A Goa forest department official has filed a police complaint against state minister Subhash Phal Desai, alleging he obstructed officials and facilitated the illegal transportation of soil from a protected forest area. The complaint details the excavation and uprooting of trees, while the minister claims the soil was for a sports ground.
Jaspal Rana, a renowned Indian shooting coach and former Asian Games gold medallist, has passed away at the age of 49. He died in a Delhi hospital after undergoing a medical procedure for an illness that occurred during a flight from the ISSF World Cup in Munich. Rana was serving as the high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 got underway in Mexico on Thursday with Colombian superstar Shakira performing the official World Cup song Dai Dai in a spectacular opening ceremony.
Mexico's national football team secured a significant 2-0 victory over South Africa in their World Cup opening match at the Azteca Stadium. Midfielder Erik Lira expressed confidence, stating 'the sky is the limit' for the team, despite the emotionally challenging game which saw a record three red cards.
Mexico celebrated a historic 2-0 victory over South Africa in the opening match of the World Cup at the Azteca stadium, breaking a seven-game opening day curse.
Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia has voiced his support for Vinesh Phogat after her unsuccessful return to competitive wrestling at the Asian Games selection trials, urging her to persevere despite the setback.
Former Indian Premier League chairman and cricket administrator Lalit Modi described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a 'great cricket fan' and said his interactions with the Prime Minister were largely centred around the development of cricket infrastructure in Ahmedabad.
Julian Quinones gave hosts Mexico a dream start as he scored in the ninth minute in the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening match against South Africa.
Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the World Cup squad due to injury in a blow for the Samurai Blue, with the midfielder also announcing his retirement from international football.
Kerala police have issued a warning about a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting football fans. Scammers are using fake OTT apps and social media advertisements promising free access to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches. These malicious apps gain control of users' phones and illegally withdraw money from bank accounts. The police advise downloading apps only from official stores and being cautious of suspicious permissions.
Anas Khan and Ayesha Gupta have established significant leads in their respective categories at the NCR Cup Junior Golf Tournament. Khan leads the Boys' Category A by eight strokes, while Gupta holds a six-stroke advantage in the Girls' Category A. Other categories also saw strong performances, with Chaitanya Pandey, Mohd Rehan, Aaradhya Rawat, and Unnati Singh leading their divisions.
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup despite a valid visa, has been appointed to officiate the upcoming UEFA Super Cup match between Paris St Germain and Aston Villa. This appointment follows a cooperation agreement between UEFA and CAF.
Carlos Ancelotti's Brazil commence their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against plucky Morocco, who come into the mega event on the back of some pre-tournament turbulence.
National para archery coach Kuldeep Vedwan has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually harassing a minor athlete. The Fast Track Special Court in Sonipat convicted Vedwan under the POCSO Act, following allegations dating back to April 2023.
German national team players are reportedly funding bus transport for 600 fans to their final World Cup Group E game against Ecuador in New Jersey, addressing concerns over significantly increased public transport costs during the tournament.
The Delhi High Court has allowed wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the upcoming Asian Games trials, criticising the Wrestling Federation of India's selection policy for lacking discretion regarding iconic players returning from maternity leave.
The Delhi High Court has approved wrestler Vinesh Phogat's participation in the Asian Games trials, criticising the Wrestling Federation of India's exclusionary selection policy.
Spain winger Lamine Yamal has been appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, becoming one of the youngest footballers to take on the global role ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Namdhari Sports Club defeated Real Kashmir FC 1-0 in the Indian Football League, securing their first win of the season thanks to a second-half goal by Seilenthang Lotjem.
Wimbledon has announced a record 64.2 million prize money pot for this year's championships, a 20% increase from last year, marking the biggest annual rise in its history. This significant boost comes amidst growing demands from players for a larger share of Grand Slam revenues, with increases across all rounds and a substantial rise for singles champions and first-round losers.
