Satwik-Chirag's BWF World Championships campaign ended in a disappointing quarter-final defeat.
A question has been raised whether the Mecca Pact will have a negative impact on our doctrine that the Operation Sindoor has only been suspended and that it would be resumed if Pakistan engages in terrorism in the future. But the Mecca Pact only speaks of aggression, not defence against terrorism, points out Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
India's proposal to link BRICS payment systems, including central-bank digital currencies (CBDCs), was notably absent from the grouping's New Delhi Declaration, despite being a key agenda item for India's chairmanship. This omission leaves the 16-year effort for trade in local currencies without a settled payment architecture, with the declaration only 'acknowledging' the work of the BRICS Payment Task Force.
India has announced its 23-member squad for the upcoming AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Tashkent, with eight players omitted from the initial camp. The team, led by Mahesh Gawali, will compete against Syria, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh from August 31 to September 6, aiming for qualification to the main tournament in China in 2027.
Devastating flash floods near the Tibet-Nepal border have led to the evacuation of over 1,000 people, including tourists, from Gyirong County. The floods caused casualties in both Tibet and Nepal, disrupted infrastructure, and prompted a Level-IV alert due to a rapidly forming barrier lake with a high risk of breaching and causing further downstream flooding.
Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen stunned six-time major champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 after recovering from 0-5 down, extending her remarkable US Open comeback into the quarter-finals.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian concluded his visit to India for the 18th BRICS Summit, announcing that Iran and the UAE agreed to move past previous tensions. This diplomatic breakthrough occurred during talks with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince on the summit sidelines. Pezeshkian also met with PM Modi to discuss bilateral ties and West Asia developments, with Modi emphasising dialogue for regional peace. The BRICS summit adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026, calling for global governance reforms and de-escalation in West Asia.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday described BRICS as an important global forum, highlighting the grouping's growing demographic and economic weight and noting that its members account for around half of the world's population and 40 percent of global GDP.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi, stressing the importance of respecting each other's "core interests" and implementing leaders' consensus for stable bilateral relations. Wang highlighted that India and China should view each other as partners, not rivals, and properly handle sensitive issues like the border dispute to foster cooperation and accelerate the modernisation of the Global South.
Defending champions India secured their spot in the Junior Asia Cup hockey tournament semifinals with a dominant 15-0 victory over Chinese Taipei. Skipper Anmol Ikka was the star of the match, scoring an incredible six goals, all from penalty corners, as India topped Pool A.
Arunachal Pradesh MP Tapir Gao underscores the critical importance of heeding local warnings regarding alleged Chinese incursions along the Line of Actual Control, amidst ongoing border tensions and official denials.
Second seed Elena Rybakina ended Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen's stirring US Open run with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory on Wednesday, advancing to the semi-finals and securing the world number one ranking for the first time.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a new rule to eliminate the 60-day grace period for H-1B visa holders and other nonimmigrants after job loss, a move expected to significantly impact Indian technology workers.
The India U20 men's football team played a 0-0 draw against Yemen in the first of two friendly matches in Bengaluru, as part of their preparation for the upcoming AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
Indian kabaddi player Brijendra Singh Choudhary has been stripped of his silver medal from the Asian Beach Games after testing positive for a prohibited diuretic. The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed the anti-doping rule violation, which Choudhary has accepted.
Captain Anmol Ekka struck twice as the Indian junior men's hockey team ripped through South Korea's defences in a late surge for a 7-3 triumph that left it within touching distance of a semi-final berth.
The United States has announced a new round of trade measures against Canada, including bans on Canadian dairy, alcoholic beverages, and motorcycles, and reshuffled existing tariffs. This escalation comes after Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on American goods. The US administration cited Canada's retaliatory actions as the trigger, contrasting it with other nations that chose negotiation over retaliation.
Usha Vedasalam completed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra just a week before the devastating floods in Nepal. This is her account of the pilgrimage.
Indian head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged the absence of 'clutch player' Jemimah Rodrigues due to injury for the Women's Asia Cup but emphasised the team's strong hunger for success in upcoming tournaments, including the Asia Cup and Asian Games.
'If crude remains above $100 per barrel, with restricted retail-price increases, OMCs could face negative petrol and diesel marketing margins, higher LPG under-recoveries, higher crude-landing, freight and insurance costs, working capital and debt accumulation and inventory losses if crude subsequently corrects sharply.'
Any military response to a cross-border terror attack from Pakistan will have to take into account the new alignments beginning to take shape in the region, points out former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Nepali security forces have intensified search and rescue operations across the flood-hit areas, using helicopters and ground teams to evacuate survivors and search through mud and debris.
The operation remains challenging as destroyed roads and bridges have cut off several remote communities, while hundreds of people are still missing.
