'The Asian Chess Championship will give great exposure for young chess players. But the AICF is curtailing the number of Indian players with a strange rule.'
EPS has had its way on most things, alliance-wise. A week earlier, he reiterated that he would not re-admit OPS and Sasikala Natarajan back in the party. It was a message not just to detractors in the AIADMK. It was even more so for the BJP leadership in Delhi. Even more important for the AIADMK was their demand for accepting EPS as the chief ministerial candidate of any alliance that the party would form, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
President Droupadi Murmu and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived at Kartavya Path for the 76th Republic Day parade in a traditional horse-drawn buggy, a practice that made a comeback after a 40-year gap last year. The gold-plated, horse-drawn buggy is a black carriage with the national emblem embossed on it in gold. It was discontinued after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984 but was revived by President Pranab Mukherjee in 2014. The buggy's history dates back to the British era, with India winning ownership through a coin toss after independence.
S N Subrahmanyan earns Rs 13,98,630.14 per day!
Maharashtra Forest Minister and BJP leader Ganesh Naik will hold a 'janata darbar' in Thane, a stronghold of Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde, amid speculation of unease within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. The event, which will be held near the collector's office in Thane city, is being seen by some political circles as a direct challenge to the Shiv Sena's influence in the area. The BJP and Shiv Sena have been experiencing tensions in their relationship for the past few weeks, which came to the forefront with Shinde's recent warning to not take him lightly. The rivalry between Naik and Shinde goes back several years, with both competing to increase their influence in Thane. The event has been downplayed by Shiv Sena leaders, who emphasize that it is simply a public hearing to address grievances. However, the timing of the event and the recent tensions between the BJP and Shiv Sena have fueled speculation about its political significance.
'Had anyone asked me if I was Aamir Khan, I would have admitted to it.' Senior movie journalist Roshmila Bhattacharya flips through the pages of her many interactions with Aamir Khan, who turned 60 on March 14.
An 80-year-old man tested positive for human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat on Thursday, officials said.
'All MLAs have the same demand -- to form the next BJP government in Manipur as early as possible.'
The Union Budget 2025-26 has allocated Rs 1,024.30 crore for expenses incurred by the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet Secretariat and the Prime Minister's Office, and for hospitality and entertainment of state guests. The allocated amount is a bit more than the Rs 1,021.83 crore earmarked in 2024-25.
'There is need for India-specific pricing.' 'Google, Microsoft and others also have different pricing.' 'It is important for OpenAI to think on these lines as the global pricing may not work in the Indian context.'
One worker was killed and another seriously injured after they were hit by Marathi actor Urmila Kothare's car in Kandivali area of Mumbai in the wee hours of Saturday, police said.
The opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy will be held either on February 16 or 17 and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is confident that India captain Rohit Sharma will be in attendance at the event.
Seven of the 13 people who died in a train accident in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district were from Nepal. The accident occurred when passengers on the Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express got off the train after an alarm chain-pulling incident and were run over by the Karnataka Express on the adjacent tracks. A fire rumour spread in the train, prompting passengers to jump off. The incident highlighted the dangers of chain-pulling and the need for better safety measures on Indian Railways.
A 69-year-old woman from Mehsana district, admitted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad, has been detected with HMPV. This comes just hours after health authorities announced there were no active cases of the infection in the state following the discharge of six patients. The woman was found positive for HMPV in a test conducted on January 18 and was admitted to the hospital on the same day for cough and difficulty in breathing. She does not have any travel history.
There's clearly no limit to how dramatic a wedding can be.
Varun-Natasha's anniversary... Soha goes to Japan... meet the lady who has Bobby's heart...
The Integral Coach Factory unveiled its first Vande Bharat train rake with all AC sleeper coaches for long distances involving night travel.
'We were struck by the sheer energy even before we stepped into the holy water,' says T N Sekhar.
India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has arrived in Beijing for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with Chinese officials. The visit comes amid ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and to resume bilateral cooperation in various fields, including the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
The appellant argued though he was held guilty of indulging in preparatory acts for the commission of a terrorist act and recruiting persons for terrorist act, there was no evidence to show he committed such acts.
Train services on the Central Railway's main and harbour lines were disrupted on Sunday morning due to an extended mega block for a bridge girder launch, causing inconvenience to local and long distance travellers. As many as 11 long distance trains that depart from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in south Mumbai have been rescheduled and nine trains which arrive at CSMT have been short-terminated due to the block. There were also reports of a labourer getting injured during the girder launch. The six-hour-long mega block conducted for launching the girder of the under-construction Carnac Bridge was initially scheduled to end at 5.30 am but was delayed. The Central Railway's local train operations were cancelled between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Byculla and between CSMT and Wadala stations on the main and harbour lines due to the mega block.
A 36-year-old man diagnosed with Guillain-Barr Syndrome (GBS), a rare nerve disorder, died in a civic-run hospital in Pune, taking the number of suspected GBS fatalities to three in Maharashtra. The patient, a driver with a cab service, was admitted to the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) in Pimpri Chinchwad on January 21. An expert committee at YCMH concluded that the cause of death was trauma to the respiratory system due to pneumonia, leading to severe difficulty in breathing. The committee also noted that the patient had been diagnosed with GBS, with a nerve conduction test done on January 22. The immediate cause of death was identified as severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). With the latest loss of life, the number of suspected GBS deaths in Maharashtra has reached three. According to health officials, the suspected cases of the rare nerve disorder have risen to 130 in the state. Most of the cases in the state are from Pune and surrounding areas, and these infections, including the latest case, are likely linked to contaminated water sources. Campylobacter jejuni, a bacteria found in contaminated food and water, is believed to be the reason for the outbreak.
