India's services activity expanded in August, but the pace of growth cooled to the second-slowest since March 2022, despite stronger output and new business, according to the HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index.
Carlos Alcaraz swapped his headline-making tank top for an undershirt after revealing too much chest, then beat Wu Yibing in straight sets to reach the US Open fourth round.
Over 900 workers and employees are missing from various hydropower project sites in Nepal following massive flash floods triggered by an ice and rock collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border. Rescue teams, assisted by experts from India and China, are intensifying efforts to locate and extract hundreds believed to be trapped inside tunnels, with 279 already rescued amidst ongoing challenges.
East Zone pacers Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar chipped away at the wickets to leave South Zone tottering on 242/6 at stumps on Day 3, of the Duleep Trophy final.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced that the 2026-27 Indian Football League (IFL) season will begin on October 30. Following a successful 2025-26 season with significantly increased viewership, the upcoming season will feature new regulations, including a limit of three foreign players on the pitch, and an expanded footprint with new venues in Nagaland and Odisha. Discussions also covered the IFL Charter, budget, and broadcast partnerships.
Indian para archers have delivered a strong performance at the World Archery Para Series in Ahmedabad, assuring at least two medals in the Visually Impaired 1 category. World No. 1 Sheetal Devi topped the women's compound qualification, while Indian men's and women's teams secured top seeding, advancing directly to the semifinals. Several other Indian archers also progressed in individual and team events, highlighting the nation's growing prowess in para-archery.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff defeated fellow American Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 to reach the US Open quarter-finals. Gauff, the defending champion, delivered a dominant performance and will next face Mirra Andreeva.
Alexander Zverev and Coco Gauff secured their spots in the fourth round of the U.S. Open, while Naomi Osaka overcame a tough challenge. However, several prominent American players, including Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys, and Amanda Anisimova, experienced early exits, disappointing home fans at Flushing Meadows.
RNFI Services Ltd has received in-principle authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator - Physical (PA-P). This approval allows the company to expand its financial infrastructure into physical, offline, and in-store payments, complementing its existing regulated financial services portfolio.
East Zone were crowned Duleep Trophy champions after the final against South Zone ended in a draw in Chennai, with their first-innings lead proving decisive.
A new study by King's College London and the University of Cape Town found that babies born to anaemic mothers have significantly smaller total brain volumes and key brain regions by age two. Using portable MRI scanners, researchers observed these differences from around 12 months of age, highlighting the critical impact of maternal anaemia on early infant brain development.
Families of students killed or injured in a paying guest accommodation collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan are returning home shattered, questioning the city's safety and warning others against sending their children to the national capital for education.
In flood-ravaged Nepal, drones are playing an unprecedented role in disaster response, from airlifting bodies from inaccessible areas to delivering essential supplies and searching for trapped workers. This innovative use of UAVs is transforming humanitarian aid and rescue operations in the challenging Himalayan terrain.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced a new dress code of blue T-shirt and jeans for the party's student wing, Chhatra Sabha, along with a two-week student awareness campaign. The move aims to connect with young people in educational institutions, familiarise them with the party's ideology, and promote socialist values. Yadav explained the symbolism of the blue colour, associating it with ideology, democracy, the Constitution, and the 'Bahujan samaj', while jeans represent rebellion and workers. The initiative is part of the party's broader PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak, and also Prem, Daya, Apnapan) campaign to establish social justice.
Indian squash player Anahat Singh was defeated by Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam in the women's quarterfinals of the London Squash Classic. Despite her loss, the reigning world junior champion had previously overcome a higher-ranked opponent to reach this stage and is now preparing for upcoming tournaments, including the Qatar Classic and the Asian Games.
American tennis star Frances Tiafoe defeated Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto in straight sets (6-3, 7-6(2), 7-5) to secure his spot in the third round of the U.S. Open. Tiafoe, a leading American contender, is aiming to end a 23-year drought for a home men's champion at the tournament, feeding off the energy of the partisan crowd.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against seven foreign nationals, including a US citizen and six Ukrainians, for illegal entry and alleged terror conspiracy with ethnic armed groups, though the stringent UAPA anti-terror law was not invoked at this stage.
'He didn't touch upon the core questions raised by the nine employee associations.'
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.
Naomi Osaka's US Open campaign, though ending in defeat, was marked by her bold fashion choices and a profound reflection on her life as a mother, redefining her approach to Grand Slam success.