Nepal is grappling with the devastating aftermath of flash floods, with the death toll reaching 1,356 and nearly 5,000 people, including foreign nationals, still missing. Identification of bodies is a major challenge, with only a fraction identified so far. President Ramchandra Paudel has appealed for climate justice and national unity for relief efforts. International teams, including experts from India and China, are assisting in search and rescue, particularly at hydropower projects where workers are trapped. The country is also working to restore infrastructure and reassure tourists to protect its vital autumn tourism season.
An 11-member Indian team, including medical and tunnel-rescue specialists, has arrived in Nepal to assist in the rescue of workers trapped in hydropower project tunnels following devastating flash floods. The disaster has killed hundreds, left thousands missing, and damaged critical infrastructure, prompting Nepal to seek international aid for rescue and reconstruction.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu's campaign at the World Championships concluded after a quarterfinal defeat to China's Wang Zhi Yi. Sindhu, a two-time world champion, fought hard but ultimately lost in three games, ending her bid for a record sixth medal at the prestigious event and India's hopes for a women's singles medal.
China's Zheng Qinwen has made a remarkable comeback at the US Open, reaching the quarter-finals after overcoming a chronic elbow injury and a significant drop in rankings.
Anxiety grips Mumbai families as a 61-member Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage group, including prominent doctor-mountaineer Milind Chitley, remains untraceable following devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border.
India's U20 football team, the Blue Colts, is set to kick off their AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers campaign against Syria in Tashkent. This opening match is crucial as India aims to secure their first-ever win against Syria and qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time since 2006, navigating a tough group that also includes Uzbekistan and Bangladesh.
A new Pew Research survey reveals that a significant majority of Indians (54%) consider Pakistan their greatest geopolitical threat, while 43% of Pakistanis view India as theirs, highlighting deep-seated distrust between the two nations.
India's Asian Games athletics team has been trimmed to 74 members, with prominent athletes like javelin thrower Annu Rani, long jumper Shahnavaz Khan, and sprinter Nithya Gandhe dropped due to performance or medical reasons. The decision followed a confirmatory event, while some injured national record holders were cleared to participate.
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, were eliminated from the BWF World Championships after a quarterfinal loss. However, the women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured at least a bronze medal by advancing to the semi-finals.
The Indian women's junior hockey team secured a dominant 11-1 victory over Malaysia in their AHF Junior Asia Cup Elite Pool match, solidifying their top position in the points table. Seven different players contributed to the scoring spree, which included goals from field play, penalty corners, and penalty strokes. This win marks India's second consecutive victory in the tournament, following their 4-1 triumph against South Korea.
Devastating flash floods in Nepal, triggered by an ice and rock collapse, have led to over 900 deaths and 4,000 missing. Rescue operations by security personnel are severely hampered by critical shortages of specialised equipment, including thermal cameras, body bags, ropes, and helicopters. International assistance from India and China is aiding the search for missing workers, highlighting Nepal's long-standing disaster management capacity issues and inadequate funding.
A new review reveals that microplastics are not just pollutants but also act as carriers for toxic chemicals, microorganisms, and antibiotic resistance genes across various environmental compartments. This "Trojan horse effect" allows them to transport persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals, releasing them into organisms upon ingestion. Additionally, microplastics foster microbial communities, known as the plastisphere, which can accelerate the spread of antimicrobial resistance, amplifying ecological hazards.
New Delhi is under a thick blanket of security as it hosts top world leaders for the BRICS Summit. Extensive security measures, including thousands of personnel and CCTV cameras, are in place. Commuters can expect temporary traffic restrictions and diversions due to VVIP movements, though officials aim to minimise public inconvenience.
India published 929 generative AI patents in 2024 and 2025 alone -- equating to nearly 70 per cent of the 1,350 patents it published over the entire previous decade (2014 to 2023).
Nepal has issued a fresh flood warning for areas previously hit by a devastating flash flood, as water levels rise and a dam on the Tibetan side reportedly burst again. Authorities are urging residents and rescue workers to evacuate, with concerns over a newly formed barrier lake near the Nepal-China border posing a significant risk.
Former Brazil captain Cafu discussed India's upcoming friendly against Brazil, highlighting the learning opportunity despite ranking differences. He also suggested India popularise football among children for growth, commented on Brazil's World Cup drought, and reflected on the evolving role of fullbacks in modern football.
While tensions have eased at several friction points and mechanisms for managing the boundary have been reactivated, underlying differences persist. Disputes over naming practices in Arunachal Pradesh, continued infrastructure development on both sides, and unresolved questions regarding patrolling rights indicate that the structural gap remains, notes Dr Kumar.
