The Union Home Ministry has issued a stern advisory to states and Union Territories, highlighting a "dangerous trend" of human trafficking through "overseas recruitment scams." These scams lure victims with promises of high-paying jobs abroad, only to trap them in "CyberFraud Centres." The ministry has called for a "specialised offensive" involving various state agencies to combat this growing menace, emphasising strict enforcement, agency verification, and public awareness.
India's athletics campaign at the Asian Games saw Sawan Barwal secure an unexpected silver in the marathon with a national record, while Tajinderpal Singh Toor also claimed silver in shot put. Prachi Chaudhary added a bronze in quarter-mile, bringing India's athletics medal tally to eight. The day also saw injuries to medal contenders Jyothi Yarraji and Praveen Chithravel.
Bollywood celebs Pooja Hegde, Rashmika Mandanna, Ananya Panday, Sharvari kickstart Ganesh Chaturthi festivities with much joy and devotion.
Heli Daruwala's wardrobe looks like it belongs in a royal Mughal court, if that court had a seriously fashionable stylist.
Salman Khan, a 28-year-old farmer's son from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, has won a historic bronze medal in men's double sculls rowing at the Asian Games in Nagoya. This marks India's first-ever podium finish in this event, bringing pride to his hometown and inspiring young athletes.
India's men's team regu in sepak takraw failed to advance to the semifinals at the Asian Games despite a 2-1 victory over the Philippines. A 3-0 win was required for qualification, but a tiebreak favoured Japan, leading to India's exit from the tournament.
Indian badminton doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, world No. 5, suffered a surprising first-round exit at the Asian Games, losing to Thailand's Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun. The duo cited a demanding schedule, lack of recovery, and mental struggles as factors, while also acknowledging their opponents' strong performance.
Indian tennis player Parikshit Somani has been handed a four-year ban by an independent tribunal after testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced the suspension, which will last until September 2029. Somani's explanation of food contamination was deemed "scientifically implausible" by the tribunal, leading to the full ban without mitigating circumstances.
The Karnataka CID is investigating alleged irregularities in the KPSC veterinary officer recruitment exam, questioning 40 candidates and arresting suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar. The probe has revealed financial links, with significant deposits traced to accounts connected to candidates and middlemen, and has frozen substantial amounts. The High Court has ordered a fresh probe by an SIT.
India's men's and women's Kabaddi teams successfully defended their gold medals at the Asian Games, both defeating Iran in their respective finals. The men's team secured their ninth gold with a 40-34 victory, while the women's team clinched their fourth gold with a 37-34 win, showcasing strategic play and composure under pressure.
India's six-member League of Legends team, featuring a blend of experienced and new players, is set to compete at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. They are placed in a challenging Group B alongside defending champions South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong, with the tournament running from September 29 to October 2.
Three BJP allies, including LJP (Ram Vilas), TDP, and RLM, have called on the Election Commission for a clearer explanation regarding concerns raised by two Election Commissioners over the voter list revision process. Union Minister Chirag Paswan warned that public faith in elections was at stake, while the EC asserted that differing views among its members were normal and final decisions were unanimous.
An analysis by ADR and National Election Watch reveals that 111 MPs and MLAs changed parties after winning elections between 2022 and 2026. Nagaland and West Bengal recorded the highest number of switches. The report also highlights party-level impacts and suggests reforms to the anti-defection framework.
Check Point Software Technologies has appointed Krishnan V V as its Managing Director and Country Head for India and South Asia. He will be responsible for business strategy, P&L, go-to-market execution, and organisational development, leveraging his three decades of leadership experience in the cybersecurity and technology sectors.
The Supreme Court has issued notices regarding Tarun Tejpal's sentencing in a 2013 rape case, responding to both his petition against a 10-year prison term and the Goa government's plea for an enhanced sentence.
Veteran Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar have secured a medal for India in the Asian Games mixed doubles squash event by reaching the semi-finals.
Bihar police are investigating multiple past incidents of molestation and moral policing across several districts, including Kishanganj, Banka, and Samastipur, following recent public outrage. These cases, some months or even a year old, involve vigilante groups harassing individuals, often for inter-faith interactions, and have led to arrests and significant political controversy.
Researchers at IIT Delhi have successfully designed India's first working indigenous micro Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). This significant development aims to reduce the country's reliance on imported GPUs, which are crucial for AI, Machine Learning, and various embedded applications, and could help bridge the digital divide.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the North East Seva Innovation Challenge (NESFIC), envisioning the region as India's 'living laboratory' for technology and problem-solving. The initiative aims to empower young innovators to address real-world challenges faced by government, industries, and citizens, with a focus on practical implementation and government procurement.
Mitch Marsh will captain Australia in the first ODI against South Africa, despite Pat Cummins' arrival. Cummins is focusing on the upcoming Test series, allowing Marsh to continue leading the ODI side after a successful series in Zimbabwe. Cummins might return for later matches in the series, which serves as preparation for next year's World Cup.
The Vvaan weaves an old-fashioned yarn of spiritual beliefs against a theme of folklore horror that detours into an action-packed, bombastic Telugu supernatural territory concluding in a part harmless, part tedious watch, notes Sukanya Verma.
