Indian woman executed in UAE for killing 4-month-old baby

New Delhi: India’s population is projected to reach 1.46 billion in 2025, maintaining its status as the world's most populous nation, according to a new UN demographic report. However, the report highlights a significant demographic shift: India's total fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level.

The 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) Report, titled The Real Fertility Crisis, published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), urges a shift from concerns about declining fertility rates to addressing unmet reproductive goals. 

It asserts that millions of people cannot achieve their desired fertility outcomes, which poses a greater challenge than underpopulation or overpopulation. The solution, the report suggests, lies in greater reproductive agency—ensuring individuals have the freedom to make informed choices about sex, contraception, and family planning.

Key Findings

•    India’s total fertility rate has declined to 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1. This indicates that, on average, women are having fewer children than needed to maintain population levels over generations, without migration.

•    Despite this trend, India’s youth population remains significant, with:

o    24% aged 0-14
o    17% aged 10-19
o    26% aged 10-24

•    The working-age population (15-64 years) constitutes 68% of the total population, presenting a potential demographic dividend—provided it is met with adequate employment opportunities and policy support.

•    The elderly population (65 and older) currently stands at 7%, and is expected to rise as life expectancy improves.

•    As of 2025, life expectancy at birth is projected to be 71 years for men and 74 years for women.

India's Demographic Transition

According to UN estimates, India's current population is approximately 1.463 billion. While India is now the world's most populous country, projections indicate that the number will continue to grow to around 1.7 billion before gradually declining—a shift expected in about 40 years.

The report highlights how demographic change is influenced by the choices and constraints experienced by millions of couples. While some families actively decide to start or expand their households, others face limited autonomy in reproductive decisions.

In 1960, India's population was 436 million, and the average woman had nearly six children. At the time, fewer than 25% of women used contraception, and less than half attended primary school (World Bank Data, 2020). Over the following decades, educational attainment increased, healthcare access improved, and more women gained decision-making power over their reproductive lives. Today, the average fertility rate is approximately two children per woman.

However, the report emphasizes that despite progress, women in India—and across the globe—still face barriers in achieving full reproductive autonomy. The nation remains part of a group of middle-income countries undergoing rapid demographic shifts, with its population doubling time now estimated at 79 years.

Expert Insights

"India has made remarkable strides in reducing fertility rates—from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today, thanks to better education and expanded reproductive healthcare, leading to significant reductions in maternal mortality," said Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative.

"This progress means millions more mothers are alive today, raising children and strengthening communities. Yet, deep inequalities persist across states, castes, and income groups.

"The real demographic dividend comes when individuals have the freedom and resources to make informed reproductive choices. India has a unique opportunity to demonstrate how reproductive rights and economic prosperity can advance in tandem," Wojnar added.

Israeli forces have attacked a humanitarian aid ship bound for Gaza as the vessel approached the coastal waters of the besieged Palestinian territory.

Thiago Avila, a Brazilian activist on board the Madleen ship, said in a social media post on Monday morning that they were surrounded by Israeli army ships.

He added that the regime’s forces have attacked Madleen, a humanitarian aid vessel that was attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

"Connection has been lost on the 'Madleen'. The Israeli army has boarded the vessel," the Freedom Flotilla Coalition posted on Telegram, adding that Israeli forces kidnapped the passengers.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was among 12 international campaigners aboard the Madleen. “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian descent, are also onboard the vessel.

Rima Hassan broadcast images of the sirens sounding on the ship.

Mahmud Abu-Odeh, a Germany-based press officer with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, told AFP that "the activists seemed to be arrested."

According to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Palestine, five Israeli speedboats have reached the Madleen ship.

Francesca Albanese said the Madeleine crew has informed Israeli forces that they are carrying humanitarian aid and that they will leave safely.

“I heard the soldiers speaking while the captain was on the phone with me,” Albanese said.

“I lost connection with the captain as he was telling me that ‘another boat is approaching’.”

The new development came after Hamas warned the Israeli regime against taking any measure to stop the Madleen ship, holding the regime fully responsible for the lives of activists aboard it.

Earlier, the Israeli minister of military affairs, Israel Katz, threatened to block the aid ship from reaching Gaza, accusing Thunberg and fellow activists of being “Hamas propagandists.”

He had instructed the regime’s forces to take action "by land, sea, and air" to prevent the ship from reaching Gaza.

 Blatant act of piracy

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned Israel's seizure of the Freedom Flotilla ship and its crew.

“We strongly condemn the cowardly and illegal Israeli attack on the Madleen’s as it approached Gaza with desperately needed humanitarian supplies,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.

“This is a blatant act of international piracy and state terrorism,” he said.

“The Israeli occupation has no legal right to blockade the Gaza coast, much less to drop chemical weapons on humanitarian aid boats and abduct their passengers in international waters,” Awad added.

Awad called on the Israeli regime to immediately release the ship’s crew.

“We applaud Greta Thunberg and the other activists of the Madleen who bravely risked their safety and freedom to help the starving people of Gaza,” he said.

The Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, set sail from Sicily last week carrying urgent humanitarian supplies for Gaza, including baby formula, flour, rice, desalination kits, medical aid, and children’s prosthetics.

Israeli drones hit a vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Conscience, in international waters off the coast of Malta on May 2.

The group condemned the attack at the time, calling it a clear “violation of international law.”

UN agencies and major aid groups have warned that Gaza is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in. They say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians.

Mangaluru, June 13: A pall of grief has descended over Kuthar in Mangaluru after a heart-wrenching tragedy claimed the life of a young girl full of promise and dreams. Hiba Aiman, just 15 years old, died on Thursday night, June 12, after falling from the balcony of her 12th-floor apartment in a high-rise residential complex under Ullal police station limits.

Hiba was the beloved daughter of local doctor couple Dr. Mamtaz Ahmad and Dr. Qamarzaha Banu. The family, known in the community for their service and warmth, lived on the 12th floor of the 18-storey building.

According to initial reports, the incident occurred when Hiba was reportedly hanging clothes in the balcony. In what appears to be a tragic accident, she lost her balance and fell, leading to her untimely demise.

A Class 10 student at a private school, Hiba was known to be bright, kind-hearted, and full of life. Her sudden passing has left not just her family but the entire neighbourhood in shock and mourning.

Ullal police have launched an investigation and are examining all aspects surrounding the incident to rule out any other possibilities.

As the community gathers around the grieving family, prayers pour in for young Hiba—a life lost too soon, leaving behind silence where once there was laughter.