The adoption of digital payments across the country recorded a 10.7 per cent year-on-year increase (as of March 2025), according to the latest Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data.

The Central Bank uses an index that evaluates the adoption of digital payments across the country, known as the RBI's Digital Payments indicator (DPI).

The NCC Unit of Desh Bhagat University organized a solemn and inspiring ceremony to commemorate Kargil Vijay Diwas, honouring the valour and supreme sacrifice of Indian soldiers during the 1999 Kargil War. The event aimed to instill a deep sense of patriotism, courage, and reverence for the armed forces among cadets and the wider university community.

A decades-old bridge that served as a vital lifeline for over 150 villages in Jharkhand’s Jamtara district collapsed on Tuesday, severing all direct connectivity of more than 150 villages with the district headquarters.

The Dakshin Bahal bridge, linking Jamtara to Deoghar, crumbled under the force of gushing river water following days of persistent rainfall, plunging the entire area into chaos.

Built in 1980 using stone boulders, the bridge had long been a crucial artery for daily commuters, students, patients, and workers.

Authorities had restricted movement on it to two-wheelers after it sustained damage on July 18 after a heavy downpour -- but the structure finally gave way on Tuesday, halting all traffic.

Now, villagers who once needed to travel just half a km to access schools, hospitals, and markets will have to take a 15 to 20 km detour.

Telangana Jagruthi president and BRS MLC K. Kavitha on Tuesday announced that she will undertake a 72-hour fast on August 4-6 to demand that the Centre approve two Bills passed by the Telangana Assembly for 42 per cent reservation to Backward Classes in education, employment and local bodies.

The BRS MLC, during a press conference, said that she would observe a fast to exert pressure on both the state and the Central governments over the BC reservation issue.

Kavitha said she would seek the government's permission for dharna, and if the government refuses to give permission, she will sit on fast wherever possible.

The government has raised a tax demand of Rs 21,719 crore as a result of assessments completed under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 (during July 1, 2015 to March 31, 2025), the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

In addition, demand of Rs 13,385 crore has been raised (till March 31, 2025) on account of penalties imposed under various sections of Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.

"Notably, from 01.07.2015 to 31.03.2025, recovery of Rs 338 crore has been made against tax, penalty and interest demand raised under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015. However, since collections are not mapped to specific countries or types of foreign holdings, separate data for recoveries related to Swiss deposits or foreign accounts is not maintained," he said.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and Lok Sabha MP Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday demanded answers from the Centre regarding the security lapse during the Pahalgam terror attack and questioned who would be responsible for the intelligence failure.

Speaking during the Operation Sindoor debate in the Lok Sabha, Yadav said that the country deserves to know who is behind the intelligence failure that led to major terror attacks, including Pulwama and Pahalgam.

"It is unfortunate that even after several years of Independence, such matters (terrorism) concern us. This is not about the ruling and the Opposition but about the security of the country. Why don't we make a strategy to secure our borders once and for all? However, the Pahalgam incident has proved that negligence can claim innocent lives," he said.

Due to a cyclonic circulation over Bangladesh, Kolkata and several districts in south Bengal might receive scattered rains till Thursday, with a heavy spell of showers likely to occur in some places.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata's Alipore, heavy rains are likely to occur in the districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Purulia, Bankura, East Burdwan, and West Burdwan.

Meanwhile, scattered rains are likely to continue throughout the day in the remaining districts of South Bengal. The city of Kolkata will experience scattered rains for the next two days.

On Wednesday, heavy rain has been forecast over districts of South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, Nadia, Murshidabad, and western districts like Purulia, Bankura, West Midnapore, and Jhargram.

A 26-year-old man from northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap province has been confirmed positive for H5N1 human avian influenza, raising the number of cases to 14 so far this year, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Tuesday.

"A laboratory result from the National Institute of Public Health showed on July 26 that the man was positive for the H5N1 virus," the statement said.

"The patient has the symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, stomach ache, and breathing difficulty, and is currently being treated by a team of doctors," it added.

The victim lives in Kravann village of Siem Reap city.

Adopting tobacco-style warning labels on alcohol bottles can be a key measure to prevent the rising burden of cancer in India, said experts on Tuesday.

A recent paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, called for strong, evidence-based warning labels on alcohol products, building on India’s success with tobacco warnings.

Alcohol, like tobacco, is a proven carcinogen linked to several cancers, including liver, breast and colon, yet awareness remains low.

“Cancer warning labels on alcohol bottles are a low-cost, high-impact intervention that can raise awareness, influence consumption habits, and prevent long-term health harm,” lead author Dr Abhishek Shankar, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, told.

“With India having one of the fastest-growing alcohol markets and the largest adolescent population globally, adopting such preventive measures is not just necessary but urgent to protect our youth and reduce the nation’s growing burden of alcohol-related cancers,” the oncologist added.

Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh has heaped praise on her “Aap Jaisa Koi” co-star R. Madhavan, whom she tagged as the “most favourite co-actor” and “best guy ever.”

Fatima took to her Instagram, where she shared some of her cherished and fun moments with Madhavan from the sets of their romantic comedy drama film.

For the caption, she wrote: “Maddy & Fatty… My most favourite co-actor!!”

The actress then went on to thank Madhavan for making the entire shoot easy.

“Thank you for being so kind, generous, and for making this entire shoot feel easy and fun.”

She then thanked the star for “perfect filter coffees” and his mother’s “sambar masala recipe.”