LIVE Updates | Latest India & World News Today: 2 vessels carrying Indian sailors hijacked by pirates, SIT probes Bangaluru fake drugs racket
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "LIVE Updates | Latest India & World News Today: 2 vessels carrying Indian sailors hijacked by pirates, SIT probes Bangaluru fake drugs racket")
LIVE Updates | Latest India & World News Today Photograph: (WION Web Desk)
Latest News Today Live Updates: Stay connected to WION News for the latest updates from India and around the globe, including major developments in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, global security, diplomacy, energy markets, and other breaking stories shaping the world.
Latest News Today Live Updates: The US is set to significantly expand its commercial space activity, with President Donald Trump signing an order targeting at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries annually by 2030. Trump also wants American astronauts back on the Moon by 2028, underscoring his administration’s push for a more commercially driven space programme. The target would be a sharp increase from the 178 launches recorded last year.
US authorities have arrested a 35-year-old woman, Jessica Bowie, over an alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting New York’s State Capitol in Albany. Investigators said Bowie discussed plans to attack the Capitol and kill lawmakers with an FBI informant, and had obtained materials including nails that could have been used as bomb shrapnel.
The FBI has added Indian national Kamal to its Most Wanted list over alleged links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. US authorities accuse him of involvement in a conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion. A federal arrest warrant was issued in California on July 1.
Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital on Friday amid tight security, following a Supreme Court order. His transfer comes amid growing concern and political uproar over his health while in custody.
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Washington will impose its “toughest” sanctions yet on Iran and urged China to cooperate. Bessent said further details of the measures would be announced on Monday, while Beijing argued that sanctions would not resolve the issue.
Finland’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday evening that it suspected a Russian aircraft had violated Finnish airspace earlier in the day.
“Every suspected violation of air space is taken seriously,” Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement, adding that an investigation was underway.
Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, has reported several suspected airspace violations in recent months. The country previously accused two Russian military aircraft of entering its airspace in May and June, prompting Helsinki to summon Russia’s chargé d’affaires on both occasions.
Finland has remained on heightened alert since Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict prompted Finland to abandon decades of military non-alignment and join NATO in April 2023.
Karnataka government on Thursday (Aug 20) formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged inter-state fake medicine racket uncovered in Bengaluru, with four people now held in connection with the case. The SIT will be headed by Bengaluru (West) Joint Commissioner of Police C Vamsi Krishna. The move comes a day after the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the police, seized spurious medicines worth more than Rs 4.91 crore during raids in Bengaluru South.
Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates, PTI reported, citing a senior shipping ministry official on Friday (Aug 21). While one of the ships was hijacked off Yemen, the other was seized near Somalia. According to authorities, the Indian crew members are safe.
Eleven years after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, a Maharashtra government committee has recommended amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to specifically address defamatory social media posts.
According to Indian Express, tThe committee, formed in May to examine legal options for dealing with defamatory online content, has submitted its recommendations to the state Law and Judiciary Department.
The panel has proposed a state amendment to the BNS, which is on the Concurrent List. The amendment would need to be passed by the Maharashtra legislature before being sent to the Centre and then the President for assent.
The committee has also recommended safeguards to prevent the provision from being misused. Amendments to the Maharashtra Police Act and the IT Act were considered but ultimately dropped.
Vietnam's government has proposed abolishing the death penalty for six offences, including drug trafficking and rape of minors, as part of revisions to the country's criminal code.
What would change
The draft law would retain capital punishment for only four crimes: treason, murder, terrorism and the illegal production of narcotics. Other offences that could be removed from the death penalty list include rioting, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Next steps
The National Assembly is expected to debate the bill in the coming weeks before voting at its next session in October. If approved, the revised criminal code would take effect in March 2027.
Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over separate provisions that could increase penalties for offences deemed to harm state interests or oppose the Communist Party.
