Devastating flash floods in Nepal's Bhote Koshi River, triggered by a glacier or ice rock collapse, have resulted in 175 recovered bodies and hundreds missing, including tourists. India has promptly responded by providing 10 tons of humanitarian aid and medical supplies, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveying condolences and assuring full support to Nepal.
The devastating floods in Nepal have brought back memories of two major disasters in Uttarakhand in recent years, the Rishiganga tragedy of February 2021 and the Dharali disaster of August 2025, which caused extensive loss of life and property and left thousands struggling to rebuild their lives.
The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed an additional fee of USD 103,265 for all H-1B visa cap-subject applications, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption. This new fee aims to recover interagency costs for immigration programmes and would be paid in addition to existing fees. The proposal is open for public comments for 30 days and has drawn criticism from immigration advocates.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand lost to China's World No 1 pairing Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu in the semi-finals of the women's doubles event at the BWF Badminton World Championships in New Delhi on Saturday.
India's snooker team, featuring Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta, narrowly lost 3-2 to hosts China 'A' in the World Team Snooker Championship final. Despite Advani's strong performance, Aditya Mehta's loss in the decisive frame cost India the gold medal in a challenging, error-ridden contest.
The Indian women's hockey team secured a commendable fifth-place finish at the FIH World Cup by defeating Germany 3-1 in a classification match, with Navneet Kaur scoring two goals.
The administration has sounded a high alert in Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts of Uttar Pradesh, while stepping up the monitoring of the Gandak and other water bodies downstream of rivers in Nepal, following devastating flash floods in the neighbouring country that have killed more than 350 people and left thousands missing.
Japan is deepening its defence relationship with India while simultaneously expanding its economic, infrastructure and security engagement with countries around India -- particularly Bangladesh. The result is an emerging Japanese conception of South Asia in which India remains the strategic anchor, but the geography surrounding India is becoming increasingly important, points out Varun Arya.
Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty caused a major upset on the opening day of the BWF World Championships by defeating world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu also comfortably advanced to the second round in women's singles, while other Indian doubles pairs, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand and Hariharan Amsakarunan-MR Arjun, secured their spots in the next round.
A Chinese official stated that India and China should view each other as cooperative partners and opportunities for development, not rivals or threats. This statement came in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments on the independent and strong ties Russia maintains with both nations, emphasising non-interference in India-China relations.
The devastating flash floods wreaked havoc across Nepal, with the ministry of external affairs on Thursday stating that 84 Indian nationals have been rescued while 290 remain uncontactable as the Himalayan nation stepped up search, rescue and relief operations following the disaster that has claimed more than 390 lives.
Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has described militants operating in Balochistan as 'foreign-sponsored proxies' actively working to destabilise the province and obstruct its development.
Gold and silver prices are anticipated to maintain a positive trajectory in the coming week, with market volatility expected to remain high due to ongoing developments in West Asia and upcoming global economic data, particularly the Federal Reserve's FOMC meeting minutes.
Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha has won her first BWF World Tour title, defeating China's Han Qian Xi in the women's singles final of the Korea Masters Super 300 tournament.
'... to see that young people are gainfully employed. After that, it will become very difficult as we will start ageing much more rapidly.' 'We have a huge proportion of Gen Z. After 2030, every year, we will start seeing a gradual shift towards a slightly older society.'
Bangladesh has not yet decided on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India for the upcoming BRICS summit, with his office stating that Dhaka is awaiting New Delhi's response to its request for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other 'fugitive criminals' currently residing in India.
The US Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which aims to punish Russia and its major petroleum product buyers, including China and India. The legislation allows the US President to impose 100 per cent tariffs on goods from the top five importers of Russian oil and gas, and also extends sanctions on Iran's energy sector. The bill, championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, now moves to the House of Representatives for further approval.
India's women's hockey team delivered a dominant performance, defeating South Africa 6-1 in their second Pool D match of the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup. Six different players scored for India, with a prolific third quarter sealing the rout. This emphatic win significantly strengthens India's chances of advancing, placing them atop Pool D on goal difference ahead of their crucial final pool match against England.
The India U20 men's football team secured a 3-0 victory over Singapore in the first of two friendly matches held in Bengaluru, as they prepare for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is set to chase an unprecedented sixth medal at the BWF World Championships, which are returning to India after 17 years, beginning in New Delhi on Monday. Sindhu, already a five-time World Championships medallist, is high on confidence after winning the Japan Open Super 750 last month.
