Orange alert as rain leaves Gurugram waterlogged; disrupts traffic The Sector 52A market was among the most affected areas, with visuals showing commuters wading through knee-deep water Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:14:38 IST By Sampurna Panigrahi, Mihika Shah
‘Buy buy buy!’: Foreign tourist reacts to duty-free shopping after Delhi immigration A foreign tourist has posted a video of his Delhi airport experience, questioning the shopping pitches he encountered just after immigration. Published on: Aug 24, 2026
India security chief visits China for border talks India security chief visits China for border talks Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:06:38 IST AFP Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link India's top security official arrived in Beijing on Monday for talks on the countries' disputed Himalayan border
‘Jo bhi hai, tera ghar hai’: American compares Indian and US hospitality An American Hindi speaker’s take on Indian hospitality has viewers discussing the differences between socialising in India and the US. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:31:09 IST By Vaishali Kapila Prefer HTon Google Share
Manipur: 1 CRPF personnel injured, 2 houses burnt by unknown armed individuals The gunfight broke out after two houses belonging to separate communities were set ablaze by an unidentified group of people Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:49:38 IST By Thomas Ngangom
Nato and EU condemn Russia after drone hits Romanian residential block
A Russian drone hit a block of flats in Romania, causing a fire and injuring two people, Romanian officials say.
Friday's incident in the eastern town of Galați, near the border with Ukraine, was condemned by Romania's fellow members of Nato and the EU. Ukraine said it proved again that Russia posed "a real threat" to Europe.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan said the drone was likely hit by Ukrainian air defences over Kyiv's territory, altering its trajectory. Russian President Vladimir Putin later questioned whether the drone was Russian.
Drones fired by Russia have strayed into Romania a number of times during the four-year war with Ukraine, but it is the first time Romanians have been hurt.
Romania's emergency situations authority said the drone's entire explosive payload detonated and caused a fire on the 10th floor of the residential building.
Two people with abrasions required medical treatment and were taken to the Galați County Emergency Clinical Hospital. About 70 people were evacuated as the fire was put out.
Romania's defence ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after the drones were detected. Brig Gen Gheorghe Maxim said the army had only four minutes from when the drone was detected to the moment of impact.
The ministry added in a later update that it appeared the "entire load" of the Geran 2 drone - also known as a Shahed 136 - had exploded on impact.
Gen Maxim said Romanian forces were under significant constraints, as they could not fire munitions that violated Ukrainian airspace. "Ukraine is at war, but Romania is at peace. We cannot launch a projectile into Ukrainian airspace," he said.
Romania's military has sought to reassure the public that it was not an attack on the country but rather "a conflict at our border, with consequences for the local population".
Speaking during a visit to Galați later on Friday, President Dan said the drone was likely hit while over Ukraine, apparently by Ukraine's air defences.
There was a group of 43 drones coming from the east. Some were shot down over Ukraine, and one was hit above the [Ukrainian] city of Reni, which altered its trajectory.
Dan also said his administration would expel the Russian consul in the Black Sea port of Constanța and shut down the consulate. Moscow said it "won't take long" to respond.
President Dan also convened an emergency meeting of Romania's Supreme Defence Council, describing the Russian drone strike as "the most serious incident to have affected Romanian territory since the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine".
The country's foreign ministry said Bucharest had "requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania" from Nato.
The alliance's secretary general, Mark Rutte, said he had spoken to President Dan and told him the alliance "stands ready to defend every inch of allied territory".
"We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones," Rutte added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: "Russia's war of aggression has crossed yet another line".
"As we continue strengthening our security and deterrence, especially on our Eastern border, we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia," she added.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the incident "proved once again that Russian aggression poses a real threat to the Black Sea region".
He urged other countries to strengthen support for Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia "to restore peace and security in the region".
In a post on social media on Friday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had expressed support for Romania during a phone call with President Dan.
"We will be in constant communication with Romania and will continue to work together to protect life from all potential Russian threats," Zelensky added.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the drone hit was a "serious violation" of Nato airspace, and added that the UK stood "shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, with Romania, and with all our Nato allies in the face of continued Russian aggression".
