An Indian-origin diamond businessman, Dhiru Ramani, abducted in Mali in April, has been freed after his family reportedly paid a 4 million euro ransom. Ramani, originally from Gujarat, remains in Mali for questioning by local authorities.
The ruling BJP in West Bengal has suspended 22 functionaries, including several mandal presidents, over allegations of extortion and indiscipline. This action follows public warnings from the party leadership against adopting an 'extortion culture' and comes ahead of a visit by BJP's central in-charge for West Bengal, Sunil Bansal, to review the party's organisation and the new government's functioning.
Former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand has been appointed Interim President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) after incumbent Arkady Dvorkovich voluntarily stepped aside due to his inclusion in the European Union's sanctions list.
The Supreme Court of India has expressed concern over media reporting in the death case of former model-turned-actor Twisha Sharma, urging restraint to ensure a fair and impartial investigation.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has voted to cap the age for eligibility to its Executive Committee at 70 years, aligning its constitution with the National Sports Governance Act. This decision, approved by a narrow margin, allows elected members to complete their full four-year term even if they cross 70 during their tenure. The move is part of a broader constitutional overhaul overseen by the Delhi High Court, which also includes new tenure provisions and the election of Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has reshuffled Iran's political and national-security establishment, appointing former SNSC Secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr as his political adviser and veteran IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei as his representative on the Supreme National Security Council, consolidating power amid the West Asia crisis and Strait of Hormuz tensions.
Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand has been appointed interim president of the world chess body FIDE. This follows the stepping aside of incumbent president Arkady Dvorkovich, who was included in the European Union's sanctions list due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Dvorkovich plans to challenge the sanctions, which he deems unfair.
The Supreme Court has questioned the amended constitution of the Shiv Sena, observing that it appeared to have made the party 'virtually a one-person structure' and raising concerns about democratic functioning within political parties.
The global players' union, FIFPRO, has strongly criticised FIFA President Gianni Infantino, accusing him of 'profound abuse of presidential power' following the secretive development and subsequent shelving of the 'FIFA Forward Enterprise' plan, which aimed to privatise the FIFA World Cup.
It has offered a rare moment of relief, allowing them to sit down, talk, smile and feel human again amid days of uncertainty and hardship.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has prohibited Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) from the securities market for two months and its Chairman Emeritus Subhash Chandra and MD & CEO Punit Goenka for one year, imposing a total penalty of Rs 1.48 crore, for the unauthorised pledge of ZEEL's Hyderabad land to secure loans for promoter-linked Essel Group entities.
The Delhi Police has taken decisive action, directing multiple social media platforms to remove offensive and abusive posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Bombay High Court questioned the Maharashtra FDA's "98 per cent clean" certificate for the Mantralaya canteen, ordering an immediate inspection by a team of lawyers. The court emphasised the need for the FDA to be fair and impartial in its drives, criticising potential targeting of private establishments while overlooking government ones.
The Supreme Court has directed the Reserve Bank of India to prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) within four weeks to deal with bank accounts linked to cyber frauds, including mule accounts. This directive is part of a broader effort to strengthen responses to cyber-enabled financial frauds, with the court also urging states and UTs to adopt and operationalise grievance redressal and money restoration modules.
The Union health ministry has deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) to Gujarat and Rajasthan to strengthen the response to the ongoing Chandipura Virus Disease (CHPV) outbreak.
'Control your A, B, C and D.' 'A is A1C, keep your A1C below 7 per cent.' 'B is blood pressure, so keep your blood pressure at 130/ 80 or at least below 140/ 90.' 'C is cholesterol. The bad cholesterol is the LDL cholesterol, and it should be kept below 100, preferably below 70 or 50.' 'D is discipline like diet, exercise, sleep, no smoking, etc.' 'People with diabetes who follow A, B, C and D can live up to even 100 years of age without any complications.'
India has advised its nationals to postpone travel to Iran and urged those already there to consider leaving due to increasing instability and conflict in the region. The advisory from the Indian Embassy in Tehran highlights heightened caution and the need to monitor the security situation.
The Allahabad high court has delivered a split verdict on the controversial practice of "bulldozer justice," involving the punitive demolition of properties linked to accused persons. Two judges, Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Siddharth Nandan, expressed differing views on whether a stay on demolitions can be issued, leading the matter to be referred to the Chief Justice for a third judge's opinion.
Voters who exercise their franchise in favour of a particular political dispensation do not do so unconditionally. Their loyalty is subject to maintaining trust and living up to their expectations. It is subject to allowing the freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution, points out Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
The Ram Temple trust in Ayodhya has implemented a new, two-shift system for counting cash donations, overseen by the State Bank of India (SBI), following an embezzlement scandal. A new team, including ex-servicemen and supervisors, has been deployed to enhance security and transparency in the process, aiming to prevent future theft and restore public trust.
