Rediff

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 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.

Over Rs 180 crore was incurred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to 23 countries including the US, the UK, France, China and Japan in 2025, according to data shared by the government.

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.

A day after the Uttar Pradesh assembly tabled the judicial commission's report on the November 2024 Sambhal violence, court commissioner Ramesh Raghav alleged that the mob had intended to attack the survey team and prevent the court-ordered exercise, while the Hindu side called for a detailed debate on the panel's findings in the House.

The BCCI's fitness monitoring system is under scrutiny after pacer Harshit Rana was found overweight despite being cleared for selection for the England tour. This incident, coupled with other player injuries, has prompted the board to introduce stricter, uniform fitness benchmarks, including a fixed Bronco Test standard, to address inconsistencies and improve player fitness assessment.

Researchers at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad have developed an ultra-compact wearable antenna, measuring just 5x5x0.75 mm, designed to significantly enhance the performance of future healthcare devices, smart wearables, and wireless body communication systems. This innovation offers high-speed data transmission, wider wireless coverage, and a low Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), making it safe and efficient for prolonged use in Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs).

A passenger on a Kuala Lumpur-Kochi Batik Air flight was arrested for allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit, damaging a window panel, and threatening fellow passengers and cabin crew. The incident occurred mid-flight, and the accused, Jamsheer Athanikkal, faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Aircraft Act, and Kerala Police Act.

Eight Assistant Commandant-rank officers of the CRPF have been issued show-cause notices for allegedly declining an official lunch hosted by a senior IPS officer during a training course in Madhya Pradesh. The force views this as insubordination, and further disciplinary action is expected after their explanations are reviewed.

A man who allegedly reinvented himself as a small-town doctor, married, raised a family and quietly ran a clinic in Madhya Pradesh while evading law for nearly 28 years over the murder of a cop has been finally arrested by the Delhi police.

Cricket South Africa has revised the India women's team tour schedule to include three T20Is, a Test, and three ODIs, extending the tour until December 30.

The Allahabad High Court has temporarily restrained an Arya Samaj temple in Lucknow from solemnising marriages or issuing certificates, citing serious concerns over its alleged failure to verify the legal age of couples. The court's order came during a hearing of a protection petition, where it was revealed that a petitioner's age was misrepresented in the marriage certificate despite Aadhaar card evidence. The court emphasised legal liability for those involved in underage marriages and questio

Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa believes teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the potential to make a bigger impact on white-ball cricket than Sachin Tendulkar, but stresses that his future hinges on proper management and a strong support system, citing examples like Vinod Kambli and Prithvi Shaw.

Researchers have successfully demonstrated the transmission of quantum information over commercial fibre-optic infrastructure, a significant step towards building practical quantum networks. This breakthrough addresses the challenge of cost and maintaining fragile entangled states outside laboratory settings.

The Bombay High Court has convicted former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal for raping a colleague in 2013, overturning his earlier acquittal. He was found guilty under Sections 376(2)(f), 354(a), and 354(b) of the Indian Penal Code.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced a 'kya bolti public' campaign to connect with citizens across India, understand their issues, and gather public opinion on the country's current situation. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke highlighted unemployment, education reforms, and media credibility as key focus areas, also claiming credit for Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation following protests.

Aban Ahmad, the youngest son of slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, and a friend died in a high-speed SUV crash in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. Three other occupants were injured and are receiving treatment. Police reported the accident occurred when the driver lost control, and Aban was reportedly en route to meet his jailed brothers.

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.

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has called upon ministers and legislators to extensively use digital technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for balanced development and improved public outreach. He highlighted the state government's existing use of AI in welfare programmes and project cost reduction, stressing its importance for Bihar's progress in the digital era.

The Lok Sabha has passed a Bill to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, authorising the government to permit banks and service providers to levy charges on UPI and other electronic payment modes. This move aims to create a sustainable revenue model for the digital payments ecosystem, shifting from the current exemption of UPI transactions from such charges.

A new study by IIT Kharagpur researchers, published in Nature Communications, reveals that urban growth patterns significantly influence future cooling demand in cities. The research highlights that a city's hermal memory, shaped by decades of development decisions, impacts its heat burden and energy requirements, independent of global temperature rises. The study analysed 88 Indian cities and a global sample of 52 cities over two decades.

The Supreme Court has dismissed Ashish Mishra's application to relax his bail conditions in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, preventing him from attending family functions. The court also addressed concerns raised by victim farmers' advocate Prashant Bhushan regarding the trial's conduct and witness intimidation, directing such grievances to the trial court.

The Bombay High Court has convicted former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal of raping a colleague in 2013, overturning his earlier acquittal. He has been sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 10,21,000, which will be paid to the victim. Tejpal plans to appeal the verdict in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court has denied interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting a minor. While rejecting his plea for bail on health grounds for now, the court permitted him to engage a trained caretaker for round-the-clock assistance. The court noted that Asaram's counsel had previously moved for parole, and his health condition will be monitored.

