The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections concluded with the BJP and TMC focusing on electoral rolls and dietary habits, while making promises to voters. Voting is scheduled in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and southern districts, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote. A record number of Central paramilitary forces have been deployed, and several districts have been identified as highly sensitive.
Belgium have their full squad available for the Round of 32 match against Senegal but are not taking Senegal for granted, said coach Rudy Garcia.
World champion D Gukesh and Indian star R Praggnanandhaa are set to compete in the Zagreb Rapid and Blitz Tournament, part of the prestigious Grand Chess Tour. Despite Gukesh's sabbatical from classical chess, he joins a strong field including recent Norway Chess winner Praggnanandhaa, promising an exciting week of high-stakes chess.
Investigators have revealed that the pilot of a small plane that crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, the CITIC Tower, suffered from long-term anxiety and had expressed suicidal thoughts in his diaries. The incident, which killed the pilot and injured 13 others, has raised significant security concerns in the highly sensitive Chinese capital, especially given strict airspace regulations.
Rudi Garcia's comments about Senegal's tactical structure, along with other pundit remarks, have reignited scrutiny over racially coded language in World Cup commentary, drawing criticism from scholars and anti-racism advocates who argue such language perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Black players and African teams.
Investigators have revealed that the pilot of a small plane that crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, the CITIC Tower, suffered from long-term anxiety and had expressed suicidal thoughts in his diaries. The incident, which killed the pilot and injured 13 others, has raised significant security concerns in the highly sensitive Chinese capital, especially given strict airspace regulations.
Heavy monsoon rains have severely impacted Mumbai and its surrounding areas, leading to landslides, suspension of train services, and at least 13 fatalities over the past few days. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway was also shut due to a concrete pillar collapse and waterlogging.
Brazil secured their spot in the World Cup knockout stages with a dominant 3-0 victory over Scotland. Vinicius Jr scored twice, continuing his impressive form, while Neymar made his much-anticipated return to the national team after nearly three years. The win saw Brazil top Group C, with Matheus Cunha also contributing a goal. Scotland's hopes now rest on qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.
Punjab is on high alert following two explosions in Amritsar and Jalandhar. Police suspect the involvement of Pakistan's ISI in the Amritsar blast, while the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLF) has claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar explosion. Investigations are underway.
'Can you believe there are over 26,500 deaths linked to heatwave-driven ozone in 2024?'
A major fire at a naphtha pipeline in Haldia, West Bengal, injured over 10 people and damaged railway equipment, disrupting services. Firefighting operations are ongoing, and an investigation into the cause has been launched.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is implementing a new central contract system based on cricket formats, aiming to create separate teams for Tests, ODIs, and T20 Internationals. This initiative seeks to specialise players and ensure fair compensation for Test specialists, with different salary tiers and qualification criteria for each category.
George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole position, his second victory of the season, reducing Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli's Formula One lead to 40 points.
India's VALORANT esports team has successfully qualified for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 main event in Riyadh, emerging as one of two teams from the Asia regional qualifiers. The team, led by Sagnik Roy, overcame tough competition, including a crucial victory against Hong Kong, to secure their spot in the global tournament featuring a USD 1.5 million prize pool.
Neymar Junior returned to international football after a 981-day absence, playing 20 minutes as a substitute in Brazil's 3-0 World Cup victory over Scotland.
Croatia's World Cup exit sparked controversy after coach Zlatko Dali launched a furious attack on the refereeing following their 2-1 defeat to Portugal.
US President Donald Trump lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'calm, cool, killer' persona at the G7 leaders' lunch in France, underscoring the deeply strategic relationship and formidable diplomatic skills of the Indian leader ahead of their crucial bilateral meeting.
Four-time champions Germany suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in a FIFA World Cup group stage match, marking a historic upset. This loss highlighted Germany's persistent defensive issues, as they have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine World Cup games. Despite an early lead, Germany succumbed to Ecuador's determined comeback, which secured Ecuador's progression to the round of 32.
India's race walk coach Ronald Weigel has urged national selectors to consider the extremely humid conditions during the National Inter-State Championships when picking the team for the upcoming Asian Games. He highlighted how tough weather significantly slows down endurance athletes and suggested holding future selection events in more favourable conditions like Bengaluru.
Ireland produced one of the biggest wins in their T20I history, edging India by just one run in a thrilling second T20I in Belfast to complete a historic 2-0 series sweep.
Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 in a crucial Group H match, with Alex Baena scoring the decisive goal. This victory secured Spain's top spot in the group and a place in the World Cup knockout stage, while Uruguay, managed by Marcelo Bielsa, was eliminated from the tournament. Cape Verde also advanced from the group.
WhatsApp is finally letting you hide your phone number behind a custom username. While it's a massive win for privacy, cybersecurity experts warn it could unleash a wave of identity scams. Here is what you need to know.
Larger NGOs could no longer work with smaller ones, especially those organisations working on the ground that had no means of or expertise in raising money themselves, reveals Aakar Patel.
India's men's volleyball team achieved an unbeaten run to the AVC Men's Volleyball Cup semi-finals, propelling them to World No. 42. Head coach Dragan Mihailovic attributes this success to discipline and a structured system but stresses the need for consistent international exposure, longer national camps, and a robust development pathway to sustain and build upon this momentum, especially amidst administrative uncertainty in Indian volleyball.
Maharashtra's Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat sparked a political storm with his controversial comments regarding a fatal tree fall incident in Mumbai, which killed an 11-year-old boy and injured four others, initially suggesting such incidents are 'not in human hands' before clarifying his stance.
France can secure a more comfortable route through the World Cup when they face Norway in their final Group I match on Friday, though finishing top could leave them facing one of the toughest roads to the trophy.
Dhaka and Beijing on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation on the management of the Teesta and other rivers and signed 13 agreements to bolster bilateral ties following talks between Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
Gulveer Singh, the reigning Asian champion and national record holder, failed to meet the Asian Games qualifying standard in the men's 5000m race at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.
Japan's national football team, the Samurai Blue, faces Brazil in a crucial World Cup last-32 match. This encounter holds deep significance due to Brazil's profound influence on Japanese professional football, particularly through the J-League and the presence of numerous Brazilian players and coaches over the decades. Despite past successes against Brazil, including a recent friendly win, this World Cup clash represents a major test for Japan's ambitions.
Seventh seed Francisco Cerundolo out-lasted American Tommy Paul in a gruelling Queen's Club final to claim the biggest title of his career on Sunday, winning 6-7(4). 6-4. 6-3.
Brazil's World Cup Round of 32 meeting with Japan on Monday comes with the chance for revenge for Carlo Ancelotti's squad and a test of how far he has taken his team since a Tokyo collapse early in his tenure.
World Cup 2026 is on track to become the biggest betting event in history, with global wagers expected to exceed $50 billion as sportsbooks report record-breaking activity driven by the expanded tournament format and growing legal gambling markets.
The planned India-Japan annual summit, featuring Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi and Indian PM Narendra Modi, has been moved from Guwahati to New Delhi due to logistical issues and Takaichi's tight schedule. The summit, scheduled for July 1-3, aims to boost bilateral ties with discussions on investment, supply chain deals, energy resilience, and strategic oil reserves, accompanied by a delegation of 50 Japanese companies.
It has been almost a year since Kiara Advani embraced motherhood and the actor is back doing what she does best -- serving fashion moments. Kiara made her first runway appearance since welcoming her baby girl as she turned showstopper for designer Rahul Mishra at India Couture Week 2025 alongside filmmaker Karan Johar.
At least 32 people have been killed and over 700 injured after two powerful earthquakes struck western Venezuela, with Acting President Delcy Rodriguez declaring La Guaira a disaster zone and warning the death toll is expected to rise as rescue operations continue.
The monthly average rainfall over India is expected to be below normal during July, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday in its monthly forecast.
England played out a 0-0 draw against Ghana in their second World Cup Group L match, a result that leaves both teams well-positioned for the next phase. Despite England dominating possession, Ghana's strong defensive strategy frustrated their attacking efforts, leading to a goalless stalemate.
Mumbai experienced heavy overnight monsoon rains, with some areas receiving over 200 mm in 24 hours, leading to widespread waterlogging, traffic congestion, and disruptions in suburban train services, particularly on Central Railway lines due to a track cave-in.
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said the hydration breaks introduced in each half of matches at the World Cup add nothing to football while destroying the sport's cultural essence.
Iran's football coach, Amir Ghalenoei, has strongly criticised the United States for imposing travel restrictions on his team during the World Cup, claiming it unfairly hampered their preparation and performance.
