When I planned my 27th birthday trip to Kerala, I had a very clear vision in mind. There would be beaches. There would be the backwaters. There would be long boat rides, cute cafs and perhaps a fancy dinner overlooking the water. What I did not anticipate was celebrating my birthday with Lionel Messi.
Former US President Donald Trump posted a digitally altered image on Truth Social depicting Barack and Michelle Obama on Air Force One covered in graffiti. This incident follows a previous controversy where Trump's account shared and later deleted a 'racist' video portraying the Obamas as apes, leading to widespread bipartisan backlash.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino downplayed his team's 3-2 loss to Turkey in a World Cup group stage match, emphasising that the United States still finished top of Group D.
Six military personnel, who died in the line of duty during Operation Sindoor last year, have been officially recognised and their names inscribed on a wall at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. This marks the first public release of their names since the operation in May 2025, which was conducted in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Free, customizable "fan bands" have become the unexpected must-have souvenir at the 2026 World Cup, with over 700,000 distributed. Sponsored by Bank of America, these charm wristlets feature subtle branding and have gone viral, even appearing on resale platforms. This marketing strategy offers a counterpoint to the tournament's high ticket and merchandise prices, proving that unique, free items can create significant fan engagement and brand visibility.
Belgium look to have found their best playing style at the World Cup after thrashing co-hosts the US 4-1 on Monday, but the successful tinkering of coach Rudi Garcia has come at a cost to his top players.
One 97 Communications, operating as Paytm, announced that its subsidiary, Paytm Europe Payments, has secured a payment institution licence from Luxembourg's financial regulator, CSSF, effective July 2, 2026. This licence permits services like execution of payment transactions, credit transfers, and acquiring payment transactions, marking a significant step in Paytm's European expansion strategy, supported by a recent 9 million euro investment from Paytm Cloud Technologies Limited.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc won the British Grand Prix under safety car conditions in late drama on Sunday as Mercedes's Kimi Antonelli failed to score for the second time in three races and saw his once-commanding Formula One lead slashed to 25 points.
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that star forward Neymar is fully fit for the World Cup but acknowledged the player's frustration over limited game time. Ancelotti praised Neymar's character and confirmed he can play a full 90 minutes, indicating he will be deployed when the team needs him.
By the time Ikka reaches its overblown finale, complete with a redundant trick ending, the verdict becomes clear: Melodrama wins, logic loses, observes Mayur Sanap.
Legendary Indian goalkeeper Brahmananda Sankhwalkar reflects on the emotional FIFA World Cup exits of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Junior. He discusses their unfulfilled World Cup dreams, their rivalry with Lionel Messi, and the circumstances of their respective team's eliminations, highlighting their enduring legacy despite the absence of a World Cup trophy.
England inflicted a record T20 defeat on India, winning by 125 runs at Trent Bridge, with Josh Tongue taking 4-28 and Jofra Archer 3-29, to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The United States' World Cup dreams came to a crashing halt in the last 16 against Belgium on Monday as Charles De Ketelaere scored twice in a 4-1 win, overshadowed by FIFA's controversial decision to suspend US forward Folarin Balogun's ban.
Former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani reckons selectors missed an opportunity by leaving teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out of the Ireland T20Is, and says he should now be backed for the white-ball series against England, starting on Wednesday (July 1).
Prohibition never stopped anyone from drinking in Gujarat. It only made the stories that come after a lot more interesting, recounts Binu Alex.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has proposed a 20-point policy agenda to the finance ministry, including a conflict-linked emergency credit line guarantee scheme and tax rationalisation on energy inputs, to support MSMEs, exporters, and energy-intensive industries affected by the ongoing West Asia war.
Four-time champions Germany suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in a FIFA World Cup group stage match, marking a historic upset. This loss highlighted Germany's persistent defensive issues, as they have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine World Cup games. Despite an early lead, Germany succumbed to Ecuador's determined comeback, which secured Ecuador's progression to the round of 32.
US President Donald Trump has abruptly withdrawn from a peace deal with Iran, citing fresh intelligence of Iranian assaults on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The decision, made just a fortnight after celebrating the deal, has led to a significant military escalation in the region, with the US launching extensive counter-operations against Iranian military infrastructure.
