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Israel’s ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party has quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition over a long-running dispute on military conscription.

Six lawmakers submitted their resignations, following party leader Yitzhak Goldknopf’s earlier exit. The move came after UTJ’s Degel HaTorah faction accused the government of failing to uphold promises to exempt yeshiva students from mandatory service, according to Al Jazeera.

Their departure leaves Netanyahu with a slim 61-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset. It’s still unclear if fellow ultra-Orthodox party Shas will also step away.

Two explosive-laden drones crashed minutes apart at the Khurmala oil field in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, on Monday evening. The attack caused material damage but no injuries, officials said. No group has claimed responsibility, according to Reuters.

Authorities have launched an investigation. Earlier that day, another drone was intercepted near Erbil Airport, which hosts US-led coalition forces, amid a rise in such attacks across the region.

Ukrainian President Zelensky spoke with US President Donald Trump on Monday to discuss ways to boost Ukraine’s defense and move closer to peace. Zelensky said Trump shared updates from his recent NATO meeting, while he also spoke directly with NATO chief Mark Rutte about ongoing support, according to CNN.

Zelensky confirmed the US, Germany, and Norway are working together to supply more Patriot air defense systems to help protect Ukraine from continued Russian attacks.

Days after India’s probe into the deadly Air India crash in Ahmedabad, airlines worldwide are stepping up checks on Boeing 787 fuel control switches. Investigators found the engine fuel switches were briefly turned off just after takeoff, cutting fuel and leading to the crash that killed 260 people.

India’s aviation regulator has now ordered all carriers to inspect the locking systems by July 21. South Korea has followed suit, citing a 2018 FAA advisory. Despite Boeing and US officials calling the switches safe, airlines like Etihad and Singapore Airlines have already launched their own reviews, Firstpost reported.

UN experts have accused Tunisian authorities of arresting lawyers to suppress dissent and undermine the justice system. In a statement Monday, they highlighted several cases, including that of Ahmed Souab, who was detained on terrorism charges after claiming judges were under political pressure in opposition trials, according to UN News.

The experts warned that punishing lawyers for carrying out their professional duties or expressing opinions poses a serious threat to the fairness of legal proceedings. They urged the Tunisian government to ensure that legal professionals can work without fear, intimidation, or interference.

Their statement comes amid growing concerns over Tunisian President Kais Saied’s continued rule by decree since his 2021 power grab, UN News reported.

With the declaration of Full Immunization Assurance and Sustainability by Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Sunsari, Dolpa and Kailali districts on Monday alone, all the districts of the country have been fully immunized. 

Chief of Child Health and Immunization Service Section under the Family Welfare Division, Dr Abhiyan Gautam, said the task of declaring full immunization assurance and sustainability in the country had started around two decades ago.

Palpa was declared a fully immunized district for the first time in the country.

Dr Gautam shared, "Full immunization assurance and sustainability declaration are not only an announcement. It is one of the significant steps carried out for the health security of the children."

Similarly, Chief of Family Welfare Division, Dr Bibek Lal, mentioned that full immunization assurance and sustainability declaration was possible through dedication of health workers and women community health volunteers, leadership and ownership of local people's representatives, trust of guardians and collaboration of communities.

A door-to-door campaign is launched every year and it is identified whether or not the children below two years have been administered with all vaccines, and the children who missed to get all vaccines are given the vaccination.

Section Chief Dr Gautam added that 18 doses of nine types of vaccines are administered to children below two years.

Similarly, Madhes Province has already declared full immunization assurance and sustainability while other provinces have made preparations for the same.

There was support from the World Health Organization, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF as well as other organisations for declaring all the districts in the country as the fully immunized zones, he mentioned.

US President Donald Trump has again claimed he helped avert a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack. During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said US trade diplomacy played a key role in easing tensions following India’s Operation Sindoor, Firstpost reported.

While Pakistan has credited Trump’s mediation, India has consistently denied any such involvement.

The Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) has decided to conduct a feasibility study for the development of a wholesale electricity market in Nepal. The 279th meeting of the ERC approved its annual plans and programs for fiscal year 2025/26.

According to ERC, the wholesale market would act as a bridge between producers, sellers and buyers of electricity, enabling direct energy trade and competitive pricing. It believes that such a platform will promote private sector participation, ensure long-term supply and make the power sector more competitive.

Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and Power Exchange India Ltd (PXIL) serve as wholesale electricity markets in India. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has also been selling its surplus energy in the day-ahead market of the IEX. ERC officials say the feasibility study will examine legal and institutional frameworks, technological requirements, potential models for market development and phased implementation strategies. Based on the findings of the feasibility study, the ERC will develop a long-term policy roadmap and necessary regulatory provisions for the wholesale market.

The ERC has also approved plans to determine a cost-based, transparent structure for transmission and wheeling charges to promote open access and fair pricing. It is expected to improve power trade and attract investment in the energy sector.  The ERC has also said that it would also review the existing structure of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). The current PPA formats depend on the nature of the investment and there are separate PPA formats for projects developed by the private sector and government entities. The ERC plans to standardize the framework to ensure equal treatment for all investors.

It also plans to assess the actual cost of hydropower generation through a cost benchmarking study. The study will include analysis of river flow levels, discharge, and topography to estimate the likely cost of specific project types, giving investors clearer guidance on the viability of their investments. This will help formulate effective pricing strategies for electricity purchase agreements, according to the ERC. Likewise, it plans to verify and evaluate the technical and financial progress of hydropower projects through independent third parties or consultants. It also plans to introduce a distinct tariff structure for reservoir-based and other storage projects. 

With technologies such as pumped storage, battery storage, and reservoir-based hydropower playing an increasingly critical role in system stability and peak-time energy supply, the ERC plans to conduct technical, economic and regulatory studies to establish fair, transparent, and investment-friendly tariff rates. So far, no specific tariff structure exists for such projects. The ERC has also said that it would set clear criteria and justifications under which electricity can be curtailed or disconnected.