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

Heavy security deployed at Jantar Mantar, as crowd of protesters swells

The chants grew louder and the crowd thicker at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) as fresh groups of protesters from across the country poured into the protest site, many after overnight journeys by bus and train. Two days after the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, the sit-in continued to draw new participants, many walking into the protest site with backpacks and rolled-up banners after travelling through the night. Volunteers directed them towards seating areas and distributed drinking water and food packets as more groups joined the gathering.

Protesters at Jantar Mantar find relief at free clinics set up by doctors

Sunny Deval, 29, with a band-aid on the entire length of his right forearm, walked into a makeshift tent made of yellow tarpaulin at the Jantar Mantar protest site and complained that his hand was aching again. Soon, a doctor behind the tables filled with medicines, with a stethoscope around his neck, signalled him to come to the end of the other end of the tables and made him sit on a chair and started unwrapping the band-aid.

CJP urges Sonam Wangchuk to end fast, says movement will continue

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) appealed to activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike, requesting him to prioritise his health while vowing to carry forward the campaign for “examination justice”. Mr. Wangchuk is on day 25 of his indefinite fast in support of students, seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the lack of accountability following the NEET paper ‘leak’ issue.

CJI Kant declines to take cognisance of police violence during CJP’s Parliament march

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) declined to initiate suo motu proceedings to take cognisance of alleged police excesses during the July 20 crackdown on student protesters in the national capital. When a lawyer submitted that there was videographic evidence of police brutality against the protesters, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant orally declined to examine the videos, saying that the court’s time should not be “wasted”.

Delhi HC dismisses PIL over Sonam Wangchuk’s removal from Jantar Mantar

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) against the forcible shifting of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site to Safdarjung Hospital on the 21st day of his hunger strike. bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that the issue of Mr. Wangchuk’s hospitalisation at Safdarjung Hospital was earlier raised by his wife before the high court and the matter was “disposed of to their satisfaction”.

SC directs Centre, MP to comply with order on namaz site near Bhojshala complex ‘in letter and spirit’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) directed the Union and Madhya Pradesh governments to comply “in letter and spirit” with its July 14 order requiring the authorities to identify a separate open space near the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex where members of the Muslim community could offer Friday namaz between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. as an interim arrangement. The direction came after the court was informed that the site identified by the administration was nearly two kilometres away.

U.S. announces civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

The United States on Wednesday (July 23, 2026) announced a landmark deal with Saudi Arabia that would establish a civilian nuclear program in the Gulf country, with Washington insisting the agreement includes safeguards against non-proliferation . The move comes as the United States under President Donald Trump fights a war with Iran that began in part over U.S. concerns with Tehran’s nuclear program — an issue that remains a key point of contention during now-stalled talks between the two foes.

10 more deaths raise Assam flood toll to 41

The ongoing wave of floods in some eastern districts of Assam has been the worst in 60 years, the State government said on Wednesday (July 22, 2026). The floods have affected more than 8 lakh people and claimed at least 30 human lives in less than a month. According to a late-night bulletin by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), floodwaters claimed the lives of 10 people across five districts during the last 24 hours.

Venezuela’s ousted leader Maduro back in U.S. court

Venezuela’s ousted president Nicolas Maduro is set to appear before a New York court on Wednesday (July 22, 2026), his third public hearing since the U.S. military captured him in a nighttime raid in January. The former leader, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been held in a Brooklyn jail since the U.S. military operation, awaiting trial on drug trafficking, firearms and other charges. American commandos snatched the pair from their compound in Caracas on January 3. The lightning operation combined naval, air and ground forces, deposing the strongman who had led Venezuela since 2013.

Centre weighs easing cross-ownership rules between airlines and airports

The Centre is considering removing restrictions on airline ownership in airport operators and vice versa, a move that could pave the way for airline groups such as the Tata Group-owned Air India to acquire stakes in airports, according to people familiar with the matter. “The Ministry of Civil Aviation is preparing a concept note for consultations with NITI Aayog and other government ministries on the proposed changes,” said a person aware of the discussions, adding that such a proposal will need a final nod from the Union Cabinet.

U.S. House passes record $1.15 trillion defence bill

The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed an annual defence policy bill on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) that would authorise a record $1.15 trillion in funding for the Pentagon, as the divisive Iran war drags on. Though it traditionally sees significant bipartisan support, the 2027 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) passed the lower chamber in a 216-212 vote, a sign of the growing polarization under President Donald Trump.
Canada cancels joint bridge-opening event with U.S. after President Trump announces tariffs

A planned joint U.S.-Canada ceremony on Friday (July 24, 2026), celebrating the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, is no longer expected to take place after President Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on most Canadian goods. In announcing the tariffs, Mr. Trump accused Canada of unfairly discriminating against U.S. automobiles, alcohol and dairy products, escalating tensions with one of the United States’ closest allies.

U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth estimates cost of Iran war at $37.5 billion

U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) that the Iran war has cost the United States $37.5 billion so far, up from a previous estimate of nearly $29 billion in mid-May. “The estimate we have as of today is $37.5 billion,” Mr. Hegseth testified during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing at which he defended a request for some $67 billion in supplemental funding for the Pentagon. Mr. Hegseth and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress the funding request is “urgent” and “necessary” to pay the Pentagon’s costs for the Iran war through the end of September.

Mamdani says NYC can’t arrest Netanyahu but the federal government should

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said late on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) that the city would not be able to execute an arrest warrant issued by the world’s top war-crimes court for Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, but urged the federal government to do so. In the video, Mr. Mamdani described the Israeli Prime Minister as a “war criminal” and said he is not welcome in New York City. “It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” he said in a video posted on X.

Curtailed Commonwealth Games remain a platform to shine for younger athletes: Rasquinha

As a truncated 2026 Commonwealth Games kicks off on Thursday, most of the stakeholders admit the medal rush may not be as prolific but insist there is no lack of incentive for those participating. “I think it’s going to be a very different Commonwealth Games because a lot of our medal-winning sports are missing. Last two CWG, we won 12 medals in wrestling, six in badminton, seven in table tennis, two each in hockey and squash — none of them is there. So it’s 100% going to affect our medal tally.

Gill one point shy of world No. 1 in latest ICC ODI batting rankings

Three Indian batsmen — Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — feature in the top five of the latest ICC ODI batting rankings released on Wednesday after the England series, with skipper Gill within touching distance of world No. 1 Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand. Gill scored 188 runs in three matches in the 1-2 series defeat to England and is now just one rating point behind table-topper Mitchell, who has 802 points, while Kohli (767) and Rohit (758) occupy the third and fourth spots respectively.