Former champions India began their World Team Snooker Championship campaign with a narrow 2-3 defeat to hosts China 'B'. The loss in the opening Group 'B' match means India must win their next game against Turkey to stay in contention. Aditya Mehta lost the deciding frame to Zhou Jinhao after Pankaj Advani had earlier levelled the scores.
Chinese leaders, including its generals, will have to weigh whether they can win a war if they ever attack Taiwan and if at all, can they sustain the subsequent devastation, notes Rup Narayan Das.
India's merchandise exports increased by 19.63 per cent to USD 44.24 billion in July, primarily driven by petroleum products, while a significant rise in imports pushed the trade deficit to a six-month high of USD 31.98 billion.
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.
India's campaign in the FIH Women's World Cup concluded after a goalless draw against Australia in their final second-round match.
India women's hockey players urge the Sports Ministry and corporates to save the Women's HIL, saying the league is vital for developing future talent.
A massive flash flood originating in Tibet has devastated central Nepal, killing 17 people and leaving nearly 500 missing, including 105 Indians. The deluge, caused by a rock slide near the Nepal-Tibet border, swept through districts, washing away bridges and severely damaging at least a dozen hydropower projects.
Glimpses of humanoid robots training across soccer, table tennis and other events ahead of the 2026 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has stated his government will verify reports of alleged Chinese incursions in the Taksing sector of Upper Subansiri district. The claims, made by the Nah Welfare Society, suggest Chinese PLA personnel entered areas near villages close to the Line of Actual Control. Khandu plans to consult with the Indian Army and local bodies before drawing conclusions, while the Army previously rejected similar allegations from the NWS.
The Beijing summit may have reduced immediate diplomatic uncertainty, but it did not resolve the deeper structural contest between the United States and China. That contest appears likely to define the coming decade, notes Varun Arya.
Defender Anmol Ekka will captain the 18-member Indian men's hockey team for the AHF Junior Asia Cup in China from August 30 to September 13. The squad, training in Bengaluru under coach Frederic Soyez, recently completed an exposure tour of Belgium and is playing friendly matches against Malaysia U-21 as part of their preparations.
France achieved a historic double victory at the World Championships, with Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue winning mixed doubles and Alex Lanier securing the men's singles title. This unprecedented success is attributed to decades of strategic investment in a national badminton system, including national and regional centres, coach education, and a focus on holistic player development, aiming to elevate France among traditional Asian powerhouses in the sport.
A working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) reveals a continuous decline in the rate at which foreign-owned firms invest in fixed assets in India since the FY20 peak, contrasting with a steady increase from Indian business groups.
In many ways, 17th century India occupied a position in the global economy comparable to that of the United States today. Just as millions of people now look towards America because of its economic opportunities, merchants, adventurers and trading companies once looked towards India.
Deepadhar, featuring former Asian Games gold medallists, has taken an early lead in the fifth East Zone Bridge Championship in Kolkata, accumulating 65.22 Victory Points after four rounds. The tournament, a Bridge Federation of India Ranking Two event, involves around 300 players from 50 teams across East Zone states competing for a Rs 6 lakh prize purse, with the top 16 teams advancing to the knockout stage.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow would not interfere in the "delicate" bilateral relations between India and China, expressing confidence in their ability to resolve border disputes amicably. He also discussed Russia's independent partnerships with both nations, touched upon India-Pakistan ties, and highlighted ongoing and proposed defence cooperation with India, including the BrahMos missile and a potential Su-57 fighter jet project.
The Indian women's hockey team suffered a 2-0 defeat against the formidable Netherlands in their FIH World Cup Pool E encounter, with goals from Yibbi Jansen and Frederique Matla, both from penalty corners. This loss puts India in a precarious position, requiring a victory against Australia to keep their semi-final aspirations alive.
Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Sandhu had a challenging start at the Danish Golf Championship, with Sharma likely to miss the cut after a 2-over 74. Frenchman Felix Mory set a course record with a 7-under 65 to take the lead.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has been seeded ninth in women's singles, while the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty received the fifth seeding for the upcoming BWF World Championships. India has seeded entries in four out of five categories, including Lakshya Sen and the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto. The draw for the championships, set to be held in New Delhi from August 17-23, will take place on Wednesday.
A new report by FICCI, BCG, and IBA outlines that India's banking sector must grow significantly faster than nominal GDP to support a USD 30 trillion economy by 2047, requiring banking assets of USD 45 trillion. The report highlights the sector's current strength, challenges in digitisation, and the need to enhance resilience against fraud and cyber threats, proposing a 13-point agenda for stakeholders.
