Himalayan Flood Kills 626 as Latin America Shifts

A flash flood tearing through the Himalayas has killed at least 626 people, with thousands still missing as rescue teams dig through debris in the hardest-hit valleys. The death toll has climbed steadily since the wall of water struck, and authorities warn it could rise further as search operations continue in remote areas cut off by landslides. In Latin America, two major stories intersected on questions of power and resources. Ecuador's Supreme Court convicted former president Lenin Moreno on corruption charges, closing a case that has trailed him since he left office. Meanwhile, the United States secured access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves in what officials are calling a historic deal, a shift that could reshape energy politics across the region. Back in South Asia, the same climate pressures behind the Himalayan flooding are also squeezing India's Assam tea industry, where growers say shifting rainfall and rising temperatures are threatening one of the country's signature exports and the livelihoods tied to it. In Berlin, a quieter anniversary: the city's Chabad Jewish community marked 30 years since its founding and announced plans to triple the size of its Wilmersdorf synagogue, expanding capacity to 600 worshippers by 2030.