It is an unusual choice to depute a retired general for the funeral of a revered religious figure but a thoughtful one in an attempt to inject verve into the bilateral relationship and restore the equilibrium in India's West Asian policies, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
India produced a record-breaking batting display, piling up 402 runs against Afghanistan in the second ODI of the three-match series in Lucknow on Wednesday, in a match filled with major individual milestones.
Former poll strategist Prashant Kishor made a stunning electoral debut by winning Bihar's Bankipur assembly seat, a long-held BJP bastion. Concurrently, the Congress retained the Datia assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, while the BJP successfully held onto the Manjalpur seat in Gujarat, showcasing mixed results for the ruling and opposition parties in these crucial by-elections.
Misir Besra, a banned CPI (Maoist) politburo member with a bounty of over Rs 1 crore and wanted in 141 cases, has been arrested from Jharkhand's Dhanbad district. His arrest is considered a significant achievement in anti-Maoist operations in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with Indonesia's highest honour, the 'Bintang Adipurna of the Republic of Indonesia' medal, by President Prabowo Subianto, recognising his leadership in strengthening bilateral relations and furthering Indonesia's unity, continuity, and prosperity.
Dharmendra Pradhan's political career faced an unexpected jolt as he resigned as Education Minister following nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak, marking a significant departure from the government's initial dismissive response to the agitation.
A Pune court has granted bail to NCP (SP) office-bearer Mahadev Balgude, ruling that criticism of the government or chief minister does not constitute "waging war" against the nation. The court emphasised every citizen's right to comment on and criticise government actions, noting that the charges under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 152 were debatable.
'But they had nothing to negotiate as the government did not negotiate. It is completely the fault of the government as they dumped it on the police.'
Bhagwanrao Dipke, father of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, described Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Union Education Minister as 'a very good step' to soothe the growing anger among protesting students and their families across the nation.
India captain Shreyas Iyer has urged his team to play fearless cricket in the upcoming T20 series against Zimbabwe, despite a recent winless tour of England. He emphasised learning from past setbacks, adapting to new conditions, and focusing on team unity to overcome challenges.
Two policemen, including one from the MP police special task force, have been arrested in Bhopal for allegedly luring and raping a 17-year-old Dalit girl. The main accused, Santosh Sen, is charged under POCSO and SC/ST Act, while his colleague, Jitendra Rajput, is accused of abetment.
In a video clip posted by BCCI on X, Yastika relives her struggles before her historic Test ton at Lord's on Sunday.
Central tax authorities detected input tax credit (ITC) fraud worth Rs 74,781.56 crore across 30,162 cases in FY26, more than doubling the number of cases from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Finance.
The Delhi High Court has declined to halt the Centre's HPV immunisation campaign, noting that data on 5.5 million administered vaccines showed no 'instant harm'. However, the court emphasised that 'half-baked vaccines' should not be given to the public and raised 'serious issues' regarding past protocol violations in vaccine testing and certification.
India's Minerva Academy FC has been crowned the World Youth Cup 2026 Champions, defeating Brazil's RS Sports 2-1 in the Under-12 final in Gothenburg, Sweden, marking their third youth world title and becoming the first Indian academy to achieve this feat.
Israeli police have arrested a 31-year-old national in connection with the murder of a 40-year-old Indian man found dead in Jerusalem, prompting a full-scale criminal investigation.
Opposition leaders across party lines have condemned the forced removal of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from the Jantar Mantar protest site in Delhi, accusing the BJP-led central government of undermining democratic freedoms, curbing dissent, and choosing force over dialogue.
India was on Friday accorded the vice presidency of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global body that sets standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing, for the first time.
'Whatever is happening is wrong. Why is the government sleeping? This is wrong.'
Meta-owned WhatsApp has been granted more time to submit its response on the contentious 'username' feature and assured the government that it will not roll it out in India until discussions are complete, according to sources.
Aamir Khan's comments that his 3 Idiots character Phunsukh Wangdu was not based on Sonam Wangchuk has triggered reactions from politicians, activists and social media users, with some accusing the actor of distancing himself from the educationist, who is currently on a hunger strike.
A 23-year-old B Tech gold medallist in Kanpur died by suicide, leaving a note apologising for his inability to secure a government job despite numerous attempts. His family stated he was under severe stress after failing competitive examinations for various sectors. Police are investigating the incident.
