Lionel Messi will face England for the first time in his career when Argentina meet the Three Lions in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final, ending a 20-year wait for one of football's most anticipated match-ups.
After four consecutive months of outflows, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have turned net buyers in Indian equities in July, investing over Rs 15,157 crore, driven by improving domestic macroeconomic indicators, a stable rupee, and better global risk sentiment.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi mocked US President Donald Trump's claim of the US being the 'guardian' of the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that Iran has always been and will remain the sole guardian, while also suggesting that any entity providing security should be compensated, though Trump's proposed '20 per cent' levy is 'too much'.
India's women's compound archery team, comprising Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep, and Chikitha Taniparthi, secured a silver medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 4 after losing to Colombia in the final. Despite the team's struggle, teenager Prithika Pradeep emerged as a standout performer, and India remains in contention for more medals in both compound and recurve categories.
India showcased a dominant performance at the Asian Boxing Championships, with nine U-19 boxers advancing to the finals and six securing bronze medals. Additionally, eight U-23 boxers had previously reached their respective finals, highlighting India's strong presence across multiple categories.
Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was seen consoling his replacement Senne Lammens, who was blamed for Spain's late winner in the FIFA World Cup quarter-final match on Friday.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on US military installations in Bahrain, describing the operations as the second phase of its retaliatory campaign. This announcement follows US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirming its own large-scale offensive targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will inaugurate the underground tunnel-boring work from Vikhroli to the Bandra Kurla Complex station in Mumbai on Sunday, marking the maiden use of a tunnel boring machine for the country's first bullet train project, between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Cristiano Ronaldo's illustrious World Cup career concluded with tears after Portugal's 1-0 defeat by Spain in the round of 16, marking the end of his sixth attempt to win the coveted trophy.
A 42-year-old man, identified as Lobga Rangzen, died after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan. The act was an apparent protest, with a Tibetan flag and a 'CHINA OUT OF TIBET' slogan found at the scene, linking it to the ongoing Tibetan Independence Movement.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has expressed strong support for veteran opener Rohit Sharma, dismissing concerns over his recent lean run in the ongoing ODI series against England. Despite Sharma's low scores in the first two matches and a challenging year with the bat, Kotak believes a player of his calibre does not feel pressure and expects him to return to form soon. England won the second ODI, levelling the series 1-1, with the decider set for Lord's.
Argentina booked their place in the World Cup knockout stage on Monday as Lionel Messi recovered from an early penalty miss to score a record-breaking double in a 2-0 victory over Austria.
Indian IT service providers face heightened competition from AI-native firms in the next three years, potentially eroding their revenue base unless they remain competitive and protect recurring businesses, according to a report by S&P Global Ratings.
Kylian Mbappe scored two goals, equalling Miroslav Klose's World Cup record, as France defeated Iraq 3-0 to advance to the last 32. The match was significantly delayed by thunderstorms, but France maintained control with Ousmane Dembele also scoring. Iraq's chances of progressing now depend on their final group match and other results.
Former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy advocates for the expansion of red-ball cricket in the women's game, citing India's emphatic 270-run victory over England at Lord's. She urges the BCCI to revive longer-format domestic competitions across all age groups, emphasizing that Test cricket is crucial for developing technically sound players.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has launched extensive precision strikes across multiple Iranian military installations, deploying both one-way attack aerial and sea drones for the first time, to degrade Tehran's ability to disrupt international maritime trade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Switzerland players have heaped praise on Lionel Messi ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Argentina, but said they have identified weaknesses in the defending champions and believe they can cause an upset.
Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Wimbledon title, crediting intensive training after a surprising early exit from the French Open. He defeated Alexander Zverev in the final, marking his fifth major title and highlighting his dedication and resilience.
...and 3 lakh for harassment.
Alexander Zverev, the men's second seed, has reached the last 16 at Wimbledon for the fourth time, showing growing confidence on grass. After winning his maiden Grand Slam at the French Open, he defeated Marcos Giron in straight sets and will face Jiri Lehecka next.
'Start with forgiveness,' counsels rediffGURU Archana Deshpande, an image consultant and founder of TransformMe Life Skills Coaching.
Lionel Messi shared insights into Argentina's World Cup preparations in Miami, posting training moments on Instagram. The defending champions are gearing up for their Round of 32 clash against Cabo Verde, with Messi, at 39, remaining a pivotal figure for the team's success.
SBI Funds Management Ltd. is set to list on stock exchanges next week following its Rs 11,692 crore Initial Public Offering (IPO), which involves an Offer for Sale (OFS) of a 10 per cent stake by SBI and Amundi.
rediffGURU Nayagam PP, a certified career counsellor and the founder of EduJob360, answers admission related questions and guides aspirants on how to pick the right stream and college.
Thibaut Courtois, Belgium's goalkeeper, expresses confidence in his team's ability to surprise Spain in the upcoming World Cup quarter-final. Despite a shaky group stage, Belgium has shown improved form, and Courtois believes they have the qualities to challenge the European champions. He acknowledges Spain's strengths but highlights Belgium's potential for an upset, drawing on his personal experience playing in Spain.
The complete schedule and all the results of FIFA World Cup 2026 in IST.
Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Kuwait's air defence systems engaged 'hostile aerial targets', Jordan intercepted four missiles, and Bahrain sounded warning sirens after Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting US military installations in the region.
Neymar has suggested he may have played his final match for Brazil following their 2-1 defeat to Norway in the World Cup round of 16, a result that eliminated the five-time champions. The emotional 34-year-old scored a penalty but indicated his international career might be over, marking Brazil's worst World Cup performance since 1990.
Cape Verde, despite being a significant underdog, is confident of challenging Argentina and Lionel Messi in their World Cup knockout match.
A struggling Indian team, yet to secure a win on their UK tour, is set to make a crucial change for the third T20 International against England, likely replacing out-of-form leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi with an additional pace bowler to strengthen their attack.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin blasted the rule behind Breel Embolo's controversial red card as "unacceptable" after Argentina's 3-1 extra-time victory ended the Swiss team's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 run.
A Delhi court is considering a plea from US citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, an alleged mercenary accused in a terror conspiracy case, who is seeking an "American diet" in Tihar prison due to his inability to tolerate the standard spicy Indian prison food. He reportedly undertook a 50-day hunger strike, consuming only liquids.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to face Lionel Messi for the first time in his career during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, an occasion he described as carrying a 'sense of history' given his long-standing admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Chief coach Amol Muzumdar lauded the Indian women's cricket team for their historic 270-run Test victory over England at Lord's, attributing the success to a blend of 'patience mixed with the right amount of aggression' and highlighting centurion Yastika Bhatia's 'special knock' and pacer Kranti Gaud's 'controlled line and length'.
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina says the World Cup's new anti-time-wasting rules have been a major success, speeding up play, reducing injuries and improving discipline while defending VAR's controversial decisions.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has made three changes to his starting XI for the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, bringing Reece James and Djed Spence into the defence, while Argentina's Lionel Scaloni makes one switch, with Giuliano Simeone replacing Rodrigo De Paul.
An emotional Stale Solbakken praised Norway's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign after a 2-1 extra-time defeat to England ended their dream run in the quarter-finals.
In the throes of a financial crisis, the state's ruling Congress government has little to be triumphant about as Assembly elections approach next year, points out Aditi Phadnis.
The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that nearly 880 Indian nationals, including students, have been evacuated from Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
