US intelligence received multiple warnings of a possible Iranian missile attack targeting Donald Trump’s aircraft as he prepared to leave Ankara during the NATO summit on July 8, The New York Times reported. Officials said Iranian operatives were believed to know exactly where Trump was staying, including the floor of the building. A shoulder-fired missile was also reportedly spotted near the summit. The warnings prompted a secret security operation in which Trump left Turkey on a smaller military aircraft after a decoy Air Force One departed with staff and journalists. Trump later said he was not very concerned about the reported threat. (PC: NDTV)

The Indian government said Track-2 dialogues with Pakistan involving retired diplomats, military officials and academics are outside its purview. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that participants engage in such talks in their private capacity, and their views do not represent the government’s position. India and Pakistan continue limited official engagements, including DGMO-level talks and exchanges on nuclear installations and prisoners. Singh also said the Indus Waters Treaty remains in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ends its support for cross-border terrorism, following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack. (PC: India Today)

An adviser to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander has said Tehran could prolong its war with the United States until Donald Trump leaves office. Mohammad Reza Naqdi told PBS NewsHour that extending the conflict could help Iran build military experience, impose costs on the US and strengthen deterrence against future attacks. Naqdi said Iran believes it is currently winning the war but has not achieved its final objective. He also claimed Iran is producing more missiles than it launches and could continue fighting for years. He warned that Iran could target US economic interests worldwide if its missile stockpile were exhausted. (PC: India Today)

The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to become the deadliest ever, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned. He said the outbreak, at its current pace, could surpass the 2014-2016 West African epidemic, which killed at least 11,000 people. The outbreak, declared on May 15, has recorded more than 4,300 cases and over 2,000 deaths, according to the report. Health officials said the virus began spreading months before the outbreak was officially declared. The rare Bundibugyo strain is responsible, while insecurity is limiting health workers’ access to affected communities. (PC: BBC)

Residents of Thane are opposing Amazon Data Services India’s proposed data centre in Balkum, citing concerns over heat, noise, emissions and pressure on electricity supply. The facility is planned on a 53-acre plot and is expected to involve an investment of around ₹47,000 crore. Residents under the “Wake Up Thanekar” campaign say the project’s location in a densely populated area, near homes, schools, hospitals and public transport, is a major concern. Amazon says the centre will use air-cooled and closed-loop technology, a dedicated power substation and noise-control measures to address environmental and safety concerns. (PC: India Today)

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered police action against people making derogatory remarks about freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose on social media. Adhikari said such posts should be deleted and followed by an apology, stressing that the law would apply equally to MLAs, MPs and government officials. His direction came days after BJP MP Ananta Maharaj described Netaji as a “war criminal” and questioned his leadership and the Azad Hind Fauj. Adhikari also directed MLAs to establish Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Seva Kendras in their constituencies. The state will provide ₹30,000 per month to support the centres, subject to conditions. (PC: X)

Japan has strongly protested Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup, one of 4 disputed Kuril islands claimed by both countries. Putin visited the island on Thursday, marking his first visit to the disputed chain, according to Russian state media. Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the islands were “inherently Japanese territory” under history and international law. The Kuril dispute has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a post-World War Two peace treaty. Russia administers the islands and has increased its military presence there. Japan has also imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and regularly protests Russian military activities near the islands. (PC: HT)

An Air India Phuket-Delhi flight logged 9 warnings within a minute during an altitude drop of around 360 feet, according to its post-flight fault records. Flight AI2379, an Airbus A320, was flying at 36,160 feet on August 4 when the incident occurred, leaving 20 passengers and 4 crew members injured. The warnings included low pressure in the Green, Blue and Yellow hydraulic systems, low reservoir levels, an autopilot disconnect and an elevator flight-control fault. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is investigating the incident. The commander also told investigators that he had slept for 30 to 35 minutes during the flight. (PC: HT)

Former Pakistan minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has drawn criticism after appearing at a public event alongside two figures identified as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) members and praising the group’s jailed chief Hafiz Saeed. A video shows Rasheed sharing the stage with Khalid Masood Sandhu, described as a senior LeT commander and Pakistan Markazi Muslim League president, and Qari Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, a member of LeT’s central advisory committee. During his address, Rasheed reportedly declared, “I am a slave of Hafiz Saeed,” while expressing support for the banned outfit’s leadership and making threatening remarks against India. The appearance has renewed scrutiny over alleged political associations with Pakistan-based extremist networks and anti-India rhetoric.

China on Wednesday said the situation along its border with India is “generally stable,” citing the August 6 Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meeting on border affairs. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said both sides agreed to maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels and jointly preserve peace and tranquillity along the border. His remarks came amid reports of a military face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh’s Taksing sector and claims of increased Chinese activity along the Line of Actual Control. India’s Ministry of External Affairs, however, described border issues as “most serious” and stressed that maintaining peace and tranquillity remains crucial, warning that border conditions will influence broader bilateral ties. (PC: The Tribune)