Brazil has announced a 26-member squad, featuring stars like Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, and Marquinhos, for their historic first-ever football match against India on October 3 in Kolkata. Coach Carlo Ancelotti is overseeing a significant rebuild, integrating young talent with experienced players, with an eye on future tournaments like the 2028 Olympics and 2030 World Cup. The squad includes several debutants and a focus on current form, marking a new strategic direction for the Selecao.
India's Under-16 tennis star Ribhav Saroha will captain the national team at the upcoming junior Davis Cup Finals in Cairo, Egypt. The team, also featuring Hruthik Katakam and Tavish Pahwa, will compete against top international sides from November 2 to 8.
The Indian hockey teams are reverting to their traditional blue jerseys for the upcoming Asian Games after facing significant criticism for a previous shift to saffron. This decision follows internal discord within Hockey India, with its president, Dilip Tirkey, stating the saffron kit change was not permanent and lacked proper federation approval. The Asian Games are crucial for Olympic qualification.
Indian rally champions Dean Mascarenhas and co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah concluded their South American World Rally Championship campaign with a top-eight finish in Chile and a stage victory in Paraguay, showcasing their skill on challenging gravel tracks.
Police in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested three individuals, including a 70-year-old man, Ramcheez Gupta, for the murder of his wife, Manti Gupta (65), and visually impaired daughter, Gauri (22). The bodies were found in Mustafabad village. Investigations revealed Ramcheez allegedly conspired with two others, Chandan Yadav and Dinesh Gupta, due to concerns about his social standing stemming from his wife's mental health issues and daughter's disability.
Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri is a doubtful starter for the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Korea in Seoul due to a right-leg strain suffered during practice, though he has assured his participation in the Asian Games is not threatened.
A gym trainer, Vijay Kumar, was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants in south Delhi's Aya Nagar. Police suspect personal enmity and are investigating a possible link to a long-running village rivalry, including other recent violent incidents in the area.
Brazil football legend Cafu has advised the Indian national team to view their upcoming friendly against Brazil on October 3 in Kolkata as a crucial learning experience rather than just a spectacle. He emphasised the match's importance for India's preparation for the 2030 World Cup cycle and highlighted Brazil's deep connection with Kolkata, referencing Pele's historic visit. Cafu also discussed the future of Brazilian football and his unique World Cup record.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has identified a significant opportunity for India as the company transitions its enterprise systems to an AI-first model. He emphasised India's crucial role, leveraging its extensive pool of technology professionals and partners, in this global technological transformation, which he likened to a "Y2K moment" for engineering.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has confirmed Pakistan's participation in the upcoming Men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in India. The event, scheduled from October 27 to November 5 in Jalandhar and Mohali, will feature six nations, with India hosting its arch-rivals under the central government's policy allowing multi-lateral sports engagements.
The Indian men's hockey team is undertaking a high-intensity mental conditioning camp in Switzerland with coach Paddy Upton, mirroring their successful preparation for the Paris Olympics. This crucial camp aims to build team chemistry and trust ahead of the upcoming World Cup and Asian Games.
Pakistan fast-bowling legend Wasim Akram has voiced his disappointment over the state of the country's cricket, particularly in Test matches. He attributes the team's struggles to a significant lack of quality batting talent emerging in recent years, despite the Pakistan Super League's existence. Akram also highlighted the need to revive club cricket and maintain consistency in team selections.
In a high-profile POCSO case, Chennai police have discovered more minor victims of sexual harassment allegedly by granite businessman R Veeramani, with investigators suspecting the abuse spans over two decades. Additional victims' statements have been recorded, and the case involves charges under POCSO, IT, and SC/ST Acts.
Kylian Mbappe has asserted his belief that he deserves to win the Ballon d'Or this year, despite not securing any club or international silverware. The French forward highlighted his individual performances, including becoming the World Cup's all-time leading scorer, and praised new France coach Zinedine Zidane.
Hockey India has issued a show-cause notice to its Director General, Cdr R K Srivastava, immediately stripping him of all powers. The notice lists eight charges, prominently featuring the controversial change in the Indian team's World Cup jersey and Srivastava's unauthorised travel to the event despite directives to focus on the Hockey India League. He has four weeks to respond, failing which further action will be taken.
Experienced Indian compound archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam is heading into her fourth Asian Games, aiming to focus solely on her performance. She highlights the rigorous preparation involving equipment and personal readiness, acknowledging the challenges of the sport. Jyothi also discusses the new women's team dynamics, emphasizing their growing cohesion and shared experience after participating in recent World Cup stages, with the Asian Games being their top priority this year.
Sanju Samson has been appointed Brand Ambassador of Jan Kaushal Kendra, Moti Nagar, with Delhi CM Rekha Gupta highlighting his connection with the capital and role inspiring youth.
Shivanjay Rajput, a key accused in the Sagar hooch tragedy that killed 16, was arrested after a police encounter in Madhya Pradesh. Rajput, carrying a Rs 30,000 bounty, sustained a gunshot wound to his leg during the face-off. This arrest brings the total number of accused apprehended to 19, with FIRs against 30 individuals.
Former Italy manager Roberto Mancini is set to return for a second spell as the national team coach, replacing Gennaro Gattuso, who departed after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Former Indian fielding coach T Dilip shared his most cherished memory with the team, highlighting the profound silence in the dressing room after their T20 World Cup 2024 victory.
