Bihar has become the first state in the country to ensure that all polling stations have fewer than 1,200 electors, a move aimed at reducing overcrowding and enhancing voter convenience. The Election Commission has added 12,817 new polling stations across the state, raising the total number of polling stations from 77,895 to 90,712.
This development follows the State Instructional Representation (SIR) order issued on June 24, 2025, which revised the earlier ceiling of 1,500 electors per polling station to 1,200. The model is expected to serve as a template for other states and Union Territories ahead of future electoral exercises.
In preparation for the publication of the Draft Electoral Rolls on August 1, 2025, electoral officers at various levels—Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), District Electoral Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and Booth Level Officers (BLOs)—have held extensive consultations with representatives of all 12 major political parties.
As part of the ongoing efforts to ensure inclusive voter registration, election authorities have shared detailed lists of 29.62 lakh electors whose application forms are yet to be received, as well as 43.93 lakh electors who were not found at their registered addresses. Political parties have been urged to coordinate with their respective District Presidents and nearly 1.5 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to reach out to these individuals and assist in updating the records.
The Election Commission has emphasized a “mission mode” approach to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from the draft electoral rolls. Once the draft rolls are published on August 1, members of the public will be able to submit objections or requests for additions, deletions, or rectifications for a full one-month period, in line with provisions laid out in the June 24 SIR order.
This collaborative push involving election authorities and political stakeholders is part of a broader effort to strengthen the electoral process and improve voter accessibility ahead of the upcoming elections.
President Donald J. Trump campaigned on a list of “20 core promises to Make America Great Again” — and in just six months, he has unquestionably delivered. From lowering costs to securing the border to enhancing public safety, President Trump has done more to make good on his promises than any president in modern American history, and he’s just getting started.
Seal the border and stop the migrant invasion: “We will close the border. We will stop the invasion of illegals into our country.” (10/12/24, Aurora, CO)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: Under President Trump, the number of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border are at historic lows and border wall construction has resumed. Last month, illegal border crossings were the lowest ever recorded, while this fiscal year is on track to see the fewest illegal crossings in five decades. For two straight months, zero illegals were released into the country’s interior.
Carry out the largest deportation operation in American history: “We will begin the largest deportation operation in the history of our country.” (10/21/24, Concord, NC)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: Every single day, the Trump Administration is removing illegal immigrant killers, rapists, gangbangers, drug traffickers, and other violent criminals off our streets — and sending them back.
End inflation, and make America affordable again: “Starting the day I take the oath of office, I will rapidly drive prices down and we will make America affordable again.” (8/17/24, Wilkes-Barre, PA)
Make America the dominant energy producer in the world, by far: “We will stop the Biden-Harris war on American energy … American energy is such a big deal. We will drill, baby, drill.” (8/3/24, Atlanta, GA)
Stop outsourcing, and turn the United States into a manufacturing superpower: “Together, we’re going to … bring thousands of factories back to the USA, right where they belong — and that will be done through tariffs and smart policy. We will build American, we will buy American, and we will hire American.” (1/19/24, Washington, D.C.)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: As President Trump pursues his bold commitment to an America First trade agenda, scores of companies have announced trillions of dollars in new investment as they onshore workers from foreign countries and create tens of thousands of new American jobs — positioning the U.S. as the dominant player for the jobs of the future.
Large tax cuts for workers, and No Tax on Tips: “We’re going to have very large tax cuts for workers and … No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime.” (10/12/2024, Reno, NV)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: The largest tax cut in history for working- and middle-class Americans — including No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and No Tax on Social Security — is now the law of the land, along with unprecedented tax relief for small businesses, farmers, workers, and families.
Defend our constitution, our bill of rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms: “We’re going to bust up the censorship regime and bring back free speech again” (1/28/23, Columbia, SC), “I will defend religious liberty.” (1/19/25, Washington, D.C.)
Prevent World War III, restore peace in Europe and in the Middle East, and build a great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country — all made in America: “We will build a great Iron Dome over our country like Israel has a dome like has never been seen before, a state-of-the-art missile defense shield that will be entirely built in America and create jobs, jobs, jobs.” (6/15/24, Detroit, MI)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump has achieved remarkable success by employing his Peace Through Strength doctrine around the world —preventing war between India and Pakistan, ending the 12 Day War, brokering a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and averting escalation in other areas. Meanwhile, the One Big Beautiful Bill delivers funding for the Golden Dome missile defense system to protect our homeland from 21st Century threats.
End the weaponization of government against the American people: “Biden has worked to persecute political dissidents, including conservatives, Catholics and other Christians, and opponents of his weaponized state … This abuse will be rectified, and it will be rectified very quickly.” (5/25/24, Washington, D.C.)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump has purged corrupt elements from the DOJ and FBI, pardoned pro-life Americans wrongly targeted by the Biden Administration, and launched full-scale investigations into deep state abuses — bringing the era of weaponized government to an end and restoring fairness and trust in American institutions.
Stop the migrant crime epidemic, demolish the foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence,and lock up violent offenders: “The drug cartels are waging war on America — and it’s now time for America to wage war on the cartels” (12/22/23), “We will expel every single illegal alien gang member and migrant criminal operating on American soil and remove the savage gang, Tren de Aragua, from the United States.” (1/19/25, Washington, D.C.)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: The Trump Administration is dismantling human smuggling networks, sanctioning cartels and designating them as foreign terrorist organizations, and deportinggang members in droves — ridding our country of these public safety threats for good and making our streets safer than they’ve ever been.
Rebuild our cities, including Washington, D.C., making them safe, clean, and beautiful again: “We will rebuild our once great cities, including our capital in Washington, DC, making them safe, clean, and beautiful again.” (1/19/25, Washington, D.C.)
Strengthen and modernize our military, making it, without question, the strongest and most powerful in the world: “We will again build the strongest military the world has ever seen.” (1/20/25, Washington, D.C.)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: With the largest military investment in decades, President Trump is modernizing our forces with cutting-edge technology, rebuilding depleted stockpiles, and ensuring our troops are the best-equipped in history — deterring adversaries and keeping America safe without unnecessary conflicts.
Keep the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency: “If I’m elected, the dollar is so secure. Your reserve currency is the strongest it’ll ever be.” (10/15/24, Detroit, MI)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: Through pro-growth policies and tough tradedeals, President Trump has fortified the dollar’s dominance, preventing de-dollarization efforts abroad and ensuring it remains the global standard — boosting American economic power worldwide.
Fight for and protect Social Security and Medicare with no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age: “I will not cut one penny from Social Security or Medicare … I will not talk about one day or one year shorter, and I will not raise the retirement age of Social Security by one day, not by one year.”(7/27/24, West Palm Beach, FL)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump hasn’t touched Social Security — and has consistently called for rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse to safeguard the programs’ solvency for future generations, delivering on his ironclad commitment to America’s seniors.
Cancel the electric vehicle mandate and cut costly and burdensome regulations: “We’re going to be ending the electric car mandate quickly.” (1/7/25, Palm Beach, FL)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: On day one, President Trump revoked the burdensome electric vehicle mandate — and fortified that action by signing a congressional resolution into law. The Trump Administration has also slashed job-killing regulations to unleash innovation, lower costs, and put American workers first.
Cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children: “I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory … or political content onto the shoulders of our children.” (8/3/24, Atlanta, GA)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump signed an order to defund schools promoting divisive critical race theory and radical gender ideology.
Keep men out of women’s sports: “We will keep men out of women’s sports.” (5/26/24, Washington, D.C.)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump immediately ended the unfair, demeaning practice of forcing women to compete against men in sports — which resulted in the NCAA changing its rules and drove countlessstates and high schools to change their policies.
Deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again: “We will deport the foreign Jihad sympathizers and Hamas supporters from our midst. We will get them out of our country.” (9/19/24, Washington, D.C.)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump has cracked down on campus chaos with federal enforcement and visa revocations for pro-Hamas agitators — restoring safety, free speech, and American values to universities across the nation.
