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.
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.
'People told me to go back to school and leave climate issues to adults. But if adults had done their job, I wouldn't be here protesting.' At just 14, climate activist Licypriya Kangujam says children are paying the price for a crisis they did not create, while governments continue to make promises without delivering meaningful change.
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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the UPSC centenary, urged a fundamental shift in civil services recruitment and governance. He highlighted the need for services to adapt to an "instant-delivery world" powered by AI, focusing on citizen-centricity and evaluating candidates' motivation beyond academic knowledge. The PM also praised Captain Smit Machchhar's bravery during his address.
Only the sluggish pace one has to endure to get there elicits more yawns than yays, notes Sukanya Verma.
Nepal has launched a diplomatic initiative to secure climate-related compensation from major greenhouse gas emitters, asserting that post-disaster assistance for recent deadly flash floods should be viewed as a moral and legal liability, not charity. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal highlighted Nepal's disproportionate suffering from global warming despite negligible emissions, citing rapid glacier melt and extreme mountain disasters. The country has formally approached the Loss and Damage Fund board for urgent financial aid following a catastrophic flash flood in the Bhotekoshi river basin.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, holding him responsible for the deaths of four people during protests in Leh last year. Speaking on the first anniversary of the violence, Wangchuk expressed fear for his life, alleging threats, and called for the judicial inquiry report into the incident to be made public. He criticised the use of automatic weapons against protesters and questioned the branding of local youth as "anti-national," linking the violence to unfulfilled promises regarding Ladakh's constitutional safeguards.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant highlighted the rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence into arbitration practices, expressing concerns about its accuracy, authenticity, and ethical use. He stressed the need for mandatory disclosure when generative AI is used in preparing legal documents and reports, advocating for shared standards to manage deepfakes and AI-generated material. The CJI also encouraged embracing AI for efficiency in tasks like e-discovery while preserving core arbitration principles.
The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to consider a representation for standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding the mandatory use of 'always-on' body-worn cameras by police and Rapid Action Force personnel during crowd control and protest management. The court asked the government to respond within six months, emphasising accountability in situations involving allegations of excessive force.
The Trinamool Congress has lost the chairpersonship of two significant Parliamentary panels following a reconstitution by Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. This development comes after a split in the TMC, with rebel MPs joining the Nationalist Citizen Party and supporting the NDA. The TMC has strongly criticised the move, alleging that Parliament is being turned into a 'deep, dark chamber' due to their exclusion from committee leadership.
Hunkkaar: The Roar is a fairly familiar fight for justice that builds far too many flimsy narratives around its core conflict, runs out of ammunition and speaks out of turn in a needlessly cussing tone, notes Sukanya Verma.
India abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution concerning climate change obligations, citing concerns that it undermines the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). India believes climate obligations should be negotiated through the UN climate framework, emphasising differentiated responsibilities.
Easing Gyanesh Kumar out would create a hazardous political precedent because forcing out a top official, due to public pressure, projects an image of reactive, defensive governing. Furthermore, making a high-level official like the CEC to hand in his papers would validate Opposition claims that Constitutional referees have been compromised, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the BRICS summit, urging the bloc to play a significant role in achieving peace and tranquillity in West Asia and the Gulf region. He highlighted BRICS' growth over two decades, its efforts in tackling global challenges, and its steadfastness in safeguarding the interests of the Global South. Xi called for opposing the Cold War mentality, strengthening multilateralism, and promoting cooperation in emerging domains like AI, as China prepares to chair the next summit.
A proposed Rs 1,200 crore Secretariat-Assembly complex in Pattinapakkam, Chennai, has ignited significant opposition from local fishing communities and various political parties. Residents fear displacement, loss of livelihood, and environmental damage, citing ancestral rights and broken promises. Political leaders across the spectrum are urging Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to reconsider the site, highlighting concerns about ecological impact, traffic, and financial priorities.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) to conduct a nationwide survey to check if any state has constructed obstacles or created blockades in elephant corridors, saying it was unacceptable.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been shifted to a hospital from Jantar Mantar after a 20-day hunger strike, with Delhi Police stating the move was in compliance with High Court directions and medical advice due to his deteriorating health. Protesters, however, alleged he was forcibly removed against his will.
