Harry Kane has become the first Englishman to win Germany's Footballer of the Year award. The Bayern Munich and England captain received 272 votes after scoring 61 goals in all competitions last season. Kane helped Bayern win the Bundesliga and German Cup double and reach the Champions League semi-finals. Bayern teammate Michael Olise finished second with 203 votes. The award is organised by Kicker magazine and voted for by members of the German Sports Journalists Association. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was named Coach of the Year, while captain Giulia Gwinn won the women's award. (PC: BBC)

Heavy rain and thunderstorms disrupted flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday, forcing 15 incoming flights to divert. Twelve flights were diverted to Jaipur, including three international services, while two were redirected to Chandigarh and one to Lucknow. The disruption came as several parts of Delhi witnessed heavy rainfall, leading to waterlogging and traffic congestion. A red alert for very heavy rain was issued in parts of the capital, while other areas remained under a yellow alert. The India Meteorological Department said Delhi could receive more spells of rain on Monday before conditions turn largely dry later this week. (PC: HT)

Iran has reportedly received an invitation to join the Mecca Defence Pact formed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, a move that could reshape regional security ties. The reported invitation has not been officially confirmed by Tehran or the three founding members. The pact, signed on August 7, treats an attack on one member as an attack on all and aims to strengthen defence cooperation. Iran has said it has no reason to oppose the alliance, despite renewed tensions with Saudi Arabia and its ties with Yemen’s Houthis. Iranian membership, if confirmed, would mark a major diplomatic shift. (PC: India Today)

Tata Group’s next chairman will face the difficult task of managing a $300 billion conglomerate amid a leadership crisis and growing differences between Tata Sons and Tata Trusts. N Chandrasekaran’s resignation has created uncertainty over succession, strategy and major investments in semiconductors, EV batteries, e-commerce and Air India. The new leader will also need to address losses in several new businesses while managing Tata Consultancy Services’ changing role as the group’s main cash generator. Experts say restoring alignment between Tata Trusts and Tata Sons, reassuring investors and clearly communicating the group’s future strategy will be among the new chairman’s biggest challenges. (PC: BBC)

India’s request to avoid a press interaction before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit in France was standard practice, sources said. The clarification came after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the Indian side had conveyed its preference for no questions from reporters. Gor said he informed Trump about the request, but the US President later invited questions from journalists, effectively opening the interaction to the press. Sources said discussions over schedules and public appearances are routine ahead of VVIP meetings to ensure clarity on arrangements. (PC: NDTV)

The Cockroach Janta Party’s National Working Committee will meet on Monday to decide its next course of action after alleging that the Centre failed to honour key assurances made following recent student protests. CJP said its concerns include the withdrawal or quashing of FIRs against students and protesters, protection from punitive action and compensation for families of deceased NEET victims. The party alleged that the government did not provide a consolidated list of FIRs sought during Supreme Court proceedings. Calling it a “vishwasghaat” or betrayal of the youth, CJP said another round of peaceful nationwide protests remains an option. (PC: HT)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced three free LPG cylinders annually for families earning below Rs 2.5 lakh, starting from Pongal 2027. The Annapoorani Super Six scheme is expected to benefit around 1.30 crore families and cost the state Rs 4,000 crore annually. Vijay also announced free bus travel for transgender persons and expanded free travel for women to include Express, LSS, Deluxe and inter-district government buses. The expanded scheme, named Vetri Payanam, will begin on October 2 and cost an additional Rs 6,000 crore annually. (PC: India Today)

Iran has received an invitation to join the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey on August 7, as tensions with the United States continue. Mehdi Rahimi, chief of Iran’s Parliament news agency, said Tehran was considering the offer, according to Al Mayadeen. The invitation comes ahead of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s planned visit to Tehran. The pact states that an armed attack on any one of its three members would be treated as an attack on all. Bangladesh has also indicated interest in joining. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised Iran’s resistance to US pressure, calling for continued national unity against what he described as a comprehensive economic war. (PC: MSN and X)

Three newborn babies died after a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Amravati’s District Women’s Hospital, a government hospital, at around 3.30 a.m. on Monday, August 24. According to Senior Police Inspector Gorakhnath Jadhav, a ventilator in the outborn babies’ compartment caught fire on the third floor. The three newborns suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation and died, while six other babies were rescued and remain in critical care. Police said the fire was brought under control within 10 to 15 minutes. The incident triggered an emergency evacuation of dozens of infants undergoing treatment. Amravati guardian minister Chandrakant Bawankule has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the tragedy.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will visit Kyiv on Monday for his first foreign trip, marking Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day and reaffirming Britain’s support. He will chair his first meeting of the “coalition of the willing”, established by the UK and France under former prime minister Keir Starmer. Burnham will also accept an award recognising British support for Ukraine and attend independence day events. His visit follows escalating Russian strikes, including a Friday attack on a shopping centre that killed at least 16 people. Burnham said UK support would not waver and vowed Britain would stand with Ukraine until a “just and lasting peace”. Moscow has warned of “consequences” over Ukraine’s use of British drones. (PC: X)