The Karnataka cabinet has rejected the clemency plea of Shubha Shankar, who is serving life imprisonment for the 2003 murder of her fiancee, Girish. The cabinet also decided to challenge the High Court's ruling on enhanced reservation quotas for SCs and STs in the Supreme Court.
A 37-year-old engineer from Tamil Nadu, Sarath Subramanian, has been arrested in Kerala for allegedly sending fake bomb threat emails to various government offices, including the Secretariat and court complexes. He confessed to 34 of 36 registered cases, stating his motive was revenge against a Tamil Nadu political party. The emails were sent via the dark web, and investigations are ongoing.
A health inspector from the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, Anuroop, has been arrested in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl from Andhra Pradesh at a spa in Kovalam. The arrest follows an investigation by a Special Investigation Team, which also led to the arrest of spa owners. The case involves cash transactions between the inspector and the establishment, and the girl's maternal aunt and her husband have also been taken into custody.
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has moved the Supreme Court to intervene in a significant case concerning the interpretation of legislative privileges of MLAs and their impact on freedom of speech. A seven-judge Constitution bench will hear the matter from October 6. Kamra's involvement stems from privilege proceedings against him in the Maharashtra Assembly over his comedy special. The case also revisits a 2003 matter involving journalist N Ravi, highlighting conflicting views on whether fundamental rights override legislative privileges.
India's largest bank, SBI, is investigating the suspected exposure of 3,897 customer records containing personally identifiable information on the dark web. The bank received alerts on October 16 and has initiated cyber incident response protocols, engaging an independent cybersecurity agency. While a detailed assessment is underway, SBI states the incident has not materially impacted its core business operations. This comes as CERT-In also warned last week about autonomous AI agents accessing confidential data and reported a compromise of eMudhra's private keys.
The objective should be clear: Energy security without abandoning environmental responsibility; water security without ignoring local concerns; and strategic resilience without sacrificing public confidence, notes Varun Arya.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a woman IPS officer has been formed in Latur, Maharashtra, to probe the alleged sexual assault of minor schoolgirls by Bashir Usman Shaikh, founder of Adarsh International School. Shaikh was arrested earlier this week under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and POCSO Act. The SIT is investigating further potential victims and urging students to report abuse without fear.
Ranabaali fails to deliver the highs matching the ambitious setup, notes Arjun Menon.
Hyderabad cybercrime police have arrested two individuals involved in a 'digital arrest fraud' case where an elderly man was duped of Rs 29.17 lakh. The accused facilitated mule bank accounts and cryptocurrency transactions to conceal the money trail for an absconding third accused. The victim was threatened with arrest by fraudsters impersonating officials from Delhi Police, CBI, and ED.
China has announced new export controls on key machinery, including tunnel boring machines, walking excavators, and dredger components, citing national security. These restrictions, effective November 18, could significantly impact India's infrastructure projects, such as metro systems and high-speed rail lines, as China has previously limited such exports to India.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated that the historic Free Trade Agreement with India, now in effect, will help grow both economies, allowing Kiwi businesses to reach over a billion more customers with significantly reduced tariffs, leading to 'more jobs and higher wages for Kiwis'.
Indian digital certification authority eMudhra has reported a compromise of private keys for some of its global TLS and code-signing certificates, according to Cert-In. This incident, while eMudhra states it has limited impact on its Indian operations, could allow cybercriminals to impersonate websites. Separately, SBI has disclosed a suspected exposure of nearly 4,000 customer records on the dark web.
rediffGURU Dr Nagarajan JSK, a career counsellor with nearly 34 years of experience in teaching, research and career guidance, explains the benefits of pursuing higher education in India.
Property ownership disputes depend on the registered deed, the parties' intentions, financial contributions and available evidence.
The Supreme Court stated it would not engage in an academic exercise regarding the interpretation of legislative privileges for MLAs and their impact on freedom of speech, as the Tamil Nadu Assembly's impugned resolution from 2003, which sparked the case, was withdrawn in 2004. The court will consider the withdrawal before a seven-judge bench.
Media baron Subhash Chandra has appealed to the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against a five-member National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) bench's order that prevents him from selling or transferring his assets while his personal insolvency case is ongoing.
Indian precision engineering firm Aequs has signed long-term supply agreements with French aerospace major Safran. These contracts will support Safran's supply chain and expand Aequs' role in manufacturing critical aerospace components, including fully assembled A320 family aircraft wheels and landing gear components for various Airbus and Boeing programmes, with significant in-country value addition in India.
