Good morning! Here’s your quick catch-up on the biggest stories making headlines.
Nepal’s flood crisis remains critical, with 1,204 people dead and nearly 5,000 still missing. Rescuers are racing against time to find survivors, including hydropower workers feared trapped inside tunnels. India and China are stepping up relief and rescue efforts as the search continues.
Meanwhile, the US-Iran conflict is escalating, with fresh US strikes on four Iranian locations reportedly killing 19 people. Iran has also claimed attacks on US bases in Jordan and Bahrain, raising fears that the conflict could spread further.
Back in India, the Ram Mandir has appointed its first CEO. Retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, former Western Air Command chief and a key military figure during Operation Sindoor, will oversee the temple trust’s growing administrative, security and crowd-management responsibilities.
Also in today’s Bhaskar Smart Brief, the Disha Salian death case gets a fresh twist as the Bombay High Court orders a CBI probe six years after her death. And in cricket, the BCCI has summoned Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar for a review meeting, with the UK tour, Rohit Sharma’s ODI future, player fitness and injury management among the issues likely to be discussed.
Today’s Top Headlines
Nearly 5,000 still missing after Nepal floods—is the worst yet to come?
Nepal’s flood crisis is far from over. With 1,204 people dead and nearly 5,000 still missing, rescuers are racing against time to find survivors, including hydropower workers who may remain trapped inside tunnels.
There is some hope: around 12,000 people have been rescued, while India has sent its fifth relief consignment and is helping search tunnels and identify bodies. China has opened the Gyirong border route for rescue teams. With PM Balen Shah thanking both neighbours, the biggest question now is: can rescuers beat the clock? READ MORE
US strikes Iran again—several dead: Is the conflict about to get bigger?
The US-Iran conflict is heating up again. Just two days after its previous strike, the US launched fresh missile and drone attacks on Sirik, Khuzestan, Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas, Iran said. The strikes reportedly killed 19 people and injured 68, including five killed at a wedding in Sirik. Washington said it targeted only Iranian military sites. Iran then claimed it struck US bases in Jordan and Bahrain.
The latest escalation follows a US strike on August 30 near the Strait of Hormuz. Now, with Tehran warning of a ‘new strategy’ spanning the battlefield, diplomacy and the economy, the next phase could be harder to contain. READ MORE
Ram Mandir gets its first CEO: Why an ex-Air Marshal is taking charge
Who will manage the Ram Mandir’s growing crowds, security and massive operations? Retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra has been given the job. The former Western Air Command chief, who led the command during Operation Sindoor, has been appointed the Ram Temple Trust’s first CEO after nearly 40 years in the IAF.
His selection brings military leadership and administrative experience to an organisation facing a growing operational load. His Uttar Pradesh roots and Brahmin background are also being seen as factors. The bigger test now is whether his experience can translate into smoother crowd management, tighter security and more efficient temple administration. READ MORE
CBI probe ordered in Disha Salian case–what will the agency actually investigate?
The Disha Salian case has taken a fresh turn, six years after her death. The Bombay High Court has now ordered a CBI probe into what happened on June 8, 2020, when Sushant Singh Rajput’s former manager allegedly fell from a high-rise in Mumbai.
So, what will the CBI actually investigate?
The agency will record Disha’s father’s statement, register an FIR and examine the evidence and police records. Police had earlier treated her death as suicide and found no foul play. But a 2025 petition alleged gang rape and murder.
Now, the CBI will check whether the evidence tells a different story. And remember—being investigated doesn’t automatically make anyone an accused. READ MORE BCCI review meeting today after UK tour; is Rohit Sharma’s future in doubt?
Indian cricket faces a big review before the Afghanistan T20I series, with the BCCI set to scrutinise what went wrong on the embarrassing UK tour. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have been called to Mumbai for a meeting led by secretary Devajit Saikia, with several key issues on the table.
The bigger questions go beyond the UK tour. Rohit Sharma’s ODI future, Agarkar’s position, player fitness and injury management could all come up, with Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and VVS Laxman also expected to attend.READ MORE
The Day Ahead
1. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance will meet on Sept 3 to discuss direct tax reforms, including simplification, rationalisation and easier compliance. The panel will review the Income-tax Act, 2025, tax revenue performance and reforms, with officials from the Finance Ministry and CBDT.
2. The Supreme Court will hear the Jantar Mantar protest case. The benches will oversee the Centre’s structural formulation of compensation modalities for families of aspirants who died by suicide following the initial exam leaks, for which the government recently requested a three-month execution window.
3. The Rouse Avenue Court will decide on former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain’s bail plea in the alleged DJB tender scam. Jain was arrested by the ACB in the case involving tenders worth around ₹1,943 crore for sewage treatment plants.
4. Taapsee Pannu’s action-thriller Gandhari premieres on Netflix on September 3. Pannu plays Bani, a determined mother whose young daughter goes missing, pushing her into a dangerous search to find and protect her.
5. India will face Hong Kong in their second match of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 on September 3. The match will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and it will start at 8:00 PM IST.
Visual Of The Day
‘Liberating the souls’: Relatives make Kush grass effigies of their missing kin and perform last rites according to Nepali Hindu customs at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. Photo: AFP
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