The ceremonial torch for the Chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, was handed over by FIDE Interim President Viswanathan Anand and AICF president Nitin Narang to Uzbek player Javokhir Sindarov. This event marks the official countdown to the prestigious team competition, continuing a tradition started by FIDE in 2022 to build excitement for the global chess event.
IIT-Kanpur has developed an AI-powered "Family Score" system to identify households needing welfare support using existing government data. This system, demonstrated in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh government, aims to provide a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional surveys for assessing socio-economic conditions and ensuring targeted welfare delivery.
From unexpected cameos to sneaky Easter eggs, these Hindi films have quietly created some wonderfully weird cinematic universes of their own.
Alexander Zverev defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets to advance to the U.S. Open semi-finals. Despite an erratic start with serve, Zverev recovered to dominate the match, setting up a clash with Karen Khachanov.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey has denied sanctioning an emergent Executive Committee Meeting called by secretary Bhola Nath Singh, intensifying an internal power struggle. The dispute stems from a jersey colour change controversy and the secretary's attempt to address various issues, including the Hockey India League's future and upcoming elections, which Tirkey claims is beyond his authority to convene.
Hockey India is embroiled in a significant internal dispute between President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary Bhola Nath Singh, primarily stemming from an unauthorised jersey colour change. An emergent Executive Board meeting has been called to address this conflict, discuss the restructuring of the Hockey India League (HIL) into a joint venture with franchises, finalise election dates, and deliberate on hosting Asian Champions Trophy events. The meeting also aims to address a show-cause notice issued to the Director General.
Former chief selector Ajit Agarkar's departure from the BCCI was primarily driven by disagreements over Rohit Sharma's future in white-ball cricket and policy differences with Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman, culminating in his absence from a crucial review meeting.
India needs to move beyond ease and cost of doing business and focus on the "speed of doing business" as the next leg of reforms to sustain economic growth and private investment, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) President R Mukundan said.
TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti has called for robust safeguards, human oversight, and intervention capabilities as Artificial Intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into telecom networks. While acknowledging AI's potential to transform network management and threat detection, Lahoti stressed the need for responsible AI deployment, risk assessments, and clear accountability to ensure consumer trust and prevent misuse, especially in combating online fraud.
Indian recurve archer Dhiraj Bommadevara has won a historic gold medal at the Archery World Cup Final in Saltillo, Mexico.
SC Delhi staged a remarkable second-half comeback, scoring five goals to defeat debutants FC Raengdai of Manipur 5-1 in the Durand Cup quarter-finals. After conceding an early goal, Joseph Sunny's brace, along with goals from Rodriguinho, Juan Sebastian Pena, and Augustine Lalrochana, secured their place in the semifinals.
Aryna Sabalenka expressed her profound disappointment after losing the US Open final to Elena Rybakina, culminating in a furious racket-smashing incident. Sabalenka, who was aiming for a third consecutive US Open title, explained her emotional outburst as a way to release aggression and disappointment following the significant defeat.
'...in which our names are written with our phone numbers.'
The Supreme Court has intervened to allow international water sports coach Bilquis Mir to join the Indian National Kayaking and Canoeing Team for the Asian Games in Japan. Overruling a Jammu and Kashmir administration order that denied her permission due to pending inquiries, the apex court emphasised the time-sensitive nature of sports administration and directed the issuance of a No Objection Certificate by September 15, 2026.
A rebel Trinamool Congress faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has named candidates for two assembly bypolls in West Bengal, directly challenging the Mamata Banerjee-led camp. This move escalates the internal party battle, particularly over the 'twin flowers' symbol, which both factions claim. The Election Commission is currently reviewing the dispute, and the bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar will serve as a crucial electoral test for both sides.
The US House of Representatives is debating a bill that would authorise the President to impose sanctions on Russia and steep tariffs on its oil and gas trading partners, including India and China. The bill, aimed at pressuring Russia over the Ukraine war, has faced opposition but is expected to be put to a vote.
The Haldwani forest division has launched India's first AI-based forest acoustic surveillance system. This innovative technology uses AI, acoustic sensors, and long-range wireless communication to detect illegal logging, poaching, and other suspicious activities in real-time, even in remote areas. Powered by solar energy, the system provides continuous monitoring, significantly enhancing forest protection, wildlife conservation, and biodiversity monitoring efforts.
Researchers have for the first time directly visualised how two DNA molecules, despite their identical negative charges, zip together. This breakthrough, achieved using high-powered atomic force microscopy and advanced simulations, confirms the 'DNA zipper' model, revealing that positively charged metal ions act as molecular bridges to facilitate this crucial biological process. The discovery has significant implications for understanding genetic recombination, gene silencing, chromosome packaging, cancer development, and future biotechnology.
The Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group, the second-largest shareholder in Tata Sons, has publicly endorsed a listing of the Tata Group's holding company, aligning with the board's push for greater transparency and public accountability despite opposition from the Tata Trusts.
