A flash flood in Nepal's Budhi Gandaki River in Gorkha district has swept away houses, damaged two hydropower projects, and left at least 10 people missing. Authorities have rescued nearly 50 people and mobilised security agencies for search and rescue operations, urging riverside villagers to move to safer locations.
'Separate needs from wants and minimise discretionary spending.'
A textile company director in Thane was allegedly defrauded of Rs 20.58 crore by five individuals who promised to secure loans for factory expansion and government uniform supply contracts. The accused reportedly misused financial documents and misappropriated funds.
Property insurance premium rates are increasing by 25-30 per cent, primarily due to a reduction in discounts, following substantial claims from natural calamities like the Gujarat floods, which caused an estimated 5,000 crore in losses.
An anti-drug activist, Parvinder Singh alias Jhota, was allegedly shot dead by a medical store owner in Mansa, Punjab, after confronting the owner about the illegal sale of intoxicating substances.
Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline shutdown could make crude costlier for India as refiners face fewer supply routes and rising freight and insurance costs.
If the new MDR regime is rolled out from the middle of this month, as scheduled, it should count as one of the boldest political actions by the Modi government on an economic-policy issue, and a signal that it is less worried about erosion of political capital it draws from one of its key constituencies, notes A K Bhattacharya.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has marginally raised its retail inflation forecast for the current fiscal year (FY27) to 5.2 per cent from 5 per cent, citing increasing price pressures across various commodities. Concurrently, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to hike the key interest rate (repo) by 25 basis points to 5.5 per cent, shifting its stance to 'calibrated tightening'.
A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience reveals that even minor cardiac dysfunction can predict microscopic tissue degradation in brain regions associated with Alzheimer's disease. This research suggests that heart issues could serve as an early indicator for neurological risk, mediating the link between cardiac health and memory decline.
A Liberia-flagged oil tanker, Aframax Rio, carrying 23 Indian nationals, was attacked by drone boats off Russia's Black Sea coast near Sochi. All crew members were safely evacuated, though a significant fire is burning. The incident highlights escalating risks to commercial shipping in the Black Sea amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, prompting India to express grave concern over attacks on international waterways.
'This is a very dangerous situation where the chances of your getting hurt are almost 100 per cent,' warns rediffGURU Ravi Mittal, a dating coach and CEO of online dating website Quack Quack and Rebounce, a matrimony platform.
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar is hailed as a 'real hero' by a senior Israeli official for his bravery during a mid-air 'terror act' on a Flydubai flight, preventing a 'bigger tragedy' after being attacked by his co-pilot with a knife.
The Supreme Court has directed media outlets, journalists, and publishing platforms to practice responsible, empathetic, and restrained journalism when reporting sexual offences. The court highlighted that sensationalist headlines and graphic descriptions cause secondary trauma to victims and their families, urging media to prioritise dignity, factual accuracy, and institutional accountability.
Two Indian nationals have been charged in a US federal court for their alleged involvement in a transnational scheme to distribute counterfeit Ozempic, a popular diabetes drug. The scheme involved obtaining fake drugs from China, deceptive packaging, and continued even after FDA warnings, with the accused facing significant jail time if convicted.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Jammu has filed a chargesheet against two individuals, Manoj Kumar and Vikram Singh, in a financial fraud case involving over Rs 1.22 crore collected from investors in Samba district. The accused allegedly induced residents to invest in schemes from unregistered or de-registered NBFCs, promising high returns but failing to deliver.
A recent SBI Economic Research report indicates that the significant gap between credit and deposit growth, currently over 530 basis points, is likely to persist if geopolitical risks and external supply shocks continue. However, an improvement in deposit growth is anticipated with inflows into foreign currency non-resident (bank) deposits.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, articulated a vision for India's communications sector, emphasizing a global framework to combat cyber frauds and deepfakes. He called for India to become a hub for innovation and product development for the world. Industry leaders lauded his vision, highlighting India's robust digital infrastructure and its journey towards becoming a global technology leader, with a focus on trust, security, and responsible innovation.
India's milk supply is struggling to keep pace with rising demand as heat, fodder shortages and low animal productivity threaten dairy production.
India's Russian crude oil imports reached a five-month low in September, dropping to 1.75 million barrels per day, as Indian refiners strategically diversify their energy supplies amidst evolving geopolitical landscapes and robust domestic demand, according to ship tracking data.
