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Dubai has scored another world first, by becoming the first city to adopt the blockchain technology that powers the cryptocurrency for some of its official transactions. In a first of its kind global initiative, the Dubai Land Department, the government arm responsible for the registration and regulation of real estate in the emirate, is now processing and implementing all real estate transactions on a blockchain. Ultimately, all Dubai properties will be recorded on a blockchain within two to three years.

Going by the government standard, the success of the prime minister’s exalted agenda Swachh Bharat Mission has been quite commendable. The Establishment has been putting out its best to make the programme a landmark. Since the mission involves a huge investment, the officials have been ebullient and not tired of claiming success.

After more than forty months of the NDA rule led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the eco-politics of the country is at a crossroads. The Modi bubble is steadily bursting. All sections of the population are aggrieved — from the poorest section in the rural areas to the major sections of the industrialists who have no tie ups with the BJP leadership. The BJP leadership is still is dreaming to come back to power once again in 2019 Lok Sabha elections depending on the organizational power of the party, the RSS muscle power and the disunity in the opposition ranks. An anti-BJP consolidation in the polity of the country which the BJP leadership, especially the Prime Minister fears most.

Aadhar (12 digit unique bio-metric identification for all citizens), created by the UPA Government for Direct Benefit Transfer of subsidy amounts in the welfare schemes to the targeted poor beneficiaries right in their bank accounts, is being expanded by the successor NDA Government to create a Frankenstein monster of surveillance architecture to keep a watchful eye on every citizen of India, undermining their Fundamental Right to Life, Privacy and Personal Liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, upheld by the Supreme Court of India.

Among major opposition parties in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite its poor representation in the state legislature, seems to be in a stronger position than the Congress or the Left front.

The Bihar Congress has become the worst victim of the war of attrition between RJD chief Lalu Yadav and chief minister Nitish Kumar. Ever since Nitish rejoined his old saffron friends and reinstalled the NDA government, protracted efforts were being made to split the Congress. It has so far been averted only because of the vigilance of the state Congress leaders.

No one says any more that the “achhe din” are here, while those like Omar Abdullah and Nitish Kumar, who claimed that Narendra Modi faced no challenges, have fallen silent. Even the boasts about the BJP ushering in a Congress-mukt Bharat have died down.

CBI additional superintendent of police (ASP) S.K. Malik, who was chief of the 20-member team probing the transfer of government funds allegedly to the accounts of an NGO called Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti, has been shifted from Bhagalpur and asked to report to the CBI's headquarters in New Delhi.

Last week, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was in Dhaka on a three-day visit to sign a $4.5 billion letter of credit to Bangladesh. The decision in this regard was announced last April during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Delhi visit. India’s aid package to Bangladesh has increased steadily. This is the third LoC India has signed with Bangladesh. The first one was for $862 million, while the second one was for $2 billion. The latest deal is more than double the size of the second. Indian assistance has been primarily for the development of Bangladesh’s infrastructure sector.

Half a century ago, on October 9 1967, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, was assassinated by Mario Teran, a Bolivian army officer, following orders from the CIA. The Argentinian-born Cuban revolutionary hero died leading a guerilla struggle against the US-backed Bolivian military regime of Rene Barrientos, eight years after playing a leading role in the Cuban revolution.