The leaders of seven countries, including four EU member states, condemned a major settlement project in the West Bank and called on Israel to end expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory after authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Dhaka said on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that officials of India and Bangladesh have been in talks for “several weeks” for a possible India visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and stated that the atmosphere of bilateral relations was “vitiated” by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s August 5, 2026, press conference held in Delhi’s Foreign Correspondents Club.
Seeking financial assistance from the Centre to revive and complete the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation schemes, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also urged the Union government to settle the long-pending bifurcation issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who had been serving his jail sentence, was briefly taken to a hospital for a medical check-up early Friday (Aug 21) before being taken back to prison. This came amid uproar over health concerns of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that led to the Supreme Court issuing an order earlier this week, directing Khan to be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for treatment.
US authorities have charged a 35-year-old woman with attempting to provide material support to a designated "foreign terrorist organisation" after she allegedly told an FBI informant that she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol and kill lawmakers.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Aug 20) signed a memorandum aimed at dramatically expanding America's commercial space industry, setting a target of at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries every year by 2030. The proposed expansion would mark a major jump from the 178 launches recorded last year. That figure was already around 10 times higher than the number recorded in 2013, with Elon Musk's SpaceX accounting for much of the recent growth.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed an Indian national, identified only as Kamal on its Most Wanted list. Kamal has been added to the list over his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation.
Latest News Today Live Updates: The US is set to significantly expand its commercial space activity, with President Donald Trump signing an order targeting at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries annually by 2030. Trump also wants American astronauts back on the Moon by 2028, underscoring his administration’s push for a more commercially driven space programme. The target would be a sharp increase from the 178 launches recorded last year.
US authorities have arrested a 35-year-old woman, Jessica Bowie, over an alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting New York’s State Capitol in Albany. Investigators said Bowie discussed plans to attack the Capitol and kill lawmakers with an FBI informant, and had obtained materials including nails that could have been used as bomb shrapnel.
The FBI has added Indian national Kamal to its Most Wanted list over alleged links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. US authorities accuse him of involvement in a conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion. A federal arrest warrant was issued in California on July 1.
Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital on Friday amid tight security, following a Supreme Court order. His transfer comes amid growing concern and political uproar over his health while in custody.
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Washington will impose its “toughest” sanctions yet on Iran and urged China to cooperate. Bessent said further details of the measures would be announced on Monday, while Beijing argued that sanctions would not resolve the issue.
Finland’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday evening that it suspected a Russian aircraft had violated Finnish airspace earlier in the day.
“Every suspected violation of air space is taken seriously,” Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement, adding that an investigation was underway.
Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, has reported several suspected airspace violations in recent months. The country previously accused two Russian military aircraft of entering its airspace in May and June, prompting Helsinki to summon Russia’s chargé d’affaires on both occasions.
Finland has remained on heightened alert since Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict prompted Finland to abandon decades of military non-alignment and join NATO in April 2023.
Karnataka government on Thursday (Aug 20) formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged inter-state fake medicine racket uncovered in Bengaluru, with four people now held in connection with the case. The SIT will be headed by Bengaluru (West) Joint Commissioner of Police C Vamsi Krishna. The move comes a day after the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the police, seized spurious medicines worth more than Rs 4.91 crore during raids in Bengaluru South.
Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates, PTI reported, citing a senior shipping ministry official on Friday (Aug 21). While one of the ships was hijacked off Yemen, the other was seized near Somalia. According to authorities, the Indian crew members are safe.
Eleven years after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, a Maharashtra government committee has recommended amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to specifically address defamatory social media posts.
According to Indian Express, tThe committee, formed in May to examine legal options for dealing with defamatory online content, has submitted its recommendations to the state Law and Judiciary Department.
The panel has proposed a state amendment to the BNS, which is on the Concurrent List. The amendment would need to be passed by the Maharashtra legislature before being sent to the Centre and then the President for assent.
The committee has also recommended safeguards to prevent the provision from being misused. Amendments to the Maharashtra Police Act and the IT Act were considered but ultimately dropped.
