Seven Maoists, including four men and three women, were killed on Wednesday in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju district. Police said the encounter happened as the operation continued a day after top Maoist leader Madvi Hidma and five others were killed. ADGP Mahesh Chandra Laddha said the latest group may include members who escaped the earlier encounter. One of the dead was bomb expert Metturu Jogarao, wanted by the NIA. Police have also arrested 50 Maoists across multiple districts. Officers said the group was trying to regroup near the Andhra–Odisha border. Security has been increased for political leaders. (PC: X)

Nine years after banning alcohol, Bihar is still fighting a strong illegal liquor trade. A BBC report followed officials during a raid near Patna, where they found an abandoned setup used to make country liquor. Police say bootleggers often get warnings before raids. Despite the ban, alcohol is widely available through black markets and smuggling from neighbouring states and Nepal. Most arrests are for drinking, not producing or selling liquor. Many women support the ban, saying it protects families, but illegal factories keep returning. Experts say prohibition has improved some homes but also pushed alcohol deeper underground. (PC: BBC)

Police in Birbhum, West Bengal, seized around 20,000 gelatine sticks from a pick-up van during a naka check near Nalhati on Tuesday night. The vehicle was coming from Pakur in Jharkhand. Police said the explosives were packed in 50 bags and were moved without permission. One man, Narayan Ghosh of Birbhum, was arrested. He was produced in the Rampurhat court and sent to police custody for three days. Police are working with Pakur authorities to trace the source. Officers said such explosives are often used in illegal mining and stone quarries in the area. (PC: India Today)

A dispute has erupted over the title of S.S. Rajamouli’s upcoming film Varanasi, with Ramabhakta Hanuma Creations claiming it holds the rights to the name. The company says their claim covers the period from July 2024 to July 2025. Meanwhile, Rajamouli — whose film draws from Hindu mythology and features a time-travel narrative — recently made controversial remarks about Lord Hanuman during the movie’s launch, sparking a police complaint. (PC: India Today)

US Congress has approved a bill ordering the Justice Department to release all unclassified files on Jeffrey Epstein. The House voted 427-1, and the Senate passed it without objection. The move comes after President Donald Trump changed his stance and asked Congress to release the records. The bill requires the Attorney General to publish documents, flight logs, and internal communications within 30 days, unless they affect active investigations or reveal victim identities. The push was led by lawmakers Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna. Survivors also urged transparency, saying hiding the records was a betrayal. Trump is expected to sign the bill. (PC: BBC)

Nitish Kumar will resign today to begin the process of forming a new government in Bihar after the NDA’s big election win. He will first be elected leader of the JD(U) and later chosen as leader of the NDA by all alliance MLAs. He will then meet Governor Arif Mohammad Khan with letters of support and stake claim to form the government. Nitish Kumar will take oath on Thursday at Gandhi Maidan, where preparations are underway. Talks on cabinet posts continue, with JD(U) and BJP still negotiating key ministries. The NDA won 202 of 243 seats, giving it a clear majority. (PC: India Today)

Sourav Ganguly said BCCI curators, not CAB, prepared the Eden Gardens pitch for the India–South Africa Test. The match ended in three days and drew criticism for sharp turn and uneven bounce. Ganguly said the CAB had no role after the BCCI took charge four days before the Test. He admitted the pitch was “not the greatest” and said India should play on better surfaces. He added that the pitch was made as per team management requests. Ganguly also backed head coach Gautam Gambhir and said there was no question of removing him. He praised Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill for their work in England. (PC: HT)

An eight-month pregnant Indian woman, Samanvitha Dhareshwar, was killed in a car crash in Sydney. She was walking with her husband and three-year-old son when a speeding BMW hit a Kia, which then struck her. Police said she suffered severe injuries and was taken to Westmead Hospital, but she and her unborn child could not be saved. The BMW was driven by 19-year-old Aaron Papazoglu, who was later arrested. He has been charged with dangerous and negligent driving causing death, and causing the loss of a foetus. A magistrate denied bail. The case may fall under Zoe’s Law. (PC: NDTV)

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly dismissed claims that the U.S. might deploy troops to Mexico to combat drug cartels, stressing that such an intervention will “never happen.” She stated that former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously proposed sending American forces, but Mexico rejected the idea each time. Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico’s sovereignty is “non-negotiable,” though she remains open to intelligence-sharing and coordinated strategies that do not involve foreign military presence. Her remarks followed renewed debate in the U.S. about cross-border operations, prompting Mexico to reiterate its constitutional commitment to controlling its own security operations. (AFP)

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly dismissed claims that the U.S. might deploy troops to Mexico to combat drug cartels, stressing that such an intervention will “never happen.” She stated that former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously proposed sending American forces, but Mexico rejected the idea each time. Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico’s sovereignty is “non-negotiable,” though she remains open to intelligence-sharing and coordinated strategies that do not involve foreign military presence. Her remarks followed renewed debate in the U.S. about cross-border operations, prompting Mexico to reiterate its constitutional commitment to controlling its own security operations.