Brigadier Basant Kumar Ponwar (Retd), a distinguished veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak War and the visionary behind India's modern jungle warfare strategies against Maoist insurgency, has passed away at 77. His extensive career spanned over five decades, contributing significantly to national defence through both the Indian Army and police forces, including founding the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College.
The Madras High Court's Madurai Bench has set aside a government order providing jobs to relatives of those who died in a stampede at Karur last year, citing violations of constitutional rights and existing compassionate appointment rules. The court highlighted that such appointments overlook others on waiting lists and could open "floodgates" for similar demands.
HCLTech CEO C Vijayakumar's total salary for the financial year 2025-26 surged by nearly 66.9 per cent to $18.13 million, primarily driven by long-term incentives and stock options, placing him at the top among his Indian IT sector peers.
Several Indian real estate companies, including BPTP Ltd and Smartworld Developers, are rethinking or shelving their initial public offering (IPO) plans, which were expected to raise around 15,000 crore, due to weaker housing demand, higher costs, and a more cautious investment climate.
The Congress on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying not everyone in the BJP is a "chhanda chor" but all the "chhanda chors" are in the ruling party.
India has strongly criticised the local body elections in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK), labelling them as a facade to conceal Pakistan's illegal occupation and severe human rights violations in the region. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India's stance that all of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, including PoK, are integral parts of India. He also dismissed Pakistan's claims to a shared cultural legacy, citing its history of promoting terrorism and fundamentalism.
Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has strongly criticised the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating it is 'focussed more on exclusion' and has 'played havoc with democracy' by disturbing free and fair elections.
Delhi Police has registered an FIR against several social media handles on X for allegedly posting 'derogatory, malicious and defamatory content' targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and has sought complete details of the account holders from the platform.
The Union Territory administration in Ladakh has announced the establishment of an Autonomous Hill Development Council (AHDC) for each of its seven districts, significantly expanding democratic decentralisation. This move extends elected local self-governance beyond Leh and Kargil, with a proposed Union Territory-level body under a customised Article 371 framework to oversee these councils.
The Calcutta high court has held that voter identity cards, Aadhaar and PAN cards are not conclusive proof of Indian citizenship.
India's largest retirement fund manager, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), is enhancing its investment governance and fund management practices, following the Reserve Bank of India's recommendations.
rediffGURU Dr Shakeeb Ahmed Khan offers advice on how to take care of your overall health.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital after his health deteriorated during his 21-day indefinite hunger strike, marking the first significant action under new Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar.
The Lok Sabha has approved an amendment to India's anti-paper leak law, introducing stricter punishments including jail terms of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh, in response to recent large-scale student protests and the NEET paper leak case.
Aviation watchdog DGCA has issued a warning letter to IndiGo for lapses in compliance with norms for handling dangerous goods and has asked the airline to review the relevant training programme to include more practical exercises as well as operational scenarios.
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India has quashed the 2021 Office Memorandum allowing retrospective environmental clearances, reinforcing the importance of prior environmental approval for projects but held that the judgment will apply prospectively, thus saving projects that got retrospective ECs from demolition and other punitive measures.
A viral video from Mumbai shows a man opening the latch of a police van, allowing detained student protesters to escape during a demonstration in Chembur. The incident occurred amidst a larger student protest against prohibitory orders, where hundreds were initially detained. Another video features a woman criticising police conduct and demanding the Union Education Minister's resignation. Mumbai police have registered multiple cases and booked hundreds in connection with recent protests.
Defending the law for regulating appointment procedures of the chief election commissioner and the deputies, the Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it would be wrong to assume that the prime minister and the other ministers would act in "bad faith" and against "democracy" because they have a numerical majority in the selection procedure.
Delhi Police are intensifying their investigation into the alleged violence during the ongoing CJP protest, analysing CCTV footage, drone videos, mobile phone recordings, and other digital evidence to identify those involved in attacks on security personnel and damage to public property, with a focus on whether 'outsiders' and 'habitual offenders' infiltrated the demonstrations.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has reconstructed the crime scene of a rape and murder case in Baruipur, West Bengal, with the three arrested accused. Forensic experts collected new samples, and the reconstruction aimed to verify statements and corroborate evidence. This follows a previous incident where another accused was killed during a similar reconstruction. The Chief Minister has assured personal monitoring of the investigation, and four separate cases have been registered related to the incident and subsequent events.
