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India Today
3 hours ago
- General
- India Today
Important days in August 2025: Full list of national and international events
August is the eighth month of the year and brings with it many special days that are celebrated in India and around the world. These days include festivals, historical anniversaries, cultural events, and global awareness campaigns. Whether it's remembering national heroes, honouring traditions, or spreading awareness about global causes, every week in August has something important to list of important days in August 2025 can help students, teachers, and exam aspirants stay updated. It can also serve as a helpful reminder for anyone who wants to participate in social, cultural, or environmental a detailed look at the significant days and dates to watch out for this August.1 August – National Mountain Climbing Day is celebrated to honour two young climbers who scaled the 46 High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains.1 August – Yorkshire Day marks the celebration of history and heritage in the UK's largest historic county.1 August – World Lung Cancer Day spreads awareness about lung cancer risks, early detection, and support.1 August – World Wide Web Day honours the invention of the internet and the man behind it, Tim Berners-Lee.3 August – National Watermelon Day celebrates the refreshing summer fruit enjoyed across the US.3 August – Cloves Syndrome Awareness Day raises awareness about a rare genetic condition affecting growth and blood vessels.3 August – Friendship Day is observed on the first Sunday of August to celebrate bonds of friendship.4 August – Assistance Dog Day recognises specially trained dogs that help people with disabilities.4 August – U.S. Coast Guard Day commemorates the founding of the Coast Guard in 1790.6 August – Hiroshima Day remembers the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.7 August – National Handloom Day celebrates the handloom industry and its weavers in India.8 August – Quit India Movement Day recalls Mahatma Gandhi's historic 1942 call for British withdrawal.9 August – Nagasaki Day marks the atomic bombing of Nagasaki three days after Hiroshima.9 August – Rakshabandhan is a Hindu festival that celebrates the protective bond between siblings.9 August – International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples promotes the rights and cultures of indigenous communities.9 August – National Book Lover's Day encourages reading and appreciation of books.9 August – World Sanskrit Day honours the ancient and classical Indian language, Sanskrit.9 August – Narali Purnima is a coastal festival in Maharashtra where coconuts are offered to the sea for protection.10 August – World Lion Day spreads awareness about the importance of lion conservation.10 August – World Biofuel Day highlights the role of renewable fuels in reducing dependence on fossil fuels.12 August – International Youth Day promotes youth development and active participation in society.12 August – World Elephant Day calls for global efforts to protect and conserve elephants.13 August – International Lefthanders Day acknowledges the uniqueness and challenges of left-handed individuals.13 August – World Organ Donation Day promotes the importance of saving lives through organ donation.14 August – Youm-e-Azadi marks Pakistan's Independence Day from British rule in 1947.15 August – National Mourning Day in Bangladesh honours the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.15 August – Independence Day in India celebrates the country's freedom from British colonial rule.15 August – Day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary commemorates the Christian belief of Mary's ascension to heaven.16 August – Bennington Battle Day remembers a key battle during the American Revolution.17 August – Indonesian Independence Day celebrates the nation's liberation from Dutch rule in 1945.17 August – Gabon Independence Day marks the country's independence from France in 1960.17 August – Afghanistan Independence Day commemorates the 1919 treaty that ended British control over Afghan foreign affairs.19 August – World Photography Day recognises the art, history, and science of photography.19 August – World Humanitarian Day pays tribute to humanitarian workers and their efforts in crisis zones.19 August – Sanskrit Diwas promotes the preservation and use of the Sanskrit language.20 August – World Mosquito Day marks the discovery that mosquitoes transmit malaria.20 August – Sadbhavna Diwas