You are curious about the characters and admire their bravery, and yet the drama never really cuts deep as it should, notes Mayur Sanap.
From Ikkis to Balan: The Boy, these are the 10 Indian films that truly deserved the loudest applause in the first half of 2026.
Germany's 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in the World Cup knockout stage sparked a disagreement between coach Julian Nagelsmann and players Joshua Kimmich and Deniz Undav. While the players felt Ecuador 'wanted it more', Nagelsmann strongly rejected this assessment, urging the team to learn and improve for their next match.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas has announced a collaboration with Angelina Jolie while also sharing insights into her role in S S Rajamouli's Varanasi.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari outlined his government's priorities, focusing on strengthening the state's economy, attracting investment to create jobs, and improving law and order. He criticised the previous administration for alleged corruption and appeasement politics, while highlighting initial successes in border management and reducing criminal activities.
The NCERT has included in the class 9 social science textbook a section on Emergency, which it described as "one of the major challenges to democracy in India" with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailing the move saying future generations should know about the "dark deeds".
Television actress Sanchita Ugale's death by suicide on June 14, 2026, has drawn eerie parallels to Sushant Singh Rajput's 2020 death.
Thanks to major companies like Kia, Mexico has seen a huge influx of South Korean population in places like Monterrey, with Korean cuisine and K-Pop becoming major influences in the country.
For Valerian Vincent, who works a night shift for a US-based company, fatherhood means squeezing playtime, learning and love into the few precious hours he gets with his one-and-a-half-year-old son.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a quiet start to the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening Group K match.
'Though he said a lot of things, he never once asked me to stay.' Aarti David explores love and betrayal in this short story.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated that India's roadmap for the 2027 World Cup, including discussions on senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, is confidential and not for public consumption. He also clarified that the BCCI adheres strictly to the Government of India's policies regarding bilateral tours, such as the potential resumption of ties with Bangladesh, without concern for the political situation in other countries.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak discussed the potential debut of 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the T20 series opener against Ireland. While acknowledging Sooryavanshi's talent, Kotak emphasised that a player scoring runs should not be benched to accommodate a new talent, highlighting the challenge of team selection with abundant talent in Indian cricket. He also touched upon captain Shreyas Iyer's leadership and the BCCI's system for nurturing young players.
Ten months after her father's death in the Pahalgam terror attack, Asawari Jagdale is still waiting for the Maharashtra government to fulfill its promise of a state job. Despite assurances and follow-ups, the family faces financial hardship as they await the promised employment.
Kerala Police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar highlighted cyber fraud as a serious social challenge, particularly targeting youth, during the inauguration of 'RBI Reelathon 2026'. This multi-phase awareness campaign by the Reserve Bank of India aims to engage college students in combating cyber financial frauds through creative content creation and timely reporting.
Recent stand-up comedy clips from Pranit More and Madhur Virli, featuring jokes about sexual coercion, rape, and necrophilia, have ignited a fierce debate in India over consent, normalising rape culture, and trivialising sexual assault, leading to FIRs and public apologies.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's childhood coach Manish Ojha hailed the 15-year-old's historic India selection, saying the BCCI may have found the future 'poster boy' of Indian cricket after his record-breaking IPL season.
The daughter of an Indian-origin high school teacher based in Melbourne, who went missing in Amritsar last month, has appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for help in tracing her father.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is placing professionals who rely on cognitive skills at the highest risk of job replacement, a fundamental change from previous technological shifts, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan said on Thursday.
India registered their biggest-ever innings win in Test cricket, dominating Afghanistan in the one-off game, with debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar impressing with a seven-wicket match haul.
'People told me to go back to school and leave climate issues to adults. But if adults had done their job, I wouldn't be here protesting.' At just 14, climate activist Licypriya Kangujam says children are paying the price for a crisis they did not create, while governments continue to make promises without delivering meaningful change.
Two Lok Sabha MPs from Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena-UBT, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, have confirmed their defection to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, citing reasons including a fund crunch and Thackeray's absence from local body polls. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde have virtually acknowledged the success of 'Operation Tiger', aimed at splitting Thackeray's faction.
Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay's meeting with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and allegedly with Home Minister Amit Shah has ignited fresh political speculation about his potential defection and the formation of a dissident parliamentary faction, further deepening the turmoil within the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani group, emphasised that energy and intelligence are inseparable national priorities, asserting that India must build its own capabilities in these sectors rather than relying on external sources, especially in the context of global conflicts and shifting supply chains.
'The most important job after colouring your hair is maintaining it, which a lot of Indian women forget.'
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latest fuel hike, saying mehangai manav has struck again and he has just one job of making promises during elections and attacking people's pockets at other times.
One year after the devastating AI 171 plane crash in Ahmedabad, the profound grief and lasting trauma continue to haunt the victims' families and eyewitnesses, many of whom still struggle with a deep-seated fear of flying and the indelible scars of their loss.
Authorities in Ghaziabad intensified verification drives and sealed three unrecognised madrassas in the Khoda area following the murder of a 17-year-old boy. The incident has led to heightened security measures and political reactions.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran's missile capabilities have been severely degraded, saying Tehran now possesses only a fraction of the arsenal it had before recent hostilities.
Rupert Lowe, leader of the far-right Restore Britain party in the UK, has sparked controversy with anti-immigration posts targeting Indian and Pakistani immigrants, leading to a social media backlash and raising concerns ahead of a crucial by-election.
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) held protests across Haryana against the fuel price hike, stating that inflation has severely impacted the common man. Protests were led by various INLD leaders across the state, with demonstrations including symbolic acts and confrontations with local authorities.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has alleged that the BJP's "real and ultimate target" in seeking a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha is to amend the Constitution to end reservation, rather than genuinely implement women's reservation.
'The flip side of this is that he won't hesitate to call out India if he thinks its policies are hurting US economic interests or border US foreign policy goals.'
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that two more semiconductor chip packaging units, part of the India Semiconductor Mission, are expected to be operational by July and December, respectively. He also highlighted India's focus on becoming a beneficiary of AI technology, expanding data centre infrastructure with significant investments, and developing new subsea cable networks for global connectivity.
Abdul Rahim, who faced a death sentence in Saudi Arabia, returned to Kerala after a massive crowdfunding effort raised Rs 34 crore for blood money. He was greeted by family and friends after two decades of imprisonment.
'...the enormous responsibility and faith the youth has put on his shoulders, that he is going to solve their problems.'
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has accused the United States of frequently changing its positions and complicating efforts to reach an understanding, stating that these shifts disrupt diplomatic processes and prolong negotiations. He also linked any potential agreement with the US to an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, accusing Israel of escalating conflict to derail diplomatic efforts.
The greatest pleasure of Bandar is watching Bobby Deol let go of his vanity and submit himself to Anurag Kashyap's unflinching filmmaking, notes Mayur Sanap.
Two men on a motorcycle died after being hit by a car near Bhajanpura Metro station in Delhi. The car driver has been arrested, and an investigation is underway.
US President Donald Trump revealed he was on the verge of ordering attacks on Iran but postponed the decision after receiving calls from Qatar and the UAE, citing progress in peace talks.
