Norway Chess: Anand beats Tari in final round; settles for third place
Stavanger (Norway) (PTI): Former world champion Viswanathan Anand scored a win over Aryan Tari in the ninth and final round to finish third in the Norway Chess tournament which was won by world number one Magnus Carlsen.
The 52-year-old Indian chess legend won the Armageddon encounter against Tari after the classical match finished in a 22-move draw.
Anand was made to work hard by Tari in the sudden death tie-break as he needed 87 moves to secure the victory early on Saturday.
He finished with 14.5 points to sign off at the third place behind Carlsen (16.5 points) and Azerbaijan's Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (15.5).
The Indian GM started superbly, scoring victories in his first three matches (against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Veselin Topalov and Wang Hao) and then pulled off an impressive win over Carlsen.
He led the points table after the fifth round but appeared to lose steam in the second half of the tournament. A defeat at the hands of Mamedyarov in the Classical in round eight hurt his chances to a large extent.
Anand scored over long-time rival Carlsen in the Blitz event before prevailing over him again in the Classical tournament.
Carlsen was able to finish on top despite not being at his best and suffering defeats to So, compatriot Tari and Anand.
After all classical games on the final day ended in draws, there were wins for Vachier-Lagrave over Anish Giri (the Netherlands) and Anand.
Carlsen had to settle for a draw in the Armageddon against Topalov, while Mamedyarov was held by Radjabov and Wang Hao shared the honours with So.
Final standings: 1. Magnus Carlsen (Norway) 16.5 points, 2. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) 15.5, 3. Viswanathan Anand (India) 14.5, 4. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (14), 5. Wesley So (USA) 12.5, 6. Anish Giri (12), 7. Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) and Aryan Tari (Norway) 9.5, 9. Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) 8, 10. Wang Hao (China) 7.5.
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National Synodal Assembly 2026 begins in Bengaluru with over 220 delegates
Bengaluru: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) on May 1 inaugurated its National Synodal Assembly 2026 at St. John’s Medical College, bringing together more than 220 delegates from across the country under the theme Synodal Pilgrims of Hope.
The assembly is part of the global synodal process initiated in 2021 by Pope Francis, which calls for greater participation, dialogue and shared responsibility within the Church. In India, the process has involved consultations at diocesan, regional and national levels.
Participants at the assembly include two Cardinals, 25 Bishops, 65 priests, more than 20 women religious, and over 100 lay faithful, including youth and women leaders.
The gathering began with a Eucharistic celebration led by Filipe Neri Ferrão. In his homily, he described the assembly as a moment of grace and discernment and called on delegates to walk together in prayer, listening and missionary commitment.
He spoke about the importance of the Risen Christ in the mission of the Church and urged the faithful to be witnesses of the Gospel. Referring to the conversion of St Paul, he said every baptised person has a role in spreading the message of Christ. He also highlighted the example of St Joseph the Worker, stressing the dignity of labour and the call to holiness in everyday life.
The formal inauguration included the invocation of the Holy Spirit through Veni Creator Spiritus and the lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Deputy Secretary General Fr. Stephen Alathara welcomed the delegates and described the gathering as a spiritual journey.
In his presidential address, Cardinal Ferrão referred to the CCBI pastoral plan titled Journeying Towards a Synodal Church: Mission 2033 and called on participants to build on the vision outlined at the 36th Plenary Assembly held in Bhubaneswar in 2025.
Delegates will reflect on four key themes identified from 16 pastoral priorities: interreligious dialogue and peacebuilding, inclusion of the excluded, poverty and integral ecology, and support for children and youth.
The discussions are being conducted through a method of spiritual conversation aimed at encouraging listening, dialogue and collective decision-making. The focus is on translating these discussions into practical actions within the Church.
The assembly also looks ahead to the Jubilee Year 2033, which will mark 2,000 years of the Redemption, and aims to strengthen the Church’s mission in the coming years.
Further consultations are scheduled for September 2026, with the process expected to conclude at the 38th Plenary Assembly of the CCBI in January 2027.
Organisers said the assembly seeks to strengthen unity within the Church and promote participation of all sections, including women and youth, in shaping its future direction.
