Japan has suspended imports of Indian mangoes after quarantine inspectors found flaws in disinfection, pesticide control and certification procedures at a vapour heat treatment centre in Rehmanpur village, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Yokohama’s plant protection authority said it would not accept Indian mango consignments carrying inspection certificates issued on or after March 25 until it is assured that procedures have improved. The report was published on August 12, 2026.

The suspension affects six mango varieties: Alphonso, Kesar, Langra, Banganapalli, Chausa and Mallika, during the key April-to-June export season. Japan imported about $1.54 million in fresh and processed mangoes from India in fiscal 2025-26. Exporter Vikram Shah and Ratnagiri farmer Rajesh Patil said access to Japan’s strict market had required years of investment, while mango prices there were roughly double local-market prices.

China cancelled import licences for three Indian rice exporters on April 17, citing the presence of genetically modified organisms in rice consignments. Hong Kong has banned some Indian spices over pesticide residues, while the European Union has increased monitoring of Indian cumin. Experts cited fragmented supply chains, weak traceability and testing shortcomings. A trade department official said steps are being taken to upgrade laboratories and strengthen oversight.

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijit Deepak has warned that a second phase of protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar will begin soon. In remarks reported on August 12, 2026, Deepak said Instagram users had asked when “Jantar Mantar Season Two” would arrive, and he told them it was coming very soon.

Deepak alleged that CJP had planned a Wednesday meeting for its volunteers in Delhi but could not secure a hall because venue owners cited pressure “from above.” He said the party eventually found a hall and had a receipt, but claimed its owners were threatened that morning over allowing a CJP meeting.

According to Deepak, the owners were told they would be hung upside down if they permitted the gathering. He described the episode as a staged drama by the BJP and said its actions and statements showed fear of the country’s youth. He added that CJP would not be intimidated by what he called such minor actions.

Students in Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India, protested on Tuesday demanding construction of a road to help them reach school. Accompanied by parents and villagers, they walked about five kilometres and staged a sit-in outside the district collectorate. The demonstrators called for a paved road connecting their village toward Hamirpur from Chandupur.

The students said no paved road has been built for their village since India’s independence. During the monsoon, the unpaved route is submerged, forcing pupils to cross mud and water to attend school. They said the conditions dirty uniforms, damage shoes and make travel difficult. Protesters also claimed that one student had to leave school because of the lack of a road.

Carrying posters with slogans demanding construction of the Chandupur-Hamirpur road, the protesters highlighted difficulties faced by farmers, students and sick people. SDM Abhishek Kumar and a circle officer held discussions with students and parents. The protest was withdrawn after officials assured them that road work would begin quickly. Abhijit Deep, founder of the Gen Z group Cockroach Janata Party, praised the movement.

The government of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched a pilot project to collect cow urine from farmers in 15 villages in Buland city. Published on August 12, 2026, the report said roughly 500 litres are currently being collected each day. The villages have also received tanks with a capacity of 200 litres.

The government plans to collect cow urine at 20 rupees per litre in the future. The project is intended to provide farmers with additional income, create employment for rural women and help support the upkeep of non-milking cattle. About 300 women have joined the initiative and have been made shareholders of an FPO.

Women assisting with collection receive a commission of two rupees per litre. The collected material is planned for use as an agricultural raw material to develop alternatives to chemical fertilisers and farm inputs. If the pilot succeeds, a separate policy will be formulated for statewide implementation. The Samajwadi Party called the initiative a scam and alleged it was aimed at raising election funds, while the BJP rejected the charge.

India’s relationship with Israel has gained a new dimension over the past decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the report says, extending beyond diplomacy and defence. Amnesty International’s recent investigation says India has become an important contributor to Israel’s arms production through joint ventures and manufacturing partnerships, rather than remaining primarily a major buyer of Israeli weapons.

According to Amnesty, Indian factories sent millions of weapons components to Israeli military suppliers between October 7, 2023, and November 30, 2025. The shipments included about 390,000 small-arms components and 565,000 parts for explosive weapons. The organisation said Indian state-owned enterprises were also involved in the supplies.

India has continued to buy substantial quantities of Israeli arms. From 2021 to 2025, India accounted for 29 percent of Israel’s total arms exports, making it Israel’s largest defence customer. India also sent more than 20,000 workers to Israel after the Gaza war. Foreign policy specialist Stanley Johny said India should restore greater balance to its West Asia policy while maintaining ties with Israel and more strongly advancing its national interests.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the proposed Uniform Civil Code would be implemented in the state very soon, followed by strict legislation to prevent forced religious conversion. He made the announcement at a meeting in Bankura on Tuesday. The chief minister also indicated that new legal restrictions could be imposed on land purchases and sales among different communities.

