India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
New Delhi: The world's attention is locked on West Asia these days. Iran and Israel were at war recently. Missiles, airstrikes and threats were exchanged between the two nations. Then the United States jumped, attacked Tehran's nuclear facilities and the brokered ceasefire between the two countries. The conflict grabbed headlines across the world. But the real storm might be building far away - from the deserts of the Middle East to the mountains of East Asia. The tremors are starting to reach North Korea. This is not just another nuclear-ambitious nation. It already has the bomb. And what just happened in Iran may end up pushing Pyongyang even deeper into the shadows of militarised paranoia. When U.S. stealth bombers hit Iran's nuclear sites, it was not just a message to Tehran. It echoed across oceans. Kim Jong Un was watching. And he got the message loud and clear - countries without nuclear weapons are vulnerable. For years, Kim has believed that nuclear arms are the only shield between him and the end of his rule. Now, with Iran under fire and still without a working bomb, his belief has hardened into something more dangerous. Conviction. The Russia-North Korea Axis Gets Deeper This moment may tighten a bond that is already growing stronger. Russia and North Korea have been circling each other closely since the Ukraine war began. Pyongyang sent weapons. Moscow sent oil, tech and support. What started as a transactional relationship is slowly becoming a strategic one. Joint weapons development. Military drills. Satellite technology transfers. These are no longer headlines, they are happening in real time. And now, with the United States making moves in West Asia, Moscow and Pyongyang may see even more reason to stay close. Rising Tensions in Seoul and Washington The United States and South Korea have been here before on edge, watching and waiting. But this time the stakes feel higher. North Korea is believed to have 40 to 50 nuclear weapons. And ICBMs that can reach the American mainland. Washington knows a strike on Pyongyang is no longer just risky, it could be catastrophic. Compared to Iran, North Korea is more prepared, more armed and less isolated. And now it has Russia, a nuclear power, in its corner. The United States may have thought of the Iran strike as a warning. Kim sees it as confirmation. In his mind, Iran became a target because it did not finish the job. Because it hesitated. Because it played by rules. So, what comes next? More missile tests. More underground construction. More talk of "sovereignty" and "deterrence". North Korea may even accelerate its nuclear program, citing the events in Iran as justification. Kim is not scared. He is emboldened. And that makes him harder to predict. The fear now is not war tomorrow. It is the quiet preparation for the day after. The reshaping of alliances. The revival of cold war instincts. The sense that deterrence has replaced diplomacy again. In the end, the bombs that dropped in Iran may have landed thousands of miles away in Kim Jong Un's war room. And the echoes, still faint, may soon grow louder.
A top NATO chief has urged business leaders to begin preparing for a 'wartime scenario' following rising tensions across the world. The warning comes as Germany announced it was drawing up a list of bunkers and other underground facilities that could provide shelter for civilians in the event of an attack. Speaking in Brussels yesterday, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer (pictured) warned that NATO members needed to adjust their production and distribution lines in order to be less vulnerable to blackmail from countries such as Russia and China. The chair of NATO's military committee said: 'If we can m ...Read More >
"We welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that has been announced. We have always called for de-escalation, restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We hope these developments will lead to peace and stability in the wider region," said a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs. Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah reached a ceasefire after months of deadly clashes that stemmed from the Israel-Gaza conflict but escalated in September this year, after leaders of the Lebanese militant group were killed. ...Read More >
New Delhi: There is a lot of activity happening in the Middle East/West Asia right now. Israel is keeping an eye on the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States regarding the nuclear deal. Israel has assured the United States that it will not attack Iran's nuclear sites unless the nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran completely fail. This information has emerged from the U.S. news website 'Axios.' According to reports, citing two Israeli officials, Israel provided this assurance during a meeting that took place last week in Washington, which included Israel's Minister of Str ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
New Delhi: Gold prices opened sharply lower on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) on Friday, tracking a decline in international bullion rates. This slide was largely attributed to a modest rise in the US dollar and a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Both reasons dented demand for safe-haven assets. On the MCX, August gold futures opened at Rs 96,261 per 10 grams, down from the previous close of Rs 97,087. By 2:30 PM, prices had slipped further to around Rs 95,756(down by Rs 1,331). Similarly, July silver futures also opened weaker at Rs 1,06,629 per kg, compared to Thursday's close of Rs 1 ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and thanked him for facilitating the safe evacuation of Indian nationals. The Iranian Minister shared his country's perspective and thinking in the current complex situation. Also Read | 'I Thought He Was Dreaming': US Teen Hallucinates and Walks Off 120-Foot Cliff on Mount Whitney, Now in Coma; Father Recounts Harrowing Ordeal. https://x.com/drsjaishankar/status/1938544594905645398?s=46 In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Spoke to FM @ara ...Read More >
