INDIA experienced extreme weather events on 322 out of the 366 days in 2024, surpassing the 318 days in 2023 and 314 days in 2022. Nearly 88 per cent of the previous year saw extreme weather in one or more parts of the country, up from 87 per cent in 2023 and 86 per cent in 2022. These extreme weather events have resulted in severe human and economic losses, with 3,472 fatalities in 2024, up from 3,287 in 2023 and 3,026 in 2022 – an increase of 15 per cent in three years.

ON Independence Day this year, a social media post by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas caused outrage and revulsion across the country. Under the title ‘Happy Independence Day’ it depicted four faces – V D Savarkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Shaheed Bhagat Singh. At the bottom was the slogan – ‘Freedom was their gift/Shaping the future is our mission’. The outrage was understandable.

A SUPREME Court directive on August 11, 2025 to remove stray dogs from the streets of Delhi-NCR has brought an issue that causes immense suffering to people across India to the spotlight. The stray dog menace causes millions of dog bites in India every year, resulting in injuries, disabilities, trauma, and death to untold numbers of people. Although a larger bench of the Supreme Court has subsequently modified the August 11th directive, the judicial intervention has created an environment where effective solutions to the stray dog menace can be discussed widely.

MORE than a thousand citizens of Mumbai gathered at a public meeting held at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, on August 20, to protest against and call for an immediate end to the Genocide being perpetrated by Israel at Gaza. With bombing, shooting of civilians and food and water blockade of Gaza, a programme of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is in progress at Gaza. The permanent occupation of Gaza is the stated aim of the Israeli regime. The International Criminal Court has indicted the prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu and the defence minister, Gallant for war crimes and genocide.

THE Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), in a statement issued on August 25, expressed shock at the rough treatment given to a Lallantop reporter and cameraperson by Delhi police at Ramlila Maidan on August 24, 2025. They were covering a protest by students from around the country alleging irregularities in the selection process of the Staff Service Commission. The police not only stopped the journalists from reporting, they also confiscated their aadhaar cards, mobiles, camera and microphone and forced them into a police van.