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Heavy Rains Lash Mumbai, Waterlogging Paralyzes City Life

By
The Commune
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mumbai rains

Heavy rain continued to lash Mumbai for the fourth straight day, throwing normal life out of gear as severe waterlogging disrupted daily activities across several parts of the city. In Vasai-Virar and Nala Sopara, floodwaters entered major roads, shops, and houses, creating chaos for residents.

As many areas were submerged, both pedestrians and motorists struggled to navigate, as traffic slowed down and accidents became a constant risk. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has cautioned that the situation may worsen, issuing warnings of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next four days. Vashi recorded the maximum rainfall in the region, while Navi Mumbai too bore the brunt of the heavy downpour.

Amid the prolonged red alerts, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) directed schools to remain closed on Monday and Tuesday to ensure the safety of students. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data, between 8.00 a.m. on August 18 and 7.00 a.m. on August 19, Mumbai’s central zone recorded 178.56 mm of rainfall, the eastern zone 190.50 mm, and the western zone 220.82 mm.

The heavy showers, coupled with poor drainage in low-lying areas, worsened the flooding situation. Large potholes, hidden under submerged roads, compounded the hazards and slowed vehicular movement further.

Public transportation, too, felt the impact. While suburban train services continued, both Western and Central lines were delayed by nearly 10 minutes due to water accumulation on tracks in vulnerable stretches. The disruption severely inconvenienced officegoers, students, and traders who depend on these services for their commute.

Earlier on Monday, the BMC had announced a holiday for schools and colleges after relentless rain battered the city. As forecasts predicted more downpours, Mumbai remains on edge, grappling with overflowing drains, inundated streets, and the looming fear of further disruption.

-IANS

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Zelensky Calls For Unconditional Meeting With Putin

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The Commune
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zelensky putin ukraine russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia proposed a bilateral meeting with Ukraine, followed by a trilateral meeting. In a news conference following his meetings with US President Donald Trump at the White House, Zelensky said on Monday that he is ready for “any format” of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said that he would participate in the following trilateral meeting, depending on how the first meeting goes. Zelensky added that he does not know the details about the proposed bilateral meeting. He said that he does not want to impose conditions on the meeting because Putin would follow with his own conditions.

“I believe unconditionally we should meet and think about the further development of this path to the end of the war,” he said. Putin told Trump on Monday that he is willing to meet Zelensky, a person familiar with the call said. Putin told Trump, whom he met Friday in Alaska, of his readiness to meet Zelensky during a telephone call in a break from White House talks in Washington with European leaders, the person said on condition of anonymity. Trump said on Monday that he had started arranging a two-way peace meeting between Ukraine’s Zelensky and Russia’s Putin — to be followed by three-way talks involving himself.

“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky,” he said after hosting Zelensky and European leaders at the White House.

“After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself.” Ukrainian President Zelensky on Monday gave an upbeat asessment of talks with US counterpart Trump and said they discussed security guarantees.

“We had a very good conversation with President Trump, and it really was the best one — or, sorry, maybe the best one will be in the future,” Zelensky said at an expanded meeting with European leaders. President zelensky and President Trump expressed hope that Monday’s critical talks with Ukrainian and European leaders at the White House could lead to trilateral talks with Putin to bring an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Monday’s meeting comes after Trump met with Putin and has said that the onus is now on Zelensky to agree to concessions that he said could end the war. A group of European political leaders also meet with the US President after they were left out of Friday’s summit, and they are looking to safeguard Ukraine and the continent from any widening aggression from Moscow.

-IANS

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“POCSO Act Is Gender Neutral”, Says Karnataka High Court; Refuses To Quash FIR Against Woman In Sexual Assault Case On Minor Boy

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The Commune
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Karnataka High Court Quashes 45-Year-Old Murder Case, Deems It A Waste Of Judicial Time pocso act

The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash the FIR lodged against a woman in connection with an alleged sexual assault on a minor boy and made a significant observation that the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences – POCSO Act is gender neutral, and the provisions of this act will apply to both men and women.

The bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the verdict in this regard dismissing the petition by 52-year-old woman in this regard on Monday. The sexual assault case was registered against her by the parents of the victim minor boy.

The petitioner contended that there is delay of four years in reporting of the crime. The counsel appearing for the petitioner further submitted that complaint under Section 4 and 6 has been registered for penetrative sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault under the POCSO Act.

The alleged crime occurred in 2020 and the FIR has been filed in 2025, the counsel highlighted. He further submitted that the victim is a 13-year-old school going boy and was a neighbour. To avoid the repayment, the petitioner has been set up in this case, the counsel argued.

The bench however, rejecting the submission observed that POCSO Act being progressive is intended to safeguard sanctity of childhood it is rooted in gender neutrality with its beneficent object being protection of children, irrespective of sex. The act is gender neutral.

