The Sports Ministry, led by Mansukh Mandaviya, has announced stringent selection criteria for the upcoming Asian Games, capping the contingent at 600 athletes. The policy prioritises medal prospects, stating that the Games are not for "exposure tours" or securing jobs. This includes a "realistic chance of winning a medal" and being in the top six continental rankings. The ministry will scrutinise recommendations from National Sports Federations, with specific cases like equestrian Anush Agarwalla and table tennis player Manika Batra highlighting the new approach.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has urged India to take the lead in bringing peace to West Asia, highlighting the UAE's role in stalling BRICS consensus on the conflict. Gharibabadi also discussed a new framework with Oman for merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
India has expressed 'deep worry' and strongly protested to the US after three merchant ships carrying Indian crew members came under attack from the American military off the coast of Oman in four days, resulting in the deaths of three Indian seafarers.
A US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude oil is heading to India, marking the resumption of oil imports from Iran after seven years.
The Sports Ministry's Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has sanctioned Rs 35.46 lakh for overseas training stints for Paralympic medallists Ajeet Singh (javelin) and Pranav Soorma (club throw) to prepare them for the upcoming Asian Para-Games in Japan. Both athletes, part of the TOPS core group, will train in Germany and Czechia respectively, with Pranav also participating in multiple championships.
Indian refiners have access to only limited Iranian volumes compared with Russian oil, and even the barrels on offer come with 'too many hassles'.
Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodriguez is in New Delhi on her sixth visit to India.
The US has seized an oil tanker, 'Skywave', linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean, as part of efforts to disrupt Iran's oil shipments and enforce sanctions. The vessel was part of a network transporting sanctioned Iranian crude oil, with the seizure occurring amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
India has strongly criticised Pakistan at the UN Security Council, highlighting civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan caused by cross-border violence by Pakistani military forces, accusing Pakistan of 'heinous acts' and 'systematic genocide'.
India has expressed serious concerns about the West Asia crisis and its potential impact on energy supplies and maritime stability, urging BRICS nations to find practical solutions to geopolitical challenges and unilateral sanctions.
Jyoti Gulia and Aakash have been added to the Indian boxing squad for the World Boxing Cup Stage 2 in Guiyang, China, after Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh intervened to ensure their participation despite not being initially part of the government-sanctioned contingent. Their inclusion expands the Indian team to 20 boxers.
The Union Home Ministry has designated 23 individuals based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for their involvement in infiltration, recruitment, logistics, financing, and operational planning targeting India.
A US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude oil has rerouted mid-voyage from its previously indicated destination of India to China, raising questions about payment issues and the future of India's Iranian oil imports.
Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, former group managing director of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications, has been remanded in 14-day judicial custody in an alleged bank loan fraud case. The CBI alleges misutilisation of loan funds, causing significant losses to a consortium of banks led by SBI.
Indian archers Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Dhiraj Bommadevara plan to use the upcoming Archery World Cup stages as testing grounds for equipment changes ahead of the Asian Games later this year. Both archers are part of the 12-member Indian squad for the Asian Games, scheduled to begin in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19.
If we really want to curb the further depreciation of the rupee and make the rupee appreciate, we want to come out of the mindset that the exchange rate is merely a number, bring policy corrections to help reduce the outflow of foreign exchange by imposing suitable tariffs to discourage imports and bring self reliance, discipline FPIs, and correcting rules governing royalty outflows, suggests Dr Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-Convenor, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch.
India's senior men's rugby team won the silver medal, and the women's team finished fourth at the inaugural CASA (Central Asia and South Asia) Rugby 7s 2024 in Tashkent.
Indian archers Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Dhiraj Bommadevara will use upcoming Archery World Cup stages to experiment with new equipment ahead of the Asian Games in Japan.
Spinners Adam Zampa and Joel Davies picked up three wickets each as Australia defeated Bangladesh by four wickets in the first T20 International of the three-match series in Chattogram on Wednesday.
