Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday, October 11, in India and the USA, with celebrations culminating in Vijayadashami, or Dussehra, on Tuesday, October 20. The festival honours Goddess Durga and her nine manifestations, collectively known as the Navadurga. Ghatasthapana, also called Kalash Sthapana, marks the beginning of the devotional observances. Although the opening date is the same, important worship dates can differ between countries. D

India Asian Games medal rush gathered pace on Sunday as the contingent won seven medals across athletics and squash, taking its overall tally to 37. Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare came agonisingly close to gold, while Parul Chaudhary, Harita Bhadra and Tejaswin Shankar added bronze medals. Athletics medals Ancy Sojan produced a best jump of 6.53m in the women’s long jump and appeared set for gold until China’s Huang Yingying reached

The Claude 5.5 game rebuild of Prince of Persia shows a practical side of AI coding: instead of recreating every system, the model reused documented SDLPoP logic. The experiment highlights code reuse, legacy code understanding and long context handling in a checkable software project. AI coding A developer’s experiment with Anthropic’s Claude Opus 5.5 has gained attention because the AI helped reconstruct parts of the 1989 classic Pr

India used its Right of Reply at the 81st UN General Assembly to reject Shehbaz Sharif’s Kashmir remarks and renew accusations over terrorism, minority rights and military influence in Pakistan. First Secretary Petal Gahlot delivered the response after Sharif’s September 25 address. Kashmir Gahlot reiterated New Delhi’s position that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India. She then pointed to unrest in Pakis

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Dinesh Sharma as Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Announced in New Delhi through a late-night communique, the appointment takes effect when Sharma assumes office, succeeding Admiral D.K. Joshi (Retired). President Droupadi Murmu has appointed BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma as the next L

India opened their Women’s Asia Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding 94-run victory over Thailand in Dubai. Shafali Verma’s attacking 64 set up India’s 159/9 before Deepti Sharma produced a sensational 3/0 spell to help dismiss Thailand for 65 in 16.1 overs. Shafali Verma Fifty Asked to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India made a brisk start through Smriti Mandhana a

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has called for harmony among different religious communities, saying that Hindutva cannot be associated with the exclusion of Muslims from India. Speaking at a multi-faith dialogue in New York on Saturday, August 29, Bhagwat addressed questions about Hindu-Muslim relations, the RSS and the idea of a Hindu Rashtra. He said his understanding of Hindu philosophy recognises the dignity of every individual and accepts that different spiritu

An Indian man wanted in connection with the killing of 27-year-old Nikitha Godishala in Maryland has been taken into custody in India, months after authorities said he fled the United States. The suspect, 26-year-old Arjun Sharma, was traced to a flat in Agra during an investigation by Hyderabad police into a separate cheating complaint filed by Godishala’s father, Anand Godishala. Authorities in the United States had obtained an arrest warrant for Sharma on first- and s

The Syria terror delisting marks one of Washington’s most dramatic policy reversals in the Middle East. The United States has formally removed Syria from its State Sponsors of Terrorism list after nearly 47 years, opening new economic opportunities while strengthening ties with President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government. Syria terror delisting ends a 47-year

Pakistan has formally expanded Asim Munir powers through new defence legislation that places joint operational command of the Army, Navy and Air Force under the Chief of Defence Forces. The law also gives the CDF broad personnel powers and establishes a new Defence Forces Headquarters. Pakistan defence law reshapes military command Pakista

