Experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) suggest that an ice-rock avalanche originating in a high-altitude area likely triggered the devastating flash floods that swept across central Nepal districts, killing at least 95 people and leaving nearly 500 missing.
A preliminary government report reveals that devastating flash floods in Nepal have affected over 32,000 people, caused 1,295 deaths, and severely damaged infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools, and healthcare facilities. Senior Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsing KC has criticised the government's coordination of rescue and relief operations and called for international action on climate justice.
India has highlighted 13 key outcomes from the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, focusing on enhanced cooperation in security, counter-terrorism, and addressing transnational threats. These outcomes include the establishment of a Universal Centre for Countering Challenges and Threats to Security, a strong stance against state-sponsored terrorism, and agreements on narcotics control, climate change, and artificial intelligence, reinforcing India's engagement in the Eurasian region.
India's Ministry of External Affairs announced that central and state forensic laboratories will provide DNA profiling services for first-degree relatives in India to help identify victims of the recent Nepal flash floods. This initiative supports Nepal's ongoing identification process, with specific guidelines for sample collection and submission of DNA profiles to Nepali authorities.
Mountaineer Baljeet Kaur, known for scaling five 8000-metre peaks in a single season, is one of four recipients of the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards for 2024. Other awardees include Skalzang Rigzin for land adventure, Rimo Saha for water adventure, and Shiv Prasad Chamoli for lifetime achievement, recognising their exceptional contributions to adventure sports in India.
A key suspect linked to a cross-border drug trafficking network has been apprehended in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, in a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Goa Police.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against seven foreign nationals, including a US citizen and six Ukrainians, for illegal entry and alleged terror conspiracy with ethnic armed groups, though the stringent UAPA anti-terror law was not invoked at this stage.
India's Ministry of External Affairs reported that 320 Indians are missing and 400 are stranded on the Chinese side following devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border. India is actively involved in rescue efforts, sending relief supplies to Nepal and coordinating with Chinese authorities for the evacuation of its citizens. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reviewed the situation, emphasising the priority given to the well-being of Indian nationals.
'When a glacier collapse or a major flood event does occur, the water will simply reclaim its original path, and anything built in that path will be swept away.'
Nepal is grappling with one of its worst disasters in recent years as massive flash floods, triggered by an ice avalanche, have claimed 270 lives and left thousands missing across multiple districts, prompting urgent rescue and relief operations.
Punjab Police have successfully dismantled a cross-border illegal arms smuggling and hawala network, arresting four individuals, including an Afghan national. Authorities recovered eight sophisticated pistols and seven live cartridges. Investigations suggest the arrested individuals were linked to a foreign-based smuggler using hidden drop locations for weapon consignments.
This might lead to a further outburst, flooding downstream if left unchecked.
BJP MP Raghav Chadha addressed the 12th IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, highlighting India's digital transformation journey. He emphasised how technology is widening access and promoting inclusion, citing UPI's success, affordable data, and robust data protection laws. Chadha also discussed India's digital cooperation with Uzbekistan and the importance of digital rights, safety, and skill development for all citizens.
Traffic between Assam and Meghalaya was disrupted after Guwahati-based cab operators blocked National Highway-27, protesting alleged attacks on people from Assam during a Khasi Students' Union (KSU) rally in Shillong, which saw 31 vehicles damaged and several pedestrians assaulted.
Eleven days after devastating floods triggered by an ice-rock avalanche, Nepal continues to grapple with a rising death toll of 1,344 and nearly 5,000 missing. Authorities face significant challenges in identifying the deceased, with many bodies severely damaged. DNA samples are being collected from relatives to aid identification, while the government mobilises relief and rehabilitation efforts. A fresh flood incident in Gorkha district also caused damage.
A man was arrested at the India-Nepal border in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh, with over 2.30 kg of high-grade hydroponic weed worth approximately Rs 1 crore. The arrest by SSB personnel led to the accused being handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau for further investigation into a cross-border drug network.
The West Bengal government has transferred approximately 32 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for fencing along the India-Bangladesh border, a process that had been pending for several years. The state cabinet also approved proposals for additional land transfers for permanent border outposts and further fencing work in various districts.
'It's a no-brainer that in the next Test in New Zealand, your first choice has to be Devdutt.'
Sanjay Sah, a 30-year-old employee, was rescued from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project in Nepal after nine days. He attributed his survival to chanting 'Hare Krishna' and was miraculously rescued on Krishna Janmashtami. Another worker, Kabir Maharjan, was also rescued but required further medical treatment. Sah, a foreman, stayed behind to ensure others' safety during the initial disaster.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya's comments recalling the role of non-Bengali communities during the 1946 communal riots and alleging past restrictions on Durga Puja have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the TMC, Congress, and CPI(M). Bhattacharya appealed for unity for peaceful Durga Puja celebrations, while opposition leaders accused him of divisive politics and distorting history.
