Eight days after devastating floods in Nepal, families of the missing are resorting to symbolic funeral rites using effigies due to diminishing hopes of finding their loved ones and the destruction of their homes. The disaster has also led to a severe shortage of facilities for traditional mourning rituals in Kathmandu, forcing many to seek alternative arrangements or travel.
Nepal is grappling with the devastating aftermath of flash floods, with the death toll reaching 1,356 and nearly 5,000 people, including foreign nationals, still missing. Identification of bodies is a major challenge, with only a fraction identified so far. President Ramchandra Paudel has appealed for climate justice and national unity for relief efforts. International teams, including experts from India and China, are assisting in search and rescue, particularly at hydropower projects where workers are trapped. The country is also working to restore infrastructure and reassure tourists to protect its vital autumn tourism season.
The Indian Embassy in Nepal has released a detailed procedure for identifying and repatriating the mortal remains of foreign nationals, including Indians, who perished in the recent devastating flash floods. The process involves a nine-step protocol by Nepali authorities, DNA matching for unidentified remains, and assistance from the Indian Embassy for coordination and repatriation.
"Everything was here before, but now there is nothing left," said Nayan Tiwari, one of many residents returning to flood-hit Galchhi in central Nepal to recover whatever belongings remain and to restore homes that once held their everyday lives.
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.
China on Monday dismissed claims linking its massive hydropower projects in Tibet to the August 26 flash flood disaster in Nepal, calling them "malicious speculation".
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will make an additional provision of USD 70 million in Q1 FY2027, bringing its total provision to USD 220 million, after the US Supreme Court declined to review a lower court ruling in a trade secrets dispute with Computer Sciences Corporation (now DXC Technology).
As devastating flash floods swept through parts of Nepal, triggered by torrential rains and a surge in the Bhote Koshi River, Nepali residents and workers in Delhi spent Wednesday anxiously trying to reach family and friends back home, with reports of deaths and hundreds missing causing widespread worry.
The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal has surged to 734, with nearly 2,500 people still missing. India has intensified its rescue and relief efforts, sending additional aid, technical teams, and forensic experts, while also working to locate and rescue over 275 missing Indian nationals.
Tamil Nadu's ruling TVK and its post-poll allies have officially named their front the "Secular Social Justice Victory" alliance, with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay elected as its leader. The alliance, which includes Congress, VCK, and IUML, is preparing for upcoming bypolls on October 6, which will serve as an initial test of its strength. Leaders emphasised the alliance's ideological foundation rooted in secularism and social justice, aiming to protect constitutional values and oppose communal forces.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered extensive rescue operations following devastating flash floods and mudslides near the China-Nepal border in Tibet. The disaster has caused heavy casualties, left nearly 400 people missing, including 105 Indians and 37 NRIs, and damaged infrastructure. Emergency teams have been deployed, and efforts are underway to evacuate residents and provide medical aid.
Two men, Kabir Maharjan and Sanjay Sah, have been rescued alive from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project in central Nepal, nine days after a devastating flash flood tore through the Trishuli River corridor.
Five-year-old Ishara Tamang lies in a hospital bed in Kathmandu, injured and separated from her family, after surviving the flash floods that devastated Rasuwa district on the Nepal-Tibet border.She was rescued from the floodwaters in Khalte, a village in Rasuwa, after being trapped in a net.
Many women admit that while they keep clamouring to know the whereabouts of their disappeared family members, they are painfully aware that all of them may have been done to death, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
Girl students at a government residential school in Amravati, Maharashtra, are moving to a new hostel after nearly 600 students left, claiming some girls were "possessed." Officials attributed the strange behaviour to mental stress and local superstitions, including beliefs about spirits and upset deities. The new hostel aims to alleviate overcrowding and provide a better environment.
Across India, Gen Alpha students (born between 2010 and 2024) are increasingly taking to the streets to protest against poor school infrastructure, lack of teachers, and unhygienic conditions, leading to some significant wins and drawing attention to the declining state of public education.
Nearly 600 tribal students abandoned a government-run hostel in Amravati, Maharashtra, after some girls exhibited strange behaviour, leading to claims of spirit possession. Officials suspect mental stress or selective hysteria, while local beliefs attribute the incidents to angry spirits from a cut 'mahua' tree or an encroached temple. Counselling efforts are underway to bring students back.
