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.
In her new memoir Freedom, Merkel shared that, knowing Putin occasionally brought his dog to meetings with foreign leaders, she had asked an aide the previous year to request that Koni not be present during her encounters with him, as she had a fear of dogs. When they met in Moscow in 2006, Merkel said Putin honoured her request but gave her a large stuffed dog, joking that it didn't bite. However, during their encounter in Sochi the following year, the large dog roamed the room and approached Merkel, who appeared visibly uncomfortable as she sat next to Putin in front of photographers and TV cameras. Asked about the incident on Thursday, Putin denied knowing about Merkel's fear of dogs and said he had later apologised to her. "Frankly - I've already told Merkel, I didn't know she was afraid of dogs. If I'd known, I would never have done it. On the contrary, I wanted to create a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere," he told a press conference. Russian reporters smirked as Putin issued a heartfelt apology to Merkel, adding that, if she were to visit again, he "absolutely won't do it again." "I appeal to her again and say: Angela, please forgive me. I didn't want to cause you any distress," Putin said. In her book, the former chancellor described the incident as a difficult experience. "I tried to ignore the dog, even though he was moving more or less right next to me. I interpreted Putin's facial expressions as him enjoying the situation," she wrote. "Did he just want to see how a person reacts in distress? Was it a small demonstration of power? I just thought: stay calm, concentrate on the photographers, it will pass." She also recalled Putin pointing to wooden houses in Siberia during their 2006 meeting, saying that poor people lived there who "could be easily seduced," adding that similar groups had been funded by the U.S. to participate in Ukraine's 2004 "Orange Revolution" against election fraud. Putin, she said, remarked: "I will never allow something like that in Russia." Merkel expressed frustration over Putin's "self-righteousness" during a 2007 speech in Munich, in which he distanced himself from previous efforts to improve relations with the U.S. She noted that this appearance revealed the Putin she knew: "someone who was always on guard against being treated badly and ready to give out at any time, including power games with a dog and making other people wait for him."
Himachal Pradesh faced nature's fury. Bridges collapsed in Shimla, Lahaul, and Spiti. Cloudbursts and flash floods caused widespread damage. Over 300 roads closed, disrupting travel. A police post swept away, shops damaged. No casualties reported yet. Orange alert issued for more heavy rain. The state has suffered significant financial losses this monsoon. Many people have died in rain-related incidents. Several bridges were washed away in Shimla and Lahaul and Spiti districts, while over 300 roads, including two national highways, have been closed across Himachal Pradesh following fresh inci ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Easing inflation and favourable monsoon boosted rural demand in India in the April-June period this year, outpacing urban consumption once again, according to a new report. According to the report by global research firm NielsenIQ, rural markets and small manufacturers propelled the packaged consumer goods sector in Q2 2025. Rural markets grew twice as fast as cities, as urban areas showed signs of recovery, particularly in smaller towns. According to the report, e-commerce also rose significantly, led by increased shopper penetration and spending, especia ...Read More >
Hyderabad, July 18 (UNI) In view of the ongoing heavy rains in Hyderabad, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed all concerned departments to stay on high alert and ensure swift response to public grievances. The Chief Minister instructed officials from GHMC, HMDA, Water Works, Electricity, and Police departments to work in close coordination to prevent any rain-related disruptions. He also emphasised the need for immediate action in areas facing waterlogging, power outages, or other rain-induced issues. CM Revanth Reddy further directed the deployment of SDRF, NDRF, Hydra teams, and ot ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) India's gains from importing discounted Russian oil are estimated to be just USD 2.5 billion per annum, significantly lower than the previously speculated range of USD 10-25 billion, a research report said on Thursday. Stopping Russian oil imports would force India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, to rely on limited alternatives, potentially driving global crude prices up to USD 100 per barrel amid rising demand and tight supply. "Benefit from Russian oil imports is way less than exaggerated media numbers," brokerage CLSA said in a report. While ...Read More >
