From PM Modi-Putin talks on Ukraine peace and Trump meeting, to toll plaza violence in Meerut, monsoon havoc in Himachal, SBI’s UPI app warning, Elvish Yadav’s house gunfire, and Asia Cup 2025 team buzz, here’s a brief of top stories.
On August 18, from PM Modi’s phone call with Russian President Putin on Ukraine peace and his Trump talks in Alaska to a toll plaza clash following the assault of an army jawan in UP, several major developments made headlines. Himachal Pradesh reported Rs 2,173 crore monsoon damages with 263 dead. In Business news, the SBI flagged India’s need for a homegrown UPI app as PhonePe, Google Pay and Paytm dominate. In Gurugram, Elvish Yadav’s house was hit by gunfire, though he confirmed his family’s safety. In cricket, Aakash Chopra backed Shreyas Iyer’s inclusion in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad. Here’s a brief of the top 10 headlines today:
1. PM Modi, Russia President Putin Discuss Ukraine Peace and Trump Meeting in Alaska
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on the phone today with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the call, President Putin shared details of his recent meeting with United States President Donald Trump in Alaska last week. Putin gave his assessment of the discussions he had with the US leader. Prime Minister Modi thanked President Putin for the update. He underlined India’s clear and consistent stand that the conflict in Ukraine should be resolved only through peaceful means. Modi repeated that India supports diplomacy and dialogue as the best way forward.
Prime Minister Modi later posted on X about the conversation. He wrote, “Thank my friend, President Putin, for his phone call and for sharing insights on his recent meeting with President Trump in Alaska. India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. I look forward to our continued exchanges in the days to come.”
2. Bhuni Toll Plaza Vandalised After Army Jawan Assaulted on Meerut-Karnal Highway; Cops deployed
Hours after an army jawan was assaulted at Bhuni Toll Plaza in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, villagers stormed the toll, vandalised property, and confronted staff on Monday. The soldier, identified as Kapil Kavad, was en route to Delhi airport with his cousin to resume his military duty when the confrontation erupted. The disturbing incident unfolded at the Bhuni Toll Plaza along the busy Meerut–Karnal highway.
Viral video on social media showed the harrowing moment multiple toll employees ganged up on Kavad, thrashing him brutally and pinning him against a pole, sparking outrage. Police confirmed that six people have been arrested, while a heavy force has been deployed at the spot. CCTV footage from the toll plaza is being examined as part of the investigation.
3. Delhi Horror! Man Rapes 65-Year-Old Mother Twice: ‘Punished Her For Past Conduct’
Police have arrested a 39-year-old man for allegedly raping his 66-year-old mother twice in the Hauz Qazi area. The incident came to light after the elderly woman, accompanied by her 25-year-old daughter, walked into Hauz Qazi police station and lodged a formal complaint. According to police officials, the crime unfolded soon after the family returned from a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia earlier this month.
“In the complaint, it has been alleged that the accused had been making repeated phone calls to his father, demanding that he divorce his wife and accusing her of having extramarital affairs years earlier,” a police officer revealed.
“When the family returned, the son allegedly locked his mother in a room, beat her up and threatened her. A few days later he again confined her in a room and raped her, claiming he was ‘punishing her’ for her past conduct,” a senior officer added.
4. Himachal Monsoon Fury: Rs 2,173 Crore Estimated Loss, 263 Dead
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): The ongoing monsoon has wreaked widespread havoc across Himachal Pradesh, claiming 263 lives since June 20, according to the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA). Of the total fatalities, 136 were caused by rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, and electrocution. At the same time, 127 people lost their lives in separate road accidents, the report stated.
The torrential rains have also left a massive trail of destruction across the hill state. As per the cumulative report, more than 31,000 houses, shops, labour huts, cow sheds, and other structures have been damaged, including both fully and partially collapsed dwellings.
5. Wang Yi In India: Expert Vouches For Permanent Resolution To Border Issue
In a further sign of a diplomatic thaw with Beijing as tensions with the United States rise, the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi is arriving in India on a two-day visit on Monday, the first such visit in over three years and also about two weeks ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China for the first time in the last seven years, to discuss issues focusing line of actual control (LAC) situation, confidence-building measures, and restoring stability after the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes.
