Around 180,000 tickets for the FIFA World Cup 2026 have been listed on the tournament's official resale platform, according to a Financial Times report, raising concerns about attendance at some matches. The growing number of resale listings has also pushed ticket prices lower, with the median resale price falling in recent weeks.   The report suggests that demand has been weaker than expected for certain games despite the global popularity of the tournament. FIFA has promoted its official resale system to give fans a secure way to buy and sell tickets, but the large volume of available seats has sparked questions about stadium occupancy during the competition. (PC: X)

Tilfi Banaras has launched 'Becoming', a new visual project created in collaboration with photographer Keerthana Kunnath, spotlighting the lives and journeys of women bodybuilders from Kerala. Shot entirely on analog film, the series brings together handwoven Banarasi textiles and sculpted athletic bodies to explore themes of discipline, craftsmanship and transformation.   The project features four athletes from different walks of life, highlighting their personal stories of determination and self-expression. By placing the women in traditional settings and heritage textiles, the campaign challenges conventional ideas of femininity while celebrating strength and identity. Tilfi says the initiative reflects the shared dedication behind both handloom weaving and competitive bodybuilding. (PC: Tilfi)

Pakistan has rapidly expanded its space-based surveillance network, launching six Earth-observation satellites in just 16 months with significant Chinese assistance. The new constellation includes optical imaging, hyperspectral and remote-sensing satellites capable of high-resolution monitoring, change detection and repeated observation of strategic locations. Analysts say the system could improve Pakistan’s ability to track military deployments, infrastructure projects and other activities across India. Satellites such as HS-1, PRSC-EO2 and PRSC-EO3 reportedly feature advanced imaging and AI-assisted data processing capabilities. Experts note that China’s role extends beyond launch services to technology cooperation and possible data-sharing arrangements. The development highlights the growing importance of space-based intelligence in South Asia’s evolving strategic competition. (PC: CMSA & India Today)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister, completing 4,399 consecutive days in office and surpassing the record of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The milestone is being marked at a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) conclave in New Delhi, attended by chief ministers, deputy chief ministers and senior coalition leaders. The meeting is expected to pass a resolution congratulating Modi and discuss governance priorities, welfare schemes, infrastructure development and the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted India’s expanded global engagement during the past 12 years, while leaders from India and abroad, including US Senator John Cornyn, offered congratulatory messages recognising Modi’s tenure and leadership. (PC: X)

India has accused Pakistan of spreading fake news to divert international attention from alleged human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), amid escalating unrest in Rawalkot. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan was attempting to conceal reports of severe police brutality, which allegedly left several people dead and many injured. The violence followed a crackdown on the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a protest movement opposing government policies and political representation arrangements in the region. Clashes between protesters and security forces reportedly resulted in multiple casualties, with conflicting death toll figures emerging. India said the developments reflected growing dissatisfaction with Pakistan’s governance and called for accountability.

India has significantly increased its imports of Russian crude oil to around 2–2.5 million barrels per day, up from 1.05 million barrels per day in February 2026, according to Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Addressing concerns over Western pressure to reduce Russian energy purchases, Puri said India had never been instructed to stop buying Russian oil. He clarified that sanctions applied only to specific entities and that oil purchases are conducted by private companies rather than the Indian government. The minister also stated that recent US sanctions exemptions and policy changes concerning Russian oil, introduced amid Middle East tensions, have had no impact on India’s energy procurement strategy. (PC: News On Air)

NASA has announced the crew for Artemis III, its next major Moon programme mission, though the flight will no longer attempt a lunar landing. Instead, Artemis III will operate in low Earth orbit and test docking procedures with prototype lunar landers. Veteran astronaut Randy Bresnik will command the mission, joined by pilot Luca Parmitano of Italy and mission specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio. The change follows delays in SpaceX’s Starship programme and concerns about the readiness of critical technologies such as orbital refuelling. Additional setbacks include damage to Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch infrastructure. NASA currently aims to launch Artemis III in 2027, with lunar landing missions planned afterward.

The United States carried out military strikes on Iran after President Donald Trump accused Tehran of being responsible for the downing of a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command described the attacks as a “proportional response” to Iranian aggression, while Iranian officials vowed retaliation. According to a US official, the helicopter crashed after colliding with an Iranian drone during a patrol mission near Oman, though investigators have not determined whether the collision was intentional. The incident further strained a fragile two-month ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Iranian state media reported explosions on Qeshm Island following the American strikes and condemned the action.

Indian government bonds slipped as escalating US-Iran tensions pushed crude oil prices higher, overshadowing optimism generated by the Reserve Bank of India’s recent policy measures. The benchmark 6.48% 2035 government bond yield stood at 6.9758%, little changed from the previous close after an earlier policy-driven rally. Brent crude surged about 4.5% to nearly $97 per barrel amid concerns over renewed conflict and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy shipping route. Higher oil prices pose risks to India’s inflation outlook and current account deficit. Market participants said geopolitical risks were having a stronger influence on bond sentiment than recent RBI initiatives aimed at attracting foreign investment. (PC: X)

US Senator John Cornyn of the Republican Party congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming India’s longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister, completing 4,399 days in office. Cornyn praised Modi’s leadership, highlighting achievements including lifting 250 million people out of poverty and helping make India the world’s fastest-growing major economy. He also described the US-India relationship as stronger than ever under Modi’s tenure. The milestone comes as NDA leaders prepare to felicitate the Prime Minister at a meeting in New Delhi. The development coincides with ongoing India-US trade negotiations, with both countries advancing discussions on market access, trade facilitation, customs procedures, economic security and broader bilateral cooperation. (PC: X)