Brazil secured their first win of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Haiti in Philadelphia. Matheus Cunha starred with two first-half goals, striking in the 23rd and 36th minutes, before Vinícius Júnior added a third in stoppage time before the break. Carlo Ancelotti's side dominated possession and created numerous chances while Haiti struggled to threaten. The comfortable win boosted Brazil's hopes in Group C after their opening draw with Morocco. The result underlined Brazil's attacking quality and provided Ancelotti with his first World Cup victory as Seleção coach. (PC: AP)

US special envoy Steve Witkoff departed for another round of negotiations amid continuing tensions over Iran. President Donald Trump asserted that the United States had “wiped out everything” in Iran and claimed Tehran no longer possessed meaningful leverage. Trump also maintained that American military actions had severely weakened Iran and insisted the US held a dominant position in the conflict. The latest diplomatic push comes as Washington seeks progress on a broader agreement despite delays and uncertainty surrounding previous peace efforts. Regional tensions remain high, with developments involving Israel and the Strait of Hormuz continuing to influence negotiations and global energy concerns. (PC: AP)

Neymar will miss Brazil’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C clash against Haiti as he continues recovering from a grade-two strain in his right calf. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti and the medical staff opted against risking the veteran forward despite his recent return to full training. Neymar remained in New Jersey for rehabilitation while the squad travelled to Philadelphia. The 34-year-old has not played for Brazil since October 2023 following a serious ACL and meniscus injury and later suffered a calf setback after returning to club football with Santos FC. Brazil hopes to preserve Neymar’s fitness for the knockout rounds, leaving younger stars to lead the attack against Haiti. (PC: X)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art 10,000-ton Aluminium Extrusion Press at Yantra India Limited’s Ordnance Factory Ambajhari facility in Nagpur, describing it as a major boost to India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities. The project aims to strengthen self-reliance in critical defence technologies and reduce dependence on imports. The Bhoomi Pujan ceremony was attended by Devendra Fadnavis, senior Defence Ministry officials and YIL leadership. Highlighting the sector’s growth, Singh stated that India’s domestic defence production has risen from Rs 46,000 crore in 2014 to over Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, reflecting significant expansion under the government’s self-reliance initiatives.

Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi has reportedly been sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban and a two-year restriction on artistic activities after performing without a hijab during her livestreamed “Caravanserai Concert” on YouTube in December 2024. The performance, featuring the patriotic anthem “Az Khoon-e Javanan-e Vatan,” attracted millions of views and triggered legal action by authorities in Iran’s Qom province. Rights groups and lawyers say Ahmadi was convicted over allegations of publishing “vulgar and immoral content” online. The ruling, reportedly based on court documents, has sparked global criticism from human rights advocates, academics and activists concerned about women’s rights, artistic freedom and expression.

An IndiGo flight bound for Agartala was struck by lightning while parked at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport during a thunderstorm on Friday. The aircraft, operating as flight 6E6068, was stationed at aerobridge 56L when the incident occurred around 9.30 am amid severe weather conditions. Airport authorities had already issued weather alerts due to thunderstorms and heavy rain affecting Kolkata. No injuries were reported among the more than 140 passengers onboard. As a precaution, passengers were deboarded and later transported to Agartala on another aircraft. The flight, originally scheduled for 9.20 am departure, eventually left at 12.50 pm after operational adjustments. (PC: NDTV)

Despite reports of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli strikes continued across Lebanon, raising concerns over the durability of the proposed truce. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said attacks since midnight killed at least 47 people and injured 97 others, including women and children. The reported ceasefire, said to be brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Iran, was expected to ease weeks of escalating cross-border violence. However, ongoing military operations and fresh casualties have cast doubt on immediate implementation. The continued strikes come amid broader regional diplomatic efforts and fears that renewed fighting could undermine negotiations linked to wider Middle East security and stability initiatives. (PC: Moneycontrol)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi showcased India’s rich cultural heritage, traditional wellness knowledge and regional excellence during the 52nd G7 Summit in Evian, France, by presenting carefully curated gifts to global leaders. The selection included Nagauri Ashwagandha from Rajasthan, Ramban Honey from Jammu and Kashmir, Lakadong Turmeric from Meghalaya and a Banarasi Silk Stole from Varanasi. Each gift highlighted India’s biodiversity, sustainable farming practices, Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged products and centuries-old craftsmanship. The offerings reflected India’s commitment to preserving traditional knowledge while promoting rural livelihoods and global wellness. During the summit, Modi also advocated ethical, human-centric artificial intelligence and stressed stronger cooperation with the Global South to advance inclusive growth, innovation and shared global prosperity. (PC: X)

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s reaction during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the G7 Summit has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention online. A brief moment captured on camera showed Jaishankar smiling as Modi and Meloni exchanged greetings and engaged in conversation on the sidelines of the summit. The clip quickly gained traction across social media platforms, with users sharing memes, humorous interpretations and comments about the minister’s expression. While the interaction itself was part of routine diplomatic engagements at the G7 gathering, the viral video became a talking point online, highlighting how even small moments between global leaders can capture public attention and spark widespread discussion.

Japanese football fans, long admired for cleaning stadiums after World Cup matches, are facing criticism at home over Japan’s unequal division of household labour. The debate erupted after images of supporters collecting rubbish in the stands went viral, prompting social media users to question whether the same men contribute equally at home. A widely shared poster contrasted a fan cleaning a stadium with a man lounging on a sofa while his wife handled household chores. The post gained over 60,000 likes on X. OECD data from 2021 shows Japanese men spend just 47 minutes daily on unpaid work, the lowest among highly developed countries, while women spend over three hours. Despite criticism, many defended the cleanup tradition, arguing it reflects Japan’s culture of public responsibility and inspires supporters worldwide. (PC: X)