Rediff

The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that authorities in Muscat are examining claims that the family of Indian merchant navy captain Ashish Kumar received ransom calls following his disappearance after a drone or missile attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Indian men's football team, led by head coach Khalid Jamil, will play high-profile friendlies against Panama, five-time world champions Brazil, and two-time world champions Uruguay in September and October.

Naib Subedar Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve, a 27-year-old from a farming village in Karnataka, is set to represent India at the Asian Games in shooting, a sport he discovered only after joining the Indian Army in 2018 with no prior sporting ambition.

A court in New Delhi has acquitted 12 persons accused of murder, rioting, and dacoity in a 2020 northeast Delhi riots case, saying that criminal liability cannot be fastened on a person merely because he was a member of an unlawful assembly without proof of his individual acts.

China on Monday dismissed claims linking its massive hydropower projects in Tibet to the August 26 flash flood disaster in Nepal, calling them malicious speculation.

Former India cricketer Suresh Raina's son, Rio, has started his cricketing journey, with Raina expressing his excitement to relive the game through his son's experiences.

Captain Tilak Varma's unbeaten 106 and Shreyas Gopal's 87 helped South Zone secure a vital 90-run first-innings lead against North Zone in their Duleep Trophy semifinal, overcoming an early collapse.

Penguin Random House India has denied any external pressure influenced its decision not to publish Sonia Gandhi's memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', stating an 'impasse over a particular issue' led to the author's team withdrawing the book.

A special POCSO court in Vadodara has sentenced five men to life imprisonment for the gang-rape of a minor girl during Navratri two years ago. The court described the crime as most heinous and ordered Rs 10 lakh compensation for the survivor, emphasising the seriousness of violence against women, especially during a religious festival.

Indian head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged the absence of 'clutch player' Jemimah Rodrigues due to injury for the Women's Asia Cup but emphasised the team's strong hunger for success in upcoming tournaments, including the Asia Cup and Asian Games.

'It's crazy, winning against Novak in 2026, on Arthur Ashe'

Chelsea, under new manager Xabi Alonso, has shown renewed attacking vigour with two Premier League wins and a League Cup victory, highlighted by a 4-3 win over Brighton, but defensive vulnerabilities persist, with the team failing to keep a clean sheet in 18 league games. The arrival of World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez is expected to bolster the backline.

Conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar has been sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment by a Delhi court for impersonating a Supreme Court judge and attempting to influence a bail proceeding. The court emphasised the need for a deterrent message against manipulating the justice system, especially given the rise of sophisticated impersonation techniques.

Indian table tennis player Ankur Bhattacharjee achieved a significant milestone by winning his first WTT men's singles title and a doubles gold with Akash Pal at the WTT Feeder Olomouc tournament. Bhattacharjee defeated Slovenian Deni Kozul in the singles final and, alongside Pal, secured the doubles title against Hungarian and Polish opponents.

The Supreme Court has declined to issue orders prohibiting a protest march called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) for September 5. The court stated its expectation that all parties would act peacefully and lawfully, directing the petitioner to a High Powered Enquiry Committee. The CJP's march aims to protest the Centre's alleged failure to honour promises made regarding examination irregularities and police violence during previous agitations.

Augmont Enterprises Ltd, an integrated gold and silver platform, saw its shares list with a premium of nearly 22 per cent against the issue price of Rs 788 on its market debut.

'The number of airport bundles that may be awarded to a single bidder would be capped.'

Hundreds of Pune residents have protested against the use of loud music and DJ systems during the upcoming Ganesh festival, citing health issues and noise pollution. Ganesh Mandals, however, claim selective targeting and have pledged to follow guidelines to reduce noise.

The Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking mandatory and uniform labelling of ethanol percentage in petrol at fuel pumps. The petitioner, Narendra Kumar Goswami, was advised to approach the jurisdictional high court for relief, with the Attorney General arguing it was a proxy litigation.

A school bus driver in Delhi has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a three-year-old nursery student. The incident came to light after the child's family noticed injuries, leading to her identifying the accused from school footage. The arrest was made under the POCSO Act, and preliminary investigations suggest multiple instances of abuse. The incident has also drawn political criticism regarding the handling of child abuse cases in the capital.

Filmmaker Kuku Kohli passed away in Mumbai last week after suffering a heart attack, prompting a gathering of Bollywood personalities to pay their homage.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly condemned the alleged desecration of the Indian flag and pro-Khalistan slogans by protesters outside Madison Square Garden in New York, where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed the Indian-American community. Rijiju warned against insulting the nation and its flag, while Bhagwat spoke on unity in diversity.

Subhash Chandra hoped that the lenders would discuss the matter with the borrowers, reconcile the outstanding accounts, and get paid by the borrowers.

England captain Joe Root expresses confidence in overcoming his recent batting slump, citing his extensive experience and over 14,000 Test runs as proof of his ability to navigate difficult periods. He also addressed the team's responsible celebration following their series win.

