UPI QR codes have recorded the fastest growth in digital payments infrastructure in the financial year 2024-25, with a 91.5 per cent jump over the previous financial year to 657.9 million, according to the latest RBI data.

The surge in UPI QR codes was accompanied by a slowdown in the growth rate of credit card transactions to 7.94 per cent year-on-year, while debit card additions registered a mere 2.7 per cent growth to 991 million.

The growth in the number of UPI QR codes has been accelerating with the increasing deployment by platforms like Google Pay, Paytm, and PhonePe.

The number of banks going live on UPI continues to increase, and the total touched 668 in April, which is expected to increase the value of such transactions, according to bank officials.

The officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were conducting raids and search operations at multiple locations in and around Kolkata on Tuesday in relation to a case pertaining to massive irregularities in admission to private medical colleges in West Bengal under Non-Resident Indian (NRI) quota.

At the same time, sources aware of the development said that notices for interrogation have been sent to at least 50 people, most of whom are either close relatives or associates of several politically influential individuals in the state.

Those who have been served with notices, sources added, have also been asked to submit their financial details, including income tax returns, bank accounts, and properties registered in their names, to the central agency.

The government on Tuesday said it has given approval for an off-campus centre of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

The centre will be set up in accordance with the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023, according to the Ministry of Education.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, congratulated IIFT on receiving the approval.

“Heartiest congratulations to IIFT on getting approval to open its new off-campus centre in GIFT City, India's global financial hub. This paves the way for training talent in the institute's flagship programme, MBA (International Business), besides short-term training programmes and research in the area of International Trade,” the minister posted on X social media platform.

The approval under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, comes after IIFT’s successful compliance with the conditions laid out in the Letter of Intent (LoI) issued in January 2025.

In a heart-wrenching incident, three persons, including two teenagers, drowned in a temple pond on Tuesday morning while participating in the Brahmotsavam festival in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu.

The victims have been identified as Hariharan (16), Venkatramanan (17), and Veeraraghavan (24), all students pursuing Vedic studies at the Ahobila Mutt in Selaiyur, Chennai.

The trio had travelled to Tiruvallur to take part in the annual festival at the Sri Vaidhya Veeraraghava Swamy Temple, a prominent religious event that draws devotees from across the region.

According to a senior official of the Tiruvallur police, the three went to the temple pond early Tuesday morning to perform their daily religious ablutions, which are customary for students of Vedic traditions.

While they were at the pond, one of them -- believed to be Hariharan -- accidentally slipped and fell into the deeper part of the water.

Singer Rihanna is all set to welcome her third child with A$AP Rocky as she debuted her baby bump before the 2025 Met Gala.

Rihanna revealed her pregnancy as she was entering the Carlyle Hotel. Rocky, one of the co-chairs for the Met Gala, walked the Met Gala carpet shortly after. He and his fellow co-chairs, also including Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James and Pharrell Williams, were required to arrive early, reports.

Rihanna in 2023 revealed news of her second child during her explosive Super Bowl performance.

During her performance, she cradled her midsection several times, prompting speculation on social media that she was expecting again.

The Supreme Court has decided to place assets of the apex court judges in the public domain by uploading these on its official website.

“The Full Court of the Supreme Court of India has on 1st April, 2025 decided that the statement of assets of the Judges of this Court shall be placed in the public domain by uploading the same on the website of this Court. Statements of assets of Judges already received are being uploaded. Statement of assets of other Judges will be uploaded as and when the current statement of assets is received,” said a press release issued by the top court.

In a bid towards transparency in the judiciary, all the judges of the Supreme Court had agreed to make a declaration of their assets and upload the details on the apex court website.

In a major breakthrough against ISI-backed cross-border terror networks, Punjab Police in a joint operation with the central agency recovered a cache of terrorist hardware in an intelligence-led operation in the forested area near Tibba Nangal-Kular road in SBS Nagar district, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday.

The recovery included two rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), five P-86 hand grenades and one wireless communication set.

DGP Yadav said preliminary probe indicated a coordinated operation by Pakistan’s ISI and allied terror outfits to revive sleeper cells in Punjab.

A first information report (FIR) under relevant provisions of law has been registered at the State Special Operation Cell police station in Amritsar.

Led by affordable devices, 5G smartphone shipments accounted for 86 per cent of the overall Indian market in the January-March quarter, marking a 14 per cent annual increase, according to a new report.

Notably, 5G smartphones priced between Rs 8,000 and Rs 13,000 recorded over 100 per cent YoY growth, reflecting surging demand for affordable 5G access, said the report by CyberMedia Research (CMR).

Vivo led the 5G smartphone market with a 21 per cent market share, followed by Samsung at 19 per cent.

The premium segment continued to grow, buoyed by strong demand for 5G-enabled and AI-ready smartphones, said the report.

“The Rs 10,000 and lower 5G smartphone segment witnessed over 500 per cent YoY growth in Q1 2025. This reflects strong consumer appetite for affordable 5G smartphones,” said Menka Kumari, senior analyst at CMR.

Eight people lost their lives and two others sustained critical injuries when a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) crashed into a stationary tractor loaded with corn in the Kursela police station area in Bihar's Katihar district on Tuesday.

The accident occurred around 1 am on State Highway 77, near the Bajrangbali Temple, when the SUV, reportedly part of a wedding procession, crashed into the tractor parked on the roadside.

Family members said the wedding party was going to Koskipur village near Kursela from Barhara Kothi Dibra Bazaar in Purnea district.

When the vehicle approached the Diyara Chandpur bridge, its driver reportedly lost control, leading to the accident.

The impact was so severe that the SUV was mangled beyond recognition.

Higher intakes of black tea, berries, citrus fruits, and apples may help, according to global research.

Researchers from Edith Cowan University (Australia), Queen’s University Belfast (UK), and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (US), found that foods rich in flavonoids could help to lower the risk of key components of unhealthy ageing, including frailty, impaired physical function and poor mental health.

“The goal of medical research is not just to help people live longer but to ensure they stay healthy for as long as possible,” said Dr Nicola Bondonno, Adjunct Lecturer at Edith Cowan.

Previous studies have showed people who have a higher flavonoid intake tend to live longer, and they are also less likely to get any of the major chronic diseases such as dementia, diabetes, or heart disease.