News for 'Special Service'

'Our Children Loved PM Modi': Usha Vance

'Our Children Loved PM Modi': Usha Vance

Rediff.com3 Jun 2025

'When we were able to visit his home, they just sort of ran up. They were hugging him.' 'He was just incredibly kind and generous to them.'

AAP suspends Punjab MLA from party for criticising Majithia raid

AAP suspends Punjab MLA from party for criticising Majithia raid

Rediff.com29 Jun 2025

Singh's suspension came days after he questioned the manner in which a vigilance bureau team raided the residence of Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia in Amritsar in a disproportionate assets case.

Roads waterlogged, trains delayed as heavy rains disrupt Mumbai

Roads waterlogged, trains delayed as heavy rains disrupt Mumbai

Rediff.com26 May 2025

The IMD issued a "Nowcast" warning, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and intense spells of rain with gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph at isolated places in Mumbai in the next three to four hours.

Why Shinde flew a stranger on his chartered flight

Why Shinde flew a stranger on his chartered flight

Rediff.com7 Jun 2025

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde came to the rescue of a woman patient in need of a kidney transplant by taking her on board his chartered plane from Jalgaon to Mumbai after she missed her flight from the North Maharashtra city to the state capital.

Adani Ports, JSW Infra make logistics anchor for cargo growth plans

Adani Ports, JSW Infra make logistics anchor for cargo growth plans

Rediff.com24 May 2025

Adani Ports and JSW Infrastructure, India's leading private port operators, are expanding their logistics services to capture extra cargo while they run integrated transport services. "With incrementally less availability of lucrative port assets that can drive cargo volumes, port operators have naturally shifted their focus on deriving value in the upstream integration, i.e., the logistics space.

Tahawwur Rana's NIA custody extended for 12 days

Tahawwur Rana's NIA custody extended for 12 days

Rediff.com28 Apr 2025

A Delhi court on Monday extended by 12 more days the NIA custody of 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana.

Floods, landslides kill 8 as heavy rains batter Assam

Floods, landslides kill 8 as heavy rains batter Assam

Rediff.com1 Jun 2025

Eight persons have been killed in floods and landslides in Assam as incessant rainfall caused massive inundation in 17 districts, affecting over 78,000 people, officials said on Saturday.

'It's Time To Target The Terror Masterminds'

'It's Time To Target The Terror Masterminds'

Rediff.com7 May 2025

'We should not just react when a terror attack happens on our soil.' 'Our approach should be continuous and a launch pad should be destroyed the moment it comes up.'

Haryana man arrested for passing info to Pak army, ISI

Haryana man arrested for passing info to Pak army, ISI

Rediff.com17 May 2025

A resident of a village in Kaithal, Haryana, was arrested for allegedly passing information to the Pakistan army and Inter-Services Intelligence during the recent India-Pakistan conflict.

Kolkata gangrape: Custody of 3 accused extended; SIT probes call records

Kolkata gangrape: Custody of 3 accused extended; SIT probes call records

Rediff.com2 Jul 2025

Mishra vanished from police radar at that time before resurfacing in 2017 when he took readmission to the college from where he passed out in 2022.

Tata Sons dividend income may have slipped in FY25

Tata Sons dividend income may have slipped in FY25

Rediff.com14 Jun 2025

Tata Sons' dividend from Tata group companies for last financial year is expected to show a decline of 3.5 per cent to Rs 36,514 crore from Rs 37,832 crore a year earlier. This should be the first year-on-year decline in Tata Sons' dividend in the last nine years. The holding company had last reported a decline in FY16, when its proceeds had gone down 42.5 per cent to Rs 6,898 crore from Rs 11,993 crore a year earlier.

Railways begins services of 200 special trains

Railways begins services of 200 special trains

Rediff.com2 Jun 2020

The first such train left Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj station for Varanasi at 12.10 am. The Northern Railway bore 60 per cent of the traffic of these trains with 118 running over its network, including 100 either terminating or originating from the zone, and nine others passing through it.

Beyond 9 to 5: The Bike Taxi Hustle

Beyond 9 to 5: The Bike Taxi Hustle

Rediff.com9 Jul 2025

Rising inflation and stagnant wages are forcing a number of salaried professionals to venture into the bike taxi service as part-time riders.

What are India's free trade agreements?

What are India's free trade agreements?

Rediff.com6 May 2025

India finalised a free trade agreement with the UK, its 16th so far as the country aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investments. The other regions and countries with which India has signed such agreements include the four-nation European bloc EFTA, Japan, Korea and Australia.

It's Time to Update Army Regiment Names

It's Time to Update Army Regiment Names

Rediff.com2 Jul 2025

>The Indian Army still uses old British-era names and recruits soldiers based on caste or region, which hurts national unity, argues Colonel K Thammayya Udupa (retd).