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India has quashed the 2021 Office Memorandum allowing retrospective environmental clearances, reinforcing the importance of prior environmental approval for projects but held that the judgment will apply prospectively, thus saving projects that got retrospective ECs from demolition and other punitive measures.
The Rajasthan High Court has expressed serious concern over rampant construction on Udaipur's ecologically sensitive hills, questioning the state's hill policies and demanding records of commercial project permissions. The court's observations stem from a petition challenging a hotel project and an interim report highlighting extensive hill cutting and inadequate policy formulation, potentially leading to a suo motu Public Interest Litigation.
The Supreme Court of India has quashed criminal proceedings against Standard Chartered Bank and one of its officers in a 1991-92 Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) case, citing an extraordinary 23-year delay in prosecution and the Enforcement Directorate's failure to comply with mandatory procedural safeguards.
Satat Sampada, the organisation of climate activist Harjeet Singh and his wife, said the allegations made by the Enforcement Directorate against the firm and its founder were baseless, biased and misleading.
Malicious cyber activity has disrupted technology at water and wastewater facilities in at least seven US states, forcing utilities to revert to manual operations, with authorities actively probing whether Iranian-linked hackers are responsible.
Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike has entered its 20th day, with doctors warning of his critical health condition. Despite this, Wangchuk is resolute in his call for a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, coinciding with the Monsoon Session's opening, to protest alleged examination irregularities and demand the Union education minister's resignation.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a nationwide agitation, starting in Pune on June 11, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged failures in conducting examinations. The group has warned of an indefinite sit-in at Delhi's Jantar Mantar from June 20 if their demand is not met.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has reiterated its demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on fast-track courts for paper leak cases does not address accountability.
Before sitting on the fast, Wangchuk, along with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, visited Rajghat and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called off its 36-day agitation following the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who stepped down amidst widespread protests over irregularities in the exam system and the NEET paper leak. The government also agreed to the CJP's demands for 1 crore compensation to families of students who died by suicide and no action against protesters.
"I was thinking I would not be required to sit on a protest. I am sad I have to sit on a fast again. I am not doing it happily; it is not easy either. I may even die, but even if I die, I will not step back," said Sonam Wangchuk, climate activist and educator, regarding his indefinite fast for Ladakh's constitutional safeguards.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijit Dipke, is staging a protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks. Dipke has stated he will not leave until their demands are met and has requested Delhi Police to extend permission for the ongoing demonstration.
India has expressed serious concerns about the West Asia crisis and its potential impact on energy supplies and maritime stability, urging BRICS nations to find practical solutions to geopolitical challenges and unilateral sanctions.
On the second day of the protest at Jantar Mantar, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke sought farmers' support to the youth-led agitation over alleged examination irregularities, NEET paper leak and the demand for education minister's resignation.
The Supreme Court has emphasised that the expert committee tasked with defining the Aravalli hills and ranges must consult domain experts and other stakeholders to ensure public input is heard.
The Delhi Police has confirmed that it has not yet received any official request for permission from the digital group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to deploy personnel to maintain law and order if necessary.
Tamil Nadu government is taking proactive measures to curb crime against children, following the sexual assault and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore. The government is focusing on strict policing, public awareness, and swift justice through fast-track courts.
CBSE exams and unemployment are divergent concerns for the middle class and the poor, and the idioms of protest don't speak to all of India's young people, points out Kanika Datta.
A Sri Lankan court has imposed an overseas travel ban on former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and two former military officers in connection with ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. The ban was issued after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) raised concerns that their flight could hamper the probe into the coordinated suicide bombings that killed 270 people. The current government reopened the investigation in late 2024, alleging political influence led to an earlier cover-up.
Tamil Nadu minister Rajmohan has asserted the state government is taking proactive measures to curb crime against children, following the sexual assault and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore. The minister detailed the government's approach of strict policing and public participation to prevent such crimes, while also hinting at the revival of student union elections in colleges across the state.
A top UN official has emphasised the critical role of women in India's development, highlighting that gender equality should be viewed as both a human right and a key factor in development effectiveness.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government of diverting resources to 'Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators' and warned of losing Bengal if she remains in power.
