The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections concluded with the BJP and TMC focusing on electoral rolls and dietary habits, while making promises to voters. Voting is scheduled in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and southern districts, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote. A record number of Central paramilitary forces have been deployed, and several districts have been identified as highly sensitive.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a strong attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her government of appeasement politics, encouraging illegal immigration for votes, and leading the state into misrule and corruption.
Ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia have slowed deal momentum in Dubai's luxury residential market, but Indian high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) are not exiting their marquee assets, with any 'discounted' resale deals attributed to investor liquidity stress rather than geopolitical flight.
The brother of a murdered sarpanch in Beed, India, claims attempts are being made to defame him and weaken the murder case, alleging pressure to withdraw the case and a conspiracy to settle.
Ukraine has lodged a formal protest with India regarding the detention of six Ukrainian nationals in Mizoram, alleging unauthorised entry and unlawful activities. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is seeking consular access and immediate release of its citizens.
A devastating explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Thrissur, Kerala, has resulted in at least 13 fatalities and numerous injuries. The incident occurred as the unit was preparing crackers for the upcoming Thrissur Pooram festival.
The US Navy seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, escalating tensions as ceasefire talks face uncertainty. The incident raises concerns about the fragile ceasefire and the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Three suspected dacoits were lynched and another critically injured by villagers in Assam's Nagaon district after a robbery.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused opposition parties of obstructing the passage of the women's reservation bill in Parliament, alleging they have crushed the dreams of women and prioritised selfish politics over national progress.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of stoking fights among all sections of society and attempting to loot the country by exploiting these divisions. She also criticised the BJP's economic policies and alleged discrimination in welfare schemes.
A bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies by increasing the lower house's strength to 850 is slated for introduction in Parliament. The bill seeks to amend Article 81 of the Constitution and utilise 2011 Census data for redrawing constituencies.
The Supreme Court of India has upheld an order directing NBCC to complete 16 delayed housing projects of Supertech Limited, providing relief to thousands of homebuyers who have been waiting for nearly two decades.
The Supreme Court of India has upheld an order directing NBCC to complete 16 delayed housing projects of Supertech Limited, providing relief to thousands of homebuyers who have been waiting for nearly two decades.
Cognizant's Chief AI Officer, Babak Hodjat, highlights India's unique position in AI enablement due to its strong technology foundation and large pool of digitally skilled people. He emphasises the continued importance of developers in the age of AI and Cognizant's focus on becoming an 'AI builder' company.
The Delhi government is set to equip its industrial training institutes (ITIs) with advanced labs to train young people in power electronics, electric vehicles, and the automotive sector, aiming to create a skilled workforce ready for industry demands.
India's retail inflation marginally increased to 3.4 per cent in March, up from 3.21 per cent in February, primarily due to an uptick in certain food items and the initial impact of the West Asia crisis on fuel prices, according to government data.
Leading jewellery companies, Titan Company and Kalyan Jewellers India, have reported better-than-expected top-line growth in Q4 FY26, driven by robust same-store sales growth, higher average ticket sizes, and an improvement in buyer growth, signalling a strong recovery in demand.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is urging the Indian government to take a more proactive role in mediating the escalating conflict between the US-Israel alliance and Iran, emphasising the impact on India's energy security and regional stability.
Silver prices surged by Rs 11,800 to Rs 2.57 lakh per kg and gold advanced by Rs 3,000 to Rs 1.58 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital, driven by fresh buying from jewellers and stockists ahead of Akshaya Tritiya.
Indian wrestler Abhimanyou Mandwal emphasises the importance of mental strength as he aims for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, transitioning to the 74kg category and drawing on his fearless upbringing and recent successes.
Cognizant's Chief AI Officer, Babak Hodjat, discusses India's unique position in AI enablement due to its strong technology foundation and skilled workforce, emphasising the continued importance of developers in the age of AI-generated code.
Indian wrestler Abhimanyou Mandwal discusses his mental strength, recent successes, and ambitions for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, including a shift to the 74kg category.
Unidentified individuals opened fire at the residence of a social media influencer in Thane, Maharashtra, prompting a police investigation. No injuries were reported, but a vehicle was damaged in the incident.
A 42-year-old woman was allegedly hacked to death in Itanagar. Police have apprehended a suspect and are investigating the motive behind the attack.
The NIA has filed charges against two accused, including Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti, in connection with last year's grenade attack on YouTuber Roger Sandhu's house in Jalandhar.
A female employee of TCS in Nashik, accused of religious conversion and sexual harassment of women colleagues, has applied for anticipatory bail, citing her pregnancy. Police are investigating the allegations, and TCS has launched an internal probe.
India has rejected a report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that criticised India's record on religious freedom and called for linking US security assistance and trade to improvements in this area.
A 25-year-old man in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly committed suicide due to pressure to marry his widowed sister-in-law. A video surfaced where the man claimed he was being coerced into the marriage, leading to mental distress.
'Many of the children I work with had never attended school before and had never been given the right environment or opportunity to learn.'
'When education became accessible -- through flexible learning spaces, creative methods and community-based classrooms -- these same children began to thrive.'
'Over time, many who had never stepped into a formal classroom not only entered the education system but continued their studies further, with some going on to university.'
Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a potential new demand driver for India's office market, with AI-focused technology (tech) firms actively leasing new office space and established information technology (IT) companies expanding their footprint as they ramp up investments in AI.
Police in Gurugram have arrested four individuals involved in an interstate gold coin fraud, recovering a substantial amount of cash and gold. The alleged mastermind, Solanki Prabhubhai Gulshanbhai, has a long history of fraud and is accused of targeting high-profile individuals.
Aurionpro Solutions has secured a multi-year contract worth approximately Rs 350 crore to develop a large, AI-ready green data centre in southern India for a hyperscale operator.
Piyush Goyal on Friday rejected reports suggesting that India is planning to hold off trade deal with the United States for several months.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the ruling TMC in West Bengal, alleging corruption and appeasement politics, while promoting the BJP's development agenda ahead of the assembly elections.
The NIA alleged that the accused were in touch with ethnic armed groups in Myanmar and supported proscribed Indian insurgent outfits by supplying weapons, drones and providing training.
'The reason why they rushed through the bill was they wanted to avoid using the 2026 Census because the 2026 Census by their own decision will be a caste census.' 'The BJP knows that a significant share of the OBCs who will get captured in the census, for the first time after the 1931 Census, are against the BJP. Only a segment of the OBCs are in their favour.' 'So they wanted to avoid the OBC reservation among women, which is a demand of a lot of Opposition parties.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to the opposition to support the government's bills for implementing the women's reservation law, cautioning against politicisation and assuring that delimitation will be fair to all states.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of corruption and land grabbing, promising action if the Congress party wins the upcoming elections in Assam. Gandhi also criticised the BJP's governance and economic policies.
'More than becoming a unicorn, what truly satisfies us is seeing small businesses grow from Rs 10,000 a month to Rs 20 lakh after joining our platform.'
Opposition leaders have criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, calling it politically motivated and a misuse of official platforms during ongoing elections.
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