Even though it was a bitterly cold day, Americans gathered for a National Day of Protest on Presidents' Day to make their anger known at the bizarre nexus between the 47th president of the United States and the richest man in the world.
Lt. Vinay Narwal, an Indian Navy officer, was killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, while on his honeymoon. His family, friends, and political leaders mourned his loss, describing him as a brave soldier and a promising young man. The attack sparked widespread condemnation and calls for retribution.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar left the dais before the national anthem at the inauguration of an international sports event in Patna, sparking controversy. Opposition RJD president Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav accused the chief minister of disrespecting the national anthem. The Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 is being held at the Pataliputra Sports Complex, with 300 players and support staff from 21 countries taking part. Kumar, 74, walked towards the participants and greeted them with a "namaste" and a wave of the hand before the national anthem was played. A video clip of the incident was shared on social media by Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav, who both alleged that the chief minister "disrespected the national anthem".
An undated viral video of an Indian citizen dancing all the way to become a citizen of New Zealand has angered and divided netizens.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the violence during protests against the Waqf law, accusing her of remaining silent while "Bengal is burning." He also said that the only treatment for rioters is stick, as "Those who respond only to thrashing don't understand words."
'Will this near-war, India's strongest military response so far, buy India another seven years of deterrence?' asks Shekhar Gupta.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lost his temper and made a gesture by raising his hand at a police officer during a protest rally in Belagavi. The incident occurred when a group of people, allegedly BJP workers, attempted to disrupt his speech by displaying a black flag and shouting slogans. Siddaramaiah, visibly upset, summoned the police officer to the stage and instructed him to remove the disruptive individuals. The incident sparked a heated exchange between the CM and BJP leaders, with both sides accusing each other of disrupting rallies and resorting to violence.
The Maharashtra government has ordered a probe into the death of a pregnant woman after a hospital in Pune allegedly denied her admission due to non-payment of Rs 10 lakh as advance deposit. The woman, Tanisha Bhise, died after giving birth to twin girls at another hospital. The incident sparked protests outside the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, with opposition parties alleging negligence and demanding action against the hospital.
'You can be sure that the Pakistanis knew when the Indian Air Force aircraft took off, which type these were, and what their likely targets were.' 'The question was: How would they determine that the IAF wanted to fire, and when to bounce them?', notes Shekhar Gupta.
'No military offensive by Pakistan will end the insurgency in Balochistan without simultaneous, concerted efforts toward political dialogue to de-escalate tensions.'
A woman has been detained in Noida for allegedly assaulting a minor boy who requested her not to bring her pet dog into the lift of a residential building. The incident, captured on video, sparked outrage among residents. The woman was seen dragging the boy out of the lift despite his pleas. Police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
"Who is Aurangzeb? Why should we allow his glorification in our state? He is a blot on our history," the deputy chief minister said in his closing remarks.
Can a culture survive as a way of life, even as the language and writing at its core, alter with time? Can we be rational and Malayalee or do we have to necessarily be religious and proudly cultural to be Malayalee? asks Shyam G Menon.
'The BJP has killed public anger. They have killed people's self-respect.'
While Gautam Gambhir's anger at the leaks is understandable, blaming Sarfaraz Khan without concrete proof seems premature and unnecessary.
Donald Trump is catering to the basest fears and prejudice of unenlightened Americans -- yes, there are those too, in sizeable enough numbers to elect one of their own as president. That would most certainly not Make America Great Again, asserts Shreekant Sambrani.
The launch of the first-ever direct train service from Delhi to Kashmir would be a big turning point in the Valley's mood and its integration with India. He had to thwart it at any cost, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
Political sources say Modi is 'keen' on getting the NCP (SP) over to the Mahayuti to counter Eknath Shinde's 'demands' and to act as a cushion against his present allies, Nitish Kumar and N Chandrababu Naidu, 'in case their relationship became untenable'.
Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput said stand-up comedian Raina had planned four shows in the state -- one each in Surat on April 17 and Vadodara on April 18, and two in Ahmedabad on April 19 and 20.
'Nobody in the Olympic landscape should conclude that because I had a mandate in World Athletics... that this is a one-size-fits-all. That I suddenly walk straight into the (IOC) office in Lausanne next week and tell everybody they are taking prize money.'
'We want to hide it (by saying) we are too busy in our lives, we have other things to attend to, we have families.' 'But they all had families, including Jyotiba or Mahatma Gandhi, or anybody who challenged the system.'
On the 134th birth anniversary of the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, Utkarsh Mishra revisits three incidents from Dr B R Ambedkar's life that lay bare the deeply entrenched nature of caste prejudice.
For the first time in 20 years, Erdogan's political future is really on the line. He must now prove that he is a leader who can get things done and can mobilise effectively the machine of the state to provide relief to the affected people and help them rebuild their homes and their lives.
This past week, His Holiness has been in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, the Union Territory where Indian and Chinese soldiers have been in a standoff for two years, since April 2020.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said he is "more than happy" to take responsibility for everything wrong the party did in its history, including the 1984 Sikh riots. He acknowledged that the party made "a lot of mistakes" when he was not there, but said he has publicly stated that what happened in the 80s was "wrong." The remarks were made during an interaction at Brown University in the US. The video of the interaction was uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs on Saturday. The BJP has criticized Gandhi for his remarks, accusing him of "ridiculing" the beliefs of Hindus and Sikhs.
K L Rahul has turned the wheels in a manner only a batter blessed with skill-set as his can.
'The TMC can't go on forever taking advantage of the people's fright of the BJP.'
Social media influencer Orhan Awatramani, known as Orry, and seven others were booked for allegedly consuming alcohol at a hotel in Katra, the base camp for the pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The FIR was registered for violating the law and hurting religious sentiments. The hotel reportedly prohibits alcohol and non-vegetarian food due to its proximity to the shrine.
'Let his soul rest in peace...We should all be proud of him in every way. And we will make him proud in every way'
'We do not want to fall into a trap of uncontrolled escalation or all out conflict.' 'When the need arises we will do that.'
The ISI strategy has been to use its proxies to target Hindus in India. They want an outrage and counter-targeting of India's minorities. Further, even the whiff of it restores the Pakistan army's popularity, especially when it's in the dumps, like now, points out Shekhar Gupta.
Salman Khan's Sikandar may not be the spectacle one hoped it would be. Many decades ago, Sohrab Modi made the historical extravaganza Sikandar that continues to inspire audiences today.
'I will always love my family but for now, from afar.'
'India today feels enough is enough and we need to teach Pakistan a lesson.' 'Unless compelled, Mr Modi will think 10 times before taking the extreme step.'
"Now it is necessary to investigate whether there is a lapse in the security or the anger of the farmers!" Tikait tweeted in Hindi on Wednesday.
Wellness expert Roopashree Sharma answers your health queries.
The Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune, India, has stopped taking deposits from patients at the emergency department after a pregnant woman died after being turned away for non-payment. The hospital faced intense criticism following the incident, which involved the wife of a BJP MLC's personal secretary. The woman was shifted to another hospital where she died after delivering twins.
The middle-aged woman, Shubra Ghorui, is said to have harboured anger against Chatterjee after the seizure of around Rs 50 crore in cash, along with jewellery, by the ED.
'Pakistan cannot sustain a war with India for more than four days. They are in such dire straits. At best they can sustain war for one week.'