Secure our elections, including same day voting, voter identification, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship: “We will secure our elections — and they will be secure once and for all.” (10/13/24, Prescott Valley, AZ)
✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump implemented nationwide election integrity measures through executive action, banning foreign nationals from election interference, strengthening voter citizenship verification, prosecuting non-citizen voting, requiring voter-verifiable paper ballot records, and ensuring state-by-state compliance with federal law.
Unite our country by bringing it to new and record levels of success: “It’s time to unite … Success is going to bring us together.” (11/6/24, West Palm Beach, FL)
✅PROMISE KEPT: President Trump’s remarkable success is bringing the country together — with more Americans saying the country is on the right track than any point in two decades and support among Republicans for President Trump and his agenda near historic levels.
More than 3.3 crore individuals have received skill training under various initiatives of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) over the past decade, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Responding to a written query, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said that over 1.6 crore candidates have been trained or oriented under PMKVY, of whom 1.29 crore have been certified as of June 30, 2025. Under other programmes supported by the NSDC, an additional 1.74 crore individuals have been trained.
The minister also said that NSDC has facilitated the certification of over 2.32 lakh trainers through awarding bodies. The trainer-to-beneficiary ratio, he noted, varies depending on the nature of training, batch size, sectoral requirements, and geographical factors.
The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana is implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) through the NSDC. Though the government holds only 49 per cent equity in NSDC, it maintains oversight through representation on the board. To ensure standardisation and transparency, the government has introduced several regulatory and technological measures, particularly under the PMKVY 4.0 framework, which is currently in force.
Chaudhary said PMKVY 4.0 places a strong emphasis on quality, industry relevance and flexibility. He added that On-the-Job Training (OJT) has been embedded in the short-term training component to offer practical exposure to candidates.
The government has also introduced digital systems such as the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), which monitors the full training cycle—ranging from Aadhaar-based enrolment and biometric attendance to geo-tagging and real-time dashboard updates. Training is conducted only by certified trainers and assessed by certified assessors. Measures such as e-KYC-based enrolment, performance audits, third-party evaluations and grievance redressal mechanisms have been put in place to enhance accountability.
As of FY 2024–25, the MSDE has released ₹1,538.29 crore for the implementation of PMKVY. No funds have been released so far in the current financial year. Detailed State and UT-wise disbursal data has been published in the ministry’s official annexure.
PMKVY, the minister said, is being implemented across all districts and is aimed at ensuring accessibility and inclusion, particularly for marginalised communities. Training centres are being set up even in Aspirational Districts and those affected by Left-Wing Extremism.
Chaudhary said the scheme has also begun offering training in emerging sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, Electric Vehicles, Robotics, 5G and Data Analytics to make the workforce future-ready. He added that job roles are aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework and undergo regular updates based on feedback from industry and placement outcomes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the loss of lives in the tragic air crash in Dhaka. He assured that India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said:
“Deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of lives, many of them young students, in a tragic air crash in Dhaka. Our hearts go out to the bereaved families. We pray for the swift recovery of those injured. India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance.”
At least 19 people were killed and 164 injured when a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a college and school campus in Dhaka on Monday. The aircraft experienced a technical problem shortly after take-off, a military spokesperson confirmed.
The F-7 BGI jet took off at 1:06 p.m. local time (0706 GMT) from the Bangladesh Air Force base in Kurmitola, Dhaka, as part of a routine training mission. It encountered a mechanical failure soon after take-off, said military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury.
“The pilot made a valiant attempt to divert the aircraft away from densely populated areas. Despite his best efforts, the aircraft crashed into a two-storey building belonging to Milestone School and College,” he stated.
The pilot was among those killed in the crash. The Bangladesh military has formed a committee to investigate the cause of the incident.
A total of 497 District Project Management Units (DPMUs) have been appointed across 618 districts in the country to facilitate on-ground execution and monitoring of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme
The PM Vishwakarma Scheme is being jointly implemented by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and the Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance. The MoMSME acts as the nodal ministry for overall implementation and coordination, while the MSDE is responsible for the skilling component, with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) serving as the Project Implementing Agency (PIA).
DPMUs play a key role in the effective outreach and coordination of the scheme. Their responsibilities include generating awareness among Vishwakarma beneficiaries, communicating training schedules, batch timings, training centre locations, and benefits. They also ensure regular monitoring of training centres to maintain adherence to established guidelines.
As of July 16, 497 DPMUs have been deployed, with 107 of them assigned to manage multiple districts due to specific project needs and operational requirements. Despite multiple assignments, no instances of double payments have been reported, as payment processing is strictly based on verified personnel deployment.
The functioning of DPMUs is closely monitored through a task-based review system. Daily tasks are assigned by the PIA, with weekly performance reviews in place. DPMUs undergo physical orientation sessions before deployment and are continuously guided through physical and virtual meetings by the PIA. They also work in coordination with the Regional Directorates of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (RDSDEs) to ensure efficient implementation at the district level.
A weekly tracking mechanism has been established by the PIA to monitor progress, and supervision and evaluation of DPMU operations are conducted on a weekly basis.
The information was shared by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Monday.
For detailed State/UT-wise information on DPMUs, including those managing multiple districts, the public may refer to the Ministry’s official website at [www.msde.gov.in/documents]
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The final of Rosneft’s corporate creative festival “Energy of Talents” was held in Moscow at the Mosproducer conference center, in which employees of 44 of the Company’s enterprises from all over the country took part.
Rosneft has been holding annual creative festivals for its employees since 2011. In 2025, more than 7,000 people from 59 Group Companies applied to participate in the Energy of Talents selection round, which was held online. The jury members viewed hundreds of creative numbers in various nominations.
Participants who qualified for the final competed over two days in dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, original genre, fine art and photography. Winners in six nominations were selected by a professional jury, with voting in two nominations taking place online.
Between performances, participants and spectators had the opportunity to take master classes under the guidance of professional teachers in choreography, vocals, acting, public speaking and instrumental genres.
The company supports significant projects in Russian cultural life that are aimed at reviving and preserving spiritual and national values. With the support of the Company, the State Hermitage Museum has been holding various exhibitions and expositions since 2018. Thus, in 2024, the museum opened an updated permanent exhibition “Culture and Art of China”.
With the Company’s support, the Mariinsky Theatre artists under the direction of Valery Gergiev performed in Qatar with the production of “A Thousand and One Nights”; a concert dedicated to the 95th anniversary of Alexandra Pakhmutova was held in Volgograd; a number of exhibitions were organized at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow. In 2023-2024, Tatyana Navka’s ice shows “Evenings on a Farm” and “The Nutcracker” were held in Moscow, and the show “The Love Story of Scheherazade” toured in the Indian city of Ahmedabad.
Department of Information and AdvertisingPJSC NK RosneftJuly 21, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on July 14, 2025.
Scott Reiners, age 37, was sentenced to 12 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Reiners was further ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
Reiners was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024 . He pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy between September 2022 and April 2023 in which Reiners and several other individuals conspired to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including within the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservations. As part of the conspiracy, Reiners was involved in distributing between 5 kilograms and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine. Reiners was also involved in a traffic stop where law enforcement seized 254 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine and a handgun. Reiners is prohibited from possessing firearms due to three prior felony convictions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Reiners was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“India is on the Moon,” S. Somanath, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, announced in August 2023. The announcement meant India had joined the short list of countries to have visited the Moon, and the applause and shouts of joy that followed signified that this achievement wasn’t just a scientific one, but a cultural one.
India’s successful lunar landing prompted celebrations across the country, like this one in Mumbai. AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade
With more countries joining the evolving space economy, many of our colleagues in space strategy, policy ethics and law have celebrated the democratization of space: the hope that space is now more accessible for diverse participants.
Major players like the U.S., the European Union and China may once have dominated space and seen it as a place to try out new commercial and military ventures. Emerging new players in space, like other countries, commercial interests and nongovernmental organizations, may have other goals and rationales. Unexpected new initiatives from these newcomers could shift perceptions of space from something to dominate and possess to something more inclusive, equitable and democratic.
