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LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Congress has launched massive outreach program to win over dalit, OBCs and minorities to strengthen the vote bank of the party to face 2027 assembly polls in the state.

Himalayan states that share borders with neighboring countries of China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and parts of Myanmar have faced tardy development since independence. This is partly because of difficult terrain and ecological fragility. Backwardness too is a factor. The terrain is hilly but most of the states are important from security point of view particularly because of some hostile neighbours like China and Pakistan. China in particular is a huge country and economy and has expansionary tendencies right from the beginning.

Can we find similarities in the antecedents to the disturbing scenes of violence frequently surfacing in different parts of the world?

Cuba and Cuban science gained acclaim worldwide for producing very effective COVID-19 vaccines. The achievement stood out among nations of the Global South. The feat reflects Cuba’s development over decades of a formidable scientific establishment engaged in the development and marketing of biologic products oriented mainly to healthcare and also to food production.

The Supreme Court said the nation "cannot wait" for another rape for changes on ground. The “cannot wait” is confusing for the Average Joe. Does it convey an eagerness for another case of rape to land before a court? What about the judgment of the Supreme Court in which it objected to a decision of the Calcutta High Court, cautioning it to mind the language when writing judgments? Then, the Supreme Court had taken exception to the High Court asking "adolescent girls to control their sexual urges” to prevent rape.

The United States of America or the People’s Republic of China may have nothing much to do with the massive public demonstrations in Bangladesh that began last month over governmental job quotas forcing the fall of Sheikh Hasina as the country’s longest serving prime minister and her government. Sheikh Hasina had dug her own grave firstly by rigging the last national election, which was totally boycotted by her party’s prime opposition, right-wing Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its 19 other allies, demanding the polls be held under a caretaker government. In the past, Bangladesh had been run by caretaker governments before elections.

It is the story of two rapes, one in Kolkata and another in Muzaffarpur - the first one a middle class doctor and the second one a Dalit girl. Both incidents took place took place within a gap of two days.. While in case of one, following massive protests across the country, the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the rape and murder of a doctor which took place in the night of August 9, at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital., in the case of the other gangrape of a Dalit girl, nobody is mentioning it as if gangrape of a Dalit is nothing to be of big concern.

Jammu and Kashmir will have Assembly elections in three phases on September 18 September 25 and October 1 to elect 90 legislators, the first after the revocation of Article 370 and the state's bifurcation in August 2019.

Recent developments offer hope that Myanmar could move towards a settlement between the military regime and the resistance forces. These developments also hint that the imprisoned democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi could be released to facilitate the peace process. These recent developments include Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's sudden visit to Myanmar and meeting with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar's ruling military council, on August 14.

Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir is very different in 2024 than it was in the last election held a decade ago in 2014. Much water has flowed down in the Jhelum between the two elections. The state has been split into two, Jammu and Kashmir has been made a Union Territory, Ladakh has been carved out as a separate Territory, the Article 370 and 35-A of the Constitution of India has been done away with, and a fresh delimitation of constituencies has increased their numbers and changed the extent of their areas. Elections are announced after such sweeping changes, and will be held in three phases under President’s rule and also under the shadow of guns cross-firing between the Pakistan’s ISI sponsored terrorists and India’s security forces. Obviously, India’s stakes are very high and the world is keenly watching it.