Karun Nair, despite scoring a century in a local tournament, was controversially excluded from the South Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy final. This decision has drawn attention given South Zone's struggles against East Zone. Coach Vikram Verma cited team combination and "personal reasons" for Nair's absence, but his subsequent participation in another match suggests deeper issues.
The South African government has cleared its High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, of any wrongdoing after he appeared at a temple event in Haridwar with former president Jacob Zuma and businessman Ajay Gupta, who faces corruption allegations. DIRCO stated Sooklal provided only customary protocol support to Zuma and attended the event independently, without facilitating any substantive engagement with Gupta.
The Delhi Billiards & Snooker Association (DBSA) has announced a new format for the Delhi State 15-Red Snooker Championship, which will now be held in memory of Raja Randhir Singh. The championship will feature a zonal qualification system leading to a 16-player main draw and offers a total prize money of Rs. 3 lakh.
Southern chief ministers fear population stabilisation could reduce their parliamentary representation and tax devolution benefits.
Pakistan is set to host the 14th South Asian Games in April next year across Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar, after a six-year delay. While the South Asia Olympic Council has approved the dates and venues, India's participation remains uncertain due to political tensions, despite its representative attending the planning meeting.
India's upcoming Davis Cup Qualifier against South Korea in Seoul will be streamed live for Indian viewers on VETO, an OTT platform. The winner of this tie will progress to the Davis Cup Finals in November.
The Bharatiya Janata Party received nearly Rs 1,473 crore at its central headquarters alone during the last five state assembly elections, more than seven times the Rs 207 crore in net receipts reported by the Congress across its central and state units, according to expenditure statements filed with the Election Commission.
Australia secured an innings and 51-run victory over Bangladesh in the second Test, but the performance highlighted persistent issues with their top-order batting, particularly for Marnus Labuschagne, raising questions ahead of their South Africa tour.
Torrential rains have caused widespread devastation across several Indian states, leading to at least 11 deaths in Assam and Uttarakhand, pushing rivers above danger levels, and disrupting daily life with landslides, floods, and school closures. States like Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir are also grappling with the monsoon fury, while Meghalaya faces an unusual rainfall deficit.
Five southern states are stepping up coordination on delimitation, tax devolution and language issues, reviving calls for a stronger collective South platform.
A Sikh truck driver was brutally stabbed multiple times in a Wyoming rest area, an incident occurring amidst a reported rise in anti-South Asian rhetoric in the US. The attacker has been arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder.
India will face South Korea in the Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 2 on September 18-19 in Seoul. South Korea, ranked 16th, chose hard courts for the tie, a surface they traditionally prefer. India, ranked 19th, secured their spot with a dramatic win over the Netherlands, while Korea upset Argentina. The winner of this tie will advance to the Davis Cup Final 8 in November.
Goa's Abhinav Tejrana has been named in the South Zone squad for the prestigious Duleep Trophy, making him the only cricketer from Goa to achieve this distinction this year, a selection attributed to his consistent high-scoring performances in recent seasons.
South Africa has appointed spinner Bjorn Fortuin as captain for their upcoming Twenty20 tri-series against Namibia and Zimbabwe, and a three-game One-Day International series, aiming to provide international experience to younger players ahead of a busy schedule.
Chief ministers from southern states convened at the Southern Zonal Council meeting in Kovalam, where Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar advocated for the 1971 census as the basis for delimitation and a freeze on Lok Sabha seats, while also addressing the contentious Cauvery water and Mekedatu dam issues.
South Korea's national football association has issued a deep apology following a media report alleging it provided 'sexual services' to foreign referees during international matches over a decade ago, specifically in 2011 and 2012.
Microsoft has officially launched its fourth cloud region in India, located in Hyderabad, as part of its USD 20.5 billion investment in the country's digital and AI infrastructure. This new facility, which became available on August 6, features zero-water cooling technology and aims to enhance capacity and resilience for organisations in India and Asia, supporting the nation's rapid digital growth and projected increase in data centre capacity.
Marnus Labuschagne remains confident he is Australia's best No. 3 Test option, despite facing criticism for a prolonged century drought and a recent average of 25.43 since the 2023 Ashes.
A new study reveals that the impacts of invasive species on biodiversity are most severe in the Global South, challenging previous assumptions. Factors like rapidly developing economies, weak governance, and limited management capacity make these regions particularly vulnerable, leading to higher ecological and economic damages.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit the United States from September 23 to 25 for summit talks with US President Donald Trump, with discussions expected to cover critical economic and trade issues, including AI, and the recently signed US sanctions law targeting countries buying Russian oil and gas.
Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj has qualified for the men's 50m backstroke final at the Asian Games, clocking 25.37 seconds. Other Indian swimmers like Rishabh Das, Akash Mani, Geetesh Shah, and Danush Suresh did not advance to their respective finals.
Samsung India has launched an Innovation Campus in Karnataka, in partnership with Nrupathunga University, to train 2,000 young individuals in industry-relevant AI skills. This initiative aims to support Karnataka's goal of building an AI-native ecosystem and developing a future-ready technology workforce, expanding access to practical AI education.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned against the 'weaponisation' of technology and critical minerals at the BRICS summit, advocating for cooperation to foster shared prosperity. Concurrently, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced plans for an open-source AI ecosystem for BRICS nations, positioning Beijing as a key technology partner amid global AI competition.