Triptii Dimri and AP Dhillon were spotted at the high-profile Apple launch event in California, where the tech giant unveiled its highly anticipated iPhone 18 Pro series and the groundbreaking foldable iPhone Duo.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has identified a significant opportunity for India as the company transitions its enterprise systems to an AI-first model. He emphasised India's crucial role, leveraging its extensive pool of technology professionals and partners, in this global technological transformation, which he likened to a "Y2K moment" for engineering.
Arsenal's 16-year-old Max Dowman scored twice in a 4-2 League Cup victory over Ipswich Town, continuing their perfect season start. Liverpool also advanced to the fourth round, beating Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 at Anfield. Other Premier League teams Fulham and Brentford also secured wins, while third-tier Peterborough progressed via a penalty shootout.
A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Centre's decision to impose a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. The plea argues that the levy was introduced without adequate statutory safeguards, transparency, or public consultation, and questions its constitutional validity and potential adverse effects on merchants and consumers.
The only previous tie had occurred at Brisbane back in December 1960 between Australia and the West Indies. In the 40 years since the Madras Test, there have been 1,583 Test matches. But there has never again been a tie.
India is set to develop its first 100% hydrogen-powered Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant, a Rs 207-crore national pilot project led by CSIR-IMMT. This initiative aims to significantly reduce carbon emissions in the steel sector and achieve net-zero commitments, focusing on adapting the technology to India's domestic iron ore conditions.
New research suggests that Venus's slow spin rate and strong gravity likely caused any hypothetical moon it once had to crash into the planet. This study, led by astrophysicist Stephen Kane, models planetary interactions and indicates that Venus did not require a catastrophic event to lose a moon, but rather its inherent physical properties led to its absorption. This finding has implications for understanding moon retention in other slowly rotating terrestrial planets.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the BRICS summit, called for a fundamental shift in global governance, advocating for the replacement of the current 'pyramid of privilege' with a 'platform of partnership' where the Global South becomes a 'rule shaper' rather than a 'rule follower'.
Debutants FC Raengdai secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over TRAU FC in the Durand Cup, with Mridul Doley scoring a hat-trick. This win propelled FC Raengdai to the top of Group D. Langsning FC also had a memorable debut, defeating Mumbay FC 5-0 in another fixture.
US lawmakers are racing to amend the Russia sanctions bill before recess. One amendment specifically names India, China, and other countries as potential targets for 100% tariffs due to their oil trade with Russia. Another significant amendment proposes to scrap the tariff section entirely, while others address presidential waiver powers and aid to Ukraine.
Meta has restricted access in India to a viral AI-generated video depicting Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan dancing with KSEB officials. The video, which garnered 1.78 crore views, was restricted following a legal request, though the creators believe it wasn't due to the CM's objection, as he had previously expressed excitement about it.
The ruling BJP has increased its lead over the Congress in the Rajasthan urban local body elections, winning 3,587 wards against Congress's 3,050. Independents also performed strongly, securing 2,024 wards. While BJP secured a clear majority in Udaipur, Congress won in Ajmer and Pali. Bharatpur, the Chief Minister's hometown, saw Independents leading. These elections are a crucial test for the Bhajanlal Sharma-led BJP government ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls.
Tigmanshu Dhulia's Ghamasaan brings back the dacoit genre with a gritty and realistic portrayal of ruthless bandits, featuring compelling performances from Arshad Warsi as the menacing Maharaj and Pratik Gandhi as the resolute police officer determined to bring him to justice, applauds Deepa Gahlot.
For India, the goal is not simply to host another grand diplomatic gathering. It is to prove that a diverse coalition of emerging powers can still deliver.
Indonesian hockey players, particularly Ferdian Fathur Rahman and Firdaus Muhammad, are deeply inspired by the Bollywood film "Chak De! India" as they prepare to face India at the Asian Games.
Indian companies, including NBFCs, filed proposals to raise $7.696 billion through external commercial borrowings (ECBs) and foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) in July 2026, a significant increase from $6.09 billion in June.
Alexander Zverev defeated Luciano Darderi to reach the US Open quarter-finals, marking his fourth consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final appearance this year.
Ben Shelton defeated Frances Tiafoe in an electric U.S. Open semi-final, setting up a title clash with Alexander Zverev. Shelton's victory marks a significant moment for American men's tennis, as he aims to become the first American Grand Slam champion since 2003 and the first Black American man to reach the U.S. Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972.
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum remains a place of remembrance, resilience and reflection, discovers Tanisha Mehrotra.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff defeated fellow American Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 to reach the US Open quarter-finals. Gauff, the defending champion, delivered a dominant performance and will next face Mirra Andreeva.
Jacob Coxon, an AI researcher formerly with OpenAI and Anthropic, has resigned, accusing leading tech firms of an irresponsible and unchecked race towards developing superintelligence. He warns that this competitive rush, lacking adequate safeguards, poses an existential threat, potentially leading to catastrophic harm and "gambling with our lives."
