We’re building a brand-new studio to bring you bold ground reports, sharp interviews, hard-hitting podcasts, explainers and more. Support Scroll’s studio fund today.

India did not sign a joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers’ meeting as the document did not reflect New Delhi’s position against terror. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday that New Delhi “wanted concerns and terrorism reflected in the document, which was not acceptable to one particular country”.

The statement reportedly did not contain references to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 persons.

At the organisation’s meeting in Qingdao, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that New Delhi had launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam attack. India exercised its right to defend against terrorism and pre-empt as well as deter further cross-border attacks, said the minister. Read on.

The Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi government has filed a first information report against Aam Aadmi Party leaders and former ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain in connection with alleged irregularities in the construction of 24 hospitals.

The case stems from a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Vijender Gupta in August. Gupta had alleged that Bharadwaj and Jain were involved in systematic manipulation of project budgets after the then-Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi sanctioned the construction of 24 hospitals in 2018-’19 at the cost of Rs 5,590 crore.

In its FIR, the Anti-Corruption Branch has also flagged alleged irregularities in the construction of the Rs 1,125 crore Intensive Care Unit hospital project, which was intended to be completed in six months but remains only 50% finished after nearly three years. Read on.

Two persons were killed and over 15 were missing after cloudbursts led to flash floods in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district. Three others were swept away because of flash floods in Kullu district.

Workers were resting in temporary shelters near the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric project site at Khaniyara near Dharamshala when they were swept away after a surge in the water level of the Manuni river. Read on.

The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in Wayanad, Malappuram and Idukki districts of Kerala. Additionally, the state irrigation department has issued alerts for dangerously high water levels in several rivers, including the Muvattupuzha, Bharathapuzha, Achankovi, Pamba, Manimala, Thodupuzha and Kabani.

Heavy rains and strong winds have been lashing Kerala, bringing down hoardings, uprooting trees and disrupting daily life. Read on.

United States President Donald Trump has said that Washington and Tehran will hold talks next week. This comes a day after Israel and Israel agreed to a ceasefire after 12 days of hostilities.

Tehran had also said on Tuesday that it was ready to return to negotiations about its nuclear programme with the US. Washington had signed a nuclear deal with Iran in 2015 to limit Tehran’s nuclear programme in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. Trump had scrapped the deal during his first term in 2018.

Trump said he is not looking to restart talks with Iran but may seek a commitment from the country to end its nuclear ambitions. Iran has not yet acknowledged any talks taking place next week. Read on.

If you haven’t already, sign up for our Daily Brief newsletter.