India First

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order pausing state environmental permits for hyperscale data center projects using over 50 megawatts of electricity. The moratorium aims to allow the state time to develop regulatory protections for ratepayers and the environment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Namo Green Rail in Haryana on July 18, 2026, making India one of a handful of nations operating a hydrogen-powered passenger train. The launch advances India's strategy to establish hydrogen as a clean fuel for railways in the...

Delhi Police removed Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar, a major New Delhi protest site, on July 18, 2026, during demonstrations over India's education and employment policies. Wangchuk had led the "Cockroach Movement," which mobilizes young Indians demanding government action on education reform and...

A growing number of Australians in their 20s and 30s are being diagnosed with early-onset bowel cancer after their symptoms were dismissed by doctors for months or years, according to ABC News Australia reporting. Bowel Cancer Australia is developing what could become the world's first...

According to TRT World, the Ultimate Robot Knock-out Legend (URKL), billed as the world's first competitive fighting league for humanoid robots, debuted in Shenzhen on July 16, 2026. More than 200 teams from China, the United States, Singapore, and other countries participated, with 32 advancing...

According to WION, villagers in Madhya Pradesh, India have staged a week-long protest against the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project, demanding rehabilitation and compensation before displacement. Tribal communities conducted symbolic pyre protests, alleging that the project threatens their homes, forests, and livelihoods despite government assurances of...

According to WION, climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk has maintained an indefinite hunger strike at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar for 20 days, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over education policy disputes. WION reports that multiple political leaders have visited him...

India's ethanol blending program reached 20 percent (E20 fuel) years ahead of schedule, according to analysis from Prof. Ashok Gulati, Distinguished Professor at ICRIER and former Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, discussed on The Print Uninterrupted. The analysis argues this move...

West Bengal state in India removed eggs from school lunch programs after partnering with ISKCON, a Hindu religious organization, to provide vegetarian meals to students, TRT World reports. According to TRT World, the decision has sparked a heated political debate over nutrition and whether food...

According to Arirang News, the Bank of Korea announced its first interest rate increase in three and a half years on July 16, 2026, ending an extended period of monetary easing and signaling a renewed focus on inflation. Arirang News reports that South Korean financial...

The U.S. Congress is considering sanctions legislation that would impose 100% tariffs on Indian imports if India continues purchasing Russian oil, according to WION's analysis. The bill represents a direct pressure point on India's energy policy, as Russia remains a major crude supplier to New...

India's Supreme Court refused on July 15, 2026, to halt the Central Board of Secondary Education's three-language policy for the 2026–27 academic year, ruling that "learning a language never goes waste," according to WION. The policy requires many Class 9 students to study two Indian...

The Parthenon in Athens has reached a major restoration milestone: its western facade is now visible without scaffolding for the first time in nearly 50 years. Al Jazeera's John Psaropoulos reports from Athens that the removal of scaffolding marks the culmination of decades of conservation...

New York has become the first U.S. state to impose a one-year moratorium on large new data-center construction, citing concerns about rising power costs, water supply strain, and community impacts from facilities supporting AI expansion. Governor Kathy Hochul also announced plans to pursue legislation repealing...

A controversy over an NTR Jr. film has ignited a broader dispute in India over the identity and ownership of Murugan, a major deity in Hindu tradition. According to The Print's analysis, the conflict represents a clash between two competing nationalisms: one framing Murugan as...

The United States conducted its third consecutive day of airstrikes against Iranian targets as the two nations clashed over control of the Strait of Hormuz on July 14, 2026. Iran responded with ballistic missile attacks on a US air base in Jordan and US forces...

South Korea's government unveiled an economic strategy on Tuesday setting a 3% real GDP growth target for the second half of 2026, the country's highest growth forecast in five years, driven by a semiconductor boom. The forecast represents a substantial leap from the government's initial...

Russia conducted a large-scale attack on Ukraine on July 14, 2026, firing 135 drones and 10 missiles, according to WION. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow would respond "in kind" to Ukrainian actions. WION reports that Ukraine's Western allies pledged additional air-defense support, while...

King Charles III hosted Prince Harry, his wife, and children for the first time in years on Friday as the royal family attempts to repair a relationship fractured since Harry and Meghan quit royal duties and relocated to America six years ago.

Israel will hold national elections on October 27, 2026, the legally mandated deadline for the vote. This is the first ballot since Hamas's October 7, 2024 attacks and the subsequent military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Surveys indicate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition is...