Bihar authorities have warned residents against catching, buying, selling or consuming fish carried into the state by floodwaters following flash floods in Nepal. Water from Nepal’s Trishuli River has entered Bihar through the Gandak and Kosi rivers, bringing unfamiliar fish, debris and other contaminants. Officials said floodwater can expose fish to sewage, dead animals, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, making them unsafe to eat until conditions stabilise. Residents have also been advised to seek medical help if symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, dizziness or breathing difficulties develop after eating such fish. Contaminated floodwater could also affect drinking water, increasing risks of diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis, while stagnant water may increase mosquito-borne diseases.

Amardeep Kumar, a 29-year-old throwball player from Jharkhand, has won four international gold medals for India but continues to face financial hardship. His victories include the Asian Junior Throwball Championship in Malaysia in 2015, the Indo-Nepal Throwball Championship in Kathmandu in 2017, the South Asian Throwball Championship in Bengaluru in 2019 and another title in Ranchi in 2026. Despite his achievements, Amardeep works as a taxi driver and helps his family sell vegetables at Ranchi’s Argora Chowk. He said he has borrowed money to participate in competitions and has spent years seeking government employment and financial assistance. His journey began after a local athlete trained him at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. (PC: X)

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has unveiled the Bharatiya Habitable Expandable Extraterrestrial Habitat (BHEEM), an academic research concept exploring how future astronauts could live beyond Earth. The project emerged during the Indian phase of Shukla’s astronaut training after his return from Russia. He explained that the training involved learning the systems of India’s launch vehicle and orbital module, extensive physical conditioning and spaceflight preparation. Alongside these activities, astronauts were encouraged to undertake academic research connected to the future of human space exploration. BHEEM focuses on the concept of habitats for human life beyond Earth, reflecting India’s growing interest in long-term human spaceflight and habitation beyond spacecraft, potentially on extraterrestrial surfaces.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla-SpaceX chief Elon Musk stressed the need for more AI data centers and electricity to power them at a G20 technology ministers’ meeting in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Speaking virtually, Zuckerberg said the massive data-center buildout could create hundreds of thousands, potentially millions, of skilled-trade jobs, while noting that Meta is struggling to find enough skilled workers. Musk warned of a “crisis of power” in AI development, saying a significant electricity shortfall could emerge next year and give China an advantage. He said Tesla was building power-generation capacity alongside its data centers. Their comments came amid growing US opposition to AI data-center construction and followed President Donald Trump’s criticism of opponents. (PC: CNBC)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the S-500 missile defence system and Su-57 stealth fighter on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, as India considers expanding military cooperation with Russia. The discussions follow the reported effectiveness of India’s S-400 system during Operation Sindoor against aerial threats, strengthening interest in newer Russian defence capabilities. India could explore co-producing the S-500 with a Russian defence partner rather than simply purchasing it, though technical specifications, costs, manufacturing arrangements and logistics would require further negotiations. The Su-57, Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter, is also being discussed as India seeks to address its fighter aircraft requirements. Potential agreements remain subject to detailed negotiations. (PC: The Economic Times) 

Streaming platform JioHotstar has expanded internationally by launching in the UK, Canada and Singapore, targeting the South Asian diaspora and wider audiences interested in Indian stories and culture. The platform offers more than 160,000 hours of content across 12-plus Asian languages, including films, television, originals, regional shows, reality programmes, kids’ content and anime. Subscribers can access quarterly and annual plans, while interactive features include live voting for different language editions of Bigg Boss. UK and Canadian viewers will receive 24x7 live feeds, with Canada getting Bigg Boss Hindi seven days before television broadcast. Existing Hotstar subscribers will transition to equivalent plans. JioHotstar says it has over 500 million active users and will add 30,000 fresh hours annually. (PC: CNBC TV18)

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says she intends to return to Bangladesh by December, questioning Dhaka’s decision to make her extradition a condition for a possible visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. Hasina said her return would be her own decision and that she could not remain abroad indefinitely. She criticised the BNP government, alleging persecution of Awami League members and describing the extradition issue as politically motivated. She defended the party’s role and questioned its ban, while raising concerns about Bangladesh’s economy, extremism and regional security. Hasina also questioned a reported $2.3-billion Chinese fighter-jet deal. India says her extradition request is being carefully examined through established processes. (PC: NDTV)

A 13-member specialist team from US-based Crisis Response International (CRI) has arrived in Nepal to support underground search-and-rescue operations after catastrophic floods buried hydropower infrastructure in the Trishuli River basin. A Singaporean team has also joined efforts in Rasuwa district, where workers are feared trapped inside tunnels near Chilime village. The teams will work with the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, mountain guides and technical specialists, using equipment designed for hazardous confined spaces and debris removal. Rescuers face metres of waterlogged sludge and continuing water inflow, with earlier teams forced to stop after reaching nearly 90 metres inside a 250-metre facility. Nepal’s death toll has surpassed 1,000, while thousands remain missing.

US forces continued strikes on Iranian targets, with CENTCOM saying the attacks followed attempted IRGC assaults on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US personnel. A missile attack reportedly killed four people, including a child, and injured about 50 when shrapnel struck a home hosting wedding celebrations in Kuhestak, southern Iran. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US interests in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait. Supreme Leader Mojatba Khamenei warned Washington of “unforgettable lessons,” while IRGC officials threatened further punishment. The US military denied targeting civilians. The conflict has continued since late February, when US and Israeli attacks killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Iran maintaining its Hormuz closure.

US President Donald Trump claimed that Washington has “almost total control” of the Strait of Hormuz and said Iran’s economy is “totally collapsing” as tensions escalate amid intensified strikes. In a Truth Social post issued hours after fresh US airstrikes against Iran, Trump rejected an ABC News report that he was seeking to force Tehran back to negotiations. He said he was not interested in pushing Iran into an agreement, calling any potential deal “worthless” to Tehran. Trump said he preferred the current situation, citing what he described as near-total US control of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s economic collapse. His remarks came amid continued exchanges of strikes between US and Iranian forces.