Vietnam's government has proposed abolishing the death penalty for six offences, including drug trafficking and rape of minors, as part of revisions to the country's criminal code.
What would change
The draft law would retain capital punishment for only four crimes: treason, murder, terrorism and the illegal production of narcotics. Other offences that could be removed from the death penalty list include rioting, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Next steps
The National Assembly is expected to debate the bill in the coming weeks before voting at its next session in October. If approved, the revised criminal code would take effect in March 2027.
Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over separate provisions that could increase penalties for offences deemed to harm state interests or oppose the Communist Party.
The leaders of seven countries, including four EU member states, condemned a major settlement project in the West Bank and called on Israel to end expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory after authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Dhaka said on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that officials of India and Bangladesh have been in talks for “several weeks” for a possible India visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and stated that the atmosphere of bilateral relations was “vitiated” by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s August 5, 2026, press conference held in Delhi’s Foreign Correspondents Club.
Seeking financial assistance from the Centre to revive and complete the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation schemes, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also urged the Union government to settle the long-pending bifurcation issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who had been serving his jail sentence, was briefly taken to a hospital for a medical check-up early Friday (Aug 21) before being taken back to prison. This came amid uproar over health concerns of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that led to the Supreme Court issuing an order earlier this week, directing Khan to be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for treatment.
US authorities have charged a 35-year-old woman with attempting to provide material support to a designated "foreign terrorist organisation" after she allegedly told an FBI informant that she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol and kill lawmakers.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Aug 20) signed a memorandum aimed at dramatically expanding America's commercial space industry, setting a target of at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries every year by 2030. The proposed expansion would mark a major jump from the 178 launches recorded last year. That figure was already around 10 times higher than the number recorded in 2013, with Elon Musk's SpaceX accounting for much of the recent growth.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed an Indian national, identified only as Kamal on its Most Wanted list. Kamal has been added to the list over his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation.
Latest News Today Live Updates: The US is set to significantly expand its commercial space activity, with President Donald Trump signing an order targeting at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries annually by 2030. Trump also wants American astronauts back on the Moon by 2028, underscoring his administration’s push for a more commercially driven space programme. The target would be a sharp increase from the 178 launches recorded last year.
US authorities have arrested a 35-year-old woman, Jessica Bowie, over an alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting New York’s State Capitol in Albany. Investigators said Bowie discussed plans to attack the Capitol and kill lawmakers with an FBI informant, and had obtained materials including nails that could have been used as bomb shrapnel.
The FBI has added Indian national Kamal to its Most Wanted list over alleged links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. US authorities accuse him of involvement in a conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion. A federal arrest warrant was issued in California on July 1.
Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital on Friday amid tight security, following a Supreme Court order. His transfer comes amid growing concern and political uproar over his health while in custody.
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Washington will impose its “toughest” sanctions yet on Iran and urged China to cooperate. Bessent said further details of the measures would be announced on Monday, while Beijing argued that sanctions would not resolve the issue.
Finland’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday evening that it suspected a Russian aircraft had violated Finnish airspace earlier in the day.
“Every suspected violation of air space is taken seriously,” Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement, adding that an investigation was underway.
Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, has reported several suspected airspace violations in recent months. The country previously accused two Russian military aircraft of entering its airspace in May and June, prompting Helsinki to summon Russia’s chargé d’affaires on both occasions.
Finland has remained on heightened alert since Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict prompted Finland to abandon decades of military non-alignment and join NATO in April 2023.
Karnataka government on Thursday (Aug 20) formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged inter-state fake medicine racket uncovered in Bengaluru, with four people now held in connection with the case. The SIT will be headed by Bengaluru (West) Joint Commissioner of Police C Vamsi Krishna. The move comes a day after the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the police, seized spurious medicines worth more than Rs 4.91 crore during raids in Bengaluru South.
Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates, PTI reported, citing a senior shipping ministry official on Friday (Aug 21). While one of the ships was hijacked off Yemen, the other was seized near Somalia. According to authorities, the Indian crew members are safe.
Eleven years after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, a Maharashtra government committee has recommended amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to specifically address defamatory social media posts.
According to Indian Express, tThe committee, formed in May to examine legal options for dealing with defamatory online content, has submitted its recommendations to the state Law and Judiciary Department.
The panel has proposed a state amendment to the BNS, which is on the Concurrent List. The amendment would need to be passed by the Maharashtra legislature before being sent to the Centre and then the President for assent.
The committee has also recommended safeguards to prevent the provision from being misused. Amendments to the Maharashtra Police Act and the IT Act were considered but ultimately dropped.
Vietnam's government has proposed abolishing the death penalty for six offences, including drug trafficking and rape of minors, as part of revisions to the country's criminal code.
What would change
The draft law would retain capital punishment for only four crimes: treason, murder, terrorism and the illegal production of narcotics. Other offences that could be removed from the death penalty list include rioting, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Next steps
The National Assembly is expected to debate the bill in the coming weeks before voting at its next session in October. If approved, the revised criminal code would take effect in March 2027.
Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over separate provisions that could increase penalties for offences deemed to harm state interests or oppose the Communist Party.
The leaders of seven countries, including four EU member states, condemned a major settlement project in the West Bank and called on Israel to end expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory after authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Dhaka said on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that officials of India and Bangladesh have been in talks for “several weeks” for a possible India visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and stated that the atmosphere of bilateral relations was “vitiated” by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s August 5, 2026, press conference held in Delhi’s Foreign Correspondents Club.
Seeking financial assistance from the Centre to revive and complete the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation schemes, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also urged the Union government to settle the long-pending bifurcation issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who had been serving his jail sentence, was briefly taken to a hospital for a medical check-up early Friday (Aug 21) before being taken back to prison. This came amid uproar over health concerns of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that led to the Supreme Court issuing an order earlier this week, directing Khan to be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for treatment.
US authorities have charged a 35-year-old woman with attempting to provide material support to a designated "foreign terrorist organisation" after she allegedly told an FBI informant that she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol and kill lawmakers.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Aug 20) signed a memorandum aimed at dramatically expanding America's commercial space industry, setting a target of at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries every year by 2030. The proposed expansion would mark a major jump from the 178 launches recorded last year. That figure was already around 10 times higher than the number recorded in 2013, with Elon Musk's SpaceX accounting for much of the recent growth.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed an Indian national, identified only as Kamal on its Most Wanted list. Kamal has been added to the list over his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation.
Latest News Today Live Updates: The US is set to significantly expand its commercial space activity, with President Donald Trump signing an order targeting at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries annually by 2030. Trump also wants American astronauts back on the Moon by 2028, underscoring his administration’s push for a more commercially driven space programme. The target would be a sharp increase from the 178 launches recorded last year.
US authorities have arrested a 35-year-old woman, Jessica Bowie, over an alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting New York’s State Capitol in Albany. Investigators said Bowie discussed plans to attack the Capitol and kill lawmakers with an FBI informant, and had obtained materials including nails that could have been used as bomb shrapnel.
The FBI has added Indian national Kamal to its Most Wanted list over alleged links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. US authorities accuse him of involvement in a conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion. A federal arrest warrant was issued in California on July 1.
Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital on Friday amid tight security, following a Supreme Court order. His transfer comes amid growing concern and political uproar over his health while in custody.
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Washington will impose its “toughest” sanctions yet on Iran and urged China to cooperate. Bessent said further details of the measures would be announced on Monday, while Beijing argued that sanctions would not resolve the issue.
Finland’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday evening that it suspected a Russian aircraft had violated Finnish airspace earlier in the day.
“Every suspected violation of air space is taken seriously,” Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement, adding that an investigation was underway.
Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, has reported several suspected airspace violations in recent months. The country previously accused two Russian military aircraft of entering its airspace in May and June, prompting Helsinki to summon Russia’s chargé d’affaires on both occasions.
Finland has remained on heightened alert since Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict prompted Finland to abandon decades of military non-alignment and join NATO in April 2023.
Karnataka government on Thursday (Aug 20) formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged inter-state fake medicine racket uncovered in Bengaluru, with four people now held in connection with the case. The SIT will be headed by Bengaluru (West) Joint Commissioner of Police C Vamsi Krishna. The move comes a day after the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the police, seized spurious medicines worth more than Rs 4.91 crore during raids in Bengaluru South.
Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates, PTI reported, citing a senior shipping ministry official on Friday (Aug 21). While one of the ships was hijacked off Yemen, the other was seized near Somalia. According to authorities, the Indian crew members are safe.
Eleven years after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, a Maharashtra government committee has recommended amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to specifically address defamatory social media posts.
According to Indian Express, tThe committee, formed in May to examine legal options for dealing with defamatory online content, has submitted its recommendations to the state Law and Judiciary Department.
The panel has proposed a state amendment to the BNS, which is on the Concurrent List. The amendment would need to be passed by the Maharashtra legislature before being sent to the Centre and then the President for assent.
The committee has also recommended safeguards to prevent the provision from being misused. Amendments to the Maharashtra Police Act and the IT Act were considered but ultimately dropped.
Vietnam's government has proposed abolishing the death penalty for six offences, including drug trafficking and rape of minors, as part of revisions to the country's criminal code.
What would change
The draft law would retain capital punishment for only four crimes: treason, murder, terrorism and the illegal production of narcotics. Other offences that could be removed from the death penalty list include rioting, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Next steps
The National Assembly is expected to debate the bill in the coming weeks before voting at its next session in October. If approved, the revised criminal code would take effect in March 2027.
Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over separate provisions that could increase penalties for offences deemed to harm state interests or oppose the Communist Party.
The leaders of seven countries, including four EU member states, condemned a major settlement project in the West Bank and called on Israel to end expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory after authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Dhaka said on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that officials of India and Bangladesh have been in talks for “several weeks” for a possible India visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and stated that the atmosphere of bilateral relations was “vitiated” by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s August 5, 2026, press conference held in Delhi’s Foreign Correspondents Club.
Seeking financial assistance from the Centre to revive and complete the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation schemes, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also urged the Union government to settle the long-pending bifurcation issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who had been serving his jail sentence, was briefly taken to a hospital for a medical check-up early Friday (Aug 21) before being taken back to prison. This came amid uproar over health concerns of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that led to the Supreme Court issuing an order earlier this week, directing Khan to be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for treatment.
US authorities have charged a 35-year-old woman with attempting to provide material support to a designated "foreign terrorist organisation" after she allegedly told an FBI informant that she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol and kill lawmakers.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Aug 20) signed a memorandum aimed at dramatically expanding America's commercial space industry, setting a target of at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries every year by 2030. The proposed expansion would mark a major jump from the 178 launches recorded last year. That figure was already around 10 times higher than the number recorded in 2013, with Elon Musk's SpaceX accounting for much of the recent growth.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed an Indian national, identified only as Kamal on its Most Wanted list. Kamal has been added to the list over his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation.
Latest News Today Live Updates: The US is set to significantly expand its commercial space activity, with President Donald Trump signing an order targeting at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries annually by 2030. Trump also wants American astronauts back on the Moon by 2028, underscoring his administration’s push for a more commercially driven space programme. The target would be a sharp increase from the 178 launches recorded last year.
US authorities have arrested a 35-year-old woman, Jessica Bowie, over an alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting New York’s State Capitol in Albany. Investigators said Bowie discussed plans to attack the Capitol and kill lawmakers with an FBI informant, and had obtained materials including nails that could have been used as bomb shrapnel.
