India

Tragedy struck Mathura’s Yamuna River as a boat carrying devotees capsized near Kesi Ghat. At least six lives were lost in the unfortunate incident that occurred Friday afternoon. Around 30 individuals were on two boats when one suddenly sank. Rescue efforts are actively ongoing to locate those still missing, with several already brought to safety.

A fragile ceasefire has eased immediate escalation risks in the Strait of Hormuz, but shipping remains constrained and conditional. While limited vessel movement has resumed, it’s far from normal, with security considerations dictating transit and global energy markets remaining sensitive to any disruptions.

UCC is a proposal to have one common set of personal laws for all citizens in India, covering marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption, regardless of religion. It aims to ensure equality before law and promote national integration by replacing religion-based personal laws with a uniform legal framework. In the Bengal polls, where BJP strives to wrest power from three-time chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who fiercely opposes the UCC, the issue is expected to highly polarise the elections.

The Supreme Court has directed the Union government to respond within a week to a habeas corpus petition concerning 26 Indian nationals allegedly stranded in Russia and forced into the Ukraine war. Families reported their relatives were lured with job promises, had passports seized, and were compelled to join military units. The court’s intervention seeks their safe return.