Rediff

A massive swarm of black flies has descended upon Kotagiri town in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district, causing widespread panic and discomfort among residents. The unusual invasion has led to calls for official intervention and investigation, despite officials stating the flies do not transmit diseases.

Three publishers have been remanded to 10-day police custody in Jammu for allegedly publishing and circulating books that glorify separatist leaders. The Counter Intelligence Unit is investigating the matter, which led to the blacklisting of two publishers and the suspension of several education department officials.

Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a and quot;revenge list and quot; featuring 13 world leaders, including Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, with a graphic depicting them as targets, amidst escalating regional hostilities and US reports of an Iranian assassination plot against Trump.

Educator Faisal Khan, known as Khan Sir, along with three staff members and two security guards, has been granted anticipatory bail by a Patna court in connection with a firing incident at his coaching institute. The incident involved vandalism and alleged aerial firing by guards in self-defence, leading to counter-allegations between Khan Sir and a rival.

Forget fines. In Assam's Tinsukia, people allegedly caught urinating in public on CCTV are now being shown on giant LED screens in a bid to shame repeat offenders

An 8-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a security guard in Mumbai's Pydhonie area, leading to his arrest and widespread public protests. Hundreds gathered outside the police station, demanding swift justice and stricter laws, drawing attention from political figures like MLA Rohit Pawar.

A Delhi court has granted permission to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) to cremate or dispose of the remains of 11 victims and the suicide bomber from the Red Fort car bomb explosion last November. The court emphasised dignified disposal respecting religious beliefs and sought a compliance report.

The Supreme Court has referred the contentious Gyanvapi mosque, Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple-Shahi Idgah mosque, and Shahi Jama Masjid disputes to a Special Lok Adalat, 'Samadhan', scheduled for August 21-23, 2026, to explore an amicable settlement.

Hyderabad-based Nexon Geochem has partnered with Russia's Giredmet to establish integrated rare-earth processing and downstream facilities in India. This collaboration aims to bridge critical gaps in India's rare earth value chain, focusing on producing NdFeB permanent magnets essential for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defence systems, reducing reliance on imports.

Imtiaz Ali's daughter Ida Ali has announced her engagement to boyfriend Krish Agrawal.

The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit a status report on the alleged embezzlement of donation money at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The court also issued notice to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust following pleas for a fair and time-bound probe, including demands for a CBI investigation and a CAG audit of the temple trust's finances.

BikeWo Green Tech and Kwik Flite Support have signed an initial pact to develop an integrated air cargo, aviation logistics, and multimodal freight platform. This collaboration aims to combine road mobility with aviation capabilities to serve various industries, focusing on high-value and time-sensitive logistics across India, including Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has suspended KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar following allegations that he facilitated the illegal selection of his two daughters as Industrial Extension Officers. The Governor has also recommended to the President that the matter be referred to the Supreme Court for an inquiry under Article 317(1) of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear appeals challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court's decision to designate the Bhojshala complex as a Goddess Saraswati temple, a ruling that also quashed Muslim prayer rights at the historic site.

US Senator Lindsey Graham passed away of a cardiac arrest a few hours after these photographs were taken.

The Supreme Court has issued an interim stay on the Madras High Court's directive that imposed a blanket ban on cow slaughter in Tamil Nadu, responding to an appeal from the State government.

The Calcutta High Court has strongly criticised travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) for illegally selling unoccupied berths, likening it to 'selling vegetables in a market', after such an incident led to the death of a drugged theft victim on a train.

Kuwait's air defence systems engaged 'hostile aerial targets', Jordan intercepted four missiles, and Bahrain sounded warning sirens after Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting US military installations in the region.

Ikka Actress Akansha Ranjan and Sirector Sharan Sharma's wedding reception was a star-studded affair in Mumbai.

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP has served a legal notice to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, demanding a retraction and public apology for his allegations that the BJP attempted to bribe National Conference legislators to destabilise his government. The BJP has called the claims false, baseless and defamatory and warned of civil and criminal proceedings, including a Rs 100 crore defamation suit, if their demands are not met within seven days.

Uttarakhand Police have arrested Pramod Nautiyal, a suspended employee of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), in connection with alleged irregularities in the handling of donations at the Badrinath temple. Nautiyal, formerly PA to the BKTC chairman, faces questioning after an FIR was lodged and an inquiry committee found prima facie evidence against him.

India too can rise to the top if the 1.4 billion Indians back home are given better opportunities to use their innate talent and capacity to work hard, with right incentives in a more meritocratic rules-based system, asserts Ajay Chhibber.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has launched extensive precision strikes across multiple Iranian military installations, deploying both one-way attack aerial and sea drones for the first time, to degrade Tehran's ability to disrupt international maritime trade in the Strait of Hormuz.