xternal Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar, on Monday, met with the Foreign Minister of Ukraine and discussed the conflict with Russia at the sidelines of the MED Mediterranean Dialogues Conference in Rome, Italy. Apart from Ukraine, EAM Jaishankar met with his counterparts from France, Lebanon, and Croatia as well. On his meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the EAM reiterated India's support for "dialogue and diplomacy" to end the long-running conflict. "Good to meet FM of Ukraine @andrii_sybihain Rome today. Useful exchange on advancing our bilateral cooperation. ...Read More >
Noting that the evolution of Quad has been a "notable development," External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said the Indo-Pacific is experiencing "significant changes" including new convergences and partnerships. "In an era of collaborative endeavours, the Indo-Pacific will require practical solutions, nimble diplomacy, greater adjustment and more open conversations. The G7 can be one such partner," Mr. Jaishankar said as he attended the G7 FMM Outreach Session with Indo-Pacific partners in the Italian city of Fiuggi on Tuesday. G7 ministers throw support behind Israel-Hezbollah ceasefir ...Read More >
New Delhi: A quiet splash. A dark current. And then, chaos. Concrete cracking. Steel shattering. Russia's mighty Crimean Bridge, once a symbol of unbreakable control, was torn. Not by fighter jets. Not by missiles. But by bombs, sleeping silently beneath the waves. On June 3 morning, Ukraine's security service SBU claimed responsibility for a jaw-dropping underwater strike on the Kerch Bridge, an important supply line between Russia and the occupied Crimean Peninsula. The attack, which reportedly used 1,100 kg of explosives, targeted the bridge's underwater pillars - crippling its foundation ...Read More >
Ahead of Amarnath Yatra, a terrorist of Jaish -e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit was gunned down during an encounter between security forces and four terrorists in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur district on Thursday morning, army's Nagrota-based White Knight Corps stated on X. Earlier, a senior police officer said that acting on an intelligence input, a joint operation was launched by the police and the army in Basantgarh during which they came under intense fire, triggering a gunfight. Additional reinforcements were rushed to the area. Jammu zone IGP Bhim Sen Tuti said the encounter took place aroun ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) The higher oil prices triggered by a brief Israel-Iran war have come down, but it is too soon to sound the "all clear" for the rest of the year, said a finance ministry report on Friday. The ministry's monthly economic review also stressed that with no major imbalances in the macro aggregates, a subdued inflation rate combined with a growth-supportive monetary policy stance, India's macroeconomic health is in a relative goldilocks situation. Also Read | UK F-35B Lightning II Stealth Fighter Jet To Be Moved to Thiruvananthapuram Airport's Repair Facility As It Awaits R ...Read More >
Donald Trump claims he prevented a war between India and Pakistan. He says he used the threat of halting trade deals to de-escalate tensions. Trump mentions phone calls with leaders from both nations. He also notes a meeting with Pakistan's Army Chief. India maintains that the ceasefire understanding came from direct talks between military officials.US President Donald Trump on Wednesday repeated his claim that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan and told the two countries that America ...Read More >
CHENNAI: The recently concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China has brought to the fore the contradictions and dilemmas of India's foreign policy. They relate to the growing affinity between China and Pakistan, which could upset the delicate balance of power in South Asia and India's balancing act with regard to the conflict between Israel and Iran. Whatever the political rhetoric of new regimes, continuity in foreign policy is almost unchangeable, while there will be room for making some changes or shifts. India, under successive NDA governments, has been making some ...Read More >
A Russian strike on a nine-story building in the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine killed eight people and wounded dozens, an official said Sunday (November 17, 2024), as Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack described by officials as the largest in recent months. "Among the eight killed in Sumy, 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the border with Russia, were two children," said Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko. More than 400 people were evacuated from the building. Ukraine's Zelenskyy urges allies to take steps before North Korean troops reach the front The rescu ...Read More >
New Delhi: The three-year-old war between Russia and Ukraine is not coming to an end, rather the war between the two countries seems to be reaching a dangerous turn. After the destruction caused by Ukraine's drone attack by entering Russia and Putin's retaliation on it, the threat of a nuclear showdown has increased. Military experts say that if Ukraine loses, then European countries will be Russia's next target directly. Ukraine currently acts as a buffer zone between Russia and Europe. As soon as it surrenders its weapons, Russia will reach directly to the European border. French President ...Read More >
The escalating conflict could upset a hard-fought consensus that G20 negotiators reached around 5 a.m. on Sunday, after an overnight push to ready the joint statement for final review by leaders arriving in Rio. That preliminary consensus after six days of negotiations included streamlined language about global conflicts including the war in Ukraine, focusing on the need to negotiate peace rather than criticism of any participants. However, sources said even that "simpler" consensus may now be up for reconsideration following the Russian air strike and the prospect of further escalation. Un ...Read More >
