US President Donald Trump said there is “big progress” with Russia after his Alaska meeting with Vladimir Putin. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed hopes of a US-Russia-Ukraine trilateral summit, saying Moscow shows “no signs” of agreeing. At a press conference in Brussels, Zelenskyy called for “real negotiations” but rejected Putin’s reported offer to halt fighting in return for Ukraine ceding Donetsk. Trump conveyed the proposal to Kyiv but Zelenskyy refused, stressing more sanctions should follow if Russia resists talks. Trump said peace talks could move ahead without a ceasefire, a stance Ukraine and allies have long opposed. (PC: News18)

7 people died in two separate incidents of cloudburst and landslide in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district late Saturday night. Officials said five people were killed in flash floods after a cloudburst in Jodh Ghati, while two others lost their lives in a landslide at Janglote. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said roads, a railway track, and a police station were also damaged. Rescue teams, including the Army and paramilitary, are on the ground. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief and ordered relief efforts. Authorities have issued a weather advisory, warning people to stay away from rivers and landslide-prone areas. (PC: PTI)

The BJP has named Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as the NDA’s candidate for Vice President. The decision was made at the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting on Sunday. If elected, he will succeed Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned last month citing health reasons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Radhakrishnan for his years of service and grassroots work in Tamil Nadu. Radhakrishnan thanked the PM and NDA for the nomination. Several allies, including Chirag Paswan and Chandrababu Naidu, have backed him. The Vice Presidential election will be held on September 9. The Opposition INDIA bloc has not yet announced its candidate. (PC: India Today)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said America watches the India-Pakistan situation closely every single day. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Rubio said the US also tracks tensions in other regions like Cambodia and Thailand. He stressed that while the US pushes for ceasefires in conflicts, it is hard to achieve when fighting continues. Referring to the Ukraine war, he said ceasefires collapse easily after long battles. Rubio added that peace talks should aim for lasting solutions, not just temporary pauses. He said the US remains engaged in reducing global tensions and preventing new conflicts from starting. (PC: Reuters)

A video of Russian President Vladimir Putin during his Alaska meeting with US President Donald Trump has gone viral. In the clip, Putin’s legs appear shaky as he dips one knee and raises his toe repeatedly while speaking to Trump. The unusual movement sparked a flood of online rumours. Some social media users suggested Putin might be hiding health problems. Others speculated he was wearing hidden shoe lifts or even using an exoskeleton. A few claimed it was not Putin at all, but a body double. The Kremlin has not responded to the viral video or the growing conspiracy theories.

US President Donald Trump declared via social media, “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!” following his Alaska summit with President Putin, signaling diplomatic momentum though no formal deal was struck . His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, revealed that both leaders agreed on “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine, calling them “game-changing” . However, the proposal reportedly includes Ukraine ceding the Donbas region—an idea met with strong opposition from Ukraine and Western leaders . Meanwhile, European and NATO figures—including von der Leyen, Macron, Meloni, Merz, and Rutte—will join Zelenskyy in his upcoming Washington meeting with Trump to ensure Kyiv is not sidelined. (PC: The Times of India)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission and the BJP of carrying out a major electoral fraud during his Vote Adhikar Yatra in Bihar. Speaking at a rally in Aurangabad, he claimed that citizens’ constitutional rights were being taken away. Gandhi alleged that many people told him their names were deleted from the voter list. He said, “We are not afraid of the Election Commission. Bihar will fight for votes and the Constitution.” Gandhi also questioned new election rules, claiming they were designed to allow vote theft. He vowed to fight for people’s rights and show their strength. (PC: India Today)

A devastating cloudburst struck Jodh Ghati village and nearby Janglote in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district overnight between Saturday and Sunday, August 17, 2025, resulting in flash floods and landslides. The calamity killed seven people—including five children—across two separate incidents; five perished in Jodh Ghati while two died in Janglote . Heavy rain washed away roads, homes, railway tracks, and parts of National Highway 44, disrupting train services on the Jammu-Pathankot line . Rescue efforts by the Army, NDRF, SDRF, police, and volunteers are in full swing—with helicopters deployed for evacuation and injured airlifted to hospitals in Pathankot . Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced ex-gratia relief, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah pledged full government support. (PC: The Hindu)

On August 17, 2025, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar sharply responded to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s “vote theft” allegations (referred to as “vote chori”), demanding that he either submit a sworn affidavit substantiating his claims within seven days or issue a public apology—declaring there is “no third option” . The CEC described Gandhi’s allegations as an “insult to the Constitution” and said any failure to comply renders the claims baseless . This comes amid Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, which aims to spotlight alleged electoral irregularities across multiple states. (PC: ANI)

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House on Monday for high-stakes talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Starmer joins a delegation including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. The summit aims to counter Trump’s proposal to bypass a ceasefire and endorse territorial concessions in Ukraine—specifically ceding Donbas—to Russia. European leaders stress the necessity of security guarantees for Ukraine and insist that any peace deal must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and be made with its full involvement. (PC: BBC)