Abhijeet Dipke has issued a strong call to Indian opposition parties, urging them to boycott elections if they genuinely believe the electoral process is rigged, arguing that their continued participation only legitimises alleged unfairness.
New Zealand recalled Adam Milne and Michael Bracewell for their upcoming T20 series against India, while Rachin Ravindra remains sidelined due to a shoulder injury sustained during a promotional shoot.
Rookie professional Anvvi Dahiya surged to the top of the leaderboard in the 13th Leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour after an exceptional second round. The 18-year-old Gurugram golfer carded a 5-under 67, making an 11-shot improvement from her first round. She now leads experienced players like Vani Kapoor and Ridhima Dilawari, setting up an exciting final day.
Rohit Rajpal, India's Davis Cup captain, has hinted at stepping down from his role despite his contract running until 2026, stating that "every good thing comes to an end." He expressed readiness to ensure a smooth transition for his successor and believes a new captain could offer fresh perspectives. Rajpal also outlined his vision for Indian tennis, which includes a player-centric approach and a bid for the AITA presidency, aiming to develop talent and bring major international tournaments back to India.
Veteran golfer Khalin Joshi has significantly extended his lead to six shots at the halfway stage of the Bengaluru Open 2026, following a strong four-under 68 in the second round. He now stands at 15-under 129, with local teenager Manoj S in second place.
A 35-year-old labourer, Pawan Ram, was allegedly beaten to death outside a residential society in Dwarka, southwest Delhi. Police are investigating the incident after CCTV footage showed a man attacking him with a wooden stick.
'You have to set new boundaries with your parents. This will be uncomfortable but necessary in the long run,' counsels rediffGURU Anu Krishna, a mind coach and co-founder of Unfear Changemakers.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select high-value UPI transactions is not a tax or cess, and its collections will not go to the government. She explained that MDR is a charge within the digital payments ecosystem, shared among participants to maintain infrastructure, and will not be passed on to consumers. The NPCI's new framework, effective October 15, applies a 0.4% MDR on person-to-merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, with most transactions remaining free and small merchants exempt.
A 25-year-old woman, Sneha, succumbed to severe head injuries in Raichur, Karnataka. She was found injured near her parents' house, where she had been staying after leaving her husband due to domestic conflicts. Police have registered a murder case, with her husband and a friend named as suspects, and investigations are ongoing.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir believes ODI and Test skipper Shubman Gill is fortunate to have the guidance of former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gambhir highlighted Gill's tough job as a young captain in team selection and expressed confidence in Gill's ability to turn around his one-day cricket performance ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
A 5053-page chargesheet has been filed in the Ketan Agarwal murder case in Pune. Realtor Ketan Agarwal died after being pushed off Lohagad Fort, leading to the arrest of his fiancee Siya Goyal, her alleged lover Chetan Choudhary, and Ritesh Hange. The chargesheet includes digital evidence and reveals online searches made by Goyal related to similar incidents and the Sonam Raghuvanshi case.
The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) has launched comprehensive conformity assessment and certification services for drone manufacturers, aiming to streamline the type approval process for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in India. This initiative supports the rapidly expanding drone sector by ensuring design, quality, and performance meet evolving safety and airworthiness standards.
The Bombay High Court has issued a complete ban on bursting firecrackers on public roads and deemed the use of loudspeakers, DJs, and laser beams during religious processions "unwarranted." The court emphasized that festivals must be celebrated without causing noise and air pollution, highlighting the need for strict enforcement of existing regulations.
Star opener Shafali Verma believes India's women's cricket is on an upward trajectory, with more medals and trophies expected to fuel its growth, following their gold medal defence at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Experienced golfer Shiv Kapur shot a 69 to extend his lead to 13-under at the AM Green IGPL Invitational. His performance has helped RVR Delhi Blue Bulls share the team lead with Auro Goa Eagles at 17-under. Varun Chopra of Auro Goa is in second place individually, three shots behind Kapur.
There are only bad and worse options before him, points out Aakar Patel.
The CPI(M) has strongly criticised the UDF government in Keralam for ordering a police inquiry into an alleged bribery case involving former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter, and son-in-law, based on an Enforcement Directorate report. The party alleges political targeting and a nexus between the UDF and the BJP-led Centre.
Microsoft has inaugurated its India South Central data centre region in Telangana, marking its fourth cloud region in the country and significantly expanding its cloud and AI infrastructure. This strategic investment supports Telangana's ambitious goal of achieving 5 GW of data centre capacity by 2029 and attracting USD 30 billion in digital infrastructure investments, further solidifying Hyderabad's role as a global technology hub.
Microsoft has inaugurated its India South Central data centre region in Telangana, marking its fourth cloud region in the country and significantly expanding its cloud and AI infrastructure. This strategic investment supports Telangana's ambitious goal of achieving 5 GW of data centre capacity by 2029 and attracting USD 30 billion in digital infrastructure investments, further solidifying Hyderabad's role as a global technology hub.