The Supreme Court has referred actor Rajpal Yadav's long-running cheque-dishonour dispute to mediation after he deposited Rs 2 crore with the court's registry. The court also directed the trial court to release his passport for professional commitments abroad. The dispute stems from a 2010 financial agreement for his directorial debut, leading to multiple cheque-bounce cases and a three-month imprisonment sentence upheld by the Delhi High Court.
The Airline Operators Committee has questioned the basis for shifting 33 per cent of international services to Navi Mumbai International Airport.
'While the population remains relatively young, its age structure is beginning to shift, setting the stage for a much older population later this century.'
India's cybersecurity agency, CERT-In, has issued a critical advisory warning about autonomous AI agents accessing sensitive data of Indian organisations without authorisation. Government sources on Friday emphasised the need for companies to bolster cybersecurity measures and monitor system activity, noting that while no major compromise occurred, the incident serves as an early warning. Future AI regulation is expected to address the risks posed by these agents.
The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday raised its policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50 per cent, beginning a rate-hike cycle as rising inflation risks, elevated global yields and resilient domestic growth strengthened the case for tighter monetary policy. The decision by the Monetary Policy Committee marks a shift from its August policy, when it kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent and retained a neutral stance while seeking greater clarity on the inflation outlook and growth-inflation balance.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced that his government will comply with the High Court's directive to register an FIR against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T, and son-in-law P A Mohamed Riyas in the alleged CMRL bribery case. Satheesan stated there would be no appeal against the verdict. The High Court deemed the government's earlier decision to form an SIT without an FIR illegal and ordered immediate registration of a case based on ED's information.
The US Department of Justice has initiated its largest denaturalisation effort in modern history, targeting 40 individuals for various serious offences, including fraud and espionage. Among those facing citizenship revocation is Balwinder Singh of California, accused of using a fraudulent identity, and Jinchao Wei, a former US Navy sailor convicted of espionage for China.
The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has registered a fresh FIR to investigate a "larger conspiracy" behind the violence that occurred during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest in the national capital on July 20, focusing on alleged instigators and premeditation.
'The larger lesson for India Inc is that promoter oversight and professional management are not inherently contradictory. The difficulty arises when the boundaries between the two are unclear.'
'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.
India is deeply concerned by the growing consolidation of Pakistan-backed jihadi and radical Islamist groups in Bangladesh, particularly in the strategically vital Chittagong Hill Tracts, which experts warn is transforming the country into a new safe haven for these networks and posing a direct threat to India's security.
The Delhi High Court has ruled that a father-in-law cannot be held liable under the Domestic Violence Act solely for failing to control his adult son's conduct. The court clarified that the Act requires specific acts of physical or mental harm, and a mere domestic relationship or commercial dispute is insufficient to invoke it without evidence of denial of protected resources or concrete abuse.
Abhishek Verma, India's top compound archer, is determined to return to the national team after missing the Asian Games. He aims for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India, despite India securing an Olympic quota in compound archery. Verma also shares insights on India's medal prospects and the importance of mixed team selection.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty extended their losses for a third consecutive day, driven by firm crude oil prices, elevated global bond yields, and significant foreign fund outflows, making investors cautious.
The Kerala High Court has directed the Vigilance to register an FIR under the anti-graft law against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T, and son-in-law P A Mohamed Riyas in the alleged CMRL bribery case. The court stated that information provided by the Enforcement Directorate contains sufficient material to show commission of cognizable offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, ruling out the need for a preliminary enquiry. The court also deemed illegal the state government's decision to form a Special Investigation Team for a preliminary enquiry.
Former national badminton coach Prakash Padukone expressed disappointment over India's performance at the recent Asian Games, where the country secured only a team bronze.
The Tamil Nadu government revoked a controversial order exempting its Public (Law and Order) Department from the RTI Act, 2005.
The process agreed on Tuesday will require MIAL to first build stakeholder agreement on the transition before taking the plan through the regulatory approval process.
Despite India's dominant Asia Cup victory, head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged fielding as an area for improvement, while dismissing concerns over the middle-order's performance.
NetApp CEO George Kurian announced that India is the company's fastest-growing market in Asia, driven by strong performance in BFSI, manufacturing, IT services, and public sectors. The company's Bengaluru global capability centre is its largest, housing 4,000 engineers and leading global R&D. NetApp also unveiled new AI-focused storage solutions and cloud partnerships at its Insight event.
The Supreme Court has disposed of a long-pending case concerning legislative privileges and freedom of speech, deeming it infructuous due to the Tamil Nadu Assembly withdrawing its resolution against journalists. However, the seven-judge bench has kept the substantial legal questions regarding the interplay of fundamental rights and legislative privileges open for future adjudication.
