Nepal observed a national day of mourning on Monday for victims of a devastating flash flood believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse. At least 1,287 people have died, while more than 5,000 remain missing nearly two weeks after the disaster swept through villages in a Himalayan valley near the Nepal-Tibet border. Government offices and missions abroad lowered national flags to half-mast, while public commemorations were limited as rescue operations continued. Army teams are searching on the ground, by air and inside tunnels. Four people have been rescued in recent days, including a 64-year-old woman found alive after more than 10 days. (PC: BBC)

The Indian government has rejected speculation that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) could be privatised or lose its importance. ISRO will remain central to advanced space research, strategic missions, exploration and the development of new technologies. The government said growing private-sector participation is intended to expand India’s overall space ecosystem, not reduce ISRO’s role. Under the reforms, private companies and public-sector firms can increasingly scale mature technologies and routinely manufactured systems, while ISRO focuses on frontier research, human spaceflight, next-generation launch systems and deep-space missions. The agency said the goal is an ISRO-led national space ecosystem.

MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has emerged as one of the world’s biggest individual philanthropists after donating $26.4 billion in less than seven years. According to Forbes, Scott gave an estimated $7.2 billion in 2025 alone, the largest amount she has donated in a single year. Through her organisation, Yield Giving, she has supported more than 2,500 groups working in areas including education, healthcare, affordable housing, economic mobility and climate initiatives. Scott received a 4% Amazon stake in her 2019 divorce from Bezos and remains one of the world’s wealthiest women.

The National Film Awards will break from a decades-old tradition this year, with the 72nd ceremony set to move out of New Delhi for the first time. Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar, home to the Statue of Unity, is expected to host the awards ceremony later this month. President Droupadi Murmu is expected to present the honours during her Gujarat visit. The awards, announced in July, recognised films released in 2024. Article 370 won Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam was named Best Actress. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor award. (PC: India Today)

A volcanic eruption from Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau has stranded around 270,000 passengers and disrupted more than 2,000 flights, as volcanic ash forced several airports to remain closed. Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and three others extended their closures until 18:00 local time on Monday after ash was detected in nearby airspace. The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, has continued erupting, with ash reaching up to 15,000 metres. Authorities warned that further eruptions remain possible and banned people and ships from entering a 3km exclusion zone. There is currently no tsunami warning linked to the eruption. 

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday approved defence acquisition proposals worth around ₹1.10 lakh crore for the Army, Navy and Air Force. About 98% of the procurements are expected to come from Indian industry, the Defence Ministry said. The Army proposals include CBRN reconnaissance vehicles, helicopters, mine layers, trawl tanks and the Sarvatra Bridge System. The Navy received approval for Arudhra radars and the development and procurement of marine gas turbines. The Air Force proposals include ground-based multi-purpose jammers and a secure access card system. The approvals are in-principle and do not constitute contracts.

A Delhi court on Monday sent self-styled right-wing influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj to 14-day judicial custody in an alleged assault case linked to a June protest at Jantar Mantar. Bhardwaj was accused of beating and injuring Sanjay Kumar, the father of a teenage student activist, during a protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party. He was detained in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday after protesters demanded his arrest. Police later added provisions of the SC/ST Act and criminal intimidation to the FIR. Bhardwaj had claimed he acted in self-defence after allegedly saying he had “cracked the skull” of Kumar. (PC: X)

Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said India buys Russian crude to meet its own energy needs and support national development, not to help Moscow fund the Ukraine war. “India does not buy Russian oil for the sake of helping Russia. It is buying oil for itself and its own national development,” Alipov told DD News. He said Russia remained ready to supply as much oil as India required despite Western sanctions and tariffs. India has consistently maintained that its oil purchases are guided by national interest, energy security and affordability. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict. (PC: X)

Iran plans to announce an “exclusion zone” near the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days or weeks, targeting vessels Tehran believes are attempting to pass through the waterway. Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the zone would extend from the reported US naval blockade toward the strait and into the Persian Gulf. His remarks came after the US struck three Iranian oil tankers following Iranian missile launches at US warships. The US says more than 20 warships are supporting its blockade, which has redirected 92 commercial vessels. Iran’s plans add to tensions around the crucial global shipping route.

The owner of the five-storey PG building that collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, killing seven people and injuring five, has been detained from Bhiwadi near Gurugram. Hariram Gupta was traced after Delhi Police issued a lookout circular and launched a manhunt. Several police teams conducted raids at suspected locations as authorities searched for him. The building, which housed a boys’ PG called Hostel Daze, collapsed on Sunday while repair work was underway. Rescue teams from multiple agencies are continuing operations at the site. The exact cause of the collapse remains under investigation, while the MCD has ordered action against illegal constructions. (PC: India Today)