We address these emerging and historical tensions in a paper published in May 2025 in the journal Nature, in which we describe the difficulties and importance of including nontraditional actors and Indigenous peoples in the space industry.
Continuing inequalities among space players
Not all countries’ space agencies are equal. Newer agencies often don’t have the same resources behind them that large, established players do.
The U.S. and Chinese programs receive much more funding than those of any other country. Because they are most frequently sending up satellites and proposing new ideas puts them in the position to establish conventions for satellite systems, landing sites and resource extraction that everyone else may have to follow.
Sometimes, countries may have operated on the assumption that owning a satellite would give them the appearance of soft or hard geopolitical power as a space nation – and ultimately gain relevance.
Small satellites, called CubeSats, are becoming relatively affordable and easy to develop, allowing more players, from countries and companies to universities and student groups, to have a satellite in space. NASA/Butch Wilmore, CC BY-NC
In reality, student groups of today can develop small satellites, called CubeSats, autonomously, and recent scholarship has concluded that even successful space missions may negatively affect the international relationships between some countries and their partners. The respect a country expects to receive may not materialize, and the costs to keep up can outstrip gains in potential prestige.
Environmental protection and Indigenous perspectives
Usually, building the infrastructure necessary to test and launch rockets requires a remote area with established roads. In many cases, companies and space agencies have placed these facilities on lands where Indigenous peoples have strong claims, which can lead to land disputes, like in western Australia.
Many of these sites have already been subject to human-made changes, through mining and resource extraction in the past. Many sites have been ground zero for tensions with Indigenous peoples over land use. Within these contested spaces, disputes are rife.
Because of these tensions around land use, it is important to include Indigenous claims and perspectives. Doing so can help make sure that the goal of protecting the environments of outer space and Earth are not cast aside while building space infrastructure here on Earth.
Some efforts are driving this more inclusive approach to engagement in space, including initiatives like “Dark and Quiet Skies”, a movement that works to ensure that people can stargaze and engage with the stars without noise or sound pollution. This movement and other inclusive approaches operate on the principle of reciprocity: that more players getting involved with space can benefit all.
Researchers have recognized similar dynamics within the larger space industry. Some scholars have come to the conclusion that even though the space industry is “pay to play,” commitments to reciprocity can help ensure that players in space exploration who may not have the financial or infrastructural means to support individual efforts can still access broader structures of support.
The downside of more players entering space is that this expansion can make protecting the environment – both on Earth and beyond – even harder.
The more players there are, at both private and international levels, the more difficult sustainable space exploration could become. Even with good will and the best of intentions, it would be difficult to enforce uniform standards for the exploration and use of space resources that would protect the lunar surface, Mars and beyond.
It may also grow harder to police the launch of satellites and dedicated constellations. Limiting the number of satellites could prevent space junk, protect the satellites already in orbit and allow everyone to have a clear view of the night sky. However, this would have to compete with efforts to expand internet access to all.
The amount of space junk in orbit has increased dramatically since the 1960s.
What is space exploration for?
Before tackling these issues, we find it useful to think about the larger goal of space exploration, and what the different approaches are. One approach would be the fast and inclusive democratization of space – making it easier for more players to join in. Another would be a more conservative and slower “big player” approach, which would restrict who can go to space.
The conservative approach is liable to leave developing nations and Indigenous peoples firmly on the outside of a key process shaping humanity’s shared future.
But a faster and more inclusive approach to space would not be easy to run. More serious players means it would be harder to come to an agreement about regulations, as well as the larger goals for human expansion into space.
Narratives around emerging technologies, such as those required for space exploration, can change over time, as people begin to see them in action.
Technology that we take for granted today was once viewed as futuristic or fantastical, and sometimes with suspicion. For example, at the end of the 1940s, George Orwell imagined a world in which totalitarian systems used tele-screens and videoconferencing to control the masses.
Earlier in the same decade, Thomas J. Watson, then president of IBM, notoriously predicted that there would be a global market for about five computers. We as humans often fear or mistrust future technologies.
However, not all technological shifts are detrimental, and some technological changes can have clear benefits. In the future, robots may perform tasks too dangerous, too difficult or too dull and repetitive for humans. Biotechnology may make life healthier. Artificial intelligence can sift through vast amounts of data and turn it into reliable guesswork. Researchers can also see genuine downsides to each of these technologies.
Space exploration is harder to squeeze into one streamlined narrative about the anticipated benefits. The process is just too big and too transformative.
To return to the question if we should go to space, our team argues that it is not a question of whether or not we should go, but rather a question of why we do it, who benefits from space exploration and how we can democratize access to broader segments of society. Including a diversity of opinions and viewpoints can help find productive ways forward.
Ultimately, it is not necessary for everyone to land on one single narrative about the value of space exploration. Even our team of four researchers doesn’t share a single set of beliefs about its value. But bringing more nations, tribes and companies into discussions around its potential value can help create collaborative and worthwhile goals at an international scale.
Tony Milligan receives funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 856543).
Adam Fish, Deondre Smiles, and Timiebi Aganaba do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
“India is on the Moon,” S. Somanath, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, announced in August 2023. The announcement meant India had joined the short list of countries to have visited the Moon, and the applause and shouts of joy that followed signified that this achievement wasn’t just a scientific one, but a cultural one.
India’s successful lunar landing prompted celebrations across the country, like this one in Mumbai. AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade
With more countries joining the evolving space economy, many of our colleagues in space strategy, policy ethics and law have celebrated the democratization of space: the hope that space is now more accessible for diverse participants.
Major players like the U.S., the European Union and China may once have dominated space and seen it as a place to try out new commercial and military ventures. Emerging new players in space, like other countries, commercial interests and nongovernmental organizations, may have other goals and rationales. Unexpected new initiatives from these newcomers could shift perceptions of space from something to dominate and possess to something more inclusive, equitable and democratic.
We address these emerging and historical tensions in a paper published in May 2025 in the journal Nature, in which we describe the difficulties and importance of including nontraditional actors and Indigenous peoples in the space industry.
Continuing inequalities among space players
Not all countries’ space agencies are equal. Newer agencies often don’t have the same resources behind them that large, established players do.
The U.S. and Chinese programs receive much more funding than those of any other country. Because they are most frequently sending up satellites and proposing new ideas puts them in the position to establish conventions for satellite systems, landing sites and resource extraction that everyone else may have to follow.
Sometimes, countries may have operated on the assumption that owning a satellite would give them the appearance of soft or hard geopolitical power as a space nation – and ultimately gain relevance.
Small satellites, called CubeSats, are becoming relatively affordable and easy to develop, allowing more players, from countries and companies to universities and student groups, to have a satellite in space. NASA/Butch Wilmore, CC BY-NC
In reality, student groups of today can develop small satellites, called CubeSats, autonomously, and recent scholarship has concluded that even successful space missions may negatively affect the international relationships between some countries and their partners. The respect a country expects to receive may not materialize, and the costs to keep up can outstrip gains in potential prestige.
Environmental protection and Indigenous perspectives
Usually, building the infrastructure necessary to test and launch rockets requires a remote area with established roads. In many cases, companies and space agencies have placed these facilities on lands where Indigenous peoples have strong claims, which can lead to land disputes, like in western Australia.
Many of these sites have already been subject to human-made changes, through mining and resource extraction in the past. Many sites have been ground zero for tensions with Indigenous peoples over land use. Within these contested spaces, disputes are rife.
Because of these tensions around land use, it is important to include Indigenous claims and perspectives. Doing so can help make sure that the goal of protecting the environments of outer space and Earth are not cast aside while building space infrastructure here on Earth.
Some efforts are driving this more inclusive approach to engagement in space, including initiatives like “Dark and Quiet Skies”, a movement that works to ensure that people can stargaze and engage with the stars without noise or sound pollution. This movement and other inclusive approaches operate on the principle of reciprocity: that more players getting involved with space can benefit all.
