Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has criticised the CBI raids on his OSD and others, alleging it's part of the BJP's election campaign strategy in non-BJP ruled states. The CBI registered a corruption case following directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which noted prima facie evidence of corruption. Mann dismissed the allegations, stating his government is not involved in corruption and will cooperate with investigations.
The second round of the Ranji Trophy will see India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill return to action for Punjab, while Mumbai will be without key players Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ayush Mhatre due to India A duties and injury, respectively, setting the stage for crucial encounters across the country.
Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant were not picked in Indian team for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies, while Ruturaj Gaikwad made a return to the one-day team.
Daniel Sean James, 44, is charged with the murder of 24-year-old Indian national Kirandeep Kaur, who was fatally stabbed in her west London home in July. The trial is scheduled for April 2027. The incident sparked community concerns, with some groups suggesting it might be an anti-Sikh hate crime, especially following another recent conviction for a similar crime.
Nirbhay Choudhary and Haqikat Grewal set new meet records in hammer throw at the Indian Open U23 Athletics Competition in Jaipur. Other records were also broken in men's 400m hurdles and 10,000m track race on the concluding day of the three-day event.
A mobile technician was arrested in Punjab for allegedly hacking a customer's phone using an APK file and fraudulently withdrawing nearly Rs 2 lakh from their bank account. The accused, identified as Rohit, was apprehended following a complaint lodged in Gurugram.
Following their success in the West Bengal assembly elections, BJP leaders are now focusing on winning the Punjab assembly polls in 2027, promising to rid the state of corruption and drugs under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mohammed Shami claimed a four-wicket haul and Ravindra Jadeja scored an unbeaten half-century, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were dismissed cheaply for a duck and four runs respectively on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season.
The Election Commission has announced a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in 17 states and Union territories, including those facing assembly polls next year. This initiative aims to enrol new voters, correct existing entries, and enhance the accuracy of voter lists, with January 1, 2027, set as the qualifying date.
Abhishek Sharma's explosive 69 runs off 30 balls propelled India to a 14-run victory against the West Indies in the third T20I, giving them a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Sharma also discussed his batting partnership with Ishan Kishan and the importance of preparation.
With NEET Round 3 allotments concluded, medical aspirants are now evaluating their options, including participation in stray rounds, understanding penalties for not joining allotted seats, and exploring private or deemed university admissions.
Haryana's Under-11 table tennis players showcased a strong performance at the second National Ranking Table Tennis Championships in Panchkula, with Sreeja Aggarwal, Mahi Kumari, and Phalgun Gupta securing spots in the girls' semifinals. The tournament also saw competitive matches in the boys' U-11 category, with players from Maharashtra and West Bengal advancing.
Teenage hammer thrower Anushka Yadav broke the meet record at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships in New Delhi on Saturday with a throw of 66.53m, surpassing the previous record held by Manju Bala. She dominated the event, with her closest competitor significantly behind.
India all-rounder Naman Dhir discusses his bowling development, crediting veteran Ravindra Jadeja's advice and training at the Mumbai Indians camp. Despite not yet taking a wicket in his two ODIs, Dhir maintains a good economy rate and is working on his all-round game, including his batting, ahead of the third ODI.
Maharashtra's Rushiprasad Desai set a new men's 100m meet record, while Priya from Haryana broke the women's discus throw record at the Indian Open U23 Athletics Competition 2026 in Jaipur. Dev Kumar Meena also bettered his own pole vault record, and Unnathi Bollanda equalled the women's 100m meet record on the opening day.
Naman Dhir's batting flexibility and useful off-spin could address a missing role in India's ODI setup, with Irfan Pathan highlighting his potential following a standout domestic T20 campaign.
India all-rounder Naman Dhir made an impressive T20I debut, contributing significantly with his off-spin bowling to help India secure a win against West Indies. Despite his bowling success, Dhir, whose primary strength is batting, is eager for an opportunity to showcase his skills with the bat. He credited the IPL for preparing him for international cricket and expressed his joy at fulfilling his dream of representing India.
Ariv Dutta of West Bengal and Saksya Santosh of Karnataka secured the Under-13 boys' and girls' titles, respectively, at the second National Ranking Table Tennis Championships held in Panchkula on Thursday. Rajvardhan Tiwari and Phalgun Gupta also won the U-11 boys' and girls' titles. The championships featured intense matches across various age categories, highlighting emerging talent in Indian table tennis.
A football team from Karachi, en route to a tournament in Quetta, was robbed at gunpoint by insurgents on a Balochistan highway. The incident occurred despite official warnings about the region's security situation, highlighting the dangers faced by travellers.
All-rounder Suryansh Shedge has been named as a replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya in the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry, with Pandya ruled out due to a fresh injury concern preventing him from bowling pain-free.
India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to play for Saurashtra in their opening Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh, with Jaydev Unadkat retaining captaincy, as the team aims for a strong start to the 2026-27 season.
