News for '-alva'

When Votes Come With a Price Tag, Is It Still Democracy?

When Votes Come With a Price Tag, Is It Still Democracy?

Rediff.com28 Jan 2026

The Maharashtra municipal elections showed a troubling shift, where votes were traded for cash, convictions no longer mattered, and ideology became an afterthought, observes Ramesh Menon.

'Growth-inflation data will determine MPC's future actions'

'Growth-inflation data will determine MPC's future actions'

Rediff.com16 Jan 2026

'Economic activity appears to have peaked in the second quarter of FY26, with industrial output, exports, and business confidence all softening from October 2025.'

Two-wheeler Industry hits speed bump over ABS mandate

Two-wheeler Industry hits speed bump over ABS mandate

Rediff.com19 Jan 2026

India's two-wheeler industry is seen growing 6-9% in 2026, though a proposed ABS mandate for sub-125cc models could push up prices and temper volumes.

SUVs rule resale market despite small cars getting cheaper

SUVs rule resale market despite small cars getting cheaper

Rediff.com13 Jan 2026

Data from used-car platforms suggest that buyer preferences have remained broadly stable post-GST, with SUVs retaining their dominance even as price adjustments played out across segments.

How A Sanitation Worker Became A Celebrity

How A Sanitation Worker Became A Celebrity

Rediff.com23 Jan 2026

S Padma, a street cleaner in Chennai, found a box full of gold worth more than Rs 45 lakh and returned it. 'I have been sweeping the streets of Chennai for 21 years. Nobody in the street knew me. I was just a faceless, nameless sanitation worker in an orange and blue uniform.'

A Long-Term Portfolio Should Include...

A Long-Term Portfolio Should Include...

Rediff.com19 Jan 2026

'...a mix of asset classes.' 'Include equities for growth (across market caps), debt for stability and liquidity, gold as a hedge against macro and currency risk, and global assets for geographical and economic diversification.'

Electric buses to drive UP's public transport revolution

Electric buses to drive UP's public transport revolution

Rediff.com16 Jan 2026

From EV bus expansion to airport-like terminals and rural connectivity, Uttar Pradesh is overhauling public transport to cut pollution and ensure every village has modern, affordable travel, reports Siddharth Kalhans.

Was Homi Bhabha Murdered? The Mystery Behind His Death

Was Homi Bhabha Murdered? The Mystery Behind His Death

Rediff.com23 Jan 2026

60 years ago, on January 24, 1966, Dr Homi J Bhabha, the father of India's nuclear programme, died in an air crash on Mont Blanc. The official inquiry said the plane went off course in bad weather, but coincidences, missing evidence, and later unproven claims have kept conspiracy theories alive. A fascinating excerpt from Bakhtiar Dadabhoy's book, Homi J Bhabha: A Life.

Is Rahul Gandhi Buying A BMW Bike?

Is Rahul Gandhi Buying A BMW Bike?

Rediff.com18 Dec 2025

On Wednesday, Rahul toured BMW World in Munich, checked out a BMW motorcycle and interacted with the company's cars, technology and manufacturing processes, using the visit to reiterate his argument that India must strengthen its manufacturing base and create more production-linked jobs.

Naqab Row: Iltija Mufti Wants FIR Against Nitish

Naqab Row: Iltija Mufti Wants FIR Against Nitish

Rediff.com19 Dec 2025

Iltija Mufti, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party leader, filed a police complaint in Srinagar seeking a first information report against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a widely circulated video showing him removing a woman doctor's naqab at an official event in Patna.

Will Nitin Nabin Really Be Modi's 'Boss'?

Will Nitin Nabin Really Be Modi's 'Boss'?

Rediff.com21 Jan 2026

Given Modi's track record from the time he became Gujarat chief minister in October 2001, it is highly improbable that Nabin will get opportunities to display his individual capacity. Even the team of organisational leaders that he will 'appoint' in a few weeks or months, will unlikely to be his choice, predicts Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.

Carmakers Go Deep In Bid To Expand Beyond Metros

Carmakers Go Deep In Bid To Expand Beyond Metros

Rediff.com12 Jan 2026

Network scale seen as central to tapping smaller markets.