Researchers have recognized similar dynamics within the larger space industry. Some scholars have come to the conclusion that even though the space industry is “pay to play,” commitments to reciprocity can help ensure that players in space exploration who may not have the financial or infrastructural means to support individual efforts can still access broader structures of support.
The downside of more players entering space is that this expansion can make protecting the environment – both on Earth and beyond – even harder.
The more players there are, at both private and international levels, the more difficult sustainable space exploration could become. Even with good will and the best of intentions, it would be difficult to enforce uniform standards for the exploration and use of space resources that would protect the lunar surface, Mars and beyond.
It may also grow harder to police the launch of satellites and dedicated constellations. Limiting the number of satellites could prevent space junk, protect the satellites already in orbit and allow everyone to have a clear view of the night sky. However, this would have to compete with efforts to expand internet access to all.
The amount of space junk in orbit has increased dramatically since the 1960s.
What is space exploration for?
Before tackling these issues, we find it useful to think about the larger goal of space exploration, and what the different approaches are. One approach would be the fast and inclusive democratization of space – making it easier for more players to join in. Another would be a more conservative and slower “big player” approach, which would restrict who can go to space.
The conservative approach is liable to leave developing nations and Indigenous peoples firmly on the outside of a key process shaping humanity’s shared future.
But a faster and more inclusive approach to space would not be easy to run. More serious players means it would be harder to come to an agreement about regulations, as well as the larger goals for human expansion into space.
Narratives around emerging technologies, such as those required for space exploration, can change over time, as people begin to see them in action.
Technology that we take for granted today was once viewed as futuristic or fantastical, and sometimes with suspicion. For example, at the end of the 1940s, George Orwell imagined a world in which totalitarian systems used tele-screens and videoconferencing to control the masses.
Earlier in the same decade, Thomas J. Watson, then president of IBM, notoriously predicted that there would be a global market for about five computers. We as humans often fear or mistrust future technologies.
However, not all technological shifts are detrimental, and some technological changes can have clear benefits. In the future, robots may perform tasks too dangerous, too difficult or too dull and repetitive for humans. Biotechnology may make life healthier. Artificial intelligence can sift through vast amounts of data and turn it into reliable guesswork. Researchers can also see genuine downsides to each of these technologies.
Space exploration is harder to squeeze into one streamlined narrative about the anticipated benefits. The process is just too big and too transformative.
To return to the question if we should go to space, our team argues that it is not a question of whether or not we should go, but rather a question of why we do it, who benefits from space exploration and how we can democratize access to broader segments of society. Including a diversity of opinions and viewpoints can help find productive ways forward.
Ultimately, it is not necessary for everyone to land on one single narrative about the value of space exploration. Even our team of four researchers doesn’t share a single set of beliefs about its value. But bringing more nations, tribes and companies into discussions around its potential value can help create collaborative and worthwhile goals at an international scale.
Tony Milligan receives funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 856543).
Adam Fish, Deondre Smiles, and Timiebi Aganaba do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Cushion, Professor, Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Culture, Cardiff University
In a world of fake news and disinformation, factchecking claims and the veracity of images has become an important part of impartial journalism. People invest their trust in information sources they believe are accurate.
With this in mind, the BBC launched its Verify service in May 2023. Its more than 60 journalists routinely factcheck, verify videos, counter disinformation, analyse data and explain complex stories.
Then in June 2025, the BBC launched Verify Live, a blog that tells audiences in real time what claims they are investigating and how they are being checked.
At the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University we have been monitoring BBC Verify since its launch. And we have systematically tracked the first month of BBC Verify Live from June 3-27 this year, examining all 244 blog posts as well as the hundreds of claims and sources that featured.
We’ve found that the service places a heavy emphasis on foreign affairs. We argue that it could (and should) be used more to factcheck UK politics, enhancing the quality of the BBC’s impartiality journalism and serving the public service broadcaster’s domestic audiences.
Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox.Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.
Our analysis found international stories made up 71% of all BBC Verify Live coverage. The coverage largely focused on verifying international conflicts and humanitarian crises, from the Middle East and Ukraine to the recent plane crash in India.
This might reflect the large number of major international stories that occurred over the first month of BBC Verify Live’s launch. But the emphasis on foreign news was also evident in our analysis of the main BBC Verify service over the last 18 months. We monitored how much the factchecking service appeared on the BBC’s News at Ten, and found it was used more often in coverage of foreign affairs.
One exception was during the 2024 general election campaign, when BBC Verify was used to challenge politicians’ claims, and scrutinise policies around migration and the economy. BBC Verify has also covered recent major political developments, like the budget and announcements of flagship government policy.
The emphasis on covering international conflicts is consistent with its editorial mission to “analyse satellite imagery, investigate AI-generated content, factcheck claims and verify videos when news breaks”. BBC Verify regularly uses satellite mapping and geolocation data, which most newsrooms do not have at their disposal, to factcheck images and social media posts.
However, the resources and expertise Verify has could also be used to more regularly factcheck false or misleading claims in domestic political issues. This could be important to building audience trust at a time when the BBC’s impartiality is regularly questioned, while helping people better understand political debates in the UK.
Our past research with media users suggests they want journalists to be bolder and more transparent when assessing the credibility of politicians’ competing claims. BBC Verify is a logical tool to do this.
Two years after it launched, Verify is considered one of the most trusted factchecking sources in the UK by the University of Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the most used by media regulator Ofcom.
BBC Verify has proved it can effectively use its resources and expertise to unpack and challenge domestic political claims – covering the spending review and party manifestos ahead of the 2024 general election. We have previously analysed how BBC Verify robustly challenged a misleading Conservative party claim about a future Labour government raising taxes during the election campaign.
Interrogating real-time claims
BBC Verify Live takes a variety of approaches to its analysis of real-time claims. We assessed all claims appearing in blogs throughout most of June 2025 and discovered that 22% were challenged to some extent (found to be inaccurate), while 23% were upheld (considered accurate) and 13% partially upheld.
Meanwhile, 10% were still being verified at the time the blog was posted (but may have been upheld or challenged in subsequent coverage), and 12% had additional context added to them. One fifth of all claims were not subject to any clear judgement about their accuracy.
BBC Verify Live most often used the UK or official foreign governments, and their militaries or agencies, as the main corroborating sources to factcheck claims, or the focus of the claim being investigated in some stories. These made up well over three quarters of sources in factchecking coverage. There was, comparatively, limited use of think tanks, policy institutes, nongovernmental organisations, experts, academics or eyewitnesses.
Just over one in ten claims had additional context added to them (as opposed to verifying or challenging a claim). This was most often the case in blogs about domestic affairs and rival political claims.
Given the recent cuts to the BBC’s World Service, Verify’s international news agenda will bolster the public service broadcaster’s worldwide profile and credibility. Yet, for BBC Verify to enhance impartiality and trust with domestic audiences, we would argue it should play a more prominent role in routine political reporting, not just during elections or high-profile stories.
Stephen Cushion has received funding from the BBC Trust, Ofcom, AHRC, BA and ESRC.
Nathan Ritchie does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kate Sullivan de Estrada, Associate Professor in the International Relations of South Asia, University of Oxford
Preparing to react to a maritime ’emergency’.Romuald Robert, CC BY
The coils of black hose, drum skimmers designed to collect oil from the ocean’s surface, and orangey-red containment booms all looked out of place on the white sand of Mombasa’s touristy Nyali beach. But on July 9, dozens of emergency responders in red and orange hi-vis gear took over a portion of this beach. They were braving the wind and choppy Indian Ocean waves as they mock up the onshore response to a simulated oil spill at sea.
I research how countries in the western Indian Ocean cooperate to make the seas around them safer, and I was there to observe a field training exercise that brought together around 200 participants from ten coastal and island states for one week in east Africa’s largest port city. Codenamed MASEPOLREX25, it put two types of emergency response to the test.
The first was Kenya’s national-level response to marine oil pollution, guided by its national contingency plan. The second was a regional-level response that can bring in outside help from other nations. The organiser of the exercise, the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) – an intergovernmental group of Western Indian Ocean islands headquartered in Mauritius – wanted the countries of the region to rehearse a joint response to marine pollution.
