India

The grand finale of Indian Idol 16 is set to take place on Sunday night. After a journey of nearly 10 months, the longest season in the show's history will conclude with six finalists vying for the coveted trophy. The finale promises an evening filled with performances, celebrity appearances, and emotional moments. Here's everything you need to know about the finale.

The Union Cabinet has approved the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The new legislation seeks to impose stricter penalties and expedite investigations into paper leaks and examination fraud. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prioritized the Bill for introduction in Parliament, with plans to table it in the Lok Sabha on Monday, according to sources cited by The Times of India.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on July 28. The meeting comes as both leaders seek to revive diplomatic negotiations to end the over four-year-long war with Russia. The announcement was made by Bloomberg, citing a White House official. During his visit, Zelenskyy will also attend Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral in Washington, D.C.

Veteran actor Shagufta Ali has spoken about her experience working with Bollywood superstar Govinda. In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, she revealed that despite his late arrivals on set, he was a "very nice person" and "fun-loving." She also claimed that Govinda is a "bigger perfectionist" than superstar Aamir Khan.

Ajay Seth, the chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), has proposed an approach to combat mis-selling in the insurance sector. He suggested that every policy should be traceable back to an individual point of sales person (POSP), agent, or salesperson. The proposal was made at the silver jubilee conclave of the Insurance Brokers Association of India (IBAI) in New Delhi on Saturday.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking accountability for the "barbaric assault" on students at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on July 20. In his letter, Gandhi highlighted that the students were peacefully protesting for a "fair and accountable education system" but were met with brute force instead of being heard by the government. He alleged that security forces used indiscriminate force, including lethal weapons and tear gas, injuring hundreds during t

Zimbabwe suffered a 90-run defeat to India in the 2nd T20I at Harare Sports Club. Chasing 220, the hosts perished for 129 in 17.5 overs. While Brian Bennett scored a fluent 32 off 19 balls, spinner Abhishek Sharma took three wickets. According to Cricbuzz, Zimbabwe recorded their fourth-biggest defeat to India in T20Is (by runs). Have a look at this list.

Sony Entertainment Television and SonyLIV have dropped the first look of their upcoming project, Indian Game Show with Bharti and Harssh. The series, hosted by popular comedian couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa, is set to feature celebrities competing in a variety of hilarious games. The first promo gives us a glimpse into the comedic chaos that awaits.

Nepal has formally requested India to accept its biometric National Identity (NID) card as a valid travel document for cross-border trips. The proposal, which seeks to include the NID card alongside passports and citizenship certificates, has been sent through diplomatic channels to New Delhi. The request is currently awaiting a formal response from the Indian government.

The broader market indices continued their downward trend for the second consecutive week, mirroring the performance of benchmark indices. The decline comes amid rising global uncertainty over renewed tensions in the Middle East, which have pushed Brent crude prices above $100 per barrel. However, despite these challenges, stock-specific buying and mixed Q1 earnings from Indian companies have helped the broader market outperform benchmark indices during this period.

Prince George, the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, is set to start his five-year journey at Eton College in September. The 13-year-old will be studying at the prestigious institution until he turns 18 in July 2031. However, unlike most kids of his age, George won't be getting a smartphone anytime soon.

India's primary market is gearing up for a busy August, with over a dozen companies planning initial public offerings (IPOs) that could raise more than ₹25,000 crore. The upcoming IPOs will be across sectors and will include both fresh share sales and offers for sale (OFS). The move comes as improving market sentiment encourages issuers to go ahead with their fundraising plans.

Actor Anjali Anand, who recently starred in the successful film Dhamaal 4, has opened up about the concept of "pretty privilege" in the industry. In an interview with Zoom, she revealed that many filmmakers have cast her without even knowing her body of work. This, she believes, is a form of "pretty nepotism." However, she also stressed that there's no substitute for talent.

Zimbabwe suffered a 90-run defeat to India in the 2nd T20I at Harare Sports Club. Chasing 220, the hosts perished for 129. This was after Brian Bennett scored a fluent 32 off 19 balls. Although Bennett fell shortly after starting well, he achieved a significant feat. He became the third Zimbabwe batter to complete 2,000 runs in men's T20Is.

Jaipur has become a city in India to get a government-backed taxi service. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma launched 'Bharat Taxi,' a cooperative ride-hailing platform, at HCM RIPA on Saturday. The platform is designed to offer affordable and reliable transportation services while empowering drivers by making them stakeholders in the business.

The first-look motion poster of the upcoming Malayalam investigative thriller Pradhama Dhrishtya Kuttakkar, starring Parvathy Thiruvothu, has been released. The film is directed by Shahad and produced by 11 Icons Film Productions. It will hit theaters on September 11.

Prithvi Sanghani, a young engineer from Gujarat, was instrumental in developing the autopilot control system for Vikram-1. The rocket was launched by Indian space start-up Skyroot Aerospace on July 18. The maiden orbital mission, dubbed "Mission Aagaman," took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota with several customer payloads and in-orbit experiments.

Israel's tourism ministry is optimistic about restoring Indian visitor numbers to pre-war levels by 2027. The optimism is based on improved marketing, better air connectivity, a simplified visa process, and strengthened bilateral relations. Amruta Bangera, Director of Marketing at the Israel Ministry of Tourism, said that before the conflict disrupted growth, Israel had witnessed one of its strongest tourism recoveries after COVID-19.

A humanoid robot, named Sally, is being introduced at Salamanca High School in New York as part of a pilot program. The initiative also includes an AI teaching assistant. However, the move has been met with criticism: teachers deem it "inappropriate," while local Native American residents call it "culturally tone deaf."

The Japanese tuning company, Liberty Walk, has given a new livery to the two Andretti Formula E cars. The new livery features chrome, silver and blue colors and is inspired by the modified Nissan R34 Skyline. This eye-catching design will make its debut at Japan's first-ever night race for Formula E, adding an element of nostalgia to modern-day street racing.