top-stories

The MEA said that the continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome.

The Indian Embassy in Vietnam has begun repatriating the mortal remains of 15 Indian tourists killed after a speedboat capsized near Phu Quoc island. Sixteen survivors have been discharged from hospital and returned to India, while one remains under treatment.

The Centre has convened an all-party meeting on July 19, a day before the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins, to discuss its legislative agenda and ensure smooth functioning of both Houses. The Opposition is expected to raise issues including the NEET-UG paper leak and Operation Sindoor, while the government is set to introduce several key Bills.

Both countries have committed to concluding the talks this year. The push to conclude CEPA in 2026 aligns with both governments' focus on diversifying trade partnerships amid global supply chain shifts.

The Union Home Ministry has directed all states, Union Territories and Central ministries to ensure that Vande Mataram is played or sung before the National Anthem at official functions where both are performed. The Centre has also stressed adherence to the prescribed order, official text and pronunciation.

The US Department of Justice has confirmed it will seek the extradition of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi from India after a federal indictment accused him of orchestrating the 2023 assassination of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Officials said the legal process is expected to take years.

The first operational stretch of India's maiden Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor, between Surat and Bilimora, will be launched next year, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. He also announced that the remaining sections will be opened in phases as construction progresses.

The military, paramilitary rangers, and the FC corps, along with specialised teams from the Special Services Group (SSG), are taking part in the operation, they said. The administration has deployed attack helicopters, along with transport carriers, to ferry troops to mountainous regions posing terrain-related issues.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has confirmed the attack on a ship and also said that the crew had abandoned the vessel and boarded a lifeboat. It said the confirmation was made by authorities and the ship’s company security officer.

Paying tribute to Khalra, the DSGMC described the late human rights activist as a defender who dedicated his life to exposing the wrongdoings of the corrupt while upholding the dignity of countless innocent victims.

As per sources, the first cloudburst hit the upper areas of Shangus, making the nearby Aaripath stream swell. Flash floods accompanied by rocks, mud, and silt entered agricultural land and several orchards and affected residential areas, they said.

As many families remain homeless, Rodriguez said the government had launched a Unified Housing Registry, which will serve as both a census and a database for state-ordered financial assistance to quake victims. The government also plans to set up camps with single-family transitional housing “while permanent homes are being built", Rodriguez said.

"On behalf of the Vietnamese authorities, we wish to express our deepest sympathies regarding the recent capsizing of a tourist boat carrying Indian nationals in Phu Quoc. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families," the statement said.

The facts, however, are quite different. While police action may at times have been brutal, it came in response to the wanton killings of innocent people. Let us not forget that the period witnessed the assassination of a sitting Prime Minister, a sitting Chief Minister and a former Chief of Army Staff, the killing of passengers dragged out of buses and trains, the mid-air bombing of an aircraft that claimed about 400 innocent lives, and much more. As long as these events are pushed into the background and movies like Satluj are promoted, history itself risks being distorted and subverted.

Trump’s reticence for full-scale escalation means we are unlikely to return to the war of February 28. Iran’s determination to show control means we are also not likely to see the ceasefire hold or a substantial peace agreement forthcoming.