Trump expresses 'keen interest' in trade pact with Pak, hails army chief

Trump expresses 'keen interest' in trade pact with Pak, hails army chief

Rediff.com19 Jun 2025

In a statement after a meeting between Trump and Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir at the White House on Wednesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations -- the media wing of the Pakistan Army -- said they also discussed joint counterterrorism efforts.

Alcaraz stretched; Shelton reaches 3rd round in 55 secs

Alcaraz stretched; Shelton reaches 3rd round in 55 secs

Rediff.com5 Jul 2025

Talk about a man in a hurry -- 10th seed Ben Shelton required just 55 seconds to finish off Australian Rinky Hijikata and reach the Wimbledon third round on Friday.

India's BPO Industry Gets AI Makeover

India's BPO Industry Gets AI Makeover

Rediff.com29 May 2025

Call centres, once the engine room of India's BPO exports, are evolving too. Depending on the complexity, 30 to 50 per cent of voice and chat volumes are now handled by conversational AI.

India Must Be Ready For Next War With Pakistan

India Must Be Ready For Next War With Pakistan

Rediff.com15 Jul 2025

India has to fill in all the critical gaps in missiles, ammunition, sensors and stockpile in the fastest possible manner, focusing on the critical instruments that worked this time, asserts Shekhar Gupta.

271 people admitted to hospital following Iran strikes: Israel

271 people admitted to hospital following Iran strikes: Israel

Rediff.com19 Jun 2025

So far, most of the injured have been released. Currently, 106 people are being treated in hospitals, and another 149 are being treated in the emergency room.

Railway Staff Sacked For Throwing Garbage From Train

Railway Staff Sacked For Throwing Garbage From Train

Rediff.com7 Mar 2025

A passenger shot the video of the railway worker throwing railway garbage out of the train and posted it online.

Drones Are What India Needs For Future Wars

Drones Are What India Needs For Future Wars

Rediff.com18 Jul 2025

The foremost lesson for India today is to beef up its air defence to cater for multiple drone attacks. As seen in Operation Sindoor, we have come a long way, but there's room for getting better. We must develop a robust and almost impregnable air cover over ourselves, asserts IAF veteran Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).

Expert Tips To Future-Proof Your Career

Expert Tips To Future-Proof Your Career

Rediff.com5 Jun 2025

rediffGURU Dr Ganesh Natarajan tells you how to upskill and upgrade yourself in order to future-proof your career.

LIC picks up Adani Ports' entire Rs 5K cr issue

LIC picks up Adani Ports' entire Rs 5K cr issue

Rediff.com30 May 2025

State-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) on Thursday entirely subscribed to the Rs 5,000 crore bond issue of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) at a coupon rate of 7.75 per cent, said sources privy to the development.

No cause of worry, infection severity mild: ICMR amid Covid spike

No cause of worry, infection severity mild: ICMR amid Covid spike

Rediff.com26 May 2025

Amid an uptick in Covid cases in some parts of the country, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Rajiv Behl said the severity of infections as of now is generally mild and there was no cause for worry. Speaking about new Covid variants being traced, he said genome sequencing of samples in the west and south have shown that the new variants are not severe and are Omicron sub-variants. These are LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB. 1.8.1. The first three are more prevalent, Dr Behl said. "Samples from other places are being sequenced and we will know in a day or two if there are more variants." The ICMR DG said there has been an uptick in cases --first from the south, then west and now from northern India. All these cases are being monitored through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). Besides that, ICMR's nationwide respiratory virus sentinel surveillance network is keeping a watch on emerging infections and pathogens, he said. "Whenever cases increase, we look at three things. It's dependent on three factors with the first being how transmissible it is, conversely how fast the cases are increasing. Previously we saw Covid cases double in two days, but this time it is not that cases are increasing rapidly. "Secondly, are the new variants evading our previous immunity? When new variants come, they evade immunity -- be it natural or from the vaccine. But there's nothing to worry about at the moment," Dr Behl said. He also said that the third factor is the percentage of severe cases in all Covid instances. "Are we getting a very severe disease without comorbidities? As of now, the severity is generally low. There's nothing to worry about. We should be vigilant and we should always be prepared," the ICMR DG asserted. Dr Behl also informed reporters that the Union Health secretary chaired a meeting on Sunday that was also attended by the director general of health services and himself. "We have been closely monitoring the situation. We should be vigilant at this moment, but there is no cause to worry. The general public should be vigilant. There is no need to take any such action as of now," he said. The officer added that the WHO database has been showing that the new variants were not causing severe disease. "People do not need to take any immediate action. They should follow normal precautions. So, there is nothing special to do right now." Asked about the need for a booster dose, he said there is no need for vaccination as of now. "India has the capability to make vaccines and if need be, we can make any vaccine in no time."

Twist in ED bribery case: Kerala bizman denies officer's involvement

Twist in ED bribery case: Kerala bizman denies officer's involvement

Rediff.com8 Jun 2025

Sources said Babu, during the recording of his statement last week in Delhi, has "denied" knowledge of involvement of any ED officer vis-a-vis the VACB case, saying he "only" knows a person named Wilson.