Professional golfer Riya Jadon, 17, took the lead on the opening day of the seventh leg of the Women's Pro Golf Tour in Mysuru, finishing 3-under 67. She is one stroke ahead of Tvesa Malik, with Anvvi Dahhiya and Vidhatri Urs also scoring under-par.
Serena Williams' highly anticipated comeback in doubles at the Queen's Club WTA event has been temporarily halted after her partner, Victoria Mboko, withdrew due to a knee injury sustained during a singles match. Williams, who had won her first match with Mboko, is expected to continue her return to tennis in Berlin next week and might seek a Wimbledon wildcard.
Mexico will kick off their home World Cup campaign against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, carrying the pressure of fan expectations and a strong unbeaten run.
The opening round of the Rs 35 lakh 360 One Masters Chess tournament saw several upsets, with higher-rated players, including second and third seeds, suffering defeats. While top seed GM Iniyan Pa secured a win, many Grandmasters faced unexpected challenges from lower-rated opponents and rising stars.
The opening round of the Rs 35 lakh 360 One Masters Chess tournament saw several upsets, with higher-rated players, including second and third seeds, suffering defeats. While top seed GM Iniyan Pa secured a win, many Grandmasters faced unexpected challenges from lower-rated opponents and rising stars.
South Africa coach Hugo Broos said his side are prepared to face Mexico's quality and home-crowd advantage in Thursday's World Cup opener.
PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala are set to compete at the RBC Canadian Open, alongside Indian golfers Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Jeevan Sihota. The tournament also features rising stars like Alex Fitzpatrick and Ben James, and established names such as Matt Fitzpatrick and Brooks Koepka.
Indian mountaineer Tulasi Reddy Palpunoori from Hyderabad successfully summited Mount Everest after years of rigorous training and preparation, transforming from a fitness enthusiast to an accomplished mountaineer.
Indian women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne expressed gratitude and motivation after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his contribution to the sport during a visit to the Netherlands, highlighting the team's World Cup aspirations.
A meeting to review India's Commonwealth Games preparations included discussions on advancing the country's bid for the 2036 Olympic Games, with Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi participating online.
Brazil is preparing for their World Cup opener against Morocco without star forward Neymar, who is recovering from a calf injury.
England cricket captain Ben Stokes is reportedly considering his leadership future after being involved in a nightclub incident that has triggered an investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Fast bowler Gus Atkinson is also under investigation following the undisclosed incident after England's Test victory over New Zealand.
Instead of pride, many Iranian-Americans feel shame about the Iran team's participation in the World Cup and are demanding that FIFA boots the country out of the competition, protesters said in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Since the FIFA World Cup's inaugural tournament in 1930, 22 competitions have occurred up to 2022. Interestingly only eight different countries have succeeded in claiming the famous trophy.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the establishment of 25 centres of excellence and 96 sports development hubs to increase athlete participation from the state in the 2036 Olympic Games.
Kapil Dev's efforts to attract sponsors and increase prize money in Indian golf are creating better opportunities for players to qualify for the Olympics and compete globally, according to DP World PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl.
Sunit Chowrasia, nephew of SSP Chawrasia, fired a bogey-free eight-under 62 to take a two-shot lead after the second round of the DP World PGTI NexGen Vijay Kumar Memorial tournament in Lucknow. He now stands at eight-under 132, while overnight leader Abhishek Kumar is in second place.
Seven Indian Super League clubs, including East Bengal, were granted the AIFF Club Licensing Premier 1 licence with sanctions for the 2026-27 season, while applications of several top-flight sides, including Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Kerala Blasters FC, were rejected.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and teenager Tanvi Sharma led a strong performance by Indian women in the Australian Open Super 500 badminton tournament, both advancing to the round of 16. While Sindhu secured an easy win, Tanvi caused an upset. However, it was a disappointing day for Indian men's singles players, with all three bowing out in the opening round, though the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Rawat and Maneesha K progressed.
Karandeep Kochhar, in excellent form with three top-10 finishes this season, will lead a 10-member Indian contingent at the USD 2 million International Series Morocco golf tournament. He will be joined by other prominent Indian golfers including Anirban Lahiri.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances