Bengaluru is piloting the Jet Patcher technology to efficiently repair smaller potholes without disrupting traffic. This new method, suitable for potholes up to 50mm deep, uses cold-mix technology and allows for quick repairs, offering an alternative to traditional hot-mix methods which are less effective during monsoons and cause traffic congestion. The city aims to expand its use if the pilot project proves successful.
Tax experts clarify that merchants will pay 18% GST on Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for UPI payments exceeding Rs 2,000, effective October 15. However, registered merchants can claim Input Tax Credit (ITC), mitigating the tax burden. This move is expected to generate significant GST revenue for the exchequer while funding payment infrastructure.
Aaron Rai has made an impressive start at the BMW PGA Championship, leading the field with a 6-under 66. Playing alongside major champions Rory McIlroy and Ryan Fox, Rai's strong performance puts him in a prime position, while McIlroy and Fox also remain in contention after their opening rounds.
Khalin Joshi retained his one-shot lead after the third round of the inaugural Nava Raipur Open, despite a challenging day on the course. Heavy rain forced the tournament to be played over the back nine, with Angad Cheema emerging as his closest competitor.
Fintech firm BharatPe has publicly supported the government's new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for UPI merchant transactions, which introduces a 0.4% fee on transfers over Rs 2,000. The company has also distanced itself from its former co-founder Ashneer Grover's strong criticism of these changes, stating his remarks are personal and do not reflect BharatPe's official position. BharatPe believes the new framework will strengthen digital payment economics while protecting consumers and small merchants.
Kerala has formed a new Anti-Narcotics Investigation Team to intensify its anti-drug drive, Operation Toofan. This team will focus on high-value drug cases with interstate and international connections, operating from three units across the state. The announcement follows significant drug seizures and arrests, including a major MDMA haul and the apprehension of key network members involved in other serious crimes.
Pune police have filed a 5053-page chargesheet in the Ketan Agarwal murder case, detailing how his fiance Siya Goyal, her alleged lover Chetan Choudhary, and Ritesh Hange conspired to push him off Lohagad Fort. The chargesheet reveals the use of a fake Instagram account, online research, and even ChatGPT to plan the murder and avoid detection, after previous attempts failed.
Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, Mamata Banerjee's party's candidate for the Rejinagar by-election, initially announced his withdrawal from the contest due to harassment of workers and symbol unfamiliarity, but retracted his statement within hours after intervention from the party's top leadership and Mamata Banerjee herself, confirming he will now contest the October 6 poll.
A 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped, stabbed to death, and her body dumped in an open field in New Delhi. Four individuals, including three minors, have been apprehended in connection with the crime. The victim and accused were known to each other, and the incident reportedly occurred after they consumed alcohol together in a tempo. Police used CCTV footage to identify and trace the suspects.
Salesforce executives, including South Asia CEO Arundhati Bhattacharya, predict a significant shift in India towards wider enterprise AI adoption, moving from experimentation to production deployments. The company plans to invest in physical infrastructure and talent upskilling in India. Salesforce's vision for the "agentic enterprise" involves a four-layer architecture, emphasising the need for robust security and governance for autonomous agents. Executives also highlighted the evolving nature of jobs, with AI handling repetitive tasks and creating new specialised roles, positioning India as a potential leader in agentic innovation by 2030.
Climate scientist Tapio Schneider advocates for expanding early warning systems beyond rainfall events to include other disaster triggers like flash floods, citing the recent Nepal floods. He highlights the inevitability of 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming and discusses the role of advanced climate modelling and AI in improving predictions and research, particularly for regions like India.
The Kerala High Court has affirmed the conviction and life imprisonment of a former state government employee found guilty of raping a 14-year-old schoolgirl over 45 days in 2009. The court dismissed the accused's appeal, stating the victim's testimony was "sterling quality" and corroborated by medical evidence, rejecting claims of false implication.
