Flight Lieutenant Arshdeep Singh Dang, 28, has made history in Britain’s Royal Air Force. The Indian-origin pilot is the first Sikh to graduate as an RAF fighter pilot since World War II, according to the RAF. Dang was born in Chandigarh and moved to the UK when he was six. His family has roots in Ludhiana and Amritsar. He graduated from the University of Bristol and joined RAF training in 2022. He passed his wings test in July 2026 after training in the UK and Texas. Dang said he hopes his achievement inspires others and that he does not want to be the last.

A political row has erupted over Vande Mataram after a Congress event in Delhi. BJP leaders accused Sonia Gandhi of objecting to the full national song being sung. Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from her. BJP workers held protests in several states. Complaints were also filed against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi over the alleged incident. Congress denied the allegations. The party said Sonia was only asking for a chair for Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh hit back at Shah and accused him of diverting attention from other issues. The dispute has triggered a wider political clash.

A geomagnetic storm from the Sun is expected to reach Earth on Monday, August 17. The event began with a solar eruption on August 14. It sent a huge cloud of charged particles into space. The cloud, called a coronal mass ejection, is expected to make a direct or glancing impact with Earth’s magnetic field. Forecasters expect a G1-class storm, the lowest level on the five-point scale. It could create bright auroras in parts of North America and Europe. The storm may also cause minor disruptions to satellites, radio signals and navigation systems. No major impact is expected.

A gun accidentally fired at Varanasi airport, injuring two security staff members. The passenger, Kamlesh Rai, was travelling to Mumbai on an Air India Express flight. He had declared his licensed pistol at the airport. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the gun went off during mandatory security checks. The bullet ricocheted and injured Rohit Raj and Suman Kumari. Both were taken to a hospital for treatment. However, the victims gave different accounts about the gun. Raj said the pistol was loaded, while Kumari said it was not. Police detained the passenger. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security is investigating the incident. (PC: iStock)

Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that he could retire from football in 2028. The 41-year-old Portuguese star said this may be his final year in the sport. Ronaldo currently plays for Saudi club Al Nassr. His contract is set to expire next summer. He said he wants to leave behind a “spectacular legacy” after 25 years of football. Ronaldo also wants to spend more time with his family after retirement. He plans to travel, play padel and enjoy life. Ronaldo is also chasing 1,000 career goals. He needs only 24 more senior goals to reach the mark.

Flipkart is facing criticism over a Freedom Sale advertisement that used the style of obituary notices. The ad showed photographs and details of people inside memorial-style boxes. It said Flipkart was not sad, as the people would keep living while its sale was ending. Many social media users called the campaign insensitive and inappropriate. Author Shobhaa De also criticised the ad and urged people to boycott Flipkart. Some users questioned whether the images were made using artificial intelligence. Others defended the campaign as attention-grabbing. Flipkart has not commented on the controversy. The Freedom Sale began on August 8 and ends on August 16.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has ordered fresh UGC-NET June 2026 exams for English, Commerce and Sociology after an expert panel found serious issues in the question papers. The review identified factual and typographical errors, translation mistakes, missing scholar names, unclear wording, grammatical and numerical errors, and problematic answer options. The fresh exams will be held on September 9 for English and Commerce, and September 10 for Sociology. Candidates will not have to pay an additional fee. The NTA said results for the other 84 subjects will continue as scheduled, while details of centres and admit cards will be announced separately. (PC: News18)

Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that the 2026-27 season could be his last in professional football. The 41-year-old Portuguese star made the revelation in an interview with Vogue, saying, “This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy.” Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi club Al-Nassr, is chasing the milestone of 1,000 senior career goals and currently has 976, according to the report. He has enjoyed a remarkable career with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Portugal, winning five Ballon d’Or awards and multiple major trophies. Ronaldo also recently married longtime partner Georgina Rodriguez. (PC: NDTV)

Iran’s Army has announced a $30,000 reward for anyone who kills or captures and hands over an American military personnel, according to state media. Army chief Amir Hatami said the reward is equivalent to 5 billion tomans and was created after requests for public participation in financial support. He also said Iranian women who carry out such an act would receive double the reward. Hatami did not specify where or when the bounty could be claimed. The announcement comes as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high, with both sides continuing to exchange threats and strikes amid the wider conflict in the region. (PC: HT)

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Flores Island on Saturday, killing at least 53 people and displacing around 5,000 residents. More than 130 people were injured, while rescuers continued searching for survivors in areas hit by landslides and collapsed buildings. The shallow quake damaged more than 900 homes and disrupted roads and other infrastructure. Hundreds of aftershocks have followed, adding to fears among residents sheltering in temporary camps. A tsunami warning was issued after the quake but was later lifted. Emergency teams are delivering food, water and medical supplies as authorities assess the full extent of the damage. (PC: BBC)