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.
A US Congressman has raised serious concerns regarding India's proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), warning that these changes could lead to government takeovers of religious charities and strain bilateral relations.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and several states on a plea demanding a comprehensive national Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the safe and orderly conduct of the annual Kanwar Yatra, including inter-state coordination and effective traffic management.
A joint parliamentary committee has received an extension to submit its report on a significant bill. The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes the removal of a prime minister, chief minister, or other ministers if they are jailed for 30 consecutive days on serious charges. The committee, chaired by BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, needs further consultations before finalising its report.
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's vehicle was surrounded by protesters, who allegedly hurled mud, slippers, and stones, while shouting 'chor' (thief) and 'dakait rani' (queen of thieves) slogans during her visit to Halisahar.
A parliamentary standing committee on Information Technology has demanded a personal apology from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video from Facebook. The committee also discussed potential legal action and the withdrawal of safe harbour protection, while questioning Meta officials on algorithmic bias and accountability.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea from the Shiv Sena (UBT) challenging Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's decision to approve the merger of six of its MPs with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. The UBT faction argues these defections violate anti-defection laws.
Football's law-making body IFAB has confirmed that Switzerland forward Breel Embolo should not have been sent off during the World Cup quarter-final against Argentina, stating that VAR intervention was incorrectly applied.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the implementation date for its revised loan recovery and agent engagement directions to January 1, 2027, from the previously proposed October 1, 2026, following stakeholder feedback.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the state government will introduce an anti-drug law allowing for the confiscation of drug smugglers' properties. Mann criticised previous administrations for enabling drug trafficking and highlighted the enactment of an anti-sacrilege law, promising stricter measures against sacrilege and drug-related offences.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has called for the immediate passage of the women's reservation bill and the delimitation bill, advocating for a uniform 50 per cent increase in seats for all states to ensure fair and equitable representation.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said protest is a legitimate form of dialogue in a democracy and should be aimed at building consensus rather than creating divisions.
After nearly 19 years, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen returned to Kolkata, calling it a deeply emotional homecoming.
A 55-year-old woman has been arrested in Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh, in connection with a dowry harassment case after her daughter-in-law sustained severe burn injuries and her two minor granddaughters died allegedly due to suffocation.
The Gujarat government has imposed a state-wide ban on the production, transportation, and sale of unstandardised analogue paneer, cheese, and butter. Citing public health concerns and the need to protect consumers and the dairy sector, the decision follows detections of substandard artificial dairy products during inspections. Legal action will be taken against violators.
Bangladesh on Wednesday expressed outrage over deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's media interaction in New Delhi, saying the event has hurt the sentiments of its people and could adversely affect efforts to improve bilateral ties with India.
The Aam Aadmi Party, led by Arvind Kejriwal, staged a protest in New Delhi against the government's E20 petrol policy, attempting to march to the Prime Minister's residence with over 2.30 lakh petitions from vehicle owners concerned about the ethanol-blended fuel.
The Centre has ordered the deployment of 20 additional companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi. These forces are being airlifted from West Bengal to strengthen security measures in response to CJP protests, demonstrations by various political parties, and the ongoing Parliament session, following instances of violent clashes.
A "Sansad Chalo" protest march by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in New Delhi turned violent, resulting in injuries to over 118 police personnel and the detention of around 70 protesters. Police accused protesters of aggressive behaviour, damaging public property, and attacking security forces, leading to legal proceedings.
Former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand has been appointed Interim President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) after incumbent Arkady Dvorkovich voluntarily stepped aside due to his inclusion in the European Union's sanctions list.
The Maharashtra government has imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture and sale of "analogue" or non-dairy paneer due to public health concerns and widespread food safety violations. Offenders could face severe penalties, including life imprisonment and hefty fines, for misleading consumers with this lower-nutritional-value substitute.
FIFA has vehemently denied a report claiming President Gianni Infantino sought assistance from the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration following the collapse of a multi-billion dollar plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights, calling the allegations 'pure fiction'.
A UK police force said on Friday that its officers have been tackling serious violence, including being bitten and spat at by protesters, over days of anti-migrant clashes at a town in eastern England.
The Supreme Court has been informed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's final draft report on the June 2025 Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad will be submitted in October. The court is hearing petitions seeking an independent probe into the accident, which claimed 260 lives.
The mortal remains of Merchant Navy chief officer Sagar Gupta, who was killed in a Black Sea attack amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, were brought to his native place in Kanpur on Wednesday, 18 days after the incident, with his family demanding 'martyr' status and compensation.
India's food regulator, FSSAI, has prohibited Dabur India from selling products like honey, cow ghee, and edible oils with '100 per cent' claims, deeming such labelling misleading and against regulations.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met with a World Bank delegation to discuss advancing Artificial Intelligence, digital governance, and skill development in the state. The discussions focused on leveraging technology to enhance citizen services, with plans to showcase Haryana's AI Sandbox globally and develop a dedicated AI model for the state.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal criticised the state government over the law and order situation, alleging a rise in crimes against women and questioning the administration's priorities.
The Supreme Court has stated that a complete ban on pellet guns is not possible as long as existing advisories permit their use for crowd control in exceptional circumstances by security agencies. However, the court clarified that allegations of specific misuse can be examined on a case-by-case basis, particularly in light of recent protests against the NEET paper leak.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reportedly sought support from the Trump administration following the collapse of his plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights, facing mounting criticism and feeling 'isolated' by negative media coverage.
A day after the Uttar Pradesh assembly tabled the judicial commission's report on the November 2024 Sambhal violence, court commissioner Ramesh Raghav alleged that the mob had intended to attack the survey team and prevent the court-ordered exercise, while the Hindu side called for a detailed debate on the panel's findings in the House.
With political divisions dominating conversations, can couples with opposing views stay together?
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the state government will introduce a stringent anti-drug law allowing for the confiscation of drug smugglers' properties. Mann criticised previous administrations for allegedly enabling the drug trade and vowed stricter penalties for sacrilege. He also accused the BJP of divisive politics and criticised the Akali Dal for alleged political manipulation of religious institutions.
Delhi Police has refuted social media claims of a protester's death during a lathi charge at a CJP protest, calling them "false propaganda." Authorities warned of strict legal action against those spreading misinformation and urged the public to rely on verified facts to maintain peace.
At what age should society stop regulating life choices and allow people to make their own?
Holding Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for alleged police brutalities on protesting students, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that "Jan Shakti" (people's power) will "drag him out" one day to make him accountable.
'But they had nothing to negotiate as the government did not negotiate. It is completely the fault of the government as they dumped it on the police.'
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has quashed the anticipatory bail of former judge Giribala Singh in connection with the death of Twisha Sharma. The CBI is now investigating the case, and the victim's husband has been sent to CBI custody.
The Bombay High Court has ordered major social media platforms, including Meta, X Corp, and Google LLC, to immediately remove 'vile, abusive, obscene, and defamatory' deepfakes and AI-generated content targeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, emphasising the urgent need for online platforms to curb malicious digital content.
The Lok Sabha has passed a Bill to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, authorising the government to permit banks and service providers to levy charges on UPI and other electronic payment modes. This move aims to create a sustainable revenue model for the digital payments ecosystem, shifting from the current exemption of UPI transactions from such charges.
