Additional District and Sessions Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar of Muzaffarnagar has declared he would prefer death over being a "coward judge," delivering his 23rd capital punishment in four months, this time in a dowry death case. He asserted he would not succumb to pressure from mafias and criminals, despite receiving threats and having numerous cases transferred from his court.
Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri are set to lead the home challenge at the DP World India Championship, scheduled for October 15-18 at the Delhi Golf Club. The tournament will feature a star-studded international field including Major winner Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Fox, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Luke Donald, and Viktor Hovland. Both Sharma and Lahiri expressed excitement about competing on home soil, highlighting the event's significance for Indian golf.
India's pickleball team secured an unbeaten record on the second day of the Pickleball World Cup in Da Nang, Vietnam, by defeating China 4-0 and the Philippines 4-1. This performance has earned them a spot in the quarter-finals, where they are set to face the USA. Key players like Pearl Amalsadiwala, Mihika Yadav, Harsh Mehta, Arjun Singh, and Aaliya Ebrahim contributed to these victories.
The Indian men's squash team secured a bronze medal at the World Squash Junior Team Championships in Ontario after losing 0-2 to the USA in the semifinals. This marks the first time the Indian men's team has achieved consecutive bronze medal finishes in the competition.
The Indian embassy in Ukraine is actively monitoring the critical situation of 13 Indian seafarers aboard MV AMIR1, who are reportedly under threat from drone and missile attacks near Ukraine's Black Sea coast.
Go once. You will know, even before you board the flight home, that you will return.
Indian golfer Saanvi Somu finished tied 26th at the Women's Irish Challenge after a challenging final round, while Ireland's Beth Coulter secured a historic win on her professional debut in a sudden-death playoff.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal highlighted the critical need for India to diversify its services exports beyond the dominant IT/ITeS and professional services sectors. Speaking at the Global Fintech Fest 2026, he emphasised the vast potential in the global financial services market, where India currently holds a small share, and stressed how fintech solutions, like UPI, can drive growth, reduce remittance costs, and support MSME trade finance, ultimately leading to sustainable economic expansion.
Indian women wrestlers secured two silver and two bronze medals at the U17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, with Sandhya Vishnoi and Akshara winning silver, and Avanshika and Taniya earning bronze.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Modi government of quietly paving the way for imposing fees on UPI transactions, alleging it's a surrender to American pressure. The government's recent notification exempts charges only up to Rs 2,000, sparking concerns that higher value transactions and eventually all UPI payments could incur fees. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, clarified that Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) applies to merchants, not customers, and supports digital infrastructure.
Election-related freebies and populist measures are other factors crimping the revenue profile of these states.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over a probe from Andhra Pradesh police concerning an alleged extremist network. Twelve suspects were arrested across several states for their links to banned terror organisations like AQIS and ISIS, involved in radicalisation and recruitment through online platforms.
The Indian women's junior squash team secured a commendable fifth-place finish at the World Squash Junior Team Championships in Ontario, defeating England 2-0 in the play-off match.
Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh delivered a strong performance at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship in Aberdeen, Scotland, carding a 3-under-par 69 despite challenging, windy conditions. He recovered from an early double bogey to finish T-11, showcasing his skill on the European Legends Tour. South African Darren Fichardt leads the tournament.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached a crucial consensus during the BRICS summit, agreeing that China and India should be partners, not rivals. The leaders pledged to maintain peace and tranquility in border areas, deepen cooperation, and support each other in multilateral forums, aiming to strengthen the Global South and promote a multipolar world order.
The Indian junior men's hockey team secured a 3-3 draw against Japan in their second Pool A match of the Junior Asia Cup. India initially led 2-0, but Japan fought back to take a 3-2 lead in the final minute before India equalised with a penalty corner in the dying seconds.
Veteran skeet shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan expresses strong optimism about the future of Indian shooting, attributing the potential rise to government-backed initiatives like Khelo India. He is preparing for his third Asian Games appearance and believes India will have the best team across all shooting disciplines in the next four years, thanks to enhanced grassroots development and support systems.
Indian head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged the absence of 'clutch player' Jemimah Rodrigues due to injury for the Women's Asia Cup but emphasised the team's strong hunger for success in upcoming tournaments, including the Asia Cup and Asian Games.
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.
Maharashtra minister and Asian Cricket Council board member Adv. Ashish Shelar has been unanimously elected as the president of the E Sports Games Federation (ESGF) in India. Shelar, who also holds portfolios for Electronics, IT, AI, and Cultural Affairs, aims to enhance platforms, training, and opportunities for India's growing esports community, especially with the Indian team participating in the upcoming Asian Games.