During his stay for two days in the country, he will attend the 24th round of Special Representative (SR) talks with NSA Ajit Doval on the border dispute between New Delhi and Beijing. Wang Yi, a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo, will also hold individual talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. His visit, at the moment, assumes significance since it is happening just less than two weeks after Modi’s scheduled visit to China on August 31to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Leaders’ Summit in Tianjin.
6. Uttarakhand Orders Madrasas to Join State Education Board by July 1 or Face Closure
The Uttarakhand government has announced a major decision to dissolve the existing madrasa board. As per the new order, all madrasas in the state must affiliate with the state education board before 1st July 2026 or face closure. The ultimatum has been issued to all the madrassas in Uttarakhand irrespective of weather or not they are registered with the Madrassa Board. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that under the new education authority, institutions belonging to Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi communities will also be brought under the same framework, ensuring a uniform education system across communities.
7. India’s Semiconductor Market to Hit $100 Billion by 2032
With about 60 per cent of semiconductor output by the Asia-Pacific region, which continues to dominate global production, India is fast emerging as a key player. The country’s semiconductor market, valued at USD 34.3 billion in 2023, is expected to triple to USD 100.2 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 20 per cent. The global semiconductor industry is on track for strong expansion, with its market size projected to touch USD 1 trillion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 10 per cent between 2023 and 2030, according to a Union Bank of India Research report.
8. SBI Warns India Needs Homegrown UPI App As PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm Dominate Market
India needs a fully homegrown dominant UPI app to truly leverage data rather than remain dependent on foreign-grown payment platforms, according to a report by the State Bank of India (SBI). The report highlighted that the country’s UPI ecosystem is currently dominated by a handful of third-party app providers (TPAPs), with PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm leading both in transaction volume and value. It stated, “The need for a Desi Counter Intuitive App cannot be overemphasised as we move towards leveraging data”.
As per the data for July 2025, PhonePe has emerged as the clear leader in the UPI space. The app recorded a massive 8,931 million transactions in volume and transactions worth Rs 12,20,141 crore in value. Google Pay was the second-largest player, with 6,923 million transactions in volume and a total transaction value of Rs 8,91,297 crore. Paytm stood in third place, recording 1,366 million transactions in volume and a value of Rs 1,43,651 crore. Other players such as Navi and super.money reported much smaller numbers. Navi processed 444 million transactions worth Rs 23,563 crore, while super.money handled 253 million transactions with a value of Rs 9,019 crore. The report noted that this higher concentration of transactions amongst a few apps could restrict India-centric fintech innovation going forward.
9. Elvish Yadav breaks silence after gunfire outside his Gurugram’s residence
‘Bigg Boss OTT 2’ winner Elvish Yadav has broken his silence after his Gurugram residence came under attack on Sunday morning. The YouTuber’s house was targeted when unidentified men opened fire, leaving the locality shaken. Yadav, on Monday, took to his Instagram account to reassure his fans that both he and his family were “safe”. Expressing his gratitude, he wrote that he would like to extend his “sincere gratitude” for the concern shown.
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for your good wishes. My family and I are safe and well. Your kind thoughts and concern are truly appreciated. Thank you,” he wrote.
Earlier, on Sunday, Elvish’s father, Ram Avtar Yadav, shared that they felt scared after the firing incident at the house. While speaking to the media, Avtar shared the details of the firing incident outside the house, stating that “more than 15 bullets” were fired at the house at around 5:30 in the morning.
10. Asia Cup 2025: Ex-India Opener Backs Shreyas Iyer’s Inclusion in Squad
As Team India gears up for the Asia Cup T20 edition, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra said that middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer “needs to be spoken about” following a hard-hitting Indian Premier League (IPL) season for Punjab Kings (PBKS) as a skipper and ICC Champions Trophy campaign for India, as he was “hitting boundaries whenever he wished” and eased pressure for other batters.
With a fiery top order of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav firing heavily leading up to the tournament and showing some glimpses of their peak during the 2025 IPL, Iyer, along with Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswa,l fights for a spot in the top order for the tournament. India’s campaign will kickstart against the hosts UAE, on September 10.