The island is becoming a new hotspot for foreign-operated online scam operations. Local authorities are concerned over their negative impact on the country’s image and economy, especially tourism. Police have arrested people from Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as seized laptops and mobile phones.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party won 108 of 234 seats, falling short of an absolute majority, while the BJP won only one seat, remaining weak in southern India. The success of Vijay, a Tamil Christian, appears to be linked to growing discontent with the duopoly of local parties and his strong capacity for popular mobilisation, but building alliances will be a challenge.
Nepal has sent diplomatic notes to India and China protesting the reopening of the Lipulekh corridor for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. It claims sovereignty over the area, whose borders date back to colonial times. The Nepali government claims it was not consulted and accuses India of unilateral actions, while China, although remaining on the sidelines, has so far effectively backed India's position.
The church organisation set up such centres in St. Michael's Parish. An estimated 400 to 500 out-of-school students between the ages of 6 and 14 are not going to school in the area. Among the causes are poverty, child labour, and climate change. For Father Nobert Nazir, they are “a sign of hope. Education is not a privilege”.
Between 2021 and 2025, 37,740 Indian workers died abroad, over 86% of them in Gulf countries, and reports of abuse and exploitation are also on the rise. However, migration flows remain central to the Indian economy, due to remittances. The crisis in the Middle East is putting pressure on an already fragile system, including from an energy perspective, and in the long term risks causing a domestic economic shock.
FIFA has decided to allow Afghan players to represent their country in international women’s competitions, despite the Taliban's failure to recognise them. At the same time, Afghan men are expelled from Europe under controversial agreements, while the country is still in the grips of a serious humanitarian crisis. Al-Qaeda backs the Taliban against the Pakistani government.