honours former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and promotes harmony and goodwill.20 August – Indian Akshay Urja Day spreads awareness about renewable energy in India.23 August – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition reflects on the legacy of slavery.23 August – European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism remembers victims of totalitarian regimes.23 August – ISRO Day marks the successful moon landing by Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar South Pole.26 August – Women's Equality Day celebrates the granting of voting rights to women in the United States.26 August – International Dog Day promotes adoption and awareness of the welfare of dogs.26 August – Mother Teresa Anniversary honours the birth of the Nobel Peace Prize winner known for her humanitarian work.26 August – Hartalika Teej is a fasting festival observed by women for marital bliss and devotion to Goddess Parvati.26–27 August – Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha with prayers, processions, and sweets.29 August – National Sports Day in India celebrates the birthday of legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.30 August – Small Industry Day supports and recognises the contribution of small-scale industries in economic growth.31 August – Hari Merdeka marks Malaysia's National Day, celebrating its independence from colonial important days in August 2025 provide a unique opportunity to celebrate culture, history, achievements, and shared global concerns throughout the month.- Ends
Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
‘Indelible mark.' Chilean school identifies girl killed in Miami sailboat crash
A Catholic school in Chile identified the 13-year-old girl killed when a barge slammed into a sailboat carrying a group of girls attending a Miami sailing summer camp. Erin Victoria Ko Han had been going to Colegio San Pedro Nolasco de Vitacura since 2016, the school said in a statement on Wednesday. According to the school, which is located in a province of Santiago, the Chilean capital, Erin left the school last year when she moved to the United States with her family. 'On the morning of Monday, July 28, at the age of 13, Erin departed to meet the Father, leaving an indelible mark on our community, where her cousins, friends, and teachers remain, all of whom will remember her with sincere affection,' the school wrote in Spanish on its website. READ MORE: Two girls dead, two others critical after barge hits sailboat in Biscayne Bay: Coast Guard Erin excelled academically, especially in math, and was an active student at the school, having been on the volleyball team and participated in trapeze. 'Her friendliness and personality allowed her to interact with students at different levels, whether through her participation in extracurricular activities or through the family ties that united her with classmates from other classes,' the school wrote. On Tuesday, the Argentine Consulate in Miami confirmed that Mila Yankelevich, 7, the grandaughter of Cris Morena and Gustavo Yankelevich, two prominent Argentine media producers, died alongside Erin. READ MORE: Granddaughter of renowned Argentine TV producers dies in Miami boat crash Erin and her parents had been living in Chile before moving to Miami in December, according to Emol, a Chilean news outlet. The Chilean Consulate in Miami confirmed her death to the outlet. The school plans to hold a memorial Mass on Thursday with Erin's former classmates and family in attendance. The U.S. Coast Guard, which is leading the investigation into the boat crash, has yet to publicly identify any of the victims in the boat crash. In addition to the two girls who died, two other girls, ages 8 and 11, remain in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital. First responders also rescued a 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman, the camp counselor. READ MORE: 'We were screaming and screaming.' Witnesses watch as barge hits sailboat of campers The 17-foot Hobie Getaway, part of a sailing camp at the Miami Yacht Club on Watson Island, capsized after the 60-foot barge, being pushed by a tugboat and transporting a large crane, hit the sailboat in Biscayne Bay between Hibiscus and Monument islands in Miami Beach. READ MORE: 'Not some boujee yacht club.' Miami Yacht Club has mission of teaching kids to sail 'The entire MYC family is devastated by this terrible tragedy,'' Emily Copeland, the Miami Yacht Club's commodore, said previously in an email to the Herald.
