Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir has come under fire for making false claims at a diaspora event in Belgium. Munir said India begged for a ceasefire and that US President Donald Trump intervened during the recent conflict. In reality, India struck Pakistan’s Nur Khan air base, after which Islamabad sought truce talks through its DGMO. The US only relayed Pakistan’s request. Munir also claimed Pakistan shot down Indian aircraft and warned of nuclear use in Tampa, Florida. India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed his remarks as “nuclear sabre-rattling” and evidence of Pakistan’s reckless military control over politics. (PC: HT)

Heavy rain crippled Mumbai on Tuesday, causing severe waterlogging, flight delays, and traffic chaos. The weather office issued a red alert for the city and suburbs. According to Flightradar, 155 outbound and 102 inbound flights at Mumbai Airport were delayed. Central Railway trains also ran 20–30 minutes late, while BEST buses were diverted from flooded routes. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared a holiday for schools, colleges, and government offices. Several areas including Dadar, Andheri, and Sion were submerged. In Vasai, nearly 400 people were trapped due to flooding. Vikhroli recorded the highest rainfall with 255.5 mm in 24 hours. (PC: India Today)

Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire and hostage release proposal from Egypt and Qatar, a source told the BBC. The plan includes a 60-day truce and the release of about half of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages. Israel has not yet responded, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying all hostages must be freed at once. Protests in Tel Aviv saw thousands demand a deal to end the war. In Gaza, people urged peace as heavy Israeli strikes hit Gaza City. The war has killed over 62,000 Palestinians, displaced millions, and left children dying of hunger and disease. (PC: BBC)

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s first astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS), met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on August 18, 2025. Shukla, who flew aboard the Axiom-4 mission from June 25 to July 15, gifted Modi the Indian tricolour that accompanied him in orbit and the mission patch. Modi welcomed him warmly, calling the achievement “just the first step in Bharat’s journey of human spaceflight.” Shukla fulfilled Modi’s earlier request to document his ISS experience to support India’s Gaganyaan mission. He conducted over 60 experiments and 20 outreach sessions during the mission, collaborating with astronauts from the U.S., Poland, and Hungary. India hailed his return with pride.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to share insights from his recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, focused on the Ukraine war. Modi thanked Putin for the conversation, reaffirming India’s consistent stance on resolving the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue. The leaders also discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in defense and energy, reinforcing their “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.” The call came ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. India welcomed the Trump-Putin summit, praising their leadership and emphasizing that peace can only be achieved through sustained dialogue. Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact amid evolving global dynamics. (PC: NDTV)                        

Carlos Alcaraz won his maiden Cincinnati Open title after World No.1 Jannik Sinner retired midway through the final due to illness. With Alcaraz leading 5-0, Sinner ended the match after just 23 minutes, raising concerns about his readiness for the upcoming US Open. Alcaraz became the third Spaniard to win the ATP Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati, joining Carlos Moya and Rafael Nadal. It was his sixth title of the year, including his first Wimbledon crown. Sinner apologized to fans, while Alcaraz expressed empathy and praised his rival’s resilience. Both players are scheduled for mixed doubles at the US Open, but Sinner’s participation remains uncertain. (PC: Reuters)

OpenAI has officially launched ChatGPT Go, a new subscription tier tailored for Indian users, priced at just ₹399/month. This plan is designed to bridge the gap between the free tier and the more premium Plus and Pro plans, making advanced AI tools more accessible to students, freelancers, and everyday users. Nick Turley, Vice President and Head of ChatGPT, announced that ChatGPT Go is rolling out in India first before expanding to other countries. He explained that one of the biggest requests from Indian users has been affordability and local payment options, which the new tier directly addresses. With ChatGPT Go, users get ten times higher message limits, ten times more image generations, ten times more file uploads, and double the memory length compared with the free plan. (PC: Mint & Phone Arena)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House for high-stakes talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war. The meeting followed Trump’s summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where Putin reportedly proposed Ukraine surrender remaining parts of Donetsk—terms Kyiv rejected. Trump’s stance has shifted closer to Moscow’s, favoring negotiations without ceasefire. European leaders including Macron, Starmer, Meloni, Merz, and von der Leyen joined Zelenskyy in Washington to support Ukraine and prevent diplomatic humiliation. Trump expressed surprise at the large European turnout, calling it a “great honor.” Zelenskyy warned of tougher sanctions if trilateral talks with Putin and Trump don’t materialize. (PC: NBC & Reuters)

US President Donald Trump announced he has begun arranging a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling it a “very good, early step” toward ending the nearly four-year war. The announcement followed high-level talks at the White House with Zelenskyy and European leaders, including Macron, Meloni, Starmer, Merz, von der Leyen, and NATO’s Mark Rutte. Trump said the meeting location is yet to be determined and plans to host a trilateral summit with both leaders afterward. Discussions focused on security guarantees for Ukraine, coordinated by European nations and the US. Trump emphasized optimism for peace, while Zelenskyy hailed their Oval Office meeting as the “best” yet. (PC: BBC)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi began a two-day visit to India, marking the first high-level engagement since the LAC disengagement in November 2024. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the need to advance the de-escalation process, citing peace and tranquility at the border as essential for bilateral momentum. Wang will meet NSA Ajit Doval for the 24th round of boundary talks and is expected to call on Prime Minister Modi ahead of the SCO summit in Tianjin. Jaishankar stressed “three mutuals” such as respect, sensitivity, and interest and warned that differences must not escalate into disputes. Talks also covered trade, connectivity, river data sharing, and global stability amid rising geopolitical tensions. (PC: The Hindu & NDTV)