Latest India & World News Today LIVE: NSA Doval to visit China, new phase of Iran-US war and more

India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will embark on a two-day visit to Russia for the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), the Ministry of External Affairs said. “At the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Denis Manturov, the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, will undertake an official visit to Russia on 23-24 August 2026 to co-chair the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC),” the MEA said in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to Paris for a two-day state visit, opening with the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup before turning to talks on regional security and economic ties.

More than 53,000 workers at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ meltdown-stricken Fukushima No. 1 power plant have received radiation doses exceeding a key level of 5 millisieverts per year.

China said that it was postponing its ambitious Chang’e-7 lunar mission, which was set to carry out explorations including searching for water ice on the moon. The Chang’e-7 spacecraft was originally set to lift off in the coming days from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on China’s southern Hainan island. The mission does not meet the launch conditions, the Manned Space Agency said in a brief statement, and “cannot take place during the planned window this year.”

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will discuss the issue of ten Pakistani sailors held hostage by Somali pirates aboard a Palau-flagged oil tanker, MT Honour 25, during his visit to the United Kingdom (UK) on Aug. 24-28, the Pakistani foreign office said. Foreign Minister Dar this month urged Pakistani authorities to intensify diplomatic engagement with international partners, including Somali authorities, to secure the safe return of these Pakistani hostages.

Israel threatened on Sunday to intensify the killing of Hamas officials and displace more Palestinians from areas of Gaza if kite, balloon and drone launches toward southern Israel continue. The warning was issued in an official statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and Defense Minister Israel Katz following a "security assessment."

"Israel warns Hamas that if the launches do not stop immediately, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will step up the killings of those responsible and displace people from areas from which kites, balloons and drones were launched," the statement said.

Iran’s Parliament on Sunday approved a motion to charge ships for receiving services in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported. A spokesperson for Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said that fees will be collected from ships of countries authorised to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, in rials or any other currency desired by Iran.

Polling opened on Sunday in Kazakhstan's parliamentary elections, a vote widely expected to further strengthen President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's hold on power in Central Asia's largest country. The ruling pro-presidential Adilet party is expected to win an overwhelming majority, with several smaller parties loyal to Tokayev also likely to enter parliament.

More than 40 locals fell ill following a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in the Godhni area of Nagpur in the early hours of Monday, prompting the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to launch an immediate rescue operation. The incident took place around 1 AM at the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran’s Godhni Municipal Council Water Treatment Plant 

An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne. Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday (local time) said the Trump administration was entering the “endgame” in its campaign against Iran and announced what he described as an “economic D-Day” aimed at severing the Iranian regime’s economic lifelines

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran to continue efforts to bring peace ​and security to the region, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ‌Baghaei said on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry. Pakistan has taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the U.S. aimed ​at ending the war which began with U.S. and ​Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

The war in Iran is slated to transition into "a new phase" in the near future, according to Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, who noted his expectation that partner nations will provide support during this next stage. "I think we're going to get into a new phase here very soon. I believe our allied nations are going to assist in the next phase, and we'll get this finished," Johnson stated during an interview on Fox News on Sunday. He claimed that President Donald Trump successfully blocked Tehran from acquiring nuclear armaments, describing it as “a goal for all previous administrations.”

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday, to engage in the 25th round of Special Representatives (SR) talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister and Politburo member Wang Yi.

India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will embark on a two-day visit to Russia for the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), the Ministry of External Affairs said. “At the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Denis Manturov, the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, will undertake an official visit to Russia on 23-24 August 2026 to co-chair the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC),” the MEA said in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to Paris for a two-day state visit, opening with the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup before turning to talks on regional security and economic ties.

More than 53,000 workers at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ meltdown-stricken Fukushima No. 1 power plant have received radiation doses exceeding a key level of 5 millisieverts per year.

China said that it was postponing its ambitious Chang’e-7 lunar mission, which was set to carry out explorations including searching for water ice on the moon. The Chang’e-7 spacecraft was originally set to lift off in the coming days from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on China’s southern Hainan island. The mission does not meet the launch conditions, the Manned Space Agency said in a brief statement, and “cannot take place during the planned window this year.”

