Morning Digest: Lionel Messi retires from international football; SIR 3.0 draft rolls see over 6 crore names deleted so far, and more

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Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the trophy as he celebrates winning the World Cup | Photo Credit: Reuters

Lionel Messi said on Monday (August 31, 2026) he is retiring from international footbal l after leading Argentina to a second successive World Cup final in July. “It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul, but I understand that it is the right time,” Messi, 39, wrote on Instagram. “I swear I always gave everything, not just in the last few years when we won everything but before that too, and I always fought and gave my all for this shirt,” he added.

As the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls nears its end, more than 6 crore names have been deleted from the voters’ registry as per the draft lists published so far. The third phase was carried out in 16 States and 3 Union Territories. Draft rolls of all these States have been published, except for Nagaland and Tripura, which will be out on September 20 and October 21, respectively.

Hours after the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague said the Indus Waters Treaty remains “fully in force” and called on India to “observe its obligations”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected this, saying that the “very establishment of this alleged arbitral body” itself was a “grave violation” of the treaty. “This so-called Court was constituted by the World Bank in patent breach of the terms of the Treaty, and India categorically rejects its so-called award,” the Ministry said on Monday (August 31, 2026).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (August 31, 2026) met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek and said the world “must move from endless war to an end of war for the benefit of humanity”. The External Affairs Ministry said the two leaders discussed conflicts in West Asia and in the Black Sea region, where, in recent months, Indian seafarers have been attacked by both Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Bihar and Jharkhand signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sharing Sone River water on Monday. The agreement was inked in Delhi in the presence of Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil.

A massive explosion at a firecracker factory in Kaushambi district on Monday (August 31, 2026) killed at least 11 people and left several injured, officials said. The blast occurred within the Pipri police station limits, after which police, Fire and Emergency Services, and Indian Air Force personnel stationed nearby launched a joint rescue operation.

The world needs more mega-science projects, said Director-General of CERN, Mark Thomson, during his visit to Mumbai on Monday (August 31, 2026) for the India premiere of ‘The Peace Particle’, a documentary on CERN. The documentary was premiered at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. During the programme, Mr.