A senior Geological Survey of India official warns that the Himalayas are vulnerable to cascading disasters, where one high-altitude event can trigger a chain of destructive events downstream, as evidenced by Nepal's recent floods. He stresses the need for integrated monitoring using satellite data and ground investigations to identify high-risk areas and improve preparedness in the Indian Himalayas.
'This is no longer a single-hazard problem; it is a cascading, multi-hazard problem. A landslide never occurs in isolation. This entire chain is the cascading effect of what looks, at first, like a single disaster.'
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has been hailed as a hero by Israeli leaders for his extraordinary bravery in thwarting an alleged mid-air attack by his co-pilot on a flydubai flight. Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and prevent a catastrophic disaster. The flight, carrying 174 passengers, safely landed in Saudi Arabia, and Machchhar is recovering.
A recent study by scientists indicates that the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region is experiencing increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change, including rapid glacial melting and changing rainfall patterns. However, the research also cautions against solely blaming climate change, highlighting that human factors like population growth, commercial activities, and non-enforcement of regulations contribute significantly to the vulnerability and impact of these disasters. The study points out that many devastating floods originate from small glaciers and rain-fed streams, exacerbated by encroachment on unstable slopes and floodplains.
Climate scientist Tapio Schneider advocates for expanding early warning systems beyond rainfall events to include other disaster triggers like flash floods, citing the recent Nepal floods. He highlights the inevitability of 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming and discusses the role of advanced climate modelling and AI in improving predictions and research, particularly for regions like India.
South Africa has made significant changes to their squad for the second Test against Australia in Gqeberha, dropping Tristan Stubbs and calling up Matthew Breetzke. Ryan Rickelton will take over as wicketkeeper, likely leading to Kyle Verreynne's exclusion from the playing XI. These changes come after their heavy defeat in the first Test, with lead pacer Kagiso Rabada expected to return.
A scientist from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology highlights how climate change, including glacial retreat, shifting precipitation patterns, and rising nighttime temperatures, is exacerbating the risk of flash floods and landslides in the Himalayas, as seen in recent disasters in Nepal and Uttarakhand.
The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal has climbed to 1,355, according to the latest figures released by Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
'It appears to be a combination: A glacier breaking away, and a dam-like formation downstream reaching capacity and releasing water suddenly.'
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar is being hailed as a hero for preventing a Flydubai flight from crashing after being stabbed by his co-pilot. His friend, Dr. Jinit Shah, attributes his ability to avert the tragedy to "muscle memory" and his extensive pilot training. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised Captain Machchhar's immense courage.
Nepal's devastating flash floods have created a worrisome flood situation in Bihar.
Nepali security forces have intensified search and rescue operations across the flood-hit areas, using helicopters and ground teams to evacuate survivors and search through mud and debris.
The operation remains challenging as destroyed roads and bridges have cut off several remote communities, while hundreds of people are still missing.
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari said an announcement by the organisers of the community Durga Puja at Chorbagan off Chittaranjan Avenue in north Kolkata led to a rush among the revellers, causing the "painful incident"
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced plans to strengthen the state police's Cyberdome to combat cybersecurity threats and deploy indigenously developed robots for traffic management and disaster response. He emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to address growing cyber challenges and protect critical infrastructure, while also highlighting the role of the CoCoN conference in sharing knowledge.
A massive landslide at Wayanad's Kalladi tunnel project killed three people, with politicians blaming contractors for ignoring repeated warnings to remove dumped earth.
Cyril Radcliffe drew India's border without ever visiting it. Turns out our environmental clearance system learned the same trick -- and the Western Ghats are paying for it, points out Binu Alex.
Scenes from the aftermath of Nepal's devastating flash flood, August 27, 2026. Drone images reveal mud-covered towns while Nepalese army rescue teams race to save stranded residents after the Bhotekoshi river outburst.
A high-level committee, formed after a deadly stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, reviewed safety arrangements at several community puja pandals. The committee announced new measures, including prohibiting food stalls near entry/exit points and eliminating separate VIP entries, to enhance crowd management and safety during the festival.
Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani has dismissed fears that artificial intelligence will lead to job losses in India's IT services sector, calling such concerns "hogwash" and "disaster marketing." Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026, Nilekani argued that AI will actually increase demand for IT firms as it necessitates complex business transformations and creates new types of jobs, particularly in small businesses.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday met the families of individuals who lost their lives due to drug-related issues in Punjab, saying he had never felt so deeply saddened in life as he did while meeting them and also called out the AAP government for failing to curb the menace.
An investigation is underway into a flydubai co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami, who allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar in an attempt to crash an Israel-bound flight. The incident, which saw the plane plummet thousands of feet before the captain regained control, is being treated as a lone-wolf terrorist act, with probes by UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
The flydubai near-tragedy showed how the gratuitous conflicts their governments started in West Asia have made the world unsafe for them (and unfortunate co-passengers of other nationalities), points out Kanika Datta.