The incoming US president has vowed to press for a quick deal to end Russia's war - leaving Kyiv scrambling to position itself ahead of his January inauguration Nato foreign ministers looked set to rebuff Tuesday a push from Ukraine for progress on joining their alliance ahead of Donald Trump taking power in the United States. The incoming US president has vowed to press for a quick deal to end Russia's war - leaving Kyiv scrambling to position itself ahead of his January inauguration. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said getting security guarantees from the Western alliance and ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a major development, NATO chief Mark Rutte has made a shocking statement expressing fears of a third world war. Rutte said that a coordinated attack by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin could trigger World War III. He said the Chinese military may begin its attempt to seize Taiwan, while simultaneously, Russia could launch an attack on NATO territories. Mark Rutte said, "Chinese President Xi Jinping may launch an invasion of Taiwan while assigning Russian leader Vladimir Putin to attack NATO countries in order to keep them distracted from the Paci ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Signalling the government's intent to move ahead with the impeachment motion of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that main opposition parties have given their in-principle approval to support the motion in the upcoming monsoon session scheduled for July21-August 21. Rijiju said that the government is yet to decide whether the motion would be brought in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. For the Lok Sabha, signatures of a minimum 100 MPs is required. The requirement is the support of at least 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. H ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday debunked all allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi about rigging and match-fixing in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. In his articles titled 'Those Rejected by the People Deny the Mandate', published in the same three newspapers where Gandhi's write-ups appeared, CM Fadnavis advised the Congress MP to "accept defeat, introspect on where you went wrong, why your connect with the people is lacking, and what needs to be done." He taunted Gandhi, saying that the latter was preparing excuses for "defeats ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jul 17 (PTI) To curb illegal mining and transportation, the Uttar Pradesh government is deploying advanced technologies under the Integrated Mining Surveillance System (IMSS), a release said on Thursday. Mining activities are already being monitored through drones, geo-fencing, RFID tags, and AI-powered check gates. Now, the state is set to introduce 'Weigh-In-Motion' (WIM) technology to accurately track vehicle overloading. Also Read | 'Arvind Kejriwal Used Government Funds to Buy Mobiles Costing Up to INR 1.63 Lakh', Claims Delhi Minister Ashish Sood. According to the official re ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], October 3 (ANI): Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, on Friday, hailed the completion of 25 years of India-Russia strategic partnership, underscoring how it opened a new chapter in the bilateral relationship of the two countries. In a post on X, Alipov said, "On October 3, 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed the declaration on strategic partnership, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations. Today we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of this historic declaration." The post by the Russian Ambassador ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel looking into the levy of user fees or toll charges on National Highways (NHs) has raised concerns over the current practice of "perpetual tolling" even after project costs are recovered and a 3% annual escalation, irrespective of the highway quality, traffic volume, or user affordability.While recommending rationalisation and substantial reduction in toll charges on such stretches, its report has also mooted a "tariff authority" for toll fixation. The Public Accounts Committee headed by Congress MP K C Venugopal said, "Any continuation of tolls beyond this poin ...Read More >
VMPL New Delhi [India], August 14: Ellenox, India's largest venture studio, is accelerating its global push in enterprise AI development. In the past year, the company has grown its headcount by 50% over the last year, bringing in senior AI talent from Amazon and Google to power its next phase of expansion. Already delivering AI transformation for Fortune 50 leaders in fintech, cloud computing, consumer social, and sports-tech, Ellenox has built systems that replace costly call centers with natural-voice AI agents and deployed end-to-end social media pipelines capable of scaling global brand ...Read More >
Surat (Gujarat) [India], August 21: KP Group, a leading name in India's renewable energy sector, is stepping up its expansion with a clear goal of reaching 10 GW capacity by 2030. With projects already underway in Gujarat, the Group is working on projects in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, supported by a strong order book and government partnerships. KP Group has signed memoranda of understanding with Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for over 2.6 GW of renewable projects, while exploring new opportunities in other states. The Group has already e ...Read More >
