A POCSO court in Assam's Dhubri district has sentenced Utpal Ray to death for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in 2023, terming the crime "rarest of rare". The convict also received life imprisonment for rape and other sentences for related offences.
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to explore a statutory framework to ensure social media intermediaries comply with Indian laws regarding minors, particularly concerning their inability to independently enter into contracts. The court highlighted the need for safeguards to protect children from potential harms on digital platforms, including exploitation and misuse of data, and asked the Solicitor General to examine incorporating these requirements into intermediary rules.
'The drought situation of Maharashtra is more severe than in 1972.'
The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of recent heinous crimes against minor girls and women in the Delhi-NCR region, highlighting a systemic failure in law enforcement. Citing parallels to the 2012 Nirbhaya case, the court demanded accountability from authorities and sought comprehensive reports on public safety measures and the utilisation of the National Database on Sexual Offenders.
Bandhani has been around for generations but the girlies are giving it a very different life now with exotic blouses, pre-draped saris, lehenga-sari hybrids and unexpected colour combinations.
World champions Spain defeated England 3-2 in a thrilling Nations League opener at Wembley, capitalising on two significant defensive errors. Mikel Oyarzabal scored the winner after England had briefly mounted a comeback. The article also covers Croatia's 2-1 win over the Czech Republic and Scotland's 0-0 draw with Slovenia.
Is there a bigger event in India than the arrival of the rains?
For five Mumbaikars who were teenagers or in their 20s during the 1980s, the decade was not a sepia-toned Instagram filter. It was their everyday life, they tell Rediff's Rishika Shah. And while they remember its limitations, what they seem to miss most is something technology can't recreate -- the unhurried warmth of human connection.
Mahindra has managed to deliver all these updates while retaining the starting ex-showroom price of 10.32 Lakh. And, that's a value play you rarely see in today's market, says Rajesh Karkera.
Indian shooter Rahi Sarnobat's Asian Games campaign was marred by a controversial scoring decision in the 25m sports pistol qualification. A shot she believed was on target was ruled to have hit the frame, resulting in a zero and severely impacting India's team medal chances. Sarnobat questioned the decision and the evidence, highlighting the need for a more effective challenge mechanism in competitive shooting.
171 IIT student deaths by suicide or other unnatural causes have been recorded between January 2006 and September 2026. Of these, 120 were recorded between 2016 and September 2026, compared with 51 in the preceding decade.
Indian footballer Jay Gupta expresses his hopes that the upcoming friendly matches against five-time world champions Brazil and Uruguay will ignite a revolution for football in India, similar to Kapil Dev's 1983 World Cup win for cricket. He views the unprecedented fixtures as a crucial opportunity for the Indian team to test their calibre against elite opposition and learn, aiming to build on their recent performance against Panama.
Mirabai Chanu secured a silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting category at the Asian Games in Nagoya, ending her 12-year pursuit for this elusive honour. This marks India's first Asian Games weightlifting medal since 1998. Chanu expressed immense relief and joy, calling it a dream fulfilled and her life complete. She also discussed her future plans regarding the 2028 Olympics' 53kg category.
Fariba Hashimi, an Afghan cyclist, made history by becoming the first Afghan woman to medal in an Asian Games cycling event, clinching silver in the road race. Her journey involved defying societal norms in Afghanistan, training in disguise, and eventually fleeing the country after the Taliban's return. Now based in Italy, Hashimi's medal symbolises hope and a fight for women's rights, aiming to inspire other Afghan women to pursue their dreams freely.
Deaf and non-verbal since birth, Sana Bahadar has found her voice through squash, overcoming financial and communication barriers while reaching the Asian Games and targeting the world top 100.
Thousands gathered on the banks of the River Thames in London for the first-ever Ganga Aarti, a traditional Hindu ceremony of light and thanksgiving. Organised by Chinmaya Mission UK as part of the 'Totally Thames' festival, the event symbolised gratitude for nature and knowledge, while also celebrating 75 years of the Chinmaya Mission. The ceremony was conducted on land to ensure environmental responsibility.
Mumbai resonated with 'Ganpati Bappa Morya' chants and dhol-tasha beats as devotees immersed Ganesh idols on Anant Chaturdashi, the final day of the 12-day festival. Over 430 idols were immersed by noon, with no untoward incidents reported, as elaborate arrangements by police and BMC ensured smooth proceedings.
'It's a shame that we as a society are far more comfortable watching violence than we are watching love.'
The CBI has registered a case against Reliance Capital Limited (RCAP), its former chairman Anil Ambani, and others for an alleged Rs 2,684.57-crore fraud. The case stems from a complaint by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) regarding investments in RCAP's non-convertible debentures, alleging criminal conspiracy, misrepresentation, and fraudulent diversion of funds causing significant loss to LIC.