Indian shuttlers Unnati Hooda and the men's doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and M R Arjun faced early exits at the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament. Hooda lost in women's singles, while the doubles pair retired due to apparent fitness issues, marking a challenging start for the Indian contingent.
India secured two gold, two silver, and one bronze medal on the penultimate day of the World Archery Para Series (Stage III) in Ahmedabad. The men's compound and recurve teams clinched gold, while Swati Chaudhary earned two medals, a silver and a bronze.
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) plans to invest approximately Rs 1 trillion in petrochemical projects over the next five to six years, aiming to significantly increase its petrochemical intensity and production capacity to meet growing domestic demand.
India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, has clarified that the recent amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) are primarily aimed at enhancing transparency and ensuring accountability in foreign financial flows.
Indian squash players Om Semwal, Sandhesh Ravikumar, and Rathika Seelan were defeated in the quarterfinals of the PSA Singapore Challenger, ending their campaign in the tournament.
Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University, highlighted Artificial Intelligence's transformative potential in healthcare, emphasising its role in augmenting doctors' capabilities and enhancing efficiency. Speaking at PGIMER's Foundation Day, he stressed the need for India to develop AI solutions tailored to its unique healthcare realities, moving beyond being a mere consumer of Western-trained systems. PGIMER Director Vivek Lal also detailed the institute's expansion and commitment to affordable healthcare.
Indian javelin thrower Rohit Yadav is determined to secure a podium finish at the upcoming Asian Games, stepping in after Neeraj Chopra's withdrawal due to injury. Yadav, who recently achieved a personal best of 87.68m, is focused on his rhythm and mindset to deliver his best performance and make the nation proud.
Akash Madhwal opens up on MS Dhoni's influence at CSK, Rohit Sharma's role at MI and the positive team culture behind both franchises' success.
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, fought hard to defeat Denmark's Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, securing their spot in the China Masters Super 750 semifinals. This victory continues their strong performance following recent successes. Meanwhile, veteran Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth's journey in the men's singles quarter-finals concluded after a straight-games loss to Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu.
Jamshedpur FC players, including senior India footballers, have made an emotional appeal to the Tata Group to reverse its decision to withdraw the club from the Indian Super League (ISL) and dismantle the senior team, citing the impact on young players and the future of Indian football.
Both the Indian men's and women's junior squash teams have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Junior Squash Team Championship in Ontario. The men's team overcame Kuwait in a hard-fought 2-1 victory, while the women's team secured a dominant 3-0 win against South Africa. The men are set to face England, and the women will compete against USA in their respective quarterfinal matches.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, effective October 15. This move ends nearly six years of fully free UPI payments, though person-to-person (P2P) transfers and small P2M payments remain free. The charges aim to bolster investment in UPI infrastructure, with specific exemptions and caps for essential sectors.
A Microsoft Work Trend Index report reveals India has the highest share of "Frontier Professionals" globally, with 32% of its AI users employing AI agents in multi-step workflows, double the global average. Indian professionals are not just adopting AI but are actively redesigning work processes, demonstrating strong leadership alignment and a focus on human oversight and critical thinking. Major Indian IT firms like Infosys, TCS, and Wipro show rapid adoption and significant productivity gains with Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil work by poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar, ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
A labour contractor has been apprehended in connection with the collapse of a five-storey building in Delhi's Satya Niketan, which resulted in seven deaths. The building owners are in judicial custody, and investigations are scrutinising construction work and a controversial rent agreement that disclaimed liability for tenant casualties. Authorities are also planning new policies to regulate PGs and ensure safety.
Defending champions India, led by captain Anmol Ekka's two goals and goalkeeper Vivek Lakra's crucial saves, defeated Malaysia 3-1 in the AHF Men's Junior Asia Cup semi-final. India will now compete for their fourth consecutive and sixth overall title against the winner of the Pakistan vs South Korea match.
The South African government has cleared its High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, of any wrongdoing after he appeared at a temple event in Haridwar with former president Jacob Zuma and businessman Ajay Gupta, who faces corruption allegations. DIRCO stated Sooklal provided only customary protocol support to Zuma and attended the event independently, without facilitating any substantive engagement with Gupta.
A Delhi court has ordered the framing of money laundering charges against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, and six others in the alleged IRCTC hotel scam. The court found strong suspicion of a manipulated tender for railway hotels and a quid pro quo involving land transfer at undervalued rates.
For India, the goal is not simply to host another grand diplomatic gathering. It is to prove that a diverse coalition of emerging powers can still deliver.
Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana expressed her disbelief and happiness after surpassing legendary batter Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in Women's Internationals, a feat she 'never imagined' achieving.