Kuwait Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Kuwait's security plan for 2025 aims to support safer tourism, investment climate: Interior Ministry
Still-in-progress drug law proposes harsher penalties, better support for addicts: Official KUWAIT: Kuwait's Ministry of Interior reviewed the implementation of sweeping legal, digital, and security reforms under its 2025 strategic plan during a media briefing on Wednesday. The plan aims to create a safer, more attractive environment for investment and tourism while strengthening the country's security apparatus, he said. 'Our strategic plan is designed to keep pace with social, economic, and technological changes,' said Brig Gen Nasser Buslaib, Director General of Relations and Media at the ministry. 'It boosts our ability to respond effectively to new developments and ensures that the security establishment is fully aligned with the New Kuwait 2035 vision.' Harsher drug law He outlined amendments to Kuwait's traffic and residency laws, with upcoming changes to narcotics legislation still in progress. 'The plan aims to reinforce justice and protection for both citizens and residents and close legal loopholes to safeguard against exploitation and abuse,' he said. Buslaib noted that the new residency law addresses labor market demands, protects worker and employer rights, and includes clear regulations to combat human trafficking. He also highlighted the e-visa platform—Kuwait Visa—which streamlines access to various visa types, including tourism, business, and family visit visas. He previewed the forthcoming drug law, which aims to crack down on trafficking and improve support for addicts. The law proposes 'harsher penalties for drug-related crimes' and grants authorities expanded powers to dismantle trafficking networks. It also outlines a national rehab and reintegration plan for addicts. The law's first draft was completed in April and submitted to the Cabinet for review. In 2024, 39 drug-related deaths were recorded. In just the first half of 2025, the ministry reported 1,451 drug cases, 261 addiction complaints, 1,864 accused individuals and 11 deaths. 16.3m biometrics A key focus of the ministry's efforts has been digital transformation. According to Buslaib, the ministry now offers 37 services through the 'Sahel' app, with over 30 million transactions processed. 'This transition has simplified transactions, reducing the need to physically visit government agencies for paperwork,' he said. The ministry has also ramped up biometric data collection, registering over 16.3 million biometric fingerprints covering citizens, residents, and visitors. 'This project boosts border security and helps detect identity fraud,' Buslaib added. 'It has already helped reduce document forgery and raised operational efficiency at borders and airports. It also helped authorities find wanted individuals, protecting society from crime.' Drop in violations He also introduced the Coast Guard's new unmanned smart boats, capable of long missions without human operators. These vessels conduct surveillance, track suspicious maritime activity, and support rescue operations—enhancing maritime security and protecting natural resources. Meanwhile, traffic law amendments—implemented in April—have had measurable impact, said Buslaib. The use of AI-powered cameras and stricter penalties for reckless driving led to an 83 percent drop in speed and red-light violations, 75 percent drop in seatbelt and mobile phone offenses, and 55 percent reduction in fatal traffic accidents. 'In 2024, we averaged 300 accidents a day,' he said. 'Most of them—90 percent—were due to driver distraction. The amendments have increased awareness among drivers, leading to a drop in these numbers.' — Agencies
CBS News
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival visitor, 97, rescued after fall into river
Activities at the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival in West Michigan unexpectedly included an actual rescue Tuesday after a tour visitor fell into the Grand River. The 97-year-old man who was rescued had fallen about 6 feet from a deck into the river after losing his balance while using his walker, the Coast Guard Great Lakes District reported on social media. He was taking part in ship tours at Escanaba Park at the time of the fall, which happened about 7 p.m. Seaman Joseph Turk, who is a crew member with the Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay, immediately jumped into the water to assist the visitor. Turk helped keep the man afloat by treading water for over 20 minutes while crews worked from the deck to reach them with appropriate equipment and rescue the victim. The man had injuries to his right hand and leg as a result of his fall, and was taken by EMS to Trinity Health Grand Haven Hospital for treatment. Turk has been in the Coast Guard for less than a year, the report said. The Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival started July 25 and continues through August 3, honoring the U.S. Coast Guard with a slate of activities that includes ship tours, parades, live music, fireworks, a car show and family activities. More than 350,000 people attend the event each year, the festival organizers said.
Miami Herald
15 hours ago
- Miami Herald
‘We were screaming and screaming.' Witnesses watch as barge hits sailboat of campers
