राष्ट्रीय
17-Jul-2026
Sonam Wangchuks Hunger Strike Enters Day 20 Calls for Massive Parliament March Education reform activist Sonam Wangchuks indefinite hunger strike entered its 20th day on Friday. He said he wants to stay alive until July 20 so he can join the peaceful march to Parliament with his supporters. Doctors have warned that his health is now critical after 20 days without food and that his organs could be at risk. However Wangchuk said he will not end his hunger strike until the government responds to his demands. He also urged more people to join the Parliament march. Meanwhile several students fasting with him are also in serious condition suffering from dehydration low blood sugar and major weight loss. ------ Govt May Introduce Seven Key Bills in Monsoon Session The Monsoon Session of Parliament will begin on July 20 and continue until August 13. The Central Government is expected to introduce seven important Bills in the Lok Sabha. These include a Bill to give legal protection to Vande Mataram changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act reforms in higher education increasing the number of Supreme Court judges amendments to birth and death registration rules MSME laws and the Income Tax Act. Meanwhile the Opposition plans to raise issues such as the NEET-UG paper leak recruitment exam irregularities the Ayodhya temple donation controversy E20 fuel and Indias foreign policy. ---- One Killed After Attempt to Snatch Security Rifle in Jammu and Kashmir A firing incident took place in the Bhadarwah area of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir. According to officials a man allegedly tried to snatch a service rifle from security personnel. During the struggle firing broke out. One person was killed while three Special Operations Group or SOG personnel were injured. The injured security personnel were taken for medical treatment. After the incident security was tightened across the area. Police and other security agencies have started an investigation to find out the exact cause of the incident. Officials are closely monitoring the situation to maintain peace and order. ----- Sixth Night of US Airstrikes Rocks Iran Chabahar Port Hit The United States has carried out large-scale airstrikes on Iran for the sixth consecutive night. According to the US Central Command fighter jets drones and warships targeted several military sites across Iran. The strikes reportedly hit coastal surveillance centres air defence systems military logistics facilities and naval bases. During the attacks Irans Chabahar Port where India has invested in development projects was also hit. Iranian media reported that the ports maritime control tower was damaged in a missile strike. This is the third reported attack on the control tower within the past week. The conflict continues to escalate. ------ Bangladesh Awards Teesta Project to China Rejects Indias Offer Bangladesh has awarded the Teesta River Management Project to China instead of India. The new government signed an agreement with the Chinese state-owned company PowerChina. Under the deal China will provide a soft loan of about ₹7000 crore for the project which Bangladesh will repay over 50 years. Earlier India had offered around ₹9000 crore to support the same project. That proposal was made in 2024 during the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. However after the political changes in Bangladesh the project was finally awarded to China. The move is seen as an important strategic development in the region. ----- Trump Alleges China Stole US Voter Data During 2020 Election US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that the 2020 presidential election was unfair. In a national address on election security Trump said his administration is releasing classified documents related to the case. According to the documents released by the White House China allegedly stole the personal data of around 220 million American voters during the 2020 election. Trump claimed that voter information from 18 US states was affected. He also alleged that the CIA FBI and other intelligence agencies knew about the incident but did not inform the President. These claims have not been independently verified. ------ Sensex Jumps 600 Points Nifty Gains 170 Indias stock market opened on a strong note on Friday. The Sensex climbed 600 points or 0.80 percent to reach 77800. The Nifty also gained 170 points or 0.70 percent and was trading at 24250. Buying was seen in IT auto and banking stocks helping the market move higher. Investors remained positive due to strong buying in major companies. Market experts say better global cues and investor confidence supported the rally. If this trend continues the stock market may end the day with healthy gains. Investors are watching market movements closely. ---- PV Sindhu Reaches Japan Open Semi-Final After Walkover Indias star shuttler PV Sindhu has reached the semi-final of the Japan Open Super 750 badminton tournament. Former world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan gave a walkover before their quarter-final match. Sindhu had earlier defeated Chinas Han Yue to enter the last eight. This is her first Super 750 semi-final in three years after the 2023 Denmark Open. It is also her third semi-final of the 2026 season. Sindhu has improved her world ranking from 18th at the start of the year to ninth. She will now face Chinas Chen Yufei in the semi-final. ----- Rain to Return Across India Heavy Showers Alert in Many States Clouds have covered nearly 60% of India once again. The India Meteorological Department says a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is bringing heavy rain to Uttar Pradesh Bihar and the Northeast. Heavy rainfall is expected for the next seven days. Weather experts also say another weather system is becoming active near the Equator. Because of these two systems Madhya Pradesh and many parts of North and Central India may receive good rainfall between July 20 and 30. In Jammu and Kashmir 16 cloudbursts have been reported in just 15 days. Tamil Nadu however remains under a heatwave alert due to weak rainfall.
