Mundane as it may seem, this is in some ways a metaphor for the challenges facing the nation, argue Arvind Subramanian and Devesh Kapur in their new book, A Sixth Of Humanity.
'Trump had done a deal with the current regime minus Maduro. The current regime is giving Trump entry into Venezuelan oil. They are obeying him and doing whatever he says.' 'They are happy because they have saved their heads by sacrificing only two, Maduro and his wife. Thousands of Venezuelan military leaders would have been jailed or killed in American action had Maduro stayed in power.'
These scenes of paramilitary troops watching out for trouble are from Manipur where violence has been constant, without respite, since May 3, 2023.
Glimpses from Nuh, Haryana on Thursday, August 3, 2023, the scene of violent communal clashes on Monday, July 31, and Tuesday, August 1, which reportedly witnessed several deaths, scores injured, countless cases of arson, wanton firing of weapons and assault of uninvolved bystanders.
'It can be two months, a year, or even five years. We need to be prepared.'
'The (Maoist) organisation is in visible decline. Their senior leaders are ageing. Forest life is unforgiving -- older leaders simply cannot cope physically.' 'Earlier, they attracted educated youth from cities. That stream has dried up. Today's recruits largely come from poor village backgrounds and lack ideological depth.'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday directed strict action against the perpetrators of violence in Manipur and assured the state complete support from the Centre in ensuring lasting peace.
A day after tension gripped the area over the lynching of a man, the police and district administration remained on alert on Thursday to ensure law and order in maintained while the chief cleric of Aligrah appealed for peace.
According to a complaint filed by the victim's family, Fareed was returning home from work when he was mobbed and thrashed by some residents on Tuesday night in the Mamu Bhanja locality over suspicion of theft, Superintendent of Police City M Shekhar Pathak said.
Curfew was imposed on Thursday after protesters stormed police stations demanding the release of five youths who had earlier been arrested for carrying sophisticated weapons and wearing camouflage uniforms similar to army fatigues.
The well-fought defensive battles in Aksai Chin and eastern Arunachal, in remote and forbidding locations such as Galwan, Rezang La, Gurung Hill and Walong, effectively halted Chinese advances not once but twice during the campaign. These engagements, fought with grit and without adequate support, were not immediately known to the world in 1962, points out Dr Kumar.
Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar lauded wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant's fearless batting approach and natural talent, recalling how Ashish Nehra had predicted the youngster's rapid rise.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says India achieved all objectives of Operation Sindoor, emphasizing that escalating the situation to war with Pakistan was not the aim. He highlighted India's fight against cross-border terrorism and the successful exposure of Pakistan's air defense system.
In separate incidents, automatic gunfire was reported from Kwakta in Bishnupur district of Manipur and Kangvai in Churachandpur district through the night.
'When global politics has some intervention on the core software one uses, and if you are cut off from your own data in critical workflows, sovereignty is no longer optional. It becomes a necessity.'
'But that was not our aim. Our objective was already achieved.'
The Uttar Pradesh government has implemented a special crowd management plan called 'Operation Eleven' for the 'Amrit Snan' on Basant Panchami at Maha Kumbh. The plan, devised under strict instructions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ensures a one-way traffic route for devotees and smooth movement on pontoon bridges. The heightened measures are in place following a stampede on Mauni Amavasya that claimed at least 30 lives. 'Operation Eleven' includes measures such as strict enforcement of a one-way route, enhanced security at key locations, crowd control at Tikarmafi Turn, special arrangements at Phaphamau and pontoon bridges, railway station and bus movement regulation, enhanced security at Prayag Junction, crowd management at GT Jawahar and Harshvardhan Chauraha, additional security and traffic control measures, and deployment of extra forces.
The army chief reviewed the joint operations carried out by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Border Security Force in response to Pakistani drone and military attacks that followed India's retaliatory strike on May 7 for the horrific Pahalgam terror attack.
During Operation Sindoor, Indian naval ships, submarines and aircraft were operationally ready and deployed, projecting strength and preparedness to deter any "potential actions from our western adversary" in the maritime domain, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said on Friday.
Liverpool shrugged off the absence of Mohamed Salah as midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai scored an 88th-minute penalty to give them a 1-0 Champions League win at Inter Milan.
The extended timing to offer prayers at the new Ram temple in Ayodhya came into effect on Thursday with 'darshan' being allowed from 6 am as key roads leading to the temple town remained closed to regulate vehicular movement.
The stones shattered the window glass of the meat shop. Mohammad Javed, who runs the shop on rent, suffered minor injuries in the attack, they said.
The committee will be headed by IGP (administration) K Jayanta, the order said, adding that it will "submit the report at the earliest."
The basement of the coaching Institute in Old Rajendra Nagar where three civil services aspirants died by rain-induced flooding was functioning illegally as a library, officials said on Sunday.
The mosque's management committee chief, however, claimed that the Noori Masjid in Lalauli town was built in 1839 while the road around it came up only in 1956, and said they have already moved the Allahabad high court which will take up the petition on December 12.
The Congress's performance in the Lok Sabha elections showed that it may be down but not out, and Modi is determined to ensure that in the next round in 2029, it is consigned to irrelevance, points out Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Around 17,000 policemen, apart from the Rapid Action Force, are patrolling the streets of Bangalore from where the exodus of North-East Indians has been the most. Elaborate security arrangements are in place to ensure that no untoward incident occurs, Commissioner of Police, Bangalore city, Jyothi Prakash Mirji told rediff.com.
'If China shows greater concerns for Indian interests, ties could improve. Otherwise, the thaw could be short-lived.'
'However, we must implement a tit-for-tat approach -- reciprocating their conduct with precision.' 'If they demonstrate respect, we respond accordingly. If they adopt hostile positions, we mirror that hostility with equal intensity.'
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Andhra Pradesh government to furnish proof of "secret intelligence inputs" to prove that Maoists have infiltrated Osmania University, the hotbed of Telangana statehood agitation.
While Singh comes from the Meiti community, he has continued to appeal to both sides to stay away from violence and restore peace in the state.
India emerged from the war militarily bruised and strategically altered. The United States, under the guise of friendship, had succeeded in achieving what open alignment never could: The psychological and political repositioning of India within the Cold War order, points out Dr Kumar.
Hours before the clashes, a planned mass burial of Kuki-Zomi people killed in Manipur's ethnic violence was stalled after the state's High Court on Thursday morning ordered status quo to be maintained at the proposed burial site in Churachandpur district.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated India's readiness to assist Pakistan in combating terrorism if it cannot act on its own, highlighting Operation Sindoor as a demonstration of India's capabilities. He also criticized Pakistan's appointment to a UN counter-terrorism committee.
He also reviewed the joint actions undertaken in coordination with the Indian Air Force and the Border Security Force, they said.
In the aftermath of the incident, the UP police also conducted a flag march in Lucknow's Husainabad.
January 22, 2024 has passed into history. Scenes from a day of religious fervour in many parts of India.
The Chandigarh police lodged the FIR on Wednesday late night in connection with the clash in which around 30 policemen, including the Rapid Action Force personnel, were injured while several police vehicles were damaged.
The National Investigation Agency Saturday arrested a second accused linked to the case of a transnational conspiracy by Myanmar and Bangladesh-based leadership of terror outfits to wage war against India by exploiting the current ethnic strife in Manipur, an official said.
NDRF director general Atul Karwal told PTI that the teams are undertaking continuous familiarisation exercises and conducting simulation drills in the temple town to respond to any contingency.
