Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on digital transactions applies to merchants, not customers, and aims to support banks and fintech in infrastructure investment. She countered Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's claims, stating that a committee will decide on MDR only after Parliament passes the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a process currently stalled by parliamentary disruptions.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has maintained its benchmark policy rate at 5.25 per cent for the fourth consecutive meeting, prioritising clarity on inflation trends, particularly concerning energy costs and geopolitical developments.
A new UN Security Council report has 'officially attributed' the November 2025 Red Fort terror attack in New Delhi, which killed about 15 people, to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The report highlights AQIS's evolution into a regional terrorist entity and its efforts to establish networks.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, urging him to personally meet with student representatives protesting irregularities in state recruitment examinations. Gandhi stressed the legitimacy and peaceful nature of the students' demands, highlighting the Congress party's support for their right to protest.
The Supreme Court has urged the CBSE to reconsider the implementation of its three-language policy for Class 9 students, emphasising that children should not be subjected to undue pressure. The court highlighted concerns about infrastructure, the starting point of the policy, and the definition of 'native' languages.
A fresh clash erupted between protesters from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in Dhemaji district, leading to police firing in the air, as an indefinite economic blockade against Arunachal Pradesh entered its second day over land encroachment issues and an earlier firing incident.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist central committee has found serious fault with party veteran V S Achuthanandan for openly attacking the state leadership and rejected his contention that he has been fighting the 'rightist deviations' of the state unit.
Change of guard in some states and evolving El Nino dynamics are triggering fresh actions on raging water-sharing disputes in several states.
A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake has devastated parts of Colombia, claiming at least 132 lives and injuring 570 others, with the city of Pereira reporting 60 deaths alone. The quake caused widespread destruction, including collapsed buildings and suspended airport operations, prompting emergency response efforts led by President Abelardo de la Espriella.
The ruling BJP in West Bengal has suspended 22 functionaries, including several mandal presidents, over allegations of extortion and indiscipline. This action follows public warnings from the party leadership against adopting an 'extortion culture' and comes ahead of a visit by BJP's central in-charge for West Bengal, Sunil Bansal, to review the party's organisation and the new government's functioning.
A central government committee has upheld the ban on the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer film Satluj, citing concerns over India's sovereignty and integrity, sparking political debate in Punjab.
High fees do not automatically translate into better teaching or stronger clinical exposure, points out Nayagam PP, career counsellor and founder of EduJob360.
At least 12 people from Assam were injured in alleged firing by miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh along the interstate border in Dhemaji district on Monday over encroachment of land, the police said.
Regional football powerhouses, including UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF, are reportedly discussing a vote of no confidence against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. This move comes after Infantino angered them with a proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. Despite significant opposition, Infantino retains support from some member associations, particularly from Africa, complicating any challenge to his leadership ahead of the 2027 election.
The Centre has notified 40 questions for the upcoming Census 2027, including caste and place of Covid vaccination, marking the first time caste details will be collected as part of the decadal exercise. The population enumeration will be a fully digital process, with an option for self-enumeration.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, saw early gains driven by lower crude oil prices and buying in Reliance Industries, even as the Reserve Bank of India maintained its benchmark policy rate for the fourth consecutive meeting, reinforcing confidence in the domestic economy.
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea against the Punjab and Haryana high court order acquitting Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2002 murder case of a journalist.
N Chandrasekaran will step down as chairman of Tata Sons in February 2027, concluding a decade at the helm, following a prolonged standoff over his reappointment with Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata.
The Rajasthan high court has granted 20-day parole to self-styled "godman" Asaram, who is serving a life sentence in a 2013 case of sexually assaulting a minor, saying the state government failed to justify its decision to reject his parole application.
'Some people may not like what I am saying, but shortcomings have to be pointed out. These deficiencies should be rectified within the next three months.' 'This is Gorakhpur, where our CM himself resides. If such shortcomings exist here, then what will happen?'
"Our endeavour is to bring headline inflation in line with the target over the medium term," said RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, addressing concerns about the central bank's policy stance and economic outlook.
The Cockroach Janta Party on Sunday demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for the alleged assault that led to the death of Janab Mafik, the father of CJP volunteer Shaik Abdul Hafeez, in West Bengal.
The Supreme Court has informed the Centre that it will closely monitor the steps taken to curb NEET examination paper leaks, emphasising that 'ad hocism has caused trouble for years' and demanding a comprehensive overhaul of the examination process.
China has cancelled drone shows and suspended drone flights across several provinces following a small plane crash in Beijing that raised significant security concerns, especially near top leadership compounds. This move signals a tightening of low-altitude aviation regulations, impacting the burgeoning "low-altitude economy" and civilian drone use, with new laws classifying illegal drone use as a public security threat.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a significant overhaul of its national team under party president Nitin Nabin, introducing numerous new faces and promoting prominent leaders like former Union minister Smriti Irani to general secretary and former RSS functionary Ram Madhav to vice president. The revamp aims to balance youth and experience while preparing for upcoming assembly and general elections.
A significant communication breakdown between the Centre of Excellence's (CoE) sports science team and the senior national men's selection committee has been exposed by Jasprit Bumrah's unexpected absence from the Test series against Sri Lanka, alongside other player injury concerns.
The US Central Command announced a new wave of strikes against Iranian military infrastructure, aiming to degrade Tehran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels. This comes as US President Donald Trump described the situation as a 'skirmish' and suggested Iran wants to 'make a deal,' while Iran's Foreign Minister warned of a 'decisive response' to any aggression.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Pyongyang for his first official visit in seven years, meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to reaffirm their long-standing friendship and pledge further development of bilateral relations amidst Pyongyang's deepening military ties with Moscow and China's assertions against Japan's 'new militarism'.
Leading African football administrators have publicly expressed their support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, offering him crucial backing ahead of next March's presidential election, despite his recent decision to abandon a controversial plan to sell a stake in future World Cup revenue.
Indian stock market indices closed on a mixed note, with the Sensex gaining 374 points driven by buying in Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank, while the Nifty remained flat. This divergence is attributed to a new Closing Auction Session (CAS) mechanism introduced by stock exchanges, impacting market liquidity and price discovery.
The Reserve Bank of India has marginally increased its GDP forecast for the current fiscal to 6.7 per cent while slightly lowering the inflation projection to 5 per cent. The central bank noted that while domestic economic activity shows resilience, global turbulence, particularly re-escalating conflicts and volatile oil prices, continues to pose risks to the inflation outlook.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) maintained its key policy rates for the fourth consecutive time, keeping the repo rate at 5.25 per cent, while the benchmark BSE Sensex closed 152 points higher in a volatile session, recovering from an intraday dip.
Assam's flood death toll has risen to 80, with two new fatalities reported from Sivasagar district, as eight districts and over 2.12 lakh people remain affected. The state government has announced a six-month moratorium on loan repayments for flood-affected individuals and is seeking a special support package from the Centre.
The Payments Council of India has confirmed that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services will continue to be free for consumers and small merchants, despite a recent Lok Sabha Bill. This clarification addresses concerns about potential charges, emphasising that while a sustainable financial model for UPI infrastructure is being developed, transaction charges will not be passed on to users or small businesses.
Why the industry's public position changed is difficult to say. What the developments did establish, though, is that ethanol-blended petrol has become one of the country's most politically and commercially sensitive policy issues.
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.
The Supreme Court dismissed the Odisha government's plea to modify an order allowing the release of the animated film "Mahaprabhu Jagannath". The court emphasised that creativity, art, and culture should not be curtailed due to sensitivities regarding deity depictions, especially for children's animation.
A sophisticated cross-bank syndicate is systematically defrauding non-resident Indians (NRIs) and elderly citizens by exploiting their fixed deposits through forged documents and fictitious loans, often involving colluding bank employees and real estate deals.
A US federal judge has permanently dismissed the criminal securities-fraud case against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar, closing nearly two years of prosecution without a trial. Gautam Adani stated, "Truth has prevailed," in response to the ruling.
Major bills, including those on women's reservation, delimitation, and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), face an uncertain future in the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament due to persistent opposition protests and a lack of consensus.
