Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions in India reached Rs 29.8 lakh crore in August, approaching record levels. Volume also hit a new high of 24.51 billion transactions, driven by festive activities like Raksha Bandhan. The digital payment system continues its rapid growth, expanding its global presence to 11 countries, with further growth anticipated during the upcoming festive season and new use cases like credit on UPI.
For the second time in two years, Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigned from the state Cabinet on Friday amid the Opposition heat over his alleged involvement in the Rs 89 crore Valmiki Corporation scam.
The wife of slain Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan on Friday threatened to self-immolate if the police fail to arrest her husband's killers within four days.
India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) recorded an unprecedented 24.51 billion transactions valued at Rs 29.8 lakh crore in August, largely propelled by the Raksha Bandhan festival. This surge marks a 22% annual increase in volume and 20% in value, highlighting the expanding reach and depth of the UPI ecosystem. Experts anticipate further growth during the upcoming festive season, while UPI's international acceptance now spans 11 countries.
Leading technology companies OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google have announced new AI models with advanced capabilities, including OpenAI's Astra reaching a "Critical" cybersecurity tier. However, these advancements have ignited a significant debate among safety researchers and netizens, particularly concerning the transparency and monitorability of OpenAI's novel "recurrent depth" architecture.
The KSLTA World Tennis Junior J30 Bengaluru is set to begin with qualifying rounds, offering promising young Indian tennis players a chance to compete for main draw berths. The event, hosted by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association, will feature both boys' and girls' qualifying draws, with wildcards providing local talent an opportunity to gain international experience and ITF Junior ranking points.
Several pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, including Ilavarasi and Chitra, have gone missing in Nepal following devastating flash floods, leaving their families distraught and appealing for urgent government rescue efforts.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar confirmed that Minister B Nagendra has offered to resign to avoid embarrassing the Congress party and the government, despite Shivakumar's insistence on Nagendra's innocence in the alleged Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam. The Chief Minister stated he would consult the party high command before making a final decision.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat stated that a true Hindu believes in the unity of humanity and that all religious paths lead to the same goal, asserting that 'if any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu'.
The Tamil Nadu government has mandated stringent quality testing across all distilleries in the state to ensure alcohol content compliance. This decision follows public concern over the temporary ban and swift clearance of products from a private manufacturer, Enrica Enterprises, by the state's liquor monopoly, TASMAC. The move aims to address suspicions and ensure public safety regarding alcoholic beverages.
Karnataka Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh was asked to deboard a state-run BMTC bus by its conductor because he did not have exact change for his ticket. The conductor, unaware of the passenger's identity due to his mask, insisted on exact change or UPI payment, which the minister could not provide. This incident occurred during the minister's incognito inspection of the transport department's functioning.
Five people were killed after a massive explosion at a firecracker factory in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district on Monday afternoon, officials said.
The Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking mandatory and uniform labelling of ethanol percentage in petrol at fuel pumps. The petitioner, Narendra Kumar Goswami, was advised to approach the jurisdictional high court for relief, with the Attorney General arguing it was a proxy litigation.
Delhi's draft electoral rolls show a high percentage of voter exclusions, particularly in minority-dominated and SC-reserved constituencies. Overall, 33% of voters were deleted, with some areas like Okhla seeing up to 45% exclusions. The CEO office attributes most deletions to absent or shifted voters, who can re-register by September 30.
'The number of airport bundles that may be awarded to a single bidder would be capped.'
On National Sports Day, political leaders including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and several Chief Ministers paid tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand and lauded Indian sportspersons for their contributions to the country.
Robotic surgery is poised to transform healthcare in Delhi, expanding access to specialised expertise through the Indian-developed SSI Mantra system. Delhi is emerging as a hub for advanced surgical care, with successful implementations at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, including pioneering telesurgery. This technology aims to make robotic surgery more accessible and sustainable, fostering an ecosystem for training and innovation.
Indian squash player Velavan Senthilkumar secured his first PSA Copper-level title at the Budapest Open, defeating local favourite Balazs Farkas in a dominant final performance. This victory marks his 11th PSA Tour crown and follows impressive wins against Veer Chotrani and Eain Yow.
A Delhi court has taken into custody Arjun Sharma, a man wanted in connection with the alleged murder of his former girlfriend, Nikitha Godishala, in the United States. Sharma was arrested on non-bailable warrants as part of an extradition request under the India-US Extradition Treaty.
Nepal has launched a diplomatic initiative to secure climate-related compensation from major greenhouse gas emitters, asserting that post-disaster assistance for recent deadly flash floods should be viewed as a moral and legal liability, not charity. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal highlighted Nepal's disproportionate suffering from global warming despite negligible emissions, citing rapid glacier melt and extreme mountain disasters. The country has formally approached the Loss and Damage Fund board for urgent financial aid following a catastrophic flash flood in the Bhotekoshi river basin.