The southwest monsoon has advanced across northern Indian states, leading to widespread rainfall, waterlogging, road blockages, and rain-related deaths, particularly in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Centre is monitoring the situation, especially concerning potential drought conditions in some areas due to the El Nino effect.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Sunday said that eight people have died, an equal number are missing and 13 were injured in the previous day's heavy rains which caused property damage, landslides and waterlogging in many parts of the state.
The Jharkhand government has cancelled 44 recruitment examinations conducted by the state Public Service Commission (JPSC) and an outsourced agency since 2014, including the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, following a 25-day student agitation over alleged irregularities. This decision has led to protests from around 2,000 candidates who had already been appointed to various state government departments after clearing the JSSC-CGL exam.
The West Bengal government has revoked the Banga Bibhushan award from Rajya Sabha MP Ananta Maharaj following his controversial remarks describing Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as a 'war criminal' and questioning the Azad Hind Fauj's role in India's freedom struggle.
Typhoon Bavi made landfall in eastern China, leading to the evacuation of nearly 2 million people. Authorities issued red alerts for rainstorms and orange alerts for the typhoon, causing widespread cancellations of flights and ferry services, and the closure of tourist attractions.
In a heartwarming act of compassion, Irfana Iqbal, a Muslim panchayat member in Kasaragod, Kerala, performed the last rites of an abandoned Hindu man, Narayanan, according to his customs after his family refused to claim his body. Her selfless act, driven by the belief that humanity transcends religion, has garnered widespread appreciation.
US authorities have shut down an India-based call centre operation that allegedly defrauded hundreds of elderly Americans of millions of dollars through tech support scams, following a years-long investigation.
The national capital was in the grip of a cold wave, with the sun largely obscured by clouds and pollutants lingering in the atmosphere, leading to reduced visibility. At least 129 flights were cancelled at the Delhi airport on Saturday due to dense fog, according to an official.
Security forces continue 'Operation Sheruwali' for the seventh day in Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir, to hunt down Pakistani terrorists, while another anti-terrorist search operation was launched in neighbouring Poonch district.
North India is experiencing an intense heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 48 degrees Celsius in some areas. Several states have issued warnings and advisories as the heatwave is expected to continue.
Across World Cup co-host Mexico, soccer pitches are laid out wherever communities can find the space. On the edges of towns, on highway underpasses, and even in a volcano crater, spaces are cleared that allow the young and the old to share in the dream of the beautiful game.
Tensions in West Asia have dramatically escalated as Israel launched targeted military operations against Iran, triggering widespread blasts across strategic cities, following earlier Iranian projectile attacks on Israel.
Uttar Pradesh is experiencing an intense heatwave, with Banda recording the highest temperature at 47.6 degrees Celsius. The IMD has issued a 'Red Colour Warning' for severe heatwave conditions. The extreme heat is disrupting daily life and economic activity, prompting government action to prevent heat-related illnesses.
Northern states in India are experiencing severe heatwave conditions, with temperatures reaching up to 46.6 degrees Celsius. The heatwave has impacted daily life, leading to a decline in tourism and increased power demand. Authorities have issued advisories and implemented measures to mitigate the effects of the extreme heat.
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district launched a fresh fire assault and multiple grenade launcher attacks on suspected terrorist hideouts, marking the sixth day of the anti-terror operation in the dense forests.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a warning of significant rainfall in Kerala due to cyclone Fengal, currently positioned as a strong low-pressure area over northern Tamil Nadu.
Large parts of India are experiencing a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring to dangerous levels. Authorities have issued alerts and health advisories as the heatwave intensifies across multiple states.
The TMC has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at an EVM strongroom in Kolkata. TMC workers protested outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, claiming that postal ballots were taken to a room without CCTV coverage. Similar protests occurred at a strongroom in North 24 Parganas, while the BJP shared a video from Purba Bardhaman district.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has accused the CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala of striking a secret deal with the BJP for the upcoming Assembly elections, alleging suppression of dissent and targeting of minorities by both the state and central governments.
According to court documents, Shivam directed smuggling operations from January through June 2025, coordinating the illegal transport of individuals across the US-Canada border into Clinton County, New York.
The United States has returned 657 antiquities, valued at nearly USD 14 million, to India after recovering them from trafficking networks. The artifacts were recovered following investigations into networks linked to Subhash Kapoor and Nancy Wiener.
Bihar's greatest resource is not beneath its soil but above it -- its people. With a population approaching 140 million and one of India's youngest demographic profiles, Bihar possesses an asset many societies would envy, explains Bihar Governor Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
