Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has expressed his determination to blacklist contractors and suspend officials responsible for delays and shoddy execution of infrastructure projects. He plans to personally inspect the delayed Mumbai-Goa Highway in October and urged the Goa government to develop roadside amenities and promote green initiatives along the route. Gadkari also highlighted the importance of infrastructure for economic growth and sustainable development.
Two officials at a Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) ethanol plant in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, were shot dead, allegedly by a blacklisted vendor. The incident occurred after the vendor was removed from his position due to unsatisfactory work.
Beyond imprisonment, candidates caught cheating face cancellation of examination scores, blacklisting under China's social credit system and multi-year bans from appearing in state examinations.
Three publishers have been remanded to 10-day police custody in Jammu for allegedly publishing and circulating books that glorify separatist leaders. The Counter Intelligence Unit is investigating the matter, which led to the blacklisting of two publishers and the suspension of several education department officials.
Disha Patani is under fire for her Hollywood debut in a film directed by Kevin Spacey.
A parliamentary committee has voiced concerns over ongoing examination irregularities despite government measures, recommending the Ministry of Education publish a time-bound roadmap for reforms. The panel also urged a nationwide blacklist of firms involved in exam processes and suggested utilising the National Testing Agency's financial surplus to enhance its capabilities.
The Cockroach Janta Party has extended its support to students protesting in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in JPSC, JSSC CGL, and various other competitive exams.
Nirmal Purja, the Nepali-British climber famous for scaling all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in record time, has been confirmed dead after an avalanche on Broad Peak, located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Gilgit-Baltistan.
A 55-year-old man died after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai during heavy rains, leading to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) suspending four officials and initiating a homicide case against the responsible contractor for alleged negligence.
Goa officials have deported nine foreign nationals and identified seven more for overstaying their visas. The deported individuals include citizens from Uganda, Russia, and Nigeria. Legal action has been initiated against the identified overstayers, who include Russians, Ukrainians, and a South African national.
An FIR has been registered against unknown individuals for allegedly sending fraudulent messages in the name of e-commerce platform Udaan, promising cash rewards and disrupting its operations.
An oil tanker carrying 24 Indian seafarers reported a fire off the coast of Oman, with all crew members confirmed safe. The incident occurred amidst renewed hostilities between Israel and Iran, who exchanged attacks on petrochemical facilities.
Two former employees of a Delhi-based pharmaceutical firm have been booked for allegedly cheating, forging documents and impersonating to secure government tenders, including supplies to Army hospitals.
Sarthak Sidhant, a Class 12 student affected by the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports on Tuesday to present his findings regarding the implementation of the system and alleged irregularities in the OSM tendering process.
The Gujarat CID Crime has dismantled an international cryptocurrency network worth Rs 226 crore, revealing links to a front organisation of the terror group Hamas. Nine individuals have been arrested in connection with the syndicate, which is implicated in cyber fraud, narcotics, and terror funding.
Adityanath had earlier referred to a conspiracy angle behind the violence during the protest, which is currently under police investigation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the state government will move the Supreme Court to vacate the stay on a CBI probe into the alleged Gorkhaland Territorial Administration teacher recruitment scam. The decision follows complaints of corruption and illegal teacher recruitment within the GTA.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police have dismantled a major narcotics network with interstate and cross-border links, arresting the most-wanted drug kingpin Gulzar Ahmad alias Lau Gujjar and several associates.
'The software vendor had a black mark against him and yet they went ahead with him. Why was this company shortlisted? Who is responsible for signing off this software?'
India has overtaken Kenya to lead the Athletics Integrity Unit's list of ineligible persons due to doping violations, with 148 suspended track and field athletes.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized a large consignment of prohibited walkie-talkies and second-hand hard disk drives (HDDs) at Nhava Sheva Port, leading to the arrest of a father-son duo involved in the illegal import.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fined fast bowler Naseem Shah PKR 20 million for a controversial social media post criticising Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's presence at a PSL match.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized a large consignment of illegal walkie-talkies and second-hand hard drives at Nhava Sheva Port, leading to the arrest of two individuals.
The proposed facility seeks to simplify and speed up PF withdrawals by allowing Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) subscribers to access up to 75 per cent of their balance through ATMs and UPI-based systems, while retaining at least 25 per cent in their accounts.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar has proposed a Joint Working Group with the RBI and banks to address the issue of mule bank accounts used in cyber fraud. The proposal follows 'Operation Octopus,' which exposed vulnerabilities in KYC verification. Sajjanar also recommended strict directives for banks to fix accountability and adopt advanced technology to detect suspicious transactions.
Seven engineers including two chief engineers were suspended with immediate effect while a departmental inquiry will be conducted against a retired superintendent engineer, he added.
Jammu police have intensified their crackdown on narcotics under the 'Nasha Mukt Abhiyan', with a zero-tolerance approach. The SSP has warned of strict accountability for police personnel and highlighted the alarming rise in drug peddling, terming it a conspiracy by an 'enemy country'.
Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has expressed his disapproval of the substantial fine imposed on fast bowler Naseem Shah by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for his alleged social media comments against a political figure.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has issued a chilling ultimatum to 18 major American corporations, warning that their regional infrastructure will be targeted following allegations of their involvement in hostile operations.
The demolition of statues of Kakori train action martyrs in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has sparked widespread outrage and political condemnation, leading to an FIR and government action.
Authorities in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, demolished shops belonging to the prime suspect in the murder of two HPCL officials, citing illegal construction on government land. The demolition follows the murder of two HPCL officials allegedly by a terminated vendor.
The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the killing of two senior officials at a compressed biogas plant in Budaun, following the chief minister's orders. The SIT will conduct a detailed investigation into all aspects of the incident.
Authorities in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, demolished shops belonging to the prime suspect in the murder of two HPCL officials, citing illegal construction on government land. The move follows demands for a CBI probe by the victim's family.
Authorities in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, demolished shops belonging to the prime suspect in the murder of two HPCL officials, citing illegal construction on government land. Two more individuals were arrested for allegedly aiding the accused in the crime.
The incident took place around 12:20pm on the arterial LBS Road in front of Johnson and Johnson factory in Mulund area.
Following an examination and discussions held in the aftermath of the United States' decision to withdraw from dozens of international organisations, Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa'ar, has decided that Jerusalem will immediately sever all contact with several United Nations agencies and international bodies, citing what the government described as persistent bias, politicisation and actions hostile to Israel.
Indian private sector and State-run refiners continued to receive crude oil from Russian suppliers even after November 21 -- the winding-down date for US sanctions on supplies from leading Russian oil producers imposed in October -- as new intermediaries sprung up in West Asia to sell the oil, according to senior refining sources and ship tracking data.
As the year draws to a close, Rediff's Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya takes a look at the hits and misses, the highs and lows, the newsmakers and the dealbreakers in alphabetical order.
Pakistan and China have submitted a joint bid at the UN Security Council to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide wing - Majeed Brigade - as a terrorist entity under the Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
Pakistan Super League franchise Multan Sultans' owner Ali Tareen tore up a legal notice sent to him by the PCB threatening to blacklist him and terminate the contract of his team.
