A seasoned politician and two-term Member of Parliament, Dr Shakeel Ahmad, who has served as a Union minister and senior Congress leader, resigned from the Congress party, marking the end of his decades-long association with an organisation that his family has been part of for three generations. In an interview with Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff he speaks why he quit the party.
'The heat shield technology for re-entry vehicles was first mastered in DRDO for the Agni missile.' 'This is why the Americans were so opposed to Agni in the 1980s, unlike other missiles -- it was a re-entry vehicle.'
'India has experienced any number of doctors, engineers, and individuals from professional backgrounds being implicated in terrorism. This is not a novel development.' 'These are mobilisations of opportunity. One does not exclusively associate with one's own kind. A comprehensive conspiracy requires diverse skill sets.' 'One needs individuals with local community contacts, those possessing physical capabilities, technical expertise -- an entire spectrum of capacities.'
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav will address joint rallies before the first Phase of voting and, after that, for the seats in the second Phase of voting, they added.
The mass of voters chose Kejriwal and Mamdani for the simple reason that they were sick and tired of the stale promises and repetitive speeches belted out for long by mainstream political personalities, notes M R Narayan Swamy.
'Whenever we did any scenes together, whatever we did in the film, he never said, "Let's do another take or let's move on".' 'He always asked me, "Parmeet, is it okay?" Till I gave my best, he kept going on.'
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy has taken a veiled dig at Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi for refusing to hand over the Asia Cup trophy to Team India in Dubai, saying that while the trophy can be withheld, nobody can take away the title of "champions" from India.
Russian President Vladimir Putin supervised strategic nuclear forces drills amid uncertainty surrounding a potential summit with US President Donald Trump to address the Ukraine conflict.
'I was a nobody when I came here, and now I've become something.'
Britain's Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has relinquished the title of Duke of York and all other royal honours after a 'discussion' with the monarch, amid 'continued accusations' around his association with American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Jemimah Rodrigues rose through the ranks in Mumbai to become one of the key batters for India, but the journey wasn't easy.
The police have certain logistical limitations in monitoring the movement of every individual, Banerjee said.
'Government officials use Gmail and ordinary phones without basic security consciousness.' 'Interoperability, especially in joint exercises with countries like the US, worries me.' 'It often means we open our systems to them, but they don't reciprocate.' 'They could have kill switches in their systems and might even be able to affect ours.'
Kevin De Bruyne will leave Manchester City after a decade at the club having lifted six Premier League titles, as well as winning the Champions League and Club World Cup in 2023.
The opposition INDIA bloc has declared RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
Action, drama, murder mysteries and superheroes are all set to entertain you this week on OTT platforms.
The power of Santosh hinges on the script, enhanced by Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar's performances, observes Deepa Gahlot.
'It's shameful that someone wanting to run his YouTube channel is targeting a 23-year-old
New Delhi might have loudly welcomed an age of multipolarity, hedging and strategic autonomy. But it seems the winner in that game is Islamabad, not us, points out Mihir S Sharma.
Senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and J P Nadda, met with party leaders and allies to discuss the upcoming Bihar polls. Seat-sharing arrangements with NDA partners are expected to be announced soon.
'It doesn't matter where you come from or what college you studied in. None of it defines your future. Just don't give up.'
Trump said that if his plan, announced Monday, to end the Gaza conflict works out, he would have solved eight conflicts in as many months.
'A tally less than 150, even if it is 120 or 130, shall be a defeat for me'
'We have 38 Dalits who are MLAs and ministers. But that does not mean the Dalits of Bihar are prospering.'
'The BJP will win comfortably if the Congress and AAP fight separately -- though not with 162 seats.' 'But if they form an alliance, it will become a major problem for the BJP. That's precisely why this expansion is happening now.'
'It was from him I learnt that if you gave the student the freedom to find his own path, he would be more courageous to experiment.'
Asrani may have never been a marquee name up in sparkling lights or on outsized posters but the sheer proficiency with which he realised his characters has unleashed gales of laughter over five decades and made a significant contribution to several landmark films. Dinesh Raheja salutes the iconic actor.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refuted claims of US President Donald Trump's intervention to halt the Indo-Pak conflict following Operation Sindoor, emphasizing that the action against terrorists was not suspended due to any third-party mediation.
Look at any picture or video of Donald Trump and infer if that inspires any thought of peace. Does he represent peace or does he symbolise aggression? asks Biswajit Dasgupta.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's advice to female boarders on Sunday about not venturing out late at night, in the aftermath of the alleged gangrape of a medical student in Durgapur, drew criticism from the Opposition, which asserted that her remarks were emblematic of the state's law and order situation.
'I realised why the farmers and the rural folks are going for Trump. They are so insecure and vulnerable that anybody who is throwing a line of hope to them, they seize it.'
'Dhoni is a very cool captain. But he was also very happy and was enjoying that moment.'
'I always say that if Mohanlal was not there, Priyadarshan would not have been there.'
'After the first Kantara, when they announced the second one, I kind of knew he will call me. I had this instinct. Then he called me at midnight and I didn't pick up. I was like, I'm not talking to anybody at 12 at night. The following day, I called and we chatted. He said, I have to narrate you something. I said, I know, it's Kantara!'
'If the BJP seriously addresses employment, examination integrity and systemic corruption, they might salvage their position. Otherwise, they are heading toward serious trouble in 2027.'
October looks bright with a lot of festive season releases on OTT.
Legendary Brian Lara said the struggling West Indies would "find a way" in getting their act together in Test cricket if they really had "cricket at heart".
Calling the Gaza ceasefire 'the historic dawn of a new Middle East', United States President Donald Trump on Monday said the forces of 'chaos, terror, and ruin' have been defeated, and the 'long and painful nightmare' is finally over not only for Israelis but also for Palestinians.
'She is a nice girl, simple, patient and affectionate. Because she is so empathetic, because she has the ability to feel for people, I am sure she will be able to solve the problems ordinary citizens face in this country.'
'On the set, he was this big personality, the great Om Puri. But at home, he was like a fluffy teddy bear.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances