Rediff

A police constable has been arrested in connection with the Bhavnagar hooch tragedy, which has claimed 13 lives in Gujarat. This brings the total number of arrests to 39, as investigations reveal the constable's links to the prime accused and his involvement in the offence.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has cancelled its planned September 5 protest after the Centre assured the Supreme Court of closing FIRs against NEET paper leak protesters and providing compensation to families of students who died. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought three months to finalise compensation modalities.

Two Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers have been arrested in Pune for allegedly removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph from a government polytechnic office. The incident occurred during a visit by MNS leader Amit Thackeray, who is also facing a case related to the alleged act. BJP criticised the MNS leader for political immaturity.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has come under fire from former players after sacking head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, and sending back seven players, including national T20 captain Salman Ali Agha, in the middle of their Test series against England. The drastic changes followed Pakistan's heavy defeats in the first two Tests, prompting widespread condemnation for the timing and impact on team morale and stability.

India pacer Gurnoor Brar discusses how bowling alongside senior quicks Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj has improved his consistency in lengths.

A 15-year-old boy from Kollam, Allen James, has become a social media sensation due to his striking resemblance to Spanish football star Lamine Yamal.

Siddhesh Lad has been appointed as the new captain of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team, replacing Shardul Thakur, who was relieved to manage his workload. Lad, a seasoned batter, returns to lead the domestic giants after a stellar previous season.

The proposed arrangement would involve sub-assembly kits produced at Lockheed Martin's facility in Troy, Alabama, and guidance electronics units manufactured at Raytheon's facility in Tucson, Arizona, being shipped to India for final assembly and integration.

Lionel Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, has announced his retirement from the national team, a decision he described as 'a decision that hurts the soul.'

India batter Mayank Agarwal has signed with Durham for the final four matches of the County Championship's Division Two, aiming to help the team secure promotion to Division One.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

'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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

India have never looked so vulnerable in Test cricket in recent times. They need a complete reset of their approach to Test cricket, and perhaps a new coach with fresh ideas could revitalise Shubman Gill and his boys.

Novak Djokovic, a four-time champion, suffered a shock first-round exit at the US Open, losing to unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone in a gruelling five-set match, marking his earliest Grand Slam departure since 2006.

An FIR has been registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Haldwani following a complaint from a Valmiki community member. The complaint alleges Gandhi gave a casteist interpretation to a religious ritual performed after an AICC chief's programme, hurting community sentiments. The case involves provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, stemming from a political row over a 'purification yajna' at a rally venue.

South African pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against Australia due to a right hamstring strain and faces uncertainty regarding his participation in the subsequent three-match Test series.

Any military response to a cross-border terror attack from Pakistan will have to take into account the new alignments beginning to take shape in the region, points out former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.

'The day we start making rules purely along caste lines, we only divide society further. That's the conversation the government needs to have, and soon.'

Tennis legend Roger Federer described his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame as one of the greatest honours of his life, expressing his joy at immersing himself in the sport's history and finding his place among his heroes.

Two suspected sharpshooters, Mohit and Sumit, wanted in the murder of Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan, were killed in a police encounter in Shamli. The accused, carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 each, died during treatment after being injured in retaliatory police firing. Balyan was shot dead on August 26 outside a gym.

Ukrainian tennis players Marta Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina both secured dominant victories in their opening matches at the U.S. Open, with Kostyuk defeating Storm Hunter and Svitolina overcoming Solana Sierra.

Arun Singh Dhumal and Khairul Jamal Majumdar are poised for unopposed re-election to the IPL Governing Council at the upcoming BCCI Annual General Meeting on September 18. The election process, including nomination dates and candidate scrutiny, has been outlined by the BCCI Electoral Officer.

Jessica Pegula cruised into the US Open second round with a straight-sets win, while 27th seed Barbora Krejcikova became the first seeded casualty despite saving six match points.

Germany retained the Men's Hockey World Cup with a disciplined 1-0 victory over Spain, matching Pakistan's record four titles, while Argentina secured bronze by defeating the Netherlands.