View Articles

NEW YORK: Not even the reality show La Casa de los Famosos, a spin-off of Big Brother, managed to surpass the audience of the first televised Council of Ministers in Colombia last February. Millions of Colombians watched live as some ministers criticized President Gustavo Petro, another lavished him with praise in a tone resembling a declaration of love, and other cabinet members exchanged reproaches.

The 24th Congress of the CPI(M), which concluded at Madurai on April 6 with a massive rally, was notable in many respects. There were changes both in the agenda and content of the Congress discussions.

In the two-day AICC session in Ahmedabad, the Congress has moved forward. The resolution finally adopted on April 9, 2025, shows that the party has made up its mind to adopt a modulated strategy which includes both the confrontational path against “inflicted grave injustice” upon the people by the BJP government and building a “future of hope, aspiration, and positivity” through the path of justice (Nyay-Path).

“Who are you threatening? Waqf Act will be law, and all will have to obey,” declared home minister Amit Shah. It was almost prophetic, leaving no uncertainties. Autocracy was spreading its wings with brutal intolerance against any voices raised in opposition.

The German conservatives under the leadership of Friedrich Merz finally clinched a deal with the ruling Social Democrats (SPD) for forming a coalition which will run Europe’s largest economy for the next four years amidst new global scenario following Donald Trump taking over as the U.S. President for the second time. The deal concluded on Wednesday was preceded by weeks of bargaining by the two traditional parties of governance in Germany. The agreement was signed after both sides agreed for a flexible approach diluting some of the demands made earlier.

National identity matters. Taking control of the Waqf properties is a strategic design of the saffron ecosystem to deny the national identity of Muslims of being Indian. Like the national identity, community identity nurtures a sense of belonging, mutual understanding and also strengthens social bonds. It revolves around cultural traditions, social values, which help shape future generations. Ironically, the ideas of the national and community identities are major deterrents in the path of the rightist fascist forces to accomplish their mission of completely polarizing the Hindu community and turning India into a de facto Hindu Rashtra.

This year’s World Health Day falls against the backdrop of strained multilateralism and a crisis in global health funding. World Health Day serves as a stark reminder that good governance, sustained financing, and collective action are essential to safeguard public health worldwide. It is crucial, at this juncture, to reflect on the United States planned withdrawal from the World Health Organization (‘WHO’) and dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (‘USAID’).

What is happening to the “Neighbourhood First” policy of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the year 2025? Modi is an expert in coining attractive slogans whether those finally work or not. For South Asia, he opted for Neighbourhood First and for South East Asia and ASEAN nations Act East. At the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Indian Prime Minister talked highly of the possibilities of BIMSTEC by promoting the body as a vital bridge between South and South East Asia. He presented a 21 point action plan for BIMSTEC.

The landmark Supreme Court judgment in the Tamil Nadu governor’s case marks a significant moment in the evolving jurisprudence concerning the constitutional roles and limits placed on governors, particularly when their actions are seen to disrupt the proper functioning of state governments. The judgment, on the surface, appears to provide a clear guidepost for future disputes where the governor may appear to override the mandate of an elected state government by arbitrarily stalling the passage of legislation.

As the global economy has been riven apart by Donald Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs, the Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday announced a cut in its basic policy interest rate by 25 basis points. In the prevailing environment of deep uncertainty, a marginal cut in the policy rate is neither here, nor there. It cannot have any significant impact.