Rediff

Yash's Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups has unleashed a wave of fan frenzy and houseful shows across Karnataka, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

Salman Khan is set to host Bigg Boss 20, introducing a new twist 'Extra Jeevan Daan' that promises to revolutionise the game with higher stakes and unexpected challenges for contestants.

A call for a strike by the Federation of Kannada organisations against the CWMA's directive to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu has seen mixed support, with many groups offering only moral backing while essential services and schools are expected to function normally.

A 55-year-old man in Delhi was allegedly sedated, strangled, and given electric shocks by his wife, her lover, and an associate. The wife, Manju alias Nazia, reportedly conspired with her 20-year-old lover, Chaman, promising him Rs 5 lakh for the murder. Police uncovered the plot after Nazia initially tried to mislead investigators, claiming a burglary, but CCTV footage and other evidence led to her confession and the arrest of all three suspects.

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has announced a 'Season 2 of Jantar Mantar' protest, alleging that the party faced pressure from the ruling BJP, including threats to hall owners, while trying to secure a venue for a volunteers' meeting in Delhi.

The Supreme Court is deliberating whether a split in the Shiv Sena could originate in the legislature party and then extend to the broader organisation and primary membership, as it hears pleas from the Uddhav Thackeray faction challenging the Election Commission's recognition of the Eknath Shinde-led faction.

Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh has issued a 15-day ultimatum for the voluntary surrender of illegal firearms, warning of strict legal action against non-compliance. The appeal comes as part of ongoing efforts to restore normalcy and peace in the state, which has been affected by ethnic violence since May 2023. Security forces have already seized a significant cache of weapons, and the government is also targeting extortionists and miscreants.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart, Pema Khandu, to order an inquiry into a recent firing incident along the inter-state border that injured 12 people from Assam. The incident occurred amidst ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing boundary disputes between the two northeastern states, with Sarma emphasising the need for cooperation despite the setback.

A panel set up by Lok Sabha Speaker to probe allegations of discovery of cash at the official premises of Justice Yashwant Varma has concluded that the charges of unexplained cash, disturbing evidence and evasive explanation against him are proved.

SpiceJet passengers on a Delhi-Pune flight experienced significant discomfort due to an air conditioning issue on Tuesday, leading to an alternate aircraft being arranged. Social media videos showed passengers fanning themselves in the heat, though the airline claimed AC remained operational and attributed discomfort to prevailing weather.

A veteran White House reporter has revealed that the Clinton administration used a decoy aircraft during President Bill Clinton's high-risk visit to Pakistan in 2000, a security measure disclosed to journalists off-the-record due to the significant dangers involved.

Waterlogging at the newly-built Noida International Airport in Jewar after heavy rains has ignited a political dispute between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP government. While SP chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the infrastructure, airport authorities stated the temporary water accumulation was cleared within 30 minutes without disrupting operations. BJP MLA Dhirendra Singh defended the development, accusing the opposition of politicising the issue.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, requesting a debate on the ongoing student protests concerning the NEET paper-leak issue. Shah expressed his readiness to participate and answer all questions, emphasising that dialogue and discussion are crucial for democratic solutions.

A Delhi court has taken cognisance of the CBI's chargesheet in the NEET paper leak case, involving 13 accused. The court also expressed strong displeasure over media publishing names of witnesses, some potentially minors, from the chargesheet.

The Supreme Court of India will commence hearings on two significant constitutional matters: the interpretation of legislative privileges of MLAs concerning freedom of speech and expression, and the power of state legislatures to impose additional sales tax levies. Both issues will be heard by seven-judge Constitution benches, with one case stemming from a 2003 plea by journalist N Ravi regarding breach of privilege.

FICCI FLO and UP BJP MLA Rajeshwar Singh are collaborating to train 100 women as 'drone pilots' in Lucknow. This initiative aims to provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the burgeoning drone economy. The announcement was made at an event where MLA Singh also highlighted his efforts in public grievance redressal and establishing women's empowerment centres in his constituency.

