Former Trinamool Congress MLA and West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee was found hanging inside a TMC office near his home in Birbhum's Rampurhat on Sunday. Banerjee was a 5-time MLA who represented Rampurhat for 25 years from 2001 to 2026, but lost the seat to BJP's Dhruba Saha in the 2026 Assembly polls. Police recovered a purported note in which Banerjee denied corruption allegations and said he had no role in tender decisions or approvals linked to the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority. He also alleged attempts to malign him. Police are investigating, and his body has been sent for postmortem. (PC: India Today)

Bangladesh created history on Sunday by defeating Australia by 9 wickets in Darwin to secure their first-ever Test victory on Australian soil. Australia were bowled out for 198 in the first innings, with Hasan Mahmud taking 6 wickets. Bangladesh then posted 426, gaining a huge 228-run lead, with Tanzid Hasan Tamim scoring a historic 101. Australia fought back through Cameron Green’s 104 but were dismissed for 284 in their second innings. Mehidy Hasan Miraz took 5 wickets to help Bangladesh restrict Australia. Chasing 57 for victory, Bangladesh reached the target with one wicket down, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. (PC: NDTV)

At least 47 people have died after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Flores island early Saturday, with rescue teams searching for survivors trapped under rubble. The quake struck shortly before 05:00 local time at a depth of 15km, according to Indonesia’s meteorology agency. More than 900 homes and hundreds of other buildings were severely damaged, while 341 aftershocks were recorded. More than 5,000 people have moved to evacuation shelters, and thousands of aid packages have been sent to affected areas. A tsunami warning was issued after the quake but was lifted about 3 hours later after no significant sea-level rise. (PC: BBC)

Two people were injured after a pistol carried by an Air India passenger accidentally went off during a weapons check at Varanasi airport on Sunday. The passenger, from Azamgarh, was travelling with his wife to Mumbai on Air India flight IX-1810. He had declared the pistol and magazine before boarding. At around 9:30 am, the weapon fired during the security check, with the bullet first hitting the ground before striking a woman and a boy nearby. The woman suffered a gunshot injury to her thigh, while the boy was injured in his hand. Both were taken to a private hospital. Police are investigating. (PC: India Today)

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued show-cause notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their appearance in an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi. The FDA said the campaign could amount to surrogate or indirect promotion of pan masala or tobacco-related products prohibited in Maharashtra. The notice, dated August 11, gives the actors 15 days from receiving it to submit written explanations. The FDA warned that further action could follow if their responses are not received or found unsatisfactory. The action comes during a wider FDA drive against food safety violations at chain restaurants across Maharashtra. (PC: X)

Eleven-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan has emerged as one of Britain’s brightest chess talents after becoming the country’s youngest women’s champion. The Indian-origin prodigy secured the title with a spectacular knight sacrifice and is now England’s highest-rated female player. She began playing chess at five during the 2020 lockdown and quickly rose through international competitions. Sivanandan has defeated experienced grandmasters, including Peter Wells and Marc’Andria Maurizzi, and earlier in 2026 earned the FIDE Master title. She also became the youngest girl to achieve an international master qualification standard, surpassing a record associated with Judit Polgar. She now aims to become a grandmaster. (PC: Reuters)

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke recalled how Shah Rukh Khan’s film Swades inspired his desire to contribute to his village. Dipke said he watched the film more than 100 times and was deeply moved by scenes depicting rural hardship and children lacking access to education. Years later, he returned to India from the US and found an opportunity to work for his community in Hingoli, Maharashtra. On Independence Day, he launched the “School Thik Karo” campaign to highlight inadequate facilities in government schools. He plans to conduct social audits of more schools across Maharashtra, focusing on children’s education and basic infrastructure. (PC: X)

A rare wildlife sighting has captured attention after a tigress was seen walking openly with her four cubs in the forest. Footage shared on social media shows the young tigers staying close to their mother as they explore and play. The sighting offers a glimpse into the family life of India’s endangered big cats and highlights the importance of protected forests for tiger conservation. Wildlife enthusiasts have appreciated the scene, calling it a memorable example of nature’s beauty and the bond between a mother tigress and her cubs. Similar sightings of tigresses with four cubs have been documented in India.

The USS George Washington, the last US aircraft carrier operating in the western Pacific, is leaving the region for the Middle East, where it is expected to replace the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln amid the ongoing Iran conflict. The redeployment will temporarily leave the western Pacific without a US aircraft carrier, raising concerns among American allies as China expands military activity in the region. The Lincoln has remained at sea for more than 240 days, prompting concerns over crew welfare, supplies and mental health. The US Navy could deploy another carrier to the Pacific within months, but maintenance pressures may limit availability. (PC: X)

Protesting students in Jharkhand have escalated their agitation over alleged irregularities in government recruitment examinations, demanding stronger action from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The protesters have called on Congress to withdraw its support for Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government or remove him from office. They are seeking cancellation of disputed examinations and a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities. The agitation has continued for weeks, with students accusing the state government of failing to adequately address their concerns. Soren has defended his government’s approach and promised reforms to make recruitment examinations more transparent. The escalating protest is increasing political pressure on the ruling alliance. (PC: X)