NEW DELHI - India is committed to efforts to develop its restive territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on June 6, accusing neighbour Pakistan of seeking to destroy livelihoods there with April's deadly attack on tourists. He was speaking on his first visit to the Himalayan region since Islamist attackers targeted Hindu tourists in the popular Pahalgam area, killing 26 men, triggering hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours that ended in ceasefire last month. "The atmosphere of development that emerged in Jammu and Kashmir will not be hindered by the attac ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) India has evacuated over 3,400 Indian nationals from Iran so far in 14 flights under Operation Sindhu launched on June 18 to bring home its citizens amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, according to data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday. At his weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to queries on Operation Sindhu, also said, New Delhi was "assessing the situation on ground" and depending on that a decision would be taken whether to "continue with it or not". On June 24, while India remained "deeply concerned about ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty advanced for the fourth straight session on Friday, supported by buying in blue-chips ICICI Bank and Reliance Industries amid fresh foreign fund inflows. A strengthening rupee against the US dollar and softening crude oil prices in international markets also boosted investor confidence, according to traders. The BSE Sensex climbed 303.03 points or 0.36 per cent to reclaim the 84,000 level and settle at 84,058.90. During the day, it jumped 333.48 points or 0.39 per cent to 84,089.35. On the similar lines, the 50-share NSE Nifty r ...Read More >
India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi about the Iran-Israel conflict post 12-day hostilities. India praised Iran's help in evacuating Indians. Following a US-mediated ceasefire, India is closely monitoring radiation at Iranian nuclear sites and urges diplomatic dialogue for peace. India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, addressing the recent hostility between Iran and Israel. Jaishankar expressed gratitude for Iran's assistance in the evacuation of Indian nationals amid ...Read More >
Mumbai: Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will hold a joint protest march of their parties in the city on July 5 against what they allege is imposition of Hindi in the state's schools from Class 1 through the new three-language policy. This will be the first time they will come together on a political platform after Raj Thackeray's decision to quit Shiv Sena to form MNS nearly two decades ago.There has been speculation of a reunion of the estranged cousins for the coming civic polls, and the protest march is being seen as the first step in that direction, reports Chaitanya Marpakwar.Uddhav and Raj had ...Read More >
Gold Rate in India Today: The price of gold in India continued its downward trajectory and brought cheers among gold jewellery buyers. Falling gold rate in India today is a reflection of consolidating international prices of the bullion amid easing geopolitical tensions and improving trade prospects. Gold Rate in India today has plunged to its 10-day low mark of Rs 97,420 per 10 gram amid easing tensions between Israel and Iran. The precious metal prices jumped phenomenally over the past few days as clashes between the two nations were followed by United States air strikes on Iranian nuclear ...Read More >
Uber has launched India's first Shikara ride on Srinagar's Dal Lake, offering a unique and scenic experience. This new service allows passengers to enjoy the tranquil beauty of the lake while riding in a traditional Shikara boat. Booking is easy through the Uber app, with rides available daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. This initiative aims to boost tourism in the region while providing locals with a new way to experience the lake. With Uber's entry into the Shikara market, visitors can now enjoy a blend of modern convenience and traditional charm on Dal Lake. ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, 26 Jun: India has evacuated over 3,400 Indian nationals from Iran so far in 14 flights under Operation Sindhu launched on 18 June to bring home its citizens amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, according to data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday. At his weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to queries on Operation Sindhu, also said that New Delhi is "assessing the situation on ground" and depending on that a decision would be taken whether to "continue with it or not." On 24 June, while India remained "deeply concerned ab ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): The world paused on June 13 when Israel targeted major military and nuclear facilities, and crucial personalities in Iran as it launched a series of attacks to disempower the West Asian country. Also Read | Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa Dead: IDF Eliminates Hamas Mastermind Behind October 2023 Attack in Israel. The involvement of the Houthis of Yemen and the US in this high-tension conflict stopped short of a nuclear apocalypse--but this was not entirely unexpected. Some saw this coming. Supporting Israel, the US went ahead and struck three key nuclear sites ...Read More >
Still, the ongoing U.N. climate talks have thrown a spotlight on their efforts to tackle global warming. While the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, is tasked with agreeing a goal to mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars for climate, leaders of the Group of 20 major economies half a world away in Rio are holding the purse strings. G20 countries account for 85% of the world's economy and are the largest contributors to multilateral development banks helping to steer climate finance. "The spotlight is naturally on the G20. They account for 80 percent of global emissions," U.N. Secretary Ge ...Read More >
In the Indo-Pacific region, if one development would prove to be a landmark event in the region's modern history, it would be the signing of the Treaty of Comprehensive Partnership between North Korea and Russia in June 2024. The partnership has paved the way for strengthening bilateral ties between Moscow and Pyongyang and marked the onset of the global order transition, which was already underway. The institutionalization of the U.S., South Korea, and Japan's trilateral security cooperation has also given Russia and North Korea another strategic reason to collaborate. Therefore, with the geo ...Read More >