Russia has showcased a futuristic, man-portable laser weapon designed to help military sappers destroy landmines and unexploded ordnance from a safe distance. The rifle-style directed-energy system uses a 1-kilowatt laser powered by a backpack-mounted battery. It can reportedly heat explosives to around 1,000°C and neutralise them from 50 to 100 metres away without causing a massive detonation. A larger robot-mounted version is said to have a range of up to 500 metres. The system is designed to clear hazardous areas, including battlefields, forests and ruins, while reducing risks for bomb-disposal teams.

The death toll from catastrophic floods on the Nepal-Tibet border has exceeded 750, as rescue teams struggle to reach survivors through rough terrain and worsening weather. Nepal has reported 734 deaths and 2,498 people missing, while Chinese state media said 16 people have died and 546 remain missing in Tibet. Nearly 20,000 security personnel have been deployed for rescue efforts. Aid delivery remains “extremely difficult”, the UN said. Fresh fears emerged after a landslide created a second barrier lake in Tibet, prompting authorities to move rescuers to safety amid concerns that it could trigger further flooding. (PC: BBC)

Nepal school principal Rajendra Dawadi is being hailed as a hero after his quick decision helped save 1,643 children from devastating flash floods in the Trishuli Valley. After receiving warnings that floodwaters were rapidly approaching, Dawadi rang the school bell and ordered an immediate evacuation. Teachers and students fled uphill, taking shelter beneath a bodhi tree as raging waters swept away the school buildings. Two staff members, including a teacher and a janitor, were killed after returning to riverside areas. The glacier-triggered disaster has killed hundreds and left thousands missing across Nepal. (PC: India Today)

Nepal will begin burying unidentified and unclaimed bodies recovered after this week’s devastating flash floods, as overcrowded facilities and decomposition create health concerns. At least 675 bodies have been recovered, with Chitwan accounting for 233. Before burial, authorities are collecting DNA samples, assigning unique identification numbers and recording physical details and locations. Burial pits will be about 1.5 metres deep, with bodies kept separately to enable future exhumation. Families searching for missing relatives can provide DNA samples for matching. Authorities are also photographing, video-recording and geo-tagging burial sites to ensure victims can later be identified and returned to their families. 

The death toll from devastating flash floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border has risen to 750, while 3,044 people remain missing, as rescue operations enter their fifth day. Nepal has reported 734 deaths and 2,498 missing, while China’s Tibet region has confirmed 16 deaths and 546 missing. Rescue teams are searching devastated communities, riverbanks and hydropower facilities for survivors, with thousands already rescued. Difficult terrain, rising river levels and damaged infrastructure continue to hamper operations. Authorities have warned of further flooding in some areas, while families remain anxiously awaiting news of missing relatives. (PC: X)

Guna Maya Bohara, a 97-year-old woman, was miraculously rescued alive after spending four days trapped beneath the rubble of her care home, destroyed by devastating flash floods in Nepal. Rescue teams found her immobilised under the debris and carried out a lengthy operation to bring her to safety. While many residents survived by fleeing, climbing to higher ground or hiding, Bohara endured the disaster trapped beneath the wreckage. Her survival has emerged as a rare moment of hope amid widespread destruction, deaths and displacement. Rescue operations continue across affected areas as teams search for survivors and recover victims. (PC: AP)

Punjab-based social media influencer Manjeet Kaur, 28, died on August 26 at PGIMER Chandigarh, nearly two months after she was allegedly abducted and brutally attacked. According to a complaint filed by her mother, Kaur was allegedly lured to meet two acquaintances near a Chandigarh liquor shop on July 3, forced into a car and taken to Morinda. The accused allegedly assaulted her, tied her to a tree and set her on fire. She briefly regained consciousness in August and reportedly described the incident to her family. Police have registered a murder and kidnapping case and are searching for the two accused. 

Rescue teams in Nepal are battling mud, debris and difficult weather as they search for survivors after devastating flash floods killed 675 people and left nearly 3,000 missing. Triggered by a glacier collapse, torrents of water, ice and debris swept through rivers, destroying homes, bridges and infrastructure. Operations resumed after rain and fog disrupted searches, with helicopters and ground teams focusing on Rasuwa and Nuwakot. More than 3,700 people have been rescued. India has sent rescue specialists, forensic experts, equipment and 68.5 tonnes of relief supplies. Nepal has also sought international assistance for tunnel rescues and reconstruction. (PC: India Today)

7 tourists from Odisha’s Bhadrak district were among 51 people rescued in southern Nepal after flash floods and landslides disrupted their journey. The group, travelling with a Kolkata-based tour operator, was forced to take shelter near Manakamana Temple as the Trishuli River swelled and roads became impassable. Nepal police and local authorities later evacuated them using a ropeway and shifted them to Bhairahawa, where they are safe. However, 5 people from Odisha remain missing in Nepal, including a couple and their two-year-old daughter from Bargarh, and another couple from Khordha. Authorities are working to trace them. (PC: X)

Nepal has called for a global effort to tackle climate change after devastating flash floods killed at least 675 people and left more than 2,400 missing.   Foreign Minister Ramesh Lekhak said Nepal is among the countries most vulnerable to rising temperatures and urged stronger international action. The floods struck the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction.   A glacier collapse is believed to have triggered the disaster, with one aid worker comparing the devastation to a “tsunami”. Families, including those of hundreds of foreign nationals, continue to wait for news as rescue teams search flood-hit areas. (PC: BBC)