Other European politicians also condemned the incident, including the French foreign minister, the US Ambassador to Nato and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
At a news briefing later on Friday, President Putin said he had only just heard of the incident, suggesting the drone wreckage should be handed over to Russia for an "objective investigation".
He also recalled recent cases of Ukrainian drones straying into a number of EU countries.
Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and several Nato countries have witnessed drone incursions since then.
Poland blamed Russia for a drone strike on a field in the village of Osiny 130km (80 miles) south-east of Warsaw last August, and then shot down two suspected Russian drones over its territory the following month.
At the time, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had involved Article 4 of the Nato Treaty, which requires members of the alliance to hold urgent consultations.
For Romania and its Nato allies, the border areas near the River Danube - including Galați - are extremely difficult to defend when Russian drones attack the Ukrainian ports of Reni and Izmail.
Romania's defence ministry says that since the start of the war in Ukraine, drone fragments have been found on Romanian territory on 47 separate occasions, 12 of them this year alone.
Last month, fragments of a Russian drone landed on the outskirts of Galați, after a drone was detected across the Ukrainian border near the town of Reni. Nato fighter jets were authorised to target drones at the time but could not fire on one that had been tracked by radar as it did not breach Romanian airspace.
Nato's secretary general said on Friday the Galati incident "showed yet again that the implications of [Russia's] illegal war of aggression don't stop at the border".
In recent months, Nato member states in the Baltics have also faced a series of incidents involving long-range Ukrainian drones that Kyiv says went off course after being jammed by Russian signals.
Source: BBC
Related Posts:
No need to panic over H1N1 surge in K'taka: Minister Khader No need to panic over H1N1 surge in K'taka: Minister Khader Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:51:09 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Bengaluru, Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader on Monday assured the public that there was no
8 hours ago
‘You endorse misogyny, cut the crap’: Shehzad Poonawalla joins BJP attack on Rahul Gandhi's ‘smash patriarchy’ call Shehzad Poonawalla and BJP were responding to Rahul Gandhi's call to "smash the patriarchy" during his party's 'Chhatro ki Goonj' programme in Pune. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026
10 hours ago
For Delhi-NCR residents, Guleria struck a reassuring note while explaining why this year’s wave has felt worse, but citizens need not panic The H1N1 virus driving Delhi-NCR’s current flu surge appears to be changing its structure — a process that is making it spread faster and slip past the
11 hours ago
A job applicant’s unusual rejection from a software engineering internship has left the internet divided after the candidate was reportedly turned down over the name of their resume file. The incident was highlighted in a now-viral post on X by user @adnaannasir_
11 hours ago
Elderly woman killed, husband injured in SUV hit-and-run at Delhi's posh GK-1 The woman, identified as Shashi, was declared brought dead at the hospital, while her husband Kulbhushan (65), was left injured. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 11:00:26 IST By HT News Desk Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy
10 hours ago
Woman reflects on high-rise living in big cities: ‘Even the slice of the sky is fixed for us’ A woman shared her thoughts on high-rise life, saying big-city living can feel confined despite better work opportunities. Published on: Aug 24, 2026
10 hours ago
Governor Abdullah Sarhadi gives money to treat a boy's broken arm and hands out funds for a local mosque - then, in his office in northern Afghanistan, an astonishing exchange unfolds. A young woman tells the grey-bearded former Taliban commander that she wants to divorce her husband
11 hours ago
Andy Burnham is marking his first foreign visit as prime minister with a trip to Kyiv - and will hand over blueprints so Ukraine can build its own long-range missiles. The prime minister will chair his first meeting of the "coalition of the willing"
11 hours ago
Apple’s next iPhone launch is getting closer, and the company’s usual September schedule is beginning to take shape. According to a recent Forbes report, Apple could hold its special event on Wednesday, September 9, where it is expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
11 hours ago
Fugitive gangster Goldy Brar has, in an audio clip, purportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, The Indian Express reported. The newspaper said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clip
11 hours ago
