The Lok Sabha has passed a bill recognising Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh, solidifying the city's status after years of debate and uncertainty. The bill aims to prevent future changes to the capital and received support from both the ruling NDA and the opposition Congress, while the YSR Congress Party opposed the bill.
By all available indications, the White House drafted a face-saving note and handed it, ready-made, to Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to then post it in the guise of a plea urging Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks 'to allow diplomacy to run its course'. Trump would then graciously accept Pakistan's 'request' and declare a ceasefire. Sharif dutifully posted the message on X. Except that he, or whoever was handling the account, forgot to delete the tell-tale first line visible in the edit history: 'Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X'. Prem Panicker's must read blog on the Iran War.
Donald Trump's inconsistent statements and actions regarding the conflict with Iran have drawn criticism and confusion, raising questions about American credibility and the direction of US foreign policy.
The United States is facing growing discontent from its Gulf allies after several countries in the region complained that they were not given advance notice of the US-Israel strike on Iran that triggered widespread retaliatory attacks, according to media reports.
Taking Kharg would give the US control over virtually all of Iran's oil exports and thus provide significant leverage, notes Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War. It would also put American troops within range of Iran's remaining missiles, drones, and artillery on a piece of real estate that is just eight square miles in size, and just 15 miles from the Iranian mainland.
Fight on toward goals that keep receding, or exit with most objectives unmet. Trump is agitated, his poll numbers falling below the Plimsoll line, his base fractured between those who back the war and those who remember that he campaigned on ending them.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) issued high sea waves, up to 4.7 metres high, warning across several coastal districts.
According to an international media report, the jet crashed in the afternoon local time while flying a demonstration flight at the prestigious air show.
'I've scored many goals that might have been even more beautiful and valuable -- also because of their importance -- but the header in the Champions League final against Manchester United has always been my favourite.'
The speaker rejected the adjournment motion moved by the TDP and sought to take up regular business, which the Opposition did not allow.
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly was on Thursday abruptly adjourned till January 3 without even initiating the crucial debate on draft AP Re-organisation Bill-2013 that provides for the creation of a new state of Telangana.
To enable the 5 per cent quota for the Kapus, the Centre will have to include it in Schedule 9 of the Constitution so as to insulate it from court's scrutiny.
Zohram Kwame Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected New York mayor this November.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Sunday said a separate state of Telangana could be carved out of Andhra Pradesh, only if the State Assembly first passes a resolution on it.
Posters with the message "Free Gaza, Free Palestine" and calls to boycott Israeli goods were found in the Narauli town of Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Police are investigating the incident based on CCTV footage and information gathered from shop owners. The posters emerged following Israel's offensive in Gaza, launched after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel in October 2023.
The rain and flood situation in northeastern states remained grim on Tuesday, with lakhs people affected in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur, even as the meteorological department predicted more rain in several parts of the region.
Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday expressed hope the Andhra Pradesh legislative Assembly will send its decision on draft Telangana bill before the timeframe set by the President for the process to be carried forward by the Centre subsequently.
In a relief for the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh, party members of legislative assembly from Telangana region on Monday ended their boycott of the ongoing budget session over the raging Telangana issue. The decision came following a meeting they had with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and state Congress president D Srinivas in the assembly buildings.
So far, over 30 people have died across Northeastern states due to heavy rainfalls, floods and landslides, according to media reports.
The strike on the building housing media offices came in the afternoon, after the building's owner received a call from the Israeli military warning that it would be hit.
We need to equip the Indian Armed Forces, not 'commercial' as Trump wants, but 'operationally' looking at growing Chinese military capabilities, asserts Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (retd).
In a sudden turn of political events in Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh Congress Chief YS Sharmila Reddy spent the night in her party office at Vijayawada as in an attempt to avoid house arrest.
'Amaravati will be a game changer for Andhra Pradesh.'
16 missing, 150,000 evacuated, 70,000 without power.
The BJP accused Congress leaders of colluding with foreign forces to destabilize India and demanded Sonia Gandhi to disclose her role in a George Soros Foundation-funded organization's activities. The ruling party also attacked Rahul Gandhi, calling him a "pawn" for his protests against the Adani issue.
The first lady met 'members of Congress on a bill could speed the removal of intimate imagery posted online without an individual's consent, or revenge porn,' Associated Press reported.
United States President Joe Biden and his family received tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, with the most expensive gift going to First Lady Jill Biden from Prime Minister Narendra D Modi.
V Vijayasai Reddy, a Rajya Sabha member from the YSRCP, has announced his decision to quit politics and resign from his parliamentary membership. He stated that agriculture will be his future and that his decision was personal, with no pressure or influence from others. Reddy's announcement comes as the YSRCP faces challenges after its defeat in the 2024 Assembly elections. He thanked YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for providing him the Rajya Sabha opportunity and highlighted his working relationship with the ruling TDP and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.
Proceedings of both Houses of Parliament were disrupted on Monday as the treasury benches accused top Congress leaders of colluding with billionaire investor George Soros to destabilise the country, triggering protests from opposition members.
The Seema-Andhra leaders had sought four more weeks for the discussion, but their demand will be turned down and only a week's extension will be granted, sources told Rediff.com
The opposition INDIA bloc is considering submitting a notice to move a resolution to remove Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar from office, sources said. The opposition had previously considered this in August but decided to give Dhankhar "another chance." The Congress is leading the charge, and the TMC and the Samajwadi Party are supportive. The decision comes after a contentious session in Rajya Sabha where BJP members protested alleged links between Congress leaders and George Soros.
At least 16 people lost their lives in various rain-related incidents in Telangana while the unprecedented rainfall and floods in Andhra Pradesh over the past three days affected about 4.5 lakh people leading to the evacuation of more than 30,000 to relief camps.
After a local court in Vijayawada on Tuesday rejected a house custody petition filed by Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu, his legal team moved two pleas in the high court -- one seeking quashing of the case and another a bail petition.
Hyderabad was made the capital city of the two states for 10 years when the bifurcation of undivided Andhra Pradesh was carried out in 2014.
Andhra Pradesh Civil Supplies Minister D Sridhar Babu resigned from the Cabinet on Thursday night protesting the divesting of legislative affairs portfolio that he had been holding for over three years now.
Legislators from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions did not allow the Andhra Pradesh assembly to transact business when the winter session resumed on Friday as they remained firm on their demand that the Centre drop the move to bifurcate the state.
Heavy rains continue to lash several parts of Andhra Pradesh as the severe cyclonic storm 'Michaung' looming over the Bay of Bengal sea close to Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Tamil Nadu coasts is moving closer by the hour to its landfall area.
The move by the Andhra Pradesh cabinet came after the Y S Jaganmohan Reddy government last week failed to pass in the Upper House of the state legislature two crucial Bills related to its plan of having three capitals for the state.
As the probe intensified in the Aam Aadmi Party MP Swati Maliwal assault case, as per sources Delhi Police Forensic Science Laboratory team reached Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence and collected a dump of CCTV cameras.
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