It is an unusual choice to depute a retired general for the funeral of a revered religious figure but a thoughtful one in an attempt to inject verve into the bilateral relationship and restore the equilibrium in India's West Asian policies, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The boundary mess between India and Nepal needs a solution in a manner as mentioned by Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal: 'On evidence not emotions', counsels Lieutenant General Shakti Gurung (retd).
He also warned the Gulf countries, which are allowing the US to launch an attack from their soil, vowing to "punish" the regional partners.
The Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra has swiftly distanced itself from MLA Sana Malik's controversial statements on talaq and polygamy, reiterating its firm commitment to women's rights and constitutional principles.
Amidst the INDIA bloc conclave in Delhi, a significant number of Trinamool Congress MPs convened a closed-door meeting, signalling a deepening internal rebellion and discontent within the party's parliamentary ranks following recent electoral setbacks.
Ebrahim Azizi, Head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee, warned the US against interfering with the Strait of Hormuz, asserting Iran's sovereignty after former President Donald Trump threatened to 'take over' the strategic waterway. Despite the heated rhetoric, Iran and the US have established a direct communication line to prevent incidents during a 60-day negotiation period.
South Korea's World Cup group-stage exit has sparked a nationwide football crisis, with coach Hong Myung-bo resigning, President Lee Jae Myung ordering an investigation, and growing calls for sweeping reforms within the Korea Football Association.
To prevent accidents and security breaches, Parliament issues a new advisory urging MPs to limit their vehicle speed to 10 kmph within the complex.
Omar Abdullah has so far laboured hard to make best of a bad bargain. Even so, the ground reality is anything but reassuring. The Opposition parties, including notably the PDP, appear to be gaining ground, though more by default. Public patience with Omar's government has nearly run out, notes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
The visit was expected to project Assam as the gateway to Southeast Asia and reinforce the state's emergence as a preferred investment destination.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will hear both the defected TMC MPs and the faction led by Mamata Banerjee before deciding on recognising the breakaway group's proposed merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
Author of over 100 books, he served as the secretary general of Lok Sabha from 1983 to 1990.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticised the BJP, accusing it of betraying Hindus by allegedly embezzling donations for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He vowed to lead protests for "BJP-mukt Ram" and questioned the BJP's Hindutva, calling it a "Pakistan Janata Party" for its alleged party-splitting tactics and questioning citizenship. Thackeray also targeted rebel MPs, including Sanjay Deshmukh, for their defection.
Rajya Sabha MP Sukhen Shekhar Ray has resigned from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and his parliamentary seat, adding to the party's ongoing internal crisis and political turmoil.
US President Donald Trump announced a finalised peace deal between the US and Iran, set for signing on June 19 in Switzerland, with key figures like J D Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner from the US side, and Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf representing Iran, alongside Pakistani mediators Field Marshal Asim Munir, Shehbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, and Mohsin Naqvi, playing crucial roles in the diplomatic breakthrough.
Dr Subhash Kashyap not only enhanced Parliament's image in India and abroad, but also the position of Lok Sabha secretary-general which succeeding secretary-generals have upheld thorough neutrality, objectivity and high degree of professionalism, notes Rup Narayan Das.
The Shiv Sena-UBT is holding a crucial parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi to address a potential split by dissident MPs. A whip has been issued, making attendance mandatory, as the party aims to prevent a breakaway faction from merging with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and initiating disqualification proceedings.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a severe leadership crisis as former minister Jyoti Priya Mallick resigned from all party organisational posts citing health, and senior North Bengal leader Goutam Deb stepped down as mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, amidst widespread internal rifts and electoral setbacks.
British Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has announced his resignation, stating he will remain in post until a successor is elected by mid-July. The decision follows questions from his parliamentary party regarding his leadership for the next general election, with Andy Burnham widely tipped as a potential successor.
Ideology is dead; long live the numbers game that is being played with the sole intention of securing a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha for the NDA, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
"I was thinking I would not be required to sit on a protest. I am sad I have to sit on a fast again. I am not doing it happily; it is not easy either. I may even die, but even if I die, I will not step back," said Sonam Wangchuk, climate activist and educator, regarding his indefinite fast for Ladakh's constitutional safeguards.