The FBI has added Indian national Kamal to its Most Wanted list over alleged links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. US authorities accuse him of involvement in a conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion. A federal arrest warrant was issued in California on July 1.
Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital on Friday amid tight security, following a Supreme Court order. His transfer comes amid growing concern and political uproar over his health while in custody.
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Washington will impose its “toughest” sanctions yet on Iran and urged China to cooperate. Bessent said further details of the measures would be announced on Monday, while Beijing argued that sanctions would not resolve the issue.
Finland’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday evening that it suspected a Russian aircraft had violated Finnish airspace earlier in the day.
“Every suspected violation of air space is taken seriously,” Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement, adding that an investigation was underway.
Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, has reported several suspected airspace violations in recent months. The country previously accused two Russian military aircraft of entering its airspace in May and June, prompting Helsinki to summon Russia’s chargé d’affaires on both occasions.
Finland has remained on heightened alert since Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict prompted Finland to abandon decades of military non-alignment and join NATO in April 2023.
Karnataka government on Thursday (Aug 20) formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged inter-state fake medicine racket uncovered in Bengaluru, with four people now held in connection with the case. The SIT will be headed by Bengaluru (West) Joint Commissioner of Police C Vamsi Krishna. The move comes a day after the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the police, seized spurious medicines worth more than Rs 4.91 crore during raids in Bengaluru South.
Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates, PTI reported, citing a senior shipping ministry official on Friday (Aug 21). While one of the ships was hijacked off Yemen, the other was seized near Somalia. According to authorities, the Indian crew members are safe.
Eleven years after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, a Maharashtra government committee has recommended amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to specifically address defamatory social media posts.
According to Indian Express, tThe committee, formed in May to examine legal options for dealing with defamatory online content, has submitted its recommendations to the state Law and Judiciary Department.
The panel has proposed a state amendment to the BNS, which is on the Concurrent List. The amendment would need to be passed by the Maharashtra legislature before being sent to the Centre and then the President for assent.
The committee has also recommended safeguards to prevent the provision from being misused. Amendments to the Maharashtra Police Act and the IT Act were considered but ultimately dropped.
Vietnam's government has proposed abolishing the death penalty for six offences, including drug trafficking and rape of minors, as part of revisions to the country's criminal code.
What would change
The draft law would retain capital punishment for only four crimes: treason, murder, terrorism and the illegal production of narcotics. Other offences that could be removed from the death penalty list include rioting, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Next steps
The National Assembly is expected to debate the bill in the coming weeks before voting at its next session in October. If approved, the revised criminal code would take effect in March 2027.
Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over separate provisions that could increase penalties for offences deemed to harm state interests or oppose the Communist Party.
The leaders of seven countries, including four EU member states, condemned a major settlement project in the West Bank and called on Israel to end expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory after authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Dhaka said on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that officials of India and Bangladesh have been in talks for “several weeks” for a possible India visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and stated that the atmosphere of bilateral relations was “vitiated” by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s August 5, 2026, press conference held in Delhi’s Foreign Correspondents Club.
Seeking financial assistance from the Centre to revive and complete the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation schemes, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also urged the Union government to settle the long-pending bifurcation issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who had been serving his jail sentence, was briefly taken to a hospital for a medical check-up early Friday (Aug 21) before being taken back to prison. This came amid uproar over health concerns of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that led to the Supreme Court issuing an order earlier this week, directing Khan to be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for treatment.
US authorities have charged a 35-year-old woman with attempting to provide material support to a designated "foreign terrorist organisation" after she allegedly told an FBI informant that she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol and kill lawmakers.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Aug 20) signed a memorandum aimed at dramatically expanding America's commercial space industry, setting a target of at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries every year by 2030. The proposed expansion would mark a major jump from the 178 launches recorded last year. That figure was already around 10 times higher than the number recorded in 2013, with Elon Musk's SpaceX accounting for much of the recent growth.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed an Indian national, identified only as Kamal on its Most Wanted list. Kamal has been added to the list over his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation.