Dad crashes daughter’s late-night work meeting over parcels: ‘Ek paise ki saving nahi karti’ A father’s surprise appearance during his daughter’s work call turns into a lecture on spending and saving. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 10:56:44 IST By Vaishali Kapila Prefer HTon Google Share via
10 hours ago
A Zimbabwean content creator’s tongue-in-cheek take on life in India has caught the attention of social media users after he shared 10 everyday conveniences that have completely changed his standard of living. From paying for almost everything with just a phone to having food
11 hours ago
Starting September 1, passengers traveling internationally will be required to use an e-boarding pass on their smartphones for immigration clearance, as announced by immigration authorities. This significant change comes as the Bureau of Immigration (BOI)
14 hours ago
The September 2026 US Visa Bulletin brings a mixed picture for Indian green card applicants. While some family-sponsored categories have moved forward, several employment-based categories remain severely constrained, with two India-specific categories listed as unavailable and the State Department
14 hours ago
The Maharashtra Transport Department has issued notices to 777 drivers for lacking practical knowledge of Marathi, The Hindu quoted unidentified officials as saying on Saturday. A total of 5,211 drivers were tested during a statewide inspection campaign that began on August 20, including 3
14 hours ago
19-year-old killed, friend injured after truck hits motorcycle on Delhi's Indraprastha flyover A police team reached the spot and found a motorcycle lying in a damaged condition and two people seriously injured. One of them died in the hospital. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026
14 hours ago
Indian woman reveals why her family returned to India after 13 years in US: ‘You don’t really belong here’ A woman shared five reasons her family decided to leave the US and return to India after 13 years. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:43:56 IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Prefer HTon Google
14 hours ago
New UK PM Andy Burnham to make visit to Kyiv on Monday: office New UK PM Andy Burnham to make visit to Kyiv on Monday: office Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:41:28 IST AFP Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will visit Kyiv on Monday on his first international
14 hours ago
Bengaluru vs Gurgaon? Man who lived in both cities explains why the comparison is ‘completely pointless’ A man said the Bengaluru versus Gurgaon debate was pointless and urged people to live in both cities before deciding. Published on: Aug 24, 2026
14 hours ago
Circle Wealth CIO and Managing Partner Chadha said the market was rewarding companies with strong earnings and improving outlooks, even as large-cap stocks remained under pressure. Diwali season is expected to bring a fresh boost for Indian equities following strong corporate earnings
14 hours ago
The restriction was imposed under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which governs the import, manufacture, distribution, and sale of drugs and cosmetics. The central government on Saturday restricted the manufacturing, sale and distribution of all fixed-dose combinations (FDCs)
14 hours ago
Ukraine backers gather as war escalates, air defence runs low Ukraine backers gather as war escalates, air defence runs low Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:41:29 IST AFP Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Ukraine on Monday hosts a meeting of its key European backers to press for critical
14 hours ago
'Trouble proving citizenship after representing India in 3 countries': Ex-envoy to ECI over Punjab SIR Suri served as India’s ambassador to the UAE and Egypt and high commissioner to Australia. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:34:33 IST By HT Correspondent Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
14 hours ago
2 killed after illegal building in Hyderabad's Gachibowli caves in Officials alleged that the building was built over or adjacent to a drain without the required permissions. Published on: Aug 23, 2026, 14:41:02 IST By Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link At least two
1 days ago
J'khand: Compensation of ₹31 lakh each given to families of 3 engineers burnt alive at steel plant J'khand: Compensation of ₹31 lakh each given to families of 3 engineers burnt alive at steel plant Published on: Aug 23, 2026, 14:43:04 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Ramgarh
1 days ago
Jaiñtia Hills to the G7: Can Meghalaya turn ‘Lakadong’ into a global brand? The high-curcumin turmeric has gone from an obscure hill crop to a GI-tagged premium product showcased before world leaders. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026, 14:48:20 IST By David Laitphlang
1 days ago
Ex-NRI shares why she takes auto for 1 km ride to gym after moving to India: 'Life here is a compromise' The woman shared that she has to walk through an area where "everybody stares", while the pathway is "ubad-khabad", dirty and encroached. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
