India-U.S. trade talks and tariffs, Uttarkashi floods, Delhi's stray dog problem and more: The week in 5 charts
Flash floods triggered due to heavy rainfall pulverized the village of Dharali in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. At least 4 people have been killed and 43 people are still missing as of August 12, 2025. Around 1,308 people have been rescued since the disaster struck on August 5, 2025.
Over the past week, rescue efforts included deploying choppers, sniffer dogs, thermal imaging cameras and earthmovers to evacuate the stranded and find people suspected to be buried beneath the 40-foot sludge spread over 80 acres in the village.
The residents of Mukhba, the village neighbouring Dharali, who witnessed the disaster, say the number of missing and dead is likely to be higher than what is being claimed by the district administration as labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal were working at under-construction hotels and in the apple orchards at the disaster spot.
'Around 50 labourers were employed at various apple orchards and an equal number of workers were at multiple construction sites. There were tourists and pilgrims in hotels. The claim of administration that only 15-20 people are missing is false,' said Kali Devi, a resident of Nepal whose six children were in Dharali when disaster hit the village.
As a result of the flash floods, roads, communication towers, and other crucial infrastructure was heavily damaged or swept away. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday (August 9, 2025) announced an immediate assistance of ₹5 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed and those who lost their homes in the Dharali disaster.
(2) Trump raises tariffs on Indian imports to 50%
U.S. President Donald Trump, on August 6, 2025, signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on imports from India, in response to India 'directly or indirectly' importing oil from Russia. This is over and above the 25% tariff on Indian imports that Mr. Trump had approved on July 31.
The initial 25% tariff will take effect from Thursday (August 7, 2025), while the additional 25% tariff will come into effect after 21 days.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded to these developments, stating — through an earlier statement issued after Mr. Trump's threat of additional tariffs — that these actions were 'unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.'
A day later, Mr. Trump refused to engage in trade talks with India until the tariff issue is resolved, effectively imposing 50% tariffs on Indian goods. 'No, not until we get it resolved,' Mr. Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday (August 7, 2025) when asked whether he expected increased trade negotiations with India.
(3) Shibu Soren, JMM founder and former Jharkhand CM, dies at 81 after prolonged illness
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) co-founder Shibu Soren, popularly known as 'Dishom Guru or Guruji' passed away at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi on Monday (August 4, 2025) morning. He was 81.
Mr. Soren had been undergoing treatment for kidney-related problems at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi for more than a month. His son, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, announced the death in a post on social media platform X.
'Respected Dishom Guruji has left us all... I have become shunya (zero) today,' Mr. Hemant posted on X.
Born on January 11, 1944 in Nemra village of undivided Bihar, which now comes under Ramgarh district of Jharkhand, Mr. Soren played a key role in the creation of Jharkhand.
He co-founded the JMM along with A.K. Roy and Binod Bihari Mahto in 1973. The JMM soon became the primary political voice for the demand for a separate tribal State and got support across the Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana regions.
He served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand three times, but never completed a full term. He was elected several times to the Lok Sabha from Dumka. As a key figure in the United Progressive Alliance government, he also served as Union Coal Minister.
(4) SC orders Delhi's stray dogs to be moved to shelters
The Supreme Court ordered the Delhi municipality to capture 5,000 stray dogs in Delhi and move them to permanent shelters on August 12 after a spate of fatal attacks on Delhi's children led to gruesome deaths.
While data on deaths caused by mauling is not available, data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal shows that dog bites have been rising since 2022 in the country. In 2022, 21,89,909 dog bites were recorded, rising to 30,52,521 in 2023 and 37,15,713 in 2024.
In Delhi, dog bites rose from 6,691 in 2022 to 17,874 in 2023 and 25,210 in 2024. This is a growth rate of around 167% from 2022 to 2023 and around 41% from 2023 to 2024. This is higher than the average and the median growth rate of all Indian states for both years. However, Delhi did not record the highest growth rate. Kerala's growth rate of over 1600% in 2023 and Manipur's rate of over 200% in 2024 have surpassed that of Delhi in both years.
Sterilisation efforts by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are tampered by lack of funds and shortage of manpower. Of the 20 sterilisation centres in Delhi, only 13 are functioning, according to the MCD.
(5) One year after R.G. Kar rape and murder case, questions remain
A year has passed since the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. The crime triggered State-wide protests by thousands of doctors calling for reformation in safety for women professionals in hospitals and on the streets in nights.
While it started out as rape and murder, the case soon ballooned into one involving evidence tampering, financial corruption at the higher administrative levels of the hospital and procedural lapses in investigating the case.
On Friday last week (August 8, 2025), the victim's parents met with the CBI director a day earlier to express their dissatisfaction with the pace of investigation. On Saturday last week (August 9, 2025), the parents of the victim along with others took out a march to the West Bengal Secretariat. The mother alleged being assaulted by the police trying to manage the crowd.
Here is a timeline of case developments since last year.
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