Author: Rahul M

Thiruvananthapuram: At a rally in the run-up to the 2016 Assembly polls, Prime Minister Modi held up the hand of the BJP candidate from Kannur’s Koothuparambu constituency, C. Sadanandan Master, highlighting the ‘brutality committed by the communists’ in the State. Nearly a decade later, Sadanandan’s nomination to Rajya Sabha is a reminder of Kerala’s long history of political violence and revenge murders, most of which involve the CPIM and the BJP. Sadanandan, a former SFI member, was attacked by several men in January 1994, years after he left the communist party for the RSS. Sadanandan lost both his legs in…

JammuJul 14, 2025 19:00 IST First published on: Jul 14, 2025 at 19:00 IST Share Former Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta was appointed the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh on Monday. He replaced Brigadier (retd) B D Mishra, who had been serving as Lt Governor since 2023. No stranger to J&K politics, Gupta has a long association with the RSS, having joined the organisation as a minor. Like many in the RSS, he too was jailed during the Emergency. Gupta was the secretary of the Punjab wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) between 1978-79 and headed the…

BERLIN (AP) — Arachnophobes beware: Customs officials on Monday released photos from a seizure of roughly 1,500 young tarantulas found inside plastic containers that had been hidden in chocolate spongecake boxes shipped to an airport in western Germany. Customs officials found the shipment at Cologne Bonn airport in a package that had arrived from Vietnam, tipped off by a “noticeable smell” that didn’t resemble the expected aroma of the 7 kilograms (about 15 pounds) of the confectionery treats, Cologne customs office spokesman Jens Ahland said. “My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from…

As the Opposition hit the streets of Bihar last week to protest against the electoral roll revision in the state and attempted to enforce a bandh, an awkward situation unfolded.Video clips from the march against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) showed security officials physically stopping the Independent MP from Purnia, Pappu Yadav, from boarding the vehicle carrying Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, state LoP Tejashwi Yadav, and other leaders of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). While there were videos of Gandhi’s party colleague Kanhaiya Kumar also facing a similar treatment — allegedly not to ruffle Tejashwi — Pappu…

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Appeals judges at a European Union-backed court upheld murder, torture and arbitrary detention convictions against a former Kosovo war liberation fighter Monday. But they cut his prison term from 18 years to 13 years, saying judges imposed too harsh a sentence at his trial.Pjetër Shala was convicted a year ago for his role in the abuse of detainees being held by the Kosovo Liberation Army, or KLA, at a makeshift jail in a metal factory in Kukёs, northern Albania, during Kosovo’s 1999 war for independence from Serbia.The 62-year-old Shala watched Monday’s hearing at the Kosovo…

A BLOCKBUSTER SPECTACLE OF CINEMATIC EXCELLENCE   In 2022, Navy Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell soared back into the spotlight with Top Gun: Maverick, the long-awaited sequel to the 1986 classic Top Gun. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film starred Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, and Val Kilmer, and followed Maverick as he confronted his past while training a new generation of Top Gun graduates, including the son of his late best friend, for a perilous mission. After several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Top Gun: Maverick was finally released on May 27, 2022, earning…

Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal announced her separation from husband Parupalli Kashyap on Sunday, July 13, after nearly seven years of marriage. She shared the news on Instagram, saying, “Life takes us in different directions… We’ve decided to part ways and choose peace, growth, and healing.” She also thanked fans for respecting their privacy. Kashyap hasn’t commented yet but looked cheerful in a recent Instagram story posted hours before the announcement. He was seen enjoying the Awakenings Festival in the Netherlands with friends. Who Is Saina Nehwal’s Husband Parupalli Kashyap? Indian badminton veteran Parupalli Kashyap has remained a respected name in…

In a significant move to comply with Indian market regulator SEBI’s directives, American proprietary trading firm Jane Street has approached the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with a request to lift trading restrictions placed on it. This comes after the firm deposited ₹4,843.58 crore in an escrow account, as directed by SEBI following serious allegations of market manipulation. According to a reports, SEBI has confirmed that the specified amount has been credited to the account with a lien in the regulator’s favour. Jane Street has now formally appealed to SEBI to relax certain conditions laid out in the…

BJP leader C Sadanandan Master, who lost both legs in political violence in Kannur and is often referred to as a “living martyr”, was among the four people nominated by President Droupadi Murmu to the Rajya Sabha on Sunday.A retired school teacher with roots in the RSS, Sadanandan has served as its district-level karyavah and boudhik pramukh, and is currently the vice-president of the BJP’s Kerala unit. In an interview with The Indian Express, Sadanandan speaks about his journey, the RSS’s role in Kannur and his life after the attack on him, among other issues. Excerpts: * In recent years,…

Shubman Gill has scripted history by breaking Rahul Dravid’s record of scoring the most runs in a Test series for India in England. During the India tour of England in 2002, Dravid scored a total of 602 runs in six innings and Gull crossed that run mark on Day 4 of the ongoing 3rd Test at Lord’s on Sunday. Most Runs By An Indian In A Series In England Shubman Gill – 607* (2025) Rahul Dravid – 602 (2002) Virat Kohli – 593 (2018) Sunil Gavaskar – 542 (1979) Rahul Dravid – 461 (2011) The 25-year-old…