'These are children of our own country; they must be heard': Param Vir Chakra Awardee Honorary Captain Yogendra Singh Yadav.
The Supreme Court has observed a 'positive turn' in the progress of installing CCTV cameras in police stations across India, acknowledging substantial efforts made in recent months.
Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced his support for Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, acknowledging the pressures of IPL leadership and the team's transition phase after MS Dhoni's captaincy.
The NDA's parliamentary party meetings will now be known as 'Mangal Milan', with the first under this new name scheduled for July 21. This change was informally discussed in the Union cabinet. Additionally, the newly formed Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), comprising 20 MPs who defected from the TMC, is seeking formal recognition and parliamentary facilities, including a party office and designated floor leaders.
It was left to an incensed Gen Z to show the rest of India that enough was enough, and that the time had come to shatter the fear psychosis generated by the government's authoritarian approach to protests and criticism, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
Shafali Verma's aggressive 53 laid the foundation for India's five-wicket win over Bangladesh, though dropped catches and fielding lapses remained a major concern ahead of the Australia clash.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah shared a fabricated social media post attributed to former US President Donald Trump, captioned 'If only!', to highlight his demand for the restoration of J&K's statehood, drawing significant criticism online.
Veteran Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat lauded the nation's youth as the 'force that shapes the future' following Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation amidst the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, stating that 'democracy won and fear lost'.
A crucial meeting of around 250 seers and VHP functionaries in Ayodhya will address issues concerning the Ram temple, including ensuring adherence to Vaishnav-Ramanandi traditions, restoring devotee confidence after an alleged donation theft, and deliberating on the Trust's management. The meeting follows deferred decisions by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on key appointments.
Following a Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran to resolve the West Asia conflict, eleven India-bound vessels have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz. This development signals a positive shift for maritime trade, with more Indian-flagged ships expected to pass through the crucial waterway soon.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has accused Reliance Group, which has a partial Meta stake, of lobbying for a ban on Telegram in India and sabotaging its access for users outside India through BGP hijacking. A senior telecom industry source dismissed these claims as 'fake news,' stating Durov confused Reliance Communications with Reliance Industries Ltd. The allegations come as the Indian government has ordered Google and Apple to delist Telegram temporarily and disable its message-editing feature in India due to concerns over paper leaks in the NEET-UG examination.
Mobile payments pioneer Paytm reported significant growth in its UPI payments business for Q1 FY27, driven by app simplification, AI investments, and a focus on attracting Gen Z customers. The company saw a 45% year-on-year increase in Consumer UPI Gross Transaction Value and a rise of 60 lakh in Monthly Transacting Users, outpacing the industry. Paytm's strategy prioritises customer retention and product innovation, leading to a profitable quarter with strong revenue and EBITDA growth, further supported by AI-led operational efficiencies and an India-focused language model.
Teenaged batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been selected for the Indian T20 squad for tours of Ireland and England. The 15-year-old expressed his immense joy, calling it the "biggest step" of his career. He rose to prominence after a stellar IPL season and could potentially become India's youngest international cricketer, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, were forcibly removed and detained by Delhi Police during a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, demanding justice for students protesting the NEET paper leak and condemning alleged police brutalities.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for staging a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence regarding the NEET paper-leak issue. Pradhan accused Gandhi of using students as "political tools" to disrupt Parliament, while asserting the government's commitment to discussing NEET concerns in the House. The incident involved Gandhi and other opposition leaders being detained after refusing to end their sit-in.
Newly-crowned junior squash World champion Anahat Singh has decided to defer her admission to Harvard University to fully dedicate herself to preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, aiming for a medal in squash's Olympic debut.
A Station House Officer (SHO) in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, has been shifted to Police Lines following a fact-finding inquiry initiated by Punjab Police. This action comes after news reports linked the officer to an extortion-related investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under "Operation Hard Ball," targeting India-based organised crime syndicates. The US indictment alleges the officer's involvement in a $400,000 extortion scheme using false murder charges, drawing significant political criticism.
Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has completed 5,000 international runs across all formats, achieving this milestone during a T20I against England where he scored 68 runs. The article also highlights his impressive career statistics and mentions Abhishek Sharma's new record for the fastest 100 T20I sixes by a Test-playing nation player.
