The day was dominated by the US Senate's passage of a Russia sanctions bill imposing 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, directly targeting India and China. This story led from early morning, with multiple outlets detailing the threat and its potential impact on India's energy imports. By afternoon, Rahul Gandhi's remarks at a Prayagraj youth event became the secondary lead, where he called social media a 'drug' and claimed only 12 out of 1,000 youth get permanent jobs, drawing BJP criticism. The Jharkhand student protests continued, with talks between the government and protesters remaining inconclusive and an MLA announcing a hunger strike. Other developments included PM Modi's phone call with US VP JD Vance on strategic partnership, the IAF officer's arrest for leaking defense information, and the food safety scandal at Bengaluru five-star hotels.