A 63-year-old man was killed after a tree collapsed on a shop in Mumbai's Kurla area as relentless monsoon rain continued to batter the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert, warning of more extremely heavy rainfall. Widespread waterlogging, traffic congestion, tree falls and infrastructure damage have disrupted normal life across Mumbai. Authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from waterlogged and coastal areas. Heavy rain alerts have also been issued for several states, including West Bengal, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi, as the southwest monsoon intensifies. (PC: HT)

Cabo Verde's remarkable FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign has put the island nation in the global spotlight, with tourism experts expecting a significant rise in visitor interest. The country became the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup knockout stage before narrowly losing 3-2 to Argentina. Following its impressive run, travel companies reported a sharp increase in searches for Cabo Verde, including a surge from the United States and Europe. Tourism already contributes about a quarter of the country's economy, and officials hope the World Cup exposure will attract more visitors, investment and long-term growth. However, analysts say converting global attention into sustained tourism revenue will depend on expanding flights, accommodation and local tourism infrastructure.  

Security forces launched a major anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district after receiving intelligence about the presence of militants. Officials said two suspected terrorists, including top Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Zakir Ahmad Ganie, were trapped during the encounter in Chanpora village. The joint operation involved the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police's Special Operations Group. Ganie, a resident of Kulgam, is wanted in several terror cases and has been linked by investigators to the Pahalgam terror attack probe. The operation was continuing at the time of reporting, with security forces maintaining a tight cordon around the area. (PC: India Today)

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi shared an emotional message on social media after making his international debut for India in the second T20I against England. The young batter scored 14 runs off 10 balls in his first match and thanked fans, teammates and senior players for their support. Calling it an honour to represent India, he promised to always give his best for the team. Although India lost the match by four wickets as England chased 191 to level the five-match series, Sooryavanshi's debut remained one of the biggest highlights of the game. (PC: NDTV)

The Centre has issued a notice to Meta, directing Instagram to immediately remove all paid advertisements and content facilitating Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM), sources said. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also ordered action against any algorithmic amplification of sexually exploitative content and sought a detailed explanation from Meta within seven days. According to sources, failure to provide the required information could invite action under the Information Technology Rules and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The notice follows allegations that paid Instagram advertisements promoted child sexual abuse content, with officials rejecting any defence that the material originated from third-party sources. (PC: Times Now)

A 21-year-old Indian student from Karnataka died in a suspected drowning incident near Leipzig, Germany, during an outing with friends, prompting an ongoing police investigation. Mohammed Aniz Abubakker, a third-semester Bachelor of Business Administration student at Rahn Education Institution in Halle, had moved to Germany around 18 months ago for higher studies. After a trekking trip with classmates, the group visited a water recreation area near Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena, where Aniz reportedly went missing before rescue teams recovered his body. German police have questioned four students, including two Indians, as part of the investigation. The Indian Embassy in Berlin is assisting with the repatriation of his mortal remains to Mangaluru. (PC: AP)

India’s smart television market may have contracted in early 2026, but the FIFA World Cup is driving strong demand for premium, large-screen TVs as consumers upgrade their home entertainment systems. According to Counterpoint Research, smart TV shipments fell 3% year-on-year in the first quarter due to inflation, rupee depreciation and geopolitical uncertainties, with the slowdown concentrated in entry-level models. Meanwhile, 55-inch and larger televisions accounted for nearly one-third of shipments, while QLED and MiniLED models gained market share. Hisense India reported a 40–50% jump in large-screen TV sales during the tournament, expecting growth to reach 60% by the World Cup’s conclusion, supported by easy financing and regional demand. (PC: Haier India)

Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran for the funeral of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” echoed across the ceremony. Poet Mohammad Rasouli openly questioned why US President Donald Trump was still alive, drawing loud cheers from the crowd in the first direct public call for Trump's death by a funeral emcee. The event featured banners and posters targeting Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The funeral, delayed due to the war, comes as Iran negotiates with the US over ending the conflict. Khamenei’s son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is expected to strengthen the country's leadership after the ceremony.

Satellite images from ISRO’s INSAT-3DR have captured two massive monsoon systems driving intense rainfall over Maharashtra and West Bengal. One sprawling convective cloud mass stretches from the east-central Arabian Sea into the Konkan coast, while another powerful system covers the northern Bay of Bengal, extending across Gangetic West Bengal, Bangladesh and adjoining northeastern states. Infrared imagery shows extremely cold, bright white cloud tops, signalling deep convection and vigorous thunderstorm activity capable of producing heavy rainfall. The twin weather systems have significantly strengthened the southwest monsoon, increasing rainfall across large parts of India. However, meteorologists warn the intensified systems also raise the risk of flooding, waterlogging, transport disruption and weather-related damage in vulnerable regions. (PC: India Today)

India has slipped one place to 125th in the Global Passport Index 2026, according to the fifth annual report by Global Citizen Solutions, despite recording its highest composite score in five years. The Indian passport now offers visa-free access to 26 countries and has improved only two positions since 2021. Unlike traditional passport rankings focused on travel, the index evaluates passports across Enhanced Mobility, Investment and Quality of Living. India ranked 136th in mobility, 118th in quality of living and 94th in investment, showing gains in the latter two categories. Sweden topped the 2026 rankings, followed by Switzerland, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands. (PC: CN Traveller)