The Eiffel Tower was temporarily closed on Monday after employees protested allegations that female staff were asked to leave their workstations during a private visit by around 100 members linked to BAPS. Union representatives said women were moved out of sight as the delegation passed through, allowing male employees to take their places. The Eiffel Tower operator, SETE, acknowledged that the visitors had requested limited interaction with women and said such conditions should not have been accepted. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire ordered an investigation, while senior French politicians criticised the alleged treatment. The controversy has sparked a debate over gender equality and workplace rights. (PC: India Today)

A new United Nations world map issued on July 1, 2026, has drawn attention for its depiction of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin between separate Indian and Chinese claim lines. The map marks Arunachal Pradesh’s southern boundary adjoining Assam as a “Chinese Line”, while its northern boundary with Tibet is shown as an “Indian Line”; its border with Nagaland is not shown. Aksai Chin is similarly placed between competing boundary markings. India officially considers Arunachal Pradesh and the entire Aksai Chin region part of its territory. The map separately marks the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir with a dotted line and notes its unresolved status. India’s MEA has called inaccurate or misleading depictions unacceptable. (PC: The Hindu)

Singapore has vowed action against a wave of racist and xenophobic online abuse targeting Indians amid discussions over Nepal-Tibet floods and Singapore Airlines’ investment in Air India. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned that prejudice against any community must never become accepted or normalised, saying conversations on the issues had taken “an uglier side.” Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam also criticised the rhetoric, warning that unchecked online abuse could normalise racial prejudice and threaten Singapore’s multiracial harmony. The government’s response follows a surge of anti-Indian posts linked to the two issues. Authorities said allowing such content to go unchecked could deepen mistrust and undermine Singapore’s carefully maintained social cohesion across the city-state.

India has reportedly agreed in principle to participate in the 2027 South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Pakistan, potentially marking the first visit by Indian athletes since the Pahalgam terror attack. According to Pakistani media reports, India accepted Pakistan’s invitation at a high-level South Asian Olympic Association meeting. The Games are scheduled from April 4 to 11, 2027, with India’s contingent details expected in January. Pakistan last hosted the SAF Games in Islamabad in 2004, and the 2027 edition will feature 28 sports across Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. Indian cricketers last played in Pakistan in 2008, while India has not sent a cricket team to previous SAG editions. Preparations are underway. (PC: AP)

Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said India buys Russian crude to meet its own energy needs and support national development, not to help Moscow fund the Ukraine war. “India does not buy Russian oil for the sake of helping Russia. It is buying oil for itself and its own national development,” Alipov told DD News. He said Russia remained ready to supply as much oil as India required despite Western sanctions and tariffs. India has consistently maintained that its oil purchases are guided by national interest, energy security and affordability. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict. (PC: X)

Singapore has launched an investigation into racist and xenophobic online remarks targeting people of Indian origin, including comments linked to the Nepal-Tibet flash floods and Singapore Airlines’ investment in Air India. Senior Minister K Shanmugam called the posts “shameful” and “totally unacceptable”, while Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned that prejudice against any community must not become normalised. Authorities highlighted around 20 racist comments, including slurs targeting Indians and references to the Singapore-India trade agreement. Shanmugam also condemned cyberbullying of Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara over his Indian heritage and alleged bias towards Air India, calling the attacks vile and libellous. (PC: NDTV)

The United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution on September 4 encouraging a shift from the Mercator projection to the 2018 Equal Earth map. Sponsored by Togo and spearheaded by the African Union, the resolution passed 164-1, with six abstentions; India voted in favour while the United States opposed it. The initiative seeks to represent Africa and Global South regions accurately and challenge Eurocentric cartographic conventions. Mercator preserves angles and directions for navigation but enlarges areas near the poles, making Africa appear comparable to Greenland despite being 15 times larger. Supporters argue such distortions can reinforce perceptions of Western cultural, economic and geopolitical dominance, making cartography a tool of power.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India-France relations have reached new heights, with both nations building a Special Global Strategic Partnership with President Emmanuel Macron. Speaking virtually at the inauguration of the Swaminarayan temple in Paris, Modi said the partnership rests on long-standing cultural and political ties. He expressed hope that the grand BAPS temple would stand for centuries as a symbol of cooperation and opportunity between India and France. Modi said the temple would strengthen cultural ties, reflect shared craftsmanship and serve as a centre for service. He added that when BAPS consecrates temples in different countries, India’s ancient thoughts and human values travel alongside them as they reach people worldwide.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, in London, said Hindu civilisational identity is rooted in the coexistence of diversity and unity. He said differences should be seen as varied expressions of an underlying oneness and urged people to move away from viewing others as enemies to address conflicts effectively. Bhagwat described ‘Hindu’ as a cultural and civilisational identity, rather than merely a religion or geographical category. He rejected the idea that unity requires uniformity, saying Hindu thought accommodates different traditions and paths and does not seek to convert others. His remarks came during the RSS centenary year, as he visits London until September 7 for overseas programmes marking the organisation’s 100 years.

Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said New Delhi buys Russian oil for its own energy security and national development, not to help Moscow fund the Ukraine war. His comments come amid intensifying Western sanctions and possible secondary tariffs targeting countries importing Russian oil. The US is considering legislation allowing tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imports from major Russian crude or gas buyers. Alipov accused sanctioning countries of choosing “pressure tactics” over cooperation and said Russia is willing to supply India with as much oil as required. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said cutting Russian oil purchases would not end the Ukraine conflict, which, he stressed, requires dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation.