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Nagoya, Sep 27 (IANS) India made a winning start to their men’s volleyball campaign at the Asian Games 2026, defeating Vietnam 3-0 in their opening Pool C match at Aichi-Nagoya. India held their nerve in a tight first set and then took charge of the contest, eventually wrapping up a straight-sets victory 25-23, 25-21, 25-20. The Indian side had to toil hard in the first set as Vietnam kept the pressure on but the team managed to inch ahead at the all-important stages to take a 1-0 lead. India carried that momentum into the second set and played a much more assured game to win 25-21. India maintained their composure in the third set and wrapped it up 25-20 for a convincing win after getting the opportunity to close out the match. India is participating in a 16-team men’s volleyball event at the 20th Asian Games, where the teams have been divided into four pools of four. The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the quarter-finals with classification matches to determine the remaining placings. India have been pooled in Pool C alongside Vietnam, Hong Kong China and Qatar. Their last pool stage games are against Hong Kong China and Qatar. The Volleyball Federation of India has selected a 12-member squad for the continental showpiece, with setter Muthusamy Appavu the senior member of the group. Jerome Vinith Charles and Muhammad Nihal Chatham Kulangara are among the other notable players in the squad. There is no Indian representation in the women's volleyball event at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. Volleyball made its Asian Games debut at Tokyo 1958, where India claimed the bronze medal. The Indian men's team have won three medals in the history of the continental event, including silver in 1962 and bronze medals in 1958 and 1986. At the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, India finished sixth after losing to Pakistan in the classification stage. --IANS hs/vi

Nagoya, Sep 27 (IANS) Anahat Singh said she did not want to give up until the final point despite being pushed back by Malaysia’s defending champion Sivasangari Subramaniam as the Indian teenager signed off with a historic silver medal at the Asian Games 2026 here on Sunday. “I honestly just didn’t want to let it go easily. It was 3-0 for her, but I didn’t want to let any point go without a fight. I definitely didn’t play my best squash today, but I didn’t want to give up until the last point because you never know what can happen,” Anahat told IANS. The 18-year-old became the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in the Asian Games women’s singles squash event. She had earlier scripted history by becoming the first Indian to reach the women’s singles final at the continental showpiece. Sivasangari, ranked No. 5 in the world, controlled the contest with her attacking game and defence to successfully defend the gold medal she won at Hangzhou 2022. Anahat, however, looked back at her campaign with satisfaction, having beaten World No. 6 Satomi Watanabe in a dramatic semifinal after coming back from two games down and saving two match points. “Yeah, like you said, the competition’s been, I mean, Siva’s number five in the world, Satomi’s number six, so just getting to play against the top players is something that’s really special, and, of course, I’m quite happy with the silver medal,” she said. “This is my first time playing individuals, actually, and my second time playing in the Asian Games, and just getting to learn from this and be at this stage is something that is very exciting for every athlete, and also getting a medal on top of that is something I’m quite happy about.” The silver also meant Anahat missed out on the first direct qualification opportunity for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where squash will make its debut, with the singles gold medallist earning the quota. Anahat, however, said the experience would be an important part of her development over the next two years. “I tried my 100 per cent, but there are always things that work out and some things that don't, and hopefully the journey for the next two years is going to be good,” she said. The reigning Junior World Champion also had a message for young girls in India who aspire to pursue sport. “I’d just say to give it your all, and if it’s something that you really love doing and are passionate about, you should not let it go very easily, and you should just push and just enjoy every moment of it,” she said. Anahat credited her family, coaches, government and sponsors for helping her reach the highest level of the sport. "There are a lot of people I can dedicate it to. First of all, my family, my parents and my sister and just everyone; they’ve supported me through every single thing, and they’re always there in whatever I need, and of course my coaches as well,” she said. “I couldn’t have done any of this without them, and just getting to be a part of the stage and competing at the highest level is something that’s not very easy, and I’m only able to do that because of all of them,” she added. The teenager also praised the growing support for squash in India and the government’s role in helping the sport reach more athletes. “I think it’s great that there are more sports that are getting attention. Even squash has grown a lot in the last few years, and I think it’s great to see so many new players that want to pick up squash and other sports as well,” she said. “I think it’s the government’s support that really matters the most, and the fact that they’re pushing it – I’m pretty sure that it’s going to grow. Even more and more athletes can come out of this and represent India and squash and other sports at the highest level,” she added. Despite the disappointment of missing out on gold, Anahat said she was keen to savour her Asian Games experience, including her first taste of Japanese food. “It’s definitely a new experience, and it’s very exciting. You only get this once in four years, so I’m trying to savour every moment,” she said. --IANS sds/

Markets will also track US economic indicators, including consumer confidence and JOLTS job openings, as well as September inflation data from the eurozone, for clues on the global interest-rate trajectory.

Ahmedabad, September 27 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday cited a sharp decline in diesel consumption and a rapid expansion of railway electrification to highlight changes in Indian Railways since 2014.Speaking at a railway programme in Sabarmati, HM Shah said diesel consumption for railway operations had fallen from 293 crore litres in 2015-16 to 108 crore litres in 2024-25, and said the eventual target is to bring diesel use for traction down to "zero".The figures cited by the Home Minister are consistent with data released by the Railway Ministry, which said diesel consumption for traction fell by 185 crore litres between 2015-16 and 2024-25.The ministry attributed the reduction primarily to the expansion of electric traction.HM Shah also pointed to the pace of electrification, saying only around 75 km had been electrified annually in 2010-11 compared with 7,188 km in 2023-24.He compared India’s electrification level with other countries, saying: "The country had reached a level close to complete electrification."Railway Ministry data puts Switzerland at 100 per cent, India at 99.6 per cent, China at 82 per cent, Spain at 67 per cent, France at 60 per cent and the UK at 39 per cent.The Home Minister also cited increases in the railway safety budget and locomotive production capacity, putting the rise at 67 per cent and 66 per cent respectively.He referred to the expansion of bio-toilets and LHB coach production, claiming that 97 per cent of the bio-toilets and 87 per cent of LHB coach production had been achieved during PM Modi’s government.On railway investment in Gujarat, HM Shah said: " The state had received Rs 589 crore annually during 2009-14, compared with a railway allocation of Rs 17,366 crore for 2026-27."The Home Minister attributed the changes to the Modi government's emphasis on electrification, indigenous manufacturing and railway infrastructure, saying the figures represented a significant shift in the scale of investment and modernisation.

Pakistan benefits from generous tariff preferences, mostly zero tariffs on two-thirds of all product categories, under the GSP+ arrangement. Under the scheme, preferential trade access is linked to the implementation of international conventions on human rights, labour rights, environmental protection, climate change, and good governance.

Bhubaneswar: In a move aimed at streamlining administrative efficiency and prioritising public grievances, the Odisha Government has designated Mondays as a “No Meeting Day” across all state government offices. According to an official notification issued by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department, no official meetings are to be scheduled on Mondays unless an emergency […] The post Odisha Govt Declares Mondays As ‘No Meeting Day’ To Focus On Public Grievances appeared first on OdishaBytes .