France is set to inaugurate its first major Hindu temple near Paris in September 2026. The BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Bussy-Saint-Georges will open with a 13-day Festival of Culture from September 2 to 14. The celebrations will showcase Hindu traditions, spirituality, Indian art, music and cultural heritage. The temple is expected to become an important place of worship and a centre for cultural and community activities. The opening is also expected to bring together members of the Indian diaspora, Hindu communities and visitors, marking a major cultural milestone for Indian and Hindu traditions in France. (PC: India Today)

An Indian man has said he will prioritise travelling within India after a 10-day family trip to Europe during July and August was affected by intense heat. Ashish Nanda said temperatures across several European countries made sightseeing difficult, especially as travel often involved long walks outdoors. He also complained about the limited availability of air conditioning in hotels, restaurants, museums and public transport. The family changed its schedule, visiting attractions early morning and evening while staying indoors during midday. Reflecting on the experience, Nanda said overseas trips would now require careful planning and that India would be his preferred travel destination. (PC: HT)

A Panama-flagged bulk carrier, MV Ocean Winner, sank in the Bay of Bengal around 230 nautical miles off Odisha’s Paradip coast, triggering a major search and rescue operation. The vessel had 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese, three Myanmarese and one Bangladeshi national. Two crew members were rescued from separate liferafts, while 22 others remain missing. The Indian Coast Guard has deployed three ships to intensify the search operation. The ship sank on August 22, though the cause of the incident remains unclear. Authorities are continuing rescue efforts as they search for the missing crew members. (PC: X)

A 28-year-old Indian man from Punjab, Gurdeep Singh, was shot dead while delivering pizza in Brooklyn, New York City. Singh, from Jabowal village in Punjab’s Kapurthala district, had been living in the US on a work permit and was working as a delivery partner. His family said he had moved to the US in 2017 and had not returned home for nine years. The attack is suspected to have been linked to a robbery attempt, though the motive is still under investigation. A Punjabi community group has demanded a thorough probe. (PC: X)

A Panama-flagged cargo vessel, MV Ocean-Winner, sank around 240 nautical miles off Odisha’s coast in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday. The ship had departed Paradip Port on August 20, carrying around 1,700 tonnes of iron ore to Singapore. It had 24 crew members aboard, including 20 Chinese, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi. Communication with the vessel was lost on August 22, prompting an emergency search-and-rescue operation. The Indian Coast Guard and Navy deployed multiple ships, including Varad, Anmol and Vijit. Two crew members have been rescued from liferafts, while efforts continue to locate other survivors. (PC: X)

A Swiss tourist has been sentenced to one year in prison in Indonesia’s Bali after being found guilty of posting content on Instagram that insulted a Hindu holy day. The court ruled that the social media post violated laws protecting religious harmony. The case drew attention in Bali, where Hindu traditions and religious ceremonies play an important role in daily life. Authorities said the post was considered offensive to the Hindu community. The verdict highlights Indonesia’s strict laws against religious insults and the potential legal consequences of social media posts deemed disrespectful to religious beliefs or practices. (PC: HT)

India and Canada will hold their first Finance Ministers’ Economic and Financial Dialogue in Toronto on August 26 and 27, marking a step towards stronger economic ties. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will meet Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne during her first visit to Canada in this role. The ministers will discuss investment, trade, sustainable growth and global economic developments. Talks are also expected to focus on energy, agriculture, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. Canada’s total direct and indirect investment in India exceeded CA$110 billion in 2024. The meetings could also help strengthen the broader India-Canada relationship. (PC: HT)

The NIA will send a court summons to Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, named as an accused in the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack case. The summons will be routed through the Ministry of External Affairs, asking him to appear before a special NIA court in Jammu. The court has also issued a non-bailable warrant against Saeed. The NIA has accused him of helping plan the attack that killed 25 tourists and a local resident. If Saeed fails to appear after legal procedures are completed, the court may proceed with the trial in his absence under Section 356 of the BNSS. (PC: India Today)

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit Russia on August 23–24, 2026, at the invitation of Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. During the two-day visit, Jaishankar will co-chair the 27th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation. He is also scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss bilateral relations and regional and global developments. The visit aims to strengthen cooperation across trade, investment, energy, science, technology and connectivity. It comes as India and Russia continue efforts to deepen their longstanding strategic partnership amid changing geopolitical conditions. (PC: AP)

Rashtrapati Bhavan withdrew an email indicating preparations linked to a possible visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. The communication said the regular Change of Guard ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan would not be held on Saturday, reportedly to facilitate preparations for a high-level visit. However, the statement was later withdrawn, creating uncertainty over Rahman’s proposed India trip. Bangladesh has also said that no final decision has been made on the visit, while Dhaka is awaiting New Delhi’s response to its request for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. India’s External Affairs Ministry has not confirmed the visit. (PC: AP)