Delhi's Stray Dog Crisis to Lionel Messi's India Visit: The Week That Was in Pics

From protests over stray dog relocation in Delhi to PM Modi’s RSS remark sparking political heat, it was a turbulent week. Trump and Putin met in Alaska, Pakistan faced deadly floods, and Lionel Messi is expected to visit India in December.

Protests erupted across Delhi-NCR after a controversial Supreme Court order directed the removal of stray dogs from the streets and barred their release back into the public. The ruling, passed by a two-judge bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, sparked widespread outrage among animal rights activists and pet lovers, who called it “inhumane” and a violation of existing animal welfare laws. Following the uproar, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court reviewed the verdict and has reserved its order. Rekha Gupta, Delhi Chief Minister, said that a proper plan on this issue will be prepared soon. “The people of Delhi had been troubled for quite some time now on this issue. This problem had taken a formidable form and is now standing before Delhi, and providing a solution is very important,” she added. Raja Iqbal Singh, Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor, welcomed the verdict and said that the order will be implemented within the next six weeks. 

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putinheld a closely watched summit in Alaska, aiming to chart a path toward ending the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The nearly three-hour meeting, followed by a brief joint appearance, was hailed by India as a positive step toward restoring global stability. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed support for Trump’s idea of holding a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia to end the war. In an interview with Fox News, Trump called the meeting “very productive” but offered no firm commitment on whether the current 50% tariffs on Indian exports,  imposed earlier due to India’s Russian oil imports,  would be lifted, delayed, or enforced further.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 79th Independence Day address from the Red Fort has sparked a major political storm after he praised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling it the “biggest NGO in the world” and lauding its 100 years of service to the nation. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at the Prime Minister, accusing him of “insulting the spirit of Independence Day” by glorifying the RSS, an organisation that was banned after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and whose ideological mentor, VD Savarkar, was linked to the conspiracy trial. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also condemned the PM’s remarks, claiming that the RSS “doesn’t have any history” of participating in the freedom movement. 

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, began a 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram district in Bihar on Saturday, August 16. The yatra was launched to protest what Congress calls 'vote theft' and alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Rahul Gandhi aims to cover 1,300 kilometres in 17 days. The rally comes amid ongoing protests by the INDIA bloc leaders against the alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) and alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Striking back, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday hinted that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which triggered uproar in Bihar will be carried out in West Bengal and other states. Chief Electoral Officer Gyanesh Kumar asked Rahul Gandhi to either provide proof, or apologise to the country.

Union Minister and Thrissur MP Suresh Gopihas broken his silence on the ongoing voter list controversy in Thrissur, stating that the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission. Allegations of large-scale irregularities and manipulation in the electoral roll were raised by opposition leaders, who claimed fake or duplicate entries were included to influence election results. Suresh Gopi criticised his detractors as “monkeys” making noise without proof and challenged them to approach the courts if they had any credible evidence. 

Five Al-Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a tent near the main gate of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, marking one of the deadliest single attacks on media workers since the war began nearly two years ago. The victims included Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif, along with fellow journalist Mohammed Qreiqeh and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa. Al Jazeera described the incident as a “blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom” and honoured al-Sharif, 28, as “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists,” known for his frontline reporting throughout the ongoing war. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the strike, accusing Israel of following “a pattern of labelling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence.” The CPJ had earlier expressed concern for al-Sharif’s safety due to online threats and targeting by Israeli military officials. Since the war began 22 months ago, more than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza.

A total of 800 protesting workers were detained late Wednesday night, August 13, after staging a 13-day-long sit-in outside the Greater Chennai Corporation’s Ripon Building. The sanitation workers, employed under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM), were opposing the Corporation’s decision to privatise solid waste management in Royapuram (Zone 5) and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar (Zone 6), citing threats to job security and the risk of exploitation under private contractors. The police removed the protesters around midnight, following a Madras High Court order to clear the area, and detained the workers within 45 minutes, transporting them in buses to multiple locations. The midnight crackdown has sparked strong backlash, with actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay sharply criticising the DMK-led state government. In a post on X, he described the police action as “inhumane and anarchic,” alleging that women sanitation workers were forcibly dragged away, some fainted during the operation, and several sustained serious injuries.