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will discuss the issue of ten Pakistani sailors held hostage by Somali pirates aboard a Palau-flagged oil tanker, MT Honour 25, during his visit to the United Kingdom (UK) on Aug. 24-28, the Pakistani foreign office said. Foreign Minister Dar this month urged Pakistani authorities to intensify diplomatic engagement with international partners, including Somali authorities, to secure the safe return of these Pakistani hostages.

Israel threatened on Sunday to intensify the killing of Hamas officials and displace more Palestinians from areas of Gaza if kite, balloon and drone launches toward southern Israel continue. The warning was issued in an official statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and Defense Minister Israel Katz following a "security assessment."

"Israel warns Hamas that if the launches do not stop immediately, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will step up the killings of those responsible and displace people from areas from which kites, balloons and drones were launched," the statement said.

Iran’s Parliament on Sunday approved a motion to charge ships for receiving services in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported. A spokesperson for Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said that fees will be collected from ships of countries authorised to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, in rials or any other currency desired by Iran.

Polling opened on Sunday in Kazakhstan's parliamentary elections, a vote widely expected to further strengthen President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's hold on power in Central Asia's largest country. The ruling pro-presidential Adilet party is expected to win an overwhelming majority, with several smaller parties loyal to Tokayev also likely to enter parliament.

More than 40 locals fell ill following a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in the Godhni area of Nagpur in the early hours of Monday, prompting the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to launch an immediate rescue operation. The incident took place around 1 AM at the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran’s Godhni Municipal Council Water Treatment Plant 

An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne. Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday (local time) said the Trump administration was entering the “endgame” in its campaign against Iran and announced what he described as an “economic D-Day” aimed at severing the Iranian regime’s economic lifelines

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran to continue efforts to bring peace ​and security to the region, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ‌Baghaei said on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry. Pakistan has taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the U.S. aimed ​at ending the war which began with U.S. and ​Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

The war in Iran is slated to transition into "a new phase" in the near future, according to Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, who noted his expectation that partner nations will provide support during this next stage. "I think we're going to get into a new phase here very soon. I believe our allied nations are going to assist in the next phase, and we'll get this finished," Johnson stated during an interview on Fox News on Sunday. He claimed that President Donald Trump successfully blocked Tehran from acquiring nuclear armaments, describing it as “a goal for all previous administrations.”

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday, to engage in the 25th round of Special Representatives (SR) talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister and Politburo member Wang Yi.

India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will embark on a two-day visit to Russia for the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), the Ministry of External Affairs said. “At the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Denis Manturov, the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, will undertake an official visit to Russia on 23-24 August 2026 to co-chair the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC),” the MEA said in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to Paris for a two-day state visit, opening with the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup before turning to talks on regional security and economic ties.

More than 53,000 workers at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ meltdown-stricken Fukushima No. 1 power plant have received radiation doses exceeding a key level of 5 millisieverts per year.

China said that it was postponing its ambitious Chang’e-7 lunar mission, which was set to carry out explorations including searching for water ice on the moon. The Chang’e-7 spacecraft was originally set to lift off in the coming days from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on China’s southern Hainan island. The mission does not meet the launch conditions, the Manned Space Agency said in a brief statement, and “cannot take place during the planned window this year.”

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will discuss the issue of ten Pakistani sailors held hostage by Somali pirates aboard a Palau-flagged oil tanker, MT Honour 25, during his visit to the United Kingdom (UK) on Aug. 24-28, the Pakistani foreign office said. Foreign Minister Dar this month urged Pakistani authorities to intensify diplomatic engagement with international partners, including Somali authorities, to secure the safe return of these Pakistani hostages.

Israel threatened on Sunday to intensify the killing of Hamas officials and displace more Palestinians from areas of Gaza if kite, balloon and drone launches toward southern Israel continue. The warning was issued in an official statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and Defense Minister Israel Katz following a "security assessment."

"Israel warns Hamas that if the launches do not stop immediately, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will step up the killings of those responsible and displace people from areas from which kites, balloons and drones were launched," the statement said.