India has over 22,000 wild elephants. May their tribe increase.

'Where is the official record? Media bytes are not parliamentary records. What matters is what is recorded on the floor of Parliament. I am not denying that we had a heated exchange.'

The Akali Dal Waris Punjab De has announced Satwant Singh, son of Kehar Singh (convicted in Indira Gandhi's assassination conspiracy), as its candidate for the Bassi Pathana constituency in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. This move highlights the party's 'Panthic' principles and focus on families who sacrificed for the Sikh Panth.

The ACSEL Technology Forum, a Karnataka government Centre of Excellence in AI, has launched Tathyakosh.in, a digital public good designed to make India's extensive public data more accessible. This platform consolidates over 1.5 million datasets from 458 sources, addressing the challenge of fragmented data discovery across various government and research portals. It aims to benefit researchers, startups, and technology teams in sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and financial inclusion by pro

The Lok Sabha has referred the contentious Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a 31-member joint parliamentary committee for thorough scrutiny.

An inquiry committee's report into allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma, who faced removal proceedings over unaccounted cash found at his residence, was tabled in Rajya Sabha. The report details the investigation into the alleged discovery of burnt currency following a fire at his official residence. Justice Varma has since resigned, rendering the removal proceedings infructuous, though his resignation is yet to be formally notified.

An IndiGo flight from Kolkata to Chennai declared a full emergency and landed safely at Chennai Airport after its left engine became inoperative, with 224 persons on board.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for 38 operations carried out across Balochistan between August 1 and August 8, alleging that more than 32 Pakistani military personnel and other alleged operatives were killed and dozens more wounded.

Home Minister Amit Shah has offered to hold a comprehensive debate in Parliament on student protests and other pressing issues, but Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has swiftly rejected the proposal, demanding accountability for actions against students.

Indian physicist Deepak Dhar, a professor at ICTS-TIFR in Bengaluru, has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal for his significant contributions to statistical mechanics. He shares the honour with three other physicists for their work on understanding complex systems, with applications in diverse fields like biology, finance, and AI. Dhar is particularly recognised for his sandpile model and has previously received the Padma Bhushan and Boltzmann Medal.

Job aspirants in Jharkhand are continuing their 19-day agitation against alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations, demanding greater transparency, cancellation of tests, and an independent probe. The protests have led to clashes with police, a political showdown with the BJP, and health concerns for hunger-striking demonstrators, despite government assurances of reforms.

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned following an uproar over BJP MP Sushmita Dev's alleged derogatory lungiwala remark against CPM's John Brittas. Brittas had moved a privilege motion, leading to a heated exchange and the Chairman adjourning the session to address the issue.

An Android mobile phone was seized from former MP Prajwal Revanna's barrack during a CCB raid at Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. An Assistant Superintendent has been suspended, and an inquiry is underway.

Search and rescue operations were underway, with teams of the fire brigade, police, NDRF, ambulance service and civic ward staff deployed at the site, the officials said.

A US federal court has postponed the sentencing of Nikhil Gupta, who admitted guilt in a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, to November 20. The delay was requested by the intended murder victim to allow for their participation in the sentencing hearing.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction has told the Supreme Court that the Election Commission's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led unit as the eal Shiv Sena and grant it the 'bow-and-arrow' symbol was unlawful. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that a split in a legislature party cannot, by itself, amount to a split in the political party, challenging the very basis of the poll panel's jurisdiction and its disregard for the party's 2018 constitution.

A 48-year-old house help, Jaiwanti, was killed after being hit by a speeding BMW car in Delhi's Mehram Nagar. The driver, Deepak (38), has been apprehended, and locals protested, demanding justice and highlighting previous accidents on the stretch.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cancelled the licences of 10 Ayurvedic drug manufacturing units and issued show-cause notices to 135 others following inspections that revealed serious violations including unhygienic conditions, lack of technical staff, and inadequate testing protocols.

