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The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has strongly condemned terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations”, including the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 persons. The inter-governmental body also said it condemns terrorist attacks in Pakistan on the Jaffer Express on March 11 and in Khuzdar on May 21.

Following the attack on the Jaffer Express, Pakistan had accused India of sponsoring terrorism. However, New Delhi told Islamabad to “look inwards” instead of shifting the blame for its internal problems on to others.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation comprises India, China, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Read more.

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea challenging the mandatory rollout of 20% ethanol-blended petrol, or E20 fuel. The petition had argued that vehicles made before April 2023 were not compatible with E20 fuel and that denying non-blended fuel violated consumer rights.

The Centre, questioned the motives of the petitioner, a lawyer named Akshay Malhotra, referring to him as a “name-lender”. Attorney General R Venkatramani asked if “people outside the country” would dictate the kind of fuel India should use.

In July, India hit its target of reaching a 20% ethanol mix in petrol, five years ahead of schedule. This was part of India’s broader energy transition strategy aimed at reducing dependency on fossil fuels, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and boosting income for sugarcane farmers. Read on.

Drivers fear engine damage, mileage drop as India increases ethanol in petrol to 20%

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that his party will soon release a “hydrogen bomb” of evidence on alleged voter fraud. He asserted that after the disclosure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will “not be able to show his face to the country”.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party accused the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha of being irresponsible.

“How are atom bombs and hydrogen bombs related to elections?” BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad asked. “Why are you [Gandhi] demeaning yourself as the leader of the opposition?”

This came weeks after Gandhi said that his party had spent six months examining the electoral rolls of Mahadevapura Assembly segment in Karnataka and found discrepancies in more than one lakh names.
He had alleged at the time that that was evidence of the Election Commission having colluded with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission has said that the allegations are false and misleading. Read more.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, in remarks made in the context of the United States’ tariffs on India, said that “Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of the Indian people”. Navarro also described India as “nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin”, a name used to describe the Russian seat of power.

It was unclear if Navarro used “Brahmin” in the context of caste or as a word used in the US’ northeastern region to refer to persons who hold a high social position, as in the term “Boston Brahmins”.

His statements came four days after the 50% tariff rate on Indian goods imported to the US took effect.

The Donald Trump administration had announced on August 6 that it would double the tariffs on goods imported from India to 50% for Russian oil purchases amid the Ukraine war. A 25% so-called reciprocal tariff had already taken effect. Read on.

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