The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to respond to a petition seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu & Kashmir. However, the court acknowledged the prevailing ground situation, citing the Pahalgam terror attack. The Centre’s assurance of restoring statehood ‘at the earliest’ was recalled, while the court recognized that assembly elections have been conducted.

Donald Trump claimed to have brokered peace between India and Pakistan ahead of his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Six or seven planes came down. They were ready to go. Maybe nuclear. We solved that,” Trump said about the India-Pakistan tension. Air Chief Marshal Staff Amar Preet Singh recently said India shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one other large aircraft during Operation Sindoor. Pakistan rejected the claim.

Germany “strongly” objects to an Israeli plan to build thousands of new homes in the West Bank, calling on the government to “stop settlement construction” in the Palestinian territory.