A Panama-flagged cargo ship sank in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday, about 444 km from Odisha’s Paradip coast. The ship was carrying 24 crew members and was heading to Singapore with iron ore from Odisha. It had arrived at Paradip on August 20 and left the coast on Friday. The Indian Coast Guard and Navy have launched a search and rescue operation. Other ships in the area have also been alerted to help. Officials are still checking how many crew members were rescued. Most of those on board were reportedly Chinese. The cause of the sinking is not yet known.

A government primary school in Jaipur district has been moved from a cattle shed to a house after 18 children were forced to study there. The school building was declared unsafe. The move came after CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke issued a 48-hour ultimatum following a dispute during a school inspection. Villagers later approached the education department and requested a safer location. A local resident offered his house for classes, allowing lessons to resume on Saturday. Villagers also promised to support construction of a permanent school building. Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar urged people to keep political activity out of schools.

Lionel Messi has been fined by Major League Soccer after slapping Philadelphia Union player Quinn Sullivan during a heated match. The incident happened in the 101st minute of Miami’s 2-2 draw with Philadelphia. Messi slapped Sullivan on the back of the neck during a tense exchange. MLS rules ban players from hitting an opponent’s head, neck or face. Messi was fined an undisclosed amount. Union midfielder Ian Fray was also fined for a separate incident involving Sullivan. Meanwhile, Sullivan’s red card was overturned after an independent review. Messi scored one goal and provided an assist in the match.

Wildfires are becoming a bigger threat to homes and businesses across the UK, according to new analysis. Nearly 19% of large wildfires in England and Wales came within 500 metres of built-up areas this year. Fires are also burning for longer and covering larger areas. Wales has been hit hardest, with nearly 15,500 hectares burned in 2026. Fire chiefs said more than 1,100 wildfires have been reported across England and Wales. They warned that services are under pressure after years of cuts. Experts say climate change, heat and drought are increasing the risk. The danger could double in coming decades.

India suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Netherlands in their first second-round match at the 2026 Men’s Hockey World Cup. The loss has left India’s semi-final hopes in serious danger. The Netherlands controlled much of the match and scored three goals. Thijs van Dam scored the third goal after a quick counter-attack. India’s only goal came from captain Harmanpreet Singh through a penalty corner. India had earlier beaten Wales and Pakistan but lost to England in the first round. They now need a strong result against Argentina in their next match to keep their campaign alive.

India has approved around 1,800 km of new LPG pipelines across six states. The projects will need an estimated ₹7,000 crore investment. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board cleared three projects to be built by state-run GAIL. The pipelines will connect Telangana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Goa. The expansion will increase India’s approved LPG pipeline network from about 7,700 km to nearly 9,500 km. The move aims to reduce LPG transport by road. It could lower costs, reduce tanker traffic and improve road safety. The pipelines may also help ensure steady LPG supplies during emergencies.

The BCCI is struggling to find a title sponsor for India’s home cricket matches. The board received no satisfactory bids by the August 13 deadline, reports said. The BCCI has set a base price of ₹4.75 crore per match. This is higher than the ₹4.2 crore paid by current sponsor IDFC First Bank. The new deal would run for two years and cover about 35 matches. Google Gemini, Spinny and SBI Life are reportedly in talks with the BCCI. Some firms have also bought the tender documents. The high price is believed to be the main reason for weak interest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the BJP’s newly formed team at the party headquarters in Delhi on Saturday. BJP president Nitin Nabin welcomed him. The 65-member team was announced on August 17. It includes 51 new faces and several senior leaders. Earlier, Nabin asked the new office-bearers to focus on “Yuva Samvad” and engage more with young people. The BJP also passed a resolution on the history and importance of Vande Mataram. The party opposed the Congress decision to sing only its first two stanzas at party events. The BJP plans a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the National Song.

Rescuers are searching for survivors after Russian drones struck a busy shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. At least 16 people were killed and 130 were injured. Four people remain missing. Two drones hit the centre within a short time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack “cynical and despicable”. He said the second drone targeted emergency workers at the scene. The fire covered about 9,000 square metres but has now been put out. Rescue teams from seven regions joined the search. Officials said the operation could continue for two more days because of the damage and ongoing threats.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been asked not to attend a youth football tournament in the Dominican Republic. The request came from CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani. In a letter, he said Infantino’s presence could take attention away from the children’s matches. The dispute is linked to reported plans to sell a 20% stake in a new World Cup venture to private investors. The proposal has caused criticism from several football bodies. CONCACAF, along with European and Asian football confederations, has questioned Infantino’s leadership. FIFA has not commented. A FIFA presidential election is due next year. (PC: Getty Images)