This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
Both sides have now revealed a preference for escalation over strategic defeat, and each new provocation narrows the space for the next pause. The Touska seizure, Iran's refusal to negotiate under blockade, Israel's strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure -- all of these add up to an increasingly untenable situation. This makes the wild card -- Trump and his motormouth -- more consequential than ever, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
An auto-rickshaw driver in Agra, India, died from severe burns after allegedly being doused in petrol and set on fire by a woman and her accomplices, according to police reports.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin has pledged to change place names deemed antithetical to West Bengal's culture and address Bangladeshi infiltration if the party wins the state election.
A notorious history-sheeter, Thoppai Ganesan, with over 30 criminal cases, including five murders, was killed in a police encounter in Chennai's Madhavaram area.
Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, a decorated Kargil War hero known as the 'Lion of Ladakh' and recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra, has passed away. He was celebrated for his gallantry and leadership in securing the Chorbat-La in the Batalik sub-sector during Operation Vijay in 1999.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the BJP of attempting to alter West Bengal's demography by importing voters from other states ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, alleging a conspiracy to undermine the democratic rights of local residents.
Rahul Gandhi intensified the Congress campaign in Kerala, alleging collusion between the LDF and BJP, citing corruption cases and the drug issue in the state. He also criticised the LDF government's handling of the Sabarimala gold loss and unemployment.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi has accused the ruling LDF in Kerala and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of being Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "B-team" and of secretly joining hands with the BJP, alleging a compromised leadership and lack of accountability.
A first-year law student at Himachal Pradesh University has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a person during a fight between two groups on campus.
A teacher convicted of murdering Dr Vandana Das in a Kerala hospital has been sentenced to life imprisonment. The prosecution plans to appeal for the death penalty.
A Kerala court has convicted a man for the murder of Dr. Vandana Das, who was killed in a taluk hospital in May 2023. The accused was found guilty of murder and other offences, with sentencing scheduled for March 19.
A man died after becoming trapped in a lift at a Kolkata hospital, leading to accusations of negligence and corruption against the state government.
A chemical engineer undergoing treatment at a de-addiction centre in Delhi allegedly stabbed a fellow inmate to death following a quarrel. Police have arrested the suspect and are investigating the incident.
Among the 12 media personnel awarded are the PTI Srinagar Bureau Chief, Inayat Jehangir and PTI video journalist, Jammu Somil Abrol. Other awardees in this category include Avtar Krishan Bhat, Vivek Suri, Sunil Ji Bhat, Dinesh Manhotra, Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Razia Noor, Ishfaq Gowhar Zargar, Syed Khalid Hussain, Sarosh Kafeel, and Neeta Sharma.
Senior Congress leaders V D Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala criticize the CPI(M) and Health Minister Veena George over alleged violence and a 'shameless drama' surrounding the minister's reported injury during a KSU protest. They demand an end to the violence and withdrawal of charges against KSU activists.
A teacher convicted of murdering Dr. Vandana Das in a Kerala hospital has been sentenced to life imprisonment, prompting the prosecution to seek the death penalty.
Asha Bhosle's only daughter Varsha Bhosle, who died in 2012, had penned this beautiful ode to her mother.
A man in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly stabbed his sister-in-law over a past dispute before taking his own life. The woman is in critical condition.
A former aide to a councillor was allegedly stabbed to death by unidentified individuals in Gorakhpur while on a morning walk. Police have launched an investigation, detaining several suspects and analysing CCTV footage.
A man in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly stabbed his sister-in-law before taking his own life, according to police reports.
BJP MLA Chhagan Singh Rajpurohit voices concerns over young couples entering love marriages or live-in relationships without parental consent, advocating for legal safeguards to ensure parental involvement and social stability.
Yogi Adityanath champions national unity over caste divisions, asserting that 'casteism' weakens India's social fabric and hinders its progress on the global stage.
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College in Kanpur removes Dr. Shaheen Sayeed's name from its pharmacology department board after her name surfaced during the Delhi blast investigation. The Indian Medical Association's Uttar Pradesh chapter has also begun the process to revoke her membership.
Unidentified individuals attacked the residence of a KSU activist in Kerala with an explosive device, following his arrest related to a protest where the Health Minister was allegedly injured.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asserted that the BJP will form the government in West Bengal after the upcoming assembly elections, ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule. He criticised the TMC for vote-bank politics, hindering development, and failing to protect women, while promising unprecedented development under a BJP government.
An auto-rickshaw driver was allegedly hacked to death with an axe by a man near a court in Odisha's Ganjam district over suspicion of an extramarital affair.
Unidentified individuals attacked the residence of a KSU activist in Kerala with an explosive device, following his arrest related to a protest where the Health Minister was allegedly injured.
A 35-year-old farmer in Uttar Pradesh was allegedly lynched after asking a biker to slow down near his fields during Holi celebrations. Six people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Based on preliminary information, the Borivali GRP have registered a murder case against an unidentified person. Efforts are being made to trace the attacker, the official added.
The Congress-led UDF is closely monitoring CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran's decision to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming Assembly election. UDF leaders are considering supporting Sudhakaran, while the CPI(M) expresses disappointment and denies mistreatment.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, alleging a decline in law and order and accusing them of using financial schemes to sway voters ahead of elections.
The driver of a bus of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) died on Thursday after suffering a heart attack while driving on the Koraput-Sunabeda stretch, police said.
If the oil infrastructure is attacked by the United States, the whole area could be flooded with oil, spilling into the Persian Gulf.
A public exchange of open letters between Congress leaders Mani Shankar Aiyar and Shashi Tharoor reveals a significant rift over foreign policy, particularly concerning Israel and the Sabarimala temple issue.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini addressed the 'Saini Samaj' in Punjab, appealing to the OBC community ahead of the upcoming state elections. He criticized rival parties for neglecting OBCs and highlighted the BJP's commitment to their welfare.
A 62-year-old Hindu trader was hacked to death inside his shop in Bangladesh, raising concerns about violence against the minority community.
From founding fathers to Europe's most unyielding rulers, these figures have not just held office, they have established a cult of leadership and will leave legacies, mostly mixed, that few can rival.
''Women are coming into public spaces in larger numbers than ever before. They are educated, capable, opinionated, and determined.' 'But the more women push for access to public space, the harder they are pushed back -- through attacks like this, through discrimination, through the glass ceiling, through the deliberate denial of recognition.'
No group or individual claimed responsibility for the attack, but such strikes are usually carried out by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani (TTP).
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