficient material emerges during the investigation.

Activist Swatantra Bhardwaj has been detained in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr over an alleged assault on Sanjay Kumar, the father of a student protester, during a June protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Police said Bhardwaj was traced near Dhamra Nara village after a video and podcast clip revived the case. The FIR also names Suraj Kumar and alleges that Sanjay Kumar suffered head injuries during the scuffle. The case later drew political pressure, with the CJP and opposition leaders demanding action. Police have added provisions of the SC/ST Act and are considering further legal charges after obtaining medical opinion. (PC: India Today)

Iran has mocked the United States with a “Minesweeper” video showing a 3D map of the Strait of Hormuz, days after US forces completed clearing mines from international shipping routes. The Iranian embassy in Sierra Leone posted the 35-second animation with the message, “Habibi (Uncle Sam), come to Iran!” The taunt comes as fighting between the two countries intensifies. The US recently struck Iranian rocket launchers and military targets, while Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles against US targets in Jordan. Washington said the latest strikes targeted Iranian military capabilities, while Tehran claimed a wedding was hit. (PC: NDTV)