&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "LIVE Updates | Latest India & World News Aug 18: Delhi Police statement on student protest violence, Trump-Kim bonhomie and more")
Latest News Today Live Updates: Stay tuned to this live blog for all the latest news and breaking developments from India and around the world.
US President Donald Trump has renewed his push for the SAVE America Act, citing India's voter identification system and the 2024 general election as examples while calling for stricter voter eligibility rules in the US. In other news, he claims Iran wants a deal but not on terms he considers acceptable, while backing continued pressure over its nuclear programme and making fresh comments about US control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices rose sharply after Trump ruled out extending an interim agreement with Iran, with Brent crude settling at $90.87 a barrel and WTI at $84.50. Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remain a major concern for global energy markets.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani Embassy in Saudi Arabia has warned Umrah pilgrims and workers not to beg or engage in unauthorised activities, stressing that Saudi authorities have a zero-tolerance policy and violations could lead to arrest, detention or deportation.
Stay with us for the latest news, breaking updates, and developments as they unfold.
The Delhi Police has defended its use of force against student protesters during the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” protest march, telling the Supreme Court that it resorted to a “graded” response only after the gathering ceased to remain peaceful
Trump praised his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying Kim has always treated him with respect. Trump said his approach aims to make the Korean Peninsula safer, after announcing plans to substantially reduce joint US-South Korea military exercises. READ MORE
A Bihar Police constable, Abhishek Patel, was suspended after being caught on camera firing four AK-47 rounds into the air during student protests over NEET-UG exam irregularities. The Bihar government told the Supreme Court no one was injured, while the SC criticised police excesses. READ MORE
Iran has announced the resumption of its Umrah pilgrimage program following a six-month pause, with 18,000 pilgrims scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia in the initial phase. The longest continuous stoppage of Umrah lasted for 10 years during the Qarmatian Sect Attack in 930–940 AD
A Bengaluru woman was detained after her husband and five-year-old son were found dead at their home, with police saying she smothered the two following a family dispute.
More than 52 people were injured when a hand grenade exploded near a school in Afghanistan's capital on Monday, local media reported. The hand grenade exploded near a private school in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of Kabul’s 18th police district, local broadcaster Tolo News reported, citing Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for the Kabul police.
A survey of more than 23,000 consumers found that 40% of those who purchased cosmetics and beauty products in the past three years encountered at least one fake or counterfeit product. Another 26% reported suffering an allergic reaction to one or more cosmetics they had purchased.
Online platforms, apps, and websites were the biggest source of counterfeit cosmetics, accounting for 23% of such purchases among surveyed consumers. Beauty, cosmetics, and general stores followed at 18%, while local shops and market stalls accounted for 14%.
The survey was conducted by LocalCircles, an Indian community social media platform that enables citizens to escalate issues for policy and enforcement interventions.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday announced a revised farm loan waiver scheme following requests from farmers' associations. Under the new measure, cooperative farm loans up to Rs 75,000 will be fully waived, while loans between Rs 75,000 and Rs 1 lakh will get a waiver of up to Rs 75,000. Loans above Rs 1 lakh will receive a maximum waiver of Rs 35,000.
The move will benefit 2.38 lakh farmers, with each receiving a waiver of up to Rs 40,000, and add Rs 953.06 crore to the state government's expenditure. Overall, the government will waive Rs 6,220 crore in cooperative loans for 13.34 lakh farmers.
DMK MLAs staged a walkout from the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday after an intense debate over drug abuse and related crimes, saying they were dissatisfied with the government's response. The walkout followed a heated exchange with ministers over the murder of college student Amudhan and allegations of a wider drug menace in the state.
The government rejected claims that drugs were linked to Amudhan's murder, saying the investigation found it resulted from a clash between students. Law Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar said 15 people had been arrested and assured the House that all those responsible would face justice.
The debate escalated after Nirmal Kumar referred to alleged links between international drug trafficker Jaffer Sadiq and the then chief minister's family. DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin objected to the reference and questioned the government over allegations involving a TVK minister. The DMK members subsequently walked out.
A key question hanging over Trump's Gaza plan now has a possible timeline. Jared Kushner says the next phase, including efforts to remove Hamas weapons and deal with its tunnel network, could begin showing progress within 30 days.
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Brent crude, the international benchmark, settled at $90.87 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose to $84.50. The gains reflected renewed concern that stalled diplomacy could prolong disruptions to global energy supplies.
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Donald Trump has once again pointed to India's election system while pushing for stricter voter identification rules in the US. But what exactly does his SAVE America Act seek to change, and why is India central to his argument?
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