At least 164 dead, 971 injured in quakes, says Interim President Delcy RodríguezTwo powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within about a minute of each other on Wednesday (June 24, 2026), causing buildings to collapse and damage in Caracas. The rare back-to-back tremors, measuring magnitudes 7.1 and 7.5, rank among the strongest earthquakes to hit the country in more than a century. The earthquakes killed at least 164 people and injured at least 971, the nation’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said.India’s envoy to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi assumes office, announces resumption of travel visasIndia’s new High Commissioner to Dhaka Dinesh Trivedi on Thursday (June 25, 2026) announced the resumption of travel visas for Bangladesh nationals as he assumed office. Earlier, the 76-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader presented his credentials to President Mohammed Shahabuddin, marking the start of his diplomatic assignment. He was named as the envoy to Bangladesh on April 27, becoming the first politician to serve in this position.If a passport is not proof of citizenship, then what is?The Indian passport is a “travel document” and not a “citizenship document”, a senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday (June 24, 2026). The purpose of the Indian passport is to help Indians transit and travel through foreign ports and territories, and it should not be compared to other documents that are used to establish citizenship rights, the official said. The MEA’s response has distinguished between evidence of citizenship and conclusive proof of citizenship. While citizenship is determined under the Citizenship Act and passports are issued under the Passport Act, the existence of a passport doesn’t by itself be called a conclusive or definitive proof of citizenship in a dispute.BJP backs NCERT’s move to include ‘Emergency’ chapter in Class 9 textbookThe BJP on Thursday (June 25, 2026) backed the NCERT’s decision to introduce a section on the Emergency years in a Class 9 social science textbook, saying the “dark chapter” in India’s constitutional history must be remembered to ensure it is never repeated. The ruling party also attacked the Congress over the imposition of Emergency in 1975 and alleged that it is opposing the National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) decision to introduce the section.Digital Arrest scams: CBI conducts searches at over 80 locations across IndiaIn a major crackdown on the cybercrime infrastructure facilitating Digital Arrest scams, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has raided over 80 locations across the country in connection with more than 200 cases. Two accused have been arrested so far. They have been identified as Naresh from Chennai and Sanjib Saha, a resident of Kolkata.White Paper on T.N. electricity department puts debt at ₹2.47 lakh crore: Minister NirmalkumarThe State will not be burdened with any tariff revision, including the annual revision of 3.57% this year, said Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister R. Nirmalkumar on Thursday (June 25, 2026). Mr. Nirmalkumar, while presenting a White Paper on the status of the Tamil Nadu electricity department, said the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL), Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Limited (TNPGCL), Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL), and TANTRANSCO have sustained heavy losses, with the total debt of the four corporations standing at ₹2.47 lakh crore. The erstwhile Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), which was bifurcated into TANGEDCO and TANTRANSCO in 2010, was further restructured into four corporations in 2024. The report highlighted deficiencies in electricity infrastructure, power generation, and manpower, and stressed the need to replace ageing transmission and distribution infrastructure.Ram temple donation row: SC asks petitioner to mention plea seeking fair probe on June 29The Supreme Court on Thursday (June 25, 2026) asked a petitioner to mention before it on June 29 his plea seeking registration of an FIR, and a fair and time-bound probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The matter was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi.Why has India-U.S. trade deal been delayed?India and the U.S. in February 2025 announced that they would work towards a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that was to be finalised by Fall 2025. Then, in February 2026, they signed a framework agreement for an interim trade deal that was to be implemented by April-May 2026. Neither deal has come to pass. The Hindu explains the latest issues that have led to delays.Civil Aviation Ministry, DIAL launch Air Suvidha 2.0 portal for Ebola health screening at points of entry in IndiaThe Ministry of Civil Aviation and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on Thursday (June 25, 2026) launched Air Suvidha 2.0, an upgraded contactless passenger health self-declaration portal, to strengthen public health surveillance at points of entry in response to the ongoing Ebola disease outbreak. The launch follows the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the Ebola/Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17 under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.Jaishankar calls for closer cooperation with South Korea at Jeju ForumExternal Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday (June 25, 2026) said that India and South Korea “must cooperate more closely” in fields like ship-building, health, infrastructure and defence. The Minister also called for “greater capacity and opportunities” for the Global South to create new factors of growth, while highlighting that “the interests of a few” nations are being “openly prioritised” - without naming any country. Mr. Jaishankar is currently in South Korea on a two-day visit, the second leg of an ongoing foreign tour, after having visited Mongolia.Rescued from wildlife traffickers, seven golden langurs released in Assam national parkSeven endangered golden langurs, rescued from wildlife traffickers from western Assam’s Chirang district on June 19, were released in the Sikhna Jwhwlao National Park on Thursday (June 25, 2026). Straddling Chirang and Kokrajhar districts in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), the 316 sq. km Sikhna Jwhwlao is the newest of Assam’s eight national parks.Rubio says Gulf countries do not support tolls in the StraitU.S. Secretary ‌of State Marco Rubio ⁠said there ‌was zero support ‌among ‌Gulf countries ⁠for ⁠a Strait of Hormuz toll, ‌adding that they also shared other serious ‌concerns as he wrapped ⁠up his West Asia trip following the U.S.-Iran interim deal.Europe heatwave is ‘price to pay for fossil fuel pollution’: UN climate chiefThe heatwave scorching Europe has the fingerprints of climate change all over it and is “the latest price to pay for fossil fuel pollution baking our planet”, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said on Thursday (June 25, 2026). Europe has endured extreme heat this week, with record-breaking temperatures in France, Britain and Spain and other countries issuing high-level heat alerts.Bangladesh, China agree to strengthen cooperation on Teesta river management: reportBangladesh and China on Thursday (June 25, 2026) agreed to strengthen cooperation in the management of the Teesta and other rivers. The agreement was reached when Chinese Water Resources Minister Li Guoying called on Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who is currently in Beijing, the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency reported.Pakistan says Iran-U.S. talks expected to resume next weekPakistan has said talks between the U.S. and Iran are expected to resume next week. In a statement issued late on Wednesday (June 24, 2026), Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said “parties are on the table” and that the process was going on. The U.S. and Iran last week signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at restoring peace in West Asia.Amazon CEO meets PM Modi; announces plans to invest additional $13 billion in India on cloud, AIAmazon CEO Andy Jassy, who is on a visit to India, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday (June 25, 2026). During the meeting, Mr. Jassy outlined the e-commerce giant’s plans to invest an additional $13 billion in India to expand AI and cloud infrastructure by 2030. The fresh investment line-up will take Amazon’s total capital infusion in the country to $48 billion in the coming five years.Merlin the duck takes a trip to the stadium, but FIFA rules keep him out of Mexico matchOne of the biggest folk heroes of this World Cup, Merlín the duck arrived outside Mexico City’s stadium on Wednesday to great fanfare — but was ultimately told he could not remain for Mexico’s match against the Czech Republic. After winning hearts across social media, supporters had launched an effort urging organizers to allow the beloved bird to attend the match alongside his family. In less than two weeks, Merlín went from waddling through the streets of Mexico City during Mexico’s opening victory to visiting the presidential palace. But on Wednesday, his proverbial flight was cut short.