Thinking about Botox or fillers? Dr Shilpi Bhadani explains how they work, how long they last, the risks, side effects, maintenance and why your doctor matters.
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.
'Existing borrowers who have surplus cash should make partial loan prepayments to offset the impact of rising EMIs and reduce the overall interest burden.'
'In India, an MBA from a top college would have better opportunities as compared to an MTech from top colleges,' says rediffGURU Patrick D'souza.
A new study by CSIR-CCMB researchers has elucidated the molecular mechanisms by which viral infections, particularly RNA viruses like Influenza and COVID-19, can accelerate the formation of amyloid clumps in the brain, a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. The research highlights the role of viral RNA G-quadruplexes and the cellular protective protein DDX39A in this process.
The Indian government has sought explanations from WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal regarding their username features, citing serious concerns about potential impersonation and cybercrime. IT Secretary S Krishnan highlighted the risks, leading to notices being served to these platforms, with WhatsApp specifically asked to pause its rollout of the feature.
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NPCI chief Dilip Asbe stated that only about 10% of UPI transaction value might see charges passed to consumers, primarily from large corporates already absorbing credit card fees. He highlighted that 80% of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) would come from businesses with over Rs 1,000 crore turnover, and a significant portion of transactions will remain charge-free. A new fund, potentially Rs 3,000 crore, will also be created from MDR collection to support small merchants and accelerate UPI acceptance.
India's IT Ministry sources state the country will not slow down its Artificial Intelligence development, distinguishing its focus on people-centric applications from global concerns over frontier models. The government acknowledges AI safety risks and is tightening incident reporting norms, with IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasising regulation for user safety.
Indian automobile retail sales reached a record 25,36,920 units in September, marking a 31.82 per cent year-on-year growth, with passenger vehicles recording their highest-ever September sales at 4,27,213 units, according to the Federation of Indian Automobile Dealers (FADA).
Small and medium enterprise (SME) initial public offerings (IPOs) in India are significantly underperforming mainboard listings, with 81 out of 161 SME IPOs trading below their issue price this year, and a median return of -0.2 per cent compared to a 24 per cent gain for mainboard issues.
'Nobody can say a quake will strike on a particular day or month. It remains a natural event, governed by factors that are only partly understood, even by researchers working on this across the world.'
FATF Vice-President Vivek Aggarwal has urged the fintech industry to increase investments to combat emerging threats from AI, scam compounds, virtual digital assets, and quantum computing. He warned that these technological challenges pose a significant risk to India's rapid growth in the fintech sector, highlighting a current lack of adequate investment and risk realisation within the industry.
As India's festive season approaches, passenger vehicle dealers are seeing a notable increase in inventories, yet discounts remain surprisingly moderate compared to previous years, signalling a tighter demand-supply balance in the automotive market.
'It really sucks': Filipino fans were left frustrated by rain as Alex Eala's Asian Games opener was moved indoors in Nagoya.
Tata Capital remains confident in its 23-25 per cent growth guidance, driven by strong momentum in Retail and SME segments, despite facing pressures from rising funding costs and potential impacts from new RBI regulations on revolving credit.
A planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter-list manipulation, was thwarted by a massive security deployment in Delhi on Saturday. Thousands of protesters were detained as they attempted to gather at various alternative locations across the city, with metro services suspended and mobile internet blocked in some areas.
Punjab & Sind Bank MD and CEO Swarup Kumar Saha clarified that merchants cannot pass on Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges to customers for UPI payments, ensuring consumers only pay the displayed price. The new MDR structure, effective October 15, applies a 0.4% charge on P2M transactions above Rs 2,000, with specific flat rates for certain sectors, but small-value transactions remain free.
Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has pledged personal funds, ranging from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore, to Indian entrepreneurs developing their own artificial intelligence models. This initiative aims to foster indigenous AI capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign models, echoing Sharma's past success in mobile payments.
Indian educational institutions are adopting physical modifications like "anti-suicide" fans and barriers to prevent student suicides, drawing parallels with measures taken by foreign universities such as Houston, Cornell, Harvard, and NYU. While these measures are seen as "bandaid solutions" by some, experts suggest restricting access to lethal means is a valid part of a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy, alongside crucial mental health support.
The Indian stock market experienced a significant downturn, with the Sensex crashing over 1,000 points and the Nifty hitting a fresh 52-week low, driven by sustained selling from foreign institutional investors, the RBI's monetary policy tightening, and elevated Brent crude prices.
