The US Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has arrived at Thailand after an extraordinary 286-day deployment, including months of combat and blockade operations against Iran. Images show extensive rust, faded paint and marine growth along the carrier’s hull, drawing widespread attention. Naval experts say such corrosion is expected after prolonged exposure to seawater and cannot be properly treated during active combat operations. The 1,092-foot carrier, carrying around 5,000 sailors and Marines, has now received an opportunity for rest and maintenance. Experts estimate removing the rust and repainting the affected areas could require about 30 days. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could strike Iran’s heavily fortified underground Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility “very soon” if American officials detect activity there. Located near the damaged Natanz uranium-enrichment complex, the site reportedly contains deeply buried tunnel systems believed to be capable of protecting nuclear equipment. Trump said Washington is closely monitoring movements at the facility and defended the ongoing US military campaign, claiming it has prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. His warning follows recent US strikes on Iranian military targets, including air-defence and radar systems. Iran has condemned the attacks and vowed defensive retaliation. (PC: Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a temporary halt to airstrikes with Russia during upcoming US-led peace talks. Zelensky said Ukraine would not carry out airstrikes during the visit of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, provided Moscow also refrains from attacking Kyiv. The envoys are expected to visit Moscow and then Kyiv as Washington seeks to revive efforts to end the war. The proposal comes amid intensified long-range attacks by both sides, with Russian strikes continuing across Ukraine and Ukrainian drones targeting sites deep inside Russia.

India has built its first rock check dam across the Indus River at Upshi in Ladakh’s Leh district, raising water levels by nearly 10 feet and improving irrigation access for farmers. Made entirely from natural boulders without cement, the structure can store nearly 40 million litres of water. The accumulated water is being channelled into the Igoo Phey irrigation canal to support agriculture during the crucial sowing season. The project is part of efforts to tackle water scarcity and strengthen water security in the strategically important border region, with Ladakh proposing 36 more check dams. (PC: India Today)

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has described the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a “war without winners”, saying peace can only come through negotiations. Speaking in Warsaw after meetings with Polish leaders, Jaishankar said the prolonged conflict was causing more deaths and destruction while increasing global costs. He said India remains in continuous contact with Moscow and Kyiv to support efforts for a cessation of hostilities. Responding to criticism of India’s Russian energy imports, he said the solution to the conflict “is not in trade, the solution is in negotiation.” His Warsaw visit followed recent talks in Kyiv and Moscow. (PC: X)

Rescuers in Nepal are racing to reach more than 150 workers feared trapped in seven hydropower tunnels, nine days after devastating flash floods hit the region near the Tibet border. Hopes rose after Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were found alive in the Trishuli 3A tunnel on Friday and airlifted to a Kathmandu hospital. Maharjan remains critical, while another body was found in the tunnel. Officials believe 39 others may still be trapped there. The disaster has left 1,311 people dead and 5,330 missing across Nepal and Tibet, with rescuers battling mud, rocks and floodwater. (PC: BBC)

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said he was dismayed to see police personnel personally assaulting protesters and demonstrators, calling it “very, very distressing” and a matter of grave concern. Speaking at the launch of Policing the Republic in New Delhi, he said the detachment expected of police officers appeared to be disappearing. Justice Bhuyan said police could maintain law and order without excessive force or violating people’s rights. He stressed that police credibility depended on professionalism, impartiality and adherence to the Constitution, while also raising concerns over custodial torture, deaths and political interference in policing. (PC: HT)

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution encouraging wider use of the Equal Earth map projection, moving away from the Mercator map that distorts the relative size of countries and continents. The “Correct the Map” resolution passed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions, as the United States voted against it. Led by Togo and supported by the Africa Group, the initiative aims to show Africa closer to its true scale. The resolution is voluntary and does not ban Mercator maps, which remain useful for navigation. Togo plans to change its school geography maps by year-end. (PC: India Today)

Republic’s investigation has raised questions over a possible cover-up in the 2020 death of celebrity manager Disha Salian after the Bombay High Court ordered a CBI probe into the case. The court directed the agency to register an FIR, appoint a senior investigating officer, record her father Satish Salian’s statement and take relevant material from Malvani Police. The order flagged questions over the earlier inquiry, including CCTV footage, evidence handling, delayed seizure of electronic devices, injury records and forensic material. However, the court clarified that no individual is an accused unless sufficient material emerges during the investigation.

Iran has mocked the United States with a “Minesweeper” video showing a 3D map of the Strait of Hormuz, days after US forces completed clearing mines from international shipping routes. The Iranian embassy in Sierra Leone posted the 35-second animation with the message, “Habibi (Uncle Sam), come to Iran!” The taunt comes as fighting between the two countries intensifies. The US recently struck Iranian rocket launchers and military targets, while Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles against US targets in Jordan. Washington said the latest strikes targeted Iranian military capabilities, while Tehran claimed a wedding was hit. (PC: NDTV)