Rediff

The three National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts breached an obligation of secrecy and circulated the question papers of the NEET UG exam, said the the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation before a Delhi court.

Astrobase Space Technologies, a Bengaluru-based startup, has unveiled 'EVEREST', India's first privately built full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) LOX-Methane rocket engine. This advanced engine, designed for reusable medium-lift launch vehicles, aims to enhance India's position in the global space economy by providing high-performance propulsion systems for future satellite deployments.

Nationalist Citizens Party of India leader Abu Taher attended a breakfast meeting hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for NDA allies but asserted that his party is not part of the ruling alliance. He stated his attendance was solely to raise public issues directly with the Prime Minister.

A student leader, Rahul Kranti, on a hunger strike against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment examinations, was admitted to Ranchi Sadar Hospital after his health deteriorated. The protest, now in its 14th day, has drawn attention from political leaders, including Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi and Health Minister Irfan Ansari, who visited the hospitalised students. Protesters are demanding cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and comprehensive r

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) successfully protested an event featuring an ISKCON representative at the university's central library, leading to its cancellation. The JNUSU cited university rules prohibiting religious organisations from holding events on campus, a concern they had previously raised regarding ISKCON's activities.

A UK police force said on Friday that its officers have been tackling serious violence, including being bitten and spat at by protesters, over days of anti-migrant clashes at a town in eastern England.

Three National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts, P V Kulkarni for chemistry, Manisha Sanjay Havaldar for physics and Manisha Gurunath Mandhare for botany and zoology, were the primary sources of the NEET paper leak, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation's chargesheet.

The Maharashtra government has banned the literature of terrorist organisations such as Islamic State, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment, and Al Qaeda (AQIS), citing its content glorifying violent extremism, promoting radicalisation, and providing information on bomb-making and lone-wolf attacks.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a key joint defence agreement under which an attack against one of them will be treated as an attack against all of them, amid increasing security concerns in the wake of escalating tensions in West Asia.

The Congress party has issued a whip to its MPs in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, mandating their presence from August 10-12 for discussions on very important issues. This directive comes amidst reports of potential debates on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, and a Constitution Amendment Bill concerning delimitation, though the government's official business list did not explicitly mention these.

Six faculty members from IIT Madras have been awarded the prestigious ANRF J C Bose Grant, recognising their outstanding research contributions in engineering and science. The highly competitive grant provides Rs 25 lakh annually for five years to support frontier research.

Nashik police have arrested an AIMIM corporator, Mateen Patel, for allegedly providing shelter to an accused, Nida Khan, in the ongoing TCS sexual harassment and religious conversion case. Patel's arrest is part of a larger investigation into nine cases related to alleged exploitation and forceful conversion at a TCS branch.

The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on a plea by the Tamil Nadu government challenging a Madras High Court verdict. The High Court had ruled that individuals converting to Islam are not automatically entitled to reservation benefits under the Backward Class (Muslim) category solely based on their conversion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed concern over the repeated disruptions of parliamentary proceedings, stating that due to the turmoil in the House, the country has been unable to listen to the talented MPs elected in recent times.

Researchers have identified the extracellular matrix, a scaffold-like structure around brain cells, as a key physical mechanism explaining why individuals experience rapid progress in learning new skills followed by plateaus. This matrix loosens and rebuilds during initial learning, then stabilises as skills are mastered, protecting acquired knowledge.

Mohammad Junaid Malik, a volunteer known for supporting protests in Delhi, has arrived in Jharkhand to provide aid to students protesting alleged irregularities in state recruitment exams. The protest, now in its 14th day, demands cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Exam and an independent probe, with several students on hunger strike.

Mithunda is expected to be discharged from hospital soon.

C Joseph Vijay's wife, Sankgeetha, has withdrawn her divorce petition filed against the actor-turned-politician. She had previously accused him of an extra-marital affair, mental cruelty, neglect, and desertion, and had threatened to involve an actress in the proceedings. The family court in Chengelpattu disposed of the petition as withdrawn.

The Delhi High Court has raised concerns about Jantar Mantar remaining a designated protest site, questioning why the city should be inconvenienced by demonstrations. The court directed Delhi Police to decide on a protest request by the All India Dalit Christian Rights Protection Committee, while noting the Supreme Court is also examining alternative protest venues.

All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora was attacked with ink during a protest march to the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi. A man accused her of being anti-national and a supporter of Umar Khalid before throwing ink. Bora stated she would not be intimidated, having faced similar incidents previously. The alleged attacker was detained by police.

Chhattisgarh's latest police recruitment exam results have drawn widespread attention after a bizarre mix of candidate names, such as 'News', 'Space Rani', 'He Ram' and 'Tufail', surfaced on the qualifying list, prompting the Opposition Congress to allege irregularities, even as candidates came forward to defend their unique monikers.

New research using zebrafish suggests that changes in gene activity can lead to the hardening of spinal discs, a major cause of neck and back pain. The study identified potential drug targets, including existing osteoporosis medication and pathways related to fat and phosphate metabolism, offering new avenues for treating intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) beyond surgery.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has stated his government will verify reports of alleged Chinese incursions in the Taksing sector of Upper Subansiri district. The claims, made by the Nah Welfare Society, suggest Chinese PLA personnel entered areas near villages close to the Line of Actual Control. Khandu plans to consult with the Indian Army and local bodies before drawing conclusions, while the Army previously rejected similar allegations from the NWS.

India and China held diplomatic talks to review the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), discussing boundary delimitation, border management, and trans-border cooperation. Both nations stressed the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity for bilateral relations and agreed to continue using existing channels to resolve outstanding issues.

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and four others accused of assaulting doctors at a municipal hospital in Thane, ordering a fast-tracked, time-bound trial and imposing strict conditions including staying outside Maharashtra until the chargesheet is filed.

Operation Safed Sagar is prime purpose may be to honour IAF warriors but it is an inadvertent reminder of how we went from a nation of Jung na hone denge to Ghar mein ghus ke marenge, observes Sukanya Verma.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is poised for another major Hollywood role, joining Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe in the highly anticipated sci-fi action thriller Bluefly.

Sam Dastor, the British-Indian actor who was considered for the lead role in Richard Attenborough's 'Gandhi' and later played Mahatma Gandhi twice in other productions, has passed away at the age of 84.

Animals are now the face of virality and might have already beaten human influencers at the job.

At least six people, including three teachers and three students, were killed and 15 others injured in a school shooting in Thailand's Nonthaburi province. The suspected 14-year-old shooter is also dead.

The Maharashtra government has banned 114 items of literature from terrorist organisations like Islamic State and Al Qaeda, citing their role in glorifying extremism, promoting radicalisation, and threatening India's sovereignty and public order. The ban, issued via a gazette notification, follows intelligence inputs and ATS investigations into the circulation of such propaganda material.

US President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at cracking down on 'birth tourism' and limiting eligibility for birthright citizenship, weeks after the Supreme Court rejected a similar directive.

At what age should society stop regulating life choices and allow people to make their own?

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was orchestrated through an extensive digital network, with confidential question papers circulated via WhatsApp, Telegram, and electronic files among conspirators days before the examination.

The challenge thrown by the youth movement creates the opportunity for a more consequential debate on India's economic trajectory because it must remain centered on India's youth as its driving impulse, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.

What Every Indian Must Know About the Quit India Movement.

Heavy monsoon rains have caused the Ganga at Rishikesh and the Alakhnanda-Mandakini rivers in Rudraprayag to swell dangerously.

Arti Dwarkadas, a former advertising professional, shares her experiences of transitioning from a balcony gardener to a rural Maharashtra farmer in Two Bandra Girls Buy A Farm.

From Ravana's divine weapon to the mystery around Parashurama, the Ramayana trailer hides several fascinating details in plain sight.

Donald Trump has strongly refuted claims of a munitions shortage and denied any confrontation with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, labelling the reports as fake news and asserting the nation's robust military production capabilities.

The move comes days after the Delhi police said false information linked to the recent students' protest was being circulated through fake social media posts.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a charge sheet against 11 accused people, including two Bharatiya Janata Party workers, in connection with the killing of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's aide Chandranath Rath, officials said Thursday.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. Shah assured that the bill would not be retrospective. Various church and minority organisations have expressed concerns about the bill's impact on NGOs, schools, and healthcare units, urging its withdrawal or referral to a joint parliamentary committee.

Cases of suicides in the country's largest paramilitary force, Central Reserve Police Force, recorded their highest number at 59 in 2025 over the last five years, with staffers in the constabulary comprising more than 80 percent of those who ended their lives, official sources said on Thursday.

The CPI(M) has strongly opposed the Union government's proposal to levy charges on UPI transactions, calling it a reach of public trust and demanding the immediate withdrawal of the legislation. The party highlighted that the government had previously promoted UPI as a free public utility, encouraging widespread adoption, and now seeks to monetise this infrastructure. They also linked this move to a broader trend of increasing banking charges.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has deemed WhatsApp messages sent by a deceased tribal man to his father as a prima facie crucial dying declaration in a suicide abetment case. This ruling led to the denial of bail for three accused individuals, who were allegedly involved in harassing the victim over an agricultural land dispute. The court highlighted the electronic evidence and corroborating family statements.

The government is questioning the visiting Meta team on whether the company is adhering to the law of the land, following summons to the social media giant over temporary restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post recently, sources said on Thursday.

Former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal has been convicted and sentenced to ten years in jail by the Bombay High Court in a 2013 rape case, overturning a trial court's acquittal and criticising its 'perverse' reasoning.