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.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a stern warning that the Makkah Defence Alliance, a newly formed pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, stands ready to activate its collective defence provisions in response to escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has confirmed that terror charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against seven foreign nationals, including one American and six Ukrainians, have not been dropped and the probe is ongoing. The agency filed a chargesheet under the Immigration and Foreigners Act (IFA) to prevent the accused from becoming eligible for default bail, while explicitly stating that the UAPA investigation continues. The foreign nationals were arrested for allegedly entering India illegally from Myanmar.
Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has expressed profound anguish over a devastating flash flood near the Tibet-Nepal border, stating that 77 members of an Isha Foundation Kailash pilgrimage group are unaccounted for after the disaster struck the Gyirong area in Tibet.
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.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that Pakistan will participate in the Men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in India, scheduled from October 27 to November 5. This participation aligns with the Indian government's policy allowing multi-lateral sporting engagements with Pakistan, despite a ban on bilateral series. The tournament will be held in Jalandhar and Mohali, featuring six nations including India and Pakistan, with a highly anticipated India-Pakistan match on November 1.
Nepal's former Forest and Environment Minister Madhav Prasad Chaulagain has expressed concern over the lack of timely information exchange with China ahead of the devastating floods, stating that the disaster's scale could lead to an 'unbelievable' rise in the death toll.
'How will this woman find her? And how does that affect her, because it's not a biological relationship.'
The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has surged to 1,050, with nearly 4,000 people, including foreigners and security personnel, still missing. Rescuers are struggling with intermittent rainfall, rising river levels, and difficult terrain, while expert teams from India and China assist in operations, particularly at hydropower project sites where many workers are believed to be trapped in tunnels.
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.
The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has reached 1,344, with rescue teams continuing to search for approximately 5,000 missing individuals, including foreign nationals, as identification of victims proves challenging due to the condition of recovered bodies.
Bangladesh-China and Bangladesh-US relations have evolved from reluctant engagement to increasingly consequential strategic partnerships.
'There needs to be a monitoring of glaciers in high altitude areas and one needs to check regularly how geological changes are taking place.' 'We can mitigate that by regular monitoring but unfortunately, hardly any monitoring is happening.' 'And without monitoring those higher altitudes of Himalayas, people are suffering.'
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.
Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and 19 former captains urged Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif to ensure independent medical assessment, treatment and court-ordered family visits for Imran Khan.
'The valley is around 16 km from the Nepal border, and it took just 8-10 minutes for the ice and rocks to reach the Nepal border. You can imagine how fast it must have travelled!'
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.
'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.'
India and Nepal have launched a peer-to-peer (P2P) cross-border remittance mechanism, linking India's UPI with Nepal's NPI. This system allows real-time money transfers via mobile banking, enhancing convenience for travellers and businesses, fostering financial inclusion, and strengthening economic ties between the two nations.
An 11-member Indian team, including medical and tunnel-rescue specialists, has arrived in Nepal to assist in the rescue of workers trapped in hydropower project tunnels following devastating flash floods. The disaster has killed hundreds, left thousands missing, and damaged critical infrastructure, prompting Nepal to seek international aid for rescue and reconstruction.
Over 900 workers and employees are missing from various hydropower project sites in Nepal following massive flash floods triggered by an ice and rock collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border. Rescue teams, assisted by experts from India and China, are intensifying efforts to locate and extract hundreds believed to be trapped inside tunnels, with 279 already rescued amidst ongoing challenges.
On the 25th anniversary of that world-changing morning in New York, it is also for the rest of to reflect. Not only on those who were killed but also on why the event happened and what led to it and what came after it, asserts Aakar Patel.
Scientists are examining how a possible glacial collapse and ice-rock avalanche may have triggered the devastating flash floods along Nepal's Bhote Koshi River, with preliminary assessments indicating that debris may have temporarily blocked the Lhende River and created a landslide dam that subsequently gave way.
The United States and the European Union have strongly criticised India's trade policies at the World Trade Organization review, highlighting concerns over high tariffs, quality-control orders (QCOs), and restrictions on digital trade and services, which they argue undermine India's economic openness.
The FCNR (B) stratagem relies on using public money to defend the rupee. The State subsidises foreign borrowing to attract dollars. This tool requires large-scale borrowing to make a material difference against a gross external flow of $11 billion a day. A commensurately large fiscal cost falls upon the exchequer. The ministry of finance will choose how much it is willing to spend in exchange for this round number, points out Ajay Shah.
A US Congress-constituted advisory body on religious freedom, the USCIRF, has urged the Trump administration to revoke the visa issued to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, citing concerns over alleged violent attacks against religious minorities by RSS subgroups.
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.
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.
Deep Dasgupta said Sourav Ganguly's "I am the king" mindset transformed India's response to sledging, encouraging teammates to openly give back instead of silently channelling their anger.
Punjab Police have dismantled a cross-border drug smuggling module, arresting four individuals in Ferozepur and seizing a significant quantity of heroin and cash.
Rajasthan police busted a cross-border smuggling network in Sri Ganganagar district, arresting two individuals and seizing heroin, opium, and illegal arms.
Devastating flash floods in Nepal, triggered by an ice and rock collapse, have led to over 900 deaths and 4,000 missing. Rescue operations by security personnel are severely hampered by critical shortages of specialised equipment, including thermal cameras, body bags, ropes, and helicopters. International assistance from India and China is aiding the search for missing workers, highlighting Nepal's long-standing disaster management capacity issues and inadequate funding.
The West Bengal government will hand over land to the Border Security Force for international boundary fencing and security infrastructure, starting with a 27 km stretch. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said more land would be provided wherever required to strengthen border management in the state.
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.
Nepal is grappling with a deepening flood crisis as the death toll from devastating flash floods in Rasuwa and surrounding districts has tragically risen to 538, with authorities now warning of a fresh flood threat and initiating evacuations.
An American Boeing C-17A Globemaster III military transport aircraft reportedly landed in Moscow on Monday morning, according to online air traffic monitoring systems, Russian news agency TASS reported.
The Iran national women's kabaddi team conducted a six-day practice camp at the Sports Authority of India's Sonepat centre, engaging in matches against the Indian team and local sides.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced plans to enact a stringent law against religious conversion and implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. He linked these measures to strengthening national security and preserving Bengal's cultural identity, citing concerns over infiltration and demographic changes. Adhikari also highlighted efforts in border security, distinguished between illegal immigrants and CAA refugees, and paid tribute to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has completed a decade since its launch, becoming the backbone of India's digital payments ecosystem. It has seen exponential growth in transaction volume and value, expanding financial inclusion and setting a global benchmark for real-time payments.
A study by Amazon Ads reveals that nearly 87% of Indian small and medium businesses (SMBs) believe AI has opened up new advertising opportunities, including streaming TV. The research indicates that 75% of surveyed SMBs attribute business growth to AI-enabled advertising, with 68% noting increased creativity. AI is also facilitating international trade for 59% of businesses, though human oversight remains crucial in decision-making.
