Recently, flash floods from the Dikhow River submerged Nepali Khuti, a self-reliant Gorkha dairy village in Assam, within two hours, destroying homes, livestock and livelihoods.

About Dikhow River

Dikhow River is an important south-bank tributary of the Brahmaputra River.

Origin: It originates in Zunheboto district of Nagaland.

Course: The river enters the Assam plains through Naginimara and flows through Sivasagar district. It ultimately joins the Brahmaputra at Dikhowmukh on its southern bank.

Length: The river is approximately 236 km long.

Dikhow River Basin

The basin is bounded by the Brahmaputra River in the north, Buridihing basin in the east, Jhanji basin in the west, and Naga Hills in the south.

Geographical Significance

The Dikhow leaves more than 15 abandoned channels at different locations in the Assam plains, many of which occur in the form of ox-bow lakes.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) announced the Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2026, honouring three Asian personalities for their outstanding contributions to society: Tommy Koh (Singapore), Runa Khan (Bangladesh), and Bo Kyi (Myanmar).

About Ramon Magsaysay Award

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, established in 1958, recognises individuals and organisations for their significant contributions to human development and societal transformation in Asia. It is regarded as one of Asia’s most prestigious honours and is popularly known as “Asia’s Nobel Prize.”

The award aims to recognise selfless service, transformative leadership and courage, irrespective of race, gender or religion. Awardees are selected annually by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation and receive a medallion, certificate and cash prize.

Categories

From 1958 to 2008, the award was presented in categories including Government Service, Public Service, Community Leadership, Journalism, Literature & Creative Communication Arts, Peace & International Understanding, and Emergent Leadership for individuals aged 40 or below.

Since 2009, the award has not followed fixed categories, except Emergent Leadership, which continues with support from the Ford Foundation.

Recently, French coastguards rescued 157 migrants from a boat that caught fire while crossing the English Channel.

About English Channel

The English Channel, also known simply as the Channel, is a narrow arm of the Atlantic Ocean separating the southern coast of England from the northern coast of France. It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the North Sea.

The Channel is approximately 563 km long and 246 km wide, while its narrowest point, the Strait of Dover, is only about 34 km wide. With an area of around 75,000 sq. km, it is the smallest of the shallow seas covering Europe's continental shelf.

The French call it “La Manche”, meaning “the sleeve”, referring to its shape.

Geographical Features

The Strait of Dover separates the English Channel from the North Sea. The Channel has a temperate maritime climate, characterised by relatively mild conditions compared with continental Europe.

The major islands include the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands, comprising Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark.

Historical Importance

The English Channel has historically served as a natural defensive barrier for Britain and played an important role in the:

• Norman Conquest (1066)

• Napoleonic Wars

• World War I

• World War II, particularly the Dunkirk Evacuation (1940) and Normandy Landings (1944).

Economic Importance

It is one of the world's busiest shipping routes and is a major maritime connection between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea.

Major ports include Dover, Portsmouth and Southampton in the UK, and Calais, Cherbourg and Le Havre in France.

Channel Tunnel

The Channel Tunnel (Chunnel) is a railway tunnel beneath the English Channel connecting Folkestone in Kent, England, with Coquelles near Calais, France.

It is approximately 50 km long and consists of three tunnels — two railway tunnels and a central service and security tunnel.

Its 37.8-km undersea section is the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world. It is the only fixed link between Great Britain and mainland Europe.