Samridhii Shukla has become one of television's most-loved faces thanks to her portrayal of Abhira Sharma Poddar in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.
Kolkata Knight Riders' new jersey for IPL 2026 features a design called 'Lines of Legacy' which commemorates iconic moments in the two-time champions' history.
Dentists don't 'replace fillings' on a schedule; they replace them only when it is warranted -- like when X-ray/examination shows leakage, crack, or decay, says rediffGURU Dr Shyam Jamalabad.
At The Odyssey's Mumbai press conference with Christopher Nolan and the cast.
In a statement issued following the announcement of the US-mediated deal, Qassem characterised the agreement as a 'humiliating' and 'shameful' surrender of Lebanese sovereignty that prioritises Israeli and American dictates over the nation's independence.
Mumbai and its metropolitan region are experiencing severe monsoon rains, leading to widespread waterlogging, transport disruptions, and the closure of schools and colleges. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'extremely heavy rainfall' alert, with some areas receiving nearly 200 mm of rain in 12 hours, prompting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to urge residents to avoid non-essential travel.
Adani Group and Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer have selected Dholera, Gujarat, as the location for a final assembly line for Embraer's regional jets. This strategic collaboration, formalised by an MoU in January, aims to boost India's Regional Transport Aircraft programme and align with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and UDAN scheme. Embraer sees immense potential in the Indian market across various aviation segments.
Tata Steel plans to invest approximately Rs 20,000 crore in capital expenditure during the current financial year (FY27), a significant increase from the previous year, with 60 per cent of this allocation directed towards its India business for expansion, new technologies, and sustainability.
Japan delivered a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia in the World Cup's 1,000th match on Saturday to move to the brink of the knockout stages, while the North Africans were eliminated after a second successive defeat in Group F.
Bollywood celebrities are embracing innovative and unique denim styles, moving beyond classic jeans to incorporate elements like shoelace patterns, diamond embellishments, 3D flowers, and monogrammed designs, setting new fashion trends.
Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) has successfully deployed advanced drone technology for inspecting high voltage transmission corridors, leading to an 85 per cent reduction in power outages. This initiative has improved operational efficiency, workforce safety, and enabled precise fault detection and predictive maintenance across over 11,000 transmission towers and 3,370 km of lines.
A man has been arrested for allegedly stealing signalling cables on the newly-inaugurated Delhi Metro corridor between Deepali Chowk and Majlis Park, causing disruption to the signalling system.
'It was only after Aishwarya ran for 100 days and became a massive hit that Shah Rukh Khan signed Deepika Padukone.'
Meta's new Muse Image AI generator, which can create AI images from public Instagram accounts without explicit consent, has sparked significant privacy concerns and criticism over its 'opt-in-by-default' approach, raising fears of deepfakes and online impersonation.
Kidambi Srikanth ended his impressive run with a runner-up finish at the US Open Super 300 badminton tournament after going down fighting in three games to Chinese Taipei's Su Li-yang.
Dhamaal 4, the latest instalment in the comedy franchise, struggles with lazy writing, recycled jokes, and an over-reliance on self-referential humour, despite a committed cast.
Former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova defeated fifth seed Mirra Andreeva in a hard-fought three-set match, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, to advance to the third round of the All England Club.
Hollywood veteran Jodie Foster has controversially suggested that Brad Pitt's recent film "F1" was created using Artificial Intelligence, citing its formulaic structure and dialogue. She discussed the growing influence of AI in the film industry, acknowledging its potential to replace jobs but also its utility if filmmakers can control the technology.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest scorer in a FIFA World Cup knockout match, but Portugal coach Roberto Martinez's bold decision to substitute his captain paid off as Goncalo Ramos scored a dramatic late winner against Croatia.
India and Bangladesh are seemingly moving closer to resuming bilateral cricket ties, with a six-match white-ball series in September now appearing likely after a gap of nearly a year in scheduled meetings between the two sides.
India is navigating a complex diplomatic landscape, attempting to balance its 'forever honeymoon' with the Israel-UAE-Bahrain axis against its historical ties with Iran, as evidenced by recent high-level visits and evolving geopolitical realignments in the Middle East, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The Nifty IT index has been one of the worst sectoral performers in calendar year 2026, losing nearly 29 per cent till date compared to the 8 per cent dip in the Nifty 50 index.
