NTA to reconduct UGC-NET exams for English, Sociology, and Commerce after complaints

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is reconducting the UGC-NET exams for English, Sociology, and Commerce following multiple complaints from candidates about errors in the question papers for these subjects. The NTA stated that while the English and Commerce re-exams will be conducted on September 9, the Sociology re-exam will be conducted on September 10.

After Jharkhand protesters burn Soren and Rahul effigies, State Government calls for fourth round of talks

Kumar Rajat, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Ranchi Sadar, confirmed in a WhatsApp message to The Hindu that students have been invited by the government to hold talks between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday (August 17, 2026), at the State guest house in Ranchi. This would be the fourth round of meetings with the government. Protesting students burnt the effigies of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the 23rd day of their protest at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, alleging that the State Government was not serious about their demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into alleged irregularities in competitive exams for government jobs.

Congress rejects Shah’s Vande Mataram charge, calls it a ‘political diversion’

The Congress on Sunday (August 16, 2026) strongly rebutted Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s charge that the party had insulted the National Song Vande Mataram, asserting that it has always respected the song and accusing the BJP of trying to manufacture a political controversy. The fresh exchange came a day after a row erupted during Independence Day celebrations at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in New Delhi, where Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi was seen gesturing towards party president Mallikarjun Kharge while Vande Mataram was being sung.

CISF official confronted in Delhi Metro for photographing woman; suspended

An ASI-rank CISF official was allegedly involved in a scuffle with passengers inside a Delhi Metro coach after a woman accused him of photographing her, police sources said on Sunday (August 16, 2026). A video of the incident, which took place around 1 p.m., has surfaced online. In the video, the woman can be seen confronting the official over the issue inside a metro coach, they said. A senior CISF officer said the official has been suspended.

T.N. CM Vijay condemns killing of three Tamils by Karnataka Forest Department personnel

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Sunday night strongly condemned the killing of three Tamils in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamarajanagar district by the Karnataka Forest Department. In a post on X, Mr. Vijay said Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter and Kumar, who hail from Tamil Nadu, had been living in Hanur taluk of Karnataka. “They were shot dead by Karnataka Forest Department personnel in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary area in the early hours of August 15. I strongly condemn this killing. The explanation given by the Karnataka Forest Department regarding the incident is unacceptable,” he said.

Three arrested after Bengal CJP volunteer’s father dies in attack

Three persons were arrested on Sunday (August 16, 2026) after the father of a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) volunteer died on Saturday (August 15, 2026) of injuries suffered in an attack on Thursday (August 13, 2026) in West Bengal’s Bankura. The CJP has claimed that local Bharatiya Janata Party workers attacked Janab Mafik, father of Shaik Abdul Hafeez, the CJP volunteer.

Chidambaram says he’s proud to be a ‘dimagi Naxal’; Rijiju says PM didn’t mean Opposition leaders

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his ‘dimagi naxal’ remark and said, “I am proud to be a dimagi naxal”. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that PM Modi’s remark was not aimed at Opposition leaders. In a post on X, Mr. Rijiju said it was directed only at those who “support Maoists and reject the Indian Constitution”, “stand with separatists and support Article 370 [special status for J&K]”, and “want to cut the chicken neck to separate the north-east from India”.

Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon on Sunday (August 16, 2026) to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea after he said South Korea declined to help denuclearise Iran. Mr. Trump said in a social media post that the exercises slated to begin this week are costly and “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” while Mr. Trump has been in the White House. “Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” Mr. Trump wrote.

Strikes kill 19 in Russia and Ukraine

Strikes killed 19 people in Russia and Ukraine, authorities said Sunday (August 16, 2026), as waves of drones and missiles pummelled civilian infrastructure on both sides. With fighting at the front at a near standstill and talks frozen, the warring countries have significantly stepped up long-range attacks deep behind each other’s lines, pushing the civilian death toll to its highest levels since the war’s first months in 2022.

Israel’s Ben Gvir advocates killing ’30 to 40’ people in Gaza nightly while speaking to ex-hostage

An extremist Israeli lawmaker in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition publicly advocated for killing “30 to 40” people in Gaza each night, comments that surfaced on Sunday (August 16, 2026) and were quickly shared by Palestinian media. “It’s no secret, I disagree with the Prime Minister,” Itamar Ben-Gvir said. “I think targeted assassinations should be carried out in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night. Not just those who pose an immediate threat — there are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn’t live. They’re not even people,” he added.

Israel vows to go after Hezbollah as it names another killed

Israel vowed Sunday (August 16, 2026) it would hit Hezbollah again if threatened, as it identified what it described as a commander killed in strikes a day earlier that also left several children dead. The Israeli military identified one of those killed on Saturday (August 15, 2026) as Abu Hassan Alaa, saying he was a senior commander of Hezbollah’s Badr unit who had been involved in firing drones at Israeli troops.

Cristiano Ronaldo hints at retirement, says upcoming year could be his last

Cristiano Ronaldo is inching closer to retirement. “This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo, 41, told Vogue in an interview published on Sunday (August 16, 2026). Ronaldo, whose Al Nassr contract runs until June 2027, previously has stopped short of giving a timeline of when he’d be ready to call it a career.

Published - August 17, 2026 06:20 am IST