At least 350 people were killed and more than 150 still missing after torrential rains across Pakistan caused floods. Most of the deaths, 317, were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where landslides collapsed several houses. Pakistan's meteorological department has forecast "torrential rains" with monsoon activity "likely to intensify" from Sunday. The torrential rains that have pounded Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon have killed more than 650 people, with more than 920 injured.Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is contending with extreme weather events with increasing frequency.

Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir sparked controversy during a private event in Tampa, Florida, by threatening key Indian infrastructure. Speaking at a black-tie dinner, Munir reportedly named Reliance Industries' refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat — the world’s largest refining complex — as a potential target in a future conflict. He also warned that Pakistan would strike Indian dams with missiles if the Indus Waters Treaty remains suspended. This marks Munir’s second US visit in two months. His previous trip included a lunch with former US President Donald Trump, which reportedly boosted his profile back home. Indian defence experts said Munir’s recent remarks were an attempt to escalate tensions.

Jharkhand School Education Minister Ramdas Soren died on Friday, August 15 while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi, at the age of 62. Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar expressed grief over the minister's demise.  Ramdas Soren was on life support after being airlifted to Delhi on August 2. According to a statement issued that day, the minister sustained serious injuries after falling in the bathroom at his residence. Before being shifted to Delhi, he was admitted to a hospital in Jamshedpur. Congress leader Rajesh Thakur also condoled the demise of Jharkhand's education minister Ramdas Soren, calling his demise an irreparable loss. Thakur said Soren was a straightforward, simple, polite, and honest person and was working sincerely in the field of education.

Argentina's Football Superstar Lionel Messiwill visit India with a four-city tour on December 12. The tour will take Messi through football-loving Kolkata, followed by stops in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. His visit will wrap up with a personal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 15 at the PM’s official residence. According to event promoter Satadru Dutta, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill may also be in attendance for part of the tour. Meanwhile, Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman said Messi will visit the state in November and that security arrangements for the team are underway. The sponsors, Reporting Broadcasting Corporation, had earlier threatened legal action against the Argentina Football Association if the team plays in India without visiting Kerala.

iPhone 14 is now available at a record-low price as part of Flipkart’s ongoing Freedom Sale, running from August 13 to 17. Originally launched in 2022 at Rs 79,900, the smartphone is now listed at Rs 52,990 during the sale. This includes a regular price cut to Rs 59,900, with an additional sale discount bringing it down further. On top of that, select bank offers can fetch an extra Rs 4,000 off, reducing the effective price even more. In total, buyers can save up to ₹31,000 compared to the launch price. Flipkart is also offering exchange deals and no-cost EMI plans starting at just ₹1,863 per month. The timing of the offer is significant, coming just weeks ahead of the expected iPhone 17 series launch in September.

Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo was subjected to a racist attack from a Liverpool fan during the opening game of the English Premier League. The match was briefly halted after half an hour when Semenyo told referee Anthony Taylor of the incident and both managers were informed. A Liverpool fan who had been seen gesturing towards the Ghanaian as he took a throw-in was led away by police at half-time. Semenyo showed remarkable poise to not only continue but go on to score twice in the second half as Bournemouth came within minutes of holding the defending champions to a draw until late strikes by Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah. In a statement, Liverpool said: "We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society or football. "The club is unable to comment further as tonight’s alleged incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully."

Cristiano Ronaldo has proposed to Georgina Rodríguez, according to her latest Instagram post that has sent fans into a frenzy. The Spanish model and influencer shared a dazzling close-up of her left hand, showcasing a massive oval-cut diamond ring, along with the romantic caption: “Yes I do. In this and in all my lives.” Fans will remember Ronaldo’s moment in the Netflix docuseries I Am Georgina, where he coyly said he was just “waiting for the right click” to propose. According to Portugal's TV GUIA magazine, Georgina would get a monthly pension of over $114,000 for life. She would also get Ronaldo's mansion in Madrid's La Finca district, worth around $5.64 million. The property spans 950 square meters on a 4,000-square-meter estate. Their love story began in 2016 when Georgina worked as a sales assistant at a Gucci store in Madrid.