Pakistan will take part in the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in India next month, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann confirmed on Monday. The six-team competition will be held from October 27 to November 5 in Jalandhar and Mohali. India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea will compete in the tournament. Mann said India’s policy allows the two countries to face each other in multinational sporting events, even though bilateral contests remain restricted. League-stage matches will be played in Jalandhar, while the semi-finals and final will be held in Mohali. India enter as defending champions. (PC: X)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR into the 2020 death of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, following the Bombay High Court’s direction for a thorough probe. The FIR names Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, his father Uddhav Thackeray, actors Dino Morea and Sooraj Pancholi, and Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty among those whose roles require investigation. Former Mumbai police officers Sachin Waze and Param Bir Singh, DCP Vishal Thakur and other police personnel are also named. Salian died after falling from a Mumbai building on June 8, 2020. The court had earlier questioned the investigation and directed the CBI to examine all circumstances surrounding her death.

Pakistan has raised the reward for information leading to the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar to PKR 7 million, or about ₹24 lakh. Despite Islamabad’s repeated claims that Azhar is not in Pakistan and fled to Afghanistan, his name remains on the Federal Investigation Agency’s 2026 list of most-wanted terrorists. The 58-year-old founded the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed after being released by India following the 1999 IC-814 hijacking. The UN has designated Azhar an international terrorist. JeM has been linked to several major attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, Pathankot attack and 2019 Pulwama bombing.

A woman biker in Gurugram was allegedly chased and hit by a white sedan, with footage showing her being dragged several feet after the collision. The incident sparked outrage after the rider, identified as Sia, shared videos recorded by cameras on her bike. The car’s owner, Manish, told ANI that he was not driving and had lent the vehicle to his friend Kalyan Singh two days earlier. He said he learnt about the crash on Monday and could not reach Singh by phone. Gurugram Police have registered an FIR and said they are investigating the incident and working to identify the accused.

India has taken another step towards its “artificial Sun” project with the installation and commissioning of a new 82.6 GHz, 400 kW gyrotron at the SST-1 tokamak in Gujarat. The device, developed for fusion research, uses high-frequency microwave energy to heat and sustain extremely hot plasma inside the experimental reactor. India’s fusion experiments have already achieved plasma temperatures above 200 million degrees Celsius. The new system is expected to help scientists maintain hotter plasma for longer and study its stability. However, SST-1 is not producing electricity yet. The upgrade is aimed at advancing research needed for future fusion power. (PC: India Today)

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has dismissed social media claims that a deadly explosion took place in New Delhi shortly before the BRICS Summit concluded on Sunday. The claims, allegedly circulated by Pakistani propaganda accounts, said eight people were killed in the blast. PIB clarified that the video being shared is old and has no connection with the BRICS Summit. The footage relates to the November 2025 Red Fort blast in Delhi, in which several people were killed. India hosted the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 without any reported untoward incident, according to the government’s fact-checking wing. (PC: HT)

Kargil War veteran and retired Indian Air Force Group Captain Amit Kumar Gupta was allegedly attacked with an iron rod by a parking attendant at Magnum Global Park in Gurugram, police said. Gupta, who was part of the IAF’s Operation Safed Sagar team during the 1999 war, suffered a serious head injury and fractured elbow in the incident. He was taken to Medanta Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Gupta alleged that the assault followed a dispute over parking and claimed security staff did not intervene. An FIR has been registered against unknown accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and police are investigating.

James Bond fans got an unexpected treat when Pierce Brosnan appeared in the stands at the US Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The former 007 star was shown on the broadcast moments after the on-screen clock displayed 0:07, creating a perfectly timed reference to his iconic role. The US Open’s official account also joined in, sharing the clip with the caption, “The name is, Bond. James Bond.” Fans praised the timing, with some joking that the cameraman deserved a raise. Brosnan played James Bond in four films between 1995 and 2002, including GoldenEye and Die Another Day.

China significantly reduced the deployment of People’s Liberation Army forces along the Line of Actual Control in 2025, helping bring greater stability along India’s northern borders, the Defence Ministry said in its 2025–26 annual report. The report said around 10 PLA Combined Arms Brigade-sized forces remained deployed in areas along the LAC and traditional training zones. It added that the Indian Army maintained a robust deployment across all sectors and remained prepared for any contingency. The report also highlighted renewed political, diplomatic and military engagement between India and China, with both sides seeking partnership over rivalry and peaceful resolution of differences. (PC: The Week)

A Russian drone struck the engine of a train at Yahodyn near Ukraine’s border with Poland, shortly after former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior European security officials had travelled through the area on another train. No casualties were reported, and passengers on the hit train were evacuated. Ukraine’s state railway company said the drone may have targeted the diplomatic train, while Russia said it had struck railway infrastructure. The attack occurred about 2 km from the Polish border, prompting an emergency meeting in Poland. European leaders warned that Russia’s attacks are increasingly moving closer to NATO territory. (PC: BBC)