William Cruz foresaw the Biscayne Bay boat crash that killed two young girls and critically injured two others moments before it happened. He was sitting atop a roof of a Hibiscus Island home fronting the bay when he saw a large barge barreling toward a small sailboat with brightly colored sails that was not moving in the windless Monday morning on the bay. 'Look! Look!' Cruz, 40, shouted suddenly to his two fellow roofers, all sitting on the roof while taking a break from the heat. The three roofers jumped to their feet and began yelling at the boats, cupping their hands around their mouths to call out as far as they could. The roofers could tell the 60-foot barge would collide with the 17-foot Hobie Getaway in less than a minute. They spied a man in a neon green work shirt on the side of the barge, halfway down where a crane was positioned. Maybe, if the worker in the reflective shirt saw them or the children, the barge could still swerve or stop in time. 'We were screaming and screaming, but we were just too far — he wasn't going to hear us,' Cruz told the Herald Tuesday. 'They were headed straight for the children and by the time the man realized, the barge was already right on top of them.' READ MORE: Two girls dead, two others critical after barge hits sailboat in Biscayne Bay: Coast Guard Another of the roofers, Aldo Meglar, watched in horror as the impending tragedy unfolded moment by moment. Melgar, who was back working for T&S Roofing Systems on the same roof Tuesday, estimates that roughly 30 seconds after he and his colleagues began shouting and jumping, the barge crewman in the neon green shirt also spotted the sailboat full of campers from the Miami Yacht Club. The roofers said they heard the children and counselor yelling and waving for the barge to stop. 'He saw the small boat and he started running to the back of the barge yelling at the captain,' Meglar said. 'But the barge was already this close to the children in front,' he added, gesturing to a garden bench about 20 feet away. 'I think the captain heard him, because the engine was cut off, and the boat stopped very quickly, but it was too late,' Meglar said, shaking his head. 'It sounded like thunder, the moment the barge hit the little boat. I started screaming 'It's killed them! It's killed them!'' Meglar and Cruz watched as the barge struck the sailboat's side, flipping it and throwing the campers and counselor overboard. As the sailboat was dragged under the barge, the roofers think they saw some of the campers get pulled under. 'I felt awful seeing that, scared, and it was all the worse because we were yelling and they couldn't hear us,' Melgar said. The crash killed two of the campers - a 7-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl - and critically injured two other girls, ages 8 and 11. Another camper, a 12-year-old girl, and the 19-year-old camp counselor were rescued. The Coast Guard, which is leading the investigation, has not publicly identified the victims. The Argentine consulate in Miami confirmed to the Herald the death of 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich, the grandaughter of Cris Morena and Gustavo Yankelevich, two prominent Argentine media producers. READ MORE: Granddaughter of renowned Argentine TV producers dies in Miami boat crash The roofers were among many along the shoreline of Hibiscus Island who witnessed the tragedy unfold shortly after 11 a.m. Andry Becerra, 38, who works for Chamonix Yachts, had just arrived to a client's house on North Hibiscus Drive when emergency vehicles began screeching onto the street and skidding to a stop at a house three doors down. Becerra and his co-workers, there to detail a yacht, were walking to the dock in the back of the house just yards from what rapidly became the scene of a rescue operation. 'There was such desperation, all the rescuers were so desperate,' Becerra said, describing how rescue boats sped toward the site and workers in life jackets and dive gear leapt into the water. 'They moved so fast, without doubt or pause. I tell you - there were true heroes among them.' As helicopters whirred overhead and more boats flooded into the bay, Becerra was transfixed as a swimmer in red shorts lifted a young girl above the water. The child was pulled onto a boat that raced back toward the shore near where Becerra was sitting. Almost simultaneously, he said, divers and rescue workers lifted a second girl into another boat. 'They seemed so focused, even though there was so much noise from the boats and cars and all the yelling,' Becerra said. 'They were very, very valiant, and they moved with great urgency to get the children to shore.' The children were sped to the shoreline behind 131 North Hibiscus Drive and then rushed through the property. Across the street, Melissa Friedland, 48, watched what happened next. The roar of vehicles on Friedland's usually quiet street on Hibiscus Island sent her darting to the large window of her second-floor bedroom that overlooked her neighbor's driveway. In minutes, it became the rescue operation's central staging area. 'At first, I was worried my neighbor was hurt,' Friedland said. 'Then I saw them bring out a gurney with a child, a girl, on it — and my stomach dropped.' Friedland initially thought the girl on the gurney might be her neighbor's granddaughter, but the escalating size and scope of the operation made her realize this was much bigger than one child. 'The Miami search and rescue workers were so, so amazing, there were so many people sprinting — really sprinting — back and forth for equipment from trucks and through the house.' Friedland watched, petrified, as five gurneys carrying children were run out through her neighbor's property into a waiting ambulances. There were five young Miami Yacht Club campers on the boat - between ages of 7 and 13 — and the 19-year-old camp counselor. The club, nearly a century old and tucked behind Parrot Jungle on Watson Island, has taught generations of children how to sail. 'Not some boujee yacht club.' Miami Yacht Club has mission of teaching kids to sail Friedland texted her daughter first. Then she texted her neighbors, some of whom had enrolled their children in past years in sailing summer camp programs. One thought dominated Friedland's thoughts. 'How awful, how horrible — those parents' lives are never going to be the same.''
