Good morning! Here’s your quick catch-up on the biggest stories making headlines.
UPI users can breathe easy for now, with the government clarifying that person-to-person payments will remain free and most merchant transactions will continue without charges. Any future fee would apply only to select high-value merchant transactions.
Meanwhile, a US Senate Bill allowing tariffs of up to 100% on imports from countries buying Russian energy, including India, could put fresh pressure on New Delhi’s oil trade and ties with Washington.
Also in the Bhaskar Smart Brief, don’t miss our coverage of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Prayagraj, where his youth pitch focused on jobs, education and the growing influence of social media.
Along with these, we’ve rounded up the other top stories you need to start your day.
Today’s Top Headlines
UPI stays free, merchants may face small charges later
UPI may be headed for a pricing debate, but users have little to worry about. The government has clarified that person-to-person payments will remain free, while most merchant transactions will continue without charges. Any future fee would apply only to select high-value transactions, marking a possible shift in how India’s biggest digital payment system is funded.
The proposed changes would leave the decision on introducing Merchant Discount Rate charges with the UPI and Services Steering Committee, headed by NPCI. For consumers and most merchants, the message remains clear: UPI stays free for now. READ MORE
India faces 100% US tariff on Russian oil
The United States is weighing a fresh economic weapon against countries still buying Russian energy, and India could find itself in the crosshairs. The US Senate has backed legislation allowing tariffs of up to 100% on imports from countries including India, sharply raising the stakes for New Delhi’s Russian oil trade and the wider US-India relationship.
The bipartisan bill passed 86-11 but is not law yet. It still needs House approval and President Donald Trump’s signature, leaving its final shape–and its potential impact on India–open to scrutiny. READ MORE
‘Every generation has its challenges’: Modi’s message to Gen Z at IIT Delhi
A degree may open the door, but Modi wants IIT Delhi graduates to think beyond the certificate. At the institute’s 57th convocation, the Prime Minister urged students to turn curiosity into solutions and use the next 30 years to help build a developed India. His message came as more than 3,000 students graduated, including 587 PhD scholars.
Modi also highlighted how IIT alumni had tackled overlooked problems and unveiled an AI-powered supercomputer at the institute’s Sonipat campus. The emphasis was clear: keep learning, ask better questions and turn ideas into work that addresses India’s challenges. READ MORE
Jharkhand student protest reaches SC as talks with govt collapse
A recruitment dispute in Jharkhand is no longer confined to exam halls, with students taking their fight to the streets and the courts. Fifteen days into the protest, talks between the government and students have failed to break the deadlock, while six protesters continue their hunger strike over alleged irregularities in PSC-SSC examinations.
The standoff could intensify next, with students threatening to gherao the state Assembly on August 10. A PIL has meanwhile reached the Supreme Court, putting pressure on the government to find a way forward. READ MORE
Rahul warns youth, ‘Reels are 21st-Century addiction’
Millions of young Indians could drive the country’s growth, but without enough jobs, this huge advantage risks going to waste. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says India is failing to make the most of its biggest strength.
At the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Prayagraj, he argued that degrees are not translating into secure employment, while social media keeps young people hooked. His sharpest claim: only 12 in every 1,000 young people get permanent jobs. Gandhi also alleged that young people’s data is being handed to large companies, adding another layer to his criticism. READ MORE
The Day Ahead
- Nine-day nationwide ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign begins Aug 9 to mark 150 Years of ‘Vande Mataram’
- IMD predicts heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in J&K; warns of flash floods, landslides in vulnerable areas
- Assam begins door-to-door flood assessment in 4 districts; death toll nears 100, over 1.55 lakh remain affected in 13 districts; Golaghat worst-hit
- Japan’s Nagasaki marks 81 years since atomic bombing that killed 35,000 people instantly; the death toll reached up to 74,000 by the end of 1945
- BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia to visit COE Bengaluru to take stock of injury crisis in Indian cricket team, to meet with VVS Laxman
Visual Of The Day
Shimla Goes Tricolour: Thousands join Tiranga Yatra ahead of Independence Day (Photo: PTI)
Today In History
Statement Of The Day
News With A Twist
Man arrested for sniffing woman’s shoes!
Some news stories make you pause simply because they sound too strange to be true. A man in Malaysia was caught sniffing a student’s shoes, while a Chinese mountain is offering a ₹8.4-lakh monthly salary to someone whose job is essentially watching clouds. Elsewhere, an AI-generated actress is drawing a real fan base and raising fresh questions about the future of human performers.
India, meanwhile, has its own futuristic twist, with an Uttarakhand inventor claiming to have built a single-seater flying car. And from beneath the English Channel comes a 162-year-old Guinness bottle that could offer clues to a beer recipe from 1864. Here are five quirky stories that grabbed attention across the world. READ MORE
News in Headlines
- Rahul questions women’s quote link to delimitation, challenges govt’s move READ MORE
- Dipke urges PM to address youth on education, jobs on I-Day READ MORE
- Hindi teacher turned spy, drank sex worker to extract Pak army secrets READ MORE
- Rishabh Pant’s land hunt hits U’khand CM’s door, seeks help in late-night call READ MORE
- ‘Rent a boyfriend’ trend hits small cities: Why women are paying READ MORE