Preparations begin on Kenya’s Nyali beach for the emergency exercise. Romuald Robert., CC BY
The exercise put two IOC-designed regional centres through their paces. Think of them like a pair of regional helpdesks for ocean security, each with a distinct purpose.
How does it unfold?
The exercise began the day before with a briefing on the marine pollution scenario. The Kenyan authorities had received a distress call from the fictional captains of two damaged vessels.
An oil tanker with a deadweight tonnage of 50,000 had collided with a feeder ship in Tanzanian waters, just south of Kenya’s maritime zone. The captain of the tanker suspected that 3,000-to-4,000 metric tonnes of intermediate fuel oil (persistent, thick oil that won’t evaporate by itself) had spilled into the ocean.
Such an incident is plausible. A 2023 IOC-commissioned internal study pinpointed the Kenya-Tanzania border as a hotspot for marine pollution risk. Two major ports sit in close proximity in a busy maritime transit corridor.
Clustered around an incident board, Kenya’s incident management team mounted their national response. Nuru Mohammed, liaison officer for the Kenya Maritime Authority, explained that the assessment of the size of the spill and expectations of its behaviour had already led the team to anticipate the need for regional support. At this time of year, the sea current would carry the slick northward into Kenyan waters.
At the back of everyone’s minds was the 2020 Wakashio incident, in which a bulk carrier owned by a Japanese shipping company but flagged to Panama ran aground to the southeast of Mauritius. An estimated 800-to-1,000 tonnes of fuel oil spilled into the sea, affecting 30km of Mauritian coastline. The cost to marine life, food security and human health were compounded by economic and connectivity challenges posed by the COVID pandemic.
Responders prepare oil-spill equipment on the beach near Mombasa. Romuald Robert, CC BY-SA
For the exercise, aerial surveillance of the mock spill triggered the first attempt at containment. A live video feed of the offshore national response showed rice husks, a substitute for the oil, afloat on the waves. Two vessels sprayed simulated oil-spill dispersants in challenging winds.
In real life, as in this exercise, oil properties determine how the spill will behave. IOC consultant Peter Taylor warned that churning waves could mix with the oil forming emulsions that were viscous and not dispersible.
We turned our attention to the chat feed on SeaVision, an information-sharing platform. A notification popped up. The Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) in Madagascar had shared mapped and timestamped projections of the drift of the oil slick for the following 72 hours. The centre’s director, Alex Ralaiarivony, later explained how it could provide other technical support such as satellite imagery, and could calculate the proportions of oil that were likely to become submerged, evaporate, remain adrift and reach the shoreline.
By July 9, the fictional oil spill had reached the coast. The team on Nyali beach hurried to deploy an oil containment boom, a floating barrier that can shield sensitive areas such as shorelines.
Back at headquarters, SeaVision was busy with messages. The other centre, the Regional Coordination of Operations Centre (RCOC) in Seychelles, was urgently requesting more shoreline equipment to help with oil spills, such as booms, from regional partners. Mauritius and Madagascar both made offers to help that Kenya accepted, and the RCOC coordinated a Dornier aircraft from Seychelles for collection and delivery.
How does the emergency response work?
The two centres help countries in the Western Indian Ocean secure their maritime zones against threats such as piracy, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, the trafficking of illicit goods – and marine pollution incidents.
In Madagascar, the RMIFC gathers and analyses maritime data from multiple sources to detect potential threats at sea. This enables early warning of threats like oil spills, as well as suspicious ships or boats engaged in illicit maritime activities.
The RCOC in Seychelles responds to these threats. It draws on a shared pool of aircraft and ships belonging to its members, using these to coordinate joint responses – whether through sea patrols, boarding and inspecting ships, or laying the legal groundwork to prosecute offenders.
The two regional centres serve seven states: IOC island members Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and France — through its island territory of La Réunion — as well as East African coastal states Kenya and Djibouti.
On July 10, the exercise ended with an evaluation. One takeaway was that the two regional centres could have been used even more – for instance, to coordinate technical assistance from different partners. But a key purpose of the exercise was to help participating countries understand what the centres offer, and get them used to a regional-level response.
Coastal and island states thousands of kilometres apart are being brought closer by maritime threats in their shared ocean. And the two centres are building their operational capacity to support the whole region, while also creating trust among countries. This matters in a geopolitical context of strategic competition in the Indian Ocean, where islands and East African coastal states sometimes want to put their own needs first.
At the end of the exercise, IOC officer-in-charge Raj Mohabeer reminded participants that the island and coastal states of the Western Indian Ocean have vast maritime zones and face multiple seaborne security threats to their economies, ecologies and livelihoods. “No developing country can deal with a significant marine pollution event alone.”
Kate Sullivan de Estrada receives funding from Research England’s Policy Support Fund allocation to the University of
Oxford via the Public Policy Challenge Fund. Her project under the Fund is titled “Balancing ‘Sovereignty Trade-offs’ in Small-State Maritime Security Co-operation: The Case of the Indian Ocean Commission.”
The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025—previously cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year—to replace the 169-year-old colonial-era shipping law with a simplified, modern legal framework for shipping documents.
The bill was approved in the Upper House by a voice vote in the absence of the Opposition, who staged a walkout during the post-lunch session.
In an effort to support the country’s growing shipping sector, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal moved the bill for consideration and passage by the Rajya Sabha.
Sonowal said the new legislation will replace the Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856, and be enacted as the Bills of Lading Act, 2025. The proposed law aims to provide a more modern and user-friendly framework for maritime shipping.
With both Houses of Parliament now having approved the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025, it will be sent to the President of India for her assent before being promulgated as law.
The current British-era law—a brief three-section Act—primarily governs the transfer of rights and confirms that goods have been loaded onto a vessel. However, with the evolution of the shipping industry and changing global trade dynamics, India requires a more comprehensive and internationally aligned legal structure.
The Bills of Lading Bill, 2024, seeks to rename and replace the existing law with the Bills of Lading Act, 2025, introducing several key reforms. It simplifies the language and reorganises the provisions without altering their core intent.
The legislation also empowers the Central Government to issue directions for its implementation and includes a standard repeal and saving clause, effectively eliminating the colonial legacy of the 1856 Act.
A bill of lading refers to a document issued by a freight carrier to a shipper. It includes details such as the type, quantity, condition, and destination of the goods being transported.
The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025—previously cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year—to replace the 169-year-old colonial-era shipping law with a simplified, modern legal framework for shipping documents.
The bill was approved in the Upper House by a voice vote in the absence of the Opposition, who staged a walkout during the post-lunch session.
In an effort to support the country’s growing shipping sector, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal moved the bill for consideration and passage by the Rajya Sabha.
Sonowal said the new legislation will replace the Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856, and be enacted as the Bills of Lading Act, 2025. The proposed law aims to provide a more modern and user-friendly framework for maritime shipping.
With both Houses of Parliament now having approved the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025, it will be sent to the President of India for her assent before being promulgated as law.
The current British-era law—a brief three-section Act—primarily governs the transfer of rights and confirms that goods have been loaded onto a vessel. However, with the evolution of the shipping industry and changing global trade dynamics, India requires a more comprehensive and internationally aligned legal structure.
The Bills of Lading Bill, 2024, seeks to rename and replace the existing law with the Bills of Lading Act, 2025, introducing several key reforms. It simplifies the language and reorganises the provisions without altering their core intent.
The legislation also empowers the Central Government to issue directions for its implementation and includes a standard repeal and saving clause, effectively eliminating the colonial legacy of the 1856 Act.
A bill of lading refers to a document issued by a freight carrier to a shipper. It includes details such as the type, quantity, condition, and destination of the goods being transported.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBl) has, by an order dated July 16, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹6 lakh (Rupees Six Lakh only) on Motiram Agrawal Jalna Merchants Co-operative Bank Limited, Jalna, Maharashtra (the bank) for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Loans and advances to directors, relatives and firms / concerns in which they are interested’ and ‘Limits on exposure to single and group borrowers / parties and large exposures and Revision in the target for priority sector lending – UCBs’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI, with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, additional submissions made by it and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charges against the bank were sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:
The bank had sanctioned:
director related loans; and
loans and advances to certain connected borrowers beyond the applicable group exposure limit.