A R Rahman performed at the first-ever concert at the Attari-Wagah border post, using the platform to promote his soundtrack for Imtiaz Ali's Partition-era film Main Wapas Aaunga.
In a major bureaucratic rejig, the Central government on Thursday promoted six 1995-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officers holding senior ranks in different Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
Extraordinary accounts of survival are emerging from Nepal's devastating flash floods, including a 97-year-old woman rescued from rubble and individuals who fled collapsing settlements, spending nights stranded in forests before rescue.
The West Bengal government has transferred 142.79 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) to facilitate the construction of outposts and barbed-wire fencing along the India-Bangladesh border, according to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Nepal's devastating flash floods have claimed 1,127 lives, with thousands still missing a week after the disaster. Rescuers are intensifying efforts to find survivors and recover bodies across affected regions, while police work to identify victims and relocate families from high-risk areas.
Massive flash floods in Nepal, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche, have devastated the border town of Timure and other central districts, leaving a rising death toll and hundreds missing. The disaster, described by witnesses as feeling like an earthquake, has claimed entire families and caused widespread destruction to infrastructure. Rescue efforts are underway, with a significant number of missing individuals identified as tourists, including nearly 300 Indian nationals.
Bangladesh-China and Bangladesh-US relations have evolved from reluctant engagement to increasingly consequential strategic partnerships.
Authorities in Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh, have demolished the three-storey house of Naushad, the main accused in a cracker factory blast that killed 13 people, including 11 children. The demolition followed the arrest of Naushad and two women, with police also suspending nine personnel for negligence and seeking other absconding suspects.
Around 600 children are unaccounted for in Nepal's Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts following devastating flash floods, which have raised the death toll to 1,282 with over 4,700 people still missing.
The Gandak river's water level in Bihar is showing a receding trend, bringing relief to low-lying areas after flash floods in Nepal caused a surge. Despite a marginal rise due to late-night rainfall in Nepal, authorities are monitoring the situation closely, with no adverse impact on embankments reported.
Amritsar Police have dismantled a cross-border arms smuggling module, arresting five individuals and recovering sophisticated pistols and live cartridges.
Former Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan (retd) revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed an 'unthinkable' and 'big lesson' action against Pakistan following the April 2024 Pahalgam terror attack, emphasising India's zero-tolerance policy for cross-border terrorism and the need for irrefutable evidence.
Former Army chief General Manoj Naravane asserted that while India's immediate attention is on Pakistan due to terrorism, China will be New Delhi's primary long-term competitor across political, economic, trade, and military domains, necessitating a strong military deterrence alongside dialogue.
Mallojula Venugopal Rao, a former Naxal commander known as Bhupathi, has joined Gondwana University's 'Ekal' programme in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. He will work as a coordinator to help tribal villagers secure their legal rights, including those under the PESA and Forest Rights Acts, marking a significant shift from his past as a feared Maoist strategist.
NPCI International and Uzbekistan's NIPC have partnered to enable UPI payments across Uzbekistan, allowing Indian tourists, business travellers, and students to make instant merchant payments using the UZQR code. This agreement, approved by RBI and CBU, integrates UPI with Uzbekistan's national payment system, HUMO, facilitating direct P2M payments from Indian bank accounts and reducing reliance on foreign exchange or international cards.
India and China held diplomatic talks to review the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), discussing boundary delimitation, border management, and trans-border cooperation. Both nations stressed the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity for bilateral relations and agreed to continue using existing channels to resolve outstanding issues.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the launch of a tech-enabled 'smart border' project to secure India's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. The project aims to stop infiltration and combat demographic changes.
India has asserted that the state of its border with China directly impacts the broader bilateral relationship, emphasising the critical importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Ministry of External Affairs also firmly rejected China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh, reiterating its status as an integral part of India. This stance was reiterated during a recent Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meeting, where both sides agreed to continue using diplomatic and military channels to resolve outstanding issues.
A senior cryosphere specialist has warned of a potential secondary flash flood in Nepal due to debris from an ice-rock avalanche accumulating at a river confluence, creating a temporary dam that is collecting water.
RBI Deputy Governor Rohit Jain discussed the future of India's foreign exchange markets, highlighting the increasing role of local currencies in cross-border trade, the impact of technology, and existing challenges. He emphasised the need for market evolution to facilitate India's global engagement, absorb shocks, and serve all users efficiently. Jain also addressed concerns about unauthorised forex trading platforms and the importance of customer awareness.
