Oct 08,2026: Canadian poet and writer Anne Carson won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature “for her bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature,” the award-giving body said on Thursday.
Canadian poet and essayist Carson’s work often blends verse, prose, dialogue and translation in a genre-defying mix.
She is widely known for her translations of classical Greek literature, which heavily influences her work which ranges from opera libretti to literary criticism and verse novels such as “Autobiography of Red” from 1998.
Her style is exemplified in “Norma Jeane Baker of Troy” from 2019, a performance piece which mixes the stories of Helen of Troy in Euripides’ play “Helen” and Marilyn Monroe.
Carson takes a place beside luminaries such as Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Alice Munro and Ernest Hemingway as a recipient of the award, which often divides opinion among book lovers.
Last year’s prize was won by Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai, dubbed the “master of the apocalypse” by American critic Susan Sontag.
Established in the will of Swedish dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel, the prizes for achievements in literature, science and peace have been awarded since 1901.
The prize is awarded by the Swedish Academy and is worth 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million).
July 30,2026: A US man who is already serving 25 years in prison for attempting to kill Sir Salman Rushdie has been convicted of additional charges, including providing material support to a terrorist group.
Hadi Matar was convicted in a New York federal court on Wednesday of providing assistance to Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed faction which is designated as a terrorist group by the US, UK and many other countries.
Prosecutors argued that Matar had been motivated by a fatwa, a religious edict, issued by Iran’s religious leader in 1989 for Sir Salman’s death.
The award-winning author testified during the trial, describing the attack and crediting a firefighter with saving his life by providing medical care.
The jury convicted Matar of engaging in an act of transnational terrorism and providing material support to Hezbollah.
During the trial in the New York city of Buffalo, prosecutors argued that he had been motivated by a 2006 speech by the then-leader of Hezbollah, calling for the fatwa against Sir Salman to be enforced, and that he had plotted the attack for two years.
Defence attorneys argued that Matar’s attack had not been motivated by terrorism, and questioned the author about whether he should have expected a backlash to his controversial 1988 novel The Satanic Verses.
“I don’t believe the book is on trial,” Sir Salman responded. “Somebody else is on trial.”
Matar is already serving a 25-year sentence after being convicted of attempted murder by a state court in 2025. He could now face life in prison in the federal conviction.
Sir Salman’s novel, inspired by the life of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, sparked outrage among some Muslims, who considered its content to be blasphemous.
He faced countless death threats and was forced into hiding for nine years after Iran’s religious leader issued the fatwa.
The British-Indian novelist later detailed his experience and long road to recovery in a memoir called Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder.
Last year, he released his first fiction in years, titled The Eleventh Hour.
New Delhi, Dec 12,2025: A new think tank, Bharat Ki Soch, was launched on Friday with a mission to bring India’s civilisational knowledge systems into contemporary policy-making.
The initiative aims to enrich India’s development narrative by drawing from the country’s deep intellectual heritage and applying ancient wisdom to today’s complex challenges.
The think tank made its debut at the Constitution Club of India with an inaugural conference titled “Navigating Growth and Development in Global Uncertain Times.” The event focused on how India can maintain its developmental momentum by blending institutional strength and modern innovation with the timeless insights of its civilisation.
Speakers at the conference agreed that India’s next phase of growth cannot rely solely on modern frameworks.
They emphasised the need to reconnect with India’s civilisational strengths, arguing that ancient Indian knowledge — whether in governance, economics, agriculture, sustainability, or wellness — offers valuable guidance for a fast-changing global landscape.
Bharat Ki Soch aims to build this bridge by engaging policymakers, technologists, researchers and practitioners to reinterpret traditional Indian ideas for current national needs.
The think tank plans to undertake deep research, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and host public dialogues to create policy recommendations grounded in India’s cultural and philosophical foundations.
Covering themes ranging from economic development and national security to health, agriculture and sustainability, Bharat Ki Soch seeks to position India’s civilisational wisdom as a vital resource for shaping a resilient and future-ready nation.
