Petrol price hike: NDA calls BANDH on May 31
Opposing the steep hike in petrol prices and spiralling prices of commodities, National Democratic Alliance has called for a nation-wide bandh on May 31.

Public fury of fuel price hike: 'Is it petrol or gold?'
As the government announced a Rs 7.50 per litre hike in petrol price from midnight, anger was written on the faces of many people.

How Shakeel Afridi nailed Osama bin Laden
Amir Mir reports how a physician became a CIA mole and helped locate the most wanted man in the world.

In PHOTOS: The sweaty, intolerable Indian summer
The heat wave across parts of India, most notably in the northern parts of the country, is taking its toll.

'Jailing Dr Afridi is proof of Pak being at war with US'
Shocked over Pakistan sentencing a doctor, who helped the CIA to find Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, two top American Senators have asked the authorities in Islamabad to pardon and release him immediately.

Here's PROOF: Pakistan's nuclear work on fast track
Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme is considered to be among the fastest growing in the world by Stockholm-based International Peace Research Institute, with the estimates of Islamabad possessing 90-110 nuclear warheads.

Obama says US is THE world leader. Do you think so too?
The US is leading the world once more and people across the globe admire America the most as they have developed a "new confidence" in its leadership, President Barack Obama has said.

Why India is wary of Myanmar-NSCN-K agreement
The ceasefire agreement between the Naga faction and Myanmar was signed without India being informed. It is likely to have long-term implications not only for the ethnic politics of the Naga-inhabited regions, but also for India's northeast and Myanmar, says Rahul Mishra.

Surface-to-air Akash missile test fired successfully
Boosting its air defence shield and re-validating operational efficacy, India on Thursday test fired successfully its indigenously-developed surface-to-air 'Akash' missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, nearly 15 km from Balasore. "The user-specific trial, which formed part of the country's routine air defence exercises, was successful," said a Defence Research Development Organisation official associated with the Akash missile project.

Politicians of my age should retire, says Digvijay
Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh has said that time has come for politicians of his age to retire from the field.

AWESOME PHOTOS: The beauty of the starry sky
The Earth and Sky Photo Contest, organised recently by The World at Night foundation, Global Astronomy Month, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, received numerous entries that illustrated how important and amazing the starry sky is, how it affects our lives.

Pak doctor who helped trace Osama jailed for 33 years
Dr Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani surgeon who helped the US Central Intelligence Agency find Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, has been sentenced to 33 years in prison for 'treason'.

70,000 convicted in 6 yrs: Bihar a lawless state no more
Nearly 70,000 criminals, including politicians and lawmakers, have been convicted and punished for various crimes in Bihar -- a state that was once notorious for its lawlessness -- thanks to speedy trials by fast track courts, police officials said on Wednesday. "This is a success story of the state government led by Nitish Kumar, who is serious about containing crime and improving law and order in Bihar since he came to power in November 2005," said a senior police official.

An emotional climax to Dharun Ravi's trial
Rediff.com's Rajendran P was present at the Middlesex court in New Jersey as the parents of Dharun Ravi, convicted for webcam spying of his roommate Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide, and the latter's parents, took the stand before the judge sentenced Ravi to 30 days in prison.

Why are Jaya and Patnaik rooting for Sangma as President?
Political parties may be backing P A Sangma to mount pressure on the Congress high command to pick Pranab Mukherjee for the top post, says Neeraja Chowdhury

5 killed in low-intensity blast in Allahabad
Even as top police officials ruled out any terrorist angle to the blast, the state home department has rushed an ATS team from Lucknow to take stock of the blast

Talwars killed Aarushi and lover Hemraj: CBI
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday told a special court in Ghaziabad that Rajesh and Nupur Talwar killed their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj in a fit of rage after finding them in a compromising position, a claim strongly refuted by the dentist couple.

PIX: Explosives recovered at Guwahati railway station
The Government Railway Police personnel on Wednesday recovered a huge quantity of high power explosives from a person travelling in a general coach of Delhi-bound North East Express at the Guwahati railway station.

Interview/General V K Singh
Army Chief General V K Singh speaks to Kalyani Shankar about the age row, the Tatra issue, the letter leak, and his future plans in this two-part freewheeling interview, which was partly broadcast on All India Radio.

Extraordinary Indians
This Independence Day, Rediff launches a special series to salute the Extraordinary Indians who are changing lives and making a difference.