The Times Internet Half Marathon 2026 brought together runners from across the country, each bringing with them a different story. Fitness goals, personal battles, and lifelong dreams, running made it all happen. Whatever unfolded on the track was the result of commitment, hard work and patience. Yashika Aneja Winner, Chip Time: 00:27:14At 32, Yashika Aneja’s fitness journey is a story of resilience and reinvention. After being involved in fitness for almost 10 years, she restarted her fitness journey after giving birth to a child four years ago. She came back stronger, regained her confidence and fell in love with fitness again.Now training consistently 2-3 times a week, Yashika balances fitness with her work as a businesswoman in the textile industry and her passion for yoga. For him, running is not just about health, but also about community, inspiration and pushing himself to keep going.At the Times Internet Half Marathon, Yashika embraced the spirit of the event and shared an inspirational message especially for mothers: Nothing can stop you from pushing yourself and making yourself a priority.

worship Runner-up, Chip Time: 00:28:19Claiming second place in the category, Upasana excelled with confidence and consistency, displaying remarkable focus and determination throughout the race. His impressive finish reflects the discipline and preparation of a runner who came with the mindset of a true athlete.

Arunima Arora 2nd Runner-up, Chip Time: 00:28:38 Securing the position of second runner-up in the category, Arunima Arora displayed extraordinary determination and perseverance throughout the race. With steady pace and a strong finish, she reflected the dedication, discipline and competitive spirit of a runner determined to push her limits.This category at the Times Internet Half Marathon was a reminder that the most powerful runs are those inspired by something personal. Whether it was to regain confidence, prove a point, or just show off, these runners did just that. Determination and hard work speaks for itself.

New Delhi: AIADMK leader CV Shanmugam on Wednesday targeted the party chief fiercely. Edappadi K Palaniswami He was removed from key party positions along with SP Velumani, C Vijayabhaskar and several other leaders amid the deepening rebellion within the AIADMK.Speaking to reporters, Shanmugam alleged that the party has faced continuous electoral setbacks since he took over the leadership of EPS following the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.Referring to Palaniswami’s response to criticism over repeated election defeats, Shanmugam said, “Today, when the General Secretary (EPS) is questioned as to why we lost, he replies by asking, ‘Didn’t the AIADMK lose in 1996? Didn’t we lose in 2006 too?’ Yes, we lost. But Puratchi Thalaivi Amma had the potential to bring the party back to power.”Praising Jayalalitha’s leadership, he said, “After every defeat, Amma would announce that she would restore MGR’s rule once again and she was successful in bringing the party back for a second term. It was Amma who delivered a landslide victory in the 1998 parliamentary elections. There was neither arrogance born of victory nor the tendency to hide after defeat.”Shanmugam further alleged that the electoral position of AIADMK has deteriorated under the leadership of EPS.He said, “More specifically, after General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami took over, not only did the defeats continue, but we should have at least increased our number of seats. Instead, with every election, our failures have become more serious, and we are continuously falling.”Calling for an internal review of the party’s performance, he said, “The defeat suffered by the AIADMK in the recently concluded assembly elections should be discussed. We need to deliberate and analyze the reasons behind these consecutive defeats. Especially after Amma’s demise in 2016, we are continuously facing defeats in parliamentary elections, assembly elections, by-elections or local body elections.”“The comments came hours after Palaniswami removed 25 rebel leaders and MLAs from party posts after they allegedly violated the party line and supported the TVK government during the trust motion in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

General (Retd) MM Naravane; RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale

New Delhi: Former Army chief General (retd) Manoj Mukund Naravane on Wednesday supported Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s stance on better people-to-people contacts between India and Pakistan and said stronger ties between citizens of the two sides can help improve bilateral relations.Read this also ‘India should not close the doors of talks with Pakistan’: RSS general secretary Dattatreya HosabaleHe said common people on both sides of the border “have nothing to do with politics”.“The common people live on both sides of the border, they have the same problems of ‘roti, kapda aur makaan’ (food, clothing and shelter). The common man has nothing to do with politics. When there is friendship between two people, there will be friendship between the two countries too,” Naravane told PTI.The former army chief said, “This is the right thing. People-to-people contact is important.”Naravane’s comments come a day after Hosabale, the second-ranking RSS leader after Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, said that India should keep the channels of dialogue open with Pakistan.“If Pakistan is trying to carry out Pulwama-like incidents, we will have to respond appropriately as per the situation… At the same time, we should not close the doors. We should always be ready to engage in dialogue,” Hosabale told PTI.He said, “People-to-people ties can reduce India-Pakistan tensions because we have cultural ties and we were once one nation. I strongly believe that civil society contacts will eventually help normalize relations with Pakistan; this should be attempted more now.”Hosabale urged Pakistani players, scientists and civil society members to “move forward” for peace and said the neighboring country’s military “cannot be trusted”.The RSS is the ideological guru of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Naravane, who served as the Army chief from December 2019 to April 2022, was in the news in February when excerpts from a chapter on the India-China Ladakh crisis, mentioned in his unpublished memoir, were quoted by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Here are the top 5 news of the day:

The post-mortem report of Prateek Yadav, son of late Mulayam Singh Yadav and step-brother of Akhilesh Yadav, revealed that 38-year-old Prateek died due to massive blockage in the blood vessels of the lungs. According to the autopsy findings, the provisional cause of death was recorded as “cardiorespiratory collapse due to massive pulmonary thromboembolism”. Doctors said a large blood clot blocked blood flow to the lungs, causing the heart and respiratory systems to fail. Prateek Yadav was found unconscious at his residence in Lucknow on Wednesday and was taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Read the full story

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay canceled the appointment of his close aide and astrologer Ricky Radhan Pandit Vetrivel as Officer on Special Duty (Political), a day after the decision triggered criticism from opposition parties and allies who argued that personal beliefs should not influence governance. The Tamil Nadu government issued a circular canceling the appointment immediately after the floor test in the assembly. Vetrivel was appointed through an official government order issued on Tuesday and was tasked with assisting the Chief Minister in political coordination and advisory functions within the Chief Minister’s Office. Read the full story

Air India announced suspension and reduction of services on 29 international routes between June and August 2026 amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, rising jet fuel prices and airspace restrictions in key regions. The airline said the temporary changes are aimed at improving operational stability and reducing last-minute inconvenience to passengers as the Iran conflict and instability around the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt global aviation. Read full list

PM Modi asks SPG to cut convoy size by 50%, promote use of EVs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Special Protection Group (SPG) – the elite security corps that looks after his security – to make efforts to reduce the number of cars in his convoy by 50%. Additionally, his wish was to encourage the number of electric vehicles in the fleet, but without purchasing new vehicles to avoid additional expenses. SPG has already started implementing the directive, while ensuring that there is no compromise on the mandatory safety guidelines laid down in the Blue Book. Read the full story