The ongoing US conflict with Iran has cost the Trump administration an estimated $45.1 billion, according to a Pentagon estimate provided to the US Congress on Friday, CNN reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
Delhi Police faced significant challenges in investigating the alleged gang rape and murder of a teenage girl whose decomposed body was found with no missing complaint filed. A peculiar symbol on a tempo, identified through extensive CCTV footage analysis, proved crucial in tracing the suspects and apprehending four individuals, including three minors, linked to the crime.
Bengaluru-based Remidio Innovative Solutions has secured a patent from the Japan Patent Office for its deep learning system that automates retinal image capture. This new patent enhances their existing intellectual property in Japan, strengthening their integrated AI platform and making retinal screening more accessible and cost-effective.
The power suit has officially left the boardroom. Celebrities are taking classic tailoring and giving it a serious fashion upgrade wearing blazers as capes, swapping trousers for shorts, ditching shirts altogether and adding corsets, chokers and statement jewellery into the mix.
The Congress party won six out of nine wards where repolling was conducted across four urban local bodies in Rajasthan, while the BJP secured three. These results finalise the tally for all 10,244 wards, with the BJP holding the overall lead in total wards won, followed by Congress and Independents. The process for electing mayors and chairpersons is now underway.
Usha Vedasalam completed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra just a week before the devastating floods in Nepal. This is her account of the pilgrimage.
Fintech company BharatPe has expressed strong support for the government's new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for UPI merchant transactions, which introduces a 0.4% fee on transfers exceeding Rs 2,000. The company explicitly distanced itself from critical remarks made by its former co-founder Ashneer Grover, clarifying that his views do not represent BharatPe's stance. BharatPe CEO Nalin Negi highlighted that the framework aims to strengthen digital payment economics, protect consumers and small merchants, and expand adoption in underserved markets, with most transactions remaining unaffected.
Former Pakistan defensive hockey player Muhammad Saqlain has revealed his battle with stage four B oral cancer, stating that his sports background provided him with the fighting spirit needed to overcome the dreaded disease. He underwent an eight-hour surgery and is now undergoing immunotherapy for a full recovery, having kept his health issues private until now.
Indian para shooters Millie Shah, Mona Agarwal, and Avani Lekhara secured a gold medal in the R2 women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 team event at the Changwon 2026 WSPS Para Shooting World Championships. The men's team also won silver, and individual medals were claimed by Mona Agarwal (silver) and Avani Lekhara (bronze), significantly boosting India's medal tally.
A minor argument over a matchbox in northwest Delhi escalated into a fatal stabbing incident, leaving one man dead and another injured. Police have apprehended three individuals, including the main accused who allegedly used a knife, following the Tuesday night incident in Keshav Puram.
Indian spinner Shree Charani has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to claim more than 35 T20I wickets in a single calendar year, reaching her 36th wicket during the Women's Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has criticised the BJP government's proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on high-value UPI transactions, calling it a "chungi" (tax) on digital payments. He alleged the move was an attempt to extract money from people's transactions, contradicting the government's goal of a trillion-dollar economy. The new UPI framework will impose a 0.4% MDR on person-to-merchant transactions above Rs 2,000 from October 15, with certain sectors having a flat Rs 5 MDR.
A member of the National Traders' Welfare Board (NTWB) has urged the central government to withdraw its decision to impose a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, effective from October 15. He warned that the new charge, which will be borne by merchants, could negatively impact business growth and lead to higher prices, contradicting the government's 'ease of doing business' policy.
Pakistan is set to participate in the Men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in India, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann confirming the union government's policy allows multi-lateral engagements despite bilateral tensions. The tournament, featuring six nations including India and Pakistan, will be held from October 27 to November 5 in Jalandhar and Mohali, with free entry for all matches.
The Sports Ministry is closely monitoring the internal dispute within Hockey India between President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh, stemming from a controversial jersey colour change. The Ministry prefers the factions resolve their differences amicably before considering intervention.
