Six workers dead, 14 injured as water, debris enter tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli

At least six people died and 14 others sustained injuries on Thursday (August 13, 2026) after water and debris entered a tunnel under construction at a hydroelectric project site in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, officials said. According to preliminary information shared by the officials, 22 workers were trapped inside the tunnel. Twenty people have been brought out of the tunnel. Of them, six were declared dead, while 14 others have sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. Information about the remaining two workers was not immediately available.

Rahul scoffs at PM’s foreign policy; Kharge says being ‘Modi bhakt’ will not help country

Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (August 13, 2026) attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for allegedly avoiding the Opposition in Parliament for 20 days, while Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi described the BJP-RSS as a “bunch of jokers”. Mr. Gandhi mocked Mr. Modi’s handling of foreign policy as being reduced to hugging world leaders. Speaking at the national convention of Rachnatmak Congress, a wing of the party which engages with civil society activists and organisations, the Opposition leader said it was “ignorance” to believe that foreign policy was about embracing leaders.

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks against PM Modi ‘uncultured, crude and vulgar’: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday (August 13, 2026) accused Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of using “uncultured, crude, and vulgar language” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reacting sharply to Mr. Gandhi’s remarks at the Rachnatmak Congress national convention, Education Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “Rahul Gandhi, when will you grow up? Running India requires mature leadership, not amateur dramatics. Calling a democratically elected government ‘jokers and clowns’ proves you are out of your depth”.

Monsoon Session ends in near washout as disruptions stall Parliament

The Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday (August 13, 2026) saw multiple lows in terms of productivity. Twelve Bills were passed, with detailed debate taking place on only one — the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, also known as the anti-paper leak legislation. Only two questions were answered orally in the Lok Sabha and 16 in the Rajya Sabha during the entire session. However, the Opposition managed to maintain a united front, pushing back strongly against several legislations, including the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill (FCRA), 2026, which was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

BCI withdraws NALSAR enrolment freeze within hours, says all 2026 graduates can enrol

The Bar Council of India on Thursday (August 13, 2026) issued a direction to all State Bar Councils not to enrol students who graduated from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, in 2026 only to withdraw it hours later. In its initial communication, the BCI had directed the State Bar Councils to halt the graduates’ enrolment until further orders, pending an inquiry into a recent campaign by students opposing the proposed participation of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in the university’s convocation.

Gen Z, ‘Vande Mataram’ to take centre stage at Red Fort on August 15

The energy and aspirations of Gen Z and ‘Yuva Shakti’ will take centre stage at the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on August 15. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the celebrations and the National ong ‘Vande Mataram’ will be rendered at the historic venue for the first time. The celebrations will commemorate 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ and highlight the contribution of young Indians to the country’s journey towards Viksit Bharat@2047.

Sumit Sarkar, eminent scholar of modern Indian history, dies at 87

Eminent Marxist historian and scholar of modern Indian history, Sumit Sarkar, died at a private hospital in New Delhi on Thursday (August 13, 2026). He was 87. He spent several years teaching History at the University of Delhi, and was a Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. He had also been a visiting professor at several prestigious universities in the United States and Europe.

Supreme Court slams FSSAI for not introducing front-of-pack warning labels on packaged food products

The Supreme Court on Thursday (August 13, 2026) criticised the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s food regulator, for not introducing front-of-pack warning labels on packaged food products indicating sugar, salt and saturated fat levels. A Bench headed by Justice J.B. Pardiwala asked the FSSAI whether it did not want children to grow up healthy. The hearing was based on a petition filed by the Kerala-based NGO, 3S and Our Health Society, seeking directions from the Centre to introduce front-of-pack warning labels.

Kanwar Yatra leaves 7,000 tonnes of waste in Haridwar; urine-filled bottles found at Har Ki Pauri

Haridwar administration has taken up a major clean-up drive to clear about 7,000 metric tonnes of waste left behind by kanwariyas across the city and in the Ganga ghats. Discarded clothes, slippers, plastic items and bottles reportedly filled with urine were found inside women’s changing rooms set up by the civic body at Har Ki Pauri, a sacred ghat for Hindus. About 50 million pilgrims had undertaken the 12-day Kanwar Yatra.