Pakistan's Punjab government has announced the reopening of all public and private educational institutions after implementing fuel-saving measures due to the conflict in West Asia. The decision comes as fuel supply stabilises and the government secures national fuel stocks.
The flydubai near-tragedy showed how the gratuitous conflicts their governments started in West Asia have made the world unsafe for them (and unfortunate co-passengers of other nationalities), points out Kanika Datta.
India's batting strength, highlighted by centuries from Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, is set to face the West Indies in the second ODI to seal the series. However, the team's pace-bowling combination remains a significant concern, particularly after the unsuccessful experiment with Nitish Kumar Reddy. The match is crucial for the West Indies, who are looking to keep the series alive and build confidence for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Modi's greater weakness is his inability since July when he directed the exit of Dharmendra Pradhan, to come up with a political counter strategy. Security measures and executive orders as seen in recent days will only likely further weaken him and make him as lame duck a premier as many prior to him, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh included, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
An analysis by ADR and National Election Watch reveals that 111 MPs and MLAs changed parties after winning elections between 2022 and 2026. Nagaland and West Bengal recorded the highest number of switches. The report also highlights party-level impacts and suggests reforms to the anti-defection framework.
The Indian Coast Guard, in a joint operation with the Gujarat ATS, seized 526 kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin valued at over Rs 3,000 crore from an Iranian boat in the Arabian Sea near Lakshadweep. Five Pakistani nationals operating the vessel were detained, and preliminary investigations reveal a transnational smuggling network aiming to deliver the consignment to Tamil Nadu and Punjab.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a significant reshuffle of its state in-charges and co-in-charges across all 28 states and eight Union territories, with prominent leaders like Smriti Irani and Ram Madhav assigned to crucial states, as the party gears up for upcoming assembly elections.
Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam is set to play his first domestic first-class match since 2019, a move that follows the Pakistan Cricket Board's controversial decision to send back seven players and sack coaches after the recent Test tour of England.
The Chintan Shivir is expected to discuss the progress of government schemes, policy implementation, time management, inter-ministerial coordination, and public service delivery, among others.
Tanya Chaudhary shattered the women's hammer throw national record with a distance of 68.35m at the Indian Athletics Series Final. Concurrently, Avinash Sable marked a triumphant return to the 3000m steeplechase, winning his first race in over a year. Both athletes are part of India's Asian Games contingent, with Sable also eyeing a 5000m entry. The event saw a lucrative prize fund, highlighting significant performances across various disciplines.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has clarified that young batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will need to wait for his T20I debut, prioritising consistent performers like Sanju Samson. Gambhir also addressed the impact of the Asian Games on the ODI squad selection for the upcoming West Indies series, highlighting opportunities for new talent.
Sahil of Rajasthan broke the boys' 1,000m meet record at the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships in Ludhiana, clocking 2:25.25. Haryana's Dev also surpassed the previous record, securing silver. The event also saw other notable performances across various categories for both boys and girls under 18.
Tanya Chaudhary shattered the women's hammer throw national record with a 68.35m throw at the Indian Athletics Series Final, while Avinash Sable secured an emphatic win in the men's 3000m steeplechase in his first race in over a year. Both athletes, who are part of the Asian Games team, received Rs 1 lakh prize money from the lucrative event. Chaudhary expressed her long-standing pursuit of the record and her focus on technique, while Sable aims to compete in both 3000m steeplechase and 5000m at the Asian Games after recovering from an ACL surgery.
Rajvardhan Tiwari and Debanshu Chakraborty secured quarterfinal victories in the Under-11 Boys category at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships in Kanpur. The tournament also saw thrilling five-game matches and a remarkable comeback by unseeded Inaaya in the girls' section, highlighting emerging talent.
The successful hosting of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi has provided a significant boost to the BJP, offering a timely opportunity to strengthen its narrative against the opposition ahead of crucial assembly elections next year. BJP sources highlight the BRICS grouping's strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and the consensus declaration as major diplomatic victories for the Modi government, countering criticisms of its foreign policy. The party plans to leverage these outcomes during its month-long Seva Sankalp campaign to connect with various sections of society.
Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam is set to play domestic first-class cricket for OGDCL in the President's Trophy to address his prolonged dip in Test form. Azam has struggled to score centuries since December 2022 and has faced criticism for his inability to convert starts, prompting him to seek PCB's help to participate in the longer format domestically.
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting supports Marco Jansen's late arrival for the IPL, acknowledging logistical challenges faced by South African players after the T20 World Cup.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of six hotels, restaurants, and other food establishments in Mumbai due to food safety and hygiene violations, including improper storage and the use of analogue paneer. This action is part of an ongoing inspection drive.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh has accused the BJP of orchestrating bomb blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar to destabilise Punjab ahead of elections, a claim strongly refuted by the BJP.
