Travel to the eastern state of Assam will be disrupted for some time because the Brahmaputra River has flooded wide areas of the state, driving some 2.5 million people from their homes. Many refugees are in dire straits because relief resources are stretched to the limit and water-borne diseases are spreading.
In Kashmir, the tentative opening for peace was immediately met with one of the worst days of violence since the separatist movement began. Various militant groups opposed to the peace effort have been blamed for the attacks, which killed more than 100 civilians Aug. 3. There is still hope for peace, however, as India and Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest militant group in Kashmir and the one that declared a cease-fire last month, are still talking about sitting down for discussions.