Author: Shehnaz Beig

NEW DELHI: In a significant escalation of the ongoing Middle East conflict, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets into Israel, marking the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack that triggered the Gaza war. The intensification of hostilities has raised alarm bells across the international community, including India, a major oil importer from the region. As tensions mount, the Indian government is closely monitoring the situation, given its potential impact on energy security and the large Indian diaspora in the Middle East. Hezbollah’s Aggressive Stance On Monday, Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group, fired dozens of rockets at Haifa, Israel’s third-largest…

Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah, at 86, has expressed a willingness to form a strategic post-poll alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from taking power in Jammu and Kashmir after the upcoming 2024 Assembly elections. “Why not…” Abdullah remarked when asked about the possibility of collaboration, adding, “How does it matter? If we all work for the same thing… for improvement in the condition of the people of the state. We can be rivals in elections but I have no objections. I am sure Congress will…

As the vibrant festival season unfolds in Bihar, encompassing Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath, the celebrations are overshadowed by tragedy. Over 1.5 million residents find themselves either stranded, displaced, or marooned due to severe flooding caused by the Kosi River. Many remain trapped on rooftops, anxiously awaiting rescue, while the relentless currents threaten to sweep away their only refuge. This year, the floods have created an atmosphere of despair, forcing families to seek shelter under makeshift tarpaulins along highways, relying on airdropped food supplies, and facing the looming threat of waterborne diseases. Though floods are a recurrent issue during the…

Picture this: You’re grabbing a coffee at work when you overhear your colleagues in a heated debate about the latest political drama. Sound familiar? Well, it turns out those conversations might be doing more than just making you roll your eyes – they could be messing with your mental health. A bunch of smart folks decided to dig into this and published their findings in the Journal of Applied Psychology. They looked at how these “ambient political conversations” (fancy talk for political chatter you overhear) affect us at work. Spoiler alert: It’s not great news for our stress levels. Here’s…

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet in the high-profile RG Kar Hospital case in Kolkata, bringing new revelations to light. Contrary to initial reports that shocked the nation, the CBI has concluded that the incident was not a gang rape. According to the charge sheet, to be submitted at the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Sealdah, Sanjoy Roy, a former contractual employee of the Kolkata Police, has been identified as the sole perpetrator. The CBI alleges that Roy raped and subsequently murdered the doctor. This development marks a significant turn in the case that…

NEW DELHI: In a significant diplomatic gesture, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu arrived in the national capital on Sunday for his first bilateral visit, signalling a thaw in India-Maldives relations. The visit comes in the wake of a diplomatic stand-off last year, sparked by controversial comments from three Maldivian ministers about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Muizzu, in an exclusive interview with a leading English daily, sought to dispel concerns about his perceived ‘pro-China’ stance and ‘India Out’ campaign. He emphasised, “Maldives would never do anything to undermine the security of India. While we enhance cooperation with other countries in various…

RAIPUR/SAKTI, 4 Oct 2023: In a startling case of fraud that has sent shockwaves through Chhattisgarh, a group of con artists managed to set up and operate a fake branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) in Chhapora village of Sakti district, approximately 250 km from the state capital Raipur. The audacious scam, which came to light on 27 September, involved fake job appointments, counterfeit training sessions, and even daily banking operations, duping both unemployed youth and local villagers of lakhs of rupees. According to senior police official Rajesh Patel, the fraud was uncovered when the manager of the…

Top court pauses Madras High Court order, takes over case involving allegations of ‘brainwashing’ In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has temporarily suspended a Madras High Court order that directed Tamil Nadu police to investigate cases filed against Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation. The apex court has assumed control of the case and instructed the police to submit a status report. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and including Justice JB Pardiwala, was responding to a challenge by Isha Foundation against the high court’s order. This legal action followed an incident where hundreds of police…

HYDERABAD – Telangana’s political landscape was rocked on Wednesday when Forest Minister Konda Surekha made controversial allegations linking Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao (KTR) to the high-profile divorce of actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. In a scathing attack, Minister Surekha accused KTR, son of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, of involvement in drugs and blackmail within the film industry. She claimed KTR was “the reason why many actresses left the film industry and married early.” The allegations have drawn sharp criticism from veteran Telugu actor Nagarjuna Akkineni, father of Naga Chaitanya. In a statement…

NEW DELHI – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended warm Rosh Hashanah greetings to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and the global Jewish community on Wednesday, against a backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi stated, “Best wishes on Rosh Hashanah to my friend PM @netanyahu, the people of Israel and the Jewish community across the world. May the new year bring peace, hope and good health in everyone’s life. Shana Tova!” The Indian Embassy in Israel joined in the celebrations, with officials raising a toast alongside Israeli friends to…