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Last week, a Supreme Court bench’s observation on the use of Urdu, has once again opened a pandora’s box, on the treatment meted out to Urdu – a language of connoisseurs, but which has been appended to the Muslim community. As in the past, this time too, nothing worthwhile would come out of this development, as Urdu has been relegated to its current status by the Urdu lovers only.

HELSINKI: Finland is widely seen in Western Europe and the United States as a progressive paradise. In truth, its center-right-led coalition government in office since June 2023 has presided over far-reaching austerity measures, leading to rising homelessness and cuts in local health provisions. Yet there are also signs that this period may finally be coming to an end.

The Supreme Court’s interim order on the controversial Waqf Amendments Act has created an unusual equilibrium among opposing camps, hinting at a calculated balancing act rather than a decisive intervention. While the order does not represent a full-fledged stay on the implementation of the amendments, it introduces a layer of judicial restraint that both reassures and unsettles, depending on which side one is on. It leaves the legal battlefield open, but the signs—however faint—point toward an eventual consolidation of the government’s position. By allowing the government time to marshal more robust arguments while maintaining the status quo, the court has set the stage for a more thorough examination that could eventually legitimise the amendments in question.

Informal employment in the total employment in India remains almost stagnant at around 90 per cent since 2014, according to a latest ILO report. It was worse in 2024 than the global average of 58 per cent, Asia Pacific average of 66 per cent, and worse than neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

NEW YORK: The United States - Europe relationship has reached such a low ebb in the last three months of Trump 2.0 rule that the political analysts in Washington are finding no hope of any immediate patch up between the two traditional allies as the MAGA core ideas are based on hostility to Europe.

With Trump’s tariff war escalating woes to China, a new plank is established for India to be the hub for global supply chain. Caught in the crossfire of highest hike in tariff by 245 percent on import from China by Trump administration, China will lose its hegemony in supply chain. Eventually, new opportunity will open up for India to bid challenge to China as well as Vietnam - the extension of Chinese workshop.

As it is common among politicians facing serious economic issues, the government of the day heaps all reasons for economic ruin or downturn or a difficult situation on the heads of the central banks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are striving hard to find a consensus candidate as the NDA chief minister in Bihar. , but the Mahagathbandhan has struck a major psychological blow to Modi and Shah by creating a Coordination Committee headed by the RJD leader Tejashvi Yadav, the leader of opposition in Bihar assembly. This decision of the opposition leader is in fact virtually leaves no space for any speculation about the opposition candidate for the task of CM. CPI(ML)-Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said the formal announcement would be met after some time. They are not in a hurry. The next meeting of the opposition leaders would take place on May 4.

KOLKATA: Eight months after the change of power in Bangladesh, Dr M. Yunus, Chief Adviser to the interim government, has not yet been able to win over major pillars of political power, including leading political groups/parties or the armed forces — to his side.

Saudi Arabia’s recent sweeping crackdown on immigration violations and a sudden tightening of visa regulations, particularly targeting 14 nations including Bangladesh, signals more than just internal security enforcement. Behind these actions lies a mounting strain in Saudi-Bangladesh relations-now further exacerbated by the controversial arrest of Bangladeshi actress and model Meghna Alam, reportedly at the informal behest of the Saudi ambassador.