Adhikari said the Uniform Civil Code would be introduced to advance the goal of “one country, one law.” Laws would then be drafted to regulate conversion and land transactions. He did not specify what restrictions the proposed land sale and purchase law would contain. The report said his comments on conversion and land were consistent with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s longstanding political position.

The proposed Uniform Civil Code envisages a common civil framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, transfer of inherited property and adoption. Under the proposal, a general law would replace religion-based personal laws in these matters. Exemptions or special protections provided under the constitution for certain classes would remain in place, according to the report.

Two people were killed after a landslide struck Gausia Chawl in Chirag Nagar, Ghatkopar, Mumbai, India. The incident occurred around midnight on Tuesday, with four to five more people feared trapped beneath the debris. Mumbai Fire Brigade said the hillside collapsed at 3:48 a.m., falling onto several nearby houses.

Mumbai Fire Brigade, police and National Disaster Response Force personnel are conducting rescue operations at the scene. The bodies of the two victims were sent to a hospital. Fire officials said several people were trapped after the hillside fell on the adjoining homes.

Two injured people, 18-year-old Sohel Ansari and 14-year-old Mohammad Ansari, were admitted to hospital. Both were reported to be in stable condition. Rescue work and an investigation into the incident were continuing.

An opinion analysis published on August 12, 2026 argues that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal popularity and ability to attract votes have been the central strengths of India’s BJP government during its roughly 12 years in power. It says the BJP received about 31 to 36 percent of the vote in general elections fought under Modi. However, recent student protests at Jantar Mantar, ridicule directed at Modi and BJP defeats in two by-elections are presented as pressures on his previously invincible image.

The article compares Modi’s situation with the rise and later unpopularity of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. It says Gandhi’s newly formed Congress won 43 percent of votes in 1971 and 1980, and 48 percent after her assassination in 1984. Yet protests in 1974-75 made her a principal target, and Congress lost in 1977, when Gandhi also lost her own seat.

According to the analysis, the education minister was dismissed after the student protests, while several efforts by Modi to reach younger people did not receive the intended response. The author says the BJP hopes for victory in next year’s Uttar Pradesh assembly election. Addressing anger among young people without jobs is described as a major challenge for Modi.

Sahida Fakir, a 40-year-old resident of Swarupnagar in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, was allegedly detained in Mumbai on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi infiltrator and pushed into Bangladesh. Her family says police detained her on July 19 while she was shopping for dinner in Sanpada, then took her to a detention centre in Chembur. They were later told she had been sent to Bangladesh. Indian media reported that she is now staying with a family in the Satkhira area.

Her family and the rights group MASUM say she holds a birth registration, voter identity card, PAN card and a land deed in her name in Swarupnagar block. Fakir, a domestic worker, had lived in Mumbai with her husband Jumman Fakir for nearly 20 years. She told The Indian Express that she was pushed across the Assam border at night and received food, clothing and shelter from local residents after reaching a road.

MASUM told the Calcutta High Court that Fakir was not produced before a magistrate for about 90 hours after detention and was denied contact with family members or a lawyer. The group sought her immediate court appearance, release if illegally detained, an independent investigation and action against officials concerned.

Hindu Raksha Dal has claimed that a Shiva lingam and a Shiva temple exist within the premises of Darul Uloom Deoband, a historic Islamic educational institution in Uttar Pradesh, India. In a video message on August 8, Uttarakhand state president Lalit Sharma said a group led by national president Pinky Chaudhary would travel from Haridwar to Deoband with Ganges water on August 11 to offer it there.

Sharma alleged that the Muslim structure had been built after a temple was demolished. He also said the group had previously approached the administration seeking permission to conduct an examination at Deoband, but its request was not considered.

The announcement has raised concerns about renewed tension in the area. Deoband Circle police officer Amit Kumar Singh said deterioration of law and order would not be tolerated. He said legal action would be taken against anyone attempting to disturb the peace or disrupt public order. Darul Uloom Deoband, founded in 1866, is described in the report as a renowned religious educational institution.

Former India cricket captain and current Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly and his wife, Dona Ganguly, have received death threats, according to the report. A letter delivered to the CAB office threatened to kill them and their family. Ganguly filed a written complaint at Thakurpukur police station in south Kolkata on Monday.

