Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has dismissed Pakistan’s claim that China could cut off Brahmaputra’s water to India. He said the river mostly depends on Indian monsoon rains, not China. Only 30–35% of the water comes from China, while the rest is from India. Mr Sarma added that during monsoon, the river’s flow rises sharply in Assam. He also said China has never threatened to block the river. Even if it did, it might help reduce floods in Assam. Mr Sarma called Pakistan’s fear “baseless” and said India is taking control of its water rights with facts and confidence. (PC: NDTV)

Actor Kamal Haasan has decided not to release his upcoming film Thug Life in Karnataka for now, his counsel told the Karnataka High Court. The move follows backlash over his past remarks on the Kannada language’s origins. Though Haasan expressed sincere respect for Kannada and its people in a letter to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, the court noted the absence of a direct apology. The bench remarked that grace—not compulsion—should prompt an apology. Haasan’s legal team emphasized the actor's intention was never to offend. The court has adjourned the matter until June 10 for further dialogue. (PC: India Today)

Three Jammu and Kashmir government employees have been dismissed and jailed over alleged links to Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. The action follows an April terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Those sacked include a police constable, a teacher, and a junior assistant at a medical college. Authorities claim they facilitated arms smuggling, coordinated with handlers across the border, and aided militants. One of them is linked to the 2018 assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered the crackdown as part of efforts to dismantle terror support within official ranks in the Union Territory. (PC: NDTV)

Italy’s Mount Etna erupted violently on Monday, forcing tourists to flee as ash, gas, and rock shot several kilometers into the sky. Dramatic footage shows visitors scrambling downhill while a huge ash cloud billowed behind them. Tour guide Giuseppe Panfallo described an “immense roar” and credited a “responsible guide” for keeping his group of 40 safe. All tourists on the volcano were safely evacuated, authorities confirmed. The eruption—the strongest since 2014—has since calmed, with lava flows cooling and tremors decreasing, according to Italy’s volcanology observatory. Mount Etna, located in Sicily, attracts over 1.5 million visitors annually despite its volatile activity.

In a stunning upset at the Norway Chess 2025 tournament, 19-year-old world champion Gukesh Dommaraju defeated Magnus Carlsen in classical play for the first time. Carlsen, dominating most of the game, blundered under time pressure with 52...Ne2+, allowing Gukesh to snatch victory. The Norwegian star slammed the table and stormed out, skipping media duties. Gukesh, unfazed, called the win “special.” The victory follows Carlsen's earlier online jab: “You come at the king, you best not miss.” Gukesh now trails Carlsen and Caruana by just half a point. Indian PM Narendra Modi hailed the triumph as “exceptional.” 

An Indian-origin man, Gaurav Kundi (42), is in a coma with severe brain damage after an Australian police officer allegedly knelt on his neck during an arrest in Adelaide, echoing the George Floyd case. Video footage shows Kundi crying out, "I’ve done nothing wrong," as his partner Amritpal Kaur pleads with officers. Kundi reportedly lost consciousness after his head hit a police vehicle. Authorities claim he resisted arrest but have launched a Commissioner's inquiry due to the critical injuries. Kaur says doctors are uncertain if he will recover. The case has sparked outrage and demands for justice. (PC: India Today)

Punjab Police arrested Gagandeep Singh from Tarn Taran for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s ISI during Operation Sindoor. Singh, a resident of Mohalla Rodupur, was reportedly in direct contact with Pakistan-based pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla and had shared sensitive details on Indian Army movements. Police recovered a mobile phone with intelligence data and over 20 ISI contacts. According to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, Singh had been receiving payments via Indian channels and had been in contact with Pakistani handlers for five years. An FIR under the Official Secrets Act has been filed; investigations are ongoing into the wider espionage network. (PC: HT)

UN Secretary-General António Guterres demanded an independent probe after Palestinians were killed while queuing for food near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation centre in Rafah on Sunday. Witnesses alleged Israeli troops opened fire; the Red Cross hospital logged 179 casualties, including 21 deaths, while Hamas-run Civil Defence put fatalities at 31. Israel’s army denied shooting civilians, claiming only warning shots 1 km away and accusing Hamas of spreading “false allegations”. GHF also dismissed the reports as “outright fabrications”, saying no incident occurred at its site. UN rights chief Volker Türk called the scramble for aid “unacceptable” and “dehumanising”, urging accountability for civilian victims there. (PC: AFP)

Wajahat Khan, whose complaint led to the arrest of influencer Sharmistha Panoli, has himself been booked by Kolkata Police for allegedly delivering hate speech and hurting religious sentiments. Khan, who heads the Rashidi Foundation, is facing two complaints—one filed by advocate Vineet Jindal with Delhi Police. The FIR against Khan was registered under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act. He is now reported missing from his Kolkata residence. Panoli was arrested for posting a video criticizing Muslim Bollywood stars’ silence on Operation Sindoor. Authorities maintain her arrest was due to communal and abusive content, not patriotic expression. (PC: News18)

In a high-stakes diplomatic push, India and Pakistan have dispatched rival delegations to Washington, D.C., following India's Operation Sindoor. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor leads India’s all-party team—including BJP and Shiv Sena MPs—to brief US lawmakers on India’s anti-terror stance after the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari heads Islamabad’s delegation, countering India's narrative and protesting the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Both nations aim to influence American policymakers amid rising tensions. Tharoor reiterated India’s message: Pakistan will face escalating consequences if it continues sheltering terrorism. (PC: Reuters)