The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on pleas against removing stray dogs from Delhi-NCR. Justice Vikram Nath said, “Parliament makes rules, but they are not implemented,” blaming civic inaction for the problem. Lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi argued there are no proper shelters, and removing dogs could cause cruelty. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta cited 37 lakh dog bite cases last year, saying dogs should be separated for public safety. The court also questioned why dogs were taken away before the earlier order was made public. The final decision will be announced soon. (PC: NDTV)

The death toll in the Kishtwar cloudburst tragedy has risen to 12, officials confirmed on Thursday evening. The cloudburst struck Chositi village on the Machail Mata Yatra route, trapping several pilgrims. Rescue teams, including the Army, NDRF, SDRF, and police, are working in heavy rain to search for survivors. Many injured have been taken to nearby hospitals. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said the situation remains serious and more casualties are feared. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed deep grief and directed all agencies to speed up rescue and relief work. Bad weather is making operations challenging in the hilly region. 

A Virginia Tech study warns of a potential 1,000-foot “mega-tsunami” along the US Pacific Coast if a magnitude 8.0+ earthquake strikes the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Stretching 600 miles from Northern California to Vancouver Island, the fault could trigger sudden coastal land subsidence of up to 6.5 feet, flooding cities like Seattle and Portland within minutes. Lead researcher Tina Dura cautions that such an event could cause over 30,000 deaths and $81 billion in damages. The last major quake there in 1700 sent waves to Japan. Scientists urge immediate investment in early-warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and evacuation planning to reduce disaster impact. (PC: X)

A Supreme Court bench led by Justice Vikram Nath criticised civic authorities for failing to enforce animal control guidelines while hearing petitions against the August 11 order to move all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters. Justice Nath remarked, “On one hand, humans are suffering, and on the other, the animal lovers are here,” while Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi warned, “You cannot create a horror situation like this.” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta cited rising dog bites, but lawyers Kapil Sibal and Singhvi argued the directive was impractical due to lack of shelters. The court reserved its order on the matter. (PC: NDTV)

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned of increased secondary tariffs on India if Friday’s Trump-Putin peace talks in Alaska fail. Washington has already imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports, citing purchases of Russian oil and weapons, making India the most heavily taxed US trading partner in Asia. Delhi defends buying cheap Russian crude to shield millions from rising costs. The US seeks European support for sanctions on Moscow while urging India to lower duties on agriculture and dairy imports. Experts warn the tariffs could slash India’s growth by 0.5% and hit key exports like textiles and jewellery. (PC: BBC)

At least 10 people are feared dead after a massive cloudburst struck Chishoti village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Thursday along the Machail Mata Yatra route. Union minister Jitendra Singh said rescue teams were dispatched immediately, with damage assessment and medical aid underway. Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha directed civil, police, army, NDRF, and SDRF teams to intensify rescue operations and provide all possible assistance. The incident follows severe monsoon rainfall that has triggered landslides, floods, and destruction across hilly states. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have also faced cloudbursts, with hundreds of roads blocked and significant property damage reported. (PC: NDTV)

The Supreme Court on Thursday rapped civic bodies for failing to control the stray dog situation in Delhi-NCR and reserved its order on pleas challenging the August 11 directive to relocate all strays to shelters within eight weeks. A three-judge bench led by Justice Vikram Nath criticised authorities for poor implementation of existing laws but stopped short of staying the order. The Centre backed relocation, citing high dog bite and rabies cases, while petitioners argued it violated Animal Birth Control Rules and lacked adequate shelter facilities. The case has drawn strong public opposition and celebrity support for stray dog rights. (PC: India Today)

Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore has criticised the Supreme Court’s order to relocate stray dogs from Delhi-NCR, calling it “a door closing on the voiceless and defenceless.” In a video shared by NCP spokesperson Anish Gawande, she urged for a “nuanced and calibrated approach” addressing systemic flaws behind the so-called menace. The August 11 ruling mandates relocating strays to 5,000-capacity shelters within 6-8 weeks, with vaccination, sterilisation, and CCTV monitoring. Following public backlash, Chief Justice BR Gavai agreed to review the decision. Celebrities including John Abraham, Janhvi Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Raveena Tandon, and Randeep Hooda have also voiced strong opposition. (PC: NDTV)

Delhi-NCR woke up to heavy rain on Thursday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to upgrade its yellow alert to a red warning. Severe waterlogging was reported in areas including Basai Road in Gurugram, with visuals showing intense downpours in Delhi, Noida, and Gurugram. The IMD forecast light to moderate rain at most places, with heavy showers at isolated locations over the next 2-3 hours. Delhi has recorded 706mm of rainfall this year, 91% of its annual average, with more expected this month. Similar warnings were issued for Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Madhya Pradesh, and West Uttar Pradesh. (PC: HT)

More than 100 humanitarian organisations, including Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), have urged Israel to end the “weaponisation of aid” in Gaza, warning that starvation is worsening. They say Israeli regulations introduced in March have blocked most international NGOs from delivering a single truck of lifesaving supplies since 2 March. Aid worth millions, including 744 tons of rice, remains stuck. Israel says the rules protect national interests and prevent aid theft by Hamas. MSF condemned a “militarised food distribution scheme,” calling it a “death trap.” Gaza’s health ministry reports nearly 62,000 Palestinians killed and hundreds dying from hunger. (PC: BBC)