Times of India

Russia launched NASA astronaut Anil Menon with Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina aboard Soyuz MS-29 from Baikonur Cosmodrome on Tuesday at 10:47 a.m. EDT. The spacecraft reached orbit after approximately 10 minutes and is scheduled to dock with the ISS at 1:56 p.m. EDT as part of Expedition 75. The crew will remain aboard the station for about eight months.

Pramod Nautiyal, a suspended personal assistant to the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee chairman, was arrested on July 12, 2026, by Chamoli Police in connection with alleged irregularities in Badrinath temple donations. An FIR was filed on July 7 following social media reports, with a BKTC inquiry finding the allegations prima facie true and CCTV footage cited as evidence. Uttarakhand authorities formed multiple probe committees, and Nautiyal was taken to Badrinath for questioning.

A public inquiry found that the UK and devolved governments spent £14.9 billion on PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic, with nearly £9.9 billion written off as unused or expired. The UK entered the pandemic with an inadequate, untested stockpile, leading to shortages that risked NHS staff and patients while care homes and other providers sourced equipment independently. A VIP lane expedited some offers, though the inquiry found no evidence of cronyism or corruption.

A Delhi court convicted Tahir Hussain, a former Aam Aadmi Party councillor, along with four others for the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the February 2020 North East Delhi riots. The court acquitted six of the eleven accused while convicting five individuals total. Sharma's body was recovered from a drain near Chand Bagh.

The Supreme Court on Monday set aside Gauhati High Court judgments that had upheld Foreigners Tribunal declarations of 27 individuals as foreigners and remanded the matters for fresh adjudication. The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta cited the high constitutional significance of citizenship status. The petitioners had challenged the ex parte tribunal orders after 23 years and did not appear before the High Court despite notices.

England will play Argentina in the 2026 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday at 20:00 BST at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Thomas Tuchel serves as England head coach, and the team last reached a men's World Cup final in 1966. Lionel Messi, aged 39, is set to appear for Argentina.

The United States imposed new sanctions on Wednesday through the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control under Executive Order 13382. The measures target individuals and entities supporting weapons procurement for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Reports agree on the sanctions' focus and timing amid Strait of Hormuz tensions but differ on the exact number and locations of designated parties.

Two Emirati tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz inside Omani territorial waters. One Indian crew member was killed and eight others wounded, with fires and material damage reported on both vessels. The UAE condemned the attack and asserted its right to respond.

Multiple U.S. outlets reported that Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died Saturday night at age 71 from an aortic dissection. Iranian state-linked newspapers published front-page illustrations and headlines referencing the death, while several domestic U.S. claims remain unverified.

Times of India reported that the United States conducted strikes on July 12 targeting dozens of Iranian sites including air defenses, radars, missiles, drones, and naval assets. The reporting links the operation to an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. All details originate from this single secondary source with no independent corroboration identified.

A fire at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar and restaurant in Bangkok's Chatuchak district killed 27 people on Sunday evening shortly before midnight. Initial assessments point to an electrical short circuit, with smoke inhalation as the likely primary cause of death and victims found near a possibly blocked exit. The incident is the deadliest in Thailand since the 2009 Santika club fire.

Darline Graham, sister of Senator Lindsey Graham, was appointed by Governor Henry McMaster to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy from South Carolina. She is 62, has no prior elected office, and will serve until a November general election. Her term runs until January 2027, with a special primary set for August 11.

The FBI placed Nitish Kaushal on its most wanted list following a June 2026 federal arrest warrant in the Central District of California for alleged RICO conspiracy. Supported claims from Indian media identify Kaushal as an Indian national and associate of the Punjab-origin Jaggu Bhagwanpuria organized crime group, which is accused of operating in California and engaging in multiple criminal activities. Unverified reports mention additional connections and enforcement actions.

Two sources report that Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz and signaled possible action on Red Sea routes. Multiple details about statements, U.S. actions, and trade volumes appear only in single-source reporting and lack independent confirmation. Analyses from progressive, conservative, and libertarian viewpoints interpret the events differently while sharing unexamined assumptions about the closure's status.

Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup semifinal at Atlanta Stadium, with goals from Enzo Fernandez in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martinez in the 92nd minute after England had led through Anthony Gordon. Argentina advanced to face Spain in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium. Multiple sources confirm the scoreline and key goal timings while details on possession, substitutions, and player statements vary by outlet.

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Uttar Pradesh SIT to file a status report on its probe into alleged embezzlement of donations at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and sought details on the SIT's composition. The Court also issued notice to the Trust. Eight arrests have been reported in the case, with the SIT inquiry having begun without an FIR.