India's markets regulator Sebi has launched 'Demat 2.0', a pilot project for tokenisation of corporate bonds, enabling atomic settlement through integration with RBI's wholesale CBDC. This new market infrastructure uses Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to make bond issuance, trading, and settlement faster and more efficient. India is the first country to issue corporate bonds natively on a distributed ledger with central bank digital currency settlement. Additionally, RBI Governor announced new UPI innovations: 'Tap & Pay' for faster POS transactions and MyUPI, an AI-powered customer support solution.
'Hanuman Ansh has demonstrated that content is king, and the audience is the ultimate judge.'
Ben Shelton achieved a career-defining victory by defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling five-set match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Shelton overcame losing the first set to win in a super tiebreak, ending Alcaraz's title defence in a dramatic upset.
India's Harmanpreet Kaur has become the first cricketer, male or female, to captain a team in 150 T20 Internationals.
Frances Tiafoe mounted a stunning comeback at the U.S. Open, recovering from two sets and a break down to defeat fellow American Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match, securing his spot in the semi-finals.
Ukrainian tennis players Marta Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina both secured dominant victories in their opening matches at the U.S. Open, with Kostyuk defeating Storm Hunter and Svitolina overcoming Solana Sierra.
A 65-year-old retired scientist, Sanjay Kadam, died after suffering a cardiac arrest during the Satara Hill Half Marathon. Despite immediate CPR and medical intervention, including an angioplasty, he succumbed to a second massive cardiac attack hours later. Organisers highlighted their medical preparedness, including medical ID tags and deployed emergency teams.
Global brokerage Jefferies forecasts a double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for India's defence spending, estimating a cumulative domestic opportunity of over $60 billion across four years, driven by geopolitical tensions and the government's indigenisation push.
National record holder Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu have successfully qualified for the men's triple jump final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, finishing second and third respectively in the qualification round.
Ajit Agarkar, chairman of the senior men's selection committee, was notably absent from a BCCI review meeting discussing India's recent limited-overs tour performances against Ireland and England, citing travel issues. The meeting, attended by captains and coaches, did not address his contract extension, which is due to expire soon.
A devastating flood in Baireni, Nepal, transformed a school playground into a sea of sand and buried classrooms under sludge. Timely warnings from teachers, prompted by an upstream guardian, allowed 400 students to evacuate safely just before the flood hit. The school remains closed, covered in debris, while UNICEF estimates 17,000 children need humanitarian aid following the floods that killed over 900 people.
'God has given me a second life.'
India's national record holder in shot put, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, is determined to breach the 22m mark, aiming to elevate the standard for future generations of Indian shot putters, drawing inspiration from Neeraj Chopra's impact on javelin throw. Despite a history of injuries, including a recent calf tear at the Commonwealth Games, Toor is now fit and focused on achieving a hat-trick of gold medals at the upcoming continental event.
Indian squash players Om Semwal, Sandhesh Ravikumar, and Rathika Seelan have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the PSA Singapore Challenger Squash tournament after winning their respective second-round matches.
IIT-Kanpur has developed an AI-powered "Family Score" system to identify households needing welfare support using existing government data. This system, demonstrated in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh government, aims to provide a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional surveys for assessing socio-economic conditions and ensuring targeted welfare delivery.
Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen stunned six-time major champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 after recovering from 0-5 down, extending her remarkable US Open comeback into the quarter-finals.
Former England cricketer Michael Atherton has sharply criticised Pakistan's batting performance in the final Test against England, highlighting their "woefully low confidence" and "dispirited" state. The team was skittled out for just 133 runs, failing to cross 200 even once in the series, with key players like Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique struggling. Atherton attributes this decline partly to the controversial decision to send home seven players and two coaches. Despite the batting struggles, young pacer Razaullah offered a glimmer of hope with an impressive bowling display.
The proposal followed an order by the Supreme Court on August 13 asking the Union government, in consultation with experts, to decide on the visual format of the front-of-pack label.
US-based real estate agent franchise firm Century 21 is set to enter the Indian market, estimated at around $600 billion, with a franchise-led business model. The company aims to connect Indian buyers with international properties and NRIs with Indian real estate, projecting 1,500 offices and 30,000 agents within five years.
Shree Charani and Prema Rawat wreaked havoc with the ball as a dominant India trounced Pakistan by seven wickets in a one-sided match in the Women's Asia Cup in Dubai on Saturday.