Iran’s Parliament on Sunday approved a motion to charge ships for receiving services in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported. A spokesperson for Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said that fees will be collected from ships of countries authorised to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, in rials or any other currency desired by Iran.

Polling opened on Sunday in Kazakhstan's parliamentary elections, a vote widely expected to further strengthen President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's hold on power in Central Asia's largest country. The ruling pro-presidential Adilet party is expected to win an overwhelming majority, with several smaller parties loyal to Tokayev also likely to enter parliament.

More than 40 locals fell ill following a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in the Godhni area of Nagpur in the early hours of Monday, prompting the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to launch an immediate rescue operation. The incident took place around 1 AM at the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran’s Godhni Municipal Council Water Treatment Plant 

An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne. Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday (local time) said the Trump administration was entering the “endgame” in its campaign against Iran and announced what he described as an “economic D-Day” aimed at severing the Iranian regime’s economic lifelines

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran to continue efforts to bring peace ​and security to the region, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ‌Baghaei said on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry. Pakistan has taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the U.S. aimed ​at ending the war which began with U.S. and ​Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

The war in Iran is slated to transition into "a new phase" in the near future, according to Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, who noted his expectation that partner nations will provide support during this next stage. "I think we're going to get into a new phase here very soon. I believe our allied nations are going to assist in the next phase, and we'll get this finished," Johnson stated during an interview on Fox News on Sunday. He claimed that President Donald Trump successfully blocked Tehran from acquiring nuclear armaments, describing it as “a goal for all previous administrations.”

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday, to engage in the 25th round of Special Representatives (SR) talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister and Politburo member Wang Yi.

India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will embark on a two-day visit to Russia for the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), the Ministry of External Affairs said. “At the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Denis Manturov, the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, will undertake an official visit to Russia on 23-24 August 2026 to co-chair the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC),” the MEA said in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to Paris for a two-day state visit, opening with the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup before turning to talks on regional security and economic ties.

More than 53,000 workers at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ meltdown-stricken Fukushima No. 1 power plant have received radiation doses exceeding a key level of 5 millisieverts per year.

China said that it was postponing its ambitious Chang’e-7 lunar mission, which was set to carry out explorations including searching for water ice on the moon. The Chang’e-7 spacecraft was originally set to lift off in the coming days from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on China’s southern Hainan island. The mission does not meet the launch conditions, the Manned Space Agency said in a brief statement, and “cannot take place during the planned window this year.”

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will discuss the issue of ten Pakistani sailors held hostage by Somali pirates aboard a Palau-flagged oil tanker, MT Honour 25, during his visit to the United Kingdom (UK) on Aug. 24-28, the Pakistani foreign office said. Foreign Minister Dar this month urged Pakistani authorities to intensify diplomatic engagement with international partners, including Somali authorities, to secure the safe return of these Pakistani hostages.

Israel threatened on Sunday to intensify the killing of Hamas officials and displace more Palestinians from areas of Gaza if kite, balloon and drone launches toward southern Israel continue. The warning was issued in an official statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and Defense Minister Israel Katz following a "security assessment."

"Israel warns Hamas that if the launches do not stop immediately, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will step up the killings of those responsible and displace people from areas from which kites, balloons and drones were launched," the statement said.

Iran’s Parliament on Sunday approved a motion to charge ships for receiving services in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported. A spokesperson for Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said that fees will be collected from ships of countries authorised to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, in rials or any other currency desired by Iran.

Polling opened on Sunday in Kazakhstan's parliamentary elections, a vote widely expected to further strengthen President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's hold on power in Central Asia's largest country. The ruling pro-presidential Adilet party is expected to win an overwhelming majority, with several smaller parties loyal to Tokayev also likely to enter parliament.

