The Indian Armed Forces are considering several changes to eliminate colonial influences. These include introducing texts by Indian strategists in mid-career courses, reducing Scottish pipe bands, and creating a pan-India identity for infantry regiments. Efforts are also underway to draft a tri-service Act, replacing the individual service Acts for smoother operations. Some colonial-era customs have already been changed, such as adopting Indian military crests and tunes in ceremonial events. The goal is to further "Indianise" the military, following Prime Minister Modi’s call for increased indigenisation in the security system.

Israeli airstrike hit the Kola Bridge area of central Beirut early Monday, marking the first attack on Lebanon’s capital in years. At least 105 people were killed and 359 injured in strikes across the country, according to Lebanon’s health officials. Israel said it targeted Hezbollah positions, but Lebanese officials reported civilian homes and buildings were hit. The strike follows the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israeli forces. Over one million people in Lebanon have been displaced by the ongoing conflict, which has escalated since Israel's assault on Hezbollah began in late September.

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty will be honored with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his exceptional contribution to Indian cinema. The announcement was made by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who praised Mithun's remarkable cinematic journey. The award will be presented during the 70th National Film Awards on October 8, 2024. This recognition comes just months after Chakraborty received the Padma Bhushan in April. Known for iconic films like Disco Dancer, Agneepath, and Mrigayaa, Mithun's versatile career has left an indelible mark on Indian cinema.

Hamas announced the death of its leader in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, in an Israeli airstrike that also killed several family members in southern Lebanon. The strike occurred amid ongoing hostilities between Hamas and Israel, which have escalated over nearly a year of conflict in Gaza. Concurrently, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) reported that three of its leaders were killed in an Israeli attack on Beirut's Kola district, marking a significant escalation as this is believed to be the first such strike within the city's limits. The Israeli military has not confirmed its involvement in either incident. This surge in violence raises concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, where over 1 million people have been displaced due to ongoing conflicts.

SpaceX’s Crew-9 successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, ready to return stranded astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday. Wilmore and Williams, delivered to the ISS by Boeing’s Starliner in June, were initially scheduled for an eight-day stay, but issues with the Starliner’s propulsion system extended their mission. NASA decided to return them via SpaceX after extensive testing. Crew-9’s astronauts, Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov, will spend five months conducting over 200 experiments on the ISS.

Kris Kristofferson, the legendary singer-songwriter and actor, passed away at 88 in his Maui, Hawaii home on Saturday. A family spokesperson confirmed his death but did not specify the cause, though Kristofferson had been suffering from memory loss since his 70s. Known for his hits Me And Bobby McGee and For The Good Times, Kristofferson also starred in A Star Is Born alongside Barbra Streisand, winning a Golden Globe in 1976. He was part of the country supergroup The Highwaymen with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. Kristofferson is survived by his wife Lisa, eight children, and seven grandchildren.

In a major escalation, Israel launched an airstrike on central Beirut, hitting an apartment building and killing three leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The strike marks the first attack on Beirut’s city center, beyond Hezbollah’s base in the southern suburbs. Across Lebanon, 105 people were killed on Sunday, with continued airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa region. Lebanese Prime Minister Nasser Yassin warned that over 1 million people have now been displaced. Meanwhile, Israeli forces also launched airstrikes on Yemen, targeting the Houthi-controlled Ras Isa and Hudaydah ports.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's comment about PM Modi after Kharge nearly fainted during a rally in Jammu and Kashmir. Shah called Kharge's statement—where he said he wouldn’t die before seeing Modi removed from power—“distasteful and disgraceful.” Shah accused the Congress of harboring spite and unnecessary animosity towards PM Modi, while also wishing Kharge good health. Kharge, 83, experienced a syncopal attack but continued his speech, later visiting Kathua district hospital for evaluation.

Indian chess star Arjun Erigaisi lost to 15-year-old Turkish talent Edin Gurel in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Erigaisi, who recently helped India win gold at the Chess Olympiad, was representing SK Dusseldorfer. A win could have brought him closer to the 2800 rating mark, but late-game errors cost him the match. Erigaisi, along with other top Indian players, was recently honored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their historic Olympiad victory in Hungary. Despite the defeat, Erigaisi remains a key player in India’s chess resurgence.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has landed in a 3.85-billion-year-old crater on the Moon, formed during the Nectarian period. This site, at the Moon’s south pole, is one of the oldest and most unique. Scientists from ISRO and the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad shared that the mission’s Pragyan rover has explored a place no other mission has visited. Images reveal half of the crater is buried under material from the South Pole-Aitken basin, a massive impact site. The Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed on August 23, 2023, marking a historic achievement for India.