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NEW DELHI: The national council of the CPI has expressed deep sorrow at the demise of Fidel Castro, the leader of the Cuban Revolution and inspiration for all generations of revolutionaries world over.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The most striking feature of the post-demonetisation phase in Kerala has been the complete political isolation of and rising anger against the BJP.

Bangladesh has just acquired two refurbished diesel-electric Chinese submarines at a reported price of $203 million. The first was delivered on November 14. The delivery of the second is a matter of days. They are 035 (Ming-class) subs. The acquisition of Chinese subs by Bangladesh seems to have taken our Government completely unawares and caused consternation.. This is natural. India cannot view with equanimity China’s involvement in as sensitive a field in Bangladesh as defence. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is being dispatched post haste to Dhaka on a two-day visit by the month end.

Contrary to propaganda by the BJP, the party has not gained in recent bye-elections; neither it is an endorsement of demonetisation. Bye-elections constitute a very limited test of the popular mood post demonization. In any case, the BJP is not a major player in West Bengal, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and results in these parts of the country cannot be construed to be a vote against the Prime Minister.

It is a season of plastic credit and debit cards, thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetization of high value currency notes in the country. Cashing in on the situation, India’s domestic airlines and prominent banks have teamed up to issue co-branded credit cards for the convenience of passengers.

LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has emerged as most powerful person in the party with the blessings of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. All the major decisions being taken by Mulayam Singh Yadav these days have the approval of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

It has not quite been celebration time for the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal even as the party reasserted its dominance, winning all three seats (two in Lok Sabha, one in the Assembly) in the recent by-elections. Much to the chagrin of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) played the party spoiler by increasing its outreach in east India and not yielding ground in the states it rules.

After the November 8 demonetisation move, which has shaken the hoarders and black marketers not to mention corrupt politicians, what next? Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed the BJP parliamentary party this week that his fight against the black money will continue as this was not the end but the beginning. “Next year will be a ‘Nayasaal, naya Bharat’”, assured the prime minister on Tuesday.

A disturbing trend of ethnic violence targeting minorities in Myanmar and Bangladesh in recent times is causing deep international concern.

BHOPAL: The Congress suffered yet another blow when despite all out efforts it failed to snatch Shahdol Lok Sabha seat from the Bharatiya Janata Party in the by-election, results of which were announced on November 22. The Congress was hopeful that as it had won the Jhabua Lok Sabha seat some months back in an by-election it may also win the Shahdol Lok Sabha seat. Both Jhabua and Shahdol are reserved for the tribals. The Congress hoped that because of the unprecedented difficulties faced by the people after the ban on Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes, people would turn against the BJP.