Former Kerala Chief Minister and veteran CPI(M) leader V S Achuthanandan, a key figure in Kerala's political history, died on Monday at the age of 101. He was a founding member of the CPI(M) and served as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011.
'The BJP's use of nationalism was a major factor in its likely victory,' says Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
The move came against the backdrop of Turkiye backing Pakistan and its condemnation of India's strikes on terror camps in the neighbouring country and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.
The proposed Communal Violence Bill on Saturday ran into trouble with the National Democratic Alliance-ruled states and Congress ally Trinamool Congress opposing it as "dangerous" legislation and arguing that it would hurt the federal structure of the country.
Some of his directives had the Supreme Court judges disclose their assets whereas the row over the discovery of cash from a sitting judge's official residence paved way for inquiry.
Mihir Bhat, fellow at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative who is also the director of the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, discusses with Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa about what the National Integration Council should focus on.
The grilling of Brigadier-General Dyer by Akshay Kumar's Sir C Sankaran Nair, as shown in Kesari 2, is purely an imaginary sequence, proves Utkarsh Mishra.
India abstained on two UN General Assembly resolutions calling for a de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine. The resolutions were adopted on the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with the UN Secretary General stressing that the war in Ukraine stands as a grave threat to the peace and security of Europe and the core principles of the United Nations.
Chief Ministers of a number of states including those from Gujarat, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on Saturday skipped the meeting of the prime minister-led National Integration Council in New Delhi.
Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said the use of violence, as an instrument of protest was the biggest challenge before the country.
B S Raghavan, West Bengal's former chief secretary, worked with Indira Gandhi for many years. He remembers the late leader on her 25th death anniversary.
Security agencies probing the Delhi high court blast are taking every email seriously, but they haven't ruled out the possibility that they may have been sent by someone who wanted to play a prank, the government said on Saturday. Talking to reporters after a day-long National Integration Council meeting, Union Home Secretary R K Singh said, "We are not dismissing any email. We are investigating each and every email we have got."
While MBBS continues to be the most sought-after stream for medical aspirants, post pandemic, the demand for skilled nurses and physiotherapists are on the rise, notes Nayagam PP, career counsellor and founder of EduJob360.
Addressing the 15th meeting of the National Integration Council in Delhi on Saturday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that terrorism and Naxalism are the biggest problems that India faces. He stressed on the need to strengthen the country's intelligence gathering apparatus. The PM also stated the need to identify and address causes of radicalisation of youth, among other issues plaguing India. Here's the full text of Dr Singh's speech.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj strongly defended National Security Advisor M K Narayanan in the National Integration Council meeting on Monday when Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh took exception to the NSA's reply to his demand for a judicial probe into the Batla House encounter, in which two alleged terrorists and a Delhi police officer were killed.
After sparking a furore by demanding a judicial inquiry into the killing of militants in Delhi's Batla House, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh on Monday said he had never called the encounter "fake", but felt that the issue of insecurity among minorities should be addressed.
"The government is trying to promote vote-bank politics by avoiding a discussion on terrorism. Terrorism is the biggest enemy of the country but still the government has no courage to say so," Modi told media persons. Accusing the Centre of adopting a 'casual approach' on the issue at the NIC, he said the government was not ready to discuss terrorism which has affected the whole country badly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron have called for enhancing trade and investment ties between their countries and committed to further deepening their engagement in the Indo-Pacific. They discussed a full spectrum of bilateral relations, including key global and regional issues, and stressed the urgent need for reform in the United Nations Security Council. The leaders also underscored their commitment to ensuring the global AI sector can drive positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in a letter written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has objected to exclusion of terrorism from the agenda of National Integration Council (NIC) meeting.
Confronted by outrage in Greenland, the US has scaled down a proposed visit to the island.
In a significant step towards restoring peace in Manipur, representatives of the warring Meitei and Kuki communities met face-to-face for the first time since ethnic violence erupted nearly two years ago. The meeting, facilitated by the Union Home Ministry, aimed to enhance trust and cooperation between the communities and find a roadmap to restore normalcy in the state.
Delivering a thinly veiled message to Pakistan from its soil, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said activities across borders characterised by the 'three evils' of terrorism, extremism and separatism are unlikely to encourage trade, energy flows and connectivity.
India is closely monitoring cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), but the Union Health Minister has assured the public there is no cause for worry. The virus, which is not new and has been circulating globally since 2001, has been detected in several states, including Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. The Health Ministry, ICMR, and NCDC are keeping a close watch on the situation in China and neighboring countries, and the WHO is expected to share a report on the matter shortly.
The leaders also noted the "negative impacts" of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, especially for developing and least-developed countries.
India voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution that called for the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and reiterated the call for achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in West Asia. The resolution, tabled by Senegal, was adopted with 157 nations voting in favor, while eight nations voted against it and seven abstained.
FIFA's disciplinary committee will be asked to look into allegations of discrimination raised by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) after it submitted a proposal to suspend Israel in May, world soccer's governing body said on Thursday.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Friday night announced the new dates of cancelled and postponed examinations, including the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test, amid a raging row over alleged irregularities in their conduct.
The PCI has justified the communication blockade saying that due to the security concerns there can be reasonable restrictions on the media.
The Budget assumes significance as it comes on the back of lower-than-expected growth numbers during the second quarter and geopolitical uncertainty.
'Unsurprisingly, Trump shared Modi's podcast with Fridman on his Truth account.' 'The intentions of Trump, a transactional president, are never easy to tell.' 'We will know in the next fortnight if and when he unfolds reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, whether Modi's flattering words made any significant difference to Trump's compass,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned on Sunday, following months of ethnic violence in the state. BJP leaders have begun closed-door meetings to decide the next course of action. The opposition welcomed Singh's resignation, while the BJP hopes the move will help restore peace in the region.
The Nagaland cabinet has decided to meet both the NSCN-IM and the Government of India to push for a resolution to the Naga political dialogue. This comes after the NSCN-IM threatened to return to the jungles due to delays in the resolution, and demanded third-party intervention. The Nagaland cabinet will meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi to press for expediting the negotiations. The NSCN-IM has accused the Centre of refusing to honour key provisions of the Framework Agreement, specifically the recognition of the "Naga national flag and constitution." The state cabinet is also scheduled to meet with the NSCN-IM leadership before their trip to Delhi.
The Indian Diaspora has been able to carve a niche in their adopted countries as a result of their talent, perseverance and hardworking nature, asserts Rup Narayan Das.
IOA president P T Usha on Sunday slammed the revolting executive council members, saying they 'seem more focused on self-serving power play and monetary gain'
The United States has vetoed a resolution in the UN Security Council on the latest Palestinian bid to be granted full membership of the United Nations, an outcome lauded by Israel but criticised by Palestine as 'unfair, immoral, and unjustified'.
The postponement comes two days after the National Testing Agency cancelled the UGC-NET examination within 24 hours of its conduct, saying the integrity of the exam had been compromised.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam in Mahakumbh Nagar on Monday and described the Maha Kumbh as a unique symbol of the Sanatan culture's philosophy, which is rooted in harmony.
Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a respiratory virus that causes illnesses ranging from mild respiratory discomfort to severe complications. It spreads through respiratory droplets, similar to other respiratory viruses such as RSV and influenza. This article provides an overview of HMPV including its symptoms, transmission, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and how it differs from COVID-19.
