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While some senior INDIA bloc leaders are out to project the opposition camp as a non-starter of a conglomerate without any cohesive political framework, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the main adversary who has been positioning it as the most potent challenger to his authority and the prospect of a consecutive third term.

If BJP’s two-day National Council Meet held in New Delhi on February 17-18 is any indication, bragging and boasting is emerging as BJP’s key election campaign feature in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election 2024. Delegates present there from across the country applauded every such utterance, and the party’s rank and file across the country loved it. However, among electorate outside the RSS-BJP clan, a murmur of disgust is visible, indicating if it remains a key feature it may boomerang.

Come 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a high decibel electoral battle appears to be on the cards between Trinamool Congress and BJP in West Bengal as the saffron outfit has positioned itself as the principal Opposition since 2019 elections. If the ruling TMC seems to be skating on thin ice with a raft of charges including coal and cattle smuggling, cash for teaching jobs scam and charges of sexual exploitation of some local women against Shahjahan Sheikh, a ruling party chieftain of Sandeshkhali, then the BJP’s post 2021 assembly poll electoral record is dismal with a string of reverses under its belt.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have demonstrated unwavering support for the Palestinians in Gaza. Unlike many Arab leaders who express insincere sympathy, the Houthi rebels, despite being from one of the world's poorest countries, have taken action by launching ballistic missiles at Israel and targeting ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab strait, a crucial pathway for global trade.

Lost pets bring heartache and worry to countless families every year. But a South Korean company, PetNow Inc., is offering a beacon of hope with its innovative app. Unveiled at MWC Barcelona this week, PetWayHome leverages cutting-edge AI and biometrics to reunite lost pets with their owners faster and more efficiently than ever before. Beyond its existing nose and facial recognition capabilities, PetWayHome boasts exciting advancements. Gone are the days of manual data entry errors – the app now automatically measures your pet's size and classifies their breed, streamlining the registration process. Additionally, zip code-based location information ensures you receive precise notifications about lost pets in your area, significantly increasing the chances of a swift reunion, the startup said in a recent press release.

Over the years, the successive union governments have taken several measures in consultation with the states and union territories to reduce overcrowding in prisons of India. Even the Supreme Court’s interventions have not worked. Each time, under trials have been released after remaining in prisons for stipulated period, matching numbers or more of the accused under trials come to overcrowd the prisons.

Japan, once the most highly rated economy, is officially in recession, with its GDP shrinking for two consecutive quarters. United Kingdom, currently a pale shadow of its past glory and long discounted as a major economy, has also just landed in recession posing questions about Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s economic policies.

The Narendra Modi government’s electoral bond scheme has been thrown out of the window by the Supreme Court. That is certainly good riddance to an obnoxious and highly abused scheme. But in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decisive ruling, a stark reality emerges – the convoluted landscape of political financing in India that requires a thorough overhaul.

South Africa, the most politically important nation in the African continent, is heading towards its national elections by the end of 2024 which promises to be the fiercest polls since the establishment of democracy in the country in 1994 after the abolition of apartheid.

Farm labours have joined the ongoing farmers’ agitation, and one of their demands is introduction of pension coverage. They suffered even police atrocities on Haryana and Delhi boarders under BJP’s rule which triggered a call for all India rural strike action on February 16. Majority of Central Trade Unions also participated in this strike action supporting all the demands including pension coverage for farmers, agriculture labours, with their additional demand for pension coverage for entire workforce in the country, and adequate pension to salaried workers who are agitated over denial by Modi government to increase their minimum pension from Rs 1000 per month.