Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has strongly refuted Opposition allegations that the decision to levy a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on specific UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 was influenced by external pressure. She clarified that the decision was a professional one made by the payment ecosystem, not a government imposition or a tax on consumers, with collected funds distributed among banks and UPI entities to ensure a sustainable digital payments framework.
Seventeen-year-old Naavya Shah's idea was simple -- source fresh flour from a women-run mill, sell it directly to customers and, wherever possible, put women in charge of the parts of the business they had traditionally been excluded from.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's planned visits to Uttar Pradesh for electoral literacy club conferences have been postponed, with officials stating it's a routine rescheduling. They denied any link to recent controversies regarding differences among election commissioners, highlighting that the postponements predated the controversy. The Election Commission is also ramping up efforts to engage Gen Alpha and Z ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha polls through educational outreach.
The Central government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, for another six months in specified areas of Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, effective from October 1. This decision follows a review of the law and order situation in these northeastern states, maintaining the "disturbed area" declaration in various districts and police station jurisdictions.
The mother of dismissed police constable Shailesh Patil, accused in a rape case in Bhiwandi, Thane, has publicly sought the death penalty for her son. She alleges he has victimised multiple women and forcibly seized her property, rendering her homeless.
Indian benchmark stock indices, Sensex and Nifty, rebounded on Friday, driven by value buying in banking, oil & gas, and auto shares following recent sharp losses. The Sensex climbed 315.20 points to settle at 73,895.74, while the Nifty rose 77.40 points to 23,140.50.
Indian shot putter Manpreet Kaur secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games with a throw of 17.17m. Chinese athletes Song Jiayuan and Zhang Linru won the gold and silver respectively. This adds to Kaur's recent international success, following a bronze at the 2023 Asian Championships.
A Chandigarh police head constable, Nitin Singh, was found shot dead in his home. His son, Armaan, who was previously out on bail in a fatal road accident case, has been detained as the prime suspect after an argument.
Michel Arkhangelskiy, whose family fled Russia as political opponents, clinched his first major title at the Asian Games, winning the 50-metre butterfly gold for Bahrain.
Indian long-distance runner Seema won a bronze medal in the women's 10,000m race at the Asian Games. She revealed that she kept her participation a secret from her 78-year-old mother, who suffers from high blood pressure and worries excessively when Seema travels. Seema, from Himachal Pradesh, is only the third Indian woman to medal in this event at the Asian Games and plans to compete in the 5000m race to try for a different medal. She credits her training under Scott Simon for her success.
Indian shooter Niraj Kumar, a silver medallist in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions team event at the Asian Games, shared his joy and the sacrifices he made for his sport. He recounted choosing shooting over academics, asking his parents to buy him equipment, and expressed gratitude for the support from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). He also reflected on his Asian Games debut and future aspirations for an individual medal.
Indian squash players Joshna Chinappa, Velavan Senthilkumar, Anahat Singh, and Abhay Singh have secured at least three medals at the Asian Games by advancing to the semifinals in mixed doubles and singles events. Joshna Chinappa, playing in her record seventh Asian Games, and Senthilkumar dominated their mixed doubles quarterfinal. Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh also delivered strong performances in their respective singles quarterfinals, with Anahat aiming for an Olympic berth.
Indian shot putter Manpreet Kaur secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games with a throw of 17.17m. This achievement adds to her recent international performances, including a bronze at the 2023 Asian Championships, highlighting her consistent form.
Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey has lodged a police complaint against several HI officials, including the former Executive Director, accusing them of "criminal breach of trust, theft, endangerment of life and wrongful abandonment." The complaint stems from an incident where Tirkey's personal belongings, including medicines, were allegedly withheld after an official vehicle was recalled. This incident highlights an ongoing power struggle between Tirkey and HI Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh, exacerbated by past controversies like the saffron jersey fiasco and disputes over board meetings.
India's Manush Shah and Diya Chitale secured a bronze medal in the mixed doubles table tennis event at the Asian Games after a 0-4 loss to China in the semifinals. This marks India's first table tennis medal at the current Games and only the second mixed doubles medal in Asian Games history, following Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra's bronze in Jakarta.
The Indian government is pressing all states and Union Territories (UTs) to publish their rules under the four new labour Codes by October 31, aiming to fully operationalise the new labour law framework. This move is crucial as labour falls under the concurrent list, requiring state-level rule-making for effective implementation.