Manoj Bajpayee has expanded his real estate portfolio with the acquisition of 4.45 acres of agricultural land in Pune's scenic Mulshi taluka.

Surging growth in sales by companies hasn't translated into higher salaries just yet.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that India is likely to sustain economic growth of 7 per cent or more in 2026-27, continuing the pace recorded since the Covid-19 pandemic, despite geopolitical uncertainties and supply-chain disruptions.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam attributed his team's 194-run defeat against England in the second Test at Lord's primarily to their batting failures in both innings, despite winning the toss and opting to bowl first.

Bengaluru's Ujaan Shivarama, a 15-year-old mountaineer, has successfully summited the 6,250-metre Kang Yatse II peak in Ladakh, making him one of the youngest Indians to achieve this feat. He faced extreme weather conditions and was part of a team where only three out of 14 experienced climbers reached the summit.

Novak Djokovic, hampered by illness and injuries, suffered a shocking first-round exit at the U.S. Open, losing to unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone in a gruelling five-set match, marking his earliest Grand Slam departure since 2006.

'In the wake of this tragedy, India will provide power to Nepal if and when the requirement for the same is communicated to India as per their needs.'

The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has tragically risen to 903, with 4,247 people still reported missing, including security personnel and foreigners. India has dispatched an 18-member team of forensic experts to assist with DNA analysis and identification of victims.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old batter, made history by becoming the youngest player to score a half-century in the Duleep Trophy. Playing for East Zone against Central Zone, he scored an unbeaten 80 off 69 balls, breaking a 57-year-old record.

India's fertiliser ministry has introduced a new analytical tool and a national-to-retail dashboard to monitor fertiliser dispatches, movement, and inventories in real time, aiming to prevent localised shortages and ensure equitable access for farmers.

A new scientific report reveals that the recent devastating floods in Nepal's Bhotekoshi-Trishuli corridor were triggered by a massive ice-rock avalanche from the high Himalayas, challenging initial assumptions of rainfall or glacial lake outburst floods.

India opener Shafali Verma acknowledged the team's batting unit needs to address its shortcomings on turning pitches, despite securing a 94-run victory against Thailand in the Women's Asia Cup opener. Verma, who scored a brisk 64, noted that while the new ball came on well, the older ball gripped and turned, causing difficulties for the middle order. She emphasised the need for adaptation and praised Thailand's improving performance.

The August 26, 2026 flash flood and mudslides devastated Nepal, leaving homes destroyed, families grieving, and thousands unaccounted for.'Drone views reveal mud-covered villages while survivors search for belongings and mourn loved ones. Relief operations continue as military and police forces airlift survivors, transport victims, and assist communities in the aftermath of the disaster.

Bangladesh Cricket Board President Tamim Iqbal remains optimistic about a white-ball series against India, despite the originally planned September window being missed. He confirmed that both boards are actively seeking a suitable time, highlighting positive intentions from both sides. Iqbal also reflected on past tensions, including Bangladesh's withdrawal from the 2025 ODI World Cup, acknowledging that negotiations could have been handled better.

Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes has labelled his 10-match ban, imposed by FIFA following an altercation with Spanish players after the World Cup final, as 'excessive' and believes it can be reduced upon appeal.

Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi stated that Islam is greater than other religions and expressed a desire to visit Mecca, despite being a non-Muslim. These remarks, made at a mass marriage event, drew sharp criticism from BJP leader R Ashoka, who accused the minister of portraying Sanatana Dharma in an inferior light and demanded his apology or removal from the cabinet by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Real Madrid continued their flawless start to the LaLiga season with a commanding 4-0 victory over promoted Malaga on Sunday.

Carlos Alcaraz is set to return to the US Open after a nearly five-month absence due to a wrist injury, with fellow professionals expressing confidence in his ability to quickly regain form despite the layoff.

If that name means nothing to you, you're not alone. It meant nothing to most people we met that day either. Including, as it turned out, some of them standing right next to his tomb.

Making UPI payments fee-based for some transactions could enhance mental reservations against digital payments -- which have largely been overcome -- once more. Do we want to regress?, asks R Jagannthan.

The reforms, undertaken by the Department of Defence Production, remove stakeholder consultation for exports of non-lethal defence items to most destinations, while retaining safeguards for sensitive countries.

A 16-year-old Class 11 student was allegedly gang-raped inside a sleeper bus in Delhi's Kashmere Gate area, leading to the arrest of the driver and conductor.

Despite a record-breaking opening day, Toxic has experienced a significant and disheartening decline in its box office collections.

The United States launched military action against two Iranian launch systems on Larak Island, prompting Iran to claim retaliation with ballistic missile launches targeting two US air bases in Jordan.

'There is mis-alignment in strategic thinking of the board and management.' 'As the business environment and customer behaviour evolve rapidly, boards are increasingly looking for leaders who can bring new ideas and challenge legacy approaches.'

Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced declines in early trade due to renewed tensions in West Asia, which led to a rebound in crude oil prices, coupled with weak global market trends and foreign fund outflows.