Police and eyewitness sources said anonymous letters of various kinds had been arriving in Ganguly’s name for about six months. The matter had not initially received much attention, but alarm grew after one of two recent letters sent to the CAB office explicitly threatened Ganguly, his wife and close relatives. The report said the incident caused concern and commotion among cricket circles and fans.

According to PTI, police began an investigation immediately after receiving the complaint. Preliminary findings indicate the letters were sent through a courier service, with the suspected sender believed to be in the Belgharia area of North 24 Parganas district. Investigators are examining the letters’ origin, movements of SIM cards used and courier agency consignment records. Police are also taking steps to strengthen security for Ganguly and his family.

Students and members of the influential Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) protested outside the Mizoram Public Service Commission (MPSC) office in Aizawl, Mizoram’s capital, on Monday. They demanded administrative reforms in recruitment, additional staffing, and the withdrawal of the contested One Time Registration (OTR) system. Protesters staged a sit-in outside the office and prevented officials and employees from entering.

According to a Press Trust of India report, some protesters scuffled with police when officials attempted to enter the office, although the demonstration was peaceful overall. MZP alleged that repeated administrative weaknesses and errors in recent recruitment processes had reduced job seekers’ confidence in the commission. The organisation said the OTR system had also created concern among applicants.

The protesters called for structural reform of the MPSC and for more staff to make its operations more efficient and credible. They also sought separate application forms based on requirements and posts instead of the current OTR system. MZP demanded a one-time offline document-submission opportunity for applicants rejected over incomplete OTR uploads, and reconsideration for written-test qualifiers disqualified during document verification because of missing papers.

India’s government has said it is prepared for a full and detailed parliamentary discussion on student protests and police action against demonstrators. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Home Minister Amit Shah was ready to speak in Parliament after opposition demands. Rijiju, speaking to reporters on Monday, urged opposition parties not to create disruption while Shah and the government present their response.

The protests in Delhi began over allegations of examination paper leaks and irregularities. On July 20, tensions rose when a large group of protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar and attempted to march toward Parliament. Police used tear-gas shells and baton charges to disperse them, followed by clashes in which several people were detained. Opposition parties had sought a statement from the home minister on the operation.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Shah’s handling of the police action, alleging no investigation or statement had been ordered. He alleged tear gas, baton charges and pellet guns were used against students in Delhi, and also raised allegations involving firearms in Siwan, Bihar. Rijiju said the government had no objection to debate but insisted opposition members should hear the government’s response.

Students in India’s Jharkhand state staged a sustained protest over alleged irregularities in government job recruitment examinations, marching toward the state assembly on Monday morning. Protesters broke through barricades on the road in Ranchi as they moved toward the assembly. Police later used water cannons to disperse them, but the demonstrators did not back down.

Three rounds of talks between students and the government side failed. The protesters demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation be given responsibility for investigating the alleged exam irregularities and that the examination system be reformed. Hemant’s government did not accept those demands, the report said. Protesters then called for a peaceful march from the old assembly to the new assembly, urging students and parents from all districts of Jharkhand to join.

Carrying banners and placards and chanting slogans, participants alleged that authorities tried to stop them with road barricades. Citing sources, Anandabazar Online reported that they were halted three kilometres from the assembly complex after about half an hour of marching. They sat down at the site, where hunger-striking student Devendranath joined them by ambulance after eight days on strike. Police used water cannons when protesters again attempted to breach the barricades.

South Asia Justice’s India Persecution Tracker alleged that at least 25 Muslims were killed in India between May and July this year. The report said the deaths occurred across Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Kashmir, West Bengal and Maharashtra, attributing them to alleged staged police encounters, deaths in security custody and attacks by extremist Hindus. It said an 11-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy were among those killed.

According to the tracker, more than 44 Muslims were killed in alleged hate crimes during the first seven months of the year. It said 19 died at the hands of law-enforcement agencies and 25 were killed in mob lynchings. The report alleged that victims often did not receive protection after seeking help, while hundreds of Muslims were detained and homes, mosques and other religious institutions were demolished.

The report said at least 23 Muslim religious sites were demolished in six states in less than two months. It also cited 21 demolition incidents in eight states involving more than 1,000 homes, businesses and religious sites, claiming total destroyed structures this year exceeded 3,000. The tracker said anti-Muslim statements by political leaders helped create an environment for discrimination and hate crimes.