Having governed Odisha for 24 uninterrupted years, the BJD now finds itself in the unfamiliar role of Opposition. Its organisational overhaul following the 2024 defeat has yet to produce a recognisable second line of leadership.

Karnataka Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh was asked to deboard a state-run BMTC bus by its conductor because he did not have exact change for his ticket. The conductor, unaware of the passenger's identity due to his mask, insisted on exact change or UPI payment, which the minister could not provide. This incident occurred during the minister's incognito inspection of the transport department's functioning.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donation money at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is expected to question people associated with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and review banking arrangements for donations.

The United States Department of Justice plans to seek the extradition of Lawrence Bishnoi, accused of orchestrating the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and involvement in other crimes in the US. Extradition is also sought for Gurinderjit Singh Nagra in an extortion case. These actions are part of a larger international operation targeting India-based transnational organised crime groups.

A devastating fire at the Na Ladprao eatery in Bangkok's Chatuchak district resulted in 27 fatalities and 63 injuries, with officials confirming that most deaths were due to smoke inhalation after a stage circuit breaker exploded.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has identified significant financial irregularities in the Maharashtra government's flagship Ladki Bahin scheme, including an excess expenditure of Rs 3,541.16 crore and the parking of Rs 15,586 crore in Virtual Personal Deposit Accounts (VPDAs) without immediate need. The report highlights deficiencies in budget estimation and financial management, recommending realistic fund assessments and strict adherence to expenditure needs.

Buzz Lightyear's 'to infinity and beyond' in Toy Story was meant as an impossible boast. Voyager, however, has given it unexpected meaning -- not because it will ever reach infinity, but because for it the beyond is already in progress

Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi attended the Wimbledon men's singles final, sharing the experience with Yuvraj Singh, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, marking his first visit to the iconic tournament.

Former BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai stated that a true Hindu treats everyone equally and emphasised his identity as a nationalist and Indian, keeping caste and religion private. He also predicted that young voters would bring significant regime changes in future Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, particularly in 2031.

Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand has led to widespread road closures due to landslides, affecting 126 roads including two national highways. A wall collapse in Dehradun injured a woman and displaced seven families, while restoration efforts are underway across the state to clear debris and restore connectivity.

Fifteen Indian tourists died and one remains critically injured after a speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members capsized off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island. The bodies of the deceased have been moved to Ho Chi Minh City for repatriation, while most rescued tourists are returning to India. Vietnamese authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Police in Kerala will form a medical board to investigate the death of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy who died after being administered anaesthesia for a lip injury at a private hospital in Payyannur. The family alleges medical negligence, leading to a case against the anaesthetist and protests.

A boat carrying Indian tourists capsized near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island. The Indian Embassy in Hanoi has established control rooms to provide assistance and information as search and rescue operations are underway and local authorities investigate the incident.

A central government committee has upheld the ban on the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer film Satluj, citing concerns over India's sovereignty and integrity, sparking political debate in Punjab.

Donald Trump has issued a severe warning to Iran, threatening 'decimation' with '1,000 missiles' if the nation pursues alleged assassination plots against him, while Iranian officials accuse the US of violating a MoU amidst ongoing diplomatic talks.

Ram Temple Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra stated that the alleged donation theft at the Ayodhya temple was a 'disgraceful blot' and expressed confidence that the temple management system would be improved to prevent future incidents.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stressed on Friday (local time) that Tehran remains prepared for full-scale defence should the US betray the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries last month.

The move follows reports from several state drug-regulatory authorities indicating misuse and hoarding oral formulations with high ethyl-alcohol concentration, which people use as a substitute for liquor.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire and Rescue teams on Saturday intensified search operations along the Meenachipuzha river to trace the lone missing person, Vikram Rana, as rescue efforts entered the fifth day following the Wayanad landslide.

US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said that he has left instructions to launch a massive military action against Iran, if Tehran succeeds in the plan of assassinating him, while stressing that the country would be bombed at levels they have never seen before, New York Post reported.

New financial investment funds, including Filmoney Global and CineNow, are entering the 22,000 crore Indian film business, aiming to establish Indian cinema as a new asset class for high-net-worth individuals and institutions, similar to the IPL.

Lenin packs enough intriguing twists to hook you, but eventually buries them beneath an all-too-familiar revenge saga.

Prohibition never stopped anyone from drinking in Gujarat. It only made the stories that come after a lot more interesting, recounts Binu Alex.

The Horticulture Department conducts a site visit at the Bamboo development project at Thingthelh.

Violence erupted in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district on Saturday, as supporters of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narottam Mishra clashed with police and blocked a national highway after the former minister was denied a ticket for the July 30 assembly byelection.

Aamir Khan Productions and Director Kabir Khan are set to collaborate with Australian production house Mind Blowing Films on Silkyara 41.