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The FinePrint

Rs 17,000 cr revamp for Mumbai’s British-era BDD chawls: Residents hopeful, planners have doubts

High-rises will soon replace 195 Bombay Development Directorate chawls and residents will get free 500-sq-ft apartments, but some urban planners cite ventilation, lighting, crowding issues.

‘Pride of Kunda’ or ‘gunda’? Why 6-term MLA Raja Bhaiya is still a political force in UP

Raja Bhaiya, currently locked in war of words with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, is fighting UP assembly polls from Kunda for seventh time. He has served as minister in both BJP & SP govts.

In UP’s Mau, gangster Mukhtar Ansari’s sport-shooter son is using ‘clean’ image to gun for votes

Mau constituency, which goes to vote on 7 March, has been gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s stronghold since 1996. He has won the seat five consecutive times.

First China, now Ukraine: Doctor dreams up in smoke for many as Covid & war deal twin blows

Ukraine is among most prominent destinations for Indian medical students, apart from Russia and China. With these options out of the question for now, the future seems uncertain.

Revisioning India’s future? Start with Marxism, without the baggage

For the younger Indians, Marxism is a weird, extremist and extinct ideology of the past. Here's how you can recover what is valuable in Marxist ideology.

How Neel Patel ‘conned’ Indians out of crores, with dreams of Atmanirbhar Bharat & a cheap iPhone

Swadeshi apps and influential Twitter friends drew many to Patel. As his father is arrested as part of probe into alleged multi-crore web of scams, Patel says he didn't do anything illegal.

Has India moved on from failures of Covid times? Barkha Dutt’s book reminds us of the tragedy

Journalist Barkha Dutt's deeply analytical book 'To Hell and Back' tells us why so many Indians died, when they could have been saved. Here are some things she reminds us of.

BJP vowed ‘justice for Hindutva worker murders’ in Karnataka. 3 yrs on, here’s where cases stand

Bajrang Dal worker Harsha’s murder in Shivamogga last month brings spotlight back on BJP’s 2018 poll promise in Karnataka on providing justice to families of Hindutva workers 'slain for ideology'.

Punjab principal’s ‘sex assault’ on minors: ‘Open secret, many complaints’, arrest after 12 yrs

Photos & videos of Amritpal Dhiman sexually assaulting students in 2010 went viral in Feb. Villagers say most people knew about it, police suspect more incidents over the years.

How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has undermined strategic choices available to India

If Russia drifts into neutrality in its ties with China and India, what can Western powers offer New Delhi given that the game has structurally changed?

On Camera

Devdas to Heeramandi—Bhansali doesn’t reduce courtesans to performers. They have a voice

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films may be over-the-top, but by shining the spotlight on women who are otherwise forced to work on the edges of acceptable society, he gives them agency.

Asia’s growth outlook remains positive despite external uncertainties, says ADB

The Asian Development Outlook 2024 report suggests that policymakers in the region should monitor a number of risks. These include escalating conflicts and geopolitical tensions.

Conventional military force no more deciding factor, says Army chief. Calls for self-reliance

Army is pursuing 45 niche technologies identified for military application & 120 indigenous projects are underway to develop & absorb these niche technologies, Gen Pande says.

Frontrunner is letting the challenger define this poll campaign. Modi still hasn’t found a big theme

A theme has not yet emerged for BJP & people see lack of a contest, which makes it unexciting. For all these reasons, 2024 is turning out to be an unexpectedly theme-less election.