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, faced a surprising early exit from the Asian Games badminton competition after losing to Thailand's Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun.
Carlos Alcaraz and Andre Agassi are advocating for significant changes to Grand Slam scheduling, particularly to avoid late-night finishes that impact player welfare and fan attendance. Alcaraz's US Open campaign ended in a 3:33 a.m. finish, prompting his call for matches to conclude by 11 p.m. Agassi supports guaranteed downtime for players, highlighting a broader push for improved working conditions in professional tennis.
Erling Haaland's double against Denmark took his Norway tally to 64 goals in 56 games, surpassing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo while sealing Norway's first competitive win over Denmark.
If there's one shoe category that can instantly make an outfit feel cooler, it's boots. They can turn jeans into a whole look, give a dress some edge or make a tiny skirt feel like it belongs on a street-style mood board.
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has rejected a petition by the Enforcement Directorate to add charges of receiving and concealing stolen property in the alleged Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association fund scam. While the court upheld the ED's right to file such an application, it found insufficient merit in the current material to invoke sections 411 and 424 of the Ranbir Penal Code, stating that the alleged acts were part of the principal transaction of conspiracy and breach of trust.
75% of India's 60 million digital-payment merchants have never recorded a transaction above 2,000.
Indian paddlers concluded their Asian Games canoeing campaign without securing any medals, falling short of their previous performance at the Hangzhou edition.
Hunkkaar: The Roar is a fairly familiar fight for justice that builds far too many flimsy narratives around its core conflict, runs out of ammunition and speaks out of turn in a needlessly cussing tone, notes Sukanya Verma.
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged statutory duty violations and the controversial deletion of 13 crore voters during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, claiming decisions were made without the concurrence of other election commissioners.
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.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Ankit Satishchandra Pandey in connection with a transnational cyber-financial fraud case. Pandey allegedly defrauded US nationals of over USD 7 million by impersonating US federal agency officials through illegal call centres in Gujarat, coercing victims into transferring funds and purchasing gold.
'I can't imagine anybody else doing the kind of things he did in the war,' Group Captain Deb Gohain asserts about Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cook, the 1965 War hero who passed into the ages last week.
Sreeti Mukerhi's cliched coming-of-age delivers its moments of sass but never quite defines the age of confusion, sighs Sukanya Verma.
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.
The Calcutta High Court's division bench set aside a single-bench order that had granted interim protection to Congress' Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan from coercive action in a 2007 criminal case. The court ruled that there is no provision in criminal law for such interim protection, meaning Pradhan's judicial remand will remain effective ahead of the bypoll.
A professor at Nirma University in Ahmedabad allegedly grabbed a student's collar during a stand-up comedy show, sparking a controversy. The incident, captured in a viral video, occurred during the 'Technofora 2026' event after the student reportedly interrupted the professor. The NSUI has demanded an apology and an inquiry, threatening protests.
The state government has directed the concerned officials in Jamui to ensure speedy punishment for the accused in the case to send a message that the government will not tolerate such incidents.
India's Manush Shah and Diya Chitale secured a historic medal in mixed doubles table tennis at the Asian Games by defeating Hong Kong's world No. 4 pair. This marks India's second mixed doubles medal in Asian Games history. While other Indian paddlers faced early exits in various categories, Shah also advanced in men's singles and Yashaswini Ghorpade in women's singles.
Indian boxer Sachin Siwach secured a hard-fought split-decision victory over Jordan's Mohammad Adnan Abu Jajeh to advance to the men's 60kg quarterfinals at the Asian Games, moving one step closer to a medal.
India pacer Prasidh Krishna discusses his renewed determination after an injury lay-off, focusing on the upcoming five-Test series against Australia and its significance in the World Test Championship cycle. He also shares insights into the mental and physical demands of rehabilitation and the challenges of playing in New Zealand.
Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh assured themselves of singles medals at the Asian Games by advancing to the semi-finals in their respective events at the Asian Games on Friday.
India's men's and women's kabaddi teams marched into the Asian Games finals with comfortable semifinal wins over Thailand and Nepal respectively on Friday, keeping their hopes of defending their gold medals alive.
India's last-minute change in the 10m air pistol mixed team pairing ended with gold as Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet won the title on Friday.
Police in Palakkad, Kerala, have destroyed approximately 7,300 cannabis plants found growing in a remote forest area in Attappady. The plants were discovered during a joint operation by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) and local police, following a tip-off, and were subsequently set on fire at the site.