India has clarified its policy regarding participation in the 2027 South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Pakistan, stating decisions will align with national sports policies and international governing bodies. While bilateral sporting engagements with Pakistan remain suspended, Indian athletes are permitted to compete in multilateral events. The government also aims to simplify visa processes to position India as a global sports hosting destination.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday described BRICS as an important global forum, highlighting the grouping's growing demographic and economic weight and noting that its members account for around half of the world's population and 40 percent of global GDP.
Top US and Chinese officials, including Vice Premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, held "candid, in-depth and constructive" talks in New York on economic and trade issues, with a specific focus on artificial intelligence. These discussions precede Chinese President Xi Jinping's anticipated visit to Washington and occur amidst new US sanctions targeting countries purchasing Russian oil and gas, and the US unveiling an "AI Force."
A TMC office, former MLA and councillor residences, and a CPI(M) memorial were allegedly vandalised in Jadavpur, Kolkata. The Trinamool Congress and the Left Front have accused BJP workers of the attacks, while the BJP has denied involvement, attributing the incidents to internal TMC disputes.
Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the BRICS summit, urging the bloc to play a significant role in achieving peace and tranquillity in West Asia and the Gulf region. He highlighted BRICS' growth over two decades, its efforts in tackling global challenges, and its steadfastness in safeguarding the interests of the Global South. Xi called for opposing the Cold War mentality, strengthening multilateralism, and promoting cooperation in emerging domains like AI, as China prepares to chair the next summit.
Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan secured two silver medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, winning an individual silver in the women's 10m air rifle event and contributing to a team silver. Her performance marks an encouraging start for India's shooting campaign, which aims to build on the success of the previous Hangzhou Asian Games.
India's singles players Sumit Nagal and Dhakshineswar Suresh face challenging conditions in their Davis Cup Qualifier Round 2 tie against South Korea. The hosts have prepared a slow, low-bounce court with heavy balls to negate India's strengths. Captain Rohit Rajpal is confident in the team's ability to adapt and strategize, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and exposing younger players to high-pressure situations.
India has once again raised alarms over the escalation in the security situation in the Red Sea area and strongly condemned Houthi strikes targeting Saudi Arabian territory, "including on civilians and economic assets."
IIT Madras's Centre of Excellence for Road Safety has organised its first international hackathon, focusing on AI in road safety. The event brought together participants from India and other BIMSTEC nations to develop data-driven, technology-enabled solutions for the region, which faces a high number of road fatalities annually. The hackathon aims to foster collaboration among governments, academic institutions, and regional bodies to address this critical issue.
Indian athletes, including wushu and table tennis players, faced initial check-in difficulties upon arrival for the Asian Games in Nagoya. While some wushu players and coaches reportedly had issues with room allocation on the designated cruise ship, officials stated the problems were resolved. The Games' accommodation plan involves a mix of cruise ships, container rooms, and hotels, with some contingents already raising concerns about the quality and availability of lodging.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that the state government has already constituted a committee to prepare the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and that the law will be implemented after the committee submits its report.
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, bringing together numerous world leaders including presidents from China, Russia, South Africa, Iran, and Egypt, along with prime ministers and foreign ministers from other nations. The summit will feature bilateral talks and highlights the expanded BRICS grouping's growing global influence and India's significant role as a founding member and current chair.
Scientists are stunned by the discovery of a nine-million-year-old capybara tooth fossil in Chile's Atacama Desert, a region currently devoid of capybaras. This finding not only marks the oldest record of the semi-aquatic rodent in coastal Chile but also significantly challenges the long-standing scientific view that the Atacama Desert has been continuously dry for 40 million years, suggesting a much wetter past.
Police are investigating a revenge angle in the recent murder of a gym trainer in South Delhi's Aya Nagar. The killing is suspected to be part of an ongoing feud between two families, with alleged gang involvement and a social media claim of responsibility by a foreign-based gangster.
Indian swimmers, including Olympian Srihari Nataraj, faced a challenging day at the Asian Games in Tokyo, with most failing to advance beyond the heats. Nataraj finished 10th in the 50m backstroke final, while other Indian athletes also struggled in various events.
A gym trainer, Vijay Kumar, was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants in south Delhi's Aya Nagar. Police suspect personal enmity and are investigating a possible link to a long-running village rivalry, including other recent violent incidents in the area.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has articulated India's position on BRICS, advocating for it to be a "non-West, but not anti-West" platform, a stance he believes is crucial for India's national interest. He highlighted the prestige of hosting the BRICS summit, India's responsibility to represent the Global South, and the significance of bilateral meetings, particularly with China and Russia. Tharoor also addressed the strained India-China relations, citing border issues and trade leverage, and discussed the challenges within BRICS, including difficulties in achieving consensus on global issues and trade imbalances, while also considering the need for diversified international relations amidst unpredictable US sanctions.