On July 13, 2026, the Supreme Court ordered the Centre to submit draft rules under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam 2024 in a sealed cover within two weeks. The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued the directive during a hearing on a petition regarding airfares. The rules are required to undergo public consultation before tabling in the monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 21.

Two commercial vessels, MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, sustained missile strikes, fires, and material damage while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on July 14. India's Ministry of External Affairs summoned Iran's deputy chief of mission and issued a formal protest. Specific casualty figures remain disputed across reporting.

A Delhi court on July 13, 2026, convicted former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four others for the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The Hindu reported the convictions and noted BJP calls for apologies from opposition leaders the following day. Unverified claims regarding prior expulsion and local governance responses appear in Times of India reporting.

Alia Bhatt and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have joined the cast of Tumbbad 2, directed by Adesh Prasad and produced by Sohum Shah with Pen Studios. The project was announced in September 2024 with a scheduled release date of December 3, 2027. Rahi Anil Barve, director of the original film, is not involved and is developing a separate trilogy.

Donald Trump stated during an appearance on the Hugh Hewitt Show that Pickaxe Mountain near Iran's Natanz facility is a possible strike target under Space Force monitoring, with a strike likely relatively soon and no current activity at the site. Sources agree on these statements and on U.S. strikes against Iran on Monday plus a planned naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while disagreeing on the interview date. Limited sourcing from two outlets leaves multiple claims unverified by primary records.

The film Jana Nayagan, directed by H. Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions, is scheduled for theatrical release on July 23 following an A certificate from the CBFC. Production began in October 2024 with an original target of January 9, 2026; the project faced a halt in January, an April HD leak, Supreme Court involvement, and related arrests. Vijay, who stars in the film, was elected Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 2026.

US stock indexes rose on Wednesday with the S&P 500 gaining 0.2 percent. Wholesale inflation slowed to 5.5 percent in June while the probability of a near-term Federal Reserve rate increase fell to 10 percent. Oil prices fluctuated near one-month highs amid US-Iran tensions.

Supported reports indicate the United States reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports and conducted strikes on air defense, radar, missile, and drone sites for a fourth consecutive day. Iran launched missiles and drones at US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain while attacking seven commercial ships, resulting in civilian casualties. Unverified claims from Iranian state media describe specific official statements and a prior interim agreement.

Supported reports indicate Donald Trump announced reinstatement of an Iranian maritime blockade on Truth Social, with oil prices rising 9% to $83 per barrel and US gasoline averaging $3.87 per gallon. Vessel tracking data show reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Core claims of a US Navy-led total blockade remain unverified and originate from a single source.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni stated he would not mix football and politics ahead of a scheduled World Cup semi-final against England in Atlanta. Supported reports confirm the 1982 Falklands War between Britain and Argentina lasted 74 days with 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British combatants, and three civilians killed. Unverified reports reference prior Argentina-England World Cup matches from 1986 and 1998.

Japan joined 13 other countries in a joint statement reaffirming the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that rejected China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. The statement coincides with the ruling's tenth anniversary and notes China's continued assertion of rights over approximately 90 percent of the waters. Multiple verified reports confirm the ruling's rejection of the nine-dash line and the overlap of claims with five Southeast Asian nations' exclusive economic zones.

The Supreme Court heard challenges to the Madhya Pradesh High Court order on the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex and directed provision of adjacent space for Friday namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm while barring ASI structural changes without permission. The arrangement remains ad hoc pending final adjudication, and no status quo order was issued. Two sources confirm the bench was led by Chief Justice Surya Kant.

US Central Command resumed a naval blockade against Iran and launched additional strikes on Tuesday, the fourth consecutive day of operations, according to multiple reports. Air-raid sirens activated near US facilities in Bahrain, including a naval support base in the capital and Sheikh Isa Air Base. Unverified reports describe Iranian cruise missile strikes on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent and WTI crude benchmarks increased for a fourth straight session amid reports of attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Supported data confirm the price gains and supply threat, while claims of renewed U.S. military strikes on Iran and a naval blockade remain unverified. Analyses from multiple perspectives attribute the moves to geopolitical factors or policy shortcomings but differ on underlying causes.

Multiple outlets confirm Argentina will meet England in a World Cup semi-final. Reports differ on whether the match occurs Wednesday or Thursday, July 16. Additional claims regarding Spain's path to the final and ticket prices remain unverified across sources.