More than 40 locals fell ill following a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in the Godhni area of Nagpur in the early hours of Monday, prompting the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to launch an immediate rescue operation. The incident took place around 1 AM at the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran’s Godhni Municipal Council Water Treatment Plant 

An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne. Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday (local time) said the Trump administration was entering the “endgame” in its campaign against Iran and announced what he described as an “economic D-Day” aimed at severing the Iranian regime’s economic lifelines

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran to continue efforts to bring peace ​and security to the region, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ‌Baghaei said on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry. Pakistan has taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the U.S. aimed ​at ending the war which began with U.S. and ​Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

The war in Iran is slated to transition into "a new phase" in the near future, according to Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, who noted his expectation that partner nations will provide support during this next stage. "I think we're going to get into a new phase here very soon. I believe our allied nations are going to assist in the next phase, and we'll get this finished," Johnson stated during an interview on Fox News on Sunday. He claimed that President Donald Trump successfully blocked Tehran from acquiring nuclear armaments, describing it as “a goal for all previous administrations.”

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday, to engage in the 25th round of Special Representatives (SR) talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister and Politburo member Wang Yi.

India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar will embark on a two-day visit to Russia for the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), the Ministry of External Affairs said. “At the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Denis Manturov, the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, will undertake an official visit to Russia on 23-24 August 2026 to co-chair the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC),” the MEA said in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to Paris for a two-day state visit, opening with the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup before turning to talks on regional security and economic ties.

More than 53,000 workers at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ meltdown-stricken Fukushima No. 1 power plant have received radiation doses exceeding a key level of 5 millisieverts per year.

China said that it was postponing its ambitious Chang’e-7 lunar mission, which was set to carry out explorations including searching for water ice on the moon. The Chang’e-7 spacecraft was originally set to lift off in the coming days from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on China’s southern Hainan island. The mission does not meet the launch conditions, the Manned Space Agency said in a brief statement, and “cannot take place during the planned window this year.”

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will discuss the issue of ten Pakistani sailors held hostage by Somali pirates aboard a Palau-flagged oil tanker, MT Honour 25, during his visit to the United Kingdom (UK) on Aug. 24-28, the Pakistani foreign office said. Foreign Minister Dar this month urged Pakistani authorities to intensify diplomatic engagement with international partners, including Somali authorities, to secure the safe return of these Pakistani hostages.

Israel threatened on Sunday to intensify the killing of Hamas officials and displace more Palestinians from areas of Gaza if kite, balloon and drone launches toward southern Israel continue. The warning was issued in an official statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and Defense Minister Israel Katz following a "security assessment."

"Israel warns Hamas that if the launches do not stop immediately, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will step up the killings of those responsible and displace people from areas from which kites, balloons and drones were launched," the statement said.

Iran’s Parliament on Sunday approved a motion to charge ships for receiving services in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported. A spokesperson for Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said that fees will be collected from ships of countries authorised to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, in rials or any other currency desired by Iran.

Polling opened on Sunday in Kazakhstan's parliamentary elections, a vote widely expected to further strengthen President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's hold on power in Central Asia's largest country. The ruling pro-presidential Adilet party is expected to win an overwhelming majority, with several smaller parties loyal to Tokayev also likely to enter parliament.

More than 40 locals fell ill following a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in the Godhni area of Nagpur in the early hours of Monday, prompting the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to launch an immediate rescue operation. The incident took place around 1 AM at the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran’s Godhni Municipal Council Water Treatment Plant 

An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne. Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday (local time) said the Trump administration was entering the “endgame” in its campaign against Iran and announced what he described as an “economic D-Day” aimed at severing the Iranian regime’s economic lifelines

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran to continue efforts to bring peace ​and security to the region, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ‌Baghaei said on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry. Pakistan has taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the U.S. aimed ​at ending the war which began with U.S. and ​Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

The war in Iran is slated to transition into "a new phase" in the near future, according to Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, who noted his expectation that partner nations will provide support during this next stage. "I think we're going to get into a new phase here very soon. I believe our allied nations are going to assist in the next phase, and we'll get this finished," Johnson stated during an interview on Fox News on Sunday. He claimed that President Donald Trump successfully blocked Tehran from acquiring nuclear armaments, describing it as “a goal for all previous administrations.”

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday, to engage in the 25th round of Special Representatives (SR) talks on the India-China boundary question with Chinese Foreign Minister and Politburo member Wang Yi.