Evening news wrap: Goyal's 'economy' check after Trump's remarks; all 7 acquitted in Malegaon bomb blast case and more

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday reaffirmed India’s stand on protecting national interests in trade talks after the US imposed 25% tariffs. A special NIA court acquitted all seven accused, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Meanwhile, a human trafficking victim in Chhattisgarh alleged Bajrang Dal activists coerced her into giving a false statement, a charge the group denies.

Here are the top 5 news stories for the evening:

India to become 3rd-largest economy: Piyush Goyal responds to Trump’s “dead economy” remarks
Commerce minister Piyush Goyal dismissed US President Donald Trump’s remark calling India a “dead economy,” asserting that India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy. Addressing Parliament, Goyal emphasized that India prioritizes national interest in all trade negotiations and remains committed to fair trade. His comments came amid US plans to impose 25% tariffs on Indian goods. Read full story


2008 Malegaon blast case: Special NIA court acquits Pragya Thakur, Lt Col Purohit and five others
A special NIA court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. The court cited lack of sufficient evidence to convict the accused, noting that suspicion alone cannot lead to punishment. The blast had killed six people and injured over 100. The judgment brings an end to a nearly 17-year-long legal battle. Read full story

Chhattisgarh trafficking victim alleges coercion by Bajrang Dal, backs arrested Kerala nuns

A woman involved in a human trafficking and forced conversion case in Chhattisgarh has accused Bajrang Dal activists of coercing and assaulting her into giving a false statement against two nuns from Kerala. She now asserts that the nuns are innocent and that her earlier testimony was made under duress. Bajrang Dal denies the allegations, and the case remains under national scrutiny due to its sensitive religious and political implications. Read full story

Dharmasthala mass-burial probe: SIT unearths skeletal remains 4 ft deep near Nethravati river
A Special Investigation Team investigating the alleged mass burial of women and minors in Dharmasthala, Karnataka, uncovered partial skeletal remains on the third day of exhumations. The bones were located about four feet underground at site 6 beside the Nethravati River’s bathing ghat, one of 13 spots pinpointed by a former sanitation worker who says he was coerced into burying the bodies. Five sites had earlier yielded nothing. The newly found remains have been sent for forensic tests as the SIT’s witness-led search continues. Read full story

Myanmar Junta ends four-year emergency rule, schedules December elections amid opposition boycott
Myanmar’s military government officially lifted the four-year state of emergency on July 31 and announced national elections in December, stating a return to civilian rule. However, opposition parties have rejected the move, calling the announcement a ploy to cement military control. Acting President Min Aung Hlaing will continue in power, overseeing an election commission and interim cabinet tasked with organising the vote. Read full story