There is a strong opinion within the BJP in Punjab that the party must now stand on its own two feet and dump the badly compromised SAD baggage.
The Bombay High Court has ordered a CBI investigation into the 2020 death of Disha Salian, former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, after criticising the Mumbai police for their six-year-long probe which it said "raises more questions than answers." The court noted "glaring discrepancies" in the police's handling of the case, which was initially treated as an accidental death, and highlighted issues like delayed panchnama and unusual injury patterns. Salian's father had petitioned the court, alleging foul play and a cover-up, and sought an FIR against a political leader.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has decided to send separate teams for the U23 and Senior World Wrestling Championships due to the short time gap between the two events, forcing wrestlers to choose which tournament to compete in. This decision aims to ensure optimal preparation and performance for both Indian teams.
Peptide parties are informal, invite-only social gatherings where biohackers, wellness enthusiasts, and fitness influencers meet to discuss, sample, or promote peptide-based products.
The United States has sanctioned four India-based companies, including a customs broker and three other firms, for their involvement in importing petroleum and petrochemical products from Iran. This action is part of "Operation Economic Outcast," a broader US campaign to sever Iran's financial lifelines and prevent funding for its destabilising activities.
Smallcap funds have emerged as the primary beneficiaries of the systematic investment plan (SIP) wave in Indian mutual funds over the past five years, with their SIP assets surging to approximately 1.83 trillion by March 2026, a fivefold increase.
The Supreme Court will hear a plea from the Centre to quash FIRs against students involved in NEET examination paper leak protests. This development comes amidst planned fresh protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and follows previous court directives regarding the nature of charges against student protesters.
Maruti Suzuki India has significantly increased its capital expenditure (capex) outlay to Rs 77,500 crore for the five-year period ending FY31, aiming to boost capacity, develop new models, and enhance R&D, as announced by MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi.
Prasar Bharati Chairman Prasoon Joshi voiced concerns over AI's impact on India's cultural heritage, including music and endangered languages, advocating for human-AI collaboration. Meanwhile, a Spotify report revealed significant growth in royalties for Indian artists, with linguistic diversity driving economic strength in the creative industries, highlighting the platform's role in enabling talent across various Indian languages.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said that hearings of applications for citizenship under the CAA will soon be over, and so far the state has issued certificates to 23,000 people out of 2.30 lakh applicants.
Stefanos Tsitsipas revealed that ending his coaching relationship with his father, Apostolos, brought much-needed calm and rebuilt his confidence, leading to a strong first-round win at the US Open.
The US has informed allies it will avoid new military strikes on Iran, instead focusing on economic sanctions and maritime enforcement, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz. This strategic shift aims to intensify pressure on Tehran's economy and oil exports while keeping the military option open if Iran initiates aggression. Diplomatic efforts continue amidst persistent regional tensions and maritime incidents.
'What Daayra tries to do is explore the greys because everything is not black and white.'
The Supreme Court has stayed further proceedings in an FIR against Kotdwar gym operator Deepak Kumar, known as 'Mohammad Deepak', who gained prominence for confronting Bajrang Dal workers. The case stems from an incident where Deepak defended a Muslim shopkeeper, leading to a viral video and subsequent legal challenges.
Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has announced he suffered a ligament tear in his ankle during training, forcing him to withdraw from the upcoming Asian Games and the Diamond League Final. He expressed disappointment but is focused on recovery.
Unseeded Rishika Nandi caused an upset by defeating third seed Disha Santosh to reach the girls' singles semifinals of the India Junior International Grand Prix badminton tournament. Other players, including top seeds in both boys' and girls' categories, also advanced to the last four.
Sashidhar Jagdishan, the managing director and chief executive of HDFC Bank, has opted out of being considered for reappointment after his current term ends on October 26, choosing to retire after nearly three decades with the lender.
Bollywood actor Chandrachur Singh has filed an FIR against his aunt and cousins, alleging that his grandfather's will was forged in 1997 to disinherit his father. The complaint claims prime properties were sold based on this disputed will, and police have initiated an investigation.
Indian golfer Pukhraj Singh Gill finished tied-19th at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, significantly improving his chances of securing an Asian Tour card for 2027. He is now ninth in the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit with one event remaining, with the top 10 earning cards.
Actor and politician S Devan, formerly the BJP's state vice-president, has announced his decision to join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. Devan cited a lack of "space" within the BJP and a desire for political change as reasons for his departure. He is expected to be offered the TVK state president post, with a formal announcement following a meeting on September 10.
