Ainnie Arif is a journalist covering diplomacy and international affairs with a South Asian lens. She focuses on how global events intersect with regional politics and local impact.
Wealth concentration remains stark: Overall, 40 per cent of the Phase I candidates are crorepatis. While eight per cent of candidates declared assets above Rs 10 crore, 32 percent fall in the Rs 20 lakh–Rs 1 crore bracket. 28 per cent have assets below Rs 20 lakh
The ADR and Bihar Election Watch analysis found 423 candidates with criminal cases, of which 354 face serious charges.
Lalu’s tenure saw both empowerment of marginalised communities through social engineering and the emergence of corruption, criminality and caste violence that came to define Bihar’s “Jungle Raj” era.
Scheduled Castes now form 19.65 per cent of Bihar’s population, up from 16 per cent in 2011, while Scheduled Tribes stand at 1.68 per cent, revealing a demographic shift that has redefined political representation and voter outreach.
Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar built political careers by consolidating OBC support: Lalu as the champion of lower castes and Muslims during the 1990s, and Nitish by advocating for non-Yadav OBCs, forward castes, and development-focused governance.
Delhi’s air quality has worsened sharply this Diwali, with the 24-hour AQI reaching levels not seen since 2021. A mix of firecracker emissions, vehicle pollution, and industrial activity has plunged the capital into hazardous smog
Known for her conservative views, Takaichi opposes same-sex marriage and male-female surname reforms, supports the imperial family’s male-only succession, and makes regular visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.
Two years after the October 7 Hamas attack and Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, amid claims of “self-defence” and accusations of war crimes, Outlook chronicles the voices of Zainab Al Ghonaimy, Motasem Dalloul, Ghassan Zaqtan, and others as they speak of the human cost of the conflict
Palestinian Ambassador Abdullah Abu Shawesh stresses that achieving freedom in the enclave requires global solidarity and united efforts.
The service, attended by Trump, Vance, Musk, and other MAGA figures, blended grief with political rhetoric, hailing Kirk as a martyr for conservatism and faith.
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