Chinese President Xi Jinping is highly likely to miss the G20 summit being held in Delhi next week. Instead, Premier Li Qiang will represent China at the gathering of leaders from the world's major economies. This follows Russian President Vladimir Putin informing India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he will not attend in person due to needing to concentrate on Russia's military operation in Ukraine. Xi Jinping's expected absence means the leaders of two major G20 nations will not participate in discussions on pressing global issues.

India won the Men's Hockey5s Asia Cup on Saturday, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan 2-0 in a dramatic shootout following a pulsating 4-4 draw in regulation time. Mohammed Raheel scored twice for India along with goals from Jugraj Singh and Maninder Singh. Pakistan's scorers were Abdul Rehman, Abdul Rana, Zikriya Hayat and Arshad Liaqat. The intense, seesaw contest highlighted the fierce hockey rivalry between the nations. Gurjot Singh and Maninder Singh ultimately slotted shootout goals as India prevailed to be crowned Asia Cup champions after multiple lead changes in a thrilling final against Pakistan.

Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film ‘Jawan’ has crossed $1 million in overseas advance bookings for opening day, per reports. The Middle East leads with nearly $225,000 in pre-sales. The US and Canada have topped advance sales records with $450,000 total. The UK has pre-sold £125,000 in tickets and Germany €70,000. Australia has notched 90,000 Australian dollars ahead of the release. While falling just behind ‘Pathaan’ in Australia and UAE, ‘Jawan’ is outpacing the last SRK film in other major overseas markets. The international advance sales underscore the global mania for the Shah Rukh Khan starrer.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared a video of him cooking and chatting with Lalu Prasad Yadav about food and politics. Recently asked who cooks well among politicians, Gandhi had named Yadav. In the clip, Gandhi learns cooking from the "champion" Yadav. Drawing a parallel between cooking and politics, Gandhi asks the difference. Yadav laughs that politics requires mixing too. Gandhi says BJP spreads hatred every 15-20 years in power, questioning why. Yadav replies political hunger is never satisfied. The Opposition's INDIA alliance, concluded a two-day brainstorming session in Mumbai yesterday and is set to announce a seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on September 30. 

Two Indian-origin researchers are among the 36 recipients of Canada Research Chairs at the University of Toronto, supported by the government's Canada Research Chairs program (CRCP). Professor Anil Kishen from the dentistry faculty received Tier 1 funding for his research in oral health nanomedicine, focusing on bioactive nanoparticles and wound healing mechanisms. Rahul Gopalakrishnan, an assistant professor in computer science and laboratory medicine, aims to develop machine learning algorithms for a learning healthcare system, enhancing clinical care and understanding human and disease biology. These awards, amounting to over $300 million annually, bolster Canada's research and development excellence. [photos: University of Toronto and @yorkhillendo]

A recent study by the Cato Institute reveals that a staggering 1.07 million Indians are caught in the Green Card backlog for employment-based categories (EB-2 and EB-3), facing an estimated wait time of 134 years for processing. The employment-based Green Card backlog has reached a record high of 1.8 million cases this year, with nearly 134,000 Indian children aging out before obtaining a Green Card. New Indian applicants in these categories face a lifetime wait, and approximately 424,000 employment-based applicants, mostly Indians, are projected to pass away while waiting. [photo: istock]

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to put the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission into sleep mode as the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover near the end of their planned 14-day exploration period, said agency chief S Somanath. With lunar night temperatures expected to plunge below -200°C, he stated Saturday that the still-functional lander and rover, which has travelled over 100m, will hibernate in the next 1-2 days. Chandrayaan-3 was launched in July and is India's third moon mission seeking to demonstrate soft landing capabilities. ISRO will monitor the spacecraft during its dormant winter phase.

India's innings began cautiously as rain disruptions stifled momentum early on. Shaheen Afridi was threatening, dismissing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli while Haris Rauf struck twice, removing Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya steadied India with a defiant partnership before Kishan fell to Rauf. Afridi then dismissed Pandya before Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul quickly followed, crumbling India's lower order. Despite Kishan and Pandya's fighting efforts, regular strikes from Pakistan's pacers ensured control. India was ultimately all out for 266, with Pakistan's bowlers led by Rauf and Afridi inflicting crucial blows throughout to seize the initiative. The total appeared under par on a good batting pitch. [photo source: BCCI]

The Indian Consul General in Scotland, Satya Veer Singh, attended the groundbreaking ceremony on 31 August for a National British Indian Army Memorial in Glasgow. The memorial, to be built on Argyll Street next to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, will honour the contributions of South Asian soldiers during World Wars I and II. The ceremony marked the start of construction for the landmark monument, which has been planned to commemorate the sacrifice and bravery of Indian army troops who served Britain.

The 'Gateway from India', a Rajasthan-crafted temple archway, found a new Cambridge home on Mill Road after being saved from disposal following the 2020 repossession of Bharat Bhavan Hindu temple where it originally stood. The £1 million sandstone archway's grand opening was held on September 1st, attended by officials like the deputy mayor. The Mill Road Traders Association, local councillors, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Cambridge had jointly rescued the culturally significant first Indian temple archway in the UK. Now stabilized outdoors in an arched form, its prominent new position celebrates Cambridge's Indian community and heritage.