Find today's news in pics from India and around the world for August 21, 2026
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PV Sindhu’s bid for a sixth BWF World Championships medal ended in heartbreak as she lost 11-21, 21-15, 17-21 to China’s third-seeded Wang Zhi Yi in a gripping Round of 16 clash in New Delhi. Sindhu started slowly but fought back brilliantly in the second game, winning six straight points from 15-all to force a decider. The Indian then stayed in the contest until 16-all in the third game, when Wang took a medical break after appearing to struggle physically. Sindhu, however, could not regain her momentum after the interruption, committing costly errors as Wang surged ahead and sealed victory after a gruelling 88-minute battle, ending India’s singles challenge.
Ayush Shetty’s impressive debut campaign at the Badminton World Championships 2026 came to an end after a straight-games defeat to Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan in the men’s singles Round of 16 in New Delhi. Shetty, who had stunned defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi earlier in the tournament, fought hard in the opening game but was edged out 19-21 by the 11th-seeded Indonesian. Farhan then took control of the contest, using his sharp net play and pressure to deny the Indian any rhythm in the second game, which he won 21-11. The defeat marked Shetty’s fifth loss in eight meetings against Farhan, ending India’s men’s singles challenge at the World Championships.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand produced a stirring comeback to defeat China’s fourth-seeded Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian 16-21, 21-15, 21-13 in the women’s doubles quarter-final of the Badminton World Championships 2026 in New Delhi. The Indian pair started slowly and trailed for much of the opening game before the Chinese duo took it 21-16. However, Treesa and Gayatri raised their intensity in the second, overturning the momentum to level the match. They then dominated the decider, building a healthy lead and holding their nerve to complete a memorable 69-minute victory. The win sent the Indian duo into the semi-finals and guaranteed India its first women’s doubles medal at the World Championships in 15 years.
India stepped up their preparations for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo with the training session largely focused on tackling spin. Captain Shubman Gill spent considerable time in the nets working against left-arm spin after being dismissed twice by Prabath Jayasuriya in the Galle Test, facing India’s own left-arm options and sharpening his footwork and attacking shots. The visitors come into the August 23 Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club with a 1-0 lead following their 165-run win in Galle, while the team management has also backed Kuldeep Yadav despite his modest outing in the series opener.
This photo gallery captures protests, closed shops, road blockades, gatherings and security arrangements as the statewide shutdown affects daily life across Punjab
The photo gallery captures the team’s arrival in Jaipur as part of the 'School Thik Karo' campaign where they were faced with protests and sloganeering from local villagers.
This photo gallery captures the destruction, emergency response operations, damaged infrastructure and residents surveying the impact as authorities assess the extent of the damage following the latest attacks
Palestinian children who lost limbs during the Israel-Hamas war that began on October 7, 2023, are learning to swim in Khan Younis, Gaza, through lessons organised by nonprofit group Heal Palestine
According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Ganga is rising by nearly 50 millimetres an hour in Varanasi. The river’s water level has climbed to 67.68 metres, still below the danger mark of 71.26 metres.
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