Indian tennis prodigy Manas Dhamne, 18, discusses his journey as a professional, highlighting the need to regain his instinct for closing out tight matches and achieving consistent performance. Despite recent challenges, Dhamne believes his game is strong and focuses on mental consistency and continuous improvement rather than major technical changes or specific ranking targets.
'I can't imagine anybody else doing the kind of things he did in the war,' Group Captain Deb Gohain asserts about Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cook, the 1965 War hero who passed into the ages last week.
Jay Meena dreamed of becoming a cricketer, but fate had other plans.
The BCCI has announced new associate partnerships with Campa, SBI Life, and ChatGPT for India's home cricket matches. These deals are valued at over Rs 130 crore for two seasons, marking a 44% increase over the previous cycle and extending until March 2028. The partnerships highlight the growing commercial appeal and versatility of Indian cricket.
The BJP knows that there is no leader in its ranks who can match Modi's popularity or have his cult following, and what awaits is a return to the Vajpayee numbers, when allies called the shots, argues Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Sri Lanka defeated England by 16 runs in the second One-Day International at Headingley, levelling the three-match series 1-1. Captain Kusal Mendis's century and a dramatic return by an injured Jos Buttler highlighted the high-scoring encounter, with Sri Lanka ultimately prevailing despite England's strong start.
Trisha, daughter of Jharkhand Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Dipika Pandey Singh, was among four people killed when their car rammed into a stationary truck on Marine Drive Road in Jamshedpur. The accident occurred in the early hours, also claiming the lives of Sarthak Agarwal, Naman Gupta, and Vanshika Khandelwal.
The Vvaan weaves an old-fashioned yarn of spiritual beliefs against a theme of folklore horror that detours into an action-packed, bombastic Telugu supernatural territory concluding in a part harmless, part tedious watch, notes Sukanya Verma.
BSP supremo Mayawati has announced a definitive decision regarding the involvement of her brother Anand Kumar's children in the party. She stated that only Ishan Anand would be given a role, while Akash Anand and Deepika Anand would be kept away. Mayawati cited Akash Anand's conduct and his father-in-law's influence as reasons for his exclusion, emphasising her commitment to the party's integrity and following the principles of BSP founder Kanshi Ram.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the UN General Assembly, condemned the targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers in the Gulf, calling it "simply unacceptable." He also voiced deep concern over the "weaponisation of everything," which he stated has severe consequences for Global South nations, impacting peace, progress, and development globally. India urged restraint, de-escalation, and protection of civilians, while also highlighting the 4F crisis (food, fuel, fertiliser, finance) faced by developing countries.
Their stories will go unheard, filed somewhere in the banal footnotes of history. Unwritten, untold, undocumented, notes Binu Alex.
In Rediff's new series on modern marriages, young couples from across India discuss how they deal with differences of opinion, lifestyle preferences and personal choices. Here, Tanya* tells Rishika Shah/Rediff how discovering that her husband met his ex-girlfriend left her struggling to rebuild trust, even though she has no proof that he cheated.
Can't afford the new iPhone 18 Pro in that very tempting burgundy shade? We're facing the same tragedy. But before you start taking out a personal loan for a phone, may we suggest a more financially sensible alternative? Wear the colour instead.
'There is a long set of decisions that have to be made along the way for anything to actually get actuated in the real world.'
HDFC Life Insurance and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance have reported double-digit growth in profitability for the first quarter of FY27, buoyed by healthy premium collections and increased investment income, with HDFC Life's net profit rising 11.9% and ICICI Pru's by 27.8%.
A stranded message that failed for three days over telephone lines was delivered in minutes by a MiG-21 pilot flying above the desert.
'I used to earn Rs 45 for working 12 hours a day at the age of 14.' 'The situation at home was weak, so that money was very important. I did whatever work I could find.'
Leading appliance and consumer electronics manufacturers are set to increase prices of air conditioners, LED TVs, washing machines, and other products by 5 to 8 per cent from October 1, citing rising input costs for metals like copper and steel, crude derivatives, and currency exchange volatility due to the West Asia crisis.
India's first-ever Mixed Martial Arts medallist, Suchika Tariyal, has alleged that "weird weight rules" at the Asian Games robbed her of a deserving gold medal. She claims she was clearly winning her semifinal bout but the outcome was declared a draw, leading to her bronze medal instead of a potential gold.
In the latest episode of The Rediff Podcast, Saurabh Sachdeva gets candid about the years of struggle and the lessons he had to unlearn to find his place in cinema.
Life cycle funds may suit people who are starting their investing journey. They may suit those who do not want to monitor their investments frequently. Busy professionals, beginners and delegators, who lack the time, information or interest to manage asset allocation actively, may find these funds useful.