Bengaluru stampede: Police flagged lack of time to prepare and make security arrangements, document shows Even as a blame game has broken out between the police and the State Government over mishaps during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations, it has now emerged that the Vidhana Soudha security had flagged concerns of overcrowding, lack of time and shortage of security personnel for the felicitation for the team on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha. This letter is the only document that shows the State Government overruled concerns raised by the Bengaluru City Police and wen ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi launched a scathing attack on the Gandhi family on Saturday, accusing them of shielding each other in corruption cases and questioning the constitutional propriety of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi's recent tweet defending his brother-in-law Robert Vadra. Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Trivedi took a sharp dig at LoP Gandhi, saying, "He stood in support of his 'hardworking farmer' brother-in-law Robert Vadra (in a sarcastic tone), after the Enforcement Directorate filed a chargesheet aga ...Read More >
Trump understands this when it comes to Ukraine, but not Gaza The war in Ukraine is getting close to 1,000 days, but for most of that time, there hasn't been much talk about ending the war. Recently, German Chancellor Scholz talked to Russian President Putin for the first time in two years and urged him to negotiate with Ukraine. Even Ukraine's President Zelenskyy said the war should end through talks next year. What's changed? Trump has made it clear that he doesn't want to keep sending weapons to Ukraine. And now, Ukraine is starting to talk more about peace. We've said before that sending ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], October 3 (ANI): Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, on Friday, hailed the completion of 25 years of India-Russia strategic partnership, underscoring how it opened a new chapter in the bilateral relationship of the two countries. In a post on X, Alipov said, "On October 3, 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed the declaration on strategic partnership, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations. Today we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of this historic declaration." Also Read | Florida Shocker: Angry ...Read More >
Hyderabad: North Telangana districts bore the brunt of heavy rains that disrupted normal life in many parts of the state on Wednesday. People in the northern districts were subject to harrowing times to reach their destinations due to the extensive damage to roads that was made worse by breaches across culverts and bridges on overflowing canals and water bodies. Meanwhile, flights were diverted at Shamshabad airport due to the heavy downpour in Greater Hyderabad limits. Hyderabad-bound flights were diverted to Vijayawada, Bengaluru and Tirupati in the afternoon. The IMD issued a red alert for ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: EC on Thursday revised the rules relating to counting of postal ballots, making it mandatory for all postal ballot papers to be counted before the penultimate round of EVM/VVPATs counting is taken up.The new practice will be first implemented in Bihar where assembly polls are due in Nov.This restores the arrangement prior to May 2019, when EC had changed the guidelines to allow EVM counting to proceed regardless of postal ballot counting stage. The 2019 change did not rule out chances of EVM counting being completed before postal ballot counting. INDIA bloc had, during the 2024 elec ...Read More >
Moscow/New Delhi, Oct 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a telephone conversation with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he also congratulated him on his 73rd birthday and conveyed best wishes for his good health and success in all his endeavours. The two leaders reviewed the progress in the bilateral agenda, and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. PM Modi conveyed that he is looking forward to welcoming President Putin to India, in December for the 23rd India-Ru ...Read More >
. NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar inaugurated two new Consulates General of India in Russia on Wednesday, in Yekaterinburg and Kazan. Jaishankar hailed the moment as an important day for bilateral ties.Speaking at the event, he said, "I am confident that with the opening of the two new consulates, there will be a further strengthening of India-Russia ties, and this will surely mark a new phase in our relationship." The external affairs minister also said that the two new missions would serve the large Indian community in the country.Yekaterinburg was seen as Russia's "third c ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], August 14 (ANI): As India observes the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and External Affairs Minister on Thursday paid tribute to the people who sacrificed their lives during the Partition of India. Sharing an X post, Goyal said that on August 14, 