Sonam Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi targeting Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. As of July 14, 2026, he had reached the 17th day of the strike and lost more than 8 kg. The Cockroach Janta Party expressed concern over his health that evening.

Brent crude oil reached $85 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate surpassed $80 a barrel on Tuesday, up from near $70 in early July. Australian wholesale diesel increased from 177.1 cents per litre in early July to 186 cents, with service-station prices near 190 cents in major cities. Reports of tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and associated market movements remain unverified.

Volkswagen is considering 50,000 additional job cuts, according to reports from Times of India and Financial Times. Multiple other details about total cuts, factory closures, and internal assessments remain unverified. Perspectives differ on the causes and implications of any restructuring.

Two UAE-flagged tankers, Mombasa and Bahia, were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in Omani territorial waters of the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in one confirmed death and fires that were later controlled. Reports conflict on total casualties and nationalities of the injured. A third separate incident involving an unknown projectile near Qalhat, Oman, was also reported.

US forces disabled the Curacao-flagged tanker M/T Belma in international waters by firing Hellfire missiles into its smokestack after the vessel ignored warnings. The action occurred during the first day of a renewed US naval blockade of Iran that also included redirection of two compliant vessels. Separate US strikes on Iranian targets took place the same week.

Multiple sources confirm Argentina players displayed a 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' banner after a match against England. The match outcome, venue, and score remain unverified claims from a single outlet, while Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands is supported across reports.

Donald Trump stated that the United States would target bridges and power plants in Iran unless Tehran returns to negotiations. Multiple unverified reports from Iranian government sources describe US strikes near the Strait of Hormuz and in Sistan and Baluchestan province that allegedly killed civilians and soldiers. No independent confirmation of the strikes or casualty figures has been reported.

Dr. Kiran Honnannanavar, 45, was found dead from multiple stab wounds at Ranka Stello Apartment in Dharwad on or around Wednesday, with his eight-year-old son also injured. Police detained his wife, Dr. Priyanka Gaddanahalli, after she provided inconsistent accounts of his whereabouts. Family members allege a domestic dispute, though no forensic details have been publicly confirmed.

Two people died in a fire that broke out on Wednesday in a five-story building in Mamura village, Noida's Sector 66. The blaze was extinguished after a response involving seven fire tenders, a hydraulic platform, police, and rescue teams, and an FIR was filed against the building owner who is now in custody. All reported details originate from Hindustan Times and Times of India.

France was defeated by Spain 2-0 in a World Cup semifinal match held in Dallas/Arlington, Texas. Kylian Mbappe, who scored eight goals earlier in the tournament, did not score in the match. France employed a high-pressing tactical approach during the game.

The ICC has confirmed a 14-team structure for the 2027 men's ODI World Cup in Southern Africa, with the three lowest-ranked teams playing a preliminary round from which only one advances. The main stage places 12 teams in two groups of six, followed by a Super Seven stage and no quarterfinals. Al Jazeera and Times of India are the only sources cited for these details.

Four Jan Suraaj figures who contested the 2025 Bihar assembly elections joined the BJP on July 15, 2026. The Bankipur assembly bypoll is scheduled for July 30, with Prashant Kishor and Neeraj Kumar Sinha as candidates. Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi welcomed the entrants.

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP served a legal notice to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday through its president Sat Sharma, describing Abdullah's claims of a Rs 20-30 crore bribe and ministerial berth offer to an NC legislator as false and defamatory. The notice demands a public apology within seven days and threatens civil and criminal defamation proceedings plus Rs 100 crore in damages if unmet. Abdullah made the allegations on July 11 at an event in Srinagar.

Suvendu Adhikari stated that August 16 will be observed as Ayushman Divas to commemorate the Ayushman Bharat scheme, replacing the Trinamool Congress designation of Khela Hobey Divas. The date also marks the 1946 Direct Action Day and Great Calcutta killings. Sources consist solely of two left-center outlets and contain an inaccurate claim regarding Adhikari's position.

The Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 8:17 pm IST carrying NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The crew will dock with the ISS Prichal module after a three-hour flight and support Expeditions 74 and 75 for approximately eight months. All verified details originate from Times of India and The Hindu reporting.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticized Samay Raina for non-compliance with a prior order in the India's Got Latent matter and imposed fines of ₹3 lakh each on Raina and four others. Ranveer Allahbadia, who appeared on the show, received interim protection from the Court after multiple FIRs were filed across states. The bench noted Raina's actions as taking the court for a ride, with proceedings also addressing show composition notices.

