India

NEW DELHI: Cracks within the INDIA bloc appeared to widen on Wednesday after Shiv Sena (UBT) asked the opposition alliance to “wake up” and hold discussions ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in several states.In an editorial, the party’s mouthpiece Saamana said the coalition must not wait until polls are announced to coordinate its strategy….

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Google CEO Sundar Pichai at Hyderabad House in New Delhi ahead of Pichai’s keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for February 20.The Prime Minister’s Office later shared highlights from the meeting on its official YouTube channel, offering glimpses of their discussion.Pichai, who arrived in…

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced that biennial elections to fill 37 Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant across 10 states in April will be held on March 16, with counting scheduled for later the same day.Polling will take place between 9am and 4pm, and vote counting will begin at 5pm,…

NEW DELHI: Muhammad Yunus‘s reference to the northeastern states without recognising them as a part of India in his farewell address as the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim govt drew a sharp takedown from BJP functionary Mahesh Jethmalani who said he has presided over a country that looks increasingly “unmoored”.“Bangladesh deserves serious statecraft. Instead, it…

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty on Tuesday apprised the Election Commission about partial compliance of the commission’s directions pending with the state govt—including filing of FIRs against four officers for violation of data security and suspension of the Basirhat assistant electoral registration officer (AERO) — within the Feb 17, 5.30 pm deadline…

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday reiterated that Hindu families should consider having at least three children.Addressing a social-harmony meeting at the Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Lucknow, Bhagwat expressed concerns over what he described as a declining Hindu population and called for uniting and empowering the Hindu society. Honour For Award…

PM Modi with France’s Macron. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday shared a car ride with French President Emmanuel Macron as the two leaders travelled to the India-France Innovation Forum after holding bilateral and delegation-level talks in Mumbai. Macron posted a picture of the two leaders in the car with the caption “Jai…

AHMEDABAD: Aspirations to walk tall and proud in khaki have “shrunk” after running into a tape measure. Several police job hopefuls in Gujarat have moved the high court after failing to rise to one’s full height in the latest recruitment drive, falling below the mandatory 165cm (5.4ft) cut-off despite, reportedly, having earlier cleared the same…

The twins with their mother MUMBAI/JAIPUR: In a city crowded with toppers and tight schedules, brothers Mahroof Ahmed Khan and Masroor Ahmed Khan in Kota stand out for an almost uncanny symmetry. The twins, who share the same shoe size and eyeglass power, studied together, tested together, sat the same JEE Main (Session-I) 2026 shift,…

NEW DELHI: SC on Tuesday criticised 12 ’eminent’ persons who together filed a PIL “targeting” CMs of BJP-governed states for alleged hate speeches while making a plea for framing guidelines to restrain constitutional functionaries and bureaucrats from breaching fidelity to constitutional morality. Appearing for petitioners, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told a bench of Chief Justice…