A former deputy vice president of Kotak Mahindra Bank, Pushpinder Singh, allegedly siphoned over Rs 100 crore from Panchkula municipal corporation accounts to purchase luxury vehicles like Porsche, BMW, and Harley-Davidson, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) claimed in a chargesheet.

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met with AI major Anthropic to discuss a long-term partnership aimed at accelerating AI adoption across governance, education, healthcare, research, and the state's startup ecosystem. The collaboration focuses on deploying AI solutions responsibly, ensuring data privacy, and developing AI-focused skilling programmes and an AI University.

Two MDMK MLAs, T M Rajendran and R Senthil Selvan, have refused to resign from their Assembly seats despite demands from MDMK General Secretary Vaiko. They assert their status as DMK legislators, having won on the DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol, and have pledged loyalty to DMK leadership, including M K Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin.

The Bombay High Court has convicted former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal for the sexual assault of a junior colleague in 2013, overturning his 2021 acquittal by a trial court.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has expressed confidence in his team's readiness for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting August 15. Gambhir also welcomed new squad members Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi, emphasising the team's preparation for their first ICC World Test Championship assignment since a previous home defeat.

The Bombay High Court has ordered resident doctors in Maharashtra to immediately end their strike, which was protesting the registration of homoeopaths under the Maharashtra Medical Council. The court expressed grave concern over patient safety and warned of wage stoppage, leading the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to agree to call off the protest.

Meet the man who is on mission mode to enforce hygiene standards in eateries and restaurants.

Former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal has been convicted by the Bombay High Court's Goa bench in a 2013 sexual assault case, overturning his earlier acquittal. Tejpal, who faces a minimum of 10 years imprisonment, announced his intention to appeal the verdict in the Supreme Court, asserting the order was wrong.

Scientists discover tiny whirlpool-like swirls on the Sun that could explain solar activity, improve space weather research and solve a decades-old solar mystery.

The TVK government in Tamil Nadu has launched the 'Vetri Vaanmagal' scheme to train women farmers in drone operation. This initiative aims to ease agricultural activities, address labour shortages, and create new job opportunities, with significant government investment in training and subsidised drones.

Aamir Khan, Ashutosh Gowariker, and other Lagaan cast members gathered to pay their final respects to Pradeep Singh Rawat, who passed away at 74 after a battle with cancer.

'It is better not to compare Ramayana with Adipurush. There should be no shame in admitting that Adipurush couldn't meet expectations. People who are associated with the film made it with a lot of effort, but it was a failed attempt.'

Bengaluru-based social media sensation Rida Tharana is set to make her television debut on Season 2 of The Traitors.

DMK MLA G V Markandeyan was arrested in Tamil Nadu for allegedly making defamatory remarks and threats against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. The arrest followed a complaint from a ruling TVK functionary, leading to charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. This marks the second such arrest of a DMK legislator in the district recently, prompting condemnation from the DMK as political vendetta.

Families of the AI-171 crash victims are demanding the release of black box data and cockpit voice recorder transcripts, questioning the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) decision to withhold this crucial information while promising only a final probe report.

Amidst widespread protests, the Cockroach Janta Party is set to engage in talks with Union Minister J P Nadda.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk's vital parameters are stable, but his blood parameters require close clinical observation at Safdarjung Hospital. He is under continuous medical management by a multidisciplinary team following his forcible admission after a 21-day hunger strike protesting NEET irregularities.

Delhi Police used sticks and batons to disperse hundreds of students and youth activists attempting to reach the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest site at Jantar Mantar, where thousands had gathered to demand accountability over alleged examination irregularities.

Personality rights violations are increasingly being used as vehicles for financial fraud, with unsuspecting consumers misled by fabricated endorsements.

Homicides declined during 2015-2024 compared to the previous decade, but those motivated by love and extramarital affairs did not.

'I am now driving an electric vehicle. I have lost faith in petrol-run cars.'

Activist Sonam Wangchuk has declared his hunger strike will persist beyond the 'Sansad Chalo' march, demanding government accountability for education system failures or assurances from political leaders to address the issue in Parliament. He also alleges 'illegal detention' at Safdarjung Hospital.

Experts urge internet platforms to adopt prevention-by-design and stronger AI systems to curb child sexual exploitation material and improve online child safety.

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory for heavy vehicular movement and restrictions around the Parliament complex ahead of the Monsoon Session and a planned 'Chalo Sansad' march by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Security has been significantly intensified across New Delhi, with additional personnel, barricades, and checks to manage traffic and maintain law and order during the protest against alleged NEET irregularities.

Incessant overnight rainfall triggered flash floods in Rajouri town, Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of residents and significant damage to property as overflowing rivers inundated low-lying areas and swept away vehicles.

The NCERT Class 8 social science textbook has undergone significant revisions, including a tweaked narrative on the 1947 Partition, the inclusion of VD Savarkar's demand for Swaraj, and the removal of references to Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology. These changes follow a Supreme Court intervention regarding controversial content on the judiciary.