The court further observed that even if there was a delay in filing the complaint (registering the crime), it cannot be used as a reason to cancel or dismiss the legal case, because the seriousness of the alleged offence and the fact that the victim is underage (or a minor) are more important considerations. The excuses about psychology and potency tests are not convincing and have no weight in today’s legal framework, the court maintained.

The court firmly rejected the claim that in sexual activity a woman only plays a passive role while the man is the active one and made it clear that such a notion is outdated, wrong, and cannot be accepted in law.

-IANS

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Operation Naya Savera: 50 Traffickers Arrested, 24 FIRs Filed In Bihar; 112 Victims Rescued By Bihar Police

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The Commune
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operation naya savera bihar police kolkata police sex trafficking

In a major crackdown on human trafficking, prostitution, orchestras and dance groups, Bihar Police rescued 112 minors and women from exploitation during a special state-wide campaign “Operation Naya Savera” conducted from July 31 to August 14.

The victims include 41 minor girls, 7 women, and 64 minor boys, said ADG (Weaker Sections) Amit Kumar Jain at a press conference held at Sardar Patel Bhawan, Police Headquarters in Patna on Monday. During the operation, 50 human traffickers, including 28 men and 22 women, were arrested, and 24 FIRs were registered.

Launched on the occasion of International Human Trafficking Prevention Day (July 30), the campaign targeted victims trapped in human trafficking, child labour, prostitution, orchestra and theatre groups, with a focus on rehabilitation.

As part of the drive, 19 orchestra/theatre groups were busted in districts including Patna (2), Kishanganj (7), Purnea (3), Rohtas (3), Madhubani (1), Araria (3), Saran (29), and Bettiah (1). 63 victims of child labour were freed from Patna (23), Sitamarhi (21), Vaishali (4), Katihar (3), Bagaha (1), Madhubani (3), Narkatiaganj railway station (2), and Sasaram railway station (6). The rescued victims also include 3 from Nepal, 13 from West Bengal, 4 from Uttar Pradesh, and one each from Odisha and Jharkhand.

ADG Jain further said that from January 2025 till now, police have registered 329 FIRs in trafficking-related cases across districts, rescuing 1,016 victims, including 217 minor girls, 77 women, and 722 minor boys. A total of 250 traffickers have been arrested and sent to jail under BNS provisions. Recognising exemplary efforts under the campaign, the Saran district was awarded the first prize, while Patna stood second.

In addition, the ADG highlighted ongoing initiatives of the CID Weaker Sections. “Since the establishment of a counseling cell in 2021, 157 applications related to family disputes have been received till August 17, 2025, of which 142 cases have been resolved, including 56 through mutual settlement,” Jain said.

A special helpdesk for trans women (bisexual women) has also been created at the police station level. The existing women’s helplines in 855 police stations will now function additionally as trans women helpdesks, guided by newly issued SOPs to ensure accessibility and speedy resolution of their cases.

-IANS

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China Assures India On Rare Earths, Fertilisers Amid Trade Talks

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The Commune
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jaishankar wang yi india china

In a sign of further thawing of economic ties, China has assured India to address its major trade concerns, especially around the import of rare earths and fertilisers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has told External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar that Beijing is addressing India’s three key concerns — rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines, according to government sources.

China has imposed restrictions on the exports of rare earth magnets in retaliation against the US tariff hikes and is using the commodity as a bargaining chip in the trade war. This has also had an impact on other countries that are dependent on Chinese imports.

Rare earth magnets are used in a variety of high-tech applications, ranging from electronic goods and electric vehicles to large-scale industrial equipment. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a two-day official visit during which he will hold a fresh round of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

China’s Foreign Ministry asserted that Wang Yi’s India visit will help in both countries working together to implement the consensus reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. During his opening remarks, EAM Jaishankar said as neighbouring nations and major economies in the world, there are various facets and dimensions of the India-China ties.

“It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided”, he added. “When the world’s two largest nations meet, it is natural that the international situation will be discussed. We seek a fair, balanced and multi-polar world order, including a multi-polar Asia. Reformed multilateralism is also the call of the day. In the current environment, there is clearly the imperative of maintaining and enhancing stability in the global economy as well. The fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is another major priority. I look forward to our exchange of views,” EAM Jaishankar noted.

The meetings could see both sides deliberate on a range of key issues, including the border situation, trade and resumption of flight services.

-IANS

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India-Russia Ties In Focus As EAM S Jaishankar Begins Moscow Visit Today

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The Commune
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India Russia Ties In Focus As EAM S Jaishankar Begins Moscow Visit Today

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will leave for Russia on Tuesday for a three-day official visit aimed at deepening the longstanding India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced.

