Captured in powerful images and unforgettable moments, 2025 emerged as a turning point in global affairs. These images tell the defining stories that shaped the world across continents.
A cloudburst triggered devastating flashfloods in the Harsil area of Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, with at least 8-10 Indian Army personnel reported missing from a camp in the lower Harsil region.
On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, disaster swept through the Himalayan village of Dharali on way to Gangotri with a massive cloudburst leading to flash floods that barrelled through homes, trees and cars.
'The lakes up there were already at the brink due to accumulated rainwater, and then snowmelt occurred.' 'When one lake breached, it triggered a cascading effect -- other lakes breached subsequently.'
Authorities continue evacuating stranded pilgrims from areas around Dharali village in Uttarkashi, focusing on air rescue and relief operations due to damaged roads. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is overseeing the efforts, with central government support.
A cloudburst in the high altitude villages of Dharali in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand led to flash floods, causing damage to houses and sweeping away structures. Several people are feared buried under debris.
'There is a clear relationship between the Char Dham road widening and these landslides.' 'The situation has further worsened with the massive influx of tourists whose number are running into several lakhs per month.' 'No parameters have been laid down to control tourist inflow and the result is that the Char Dham yatra has seen a sharp escalation in accidents and loss of lives.'
The GAD order issued to various department heads and in-charges said that no files, documents, computer hardware etc. can be taken outside the Delhi Secretariat complex without the department's prior permission.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has banned the use of third-party tools like WhatsApp and Gmail for transmitting sensitive official documents, citing security concerns. The order, issued by the General Administration Department, states that these platforms are not designed to handle classified information and their security protocols may not meet the stringent standards required for official communications. It highlights potential risks such as unauthorized access, data breaches, and leaks of confidential information. The order emphasizes the importance of using government email facilities, instant messaging platforms, and secure networks for handling sensitive information. It also prohibits the use of digital assistants and smartphones during discussions on classified matters. The government has warned of disciplinary action for non-compliance with these directives.
A purported video showing the boy dancing to a song with four to five men sitting around surfaced online. In the video, the men were compelling the boy to dance with a smile.
The choice that bypasses several other senior government leaders is likely to set a stage for another round of tussle between the AAP dispensation and the LG Secretariat.
The actor-turned-politician has been allotted Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Environment, Forests, and Science and Technology portfolios.
A circular issued on Monday night by GAD Secretary Michael Achom said: "In pursuance of the meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on June 12 and decision taken at para 5-(12) of the proceedings, all employees drawing their salaries from General Administration Department, Manipur Secretariat are informed that no work, no pay may be invoked to all those employees who do not attend their official duty without authorised leave."
'It is a breathtaking journey towards the Tibet border, especially since the Border Road Organisation has accomplished a fabulous feat in black-topping the road till the border.' 'One is left with a salute for the dauntless Indian soldiers who spend the winter in these majestic, though inhospitable areas (we were told that the temperature comes down to minus 40 in winter),' recounts Claude Arpi.
The transferred officers included 22 IAS, 79 IPS, 45 Bihar Administrative Service officers
The Gujarat high court on Monday said it does not have faith in the state machinery which gets into action only after innocent lives are lost, as it pulled up the Rajkot civic body over the purported lapses in functioning of the game zone facility where a massive fire killed 27 persons.
Kailash Gahlot was divested of the Law and Justice portfolio in the Aam Aadmi Party government on Friday, a day after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recalled files related to judicial infrastructure and administration in New Delhi as they remained pending with him for months, officials said.
A newly opened building in the diamond hub of Surat in Gujarat has surpassed the Pentagon as the world's largest office building, according to a report in CNN. Surat Diamond Bourse, billed as a "one-stop destination" for over 65,000 diamond professionals, including cutters, polishers and traders, will welcome its first occupants in November, the report said. It features a succession of nine rectangular structures spilling out from - and interconnected via - a central "spine", and the sprawling 15-storey complex has been built across more than 35 acres.
Himanshi's instafeed is an online how-to-wear-black-and-look-like-a-bigg-boss guide.
Goa Excise Commissioner Narayan Gad on Thursday disallowed a complaint demanding suspension of the excise licence of a restaurant which the Congress claimed was linked to Union minister Smriti Irani's family.
Know the forts India has nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
A look at the wonderful off-runway world of some of the ramp's popular faces.
The Bihar government has advised heads of departments, district magistrates and other senior officials not to call too many meetings as it was affecting the work culture in the state. A recent circular issued by the general administration department said that meetings should not be called on verbal orders and subordinates should be respected.
Goa excise commissioner Narayan Gad on Monday heard arguments over a complaint against a restaurant, which the Congress claimed was linked to Union minister Smriti Irani's daughter.
The outlet, 'Silly Souls Cafe and Bar', was at the centre of a raging controversy after the Congress last week alleged Union minister Smriti Irani's daughter was linked to the property, a charge rejected by the minister.
Sources said the MHA directions came after the services department wrote to it seeking to know the legal status of the appointment of the nine advisors.
A Portuguese era law, which transfers the property ownership rights of a man to his wife after his death, has been cited in defence by the owners of a restaurant in Assagao village in North Goa, which the Congress claimed was linked to Union minister Smriti Irani's daughter.
Five strikers who surprised us in World Cup 2022.
Social activist Aires Rodrigues during a hearing before Goa excise commissioner on Monday produced a lease agreement signed between the owners of a controversial restaurant in North Goa and a company allegedly linked to Union minister Smriti Irani's family.
At present, a 10 per cent EWS quota is in force for those sections of the society which are not covered by any kind of reservations. The central law on the EWS quota was enacted more than two years ago to allow reservation for the poor in jobs and education among the general category.
The study suggests that climate change is contributing to such events happening more frequently, and highlights risks of increasing development projects in fragile environments.
Making a scathing attack against the Left government, he said the practice of giving pension benefits to the personal staff of ministers just after completing two years a few months ago was a 'gross violation and abuse of authority.'
Housing minister Prakash Mehta, who represented the state government at the funeral of the celebrated cricket coach, said Achrekar not being given a state funeral was 'sad and unfortunate'.
Rediff reader Sathyamoorthy Venkatesan from Whitby, Ontario, Canada tells us how his son is making the most of the lockdown.
Six government employees, including two policemen, were on Wednesday dismissed from service for their alleged links with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the total number of employees sacked in last nearly six months to 25, officials said.
Eight Bihar officers, including five IAS officers, have been nominated for the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration for 2012-13.
The DGP was on the "hit list" of the YSR Congress for some time now, as they were perceived to be close to the previous Telugu Desam Party government.
At the devastated Tapovan power project site rescuers worked nonstop even as the odds of finding the trapped workers alive seemed slim.
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor has said his office has information that former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi may try to flee Libya with the help of mercenaries.
As per the comprehensive format devised by the government, the selected candidates, besides being asked to provide information about themselves, their family members, including in-laws, have to provide information about the mobile numbers used during the last five years, the registration number of vehicles owned or used, email and social media or web-based portal accounts, in addition to bank and post office account numbers among others.
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