India's Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) located at Kalpakkam has attained "criticality" – the point at which a reactor begins a controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the milestone as a "defining" step in the country's civil nuclear quest and a "proud moment." The reactor can produce more nuclear fuel than it consumes, reflecting the depth of India's scientific capability and engineering strength.
This achievement advances the second stage of the country's three-step nuclear program and paves the way for India to harness its vast thorium reserves in the third stage. India – the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases – is on an ambitious journey to expand its nuclear power capacity from the current 8 gigawatts to 100 gigawatts by 2047. Once fully operational, India will become the second country after Russia to have a commercially operating Fast Breeder Reactor.
A district court in Madurai, southern Tamil Nadu state, sentenced nine police officers to death over the custodial deaths of a trader and his son six years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. The court observed the case falls under the "rarest of rare" category – the legal threshold under Indian law for awarding the death penalty. Father P Jeyaraj (58) and son J Benicks (38) were accused of keeping their mobile phone shop open beyond permitted hours during a lockdown. They were taken to the Sathankulam police station, where they were subjected to physical assault and later remanded to judicial custody. Both were subsequently admitted to a government hospital, with Benicks succumbing to injuries on June 22 and his father dying a day later.
The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of flag carrier Air India, Campbell Wilson, has resigned. A statement from the airline said Wilson conveyed his intention to step down in 2026 to Chairman N Chandrasekaran in 2024. His exit comes as the airline faces mounting losses and increased regulatory scrutiny following the 2025 fatal crash of its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which left 260 people dead. Wilson was on a five-year contract but tendered his resignation before the end of the term.
Nearly three-quarters of lakes in the Jammu and Kashmir region have either disappeared or shrunk, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). The report, covering the period up to March 2022, found that 518 out of 697 lakes – nearly 74% – have vanished or reduced in size. This loss has contributed to ecosystem degradation, water scarcity, declining biodiversity, and disruption of natural carbon, nutrient, and water cycles. The report warned: "Lakes are natural flood balancing reservoirs/defense for the flood regulating system. Research conducted by scholars from various institutions at State/UT and National level had also attributed causes of floods to change in land use of Lakes."
Source: www.dw.com