The central government has revamped the Khelo India Scheme's funding pattern, allocating a Rs 565 crore component for states to co-share the cost of future sports infrastructure development projects over a five-year plan. This new model, part of a Rs 29,054 crore outlay, aims to increase state ownership and participation in sports development, significantly expanding the scheme's reach and athlete base.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has called for the state to become a hub for Indian futsal, producing players capable of leading the national team to the FIFA Futsal World Cup. Speaking at a felicitation for Tlangnuam Futsal Club, he emphasised nurturing talent for international success and highlighted government investment in sports infrastructure.
A coalition of 25 Democratic-ruled US states has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration's decision to impose new tariffs on 60 economies, including India. The states contend that these tariffs, ostensibly aimed at combating forced labour, are illegal taxes that will raise costs for consumers and businesses, and were implemented without proper legal justification.
The Supreme Court has directed State Bar Councils to co-opt two women members, either former High Court judges or senior women advocates, to ensure greater gender representation. This move reinforces earlier directives for 30% women's representation and aims to dismantle the perception of Bar Councils as "men's clubs", promoting objectivity and transparency in their functioning.
Despite aggressive expansion, India's solar power sector faces significant hurdles from rising regional disparities in installed capacity and a looming manufacturing glut due to overcapacity in domestic solar equipment production, potentially leading to consolidation and pricing pressures.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to implement drone-based surveillance to monitor and prevent stubble burning. This initiative aims to counter late-evening burning incidents that evade satellite detection, leveraging drone technology for real-time monitoring, accurate detection, and evidence collection to ensure effective enforcement against agricultural residue burning.
Job aspirants in Jharkhand are protesting alleged paper leaks in PSC and other recruitment exams, demanding an independent inquiry by retired high court judges from outside the state. They have lost faith in the ongoing CID investigation, citing past failures, and threaten to intensify their agitation if their demands for a CBI or independent judicial probe are not met. The protests have garnered support from various organisations, with one leader on an indefinite hunger strike.
In answer to a question posed in Parliament, March 2025, details of India's forest cover, were highlighted, state-wise. Madhya Pradesh, with its enviable 11 national parks and plethora of flora and fauna, is the Indian state that boasts the most forest cover. Arunachal Pradesh, however, has the highest percentage of forest.
The math is mostly simple: The cheaper the MBBS seat, the easier it is to get into. The affordable seats are taken up by those well under AIR 100,000. But not in all states, says Ashok Hegde, founder, neet2seat.
The Election Commission has extended the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi, Punjab, Telangana, and Karnataka, along with Haryana and Andhra Pradesh. This revision involves house-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers and changes to draft and final roll publication dates, impacting the voter registration process across multiple states.
NITI Aayog's inaugural Investment Friendliness Index, scoring 36 states and Union Territories on 84 indicators across eight pillars, revealed that no state or UT reached a score of 60 out of 100, indicating significant room for improvement in attracting investment.
India comes second only to the US, according to World Population Review, in the length of its road network, boasting totally 6.37 million km. Which states have the best highways?
Karnataka Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh was asked to deboard a state-run BMTC bus by its conductor because he did not have exact change for his ticket. The conductor, unaware of the passenger's identity due to his mask, insisted on exact change or UPI payment, which the minister could not provide. This incident occurred during the minister's incognito inspection of the transport department's functioning.
Torrential monsoon rains unleashed widespread destruction across several parts of the country on Thursday, inundating roads, uprooting trees, damaging property and disrupting normal life as authorities scrambled to restore normalcy.
Election-related freebies and populist measures are other factors crimping the revenue profile of these states.
The National Inter-State Championships saw two new national records being set. Anushka Yadav broke the hammer throw record with a 67.02m effort, while Dev Meena set a new pole vault record by clearing 5.47m.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association has upgraded the M Chinnaswamy Stadium's floodlighting system to advanced LED technology, replacing older metal-halide lights. This upgrade ensures superior illumination, energy efficiency, and compliance with modern broadcasting standards, enhancing the experience for players, officials, and viewers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a significant policy shift, declaring that Israel's robust economy no longer requires American financial assistance. He also reiterated strong opposition to Palestinian statehood, affirmed an aggressive national defence strategy, warned of pre-emptive strikes against Iran, and confirmed the continued military presence in southern Lebanon.
The Maharashtra government has banned the literature of terrorist organisations such as Islamic State, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment, and Al Qaeda (AQIS), citing its content glorifying violent extremism, promoting radicalisation, and providing information on bomb-making and lone-wolf attacks.