A reported taunt after India A's Super Over defeat triggered Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's angry reaction and a brief on-field confrontation.
History may remember Takaichi Sanae not as the leader who simply accelerated Japanese rearmament, but as one who governed during Japan's transition from an industrial-age security model to a post-industrial strategic member of the global order, points out Varun Arya.
Delhi must now purge the delusional hopes of being a 'counterweight' to China in the US calculus, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Pakistan is reportedly pursuing Chinese J-35 stealth fighters while China already operates hundreds of J-20 stealth aircraft.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has suspended Russia's membership for up to three years due to its failure to comply with a ruling to stop holding events in Russian-controlled Ukrainian territories. This decision follows Russia's continued organisation of chess events in annexed regions, violating a Court of Arbitration for Sport order.
The Sports Ministry has issued a showcause notice to the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) over concerns about its selection policy and failure to make key appointments.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed striking the Guinea-Bissau-flagged oil tanker MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian seafarers, in the Gulf of Oman for allegedly violating the US blockade against Iran. This incident marks the third commercial vessel attacked by US forces in the region this week, with three Indian seafarers previously losing their lives in an attack on the MT Settebello.
India has refuted claims of payment issues hindering crude oil imports from Iran, clarifying that refiners have the flexibility to source oil from various global suppliers. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas addressed reports of a tanker rerouting to China, emphasising standard industry practices and secured oil requirements.
The Reliance Foundation Odisha Athletics High Performance Centre has taken disciplinary action against three athletes, including terminating a javelin thrower, following a "Performance-Enhancing Drug incident" where syringes and anabolic steroids were allegedly found. Two other athletes, a hurdler and a decathlete, received suspensions.
The Supreme Court delivered a split verdict on the constitutional validity of Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which mandates prior sanction for probing government servants in corruption cases. The case will now be placed before the Chief Justice for forming a larger bench.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has denied signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Russian athletics federation, amidst ongoing sanctions and the conflict in Ukraine.
'The US was well aware of the nationality of the seafarers on board the vessels. It was not hidden. The nationality of those aboard a merchant ship is known to all the ports.' 'So, why did US shoot a missile that resulted in the deaths of the Indian mariners?'
For the foreseeable future, the most likely outcome remains continuation of the status quo. Taiwan will remain self-governing without formally declaring independence, while China continues to apply sustained pressure short of war, predict Krishnan Srinivasan and Manoj Mohanka.
Major champion Justin Rose is set to make his professional debut in India at the DP World India Championship. The tournament, co-sanctioned with the PGTI, boasts a significant prize fund and underscores India's growing importance in elite golf.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a US-Iran peace deal is on the verge of finalisation, potentially within the next 24 hours, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough after months of intense negotiations.
A special CBI court in Mumbai has convicted a retired bank manager and nine others in connection with a 2004 loan fraud case, sentencing them to prison terms ranging from one to five years.
Iran was the chance to arrange a concert of nations, to actually be a Vishwaguru. Instead, we are watching from the sidelines as Pakistan, the same country that is apparently still at war with Afghanistan, hosts talks between US-Israel and Iran. The irony is hard to miss, points out Amberish K Diwanji.
The BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi concluded without a joint statement due to disagreements over the West Asia conflict, with Iran blaming the UAE for the lack of consensus. India, as the host, issued a chair's statement highlighting the differing views.
The scheme, called 'Suhana Safar', targeted customers who aspire to own a car but were hesitant because of concerns around arranging the down payment or managing future EMI obligations.
The cost of the war is being counted not in the corridors of power in Washington or Tehran, but in Firozabad's darkened furnace rooms, Howrah's idle casting sheds, and a barbershop in Kochi where the wait is suddenly, inexplicably, an hour long, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Trump further alleged that Iran was behind the attacks on three vessels carrying Indian seafarers near the Hormuz Strait, which resulted in the deaths of three, despite the US Central Command having confirmed that the strikes were carried out by American naval forces, calling the incident "totally unacceptable."
