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Narendra Modi was shunned by the U.S. in 2005. But he is no more a pariah. The same US, but now under the presidency of Joe Biden, is rolling out the red carpet for Modi, who will become just the third world leader (after France’s Emmanuel Macron and South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol) to be invited for a state visit and dinner, the highest of diplomatic receptions typically reserved for only the closest of allies.

The Narendra Modi government has been making big noise over the country’s progress in the world competition ranking. A 21-point jump in the first three years after Prime Minister Modi assumed power in 2014 had given the government a great public relations handle, which the fans of the new dispensation exploited to the hilt. But that spectacular show seems to have been neutralised in the years that followed. In fact, according to the IMD 2023 World Competitiveness Ranking, India has slipped a point from 39th position in 2017 after five years. The IMD rankings generally tally with those of the World Economic Forum.

Despite big promises to women in BJP’s 2019 manifesto, including to formulate a comprehensive ‘Women in the Workforce’ road map focused on dramatically increasing female workforce participation rate over the next five years, the women’s share in Central Government jobs have been declining with the general decline in total job opportunities. Women’s participation has substantially gone down in single digit in central government and CPSE jobs.

A high percentage of Opposition parties' nominees filing nomination and a sharp drop in uncontested seats as compared to 2018 rural polls cannot assure a significant portion of the state populace especially living in the rural areas that panchayat election of West Bengal will be held peacefully, come 8 July. Given the incidents of violence which marred the nomination process, large number of voters as well as activists of the Opposition outfits in the state will be keeping their fingers crossed during the campaign, the polling day and a not too short time span following the declaration of the election results.

On June 23 when the opposition parties gather in Patna to discuss 2024 and the end of the Modi regime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will still be in the United States in the eye of the global media glare. The opposition parties should take care events involving Prime Minister Modi in the United States do not upstage the important political conclusions emerging out of the Patna Conclave.

Three months ago, I Wayan Koster, the governor of Hindu-majority Bali, made his mark on the international stage by banning an Israeli squad from participating in this year’s FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Operating at the intersection of domestic Indonesian politics, his country's foreign relations and the fuzzy lines allegedly separating sports and politics, Koster is weighing a repeat performance with a double whammy.

The woman who climbed trees opens with a wedding. Meena 14, stands on a terrace in Dharbhanga eating roasted peanuts when she is told about 21-year-old Manmohan, her future husband. He is first in his family from Nepal to study in India. Her mother, Keveri, claims he is a “prize” and a “project Manju”.

New Delhi: India’s top amateur golfer Avani Prashanth, will be seen in action in the Singapore Ladies Masters, a US $100,000 professional event.

One view is that one Indian is having all the fun! Like “excitement and euphoria have gripped many Indian Americans ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to the US”. Such a view should not be allowed to gather moss. It is humiliating to the country, and to the country’s rulers. But, hey, it is the truth, the only wholesome truth – Prime Minister Narendra Modi does give the impression he’s having all the fun while the rest of India hurts.

Yet another study has brought out the miserable conditions being suffered by workers and employees are in the wake of the current global financial squeeze.