India's para-archers, led by Paralympics champion Harvinder Singh and world No. 1 Sheetal Devi, concluded their World Archery Para Series Stage III campaign with an impressive haul of two gold and four bronze medals. Sheetal Devi secured an individual gold in a dramatic shoot-off and a bronze in the mixed team event, while Harvinder Singh and Bhawna won gold in the recurve mixed team. India also claimed additional bronze medals in individual and mixed team categories.
A court in Kottayam has found former state DGP Tomin J Thachankary guilty of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The sentence will be pronounced later, with the prosecution arguing against leniency despite Thachankary's health plea.
Elena Rybakina is set to challenge defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final, viewing the high-stakes match as a crucial opportunity to test her capabilities against a formidable rival without succumbing to undue pressure.
Top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend defeated American wildcards Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery to win the U.S. Open women's doubles final, completing their team career Grand Slam. This victory marks Siniakova's 12th Grand Slam doubles title and makes her the first player to achieve a career Grand Slam with two different partners.
'I kept saying, we'll do it, but I had no clue how. Neither did my trainer. But we went in with the intention that no matter what, we will have to do this.'
Pakistan is set to participate in the Men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in India, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann confirming the union government's policy allows multi-lateral engagements despite bilateral tensions. The tournament, featuring six nations including India and Pakistan, will be held from October 27 to November 5 in Jalandhar and Mohali, with free entry for all matches.
Shafali Verma smashed a stunning unbeaten century as India beat Bangladesh by 114 runs to enter the women's cricket final at the Asian Games.
World junior champion Anahat Singh, now 18, is returning to the Asian Games with significantly higher stakes, as the women's singles gold medal offers direct Olympic qualification. Ranked world number 20, she is a strong medal contender and is embracing the pressure of competing for her country. Anahat faces formidable opponents like Satomi Watanbe and Sivasangari Subramaniam but is focused on refining her game and physical strength to achieve her goals.
Emergency personnel, NDRF teams, police and rescue workers continue to search for survivors.
Heavy police and drone teams have been deployed in Haldwani's Banbhoolpura area ahead of an anticipated Supreme Court verdict concerning alleged encroachment on 29 hectares of Railway land. The deployment is a precautionary measure given past unrest during demolition drives, with authorities appealing for peace and warning against rumour-mongering.
The Central Crime Branch in Chennai has uncovered evidence suggesting that granite businessman R Veeramani's alleged sexual harassment of minors may span over two decades, predating 2003. The investigation, which began with a 2019 video clip, has identified multiple survivors, leading to charges under the POCSO Act, IT Act, and SC/ST Act against Veeramani and two accomplices. The Child Welfare Committee is also monitoring the case for further action.
India's para archers delivered a strong performance on the third day of the World Archery Para Series (Stage III) in Ahmedabad, securing multiple spots in the finals across recurve, compound, and W1 events, thereby assuring a significant medal haul. Notable performances include Tanvi Pravin Ingale's silver, Harvinder Singh and Bhawna reaching recurve finals, and world champion Sheetal Devi advancing to the women's compound individual final.
The 72nd National Film Awards celebrated outstanding contributions to Indian cinema, with Yami Gautam, Kartik Aaryan, Mammootty, Dhanush, and Sanjay Mishra among the prominent winners.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has dismissed concerns about organisational chaos at the Asian Games, attributing criticisms to attempts to "politicise" the event. Despite widespread issues like accommodation scarcity, lengthy check-ins, and athlete complaints, OCA officials insist challenges are normal and are being handled effectively. They also addressed a diplomatic complaint from South Korea regarding a historical figure at a welcome ceremony and defended cost-saving measures like container-style accommodation.
The Indian Olympic Association has formed a four-member independent inquiry committee, led by retired High Court judge Deepa Sharma, to investigate sexual harassment allegations against Hockey India secretary Bhola Nath Singh. The probe follows a complaint by former women's team captain Asunta Lakra, who accused Singh of threats after she raised concerns about alleged harassment of girls in Jharkhand.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of popular Mumbai restaurant Cafe Mondegar and three other food establishments due to serious food safety and hygiene violations. This action is part of an intensified crackdown by the FDA, which also saw inspections of 38 establishments, seizure of substandard food products worth over Rs 15 lakh, and action against banned gutkha products totalling Rs 1.35 crore in seized goods and vehicles across Maharashtra.
'I'm an 'industry child' and my parents were both extremely successful in the same film industry. Yet, they were helpless to ensure my success.'
The Indian mixed 4x400m relay team has successfully qualified for the final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The quartet of Vishal TK, Anisa Babu, Rajesh Ramesh, and Rashdeep Kaur finished fourth in their heat, securing one of the fastest loser spots to advance to Saturday's final.
Jos Buttler's unbeaten half-century led England to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, completing a 3-0 T20 series whitewash and elevating England to the top of the T20 world rankings.
Indian shooting star Manu Bhaker, a flagbearer at the Asian Games, has called upon her fellow athletes to concentrate on their performance and not be distracted by the organisational challenges and logistical issues marring the event's build-up. She emphasised that the opportunity is rare and should be seized with full dedication.
