Former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg has questioned India’s reported 7.8% GDP growth, saying the headline figure looks strong but does not reflect the economy’s “real” growth. Garg argued that revisions to earlier GDP estimates and changes in the calculation method had affected the comparison. He said the April-June quarter’s real growth could be closer to 2.6% when compared with the previously published figures. Garg’s remarks triggered a debate over India’s GDP methodology, with the government defending the 7.8% estimate and saying the revisions reflect improved data and updated methods, not manipulation. (PC: India Today)

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf slammed the United States after a reported strike hit a wedding in Sirik, southern Iran, killing five people and wounding several others. “If a power acts like Satan, picks targets like Satan, and kills like Satan, it’s Satan,” Ghalibaf said, accusing Washington of responsibility for the attack. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also condemned the United States, describing it as “Satan America”. The US had not immediately commented on Iran’s allegations. The reported strike came amid escalating conflict between Iran and the United States in the Middle East.

The upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi has sent five-star hotel prices soaring, with several luxury properties fully booked and available rooms costing up to Rs 2.55 lakh a night. The summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13, drawing official delegations, business travellers and international media to the capital. ITC Maurya listed some rooms for September 12 at up to Rs 2.55 lakh, while rooms at Shangri-La Eros cost up to Rs 1.50 lakh. Taj Mahal Hotel, Taj Palace, The Oberoi and other luxury properties reported limited or no availability for key dates. (PC: First Post)

Millions of people in India, Nepal and China face the growing threat of glacial lake outburst floods as climate change destabilises Himalayan glaciers, the United Nations and Chinese experts have warned. The warning follows the August 26 disaster in Nepal and Tibet, where a glacier collapse near Langtang Lirung triggered devastating flooding. More than 1,000 people have been reported dead, over 4,000 remain missing and more than 900 hydropower workers are trapped in a tunnel. China’s water ministry said unstable glaciers around the affected Cuojian River valley could trigger further flooding, while landslides could form new barrier lakes. (PC: WION)

Millennials have the highest alcohol drinking rate of any generation, with 81% reporting that they drink, according to IWSR’s latest Bevtrac survey. Gen X ranked second at 77%, followed by Gen Z at 74%, while Boomers recorded the lowest rate at 71%. The survey found Gen Z drinking has risen from 66% three years ago, challenging the belief that the generation drinks less. However, moderation is growing across all age groups, with drinking frequency and the number of drinks consumed per occasion falling. The H1 2026 survey covered more than 32,000 respondents across 19 markets. 

India has strongly condemned the reported demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province, calling it a disturbing attack on a minority place of worship. Minority representatives and local residents alleged that the temple was razed to make way for a madrassa on or near the temple land. India said the incident reflected an “alarming” failure by Pakistani authorities to protect religious heritage and safeguard places of worship belonging to minorities. The strong reaction came on September 2 as concerns grew over the reported demolition and the protection of minority religious sites in Pakistan. (PC: India Today)

More than 14 million people in Kolkata, Mumbai and Dhaka face an immediate risk of losing their homes to permanent inundation caused by rising sea levels, according to a new United Nations report. The report said global sea levels are rising faster than at any time in recorded history, damaging infrastructure, water systems, transport networks and coastal ecosystems. Sea levels rose by 4.7 mm annually between 2014 and 2023, before reaching a record 5.9 mm in 2024. The UN said melting glaciers and warming oceans are driving the acceleration, making long-term adaptation planning urgent. (PC: NDTV)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly acknowledged that Moscow is supplying Iran with “necessary equipment” and other assistance during its war with the United States. Putin made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on September 1. He did not specify the equipment or say whether it included military supplies. Pezeshkian said he was certain Iran would win. The leaders also discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation, while Putin praised Iran’s “courage and resourcefulness” and highlighted growing economic and trade ties.

  India has strongly condemned the reported demolition of a more than century-old Hindu temple in Siraj village of Narowal, Pakistan’s Punjab province, describing it as an “alarming” failure by authorities to protect minority places of worship and religious heritage. The temple, located about 130 kilometres from Lahore, was reportedly demolished on August 21. Minority representatives and local residents have alleged that the structure was deliberately brought down to facilitate the use of its land for a madrassa. Pakistani authorities, however, have maintained that the temple collapsed following torrential rains. The incident has triggered concerns over the protection of Hindu religious sites and minority heritage in Pakistan, with India calling the reported demolition deeply disturbing.

India’s Keyaa Banerji won a silver medal in the junior 47kg category at the Sub-Junior and Junior Classic Powerlifting IPF World Championships in South Africa. The 21-year-old Indian lifter recorded a total of 140kg, including a 90kg squat and 50kg bench press, lifting three times her body weight. France’s Ines Herbaux won gold with 165kg, while Ireland’s Blathnaid O’Dwyer also lifted 140kg but finished with bronze. Banerji, who lifted 127.5kg in 2025, has made significant progress over the past year. Meanwhile, India’s Joshua Ngoka won gold in the men’s 120kg category, completing a 9-for-9 performance with 980.5kg and setting an IPF Junior World record in South Africa.