This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated July 18, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹20,000 (Rupees Twenty Thousand only) on Sahyadri Sahakari Bank Ltd., Mumbai, Maharashtra (the bank) for non-compliance with the specific directions issued by RBI under Supervisory Action Framework (SAF). This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act.
The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charge against the bank was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:
The bank had not reduced single borrower exposure limit, for fresh loans and advances, by 50% of the applicable regulatory limit in non-adherence to directions under SAF.
This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.
The Reserve Bank has released the draft Master Direction on ‘Digital Banking Channels Authorisation’. The comments on the draft Directions are invited from public/stakeholders till August 11, 2025. Comments/feedback may be submitted through the respective link under the ‘Connect 2 Regulate’ Section available on the RBI’s website or may alternatively be forwarded to:
The Chief General Manager Registration and Authorisation Group Department of Regulation, Central Office Reserve Bank of India, 12th Floor, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Fort Mumbai – 400 001 Or by email.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBl) has, by an order dated July 16, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹2 lakh (Rupees Two Lakh only) on The Shahada Peoples Co-operative Bank Ltd., Shahada, Maharashtra (the bank), for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Income Recognition, Asset Classification, Provisioning and Other Related Matters – UCBs’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, additional submissions made by it and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charge against the bank was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:
The bank had regularised certain Non-Performing Accounts (NPAs) without repayment through genuine sources.
This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
Of the 190 States where the IAEA applied safeguards during 2024, 182 had CSAs in force, of which 137 also had APs in force. Of these 137 States, the IAEA concluded that “all nuclear material remained in peaceful activities” for 75 States. The IAEA drew this conclusion, also known as the ‘broader conclusion’, for the first time for Morocco. For 61 States, the IAEA was only able to conclude that declared nuclear material remained in peaceful activities as evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities remained ongoing.
For 31 States with a CSA but no AP in force, the IAEA was able to conclude that declared nuclear material remained in peaceful activities.
As of the end of 2024, three non-nuclear-weapon States party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) had yet to bring CSAs into force pursuant to Article III of the Treaty. For these States, the IAEA could not draw any safeguards conclusions.
For the three States in which the IAEA implemented safeguards pursuant to item-specific safeguards agreements (India, Israel and Pakistan), the IAEA concluded that “nuclear material, facilities or other items to which safeguards had been applied remained in peaceful activities”.
Safeguards were also implemented in the five nuclear-weapon States party to the NPT under their respective voluntary offer agreements. For these five States (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America), the IAEA concluded that “nuclear material in selected facilities to which safeguards had been applied remained in peaceful activities or had been withdrawn from safeguards as provided for in the agreements.”
The European Union is exploring a broader set of possible counter-measures against the United States as prospects for an acceptable trade agreement with Washington fade, according to EU diplomats.
An increasing number of EU members, including Germany, are now considering using wide-ranging “anti-coercion” measures which would let the bloc target U.S. services and other sectors in the absence of a deal, diplomats say.
The European Commission, which negotiates trade agreements on behalf of the 27-member bloc, had appeared on course for a agreement in which the EU would still have faced a 10% U.S. tariff on most of its exports, with some concessions.
Such hopes now seem dashed after President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 30% tariff by August 1, and following talks between EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and U.S. counterparts in Washington last week.
Sefcovic, who has said a 30% tariff would “practically prohibit” transatlantic trade, delivered a sober report on the current state of play to EU envoys on Friday, diplomats told Reuters.
U.S. counterparts had come up with diverging solutions during his meetings, including a baseline rate that could be well above 10%, the EU diplomats added.
“Each interlocutor seemed to have different ideas. No one can tell (Sefcovic) what would actually fly with Trump,” one diplomat said.
Prospects of easing or removing 50% U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium and 25% on cars and car parts appear limited.
‘NUCLEAR OPTION’
Washington has also rejected the EU’s demand for a “standstill” arrangement, whereby no further tariffs would be imposed after a deal is struck. The rationale, according to diplomats, is that Trump’s hands cannot be tied on national security, the basis of Section 232 trade investigations into pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and timber.
Accordingly, the mood has pivoted among EU countries, EU diplomats say, and they are more ready to react, even though a negotiated solution is their preferred option.
The EU has one package of tariffs on 21 billion euros ($24.5 billion) of U.S. goods that is currently suspended until August 6. The bloc must still decide on a further set of countermeasures on 72 billion euros of U.S. exports.
Discussions have also increased on using the EU’s wide-ranging “anti-coercion” instrument (ACI) that allows the bloc to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on member states to change their policies.
Brought in more with China in mind, it would allow the bloc to target U.S. services, limit U.S. companies’ access to public procurement or financial services markets or restrict U.S. investment.
France has consistently advocated using the ACI, but others have baulked at what some see as a nuclear option. Trump has warned he will retaliate if other countries take action against the United States.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a week ago that the ACI was created for extraordinary situations, adding: “We are not there yet.”
The Commission would need a qualified majority of 15 countries making up 65% of the EU population to invoke it. It would not do so unless it was confident of passing it, but there are now growing signs of support building, with Germany among the countries saying it should be considered, EU diplomats say.
The European Union is exploring a broader set of possible counter-measures against the United States as prospects for an acceptable trade agreement with Washington fade, according to EU diplomats.
An increasing number of EU members, including Germany, are now considering using wide-ranging “anti-coercion” measures which would let the bloc target U.S. services and other sectors in the absence of a deal, diplomats say.
The European Commission, which negotiates trade agreements on behalf of the 27-member bloc, had appeared on course for a agreement in which the EU would still have faced a 10% U.S. tariff on most of its exports, with some concessions.
Such hopes now seem dashed after President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 30% tariff by August 1, and following talks between EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and U.S. counterparts in Washington last week.
Sefcovic, who has said a 30% tariff would “practically prohibit” transatlantic trade, delivered a sober report on the current state of play to EU envoys on Friday, diplomats told Reuters.
U.S. counterparts had come up with diverging solutions during his meetings, including a baseline rate that could be well above 10%, the EU diplomats added.
“Each interlocutor seemed to have different ideas. No one can tell (Sefcovic) what would actually fly with Trump,” one diplomat said.
Prospects of easing or removing 50% U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium and 25% on cars and car parts appear limited.
‘NUCLEAR OPTION’
Washington has also rejected the EU’s demand for a “standstill” arrangement, whereby no further tariffs would be imposed after a deal is struck. The rationale, according to diplomats, is that Trump’s hands cannot be tied on national security, the basis of Section 232 trade investigations into pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and timber.
Accordingly, the mood has pivoted among EU countries, EU diplomats say, and they are more ready to react, even though a negotiated solution is their preferred option.
The EU has one package of tariffs on 21 billion euros ($24.5 billion) of U.S. goods that is currently suspended until August 6. The bloc must still decide on a further set of countermeasures on 72 billion euros of U.S. exports.
Discussions have also increased on using the EU’s wide-ranging “anti-coercion” instrument (ACI) that allows the bloc to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on member states to change their policies.
Brought in more with China in mind, it would allow the bloc to target U.S. services, limit U.S. companies’ access to public procurement or financial services markets or restrict U.S. investment.
France has consistently advocated using the ACI, but others have baulked at what some see as a nuclear option. Trump has warned he will retaliate if other countries take action against the United States.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a week ago that the ACI was created for extraordinary situations, adding: “We are not there yet.”
The Commission would need a qualified majority of 15 countries making up 65% of the EU population to invoke it. It would not do so unless it was confident of passing it, but there are now growing signs of support building, with Germany among the countries saying it should be considered, EU diplomats say.
Veteran Communist leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan passed away on Monday afternoon at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was 101.
