Hockey star and India midfielder Nilakanta Sharma has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to directly address the situation in Manipur.

Sharma, who's currently with the hockey team in Chennai for Asian Champions Trophy, said: "What can I say about my state? Nothing will change if I say anything. But I only hope Modiji says something for our sake."

Sharma said this when asked if he wished to say anything to the people of India about the unfolding crisis that's hit Manipur over the last few months.

In May, Manipur's small but passionate hockey community was directly affected because of the violence.

Laishram Ribaldo Meitei, supposed to be part of the state's age-group team at the 13th Hockey India junior national championship in Rourkela, was shot dead in Imphal East (he was a captain at the sub-junior level). 

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the home minister, has defended the controversial pro-Hindutva activist Sambhaji alias Manohar Bhide, saying he does good work for Hindutva and connects the Bahujan youth to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj-related forts.

The Congress alleged that Bhide works for the RSS-BJP and that is why he has not been arrested despite controversial statements from him against Mahatma Phule, Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru and Sai Baba. He has also passed misogynistic remarks earlier, the party alleged.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie, are separating after 18 years of marriage. The two said in statements posted on Instagram that they made the decision after "many meaningful and difficult conversations."

A statement from the prime minister's office said they both have signed a legal separation agreement.

Trudeau, the 51-year-old scion of one of Canada's most famous politicians, was sworn into office in 2015. Sophie Trudeau is a former model and TV host. The couple were married in 2005.

Together, they brought star power to the prime minister's office and appeared in the pages of Vogue magazine. They have three children, 15-year-old Xavier, 14-year-old Ella-Grace and 9-year-old Hadrien.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) issued an official clarification on Aug 2  refuting rumours that the Indian rupee could be used as legal tender in the island nation.

The bank further stated that the Sri Lankan public should not be misled by the misrepresentation of facts circulating in the public domain on the INR.

The CBSL also said that from time to time, they designate foreign currencies to facilitate trade.

The bank reiterated that the legal tender in Sri Lanka for domestic payments and settlements will remain the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR).

Trade between India and Sri Lanka has grown rapidly after the Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement came into effect in March 2000.

Rice exporters of Pakistan are having a field day due to the Indian government's ban on the export of non-basmati white rice to the international market.

On July 20, the Indian government banned exports of non-basmati white rice to boost domestic supply and keep retail prices under check during the upcoming festive season.

Non-basmati white rice constitutes about 25 per cent of total rice exported from the country.

Pakistan Rice Exporters Association Chairman Chela Ram Kewlani said that the ban on non-Basmati white rice export by India has led to an increase in the export orders of Pakistani firms.

This year, Pakistan is expected to export rice worth over USD 3 billion dollars, he said, adding that the price of basmati rice has risen by 100 dollars per ton.

Besides increasing demand from the US, the UK and other European countries, Russia has also shown keen interest in purchasing 5 million tonnes of rice from Pakistan, Kewlani said.

In a bid to diversify its operations from China to India, Taiwanese electronic manufacturer Foxconn announced a slew of projects in India in the past few months. Foxconn, the world’s second-largest electronic manufacturing company, on Aug 2 , signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to invest USD 600 million in Karnataka for two projects.

The company will invest around USD350 million to set up an iPhone component facility. For the second project, it has partnered with US-tech-giant Applied Materials in a USD250 million venture to make chip-making tools.

The investment is likely to generate around 12,000 jobs in the state.

This announcement comes a few days after Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Technology Group, announced an investment plan in another South Indian state. The company said it will invest Rs 1,600 crore to start its manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu’s Kanchipuram district. The project is likely to create 6,000 jobs in the state.

Foxconn, which assembles 70% of iPhones, is on a spree to move some of its manufacturing operations outside China. It fears if the relationship between China and the US gets bitter in the future, there may be chances of the US imposing economic and technology sanctions on China.

In March 2023, Foxconn Chairman Young Liu in India committed to setting up a manufacturing facility in Kongara Kalan. The company also acquired a vast plot of land near Devanahalli, close to Bengaluru International Airport.

The company recently called off its partnership with Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta for fab manufacturing in India. Later, it announced that it will apply separately for incentives to manufacture chips in India.

The edible oil industry association has criticised the government’s decision to impose a ban on de-oiled rice bran exports stating that it would impact the Indian industry and farmers in the long run.

The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India, an industry association of vegetable oil, said that the ban would not help contain rising milk prices and that it would hurt paddy growers of West Bengal, a significant producer of rice bran.

Confirming that the fifth Ashes Test against Australia was the last traditional format match of his career, England all-rounder Moeen Ali said he will not travel to India next year for a Test series.

India will host England for a five-match Test series across January and March 2024.

Moeen has played 68 Tests for England making 3,094 runs with five hundreds and 15 fifties. The off-spinner also has taken 204 wickets in Test cricket.

Despite the fine record, Moeen accepted the fact that his Test career would have hit a higher note.

The 36-year-old, though, has no plans to move away completely from cricket as he wants to concentrate on franchise cricket.

Moeen has done well for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, while making his presence felt in other leagues like the PSL and the Hundred.

England gave a fitting send-off to Moeen as he led the side out of the Oval with Stuart Broad, who had also announced his retirement after the fifth Ashes Test. Moeen said it was indeed nice of Broad to allow him to walk beside him.