PM Modi, Gandhis join Revati Sule’s wedding reception The wedding reception of NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule’s daughter, Revati Sule, brought several of India’s leading political figures together in Delhi on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among the prominent guests who attended the reception at the Pawar family’s residence at 6, Janpath. Revati, the daughter of Supriya Sule and granddaughter of NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, married Sarang Lakhani. The newlyweds welcomed the guests, posed for photographs and received their blessings during the evening. Leaders from different parties attend The guest list included RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Several chief ministers and senior representatives from national and regional parties also attended. Photographs from the event showed Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra greeting the couple and interacting with members of the Pawar family. Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda shared pictures from the reception. The photographs included his meetings with Sharad Pawar, the newlyweds, Praful Patel and Jitendra Awhad. Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule personally received guests as leaders from different political parties arrived to congratulate Revati and Sarang. Wedding celebrations attract political attention The reception took place a day after the wedding ceremony, which was also attended by several senior leaders. Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann were among those present. One photograph showing Prime Minister Modi, Sharad Pawar and Amit Shah seated near one another attracted particular attention. The image appeared amid recent engagements between the NCP (SP) leadership and the central government. However, no formal political meeting was announced during the private celebration. The presence of leaders from rival parties highlighted the Pawar family’s wide political relationships. Sharad Pawar has worked with politicians across different parties during his long public career. Although the gathering attracted attention because of its high-profile guest list, it remained a family celebration. Leaders attended to congratulate the newlyweds and spend time with the Pawar family. The reception offered a rare sight of political rivals meeting away from election campaigns and parliamentary debates. From Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah to the Gandhi family and regional leaders, the event brought many prominent political personalities together under one roof.

The Syria Russia bases deal will return key facilities at Hmeimim and Tartous to Syrian management while former Russian military sites become joint training centers. The agreement marks a major restructuring of Moscow’s strategic presence on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. Syria Russia Bases Deal Reshapes Coastal Presence Syria and Russia have signed a memorandum of understanding redefining th

Mohsin Naqvi Biggest Scam Claim Fuels Pakistan Power Speculation Mohsin Naqvi's biggest scam claim has added fresh political pressure in Pakistan after he alleged that judges, bureaucrats, politicians and bankers were involved in a decades-long corruption network. The remarks come days after his warning that Pakistan's governance system had collapsed, intensifying debate over reforms and the country's political direction.

The Chicago Divvy ridership record passed 1 million trips in July 2026, including a new single-day high. Five lakefront stations have opened near beaches, downtown parks and Lincoln Park Zoo as the city expands bike-share capacity and tests more orderly parking. Chicago’s Divvy bike-share system recorded more than 1 million trips in July 2026, its first million-ride month since launching in 2013. Riders also completed mo

Strengthening El Niño conditions could change shark activity along California’s coastline this summer. Warmer Pacific waters may shift juvenile white sharks and other species into different coastal areas, although experts emphasize that shark bites remain extremely rare. Juvenile White Sharks May Shift Their Range Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Bea

AP local body elections are emerging as a major test for the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP alliance. As YSRCP-linked narratives question Jana Sena’s expected seat share, the party leadership is asking workers to strengthen its grassroots organisation and maintain coordination with NDA partners. AP Local Polls Bring Alliance Questions Into Focus The approaching local body elections in Andhra Pradesh are beginning to generate political debate over sea

Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, Harvard economist Raj Chetty and Microsoft executive Asha Sharma have joined newly formed Federal Reserve task forces examining major areas of US monetary policy. The panels will study the Fed’s balance sheet, economic data, employment, productivity, communications and inflation framework. Fed Review Brings Global Experts Into Policy Reform The US Federal

  Maharashtra leaders Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Sharad Pawar have renewed efforts over the Karnataka border dispute, promising faster Supreme Court hearings, senior legal support and financial assistance for Marathi-speaking residents facing cases in border areas. Fadnavis, Shinde and Pawar unite over Karnataka border dispute Maharashtra’s government and senior political leaders have renewed their push on the long-running Maha

Cargo plane loses contact near Karachi A Pakistani cargo aircraft carrying five crew members went missing late July 7, 2026 after reporting a navigation system problem and losing contact with air traffic controllers off the coast of Karachi, according to Pakistan aviation authorities. The Boeing 737, operated by K2 Airways, was flying from Sharjah in the United Arab Em

French President Emmanuel Macron was reported safe after explosions were heard in central Damascus during his visit to Syria on Tuesday, July 7. The blasts took place as Macron was in the capital for talks with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, turning a high-profile diplomatic visit into a major security concern. The explosions were reported near the Four Seasons Damascus area, where Macron was said to be staying during the trip. Smoke wa