News Dabba for 08 August 2025: Five stories for a balanced news diet

Indie Journal brings you the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites. Here's a glance through some of the National and International news updates, from Rahul Gandhi's response to ECI, Netanyahu's plan to occupy Gaza city, to the aftermath of Uttarkashi disaster.

Hindustan Times on RaGa's response to ECI

Rahul Gandhi of the Congress on Friday responded to the Election Commission of India's comments, a day after making explosive claims of a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through collusion between the BJP and the poll panel. Hindustan Times reports that the ECI, according to sources, had asked the Congress MP to sign the declaration by Chief Electoral Officers of Maharashtra and Karnataka or apologise for his “absurd” allegations. Rahul Gandhi also claimed that the Election Commission websites in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar have been closed, the report adds. Read the full report here.

Israeli military plans to occupy Gaza City in major escalation of war, Al Jazeera

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the military occupation of Gaza City, located in the north of the Palestinian enclave, Al Jazeera reports. Occupying Gaza City marks a major escalation by Israel in its war on the Palestinian territory and will likely result in the forced displacement of tens of thousands of exhausted and starving residents who are experiencing famine conditions as Israel continues to block humanitarian aid from entering the territory. The report says that in a television interview with US outlet Fox News, Netanyahu also said Israel does not want to be “a governing body” in Gaza and would hand over responsibility to an unspecified third party. Read the full report here.

Tamil Nadu unveils State Education Policy, India Today reports

India Today reports that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday unveiled the State Education Policy (SEP) at the Anna Centenary Library Auditorium in Kotturpuram, positioning it as a clear alternative to the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP). A 14-member committee headed by retired Justice Murugesan was constituted in 2022 to draft the new policy. The panel submitted its recommendations to the Chief Minister in July last year, and the document has now been formally released. The SEP will retain the state’s two-language policy, rejecting NEP’s three-language formula, and recommend undergraduate admissions for arts and science courses based on consolidated marks from Classes 11 and 12 instead of a common entrance exam, the report says. Read the full report here.

The Straits Times: 'Never seen before' rains lash southern Japan

Record rainfall hit parts of southern Japan on Aug 8, as authorities urged residents to evacuate and warned of possible landslides, The Straits Times reports. The deluge follows a period of punishing heat in many parts of the country, with a national record temperature of 41.8 degre Celsius set this week. The report adds that Television footage showed brown, fast-flowing water overflowing its banks to inundate homes in the Kagoshima region. Read the full report here.

566 evacuated from flood-hit Uttarkashi, NDTV reports

The Uttarakhand government on Friday said that a total of 566 people have been evacuated till noon from disaster-hit areas of Dharali and Harsil in Uttarkashi district, NDTV reports, where massive flash floods disrupted normal life. The evacuation of nearly 300 more stranded individuals is currently underway, according to state authorities. The report mentions that the Indian Army is using dog squads, drones, and ground-penetrating radar for search and rescue operations in the area. Read the full report here.