Punjab police raid 1,274 immigration firms, 7 illegal travel agents held

Punjab police raid 1,274 immigration firms, 7 illegal travel agents held

Rediff.com26 Feb 2025

Punjab Police conducted raids and search operations at 1,274 immigration firms across the state to protect aspiring immigrants from falling prey to unscrupulous travel agents. The massive operation, carried out on the directions of Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, was a response to the recent deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the US. Many of the deportees from Punjab and Haryana have alleged they were duped by travel agents who promised legal entry to the US but instead used the "donkey route" - an illegal and risky pathway. Police have registered 24 FIRs against travel agents and arrested seven. The operation was conducted under the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act, 2012, which mandates travel agents to obtain a license, maintain records, and comply with other regulations. The police advised citizens to verify travel agents' credentials before entrusting them with documents and money.

Now, Trump credits 'very smart' leaders of India, Pak for ceasefire

Now, Trump credits 'very smart' leaders of India, Pak for ceasefire

Rediff.com19 Jun 2025

Two 'very smart' leaders of India and Pakistan decided to end last month's conflict that could have turned into a nuclear war, United States President Donald Trump said after holding a rare luncheon meeting with Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House.

Who Says India Is Friendless?

Who Says India Is Friendless?

Rediff.com7 Jun 2025

The reality is that far from being friendless, India is better positioned in the world than at any point post-Cold War, asserts Shekhar Gupta.

UP man arrested for spying, travelled to Pak several times

UP man arrested for spying, travelled to Pak several times

Rediff.com19 May 2025

Shahzad was apprehended on Sunday by the STF Moradabad unit following inputs about his alleged involvement in cross-border smuggling and espionage activities for the ISI.

Pak army spokesman has Osama bin Laden connection

Pak army spokesman has Osama bin Laden connection

Rediff.com10 May 2025

Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, is the son of a nuclear scientist who was sanctioned by the United Nations and the US for providing information and expertise to al-Qaeda, according to Indian officials. Chaudhry's father, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, allegedly provided insights into nuclear weapons infrastructure and raised funds for a fundamentalist organization linked to the Taliban. Mahmood was arrested in 2001 after admitting to meeting Osama bin Laden but was later released.

17 Girl Cadets Make Military History

17 Girl Cadets Make Military History

Rediff.com30 May 2025

'I was preparing for JEE, NDA came as a blessing.'

'Shuks Is A New Generation Of Astronaut'

'Shuks Is A New Generation Of Astronaut'

Rediff.com11 Jun 2025

'He's gonna inspire billions of girls and boys.'

Trump Is Closer Than Ever To Win The Nobel

Trump Is Closer Than Ever To Win The Nobel

Rediff.com3 Jul 2025

Trump couldn't care less anymore about the Israeli demand for Iran's 'de-nuclearisation' and 'de-militarisation.' Trump pins hopes on a grand bargain with Iran as a partner in America First, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

Man who led funeral of terrorists is on US wanted list

Man who led funeral of terrorists is on US wanted list

Rediff.com13 May 2025

In trying to portray a globally sanctioned terrorist as a 'common man', Pakistan was exposed when its top official publically outed crucial details about Hafiz Abdul Rauf, including his national identity number which matched details in the database of the United States sanction list of terrorists.

Criminal Justice 4 Review: Thrilling!

Criminal Justice 4 Review: Thrilling!

Rediff.com29 May 2025

Pankaj Tripathi's Madhav Mishra is one of the most entertaining characters created for an Indian Web series, and the actor plays him with relish, observes Deepa Gahlot.

Malegaon trial ends 17 yrs after blast, verdict on May 8

Malegaon trial ends 17 yrs after blast, verdict on May 8

Rediff.com19 Apr 2025

A special court in India has reserved its verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, which killed six people and injured over 100. The trial began nearly 17 years after the bombing in the town of Malegaon, located in Maharashtra. The prosecution concluded its final arguments on Saturday, marking the end of the hearings. Seven individuals, including Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit and BJP leader Pragya Thakur, are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The verdict is expected to be delivered on May 8th.

'Pakistan Wants To Cover Up Its Defeat'

'Pakistan Wants To Cover Up Its Defeat'

Rediff.com26 May 2025

'Munir is clearly insecure and hence he needs the prop of a field marshal.'

Top 10 Courses For Commerce Students After Class 12

Top 10 Courses For Commerce Students After Class 12

Rediff.com2 Jun 2025

In today's dynamic economic landscape, commerce and management education is crucial for a global career, says Nayagam PP.

Owner, manager held after 14 killed in Kolkata hotel fire

Owner, manager held after 14 killed in Kolkata hotel fire

Rediff.com1 May 2025

The owner and manager of Rituraj Hotel in Kolkata have been arrested following a devastating fire that killed 14 people. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered surprise checks of all establishments in the city to ensure fire safety compliance, after the tragedy highlighted serious violations at the hotel. The hotel has been sealed and special committees will be formed to monitor and identify establishments flouting fire safety norms.