The visit, scheduled till August 21, comes at the invitation of Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. During his stay, EAM Jaishankar will co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) on August 20 and also address the India-Russia Business Forum in Moscow.

The EAM will hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to review the full spectrum of bilateral ties and exchange views on pressing regional and global developments. “The visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” the MEA said in a statement.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier confirmed the meeting, posting on X, “FM Sergei Lavrov’s schedule: On August 21, FM Sergei Lavrov will hold talks with FM of India Dr S Jaishankar in Moscow. The Ministers will discuss key issues on our bilateral agenda, as well as key aspects of cooperation within international frameworks.” EAM Jaishankar’s visit follows National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval’s recent trip to Moscow, where he held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, First Deputy Prime Minister Manturov, and Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu.

The upcoming talks also come close on the heels of the Jaishankar-Lavrov meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ meet on July 15, and their engagement during the BRICS Summit last month, where the leaders deliberated on bilateral cooperation, West Asia, BRICS, and SCO.

Earlier this year, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Moscow to hold bilateral Foreign Office Consultations with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko. During the consultations on March 7, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties and also shared perspectives on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Both sides took stock of progress on implementation of decisions taken at the 22nd Annual Summit held in Moscow in July 2024, the meeting in Kazan on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin, the 25th session of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation held in New Delhi in November 2024, and other high level engagements.

In November 2024, Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and EAM Jaishankar co-chaired the 25th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade. Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation in New Delhi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to visit India following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit is being planned as part of the ongoing commitment to annual meetings between the two leaders.

-IANS

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Five Years Of Closure: Nathu La Trade Remains Suspended Following China’s Aggression

By
The Commune
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nathu la trade china aggression closure

As many as 400 families depending on trade between Sikkim and Tibet are facing difficulties due to the prolonged closure of the border which has hit the common people on both sides, a report has highlighted.

The thriving border trade through Nathu La and the other two routes – Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Shipki La pass in Himachal Pradesh – came to a halt in 2020 when the Chinese army violated a series of bilateral protocols in eastern Ladakh.

“Officially, the reason for the suspension in border trade is shown to be the pandemic, but the fact remains that the pandemic ended long ago while the trade remains suspended for the past five years. The real reason for the suspension in trade is aggressive moves by China on the border, beginning in 2017 with the incursion in the Doklam Plateau in Bhutan, which is close to Nathu La,” Nepal’s online news portal Hamrakura reported.

Quoting Tshephel Tenzing, the General Secretary of Gangtok-based Nathu La Border Trade Association, it mentions that the repeated Chinese aggressions across the border with India have only brought suffering and hardships for the common people in the trans-Himalayan region.

According to Tenzing, the Tibetan traders and labourers are also facing financial hardships since the closure of the trade.

“He (Tenzing) had interactions with Tibetan traders at the trade marts when trading was on. Since the beginning of the border trade, the financial conditions of these Tibetans had improved. Most of the Tibetan labourers engaged in the border trade came from Tromo County, a part of the Shigatse prefecture in the plateau. Only they could travel up to the Indian trade mart at Sherathang, not the Chinese businessmen engaged in the border trade. The Tibetan traders and labourers in Tromo County have suffered the most because of the closure of the Nathu La border trade,” the report detailed.

As per the Border Trade Association 400 trade passes used to be issued every year to traders in Sikkim to do business with traders in Tibet. The association has now written to the Sikkim Government to provide these traders with alternative employment.

“About 150 drivers ferrying merchandise from Gangtok to the Sherathang trade mart on the Indian side and Rinchenpong on the Tibetan side are facing loss of income since the closure of the trade. Some of them have now started driving taxis and buses on the mainline passenger routes in Sikkim,” the report states. –IANS /as

-IANS

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Mass Deportation: Iran Plans Return Of 2 Million Undocumented Afghan Nationals

By
The Commune
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Mass Deportation: Iran Plans Return Of 2 Million Undocumented Afghan Nationals

Amid rising regional pressure on refugees, Iran is planning to deport around two million undocumented Afghan migrants, the authorities in Tehran said on Monday while assuring that the process will follow legal procedures with dignity.

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said that a new programme is underway to send back around two million undocumented Afghans to their homeland with “dignity and respect,” leading Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported.

Speaking to reporters in Mashhad on Monday, Momeni said the first phase will focus on undocumented Afghans who came to Iran with no legal document. He stated that over six million Afghan nationals currently reside in Iran, noting that managing such a large population needs serious national and international cooperation.

He stressed that the programme should not be considered anti-immigrant and stated that each nation has its own laws and regulations regarding foreign nationals. He further stated that the National Migration Organisation will oversee the process, ensuring that all returns are sent back to Afghanistan as per legal procedures and with respect for human dignity. Momeni stated that majority of Afghan nationals are expected to leave through the Khorasan Razavi border, which has for long been a crossing point between the two nations.

