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Finland has temporarily closed part of its airspace and restricted maritime traffic along its southern coast near the Russian border due to concerns over possible stray drones. The Finnish military announced the measures on Tuesday. Officials said the restrictions were introduced to ensure authorities can respond safely if drones enter the area. A military spokesperson said the measures would allow authorities to take necessary countermeasures while protecting people in the affected areas. The military did not disclose the source of information about the possible drone activity. The spokesperson said details could not be shared because they were related to ongoing operational matters. The move comes amid growing concerns among NATO countries that the war in Ukraine could spill across alliance borders. Ukrainian drones targeting Russian positions have reportedly entered the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this year. Ukraine has increased its use of long-range drones against targets inside Russia. Kyiv and several NATO members have blamed Russian electronic interference for causing some Ukrainian drones to deviate from their intended routes and enter NATO airspace. Moscow, however, has accused Ukraine of deliberately directing drones across international borders. Finland’s latest restrictions highlight the security concerns facing NATO’s northern members as drone warfare continues to expand in the region. Authorities are expected to continue monitoring the situation closely and adjust the restrictions depending on the potential threat.

NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court has ordered authorities to release minors detained during protests over examination paper leaks and directed officials to preserve evidence linked to allegations of excessive police force. Chief Justice Surya Kant reportedly issued the interim directions while hearing petitions filed by student protesters and activists. The petitions accuse police and paramilitary personnel of using excessive force, including baton charges and other crowd-control measures, against demonstrators. The court also directed authorities to preserve all available surveillance material from the protests. This includes CCTV recordings, drone footage and body-camera video. Officials were further told to protect the personal and digital information of protesters and ensure that it is not publicly disclosed. The court reportedly barred authorities from taking coercive action against protesters while the matter remains under consideration. Justice Kant stressed the importance of an independent investigation into allegations of mistreatment. He said accountability must be established if wrongdoing occurred. The government has defended the security forces’ response, describing the measures as necessary for crowd control. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that around 250 police officers were also injured during the unrest. He reportedly said the government had no objection to an investigation into allegations involving protesters. The protests erupted after question papers for a national medical college entrance examination were leaked. The controversy triggered demonstrations in New Delhi and several other parts of India. Protesters demanded reforms to the examination system, withdrawal of cases against demonstrators and compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the controversy. The demonstrations ended after the education minister resigned and the government agreed to several demands raised by the protesters. Meanwhile, the Indian government has proposed tougher penalties for examination paper leaks. Under the proposed amendments, the maximum prison sentence could be increased to 10 years, while fines could rise to more than $1 million. The government says the proposed changes are intended to strengthen the examination system, speed up legal proceedings and restore confidence among students and young people. The issue has also created political tension in parliament. Opposition lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns about the police response to the protests and demanded accountability. In several cities, clashes between demonstrators and security personnel led to tear gas and baton charges. Authorities also suspended a police officer in an eastern state after he allegedly fired rounds into the air while attempting to disperse student protesters. Concerns have additionally emerged over the use of artificial intelligence-powered surveillance during demonstrations. Activists have questioned the deployment of police surveillance equipment capable of providing wide-area monitoring of protest gatherings. A protest group that helped lead the movement has claimed that hundreds of students were arrested in different states. However, the figure has not been independently verified.

The remnants of Typhoon Noul continued to move deeper into China on Tuesday, raising concerns over widespread flooding across several southern and central provinces. Although the storm has weakened since making landfall, weather experts warned that it could remain over inland areas longer than expected, increasing the threat of heavy rain and related disasters. China’s National Meteorological Center said intense rainfall is expected to continue until Thursday across Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Henan and Guangxi. The downpours are being strengthened by the southern monsoon, creating conditions that could trigger floods, landslides and other emergencies in many parts of the country. Officials are particularly concerned because the storm is moving north through mountainous regions where heavy rain can quickly destabilize slopes and send large amounts of water rushing into rivers and towns. State media warned that the combination of steep terrain and prolonged rainfall could increase the risk of landslides, mudslides and flash floods before the storm eventually weakens. Typhoon Noul rapidly gained strength before striking Guangdong province over the weekend. According to state broadcaster CCTV, it was the strongest typhoon to hit China so far this year. Even though the storm has now lost much of its original power, authorities believe the danger is far from over because its remaining rain bands continue to bring significant rainfall over a wide area. The Chinese government has stepped up emergency preparations as the country faces the overlap of typhoon season and its annual flood season. Emergency management and housing authorities have instructed local governments to strengthen flood prevention efforts, inspect roads, bridges, reservoirs and other important infrastructure, and move rescue teams and emergency supplies into areas considered most vulnerable. Officials have also ordered safety inspections at industries that could face additional risks during severe weather, including mining operations and factories dealing with hazardous chemicals and fireworks. China experiences most of its typhoons between July and September, with August usually being the busiest period. Every year, powerful storms threaten coastal provinces before moving inland, where they often bring days of heavy rainfall that can cause serious damage far from the coastline. Other parts of the country are also facing weather related challenges. Provinces including Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan have been placed on high alert after repeated periods of heavy rain increased the likelihood of geological disasters. In Gansu, authorities issued their highest level warning for landslides and mudslides late Monday after rocks and large boulders fell from mountain slopes onto roads in several areas, creating dangerous conditions for residents and travelers. Meanwhile, rescue efforts are continuing in Chongqing following a deadly mountain collapse earlier this month. On July 17, part of a mountainside gave way and crashed onto buildings in a riverside township. Search teams are still looking for around 50 people who remain missing as authorities continue recovery operations in the affected area. The latest severe weather is expected to make those efforts even more challenging while increasing the risk of further disasters in already vulnerable regions.

