Times of India

Hanle village in Ladakh attracts global tourists for its exceptionally dark night skies. This remote location offers pristine views of the Milky Way, drawing stargazers worldwide. It became India's first International Dark Sky Reserve in December 2022. Local communities actively preserve these skies, integrating astronomy with cultural traditions. Astrotourism here focuses on community involvement and preservation rather than extraction.

Scientists have identified eight common sound patterns that form the basis of birdsong after analysing more than 116,000 recordings from 3,160 songbird species worldwide. The study found that birds living in different habitats sing differently because forests, open landscapes and the way sound travels influence which songs work best, alongside evolution.

India sealed their first series victory in three attempts with a dominant 90-run win in the second T20I in Harare on Saturday, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The final match will be played on Sunday. Before arriving in Zimbabwe, India suffered a 0-2 defeat against Ireland in a two-match T20I series and then endured a humiliating 0-4 loss to England in a five-match series.

New York City's mayor is implementing a new tax on expensive second homes. This tax aims to fund essential public services across the city. The city is currently experiencing an outflow of high-income residents to other states. Meanwhile, major companies like Airbnb are expanding their presence in New York City. These developments highlight ongoing economic shifts within the metropolitan area.

Uttar Pradesh registered 143 new residential projects in early 2026. These developments propose over 46,000 housing units and significant investment. Gautam Buddh Nagar attracted the largest investment for its new projects. The regulator also facilitated recovery of over Rs 2,100 crore for homebuyers. Dispute resolution mechanisms resolved property disputes worth more than Rs 6,000 crore.

R Ashwin supports Bhuvneshwar Kumar's potential return to the Indian cricket team. He believes the current pace attack needs more experienced bowlers for major tournaments. Ashwin highlighted Bhuvneshwar's consistent IPL performances and fitness over recent seasons. He suggested a blend of youth and experience would benefit the squad. The selectors should consider Bhuvneshwar as India prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Addressing the 136th episode of his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister pointed to the induction of INS Mahendragiri into the Indian Navy as an example of India's progress in indigenous defence manufacturing. "This modern warship has been designed in India and made in India. More than 75 per cent indigenous content has been used in this. This is a symbol of the growing strength of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'," he said.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin discovered Gemini on an internal coding tool prohibition list. He spent weeks attempting to remove this restriction himself. After failing to resolve the issue, Brin approached CEO Sundar Pichai for assistance. Pichai proved supportive and helped lift the outdated restriction on Gemini usage. This incident highlights how internal rules can lag behind company AI strategies.

Nepal has introduced new rules for climbing Mount Everest. Aspiring climbers must now summit a 7,000-meter peak first. This aims to reduce overcrowding and improve climber safety on the mountain. Experienced mountaineers support these new regulations for better preparation. Indian climbers will need to plan multi-year expeditions for their Everest dreams.

"Peaceful protest is crucial to any democracy. It is the government's responsibility to protect protestors and resolve their grievances through dialogue. Such brutal violence destroys every norm, and has outraged the country. Youth and students, the future of our country, are demanding answers and accountability. Their voice will be heard," he further wrote.

Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta criticized speculation about Rohit Sharma's future. Retirement rumors surfaced after Rohit's early dismissal in the second ODI match. The BCCI dismissed these claims as baseless, and Rohit responded with a century. Dasgupta urged selectors to avoid creating uncertainty for senior players. Selection should continue to be based on current performances and contributions.

Former India batter Aakash Chopra said India should continue backing Abhishek Sharma despite his poor scores in the first two matches. Instead, he suggested giving Ishan Kishan a break and bringing Prabhsimran into the playing XI. Abhished scored 1 run in the first T20I and then fell for 8 in the second T20I.

MP minister Vijayvargiya, speaking to news agency PTI in Indore on Saturday, said Pradhan had informed the BJP leadership that he was willing to resign if the party believed it was necessary. "On the first day, as soon as the student agitation began, Pradhan had told the BJP president that if he felt it was necessary, he was ready to resign as education minister," Vijayvargiya said.