1947, during the Partition of India, people endured the pain of violence, displacement and loss of loved ones. Also Read | Independence Day 2025: President Droupadi Murmu To Address Nation Today on Eve of 79th I-Day. "On this day in the year 1947, people had to endure the pa ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], October 3 (ANI): Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, on Friday, hailed the completion of 25 years of India-Russia strategic partnership, underscoring how it opened a new chapter in the bilateral relationship of the two countries. In a post on X, Alipov said, On October 3, 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed the declaration on strategic partnership, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations. Today we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of this historic declaration. 🇷🇺🇮🇳 3 अक्टूबर 2000 को रूस के राष्ट्र ...Read More >
THANE, July 18: A man and his two children died as their motorbike was dashed by a truck in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra.Gopal Chandanse (36), his wife and two kids were riding to their village when the truck dashed the two-wheeler from behind around 3.30 pm.They were taken to the hospital where Gopal, his son Hriday (7) and daughter Avani (9) were declared dead. Gopal's wife Meenabai (32) was injured and undergoing treatment.The truck driver fled from the spot, leaving his vehicle behind. Further probe was on, the official said. (PTI) Three elephants run over by train in ...Read More >
New Delhi: Industry leaders welcomed the recently announced GST reforms, which reduce the number of tax slabs, stating that it will make tax compliance easier while also directly benefiting consumers through lower prices. Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce Joint Secretary Navjot Alang Rubal said that the reduction of the number of slabs from four to two under the new GST structure is a highly positive step. According to Rubal, this reform will greatly benefit the middle and lower-income groups as the tax reductions on essential items of daily use will bring a noticeable drop in prices. He furthe ...Read More >
The Goa branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) condemned the minister's action and urged the authorities to immediately rescind the suspension and reinstate the doctor while ensuring a fair trial. The opposition parties, including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Revolutionary Goans Party, had condemned Rane's behaviour. Government sources told PTI that the chief minister invited Rane for a meeting on the issue in Panaji on Sunday, and after the meeting, a statement was issued that the doctor would not be suspended pending a fair inquiry. Taking to X, Chief Minister Sawant said, "I ...Read More >
Times of India's Edit Page team comprises senior journalists with wide-ranging interests who debate and opine on the news and issues of the day. Stop weapon supplies to stop wars. Trump sees this for Ukraine but not for Gaza The Ukraine war is soon going to hit the 1000-day mark. But we are seeing something absent for around 900 days - let's-end-this-war musings in Kyiv and western European capitals. First, German Chancellor Scholz had a conversation with Putin - the first such chat in two years - where he urged Moscow to engage in negotiations with Kyiv. Second, Zelenskyy himself has said t ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's (GHMC) order to shut beef shops and slaughterhouses on the Independence Day (August 15) and Krishna Janmashtami (August 16) evoked mixed response from people in the city. While some felt that the beef shops should be closed on Krishna Janmashtami considering religious sentiments, they said the shops could be allowed to function on August 15. While there are no restrictions on chicken, fish, etc., beef shops were ordered to be closed. So many people also wanted the government to specify why such orders were issued -- due to law and orde ...Read More >
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that there would be "very severe consequences" if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to end the war in Ukraine during their upcoming summit on Friday. As per the media reports, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump was "very clear" during a virtual meeting with European leaders that the US is aiming for a ceasefire at the forthcoming US-Russia summit, set to take place in Alaska. During the same meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the group that he believes Putin "is bluffing" ahead of his p ...Read More >
Delhi news: Woman alleged she was raped by four men at a party after consuming alcohol. Four men allegedly gangraped a 24-year-old woman at a party in north Delhi's Civil Lines on Sunday night, police said on Tuesday. According to the Hindustan Times, a police officer said on Monday that the woman alleged she was raped by four men at a party after consuming alcohol. She's reportedly employed with a Gurugram-based firm. "In her complaint, she said she received a call from a male friend on Sunday, inviting her to a party at a friend's house in Civil Lines. She accepted the invitation and went ...Read More >