The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh is reviving its 'brotherhood committees', a strategy used successfully in the 2007 elections, to bolster its support among Other Backward Castes (OBCs) ahead of the 2027 state assembly elections. These committees, to be formed in all 403 constituencies, aim to connect with 100 people from OBC communities in each village, acting as ambassadors of the party at the booth level. The BSP sees these committees as a counter to the Samajwadi Party's PDA pitch and a means to consolidate its scattered rural vote bank. The party is also highlighting the 'anti-Dalit' and 'anti-OBC' tactics of the Congress, BJP and SP, hoping to capitalize on perceived grievances and reposition itself as a champion of marginalized communities.
Putin is keen on establishing a good personal rapport with Trump and anchor a meaningful US-Russia partnership, realistic enough to accept that Trump is as good an American president as Russia would ever get, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'As players, you need to stay calm, try and block that noise out, and just play with the same intensity as you would play Australia or any other team.'
'Fears in Washington began to intensify when it was realised that subsequent Pakistani and Indian attacks on major military facilities -- which were significant in terms of geographic scope and intensity -- could rapidly take both sides to where neither actually wanted to go.' 'The US objective was to stop the fighting as soon as possible. Everything else was secondary.'
Trump said that he and Putin agreed to have their respective teams start negotiations immediately and begin by calling Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the conversation.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made its stance clear about not travelling to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. On the other hand, the PCB has been firm about hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan.
Dr Manmohan Singh first embossed himself on the national consciousness when as India's finance minister he flagged off economic reforms which changed this nation forever.
'The way our President was greeted, that itself shows how far India has come.' 'People were aware of who she is, people know who our prime minister is.' 'Everybody knows India now and everybody respects India.'
United States President Donald Trump welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the West Wing lobby in the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday.
Six Telugu film actors, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and Vijay Deverkonda, along with 19 social media influencers have been booked for allegedly promoting betting apps. A businessman filed a complaint alleging that the celebrities and influencers were promoting these apps on social media through pop-up ads and other means. The police registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS, Gaming Act, and IT Act based on the complaint and are planning to issue notices to those named in the FIR.
'There is no question that Putin's preference will be to avoid unpleasantness with Trump, leave alone a collision course,' observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'There are several talented players like R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, so the future is certainly bright.'
The Congress party has claimed credit for the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, from the US, saying the Modi government did not initiate the process and merely benefited from the "mature, consistent and strategic diplomacy" begun under the UPA. Former Home Minister P Chidambaram said the government did not secure any breakthrough to make the extradition possible, nor is it the result of any grandstanding. He added that it was a testament to what the Indian state can achieve when diplomacy, law enforcement and international cooperation are pursued sincerely and without any kind of chest-thumping. Chidambaram detailed the UPA government's efforts in securing Rana's extradition, citing the registration of a case against him in 2009, diplomatic pressure on Canada and the US, and continued efforts despite legal setbacks. He highlighted the role of the UPA in securing Rana's conviction for other terrorism-related offences and the cooperation between the US and Indian agencies in gathering evidence and securing his extradition. The Congress leader further stated that it was the UPA's groundwork that paved the way for Rana's extradition, even after the change in government in 2014.
The US ended up abstaining from the vote for its own resolution at the General Assembly after several amendments were passed ahead of the vote to strengthen the language against Russia and reaffirm Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Manchester United's most successful manager Alex Ferguson will step down as a global ambassador after the club's part-owners INEOS ended his multi-million pound contract.
Following the Board's instruction, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kohli, and Yashasvi Jaiswal played at least a match for their state teams before the Champions Trophy.
Karunaratne, 36, scored 7222 runs in Tests at a healthy average of nearly 40, including a top score of 244. He also played 50 ODIs, scoring 1,316 runs.
Major Khathing was the first man to hoist the Indian flag in Tawang. He also brought Bum La under Indian control.
Everyone is in the Diwali spirit, from our dear readers to Bollywood, to the White House!
'Netanyahu lured Trump into a trap by enticing him with a seductive scenario of massive lucrative business in Gaza's reconstruction.' 'Trump's imagination is running riot, completely disconnected from ground realities,' asserts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
As Kolkata marches towards modernity, it is hard to imagine its streets without these cabs, notes Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
'From the Indian perspective, young customers with more disposable income will also drive the growth.'
Barring a few, such as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu (74), Union Minister C R Patil (69) and Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna (71), most other ministers attending the WEF represent the next generation of India's politicians.
Ajinkya Rahane, who was appointed KKR captain and led Mumbai into the Ranji Trophy semi-finals and scored 467 runs, said he would carry the confidence from domestic cricket into the upcoming edition of the IPL.
United States Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, expressed condolences on veteran industrialist, Ratan Tata's demise on Thursday and said that India, and the world have 'lost a giant with a giant heart'.
'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.
Chinese ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, on Wednesday expressed hope that the recently completed Indo-China border disengagement in Eastern Ladakh would smoothen relations and pave the way for a better understanding between the two neighbours in the days ahead.
Vidarbha head coach Usman Ghani lauded the young players for their performances in the team's third Ranji Trophy triumph.
The real intention of the 'Tariff Man' (as Trump calls himself) may not even be to put the 'Tariff King' (as he describes India) on the mat with a knockout punch but to arm-twist the Indian leadership to agree to some multi-billion dollar mega arms deal, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Modi said the world today listens to India, which not only presents its own views strongly but also those of the Global South.
'It will bring the next wave of awareness and pursuit of excellence from people who want to take chess as a game or a competitive sport or even as a career.'
The star-studded TPL auction saw the presence of the tennis icons Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza, who gathered together after many years to promote the sport, along with Bollywood celebs Rakul Preet Singh and Sonali Bendre.
Signed as the brand ambassador of Bank of Baroda, the 51-year-old Tendulkar on Monday went back to his U-15 days, recalling a century he made in the city as a teen batting sensation some 38 years ago.
President-elect Donald Trump ruled out two of his previous Cabinet members -- former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley -- to be part of his upcoming administration.
Trump knows by now that the western narrative of Biden's war is a load of bullshit peppered with falsehoods and outright lies, and that the war erupted only out of the diabolic western plot to poke the bear, which got provoked finally and hit out, explains Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
He said this in response to a query during a press interaction held at his residence in New Delhi on what Germany was willing to do bring over three-year-old Ariha back and whether her issue will be raised at the "highest level".
'Gukesh displayed incredible fighting spirit, outstanding mental toughness, insane self-confidence, all qualities of a champion, and he just turned 18 at the end of May.'
Iran's ambassador to India, Iraj Ilahi, expressed concern about the stability and security of the "whole region" following the collapse of the Syrian government, highlighting Tehran's worries about the potential wider ramifications of the situation. Ilahi also emphasized the importance of promoting tourism between India and Iran, citing their shared cultural heritage and the recent easing of visa restrictions.
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.