Heavy rainfall, floods, landslides, and an avalanche have claimed at least 27 lives across Nepal in recent days, with four people missing and eight injured. The monsoon-induced incidents have destroyed hundreds of homes and damaged infrastructure, highlighting the country's vulnerability to such natural disasters, following last month's devastating flash floods.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has initiated an investigation into the role of temporary home guards following a stampede at a Kolkata Durga Puja pandal that killed 19 people. Adhikari criticised the previous administration and highlighted issues with crowd management and the conduct of home guards during the incident. The probe will also include puja organisers and licensing authorities, while a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be formed. Seven people, including organisers, have been arrested.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has acknowledged his side's disappointing start to the Premier League season but expressed confidence that they will overcome this difficult period, especially as they prepare for a crucial Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid.
A new US study reveals that individuals with high neuroticism are more susceptible to prolonged mental distress during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. The research, based on over 100,000 survey responses, found that neuroticism significantly increased anxiety and depression symptoms, persisting even into the post-pandemic period. The findings suggest personality traits can help identify vulnerable groups for targeted mental health support.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have lauded Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as a hero for thwarting an alleged attempt to crash a flydubai flight, saving 174 lives. Machchhar, despite being seriously injured, resisted the attacker and helped prevent a catastrophic mid-air disaster.
Kerala-born Nithya Raman is currently leading incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race following a recent televised debate. The two Democrats sparred over critical issues like homelessness and public safety. If elected in the November 3 polls, Raman would be the first Indian-American Mayor of Los Angeles.
A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after an apparent altercation in the cockpit. Israeli officials confirmed a "severe disaster" was averted, with initial fears of a hijacking prompting fighter jet deployment. Passenger accounts described panic and a pilot being stabbed, though the exact circumstances remain under investigation.
A new study reveals that past emissions from major oil, gas, coal, and cement producers will continue to impact Earth's environment for centuries, even if emissions cease today. The research highlights that the planet will remain significantly warmer than pre-industrial levels, leading to persistent climate damages and increasing the likelihood of future extreme weather events, forming the basis for accountability lawsuits against these "carbon majors."
A stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata on Saturday evening resulted in 19 deaths and 25 injuries. The Chief Minister announced compensation and a SIT probe, while officials have been detained and crowd-pulling pujas advised to close.
The conversations on July 22 and 23, 1962, meetings in Geneva between V K Krishna Menon, India's defence minister at the time, and Chinese vice premier Chen Yi are important because, had they been followed up, the subsequent border war may perhaps have been avoided, notes former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
US President Donald Trump recounted an unconfirmed story about a flydubai flight where an Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, fought off a knife attack from a co-pilot attempting to crash the aircraft. Trump also detailed a dramatic intervention by an Israeli plumber-passenger who helped subdue the co-pilot, learning flying basics from a TV show. Trump stressed that he was merely relaying an account from Israeli PM Netanyahu, not independently confirmed facts.
The Gauhati high court has questioned the legality of the demolition of 21 dwelling units on private agricultural land in Goalpara, saying the action appeared prima facie illegal and unauthorised and may have involved misuse of the Disaster Management Act.
Bharti Airtel's homegrown cloud platform, Airtel Cloud, has acquired approximately 40 customers within a year of its launch, with a significant portion coming from the manufacturing sector. The platform, designed for Indian companies, offers sovereign, telco-grade cloud infrastructure, connectivity, and GenAI-based provisioning, addressing the growing demand for secure, India-hosted data solutions, particularly for sensitive workloads and regulated sectors.
On September 28-29, 2026, rescue teams in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, launched helicopter operations to evacuate trekkers stranded at Kalindi Khal and Auden Col due to heavy snowfall.
Heavy rainfall and swollen rivers have led to severe flooding in 15 districts of Bihar, affecting over 49 lakh people. Major rivers like the Ganga and Kosi are flowing above danger levels, prompting the deployment of disaster response teams and the establishment of relief camps and community kitchens for those displaced.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, stated that Starlink's services in India must be affordable for widespread adoption and that competition would benefit consumers, despite potentially reducing Reliance Jio's profits. He criticised Reliance Jio as a 'de facto monopoly' in India, alleging that certain business conglomerates were blocking Starlink's entry.
A flash flood in Nepal's Budhi Gandaki River in Gorkha district has swept away houses, damaged two hydropower projects, and left at least 10 people missing. Authorities have rescued nearly 50 people and mobilised security agencies for search and rescue operations, urging riverside villagers to move to safer locations.
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the UN General Assembly, strongly criticised Pakistan for its support of terrorism, asserting India's right to self-defence and stating that friendship cannot coexist with terrorism. He also highlighted India's global responsibilities, contributions to the Global South, and its stance on reformed multilateralism and AI.
