Rahul Gandhi's aggressive street politics is giving him a fresh political edge, but overplaying his role could hurt his credibility with the wider opposition, predicts M R Narayan Swamy.
Paris St Germain, Bayern Munich, and Napoli all secured crucial victories in their respective European football leagues, with Ferran Torres, Harry Kane, and Stanislav Lobotka scoring decisive goals. Juventus, however, suffered a late defeat to Sassuolo.
Indian wushu player Roshibina Devi won a silver medal at the Asian Games, her second consecutive silver and third overall medal at the continental event. She addressed the controversy surrounding her inclusion in the squad, stating it was the federation's decision and not her fault, while also highlighting the need for Indian players to improve mental fortitude against Chinese dominance.
Seasoned kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat has been named India's male flag-bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony, replacing shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor. Toor was unable to attend due to not receiving his ceremonial kit in time, a logistical issue stemming from the athletics team's acclimatisation camp near Tokyo.
Indian tennis prodigy Manas Dhamne, 18, discusses his journey as a professional, highlighting the need to regain his instinct for closing out tight matches and achieving consistent performance. Despite recent challenges, Dhamne believes his game is strong and focuses on mental consistency and continuous improvement rather than major technical changes or specific ranking targets.
Fifteen-year-old Indian shuttler Tanvi Patri defeated compatriot Shaina Manimuthu to win the girls' singles U17 title at the Badminton Asia U17 & U15 Junior Championships in Chengdu, China, marking her second continental title this year.
The BJP spent Rs 286.99 crore on the West Bengal elections, surpassing the Congress's total expenditure of Rs 248.55 crore across five states and a Union territory. The report details spending by major parties in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, highlighting significant financial disparities and campaign outlays.
'Manoj Kumarji had tears in his eyes after hearing my dad sing Mera Rang De Basanti Chola. He said, 'This is my voice for my desh bhakti songs".'
Defending champions India began their Asian Games campaign with a dominant 13-1 victory over Indonesia in their opening Pool A match. Striker Dilpreet Singh led the charge with four goals, supported by braces from Shilanand Lakra and Sukhjeet Singh. India's focus remains on securing the gold medal and a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Indian shooters Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil secured individual silver and bronze medals respectively in the men's 10m air rifle event at the Asian Games. India also won a team silver, contributing to the nation's growing medal tally in the continental competition.
The 13th Leg of the Women's Pro Golf Tour in Gurugram features a record 60 players, serving as a crucial warm-up for the upcoming Hero Women's Indian Open. Top Indian golfers, including Diksha Dagar and Gaurika Bishnoi, are participating to familiarise themselves with the challenging DLF Golf & Country Club course, which will host both events.
India will play defending champions Sri Lanka in the Women's Asia Cup final on Sunday. Sri Lanka secured their spot by defeating Pakistan in a thrilling semifinal, chasing down 131 with a strong recovery after early wickets. India, having a dominant run, aims for a record eighth title, while Sri Lanka seeks to defend their maiden title won against India in the previous edition.
Indian shooting duo Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane finished fourth in the 10m air rifle mixed team final at the Asian Games, unable to convert a strong qualification performance into a medal. China won gold with a world record, while South Korea and Japan secured silver and bronze respectively.
India Under-19 secured a narrow seven-run victory over Australia U-19 in a rain-affected first Youth ODI. Anvay Dravid's explosive late innings and Yashbardhan Chauhan's all-round performance, including a half-century and two wickets, were pivotal. The match also marked the U19 debut of Aaryavir Sehwag, who contributed 28 runs.
Indian women's hockey captain Salima Tete believes the team's recent FIH Nations Cup triumph has instilled the confidence needed to compete for the top prize at the FIH Women's World Cup 2026, despite facing a challenging pool.
India is set to begin its Asian Games shooting campaign in Nagoya with a formidable 30-member squad, featuring Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and other world-class performers. The team aims to build on its previous success, with strong prospects in rifle, pistol, and shotgun events, facing a significant challenge from China.
Durgapur's Aaleina Sen, an Under-11 karateka, won a gold medal in Kumite and a bronze in Kata at the 20th All India Independence Cup Karate Championship.
Five years after the Tokyo Olympics were held without spectators, Japan's Asian Games in Nagoya are struggling to generate local enthusiasm, with many residents unaware of the event despite the return of fans.
Global indoor fitness race organisation Hyrox has changed its rules after women's World record holder Joanna Wietrzyk soiled herself during an event in Beijing but was allowed to continue and win the race, prompting an apology from co-founder Moritz Fuerste.
