TODAY NEWS ON July 16, 2026

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants
Source: The Hindu , Indian Express and others

England vs Argentina, FIFA World Cup: Reigning champion rallies to beat tough English side, enters final again

Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez struck late goals to snatch a 2-1 ​win over England in the World Cup semifinal on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) to send Lionel Messi’s reigning champions into the weekend showpiece match against Spain.

Delhi High Court asks Centre, Delhi government to respond to plea on Wangchuk’s deteriorating health

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) sought the responses of the Centre and the Delhi government on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking urgent intervention to safeguard the health of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. A Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the Centre and the Delhi government to respond on the plea by tomorrow (July 16, 2026) due to the “urgent” nature of the issue. Advocate and social activist Rakesh Kumar Saini filed the petition, contending that Mr. Wangchuk’s health had deteriorated after several days of fasting and urged the authorities to take immediate steps to protect his life.

NPCIL denies ‘sensitive data breach’ at Kudankulam nuclear plant project

Following news of highly sensitive files of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) being accessed by a ransomware group from a contractor’s server, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) denied concerns of a “sensitive data breach” and clarified that the information claimed to be available in the public domain pertains only to “conventional balance of plant common service facilities”.

NDA steps up push for numbers ahead of delimitation Bill, Opposition closes ranks

With the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on July 20, the ruling National Democratic Alliance and the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance are firming up strategies with regard to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill proposing to raise the number of Lok Sabha seats to 850 and initiate the delimitation process.

Sonam Wangchuk’s decision to join CJP protest organic, says wife Gitanjali Angmo

Climate-activist Sonam Wangchuk’s decision to join the protest started by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) was “organic”, his wife Gitanjali J. Angmo said. Ms. Angmo told The Hindu that since CJP is a youth-led movement, Mr. Wangchuk wanted to ensure that the cause is not sabotaged by “nefarious” elements and the movement does not go astray.

Madras High Court nullifies registration of land belonging to Palani math

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) allowed an appeal filed by Arulmigu Dhandapani Swamigal Madam (math) in Palani, and declared as “null and void” a controversial sale deed executed in favour of certain individuals with regard to 1.35 acres of land in Palani in Dindigul district.

EC extends SIR deadline in Delhi; final electoral roll to be out on October 19

Two weeks into the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Delhi, the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday extended the deadline for the ongoing door-to-door visits to August 8 as digitisation of the enumeration forms is yet to pick up pace. As per the revised schedule for the exercise shared by the EC, the deadline for the month-long house-to-house verification that began on June 30 has been extended by 10 days. The exercise that was scheduled till July 29 will now continue till August 8.

West Bengal govt. forms judicial panel to probe corruption charges during Trinamool rule

The West Bengal government on Wednesday notified the formation of a judicial commission to investigate allegations of institutional corruption and financial irregularities in various government departments during the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from 2011.

Supreme Court asks if panel monitoring the safety of people from the Northeast meets just for ‘talk and tea’

The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) questioned if any concrete work is being done by the court-mandated monitoring committee set up to address problems faced by people from the northeastern States living across the country, including racial discrimination and targeted violence.

Cabinet approves ₹1.27 lakh crore for Semicon Mission 2.0, for mobile manufacturing, new highways

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has cleared several projects, including ₹1.27 lakh crore for the second edition of India Semiconductor Mission and ₹62,500 crore for the mobile phone manufacturing scheme (MPMS) as part of efforts to localise manufacturing amid raging West Asian crisis.

Two killed, 50 rescued in fire in building in Noida village, landlord arrested

A fire broke out in a multi-storeyed building in a Noida village on Wednesday (July 15, 2026), killing two people, police said. The fire was later brought under control, and around 50 tenants residing in the building in Mamura village in Sector 66 were evacuated safely, officials said. Police said two residents — a man and a woman — who were rushed to the hospital were declared dead by doctors. According to Joint Commissioner of Police Rajiv Mishra, the ground-plus-four building had around 10 to 12 rooms on each floor that were being used as residential flats.

India-U.K. DCC not applicable to Indians working in the U.K. before July 15

The India-U.K. Double Contributions Convention (DCC), allowing temporary Indian and British workers an exemption from paying social security contributions in their host countries for 60 months, is not retrospective, i.e., it will not apply to Indians already working in the U.K. and Britons working in India before July 15 2026. The DCC came into effect on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) alongside the India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Normally, temporary foreign workers – called “detached workers” in the U.K. - are exempt from U.K. social security contributions known as National Insurance (NI) for the first 12 months. The India U.K. DCC has increased this exemption from 12 to 60 months for detached workers.

Cabinet approves ₹1.27 lakh crore for Semicon Mission 2.0

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) cleared ₹1.27 lakh crore for the second edition of the India Semiconductor Mission, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The government expects the new scheme to attract investments of around ₹4 lakh crore and lead to semiconductor production worth ₹2 lakh crore during the scheme period. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Semicon 2.0 for the development of India’s semiconductor design and manufacturing ecosystem, an official statement said. The new edition of the semiconductor programme has provisions to incentivise even suppliers of raw material in the chip manufacturing industry, including minerals and gases.

Air India crash: Draft final report will be ready by October, AAIB tells Supreme Court

More than a year after an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly following take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, killing 260 people, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has informed the Supreme Court that it expects to complete its investigation within six weeks, with a “draft final report” likely to be ready by October. “In view of the nature, scale and complexity of the present accident, the AAIB has carefully assessed the timeline for completion of the investigation. In all probability, the investigative activities, subject to the resolution of pending external dependencies, are expected to be completed within six weeks,” states an affidavit filed by the AAIB Director General ahead of a July 17 hearing in a batch of petitions seeking an independent investigation into the crash.

Madan Mitra leaves Mamata Banerjee, joins rebel Trinamool camp

In yet another setback to Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee, loyalist and MLA Madan Mitra on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) switched sides and joined the rebel camp led by the Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee. This development comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate issued summonses to him and his family members in the municipal recruitment scam. Mr. Mitra, the MLA from Kamarhati, was one of the old loyalists of Ms. Banerjee, and recently she had nominated him as the chief whip of the MLAs supporting her in the Assembly.

Body of Indian sailor missing after Oman ship attack found

The body of an Indian sailor who went missing after his ship was attacked off the coast of Oman has been recovered, a seafarers’ union official said today. Heramb Karmarkar, a 30-year-old marine engineer from the western Indian city of Pune, had been missing since Sunday’s attack on the Cypriot-flagged GFS Galaxy. “I got a call Tuesday evening from the company the ship belonged to informing me that Heramb Karmarkar’s body has been found by the Omani coast guard,” Manoj Yadav, of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India, told AFP.

U.S. Senators unveil bill for 100% tariffs on India, four others for buying Russian oil

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators unveiled a bill that seeks to impose 100% tariffs on five countries, including India and China, for purchasing oil from Russia. The bill, brokered by late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, exempts 15 European nations that buy gas from Russia from the tariffs, arguing that the purchases amount to a fraction of their total requirement and the countries in question were taking steps to reduce dependence on Moscow.

ENG vs IND second ODI | Men in Blue aim to build on the positives

Banking on a new set of actors to switch up performances when ratings dip is common practice in the showbiz industry. For Indian cricket, a new set of entertainers arrived in time and helped deliver a moderate box-office hit in the form of a six-wicket victory in the first ODI versus England in Birmingham on Tuesday (July 14, 2026). In the second match of the series at Sophia Gardens on Thursday (July 16, 2026), there will be another opportunity to build on the positives.