Delhi Police have arrested Vinod Kumar Bhardwaj, a key accused in a Rs 1.75 crore cheating and forgery case. Bhardwaj allegedly duped a retired Tihar Jail pharmacist by selling him six plots using fake documents. The accused, who carried a Rs 50,000 reward and was a proclaimed offender, was apprehended in Dwarka. Investigations are ongoing to trace his associates and financial transactions.
India's shooting campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games commenced with a strong performance, securing two silver medals in the women's 10m air rifle event. Experienced shooter Elavenil Valarivan was instrumental, winning an individual silver and contributing to a team silver alongside Sonam Uttam Maskar and debutant Vidarsa Vinod. While Elavenil narrowly missed individual gold, her performance, coupled with the team's success, provided an encouraging start for India.
President Droupadi Murmu extended her congratulations to both the junior men's and women's hockey teams for their recent Asia Cup triumphs, highlighting their dedication and teamwork. Both teams secured their respective titles, with the women defeating China and the men beating Korea, thereby qualifying for the Junior World Cup.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff highlights India's crucial role in the company's shift to an AI-first enterprise system. He emphasized India's vast pool of technology professionals and partners as key to this transformation, underscoring the country's importance in Salesforce's global strategy.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has announced the formation of a 10-member Task Force, chaired by Yugal Kishore Joshi, to explore the revival of Formula 1 in India. The committee will assess challenges, identify policy interventions, and develop a roadmap to potentially host a race by 2028, addressing issues that led to its discontinuation after 2013.
IIT Bhubaneswar and IIT (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance research collaboration and academic interactions, particularly in semiconductor and basic sciences. The agreement facilitates joint research projects, doctoral student supervision, faculty and student exchanges, and shared experimental resources, aiming to advance knowledge and create lasting impact.
A tragic incident in Belagavi, Karnataka, saw four women from the same family killed and two men seriously injured after a refrigerator reportedly exploded, leading to a house fire. Police are investigating the exact cause, with preliminary findings suggesting a short circuit.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has surpassed 2,000 international runs, achieving the milestone with an explosive 57 off 22 balls against Afghanistan at Arun Jaitley Stadium. This performance marks a significant return to form for Samson, who has also had a stellar year in T20Is, including a 'Player of the Tournament' award in the T20 World Cup.
Indian shooter Vidarsa Vinod, making her Asian Games debut at 27, secured a silver medal in the women's 10m air rifle team event. Despite missing an individual final, Vinod maintained a calm demeanour, treating the continental stage like any other competition. Her journey from an NCC cadet to an international medallist highlights her rapid progression and adaptability, especially as she only recently started training in the 10m air rifle discipline.
A medical representative has been arrested in Thane for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl for over a year. The accused reportedly threatened the victim's family and offered money to silence them before being apprehended after a social activist's intervention.
Indian Teqball player Quimcy Dsouza lost her Asian Games women's singles semifinal to Indonesia's Sumaya in a gruelling three-game match. Despite a strong start, Dsouza, a former state-level footballer, was overcome by Sumaya's sepak takraw background. Dsouza will now compete in the bronze medal playoff, aiming for a podium finish in Teqball's debut at the Asian Games.
Delhi Police have arrested a 22-year-old man, Md Lal Babu, and his alleged girlfriend, Rukhsar Khatoon, for the murder of his wife, Sabilla Khatun, in Prahladpur last month. The motive is believed to be their relationship. The arrests followed an extensive multi-state investigation involving over 300 CCTV cameras. Lal Babu's cousin, Md Osama, was also arrested for aiding his escape.
Indian firm Bharat Forge and US defence major Pratt & Whitney Canada have announced a collaboration to support the development of India's high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle. This partnership involves integrating advanced turboprop engines into a DRDO-designed UAV, bolstering India's indigenous defence capabilities under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