Dave Cousins, India's new national compound archery head coach, believes a historic first Olympic medal for India is inevitable. He is preparing the team for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and has long-term plans for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, noting the changing Asian archery landscape and the impressive work ethic of Indian archers.
Leicestershire County Cricket Club has been docked 27 points and fined 5,000 after their pitch was rated 'poor' during a match against Glamorgan, with the head groundsman attributing the conditions to a Bollywood film shoot and extreme heat.
India's deputy chef-de-mission, A Sharath Kamal, has downplayed concerns regarding the unique container room and cruise ship accommodation for athletes at the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. He stated that Indian athletes have been prepared for these arrangements through mock setups at SAI centres. Kamal also expressed confidence in India's table tennis team, predicting at least one medal, specifically highlighting the men's doubles and mixed doubles pairs.
Barcelona have signed midfielder Rodri from Manchester City on a deal until June 2030, the LaLiga champions announced on Tuesday, ending the Spaniard's glittering, trophy-laden spell with the Premier League club in a major coup for the Catalan side.
VAR Matt Donohue and Assistant VAR Blake Antrobus have been dropped from officiating Premier League fixtures after acknowledging an error in allowing Erling Haaland's winning goal for Manchester City against Manchester United.
Indian wushu player Roshibina Devi secured her second consecutive Asian Games silver medal, defeating Zhang Xiaoyu of China in the women's 60kg final. This achievement comes amidst controversy surrounding her inclusion in the squad, following accusations of unfair selection by omitted player Divyanshi Choudhary. Roshibina dismissed the allegations, attributing the decision to the federation, and expressed happiness with her medal despite the pre-Games disturbances. She also highlighted the need for Indian wushu players to improve their mental fortitude to compete with dominant Chinese athletes.
Former chief selector Ajit Agarkar's departure from the BCCI was primarily driven by disagreements over Rohit Sharma's future in white-ball cricket and policy differences with Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman, culminating in his absence from a crucial review meeting.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa secured his first victory at the Sinquefield Cup, defeating Javokhir Sindarov in a 95-move game.
Rishabh Pant, recently excluded from India's white-ball squad, has been appointed captain of the Rest of India team for the upcoming Irani Cup match against Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan secured two silver medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, winning an individual silver in the women's 10m air rifle event and contributing to a team silver. Her individual performance saw her finish closely behind Japan's Hinata Taichi, who set a new Asian Games record.
Aryna Sabalenka expressed her profound disappointment after losing the US Open final to Elena Rybakina, culminating in a furious racket-smashing incident. Sabalenka, who was aiming for a third consecutive US Open title, explained her emotional outburst as a way to release aggression and disappointment following the significant defeat.
Tanvi Patri overcame compatriot Shaina Manimuthu in a three-game final to clinch the Asian U-17 title, adding another major trophy to her breakthrough 2026 season.
India failed to qualify for the Davis Cup Final 8 after losing 3-1 to Korea in the Qualifier Round 2 tie. Despite a fighting doubles victory by Dhakshineswar Suresh and N Sriram Balaji, Sumit Nagal's defeat in the reverse singles sealed India's fate, making Korea the first Asian team to reach the knockout stage under the new format.
Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse Racing secured a dominant victory at the British MotoGP, leading from the start after championship leader Jorge Martin faced an early technical issue. Despite Martin's setback, he recovered to finish second, extending his overall championship lead. Marco Bezzecchi finished third, while defending champion Marc Marquez had a challenging race, finishing seventh.
Suchika Tariyal has secured India's first-ever medal in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games by reaching the semifinals of the women's 60kg event. The veteran multi-discipline combat athlete defeated Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 and will compete in the semifinals on Monday, guaranteeing at least a bronze medal as MMA makes its Asian Games debut.
The trophy is supposed to be the full stop to a tournament, not another comma in an India-Pakistan controversy, points out K R Nayar.
Despite India's dominant Asia Cup victory, head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged fielding as an area for improvement, while dismissing concerns over the middle-order's performance.
Indian archer Sahil Jadhav, preparing for the Asian Games, has found valuable insights into managing pressure and staying focused from former Australian cricketer Shane Watson's self-help book, 'The Winner's Mindset'.
Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and defending shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor have been selected as India's flag-bearers for the Asian Games opening ceremony. This decision highlights the significant contributions of shooting and athletics to India's medal tally, with a 158-strong contingent participating in the event.
The Indian women's cricket team fully supports the BCCI's decision not to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council's Pakistani chief Mohsin Naqvi, with head coach Amol Muzumdar stating that winning the tournament is 'good enough' for the players.
Mikel Arteta's deliberate disruptions, unusual psychological drills and no-excuses culture are designed to make Arsenal adaptable under pressure as they seek victory against Sunderland after last season's late setback.
