Top news of the day on July 25, 2025

PM Modi, President Muizzu hold talks to boost ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held wide-ranging talks with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, focusing on consolidating cooperation in areas of trade, defence and infrastructure, marking a major turnaround in the ties after a spell of unease. Mr. Modi landed in Male this morning to a warm welcome with Muizzu and a number of top ministers of his government receiving the prime minister at the Velena international airport, reflecting the importance Male attached to the trip. Hours later, Mr. Modi was accorded a colourful ceremonial welcome and a guard of honour at the iconic Republic Square.

Thailand warns of war with Cambodia as 138,000 flee fighting

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai warned Friday (July 25, 2025) that cross-border clashes with Cambodia that have uprooted more than 130,000 people “could develop into war”, as the countries traded deadly strikes for a second day. A long-running border dispute erupted into intense fighting with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday (July 24, 2025), and the U.N. Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis later Friday (July 25, 2025).

Consensual sex between adolescents aged 16 to 18 years must not be treated as abuse: amicus curiae to SC

Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae and senior advocate Indira Jaising has argued that consensual sexual acts by teenagers, aged between 16 and 18, in voluntary relationships cannot be classified as “abuse” or prosecuted as a crime. The written submissions filed by Ms. Jaising in the apex court is part of a petition filed by advocate Nipun Saxena dating back to 2012. The amicus’s brief has challenged the age of pegged at 18 years by the enactment of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) to the extent that it works to criminalise “consensual sexual activity between children between the age of 16-18”.

Parliament Monsoon session: Both Houses adjourned; Lok Sabha to take up discussion on Operation Sindoor on July 28 

For the fifth consecutive day on Friday (July 25, 2025), the Monsoon session of Parliament witnessed no business as both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day. In a bid to break the impasse, Lok Speaker Om Birla has called a meeting of Lok Sabha floor leaders of parties with more than four members. After the meeting, it was stated that a consensus was reached and it was stated that the Lok Sabha will be discussing Operation Sindoor on Monday (July 28, 2025).

ALTT, ULLU among over 20 OTT apps banned for obscene content

The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has directed the blocking of websites and apps of at least 25 OTT platforms for allegedly providing obscene, vulgar, and in some cases pornographic content. The action was taken in consultation with the ministries of Home Affairs, Women and Child Development, Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Legal Affairs, as well as industry bodies such as FICCI and CII, and experts in the fields of women and child rights.

JD(U)-BJP ‘conspiring’ to get Tejashwi ‘murdered’, says Rabri Devi

Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Friday (July 25, 2025) alleged that the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine had hatched a “conspiracy” to “murder” her son Tejashwi Yadav ahead of Assembly polls. Talking exclusively to PTI-video, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council also claimed that attempts have been made on the life of the young leader in the past, “at least two, three or four times”.

My mistake we couldn’t get caste census done earlier; correcting that now: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (July 25, 2025) acknowledged that it was his “mistake” and not that of the party that they could not get a caste census conducted earlier, saying he is correcting that now. Mr. Gandhi further said he committed a “mistake” in his political career of 21 years, which is not protecting the interests of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) section as much as he should have done.

Dhanbad mine ‘collapse’: NDRF, BCCL launch rescue operation

A joint team from the NDRF and the Bharat Coking Coal Ltd started a search operation to rescue miners allegedly trapped during illegal mining in an abandoned coal mine in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad, officials said. The operation by a 35-member squad of the NDRF and a 15-member BCCL mines’ rescue wing began around 11.30 a.m., after a futile attempt to search for the miners late on Thursday evening.

Delimitation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh only after 2026 census: SC

The Supreme Court, in a judgment, held that there was no discrimination against Andhra Pradesh or Telangana by the Centre by conducting delimitation exercise in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir without holding the same in the Telugu States. A Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant referred to Article 170(3) of the Constitution which mandates “readjustment of seats in the Legislative Assembly of a State and the division of the State into territorial constituencies after each census”.