Dense fog blanketed parts of Delhi on Wednesday morning, reducing visibility and disrupting over 100 flights and 26 trains. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported minimum visibility of 200 metres in moderate fog at Safdarjung and 150 metres in dense fog at Palam. The IMD has issued an orange alert for Delhi, with dense to very dense fog reported in several areas. Cloudy skies are expected throughout the day, with light rain or drizzle likely in some areas.
The FBI further revealed that Jabbar was wearing a pair of Meta glasses when he conducted the attack on Bourbon Street but he did not activate the glasses to live stream his actions that day.
Customised restaurant recreations, cafe setups, pop-ups by Michelin-star chefs, bespoke table linens with monograms and couple-themed hashtags.
He said the air conditioners were run non-stop at a very low temperature, and they were given thin blankets, which were even thinner than silver foil paper and one could see through them.
Facebook turns 21 today, February 4. Most early Facebookers have migrated to other social media platforms, but A Ganesh Nadar continues to live on Facebook as he notes 'Real life friends are really not welcome on Facebook as they know that last summer when you said you were in Belgium you were actually in Belgaum'.
The monthly Rs 2500 payment for poor women is expected to cost Rs 11,000 crore while the pension scheme of Rs 2000 for every senior citizen will cost around Rs 4100 crore. The Yamuna clean up will cost over Rs 10,000 crore while a similar amount is required to upgrade Delhi's hospitals. Ultimately, the new BJP government will have no choice but to ask the centre for financial support, notes Rashme Sehgal.
Violence erupted in Manipur's Kangpokpi district as Kuki-Zo groups protested a directive allowing free movement across the state. One protester was killed and over 40 others were injured in clashes with security forces. The protests were sparked by Union Home Minister Amit Shah's order, which aimed to restore free movement across the state after ethnic violence erupted in May 2023.
'A government whose policies are focused around making the life of ordinary citizens, specially the most deprived sections, richer; a government that prioritises education, health and transport, that doesn't treat its citizens as subjects who must come to it for everything, is rare in our country.' 'When such a government is thrown out, one is left stunned,' notes Jyoti Punwani.
Jaspal Singh, one of 104 Indians deported from the US on Wednesday, claims he and other deportees were handcuffed and had their legs chained during the flight. Singh, who hails from Punjab, says he was captured by US Border Patrol after crossing the border illegally in January. He blames a travel agent for deceiving him, claiming he was promised a legal route to the US. The deportation comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington for talks with President Donald Trump.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has appealed to devotees from nearby areas to postpone their visit to Ayodhya for 15-20 days, citing the large number of devotees flocking to the town since January 26. The trust said this will allow devotees from distant places to have an easier darshan experience. The appeal comes as Ayodhya has witnessed a footfall of around 40 lakh devotees since Monday, choking the roads and bylanes leading to the Ram Temple with huge traffic snarls.
An independent probe from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is unlikely in the Jalgaon train tragedy due to the negligence of passengers, according to railway sources. The tragedy occurred when 12 passengers were killed after stepping down from their train due to a fire rumor and were struck by another train. Experts say the CRS probe is unlikely because the passengers' actions were deemed negligent. While the CRS is typically involved in serious railway accidents, the 1998 rules allow for discretion when deaths or injuries result from passenger negligence. Passengers had ample time to move to safer locations but remained on the side tracks, ultimately leading to the tragic incident.
'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.
While Narendra Modi spent fewer days abroad than his predecessor -- 275 days versus Dr Singh's 306 - he has travelled more widely than any other Indian PM.
Bus services between Karnataka and Maharashtra have been suspended following attacks on buses and their crew. The decision was taken given the tension prevailing in the border district of Belagavi over a sensitive issue. The language row began after a group of people allegedly intercepted a KSRTC bus and assaulted its conductor and driver for not speaking to a passenger in Marathi. The passenger, a minor girl, also filed a complaint stating that the conductor misbehaved with her. However, the family of the minor girl has decided to withdraw the case and urged people to stop escalating the matter into a language dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The fervour for the India-Pakistan match is so intense that for many beating Pakistan in Dubai seems even more important than winning the Champions Trophy itself, observes K R Nayar, the veteran cricket writer.
Despite recent fatal stampedes at the Kumbh Mela and a Delhi railway station, pilgrims, driven by faith, continue to participate in the holy gathering in Prayagraj. Despite safety concerns, pilgrims from across India are undeterred by the tragedy and are taking the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.
The Prayagraj airport in India is experiencing a surge in air traffic due to the Maha Kumbh, a major religious festival. The airport is handling an average of 40 non-scheduled charters and private jets daily, with figures reaching 70 on weekends. This is in addition to the average 148 scheduled commercial passenger aircraft operating daily. The airport recently received a contingent of about 180 politicians from Rajasthan and has seen corporate bigwigs like the Ambani brothers, Gautam Adani, and Pawan Munjal pass through. The airport has also hosted four international flights since the beginning of the Maha Kumbh, including a flight carrying Laurene Powell Jobs, the wife of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The airport is currently undergoing an upgrade and expansion, and officials are looking forward to the government's plans to integrate Prayagraj with the airports at Kashi and Ayodhya to promote tourism in the region.