Nepal flash floods: Death toll surges to 669; more than 2,400 still remain missingThe death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal surged to 669 on Saturday (August 29, 2026), as rescue teams continued search and relief operations in a race against time. While nearly 2,500 people have been evacuated, more than 2,400 still remain missing.An ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a torrent of water, mud and debris downstream through central Nepal on Wednesday, devastating towns and villages, washing away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges, and damaging hydropower projects. Rescuers continued search operations amid fears of another wave of flooding following an increase in water levels in the Bhotekoshi River.BJP worker caught photocopying 3,400 SIR forms with voter details in Navi Mumbai; 5 BLOs suspendedFive booth-level officers (BLOs) have been suspended after a local BJP worker was caught on Thursday (August 27, 2026) photocopying more than 3,400 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral forms containing voter details at a shop in Navi Mumbai. A case was filed on the morning of August 28, a senior Kharghar police official said.According to District Collector Kishan Jawale, the Electoral Registration Office received a complaint that the accused, Suraj Patil, was making photocopies of SIR forms. “Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) were sent to investigate the complaint, where they caught Patil making illegal photocopies of 3,400 enumeration forms at a photocopy centre in Sector 19, Kharghar. The EROs registered the crime at Kharghar police station,” Mr. Jawale said.Looking to advance India’s vision for region free from terror, says PM Modi as he embarks on visit to Uzbekistan, KyrgyzstanPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (August 29, 2026) said he was looking forward to advancing India’s vision for the SCO, anchored in security, connectivity and opportunity, and to working with fellow members for a region free from the scourge of terrorism. Mr. Modi is embarking on a visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic August 29 to September 1, 2026.In a departure statement, the Prime Minister said that in recent years, India-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership has seen significant advancement. “I look forward to my discussions with President Mirziyoyev on further deepening our cooperation in trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence, energy, and on advancing our shared visions of Viksit Bharat and Yangi Uzbekistan.”Row within LDF in Keralam: CPI, CPI(M) question each other’s legacy as IUML sends feelers to CPIAs the skirmish between the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], the two major partners of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Keralam, over the post of Deputy Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly continues unabated, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has put out feelers to the CPI, characterising it as representing true Communist ideals and being forced to play second fiddle to the CPI(M) within the alliance.In an article in the party mouthpiece Chandrika, K.P.A. Majeed, national vice-president of the IUML, extolled the virtues of the CPI, sympathising with its “plight of being made subservient to the CPI(M)”. Mr. Majeed also wrote about the C. Achutha Menon-led governments in which the CPI partnered with the Congress and the IUML, arguing that the period laid the foundation for the famed Kerala Model of development.PM Modi must order filing of FIR, we demand justice: Rahul Gandhi on Kharge’s rally venue ‘purification’ in UttarakhandLeader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (August 29, 2026) pressed for the registration of an FIR under the SC/ST law over the shuddhikaran havan (purification ritual) conducted at a public ground in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani after his party president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public rally there earlier in the month.Calling it a “crime”, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must order the registration of an FIR in the matter. Mr. Kharge addressed the “Vijay Shankhnaad” rally at Haldwani’s Ramlila ground on August 8, 2026. Two days later, members of the Shri Ram Sena reportedly performed the ‘purification’ ritual at the same site.Three live rounds and a magazine seized from passenger’s hand baggage at Chennai airportThe Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel detected and recovered three locally made live rounds and a magazine from the hand baggage of a woman passenger during security screening at Terminal-1 of Chennai airport on Saturday (August 29, 2026).The incident occurred around 6.40 a.m. during pre-embarkation security screening of domestic passengers. A CISF personnel noticed a suspicious image in the passenger’s hand baggage and referred it for physical inspection. During the subsequent check, three locally-made live rounds and one magazine were found inside the bag. The passenger was travelling with her family to Kochi on IndiGo flight 6E-5394, scheduled to depart at 8 a.m.FIR against Mamata Banerjee for ‘violation’ of Calcutta High Court order on Trinamool student wing foundation day eventFormer West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and organisers of the West Bengal Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) have been booked by the Hastings Police, Kolkata, for “violating” a Calcutta High Court order during a foundation day programme held on Cathedral Road in Kolkata.According to the police, the case was registered on August 28, 2026, under Sections 61(2), 223, 125(a), 132 and 285 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case was registered on the basis of a written complaint submitted by Sub-Inspector Apu Baidya of Hastings Police Station.Bombay High Court slams FDA for ‘pedantic’ view, clears reopening of 5 eateries at MCA premisesThe Maharashtra FDA on Saturday said it would withdraw its order suspending the licences of five restaurants operating on the Mumbai Cricket Association premises, after the Bombay High Court warned of stinging orders against officials for taking a “pedantic instead of pragmatic view” of the situation.A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad vacated the suspension after a fresh inspection report submitted by the FDA confirmed that the eateries located in the Bandra-Kurla Complex area were 88% compliant with food safety rules.Congress leader Chenthi Anil arrested for waylaying Keralam CM Satheesan; expelled from partyThe police have taken Anil Kumar, aka Chenthi Anil, member of the District Congress Committee (DCC), into custody in connection with an incident on Friday (August 28, 2026) where Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s convoy was allegedly blocked in the Sreekaryam police station limits in Thiruvananthapuram district.The Sreekaryam police had registered an FIR against Mr. Anil on Friday. The Congress leader was taken into custody in the early hours of Saturday (August 29, 2026). The Thiruvananthapuram DCC later said Mr. Anil was expelled from the party on Saturday afternoon. The disciplinary action was confirmed by N. Shakthan, Thiruvananthapuram DCC president.Punjabi influencer dies almost two months after brutal assault by acquaintancesPunjabi social media influencer Manjit Kaur has died at a government hospital in Chandigarh, almost two months after she was allegedly assaulted and set on fire. Kaur, 28, died during treatment at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on August 26, police said on Saturday (August 29, 2026).According to a complaint lodged by her mother, Kaur was allegedly kidnapped by her two acquaintances — Shubhi and Pinda — on July 3 after they called her near a liquor shop in Sector 34 here. She was allegedly taken to Morinda in Punjab, where she was assaulted, tied to a tree and set on fire, the complaint stated. Kaur’s friend reached the spot and used a blanket to put out the fire, before rushing her to a hospital in Morinda. She was later taken to a private hospital in Mohali and then to PGIMER, Chandigarh.