The Lok Sabha passed two Bills, including one to rename Kerala as Keralam, without debate as Opposition members continued their protests, demanding Union Home Minister Amit Shah's presence to address police excesses against student protesters and alleged Ram temple fund irregularities.

The Maharashtra government has issued strict directives to local authorities, mandating an immediate ban on illegal dhabas, eateries, and commercial structures within national highway Right of Way. The order requires demolition of existing encroachments within 60 days, formation of highway safety task forces, and mandates prior clearance from NHAI or PWD for any new licenses in highway safety zones, aiming to enhance commuter safety and clear obstructions.

The Supreme Court has clarified that its order for immediate FIR registration in missing persons cases applies to every individual, regardless of age or gender, warning states and Union Territories of contempt proceedings for non-compliance.

President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to a bill which now provides 'Vande Mataram' with the same legal protection and status as India's national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana'.

The Allahabad High Court has ordered the father of two adult women and the Uttar Pradesh government to jointly pay Rs 25 lakh compensation. This ruling comes after the sisters were illegally confined at their parental home for converting to Islam. The court affirmed their right to choose their faith and criticised both the father and the state for infringing upon their fundamental liberties.

The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to provide details on the disposal of appeals by tribunals concerning deletions from West Bengal's electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The court emphasised the need to track the progress of these appeals, which were set up to address irregularities. It also clarified that grievances regarding the denial of PDS benefits due to voter deletion should be taken up with the Calcutta High Court.

Researchers from IIT Bhubaneswar and Virginia Commonwealth University have theoretically predicted a new two-dimensional material, a FeCl3 monolayer, exhibiting i-wave altermagnetism. This discovery holds significant potential for developing faster, more compact, and energy-efficient electronic devices, including applications in high-density memory, spintronics, and quantum technologies.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed two significant resolutions: one opposing the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, citing concerns about its impact on charitable and minority-run institutions, and another urging the Union government to scrap NEET, arguing it undermines social justice and opportunities for disadvantaged students.

A heated parliamentary showdown unfolded as NDA and INDIA bloc MPs clashed at Parliament's main gate.

A new study projects that by the end of the century, hot days could experience an additional four hours of extreme heat, with low and middle-income countries being disproportionately affected. The research highlights that traditional daily temperature metrics often overlook shorter, intense periods of heat, and hourly assessments are crucial for effective heat risk management and public health planning in a warming climate.

Soaring above the mighty Chenab River, this record-breaking railway bridge is a sight to behold.

Hollywood actor Brad Pitt believes artificial intelligence could be a boon for mid-budget filmmaking by making visual effects more accessible. However, he expresses caution regarding AI's use in replicating actors' performances and raises concerns about body scanning and digital likeness ownership. Pitt also shared his thoughts on AI-generated music and his upcoming film projects.

The Maharashtra FDA has taken action against Blink Commerce, suspending its food licence due to severe hygiene issues including cockroach infestation. Separately, Reliance Retail is under investigation after a complaint of live larvae in a sweet product, highlighting increased enforcement of food safety standards across the state.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the government is prepared for a Lok Sabha debate on student protests and police action, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah slated to reply, provided the Opposition assures peaceful participation.

The Lok Sabha introduced four significant bills on Monday, including amendments to mines and minerals regulations, the establishment of a National Tribunals Commission, and the renaming of Kerala to Keralam, all while facing continuous protests from opposition members demanding a discussion on the July 20 police crackdown on students.

The Food Safety and Drug Administration department in Bengaluru conducted inspections at six high-end eateries, leading to the closure of a rooftop lounge's kitchen due to unhygienic conditions. Officials seized 132 kg of unfit food items, including rotten meat, expired dairy products, and used cooking oil, highlighting a crackdown on non-compliance with food safety regulations.