The Election Commission released a revised SIR timetable on July 15, 2026, setting qualifying dates, draft and final electoral roll publication dates, and extended BLO verification periods across six states. All reported dates originate from Times of India and The Hindu coverage. The schedule includes staggered qualifying dates and 10-day extensions for Andhra Pradesh and Haryana.

Anil Menon, a 49-year-old emergency medicine physician and U.S. Space Force colonel born in Minneapolis to an Indian father and Ukrainian mother, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 14, 2026, aboard Soyuz MS-29 with Russian crewmates Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina for an eight-month mission as part of Expedition 74. The flight marks Menon as the first NASA astronaut of Malayali descent; his ancestral home is Chettur House in Ottapalam, Kerala. Coverage draws exclusively from two left-center sources.

The European Union and Ukraine signed an agreement for joint production of drones and anti-drone systems, announced by Ursula von der Leyen during a speech in Kyiv. The deal includes up to €2 billion in funding, with half allocated to expanding production and up to €1 billion for Ukrainian defense companies. Sources report commitments to launch production this year and potential future missile collaboration.

Donald Trump proposed a 20% toll on cargoes using the Strait of Hormuz, estimated at $30 million per supertanker at current prices. Iran previously shut down the strait on February 28 and imposed ad hoc charges during recent tensions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that no country has the right to charge for international waterways.

A 2005 excavation in Montana's Hell Creek Formation recovered an Edmontosaurus skull containing an embedded tyrannosaur tooth. The specimen, catalogued MOR 1627 and held at Montana State University's Museum of the Rockies, was examined by researchers from Montana State University and the University of Alberta. Their findings appeared in PeerJ. A separate T. rex skeleton sold at auction for $50.1 million, a record price.

Apple has filed a lawsuit alleging trade secret misappropriation by OpenAI following the hiring of more than 400 former Apple employees. OpenAI acquired Jony Ive’s io hardware company and appointed ex-Apple executive Tang Tan as chief hardware officer ahead of a planned AI device release. Reporting is limited to two left-center sources with low verification quality scores.

Supported claims indicate Donald Trump received over $1.4 billion from family-backed crypto projects in 2025, with traditional asset holdings rising from the $225–608 million range at end-2024 to $703 million–$2.6 billion at end-2025. Disclosures filed with the US Office of Government Ethics report asset values in ranges. One unverified claim states Trump labeled cryptocurrency a scam in 2021.

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana stated on Wednesday that stolen donations at the Ram Temple may indicate insufficient devotion by donors and affirmed that the government and trust are pursuing action against those involved. The remarks follow opposition claims of missing funds and the formation of a state SIT. The temple opened on January 22, 2024.

Citizens for Justice and Peace sent letters on July 9 and 10 to leaders across parties inviting them to a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in solidarity with students opposing the NEET UG paper leak. The protest, led by Sonam Wangchuk on an indefinite hunger strike now in its 25th day, includes a demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Rahul Gandhi has not appeared at the site despite receiving a letter, while Congress has scheduled separate events on paper leaks.

CENTCOM stated that three Corsair unmanned surface vessels struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility at Iran's Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the reported first U.S. combat employment of sea drones. The operation was described as degrading Iran's capacity to attack commercial shipping. Coverage is limited to two right-center sources with several timing and scope details remaining unverified.

IBM projected $17.2 billion in quarterly revenue and $2.93 adjusted EPS, below consensus estimates of $17.86 billion and $3.02. Shares declined more than 23 percent in premarket trading, with peer software stocks and a tech ETF also lower. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna attributed the shortfall to customer capital-expenditure shifts toward hardware.

The Trump administration initiated a campaign against the ICC on Monday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiling the effort in a video address. Supported claims confirm Trump's prior opposition to the court and intensified actions in his second term. Unverified details include descriptions of a whole-of-government response and the US non-ratification of the Rome Statute.

Times of India and New York Times reports describe US Central Command strikes beginning at 6 am ET and 3 pm ET on Wednesday targeting Iranian military capabilities near the Strait of Hormuz, including sites near Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, Ahvaz, and Greater Tunb Island. Multiple claims regarding strike duration, naval interdiction orders, and overall occurrence remain disputed between the two outlets. No immediate casualty or damage assessment from Tehran has been reported.

Times of India reported unverified claims that Mojtaba Khamenei delivered a public address and that a Hamshahri-published infographic listed 13 foreign leaders for revenge. The reports describe crosshair targets on Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu plus prison uniforms for 11 others, along with quoted statements on vengeance. All claims carry explicit unverified status and originate from a single English-language outlet.