The Indian Parliament has passed a bill amending the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019, focusing on biological discrimination and excluding social orientations from its scope. The bill aims to provide legal recognition and protection to transgender individuals facing discrimination due to biological issues, while also introducing graded punishments for harm inflicted on them.
The planned India-Japan annual summit, featuring Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi and Indian PM Narendra Modi, has been moved from Guwahati to New Delhi due to logistical issues and Takaichi's tight schedule. The summit, scheduled for July 1-3, aims to boost bilateral ties with discussions on investment, supply chain deals, energy resilience, and strategic oil reserves, accompanied by a delegation of 50 Japanese companies.
Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee claims 64 dissident TMC MLAs have submitted their names to the Speaker, constituting over two-thirds of the party's Assembly strength, and has called for a floor test to verify their claims of support amidst a widening split within the Trinamool Congress.
The US and Iran have agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within 60 days after hours-long talks at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, mediators Qatar and Pakistan said on Monday, describing the progress as "encouraging."
The Supreme Court has declared the right to walk on demarcated footpaths a fundamental right, prioritising it over motorised vehicle movement, and has called for the establishment of a regulatory body to ensure its enforcement and provide restitutionary remedies for violations.
'Now if you break the party under the 10th Schedule you have to join another party.' 'You cannot join the NDA as it is not a party. You can only join another party, and that is the BJP.' 'So the question to ask is that these so-called 20 TMC Lok Sabha MPs who are parting ways with the TMC, are they ready to join the BJP and accept Narendra Modi as their leader?'
'It was done with record speed. First, a revolt of the MLAs, which was obviously engineered.' ''No one believed me when I said the MLAs breaking away is not the real issue.' 'It is like a comet. The head doesn't matter, the tail matters.' 'And the tail is Parliament. Suvendu has gifted the prime minister 20 MPs.'
Tensions are escalating in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) following violent clashes between Pakistani security forces and protestors, resulting in civilian deaths and a communications blackout. The situation has drawn international condemnation, with over 50 British Parliament members expressing concern and a former Indian police chief criticising Pakistan's actions.
23 political parties of the INDIA bloc will meet on Monday to redraw their strategy to take on the BJP and iron out differences amid changed power dynamics after the defeat of regional anchors TMC and DMK in the recent assembly polls.
Under attack from senior Trinamool Congress lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee amid turmoil within the party, its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday struck a conciliatory note, describing the Serampore MP as an elder who has "brought him up" and therefore had every right to criticise him.
US Vice President J D Vance is currently in Switzerland, leading critical technical talks with Iran to advance diplomatic efforts on Iran's nuclear programme and secure a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon, following a recently signed memorandum of understanding aimed at de-escalating West Asian hostilities.
Lok Sabha takes up FCRA Amendment Bill amid opposition protests.
As India marks a decade of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the focus is shifting towards enhancing efficiency through artificial intelligence, data sharing, and process simplification. The reform, which unified India's indirect tax system, has significantly broadened the tax base and boosted revenues, with future plans including a streamlined two-tier rate structure and continued technological integration to reduce compliance costs and combat evasion.
Shiv Sena (UBT) workers in Dharashiv have issued strong warnings, including threats of public humiliation, against any party members, particularly MP Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, who might defect. This comes amidst reports of six of the party's nine MPs potentially forming a separate group, posing a significant challenge to the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.
Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has replaced Saayoni Ghosh as youth wing president and Mala Roy as women's wing president, amidst a significant rebellion within the party where dissident MPs claim to have the support of 20 of the party's 28 Lok Sabha members.
The NCERT has included in the class 9 social science textbook a section on Emergency, which it described as "one of the major challenges to democracy in India" with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailing the move saying future generations should know about the "dark deeds".
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is on a state visit to Pakistan to discuss the full implementation of an agreement signed between Iran and the US, alongside regional and international developments. The visit also aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors, following recent high-level talks between the US and Iran in Switzerland regarding regional security.
A significant parliamentary revolt within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has emerged, with purported signatures of 19 MPs on a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking recognition as a separate bloc under Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and extending support to the BJP-led NDA.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has alleged that the BJP's "real and ultimate target" in seeking a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha is to amend the Constitution to end reservation, rather than genuinely implement women's reservation.