When Tanks Took The Train to Kashmir

When Tanks Took The Train to Kashmir

Rediff.com18 Dec 2025

The Indian Army achieved a significant logistics milestone on December 16, 2025, by transporting tanks, artillery guns and dozers into the Kashmir Valley using a special military train.

Deposit Rate Cuts Tough For Banks As Govt Retains Small Savings Rates

Deposit Rate Cuts Tough For Banks As Govt Retains Small Savings Rates

Rediff.com14 Jan 2026

'The government's decision to keep interest rates unchanged on small savings schemes will certainly constrain banks' ability to cut deposit rates further.'

$6-Billion Foreign Bet on India's Private Banks

$6-Billion Foreign Bet on India's Private Banks

Rediff.com12 Jan 2026

Cleaner balance sheets, regulatory support and strong growth prospects helped Indian private banks attract over $6 billion in foreign capital, with more deals expected in 2026.

Profit-Focused Startups Power India's Strong IPO Revival

Profit-Focused Startups Power India's Strong IPO Revival

Rediff.com16 Jan 2026

Eighteen new-age technology firms went public during the year, a near triple increase from the five firms that debuted in 2023 and 38 per cent more than 2024's tally of 13.

Mercedes-Benz, BMW eyeing India's luxe realty sector

Mercedes-Benz, BMW eyeing India's luxe realty sector

Rediff.com9 Jan 2026

According to multiple sources close to the development, Mercedes-Benz is already in talks with multiple developers in Gurugram for a luxury branded residence project.

A Rolls Royce Floating Off Juhu Beach?

A Rolls Royce Floating Off Juhu Beach?

Rediff.com4 Dec 2025

A Rolls Royce-shaped watercraft has become a major new attraction off Mumbai's Juhu beach, drawing crowds with its luxury themed 'car in the sea' experience.

States Have Thrown A Spanner In RBI's Easy-Money Machine

States Have Thrown A Spanner In RBI's Easy-Money Machine

Rediff.com7 Jan 2026

State debt is rising because revenues are disappointingly weak. Ten states have debt ratios exceeding 30 per cent. In 2023-2024, states were borrowing simply to meet day-to-day expenses, points out Debashis Basu.

Why Freebies May Not Save Stalin's DMK

Why Freebies May Not Save Stalin's DMK

Rediff.com16 Jan 2026

While the DMK depends on a 'silver sieve' of welfare schemes to stay in power, its support is slowly draining away under the weight of poor governance, corruption, and voters who are no longer satisfied with benefits alone and now want basic administration to work, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.

Why Venezuela Did Not Celebrate Maduro's Fall

Why Venezuela Did Not Celebrate Maduro's Fall

Rediff.com14 Jan 2026

Years of repression and disappearances have taught Venezuelans, the hard way, not to voice either their anger or their joy, observes Radha Roy Biswas who spent her formative years in Venezuela.

19 Year Old Grandmaster Is Anganwadi Worker's Son

19 Year Old Grandmaster Is Anganwadi Worker's Son

Rediff.com31 Dec 2025

'My next aim is to go past 2700.'

24 Elephants Killed By Trains In Assam In 5 Years

24 Elephants Killed By Trains In Assam In 5 Years

Rediff.com22 Dec 2025

Among Indian states, Assam tops the list of elephant fatalities caused by train accidents, followed by Odisha, where 16 elephants were killed on railway tracks.

Spectacular Navy Week Show Stuns Mumbai

Spectacular Navy Week Show Stuns Mumbai

Rediff.com9 Dec 2025

The Indian Navy's Western Naval Command transformed Mumbai's Gateway of India into a dazzling display of naval tradition and precision during its Beating Retreat and Tattoo Ceremony, featuring flypasts, drill displays, and stirring military music.

'Congress Eyeing 2036 Polls'

'Congress Eyeing 2036 Polls'

Rediff.com20 Dec 2025

'It is clear they have accepted that the next two elections belong to the BJP.'

