La Liga president Javier Tebas has strongly criticised FIFA over discussions to expand the 2030 FIFA World Cup to 64 teams, accusing the governing body of damaging football. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tebas said FIFA was making “irresponsible” decisions that threaten domestic leagues, which he described as the foundation of the sport. He also said FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s time was “over” and criticised the organisation’s leadership structure. FIFA has not responded to the remarks. The proposed expansion is being discussed as part of the tournament’s centenary celebrations in 2030. (PC: X)

Head Constable Aashiq Hussain Qureshi of the Jammu and Kashmir Police was killed after terrorists opened fire at Lal Chowk in Anantnag on Wednesday while he was deployed for Amarnath Yatra security. He was taken to Government Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The attack is the first major terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir since the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Security forces have launched a search operation to trace the attackers. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and said those responsible would be brought to justice. (PC: HT)

India has approved QDENGA (TAK-003), the country’s first dengue vaccine, marking a major step in preventing the mosquito-borne disease. Developed by Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda, the vaccine protects against all four dengue virus strains and is given in two doses, three months apart. Unlike older dengue vaccines, QDENGA does not require prior dengue infection testing before vaccination. Clinical trials showed strong protection against severe dengue and hospitalisation. While the vaccine’s price and rollout timeline in India are yet to be announced, health experts say it will complement mosquito control, early diagnosis and public awareness efforts. (PC: X)

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday questioned whether the BJP-led government and the Congress had reached an “understanding” after he was initially not allowed to speak during a Lok Sabha discussion on the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. Raising concerns over students and the July 20 protest crackdown, Akhilesh said the issue went beyond political parties and demanded Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. He also criticised the government over police action against protesters and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the issue in Parliament. The government maintained it was ready to hold a discussion. (PC: India Today)

Ukrainian drones struck two warehouses operated by Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk, injuring at least 15 people, Russian officials said. The attacks came days after earlier strikes on the company’s facilities that killed eight workers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the targeted logistics hubs were involved in supplying drone components, navigation equipment and other gear to the Russian military. Wildberries condemned the attacks, saying employees were simply doing their jobs. Russia has denied the company has military links. The strikes are part of Ukraine’s broader campaign to disrupt Russia’s wartime logistics. (PC: BBC)

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s daughter, Naimisha Pradhan, has disabled her Instagram account after facing online backlash linked to the ongoing protests over the alleged NEET paper leak. Social media users criticised her for pursuing higher education in the United States and tagged her account in posts demanding her father’s resignation. Some users, however, urged people not to target family members and said accountability should remain focused on public officials. Meanwhile, Pradhan defended the government’s stand, accusing the Congress of politicising the issue and reiterating that the Centre is ready to discuss NEET-related concerns in Parliament.

The flood situation in Assam has worsened sharply, with 21 people losing their lives in the past 24 hours, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority. The number of people affected has increased to around 5.6 lakh across the state. Sivasagar remains the worst-hit district, where overflowing rivers have caused widespread flooding and most of the recent deaths. More than 12,000 people are staying in relief camps, while over 6,100 have been evacuated by rescue teams. Several rivers, including the Dikhow and Disang, continue to flow above danger levels, raising concerns of further flooding.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday declined an urgent hearing on a petition seeking Supreme Court intervention over alleged police action against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters at Jantar Mantar. The plea cited videos claiming police brutality during demonstrations over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and demanded immediate judicial intervention. Refusing the request, the Chief Justice said the court had no time to watch videos and asked the lawyer not to waste the court’s time. The matter comes after the Delhi High Court also refused an urgent hearing on the issue earlier this week. (PC: India Today)

Aazad Samaj Party-Kanshi Ram chief and MP Chandra Shekhar Azad staged an overnight protest inside the Parliament complex, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak and police action against student protesters. Azad said students deserved justice and urged the government to begin talks instead of suppressing protests. He also met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to raise the issue. Meanwhile, a delegation of protesters met Union Minister J.P. Nadda with similar demands. The agitation continues as students seek accountability over alleged examination irregularities and recent clashes with police.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said his administration does not have the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city. After reviewing available legal options, Mamdani urged the US federal government to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) and enforce its arrest warrant against Netanyahu. The ICC accuses Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, allegations Israel denies. Legal experts said US cities cannot enforce ICC warrants because the United States is not a member of the court, leaving such matters to the federal government. (PC: HT)