SIAM to undertake scientific study to examine concerns on E20 fuel, denies report

Following an investigative report by Reutersstating that the automobile manufacturers’ association, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), had retracted a letter of caution to the government despite leading automakers expressing concern in an internal email communication about fuel contamination due to the use of E20 fuel in petrol vehicles, SIAM has denied that it withdrew the earlier letter owing to any pressure.

CJI flags ‘misuse’ of live-streamed court proceedings on social media

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Thursday (August 13, 2026) flagged concerns over the misuse of live-streamed court proceedings and the circulation of clips on social media without adequate context. He said that some of his oral remarks in the court had been misquoted and misused with “malicious intent”. The CJI’s reported reference to “cockroaches” while speaking about holders of fake law degrees during the hearing of a writ petition on May 15, 2026, had sparked a public furore. The remark led to the creation of the online outfit Cockroach Janta Party that spearheaded the recent student protests against examination leaks. The following day, the Chief Justice had issued a clarification stating that sections of the media had misquoted him and that he had the “greatest concern and respect” for the country’s youth.

India, Bangladesh in talks for an early bilateral visit by PM Rahman to New Delhi

India and Bangladesh are in talks for an early bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to New Delhi, preferably before the end of this month or the first week of September, to help in full normalisation of relations. Officials hoped that the early visit would pave the way for the renewal of the Ganga waters treaty, energy deals and removal of the trade restrictions that were imposed in May 2025 on Bangladesh.

No progress on reviving peace deal with U.S.: Iran

Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree on a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source, who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a time frame to implement it. The comments were a further blow to hopes for a resolution to the crisis, following new attacks on shipping in the region on Tuesday.

Gautam Rangarajan, former Indian diplomat’s son and BBC exec appointed U.K. PM’s Adviser

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Gautam Rangarajan, the son of a former senior Indian diplomat, as an Expert Adviser on Structure and Process, as per a Downing Street announcement made earlier this week. “Gautam brings significant experience in corporate strategy and transformation,” the statement said. Mr. Burnham, who was earlier the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has plans for a major restructuring of the the U.K. Government. He has vowed to take political power out of London and its bureaucratic heart — Whitehall — and distribute it across the regions. The new Prime Minister has also launched a hub-office, called ‘ No.10 North’ in Manchester.

Nepal’s former PM Deuba returns after over five months abroad for treatment

Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba returned to Nepal on Thursday (August 13, 2026) after spending more than five months abroad for medical treatment following injuries sustained during the Gen Z protests last year. Mr. Deuba and his wife, former Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, were seriously injured during violent protests on September 9, 2025, when anti-government demonstrations led by the Gen Z movement swept across Nepal and resulted in the fall of the K.P. Sharma Oli government.

Instagram changes its wordmark logo after over a decade

Meta introduced a refreshed Instagram wordmark logo on Thursday (August 13, 2026). The change was announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri on both Instagram and Threads, where he described the new logo as “sharper and more modern” while still referencing the original and maintaining simplicity, as per TechCrunch. The new wordmark keeps the familiar script style, with redrawn letterforms.

India’s cricket team intensifies training ahead of first test in Galle

At a picture-postcard venue, India preferred to sweat it out. Shubman Gill’s men buckled down at the nets, focusing on their training in the lead-up to the first Test, which is set to commence in Galle over the weekend. Around them, the Galle International Stadium was being spruced up while broadcast crews busily set up their equipment on Thursday (August 13, 2026). The odd sorties with a football and fielding drills were the preferred initial exercises. The think tank of coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Gill and chief selector Ajit Agarkar looked at the pitch, which was a dull shade of brown in contrast to the lush green outfield.