Vijaya Mehta, a pioneering figure in modern Indian theatre and cinema, has passed away at the age of 91.
From Ikkis to Balan: The Boy, these are the 10 Indian films that truly deserved the loudest applause in the first half of 2026.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced plans to enact a stringent law against religious conversion and implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. He linked these measures to strengthening national security and preserving Bengal's cultural identity, citing concerns over infiltration and demographic changes. Adhikari also highlighted efforts in border security, distinguished between illegal immigrants and CAA refugees, and paid tribute to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is set to return to Kolkata next month for an anti-fundamentalism literary event, nearly two decades after she was forced to leave the city amid violent protests over her writings. The BJP government in West Bengal is projecting this as a reversal of past capitulation to religious fundamentalism.
France take on Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final aiming for a third consecutive World Cup final, with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele leading Les Bleus against Europe's champions.
An 11-year-old girl's body was found in a pond near Kolkata, with preliminary post-mortem reports indicating head injuries, sexual assault, and drowning. Police have arrested three individuals, including the key accused, as the investigation continues into the brutal crime.
In its list of 26 candidates for Thursday's assembly elections, 13 are from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community -- a demographic that was at the centre of the original Assam agitation.
The population is gripped by anxiety against arbitrariness and the cruelty of a state that sells its actions as minimum government, asserts Aakar Patel.
As she celebrates her 34th birthday, here's a look at seven outfits that prove her style is as versatile as it is memorable.
Argentina and England are set to clash in a World Cup semi-final, marking their first such encounter, a match deeply rooted in decades of historical and footballing rivalry, including infamous incidents involving Antonio Rattin, Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal, and the Falklands War.
The chapter, State and Society up to 1000 CE, says the Vedic period is 'often described as a period during which women held a high and respectful position in society'.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will attend the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on July 23, where the King will read his message from the King's Baton, officially declaring the scaled-down multi-sport event open.
Cape Verde, making their World Cup debut, have defied expectations by drawing with football giants Spain and Uruguay.
Wolfgang Petersen's Troy is grand, star-studded and visually impressive, but it never quite lives up to the epic that inspired it.
A bus-truck collision on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Dausa, Rajasthan, resulted in eight fatalities and 24 injuries. The impact caused both vehicles to catch fire, with five victims burnt alive. The injured are stable, and authorities are working to identify the deceased.
Germany's 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira sees no identity crisis in his brother Rani playing for Tunisia at FIFA World Cup 2026.
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim has called for Shreyas Iyer to assert his authority as captain in international cricket, criticising his tactical decisions in recent T20I losses against Ireland and England. Karim also suggested crucial batting order changes, advocating for Sanju Samson and Suryansh Shedge to be included in the playing XI to address India's struggles with English conditions and middle-order scoring.
At least five people were killed and several others injured in a shooting at a youth welfare facility in the northern German city of Stade on Monday, CNN reported, citing local police.
The Delhi high court ordered the restoration of the Cockroach Janta Party's X handle on Tuesday after the Centre informed it that the account was withheld to prevent "chaos" ahead of the NEET re-test and that there would be no difficulty revoking it now.
A clarification by the ministry of external affairs that the passport is not a proof of citizenship has once again brought to the fore the need for a legal framework to provide citizens with a single document to establish they are Indians.
Mexico manager Javier Aguirre said he was leaving with pride despite the pain of elimination after losing to England in the FIFA World Cup.
Police in Meerut have arrested two individuals for allegedly running a fake Common Service Centre (CSC) to open fraudulent bank accounts using forged documents of unsuspecting, needy people. The accused used these accounts for online financial frauds, leading to the recovery of numerous fake IDs, bank cards, and other incriminating evidence.
One of the most important provisions this year is that qualifying NEET-PG does not automatically guarantee participation in counselling.
Alexis MacAllister has puts Argentina ahead in the10th minute.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and States regarding a plea alleging the misuse of Aadhaar cards as proof of citizenship, domicile, and residential address. The petition argues that despite legal provisions, Aadhaar is being used for purposes beyond identity verification, potentially aiding illegal immigrants, and calls for a comprehensive overhaul of electoral verification processes.
A caste recalibration is simmering just below the surface in UP.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has formed a three-member review committee to investigate the removal of the film "Satluj" from the ZEE5 OTT platform. The film, which depicts the life of activist Jaswant Singh Khalra during Punjab's turbulent 1990s, was briefly available before being taken down, sparking criticism from political parties and Sikh bodies.
The Odisha government has officially changed the English spellings of 64 places, including major cities like Cuttack (now Kataka) and Balasore (now Baleshwar), to align with Odia phonetics. This move aims to preserve the state's linguistic and cultural identity by correcting colonial-era anglicised names and standardising official records.
Scientists at IIT Mandi have identified the cellular signature of anaesthesia in plants, a discovery that challenges conventional understanding of consciousness. Their research shows plants respond to anaesthetics in a synchronised manner, reorganising cellular nuclei despite lacking a brain or nervous system, suggesting a more sentient nature than previously believed and resonating with ancient Indian philosophical thought.
The once promising YRF Spy Universe, which delivered Bollywood's first Rs 500 crore grosser with Pathaan, is now grappling with an uncertain future as recent releases like Alpha and War 2 fail to ignite the box office.
FIFA has confirmed that rainbow flags will be permitted at the World Cup match between Egypt and Iran in Seattle, which coincides with the city's Pride weekend. This decision comes despite objections from Egypt and Iran, where homosexuality is criminalised, and FIFA's attempt to distance itself from the "Pride Match" designation, stating it's a local initiative.
Police in Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir, have arrested a man identified as Ankush for allegedly impersonating an Intelligence Bureau (IB) official. He was apprehended after being intercepted and found with a fake identity card, following which he was taken into custody for questioning.
Amid the passport row, Shashi Tharoor has proposed legal changes to simplify proof of Indian citizenship.
Paraguay's President Santiago Pena declared a national holiday to celebrate the country's stunning 4-3 penalty shootout victory over four-time world champions Germany in the World Cup round of 16.
The Indian government has issued a notice to Meta regarding WhatsApp's upcoming username feature, warning the platform not to roll it out until concerns about potential fraud, impersonation, and public safety are addressed to the government's satisfaction.
Brazil's World Cup campaign ended with a 2-1 defeat to Norway as Carlo Ancelotti's gamble on experienced stars backfired, exposing deeper structural issues and leaving the five-time champions facing a long road back to the summit of world football.
For the foreseeable future, the most likely outcome remains continuation of the status quo. Taiwan will remain self-governing without formally declaring independence, while China continues to apply sustained pressure short of war, predict Krishnan Srinivasan and Manoj Mohanka.
Democratic Republic of Congo's national football team, known as 'The Leopards', make a striking and stylish entrance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
'The final electoral roll will be published on October 7, 2026.' 'If someone who is otherwise eligible does not find his/her name in that electoral roll, they can fill Form 6 along with other necessary documents to enrol his/her name in the electoral roll after the final publication of the electoral roll also.'
Three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MPs, including Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and, within hours, were named the saffron party's candidates for the Rajya Sabha bypolls from West Bengal, underlining both their political rehabilitation and the party's calibrated shift in inducting leaders from the erstwhile ruling dispensation.
