The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
Dr B R Ambedkar's legacy has been honoured repeatedly through India's postal history, with stamps capturing his role as the architect of the Constitution and a champion of social justice.
Raja Ravi Varma's painting Yashoda and Krishna was recently acquired by Cyrus Poonawalla and his son, the vaccine manufacturer's CEO Adar Poonawalla, for Rs 167.2 crore, setting a new benchmark for modern Indian art.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has criticised the arrest of Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of I-PAC, alleging it's a politically motivated attempt to intimidate the opposition and undermine the fairness of the upcoming West Bengal elections.
World leaders have expressed their relief and condemnation following a shooting incident near the White House Correspondents' Dinner, emphasising that political violence has no place in a democracy. Leaders including Narendra Modi, Mark Carney, and others have voiced their support and concern for President Trump and all attendees.
'If the Opposition associates itself too much with the minorities, then it becomes easy for the BJP to get Hindu consolidation votes.'
The BJP-led government in Bihar secured a vote of confidence in the state assembly, with Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary pledging economic development and significant investments. The motion was passed amidst heated debates and accusations between the ruling NDA and the opposition, highlighting political tensions and differing views on issues like women's reservation.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) reports a decline in traditional financial crimes due to sustained investigative actions and government initiatives, while highlighting emerging challenges like cryptocurrency fraud and terror financing.
Japan is looking for 1,000 postgraduate students, PhD scholars, and postdoctoral researchers from India for funded research opportunities at Japanese institutions.
China on Tuesday listed out the four-point proposal given by President Xi Jinping for lasting peace in the Middle East.
Kejriwal is seeking the recusal of a Delhi High Court judge in his liquor policy case, alleging a conflict of interest due to the judge's family ties to the central government's legal representation.
Rising stressed debt and past exposures like Reliance Capital, Yes Bank push EPFO to frame exit rules for its portfolio.
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has called upon schools to play a proactive role in safeguarding youth from drug abuse. He emphasised the role of educational institutions in the statewide anti-drug campaign and criticised the neighbouring country for allegedly pumping drugs into Punjab.
An ex-assistant professor, Srinivas Louis, has been arrested for allegedly making over 1,100 hoax bomb threats across India and Pakistan. Police investigations revealed that Louis was motivated by resentment towards the legal system due to a family land dispute.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar participated in an event in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district as part of a grassroots sports initiative aimed at transforming the once Maoist hotbed into a thriving sports hub and opening new avenues for the youth.
'Narendra Modi -- a man with deep and vital experience of Indian politics -- has seen the BJP lose many elections between 1975 and 2015, and with every defeat, he learned lessons that made sure he would never allow his party to be defeated so easily again.'
'We are staying away from making forward-looking statements on when we will reach 1 trillion, etc. But growth will be rapid; it's only a matter of time.'
India has established a high-level inter-ministerial body, the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), to steer the country's national AI governance strategy. The AIGEG will coordinate policy across ministries and oversee cross-sectoral governance issues, supported by a Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC).
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
Sadhvi Satish Sail, model and entrepreneur, is crowned Femina Miss India World 2026.
Delhi Police have arrested a 31-year-old man in Nashik, Maharashtra, for allegedly threatening to blow up a coaching institute in northwest Delhi and demanding Rs 21 lakh. The accused, a former Applied Mathematics professor, posed as a gangster and was tracked down through technical surveillance and ground intelligence.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has accused the BJP of attempting to intimidate bishops and church leaders in Kerala to gain their support, asserting that such tactics will not succeed in the state.
Bharathanatyam 2: Mohiniyattam emerges as a surprisingly superior sequel, boldly transitioning from a slice-of-life narrative to a dark comedy crime-thriller, observes Sreeju Sudhakaran.
US President Donald Trump and other top officials were evacuated unharmed from the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association after a man armed with multiple weapons fired shots outside the hotel ballroom.
The alleged suicide of a first-year BDS student in Kerala has sparked outrage and prompted investigations into claims of caste-based harassment. The Chief Minister has condemned the incident, and various organisations are offering support to the student's family and calling for measures to prevent future occurrences.
Lok Sabha takes up FCRA Amendment Bill amid opposition protests.
Pakistan's Punjab government has announced the reopening of all public and private educational institutions after implementing fuel-saving measures due to the conflict in West Asia. The decision comes as fuel supply stabilises and the government secures national fuel stocks.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has strongly condemned the arrest of Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of I-PAC, alleging it is a politically motivated act of "electoral sabotage" ahead of the West Bengal elections.
The Income Tax Department conducted searches at multiple locations in Kolkata, including the residence of TMC MLA Debashis Kumar and Miraj Shah, a proposer of Mamata Banerjee's candidature. The TMC alleges the raids are politically motivated.
Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the alleged suicide of a BDS student following accusations of caste-based harassment. An investigation has been launched, and support pledged to the victim's family.
Despite numerous appeals, only two names have been restored to the West Bengal electoral rolls after 2.7 million deletions, raising concerns about voter access and the functionality of proposed tribunals.
Migration from Kerala has become a significant issue in the upcoming Assembly elections, with political parties promising to create more opportunities within the state to discourage emigration for studies and jobs. Experts suggest focusing on 'brain gain' strategies to attract talent back to Kerala after gaining experience abroad.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has terminated the services of two employees for their alleged links with terror outfits, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.
CSIR Director General N Kalaiselvi emphasised the importance of research and applied sciences in developing sustainable solutions for India's energy security and environmental challenges at an international conference on Sustainability Through Fundamental and Applied Sciences (STFAS), 2026.
A World Inequality Lab paper reveals significant land inequality in rural India, with the top 10% of households owning 44% of the land, while 46% are landless. The study highlights the impact of historical institutions, social stratification, and agro-ecological conditions on land distribution.
'Within the BJP, Samrat Chowdhury confronts a party full of senior leaders with their own factional networks, caste calculations and career ambitions; many of whom may regard his elevation as a product of central convenience rather than organic merit.'
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will virtually deliver the keynote address at the Harvard Kennedy School's AI symposium, focusing on the global AI landscape.
Financial year 2025-26 (FY26) saw a significant shift in corporate fundraising, with rights issues more than doubling to a multi-decade high of 51, raising 44,290 crore, while qualified institutional placements (QIPs) more than halved to 29 issues, mobilising 62,954 crore, driven by sharp equity market corrections and regulatory changes.
...is a way out, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War. What the indefinite extension produces is a prolonged condition of not-war-not-peace, in which oil markets cannot stabilise, Asian refineries cannot plan, European governments cannot stop subsidising consumption they cannot afford, and the next flashpoint -- a seized tanker, a miscalculated drone strike, a Truth Social post that claims too much -- is one news cycle away.
'Nepal today is far more aware, self-confident, aspirational, and assertive.' 'India's policy so far has not been geared to this shift. It is time to redraw our Nepal strategy.'
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