The Maharashtra government has banned 114 items of literature from terrorist organisations like Islamic State and Al Qaeda, citing their role in glorifying extremism, promoting radicalisation, and threatening India's sovereignty and public order. The ban, issued via a gazette notification, follows intelligence inputs and ATS investigations into the circulation of such propaganda material.
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has appealed to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for assistance in acquiring land to build a home and shift his base from Delhi to his native state. CM Dhami has assured Pant of all possible help, stating that the matter has been referred to concerned officials.
Rahul Kranti, a 40-year-old protester, is on a hunger strike in Jharkhand, demanding the cancellation of all state-level recruitment exams conducted by JPSC and JSSC since 2019 and a CBI and ED probe into alleged irregularities. He claims to have cleared several exams but remains jobless due to corruption.
A research paper by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) recommends that Bihar revoke its alcohol ban, citing its failure to reduce violence against women and a rise in illicit drug and alcohol consumption. The report suggests that reinstating the liquor excise tax would significantly increase state revenues and decrease enforcement costs.
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.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is in New Delhi to discuss the allocation of portfolios among newly inducted ministers and address discontent among legislators who missed out on cabinet berths. Speculation also surrounds a potential minor cabinet reshuffle and the appointment of a woman minister to the lone vacant position, with the CM aiming to finalise these decisions before the state Legislature's monsoon session.
The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has issued notices to two mess facilities at IIT Bombay, ordering them to cease operations due to a lack of necessary permissions and registrations. This action is part of an ongoing state-wide food safety enforcement drive, which has also led to the suspension of licenses for several other restaurants and eateries across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai due to hygiene issues and non-compliance.
The upcoming 2026 Ladakh Marathon will feature a record prize pool of Rs 1 crore, aiming to attract over 10,000 visitors globally. This high-altitude event, scheduled from September 10 to 13, is set to welcome participants from 28 Indian states, six Union Territories, and all six inhabited continents, reinforcing its growing international stature.
The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on a plea by the Tamil Nadu government challenging a Madras High Court verdict. The High Court had ruled that individuals converting to Islam are not automatically entitled to reservation benefits under the Backward Class (Muslim) category solely based on their conversion.
The ministry of external affairs on Friday dismissed as 'fake news' reports alleging that India had requested Israel to sign a defence pact in response to the newly formed Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Turkey security framework.
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.
Pakistan, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia have signed a trilateral defence pact, agreeing to treat an attack on one as an attack on all. Analysts suggest this alliance could significantly diminish the United States' strategic influence in West Asia and elevate Pakistan's geopolitical standing, potentially acting as a deterrent in regional conflicts.
Protesting aspirants in Jharkhand have vowed to continue their agitation over alleged paper leaks in recruitment exams, despite talks with a five-member government panel. The protesters, including JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto who is on a fast, demand the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe into irregularities.
Reports have surfaced in Israeli media claiming that Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in critical condition and has been rushed to a hospital.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a fresh investigation into the 2024 rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The decision follows a request from the victim's mother, now a BJP MLA, and includes a separate probe into alleged cremation irregularities. Adhikari criticised previous police handling and vowed to ensure justice, despite a CBI investigation having already led to a conviction.
A meeting of Tamil Nadu MPs, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, unanimously decided to oppose the Union government's proposed delimitation exercise, demanding its complete withdrawal and an extension of the delimitation freeze for another 25 years.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a key joint defence agreement under which an attack against one of them will be treated as an attack against all of them, amid increasing security concerns in the wake of escalating tensions in West Asia.
The ruling BJP in West Bengal has suspended 22 functionaries, including several mandal presidents, over allegations of extortion and indiscipline. This action follows public warnings from the party leadership against adopting an 'extortion culture' and comes ahead of a visit by BJP's central in-charge for West Bengal, Sunil Bansal, to review the party's organisation and the new government's functioning.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met with AI major Anthropic to discuss a long-term partnership aimed at accelerating AI adoption across governance, education, healthcare, research, and the state's startup ecosystem. The collaboration focuses on deploying AI solutions responsibly, ensuring data privacy, and developing AI-focused skilling programmes and an AI University.
India strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations, labelling it a "Frankenstein state" for its alleged support of terrorism. The remarks came after Pakistan and the OIC raised the Kashmir issue, which India firmly rejected, reiterating Jammu and Kashmir's integral status. India also deemed the Indus Water Treaty "outdated" given Pakistan's policies.
India's prisons operated at 112.7 percent occupancy in 2024, with 609 jails housing more inmates than their sanctioned capacity and Delhi recording the highest occupancy rate of 194.6 percent, according to data tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
