A US federal judge has permanently dismissed the criminal fraud and bribery case against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani. The decision ends the criminal proceedings that had been pending in the US for nearly 2 years. Judge Nicholas Garaufis granted the US Justice Department’s request to dismiss the charges but raised concerns about how the decision was made. The case had accused the Adanis and others of involvement in an alleged bribery and fraud scheme. Adani welcomed the ruling, saying his faith in truth and the rule of law remained strong. (PC: The Indian Express)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India is home to more than 60% of the world’s wild Asian elephants as the country observed World Elephant Day. In a social media post, Modi highlighted the elephant’s important place in India’s ecological heritage and conservation efforts. He said India has 33 Elephant Reserves that provide vital habitats and support the long-term protection of the species. The Prime Minister also praised forest officials, scientists, veterinarians, mahouts and local communities for their role in elephant conservation. He stressed that protecting elephants requires continued cooperation between communities and conservation authorities. (PC: X)

The government has approved the introduction of 1 billion polymer banknotes each in ₹10 and ₹20 denominations for field trials, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha on August 11. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had proposed the notes after a recommendation from its central board. If the trials are successful, polymer notes could be issued regularly alongside existing paper-based currency. The RBI said the procurement process is still at an initial stage, so the exact launch timeline and cost cannot yet be determined. The polymer notes are expected to improve durability and reduce frequent replacement of low-value currency. (PC: The Hindu)

Lebanon’s parliament has abolished the death penalty, making it the first country in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment. The law replaces death sentences with life imprisonment and aggravated hard labour. Lebanon has not carried out an execution since 2004, although courts continued to issue death sentences. Amnesty International said at least 85 people were on death row as of January. Justice Minister Adel Nassar called the move “historic”, while UN rights chief Volker Turk urged other Middle Eastern countries to follow Lebanon’s example. Rights groups welcomed the decision but called for all existing death sentences to be commuted and further legal reforms. (PC: X)

A 32-year-old woman was rescued alive after spending 36 hours trapped beneath rubble following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in western Colombia. Daniela Largo was pulled from a collapsed building in Pereira after a 10-hour rescue operation. Firefighters dug 2 tunnels through concrete slabs to reach her, using one to provide oxygen and another to free her. Largo was located after a resident heard her calling for help, while rescuers used a small camera to find her. At least 188 people have died in the earthquake, with hundreds still missing. Largo’s mother said her 12-year-old son was waiting for her at home. (PC: BBC)

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday said “Jantar Mantar Season 2” would begin soon, signalling another round of protests. The remark follows last month’s student-led demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over exam paper leaks, student suicides and education reforms. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said the new phase would include protests and a nationwide “listening tour” to hear public concerns, with education as its first priority. The party will also launch its “School Thik Karo” campaign on August 15 to improve basic facilities in government schools in rural areas. CJP has also backed recent student protests in Uttar Pradesh. (PC: HT)

Tata Group stocks lost over Rs 26,800 crore in market value after N Chandrasekaran announced he would step down as Tata Sons chairman. Chandrasekaran, whose current term ends on February 20, 2027, said he decided against seeking another 5-year term after one board member did not support the extension. At 1:25 pm on Wednesday, Tata Consultancy Services was the biggest loser, falling 4.8%. Tejas Networks dropped 2.84%, Tata Consumer Products 2.8%, Tata Elxsi 2.58% and Tata Steel 2.02%. Chandrasekaran, who has led Tata Sons since 2017, asked the board to decide on his successor soon. (PC: NDTV)

A Pakistani journalist has walked back his unverified claim that former Prime Minister Imran Khan may have died in Adiala Jail. Wajahat Saeed Khan said 3 senior officers at the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters had expressed fears that Khan was no longer alive, but clarified that none had seen evidence confirming his death. The claim emerged as Khan’s family and PTI leaders raised concerns over being denied access to him. PTI leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said more than 2 million people were ready to protest if access to Khan remained blocked. PTI has announced a September 27 march to Islamabad. (PC: India Today)

Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, married longtime partner Georgina Rodríguez, 32, in an intimate civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, on August 11, 2026. The couple began dating in 2017 and announced their engagement exactly one year before the wedding. Ronaldo and Rodríguez share five children: Cristiano Jr., twins Eva and Mateo, Alana, and Bella. Their relationship has attracted global attention, including through Rodríguez’s Netflix series I Am Georgina. The couple have largely kept their private life away from public scrutiny while sharing family moments with fans. Their wedding marks a new chapter after nearly a decade together. (PC: X)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin? No — Chief Minister Vijay has moved a resolution opposing the proposed delimitation exercise and seeking to permanently retain the Lok Sabha’s existing 543 seats. The resolution argues that southern states should not lose parliamentary representation because of population-control measures. It also calls for maintaining the existing inter-state seat allocation and implementing 33% reservation for women in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections using the current 543 constituencies. The Tamil Nadu Assembly subsequently passed the resolution on August 12. The move follows the state government’s recent anti-NEET legislation and intensifies its opposition to proposed changes in parliamentary representation. (PC: PTI)