Achuthanandan had been battling for his life for over a month after suffering a cardiac arrest at his son’s residence in the state capital on June 23. Since then, he had been on ventilator support in the intensive care unit.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan, rushed to the hospital to meet Achuthanandan’s family and consult with the attending doctors. Following their visit, a steady stream of political leaders arrived at the hospital to pay their respects.
A special medical board comprising experts from the Medical College had been overseeing his treatment in coordination with hospital staff. He was also undergoing dialysis, which was temporarily suspended during the course of his illness.
Achuthanandan’s son-in-law, a doctor, administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at home before the veteran leader was taken to the hospital last month.
Since stepping down as Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission in January 2021, Achuthanandan had been living alternately with his son and daughter in Thiruvananthapuram. His own residence in Alappuzha, which he had built during his long political career, remained closed.
Achuthanandan was a towering figure in Kerala’s political landscape. As Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006, he relentlessly attacked the then A.K. Antony-led UDF government. His populist stance and uncompromising image earned him admiration across party lines, particularly among apolitical and first-time voters.
He led the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to victory in the 2006 Assembly elections and served as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011. In 2011, he once again spearheaded the LDF campaign and came close to securing a second term. However, the Oommen Chandy-led UDF narrowly won, securing 72 seats in the 140-member Assembly.
Achuthanandan’s passing marks the end of an era in Kerala politics—one defined by fierce ideological battles, grassroots activism, and an unwavering commitment to public life.
The Kremlin said on Monday that Moscow was in favour of a new round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine but the two sides’ positions were diametrically opposed so there was a lot of diplomatic work to be done.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to hold another round of peace talks this week, and that he wants to speed up negotiations for a ceasefire.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that as soon as there was a definitive understanding of the date for the next round of talks then Moscow would announce it.
“There is our draft memorandum, there is a draft memorandum that has been handed over by the Ukrainian side. There is to be an exchange of views and talks on these two drafts, which are diametrically opposed so far,” Peskov said.
Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But the two sides have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war.
The Kremlin said on Monday that Moscow was in favour of a new round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine but the two sides’ positions were diametrically opposed so there was a lot of diplomatic work to be done.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to hold another round of peace talks this week, and that he wants to speed up negotiations for a ceasefire.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that as soon as there was a definitive understanding of the date for the next round of talks then Moscow would announce it.
“There is our draft memorandum, there is a draft memorandum that has been handed over by the Ukrainian side. There is to be an exchange of views and talks on these two drafts, which are diametrically opposed so far,” Peskov said.
Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But the two sides have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated July 17, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1 lakh (Rupees One Lakh only) on The Government Employees Co-operative Bank Limited, Dharwad, Karnataka (the bank) for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Know Your Customer (KYC)’ and ‘Comprehensive Cyber Security Framework for Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks (UCBs)’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charges against the bank were sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:
The bank had:
failed to upload the KYC records of customers onto Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR) within the prescribed timeline; and
not implemented certain cyber security control measures and requirements under the Cyber Security Framework prescribed by RBI.
This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.
Hundreds of Bedouin civilians were evacuated from Syria’s predominantly Druze city of Sweida on Monday as part of a U.S.-backed truce meant to end fighting that has killed hundreds of people, state media and witnesses said.
With hundreds reported killed, the violence in the southern province of Sweida has posed a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, drawing Israeli airstrikes last week and deepening fissures in a country fractured by 14 years of war.
A ceasefire took hold on Sunday as interior ministry security forces deployed on Sweida’s outskirts. Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday the truce would allow for the release of hostages and detainees held by the warring sides.
On Monday morning, ambulances, trucks and buses ferried hundreds of Bedouin civilians including women, children and wounded people out of Sweida to nearby displacement camps, Reuters footage showed.
The initial batch included some 300 Bedouins, and a second group of about 550 civilians will be evacuated within the next 24 hours if the situation remains calm, said Shoaib Asfour, a member of the Syrian security forces overseeing the evacuation.
The next phase would see the evacuation of Bedouin fighters detained by Druze militias and the transfer of bodies of Bedouins killed in the fighting, Asfour said.
Syria’s state news agency said a total of 1,500 Bedouins would be evacuated from Sweida city.
Citing Ahmed al-Dalati, head of Syria’s internal security forces in Sweida, state media said those forces would also facilitate the return to Sweida of others displaced from it.
According to the United Nations, at least 93,000 people have been uprooted by the fighting – most of them within Sweida province but others to Daraa province to the west, or north to the countryside around the capital Damascus.
The U.N. said on Sunday that humanitarian convoys with medical supplies had been waiting to enter Sweida for two days but were not granted access. It said only a convoy of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent had been allowed to enter.
PRESSURES ON SYRIA’S MOSAIC
The Druze are a small but influential minority in Syria, Israel and Lebanon who follow a religion that is an offshoot of a branch of Islam. Some ultra-conservative Sunni Muslims deem Druze beliefs to be heretical.
Citing the goal of protecting the Druze and keeping southern Syria demilitarized, Israel attacked government forces last week in the south and struck the defence ministry in Damascus.
Washington, which has expressed support for Damascus since Sharaa met U.S. President Donald Trump in May, said it did not approve of Israel’s strikes.
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said on Monday the Syrian government needed to be held accountable. “They also need to be given the responsibility that they’re there to do,” he said, speaking on a visit to Beirut.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz defended Israel’s attacks on government targets, saying they were “the only way to stop the massacre of Druze in Syria”.
The fighting began a week ago with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze.
Residents of Sweida said friends and neighbours were shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by Syrian troops, identified by their fatigues and insignia.
Luna Albassit, a Druze activist in the town of Shahba in Sweida province, said the situation after so much bloodshed remained tense despite the end to clashes late on Sunday.
“People were killed in the streets, in their homes, they were humiliated and it was in the name of the state,” she said.
Hamzah Mustafa, Syria’s information minister, told Reuters last week that the Damascus government strongly condemned all abuses and rejected sectarian violence in all its forms.
Interim President al-Sharaa has promised to protect the rights of Druze and hold to account those who committed violations against “our Druze people”.
He has blamed the violence on “outlaw groups”.
After Israel bombed Syrian government forces in Sweida and hit the defence ministry in Damascus last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded the demilitarisation of southern Syrian territory near the border, stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the Druze Mountain, east of Sweida.
Israeli tanks pushed into southern and eastern areas of the Gazan city of Deir Al-Balah for the first time on Monday, an area where Israeli sources said the military believes some of the remaining hostages may be being held.
Gaza medics said at least three Palestinians were killed and several were wounded in tank shelling that hit eight houses and three mosques in the area, and which came a day after the military ordered residents to leave, saying it planned to fight Hamas militants.
The raid and bombardment pushed dozens of families who had remained to flee and head west towards the coastal area of Deir Al-Balah and nearby Khan Younis.
In Khan Younis, earlier on Monday, an Israeli airstrike killed at least five people, including a man, his wife, and their two children, in a tent, medics said.
There was no immediate Israeli comment on the Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis incidents.
Israel’s military said it had not entered the districts of Deir Al-Balah subject to the evacuation order during the current conflict and that it was continuing “to operate with great force to destroy the enemy’s capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area.”
Israeli sources have said the reason the army has so far stayed out is that they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to be still alive.
Families of the hostages expressed their concern for their relatives and demanded an explanation from the army of how it would protect them.
HUNGER CRISIS
The military escalation comes as Gaza health officials warned of potential “mass deaths” in the coming days due to mounting hunger, which has killed at least 19 people since Saturday, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Health officials said hospitals were running out of fuel, food aid, and medicine, risking a halt to vital operations.
Health ministry spokesperson, Khalil Al-Deqran, said medical staff have been depending on one meal a day, and that hundreds of people flock to hospitals every day, suffering from fatigue and exhaustion because of hunger.
At least 67 people were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday as they waited for UN aid trucks to enter Gaza.
Israel’s military said its troops had fired warning shots towards a crowd of thousands of people in northern Gaza to remove what it said was “an immediate threat.”
It said initial findings suggested reported casualty figures were inflated, and it “certainly does not intentionally target humanitarian aid trucks.”
