Hamas has finally reached a deal to end the conflict with Israel. The announcement made by senior Hamas officials comes after United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his “Board of Peace” had reached an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. Trump called the move a major milestone in carrying out his 20-point plan to end the war. According to Al Jazeera, Hamas spoke directly with mediators, including Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, and agreed to sign onto the agreement. Disarmament had long been seen as one of the biggest sticking points in negotiations, but Hamas has now agreed to hand over its weapons to the International Stabilisation Force. Here’s what the deal entails.
With that, let’s move on to the top stories from today’s edition:
- SC on pellet gun bans
- Gen Z protests: BJP vs Opposition
- Neeraj Chopra, 2 other Indians in CWG Finals
🚨 Big Story
Tough law: A day after being cleared by Lok Sabha, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which pushes for stricter punishment for paper leaks, was discussed and passed by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Hours later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video on Instagram assuring that “any paper mafia, paper leak gang, gang which tries to play with the future of the youth of the country would not be spared”. The Bill was passed even as INDIA bloc MPs walked out, demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement on the police action against protesting students last week.
Withdrawal: The Delhi government on Thursday approved the withdrawal of 13 FIRs registered in connection with the NEET-UG protest. The government said no action will be taken against those who participated in it. However, it made it clear that the protection would not extend to those with criminal antecedents. The announcement came after four Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled (BJP) states — Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam and Bihar — took similar steps. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which led the Jantar Mantar protest, had warned that it may restart its stir if cases were not withdrawn.
Ruling: The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that pellet guns cannot be banned until legal provisions governing their use – for crowd control in exceptional circumstances – are changed. The court, however, indicated it is open to examining specific instances of misuse. The petition was filed by former special director of the Intelligence Bureau Yashovardhan Azad and two individuals who allegedly sustained pellet gun injuries, seeking a ban on the use of such guns for crowd dispersal when dealing with civilian assemblies. In a notice, the court directed the Centre to preserve the ammunition log of the RAF personnel deployed at Jantar Mantar during the CJP protests.
⚡ Only in Express
About 1.54 lakh accounts were opened with J&K Bank between 2021 and 2024 without any PAN details linked to them, an income tax probe found. Moreover, deposits in such accounts with transactions touching Rs 15 lakh or more in a financial year totalled Rs 4.88 lakh crore, as per records investigated by The Indian Express. This revelation comes after the I-T Department last year said the probe’s findings point to a “systemic failure” and a “significant red flag.” It also warned that the unlinked accounts, with their substantial transaction volumes, present “a staggering potential avenue for tax evasion”. When enquired about the probe, J&K Bank said that it subsequently called for a “supervisory meeting” with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and submitted a “comprehensive compliance” report.
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📰 From the Front Page
Women in saffron: The Indian hockey players, who are set to play for the World Cup, starting August 15, will swap the iconic blue jersey that has defined the national side for a saffron-coloured one. Hockey India informed that the “primary consideration was technical” since the blue uniform blended with the blue turf, making it difficult for a player to spot a teammate easily. They added that the decision was based on “recommendations and detailed consultations” with the players and support staff. However, when my colleague Mihir Vasavda spoke to five members across the men’s and women’s teams, each denied being part of the process. They said they did not speak for the entire group, but it suggests that the consultations, if any, were not unanimous.
Caught off guard: Heavy rains in the Naga Hills broke over the Upper Assam region on July 19, catching residents completely off guard. The official death toll in the flood-ravaged state this year stands at 78. At its height, the number of people affected by the floods was over 7 lakh, but as the floodwaters gradually receded, it came down to around 3 lakh. Thousands have been displaced. While Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced relief and rehabilitation packages, on the ground, those affected can only hope the assurances translate into something concrete. Moreover, the India Meteorological Department’s ‘orange’ alert forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall across parts of the Northeast for the next three days, has left residents an anxious lot.
Red flags: In its report, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged misuse and duplicacy in relief distribution efforts and restoration work in West Bengal following Cyclone Amphan in 2020. Some of these include: the use of identical photographs for multiple claims, incorrect classification of damaged houses, duplicate transactions worth Rs 18.07 crore, and grants sanctioned on the recommendations of local political leaders. The CAG noted that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government’s estimates of damage were “not supported by proper evidence”. The CAG report also confirms The Indian Express’s report at the time on local leaders with ties to political parties benefitting from relief disbursal.
📌 Must Read
In our Opinion section today, Suhas Palshikar delves into the extent of importance being given to the “outburst, conspiracy and foreign hand” in the CJP protests, citing narratives disseminated by the pro-government media in India. He proposed shifting one’s attention rather to the real weight of the political terms left by these protesters for politicians to tackle. Palshikar writes: “The real — and admittedly intriguing — aspect of the CJP protests has been the unexpected and unanticipated spontaneity, right from the first post by Abhijeet Dipke about cockroaches. Instead of examining this aspect, the government seems content with either damage control or talking of the specious issue of “intelligence failure”. When you mute all voices, except those reflecting narcissistic praise, intelligence failures are bound to happen.”
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In her weekly column, Neerja Chowdhury highlights that the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan from the post of the Education Minister, fuelled by Gen Z protests, has placed the BJP in a trickier position, especially in the Parliament. The protests have also given a new heart to an “otherwise demoralised Opposition.” Chowdhury writes: “If there is one thing that has taken the row to every middle-class home in India, causing widespread angst, it is the visuals of the police lathi-charge and tear gas shelling on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session. This was not like an anti-CAA agitation that the BJP could ignore. The middle class has been the core of Modi’s support base and he can ill afford to antagonise them.”
US-Iran war impact: The US strikes on Iran and Iranian retaliation against targets in Gulf Arab states came to an end after both sides ceased their attacks by July 25. The region is now coming up with strategies to deal with this conflict’s fallout. Kuwait ratified a June 2023 Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with Pakistan on July 26 for a five-year period, while Qatar demonstrated its commitment to deepen its security cooperation with Pakistan during bilateral talks in Doha. Meanwhile, the war between Yemeni Houthis and Saudi Arabia has pushed the latter to protect its own nuclear ambitions and economic stability. Here’s how the US-Iran war has forced Gulf states to rethink their security strategies.
⏳ And Finally…
Triumph: In a low 80s qualification of the javelin at the Commonwealth Games 2026, India finished in 1/4th of the 12-man final, led by Neeraj Chopra’s 79.61 metres, who secured 5th place. Rohit Yadav (78.37) in 10th place and Yash Vir Singh (78.36) in 11th, together made it 3 Indians for the finale on Friday. A CWG champion from 2018, a harbinger of his Olympic gold, Chopra is returning from injury this time. Speaking to the Olympic channel and other media, Chopra said, “I’m happy I’m in the final. That was the goal for the final. The throw was ok. The goal is to go to the finals and give my best there.” Their qualification comes despite the windy weather, which left many throwers struggling.
🎧 Lastly, don’t forget to tune in to today’s episode of our 3 Things podcast, where we delve deeper into the new anti-paper leak Bill that was passed in the Parliament this week; the use of anti-riot guns during CJP protests; and more.
That’s all for today. Have a wonderful day!
Until next time,
Ariba
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Business As Usual by E P Unny
