An 18-year-old student in Belgium discovered a hidden gold hoard worth an estimated €9 million while digging a trench for a sewage system at a former brewery site. The student, identified as Kobe, found gold coins, nuggets and numbered bullion bars hidden inside a bricked-up cellar wall beneath a historic villa. The discovery was immediately reported to police, and the gold was moved to a secure facility in Brussels. Authorities are investigating its ownership and whether it could be linked to criminal activity. Under Belgian law, potential owners have at least 5 years to come forward and claim the treasure. (PC: X)

Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran has suggested making E10 petrol available for older vehicles while newer vehicles continue using E20 fuel. He said India has around 75-80 million two-wheelers designed for E10, and some may face compatibility issues with higher ethanol blends. Nageswaran said restoring E10 at fuel pumps could reduce public concerns and protect older vehicles while retrofitting or replacement continues. He also rejected claims that E20 causes a 30% energy loss, estimating the impact at around 6-7%. The ethanol industry opposed any rollback, saying E20 is important for India’s energy security and reducing crude oil imports. (PC: NDTV)

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has denied BJP involvement in an alleged attack that led to the death of the father of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) volunteer Shaik Abdul Hafeez in Bankura. Hafeez and his family were allegedly attacked on August 13 after he visited a government school under the CJP’s “School Thik Karo” campaign. His father, Janab Mafik, died on August 15 from severe head injuries. Adhikari said 3 of 5 people named in the FIR have been arrested and denied any BJP connection. The CJP, however, has alleged that local BJP workers carried out the attack. (PC: The Hindu)

Indian-origin Flight Lieutenant Arshdeep Singh Dang, 28, has become the first Sikh to graduate as a fighter pilot in Britain’s Royal Air Force since World War II. Born in Chandigarh, Dang moved to the UK with his family at the age of 6. He graduated at RAF Valley in North Wales after completing fast-jet training. Dang said he felt privileged to represent his community and hoped he would not be the last Sikh to achieve the milestone. He will now undergo another year of intensive training before progressing to frontline fighter aircraft. His journey was supported by his family and Sikh upbringing. (PC: India Today)

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has asked Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to personally meet students protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. In a letter dated August 14, Gandhi said the protests had remained peaceful and described the students’ demands as legitimate. Job aspirants have been protesting in Ranchi since July 29, seeking a probe into alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination, JSSC-CGL and other tests. They want the JPSC exam cancelled and an independent probe by the CBI or retired High Court judges. Protesters have also demanded Soren’s resignation and plan to demonstrate outside his residence on August 20. (PC: NDTV)

A 45-year-old farmer was allegedly killed by a tiger near Valmikinagar in Bihar’s West Champaran district, triggering angry protests and violence. Vijay Haldar was attacked while working in an agricultural field near the Valmiki Tiger Reserve. After his death, villagers blocked a highway and confronted forest officials and police. Some protesters allegedly assaulted 2 forest personnel and a policeman and damaged an official vehicle. Authorities later brought the situation under control. The incident is the third reported human death linked to tiger attacks in the area in recent weeks, highlighting growing man-animal conflict around the reserve during the monsoon. (PC: HT)

US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Jared Kushner arrived in Israel after holding rare talks with Hamas on implementing the US-backed Gaza peace plan. Kushner is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The talks reportedly focused on Hamas disarmament, Israeli troop withdrawal and humanitarian efforts. Israel has rejected Trump's 15-point plan, insisting that Hamas must be fully disarmed before any withdrawal. Hamas has urged mediators and the Board of Peace to press Israel to approve the roadmap. The development comes as regional countries push for progress on Trump's plan and an end to the Gaza conflict. (PC: BBC)

Two Air India group pilots have tested non-negative in mandatory psychoactive substance screening, sources told India Today. Their samples have been sent for confirmatory testing, with final results awaited. A non-negative initial screening result does not confirm that a pilot consumed a prohibited substance. Confirmatory tests will determine whether the pilots actually tested positive. The airline group introduced mandatory screening for all pilots from August 13 after the Phuket-Delhi flight fiasco involving an Air India pilot. Sources said around 300-400 pilots have undergone screening so far, while the testing process remains underway across the airline group. (PC: NDTV)

US visa applicants will face revised USCIS forms from September 15, 2026, affecting H-1B families, international students, exchange visitors and other eligible non-immigrant visa holders. USCIS will introduce new versions of Form I-539 and Form I-765 for status and employment-related applications. Form I-765, used to apply for an Employment Authorization Document, will carry a September 15, 2026 edition date, replacing the August 21, 2025 version. USCIS has warned that there will be no grace period for using the older form after the deadline, and applicants using outdated versions could face rejection. The update makes checking the correct form edition especially important for applicants filing status or employment-related applications from September 15 onward. (PC: iStock)

Protesting students in Jharkhand burnt effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Ranchi on August 16, marking the 23rd day of their agitation over alleged irregularities in government recruitment examinations conducted by JPSC and JSSC. Demonstrations and effigy-burning were also reported in other districts, with protesters accusing the JMM-led government of ignoring their demand for a CBI probe. Students said Congress had promised to withdraw support from the State government if their demand was not addressed by August 15. Amid the continuing protest, the Jharkhand government has called protesters for a fourth round of talks. The agitation centres on alleged recruitment examination irregularities and demands for an investigation. (PC: PTI)