The new raid and escalating number of fatalities appeared to be complicating ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel that are being mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with U.S. backing.
A Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday that the militant group was angered over the mounting deaths and the hunger crisis in the enclave, and that this could badly affect ceasefire talks underway in Qatar.
Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect talks in Doha aimed at reaching a 60-day truce and hostage deal, although there has been no sign of breakthrough.
UNRWA, the U.N. refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, said in a post on X on Monday, it was receiving desperate messages from Gaza warning of starvation, including from its own staff as food prices have increased 40-fold.
“Meanwhile, just outside Gaza, stockpiled in warehouses UNRWA has enough food for the entire population for over three months. Lift the siege and let aid in safely and at scale,” it said.
Israel’s military said on Sunday that it “views the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a matter of utmost importance, and works to enable and facilitate its entry in coordination with the international community.”
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
The Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, displaced almost the entire population and plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis.
The central government has outlined a set of measures aimed at making the coal sector more sustainable and competitive, while aligning with global climate commitments. Despite the growing push towards renewables like solar and wind, coal continues to play a dominant role in India’s energy mix, meeting 55% of the country’s energy needs. With the world’s fifth-largest coal reserves, India is adopting a multi-pronged strategy to modernise the sector, enhance environmental compliance, and reduce dependence on imports.
Greening and efficiency initiatives
To reduce the ecological footprint of coal mining, Coal and Lignite PSUs have intensified reclamation and afforestation efforts around operational mines. Under various greening initiatives, plantations and bio-reclamation work are being carried out across mining sites.
Coal PSUs are also adopting energy efficiency measures — such as replacing conventional lighting with LED systems, deploying energy-efficient appliances, using electric vehicles, and introducing energy-saving technologies like super fans and auto timers in street lighting.
In a significant sustainability push, mine water is being treated and reused for purposes ranging from irrigation and community water supply to firefighting, underground sprinkling, and fish farming. Several MoUs have also been signed with state governments to expand treated mine water supply to local communities.
Additionally, coal companies are making productive use of overburden (OB) — the soil and rock removed during mining. By extracting sand from OB for construction, PSUs have commissioned nine plants, including four OB processing and five OB to M-Sand plants. This move not only curbs river sand mining but also aids groundwater recharge and reduces environmental degradation.
Shift towards cleaner technologies
To reduce pollution and fuel consumption, coal PSUs have been upgrading transportation infrastructure under the First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects. These projects focus on mechanized coal handling and transport systems, reducing reliance on diesel and cutting emissions.
The sector is also deploying blast-free technologies such as Surface Miners, Continuous Miners, and Rippers to eliminate the need for drilling and blasting — significantly reducing dust and noise pollution.
Meanwhile, coal companies are investing in clean energy alternatives, including renewable power projects and clean coal technologies like coal gasification and coal bed methane (CBM). Participation in the Green Credit Programme launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) further reflects the sector’s green commitment.
Reducing coal iImports and boosting domestic production
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy said coal imports have declined from 264.5 million tonnes (MT) in 2023–24 to 243.6 MT in 2024–25. This reduction comes in the backdrop of efforts to increase domestic coal output and reduce reliance on imports.
Key measures include faster allocation of coal blocks, encouraging private participation, and streamlining approval processes. Public sector undertakings are also adopting digital solutions and advanced mining technologies to ramp up production.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has been formed to promote coal import substitution. The IMC is working with import-based power plants to assess and address their coal needs using domestic supply channels. Some of these plants have already indicated their preferred suppliers from Coal India Limited’s (CIL) subsidiaries.
Coal evacuation and transportation are being improved with the construction of new railway lines and expanded FMC projects, aimed at enhancing supply chain efficiency.
With these integrated measures, the government aims to maintain coal’s competitiveness in India’s energy mix while advancing sustainability and reducing environmental impact.
Snapping the losing streak, the Indian stock market closed in the positive territory on Monday, following value buying in banking heavyweights, as Sensex gained over 442 points.
Sensex settled at 82,200.34, up 442.61 points or 0.54 per cent. The 30-share index opened in green at 81,918.53 against last session’s closing of 81,757.73. However, the index experienced a volatile session, hitting intra-day low at 81,518.66.
Nifty50 closed at 25,090.70, up 122.30 or 0.49 per cent.
The manufacturing segment gained today as the government is reviewing the scope of expanding the infrastructure spending to support growth.
In the Sensex basket, Zomato, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports, HDFC Bank, Mahindra and Mahindra, BEL, Kotak Bank, Tata Motors, Bajaj FinServ, L&T, Power Grid and Kotak Mahindra Bank settled in positive territory. While Reliance, HCL Tech, Hindustan Unilever, TCS, and ITC were closed in red.
Meanwhile, 28 stocks advanced, 21 declined, and one remained unchanged from the Nifty50.
Among sectoral indices Bank Nifty soared 430 points or 1.62 per cent and, Nifty Auto jumped 0.67 per cent or 160 points. At the same time Nifty IT and Nifty FMCG ended the session in red.
Broader indices witnessed a sharp rally with Nifty 100 closed 121 points higher, Nifty Midcap 100 surged 363.85 points, and Nifty Next 50 settled 278 points up.
“Persistent uncertainty surrounding ongoing trade negotiations between the US and India tempered overall market gains, with investors closely monitoring the outcome of these high-stakes discussions for further cues, according to Ashika Institutional Equities.
Rupee traded weak by 0.18 per cent at 86.25 as focus shifts to this week’s Fed Chair Powell’s speech, which is expected to drive volatility in the dollar index.
Additionally, key economic indicators such as Manufacturing and Services PMI will be closely tracked by market participants, said Jateen Trivedi from LKP Securities.
The Israeli military has confirmed that it struck targets at the port of Hodeidah in Yemen, claiming the facilities were being used by the Houthi movement for military purposes. Colonel Avichay Adraee, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said in a post on X that the operation targeted infrastructure belonging to what he described as the “terrorist Houthi regime.”
According to Adraee, the strikes destroyed engineering equipment used to rebuild port facilities, fuel barrels, and naval components allegedly involved in military activity against Israel and shipping vessels in the surrounding maritime area. He asserted that the port has been previously used to transfer combat materials from Iran to the Houthis, which are then deployed in attacks on Israel and its allies.
The IDF said it had been monitoring renewed Houthi activity at the port and launched the strike in response to attempts to reconstruct what it called terrorist infrastructure. It further accused the Houthi movement of using civilian infrastructure for military operations targeting international commercial shipping.
The Israeli military stated it would continue to act against what it views as ongoing threats from the Houthis and reiterated its commitment to striking hostile targets regardless of their distance from Israeli territory.
Reports also indicate that Israeli forces have launched a combined ground and air offensive on Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, marking the first ground operation in the city since the outbreak of the conflict with Hamas 21 months ago.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall over multiple regions in southern and central India across the country in the next few days. Western Himalayan Region and adjoining plains, eastern and central India regions are expected to receive intense precipitation.
States including Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are also expected to receive heavy rainfall over the next 3–4 days, while Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand are expected to witness similar conditions from July 23 to 27.
Southern and western coastal regions – including Kerala, Karnataka, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Konkan & Goa, central Maharashtra, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh – are also bracing for heavy rains over the next 5–7 days.
The IMD has issued specific alerts for very heavy rainfall on July 21 over Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and coastal Andhra Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are expected to receive intense rainfall on July 21 and 22, while the Konkan region, Goa, and the ghat areas of Maharashtra are likely to see continued heavy showers until July 27.
In the past 24 hours, isolated places in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Tripura recorded heavy to very heavy rainfall (ranging between 7–20 cm).
Delhi-NCR Weather Update
For Delhi-NCR, the IMD has predicted generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning from July 21 to 23. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 31–34°C, slightly below normal. The capital may experience very light rain on July 24 with partly cloudy skies, and temperatures could rise slightly to 34–36°C.
Winds in the region are expected to vary in direction and speed over the forecast period, predominantly from the southeast to southwest, with speeds ranging from 8 to 20 kmph during different times of the day.