Taiwan will carry out a new military exercise next month to test whether it can continue producing weapons if key defence facilities come under attack during a conflict with China. The drills will include relocating arms production lines and converting civilian factories into military manufacturing sites to ensure the armed forces continue receiving essential equipment even if major supply hubs are damaged. The exercise will take place as part of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang war games, scheduled from August 5 to August 14. According to the Ministry of National Defense, the scenario will simulate China using its regular military exercises as cover to prepare for a full scale invasion. Taiwan’s armed forces will respond by immediately increasing combat readiness and launching rapid defensive operations. One of the main objectives is to determine whether industrial production can be spread across different locations without disrupting the supply of military equipment. Officials say maintaining manufacturing capacity during wartime is essential because China would likely target command centers, ports, logistics networks and defence factories early in any military campaign. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan strongly rejects those claims, maintaining that it is already a self governed and independent nation. Major General Lu Wen-yuan, who heads the Joint Operations Division, said the exercise will assume that Chinese forces use their routine annual military drills to hide preparations for a large scale assault. Under the scenario, Taiwan will activate emergency measures and begin moving critical defence production away from vulnerable locations. The drills will include the simulated relocation of the Armaments Bureau’s 202nd Arsenal in Taipei. Civilian factories responsible for assembling complete military systems will also be mobilized after emergency orders are issued. The exercise is designed to measure how quickly industries can shift operations while continuing to meet the military’s needs during a crisis. Taiwan will also examine its ability to keep vital shipping routes open if conflict disrupts normal transport. The navy and coast guard will conduct joint operations using personnel, equipment and live ammunition. These exercises will include escorting shipments of essential supplies, protecting coastal areas, carrying out maritime law enforcement missions and testing upgraded coast guard vessels. The military planning comes as Taiwan reports a noticeable increase in Chinese coast guard activity around the island. Officials in Taipei believe the growing presence could signal greater pressure on Taiwan’s eastern coastline and threaten sea routes that are critical for importing fuel, food and other strategic supplies. For the first time, the Han Kuang exercises will also include a nationwide communications test. Mobile internet speeds will be deliberately reduced during parts of the ten day exercise to assess how the public and emergency services would communicate if network capacity became limited because of natural disasters or military action. Authorities hope the test will help identify weaknesses in emergency communication systems and improve the island’s ability to function during a prolonged crisis. The expanded drills reflect Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen its overall resilience against potential military threats. By preparing industries, transport networks and communication systems for wartime conditions, officials aim to ensure that the island can continue supporting both its armed forces and civilian population even if key infrastructure comes under sustained attack.

China and Japan have offered different versions of whether their foreign ministers spoke during last week’s ASEAN meetings in the Philippines, highlighting the continued strain in relations between the two neighboring countries. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said after the regional gathering that he had briefly spoken with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when the two crossed paths during the event. According to Motegi, the short conversation included discussion about bilateral relations, which Japan considers an important step in maintaining communication despite ongoing tensions. However, China’s Foreign Ministry rejected that account. Speaking at a regular press briefing on Monday, spokesperson Lin Jian said Wang Yi had no meeting scheduled with the Japanese side during his visit to Manila and insisted that no informal conversation or exchange took place at the venue. The conflicting statements reflect the growing diplomatic divide between Beijing and Tokyo, whose relationship has worsened significantly since last November. The decline followed comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan, which China strongly condemned. Japan has expressed interest in improving ties with China and continues to support dialogue at every level. Motegi said maintaining communication is essential because both countries play a major role in preserving peace and stability across the region. Although he described his interaction with Wang as a discussion on bilateral relations, Japanese media reported that the exchange was limited to greetings and brief pleasantries. Prime Minister Takaichi said on Monday that contacts between the two governments remain active through various diplomatic channels, including the exchange Motegi referred to during the ASEAN meeting. The current tensions stem from remarks Takaichi made shortly after becoming prime minister. During a parliamentary session, she was asked whether a Chinese military blockade or attack on Taiwan could trigger Japan’s collective self defense policy. She replied that such a situation could threaten Japan’s survival and therefore might meet the legal conditions for military involvement alongside an ally, most likely the United States. China viewed those comments as crossing a major diplomatic red line. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and strongly opposes any statement or action that it believes supports Taiwan’s independence or suggests foreign military involvement in a future conflict. Taiwan, meanwhile, governs itself independently despite China’s territorial claims. Although Takaichi later said she would avoid discussing specific military scenarios in future parliamentary debates, she has refused to withdraw her original remarks. Her position has continued to frustrate Beijing and has made efforts to restore stable relations more difficult. The dispute has affected more than diplomacy. Economic ties have also been impacted, with reports of fewer Chinese tourists visiting Japan and growing concern in both countries over each other’s expanding military capabilities. The disagreement over what happened during the ASEAN meeting has become another sign of the deep mistrust that continues to shape relations between Asia’s two largest economies.