The BJP and Shiv Sena are leading in the early trends of the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls in Maharashtra. Counting began on Monday morning for elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis.
AICC leader Pawan Khera has accused the CPI(M) and BJP of having a tacit understanding in the Kerala Assembly elections, alleging that both parties are deliberately fielding weak candidates to help each other. Khera expressed confidence in the Congress-led UDF's victory due to strong anti-incumbency sentiment.
Tensions flared in East Asia on Saturday as the Japanese government issued an urgent warning following military activity from Pyongyang. The Prime Minister's Office of Japan, in a post on X, alerted the public to the developing situation, stating: '[Emergency alert] North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile. More updates to follow.'
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
At least 23 people, including children, were killed as relentless rain triggered one of the worst landslides in a decade in Darjeeling hills and adjoining areas on Sunday, sweeping away homes, cutting off roads, isolating villages, and leaving hundreds of stranded tourists amid widespread devastation, officials said.
'Within six months I expect petrol, diesel, and electric vehicles (EVs) to reach cost parity,' says Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
Buyers should understand the distinction between the losses the policy covers, those that need add-ons, and those it excludes.
The Opposition had the numbers to win one Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar. As it turned out, four MLAs skipped the voting, helping the NDA to sweep the polls.
In Bihar, women outvoted men and, perhaps, became one of the decisive factors behind the NDA's landslide victory in the assembly polls in the state on Friday.
On the back of an aggressive asset monetisation push, the government will press the throttle on the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model - under which private developers fund highway construction - for future highway development, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said.
Landslides and flooding triggered by heavy rain have devastated villages in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, leaving many feared trapped and injured. Rescue operations are underway.
Following the new government's assumption of power, the Bangladesh Army has undergone a significant reshuffle, including the appointment of a new Chief of General Staff and changes in key strategic commands.
The death toll from landslides in Darjeeling, West Bengal has risen to 24, with rescue operations continuing amidst challenging conditions. Thousands of tourists are stranded as roads remain blocked.
Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh's new prime minister following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's landslide victory in the national elections. The swearing-in ceremony, administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, took place at the south plaza of the parliament building in Dhaka on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, evening.
Nitish Kumar's decision to contest the Rajya Sabha elections signals the end of his long-standing tenure as Bihar's Chief Minister, paving the way for a potential BJP leader to take the helm.
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is on track for a significant victory in Nepal's general elections, potentially reshaping the country's political landscape.
Speculation is rife in Bihar about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar potentially moving to the Rajya Sabha, leading to discussions about a possible BJP chief minister and a role for Kumar's son, Nishant. Senior BJP leaders have dismissed the rumours.
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is poised to form the next government in Nepal after a decisive victory in the general election, significantly impacting established political parties.
The death toll in the Vaishno Devi landslide has gone up to 32, officials said on Wednesday, a day after disaster struck the route on the hilltop shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district.
In a region increasingly shaped by competition and coercion, such collaboration strengthens security without confrontation, builds capacity without dependency and promotes order without domination, points out Dr Kumar.
The rhythmic chants of pilgrims have been replaced with frantic footsteps of those looking for their loved ones in the wake of a disastrous landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine which has claimed 34 lives till now.
Tarique Rahman, after 17 years in self-exile, has led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to a significant victory, becoming the country's Prime Minister. This marks a major turnaround for the BNP after years of being targeted by the Awami League government.
Following their landslide victory in the Bihar assembly polls, NDA leaders have begun discussions on forming a new government. Key coalition partners visited Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence, expressing support for his continued leadership. The article also touches on political developments within the RJD and reactions to the election results.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has reiterated its demand for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India to face trial in Bangladesh, emphasizing the need for equal and respectful relations with all neighboring countries.
The officials identified the deceased as Ashwani Sharma (24), his brother Dwarka Nath (55), niece Virta Devi (26) and their guest Om Raj (38), a resident of Banshara in Rajgarh. The rescuers are searching for Sharma's sister-in-law, Bidya Devi (55).
BNP chairman Tarique Rahman called for maintaining law and order and sought cooperation in building a safe and humane Bangladesh after his party's victory in parliamentary elections.
Heavy rains and landslides in Himachal Pradesh have resulted in multiple fatalities and widespread disruption, including road closures and train cancellations.
Nineteen workers of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) were trapped inside a power house after a landslide blocked tunnels of Dhauliganga Power Project in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh.
A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran also issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) as well as the governments of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have successfully neutralized a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror module, known as the 'Israel Group,' after a year-and-a-half-long operation in the Kishtwar region.
A massive landslide struck a private bus in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district, killing at least 15 passengers. Rescue operations are underway.
Highlighting the party's broader stance on international relations, he added, "Friends to all, malice to none."
A massive landslide struck the old track to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, leaving one pilgrim dead and 10 others injured, officials said.
Nitin Gadkari said AI will be used to detect landslides, waterlogging and accident-prone spots on highways, while highlighting logistics cost cuts and road safety initiatives
Sensitive issues remain. Water sharing of the Ganga and Teesta rivers. Treatment of minorities, particularly Hindus. Border management. Trade imbalances. Connectivity projects.What happens next will shape not just bilateral ties, but the balance of South Asia itself, points out Ramesh Menon.
A landslide triggered by continuous rainfall has disrupted traffic on National Highway 75 near Kadaba taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, halting vehicular movement between Bengaluru and Mangaluru. Authorities are working to clear the debris and restore traffic flow.
Tarique Rahman is Bangladesh's first male prime minister in more than three decades, ending an era of female leadership that began in 1991.
Relentless heavy rain led to a landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hill on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least five people and injuring 14, officials said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis orchestrated a significant victory for the BJP in the recent civic polls, solidifying his position as a key strategist and influential leader within the party.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) had been struggling hard for the past 32 hours, hoping for life in Kunwar Singh's house, buried under the rubble. Cutter machines were used to cut through the sludge, creating a path for entry.
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