Morning Digest: Death toll climbs to 579 in Nepal; Penguin India succumbed to ‘pressure’ to demand changes in Sonia memoir, alleges Congress; and more
This digest covers the rising death toll from Nepal floods, political controversy surrounding Sonia Gandhi's memoir, and a rise in CNG prices in India. It also notes a new counter-drone pact for the CISF and a U.S.-Venezuela oil agreement.
Why it matters
These updates provide a snapshot of significant geopolitical, economic, and humanitarian developments affecting India and international relations.
The death toll in the Nepal flash floods touched 579 on Friday (August 28, 2026), even as the search for nearly 2,000 missing people continued for the third day after the disaster struck. The Nepal Police said more than 4,500 people had been rescued. Of the 183 Indian tourists reported missing, 85 had been rescued while 98 remained unaccounted for, the Nepal Tourism Board said.
Congress leaders on Friday (August 28, 2026) accused Penguin Random House India of giving in to pressure over the publication of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, with senior party leader Ashok Gehlot alleging that the publisher sought to remove portions critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS, and the alleged “occupation” of Indian territory by China.
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