India Will Never Forget Tukaram Omble

India Will Never Forget Tukaram Omble

Rediff.com25 Nov 2025

Ahead of the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in Mumbai, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation workers clean the statue of Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble, who captured terrorist Ajmal Kasab and ensured that Pakistan's diabolic role in the 26/11 attacks was exposed to the world.

Zubeen Garg's Final Podcast To Help Artistes

Zubeen Garg's Final Podcast To Help Artistes

Rediff.com16 Dec 2025

Revenue generated from the final podcast featuring Zubeen Garg will be placed in a 20-year fixed deposit to support emerging artists.

Himanta Warns Bangladesh Over Threats To North East

Himanta Warns Bangladesh Over Threats To North East

Rediff.com18 Dec 2025

Bangladesh needed to be clearly told that New Delhi would respond firmly if such rhetoric continued.

India Rushes To Help Ditwah-Hit Sri Lanka

India Rushes To Help Ditwah-Hit Sri Lanka

Rediff.com4 Dec 2025

India has ramped up its humanitarian mission to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, with the Indian Air Force lying a 65-tonne Bailey bridge to Colombo to restore connectivity in devastated regions.

The King Cobra Case That Shocked Doctors

The King Cobra Case That Shocked Doctors

Rediff.com19 Dec 2025

In a first for Assam, a man has survived a confirmed king cobra bite, thanks to rapid medical intervention despite the absence of species-specific antivenom.

President Honours Manipuri Women's Courage

President Honours Manipuri Women's Courage

Rediff.com12 Dec 2025

On day two of her visit, President Murmu paid her respects to the brave women warriors of Manipur at the Nupee Lal Memorial Complex in Imphal, here and below. The memorial stands as a tribute to the sacrifice of Manipuri women and commemorates their uprisings in which they challenged the British and feudal powers with great courage.

Daughter Accepts Nobel Peace Prize For Mara Corina Machado

Daughter Accepts Nobel Peace Prize For Mara Corina Machado

Rediff.com11 Dec 2025

The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was accepted by Ana Corina, daughter of Venezuelan Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who has been living in hiding from Nicolas Maduro's authoritarian regime.

Why Is Lung Cancer Rising Among Non-Smokers?

Why Is Lung Cancer Rising Among Non-Smokers?

Rediff.com3 Dec 2025

Lung cancer is the most prevalent cancer among Indian men, accounting for 11 per cent of all cancer cases.

Why Carmakers Are Reviving Old Names

Why Carmakers Are Reviving Old Names

Rediff.com16 Dec 2025

Indian automakers are reviving legacy nameplates to leverage brand recall and stand out in a crowded market, as classic badges like Sierra, Safari, Baleno and Scorpio return to attract buyers.

Why Even Class Acts Are No Longer Guaranteed A Spot in Team

Why Even Class Acts Are No Longer Guaranteed A Spot in Team

Rediff.com22 Dec 2025

When players select themselves, the selectors' job becomes delightfully simple. But did the Indian selectors have that luxury while picking the T20 World Cup squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup? asks K R Nayar.

Assam Bans Jihadi Digital Content

Assam Bans Jihadi Digital Content

Rediff.com15 Dec 2025

Officials said the digital ban was intended to disrupt ideological channels that facilitate cross-border radicalisation, particularly in areas where socio-economic vulnerabilities are exploited by extremist networks.

20% Shopping Centres Are Ghost Malls

20% Shopping Centres Are Ghost Malls

Rediff.com12 Dec 2025

Ghost malls have a vacancy rate of over 50 per cent.

Why Do So Many People Die In Custody?

Why Do So Many People Die In Custody?

Rediff.com26 Nov 2025

Custodial deaths are a serious and long-lasting problem in India, with over 28,000 people dying in custody since 2009.

Coming Soon! Prada's Made in India Kolhapuri Chappals

Coming Soon! Prada's Made in India Kolhapuri Chappals

Rediff.com13 Dec 2025

Prada's Kolhapuri chappals will debut globally in February across 40 Prada stores and on the brand's e-commerce platform.

'My Husband Was Killed For His Religious Identity'

'My Husband Was Killed For His Religious Identity'

Rediff.com16 Dec 2025

A street vendor in Bihar's Nawada district died after a group of youth tortured him for hours because he was Muslim.