Iranian minister’s announcement comes as Pakistan prepares to start its own repatriation campaign for Afghan migrants, set to begin in September. Humanitarian groups have expressed concerns over mass deportations from Iran and Pakistan, saying that it could cause a severe crisis, as people who have returned to their homeland face poverty, unemployment, and restrictions under Taliban rule.

On August 17, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned that its funds are depleting as 2.2 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan and Iran and called for urgent aid amid worsening poverty and dire humanitarian crisis. The UNHCR warned that its budget is running out amid mass expulsion of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan.

In a statement on August 17, the UNHCR called for urgent international aid to sustain its operations supporting Afghan returnees. Since the start of 2025, over 2.2 million Afghans have been deported from Iran and Pakistan, according to UNHCR. The UN mentioned that poverty and unemployment in Afghanistan are rising sharply, with over half of the people reliant on humanitarian assistance for survival.

-IANS

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The New Gold: Kerala’s Coconut Shells Turn Lucrative Commodity As Prices Soar To ₹ 35/kg

By
The Commune
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kerala coconut shells gold

Once discarded as waste, coconut shells in Kerala have turned into a lucrative commodity, with prices hitting record highs on the back of rising industrial demand from other states and even overseas.

The price of coconut shells has seen a significant jump, rising to a record high of up to Rs 35 per kg in some parts of Kerala in the past few months. Interestingly, a year ago, coconuts in the state were sold for Rs 30-40 a kg (now Rs 80-90), while today their shells are fetching up to Rs 35 a kg in many parts of Kerala.

The price escalated from Rs 5 per kg at the beginning of this year, creating a lucrative market for coconut traders and farmers. Traders involved in the trade have confirmed that the price surge is a result of high demand from both domestic and foreign markets.

Subair, a trader in southern Kerala’s Kollam city, said that he is selling the coconut shells to traders from Tamil Nadu who, in turn, export to China and Taiwan, adding that its prices touched Rs 33 in Kollam.

According to him, the shells are used to produce activated carbon for water purification, cosmetics, and various industrial applications. Murugan, a trader in Erattupetta of Kottayam district, said that the jump in the price of coconut shells up to Rs 35 a kg made it a high-value product.

Murugan says he collects the shells locally and has been selling them to the traders in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Households in Kerala have also begun storing coconut shells to sell them to local traders at higher rates after the recent surge in their prices.

The sudden rise in value has made the coconut shell a ‘gold price’ commodity, with the small-scale entrepreneurs now engaging in online-based collection businesses. The sudden rise in the prices of coconuts and coconut oil, both essential in the daily life of Keralites, has upset the household budget across the state. In the state, a kg of coconut costs around Rs 80-90, while coconut oil is priced at Rs 400-500 per kg.

With the Onam festival approaching, the price surge has turned into a major political issue, prompting the government to announce subsidised sales of coconut oil to provide some relief to consumers.

-IANS

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Eradicated In India, Continues Across The Border: Two New Polio Cases Reported In Pakistan, Total Reaches 21 In 2025

By
The Commune
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polio pakistan india

Two new cases of polio have been detected in Pakistan, according to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH). One polio case has been reported in Lower Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while another one has been detected in Sindh’s Badin district, local media reported on Monday.

The new cases include a six-year-old girl from Lower Kohistan’s Union Council Pattan and a 21-month-old girl from Union Council Matli-2, Badin, The News International reported. After the detection of these new cases, the total number of polio cases in Pakistan this year has reached 21, including 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six from Sindh, and one case each from Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB).

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children aged below five years, according to World Health Organisation (WHO). There is no cure for polio, however, it can only prevented by immunisation. The polio vaccine, given multiple times, can protect a child for life.

The continued detection of polio cases shows that children remain at risk in areas, where less number of people are ready to vaccinate their children. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where Wild Poliovirus remains endemic. Polio workers have frequently been targetted in attacks, particularly in the northwest and southwest regions.

A Sub-National Polio Vaccination Campaign is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from September 1-7, targetting 28 million children under the age of five in 99 districts of all provinces and regions, as per the report. The polio vaccine campaign in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be conducted from September 15.

The campaign is aimed to ensure that every child in these district gets vaccinated to protect them from polio. This campaign is part of Pakistani authorities’ efforts to strengthen immunity among children against polio and close existing protection gaps. Parents and caregivers have been asked to ensure that children receive polio vaccine during the campaign.

Earlier on August 12, health authorities stated that Wild Poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was detected in sewage samples from 42 sites across Pakistan. As many as 127 sewage samples were collected from 87 districts during July, according to testing by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad, Xinhua News Agency reported. Among these, 42 tested positive, 75 samples were negative while 10 are still under process.

-IANS

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