Blogs

Here’s something surprising: the world is drinking less alcohol. Sure, it’s still strictly regulated. There are age limits, massive taxes, tough licensing, restrictions on sales & advertising, and some places even have total prohibition. All this suggests that alcohol is one of those vices that if left unchecked, humans would go crazy over. And yet,…

The spectacular election defeat of Hungary’s longtime strongman, Viktor Orbán, is just the latest in a clutch of ballots that shows European publics’ increasing disenchantment with the Trump-style gospel of militant Christian nationalism. And yet, the establishment – European govts and EU itself – is still not at the point of abandoning its mad, uncrowned…

The potato crowns Bengal’s biryani, squished some, it’s ubiquitous in political rallies, in greasy foil packets. Meanwhile, biryani makers are finding workarounds for fuel shortages. Netas, of course, spar on fish, like fishbones stuck painfully, making claims difficult to swallow.What’s delightful is, cuisine across India changes every – no exaggeration – 100km, maybe even less….

Free speech is a good thing: ask Iranians who’ve been pounding at Trump with jokes and memes on X. It won’t win them the war, but it’s certainly winning them fans worldwide. How ironic! A regime that won’t let its people speak up – reportedly they killed over 30,000 protesters in Jan – is riding…

The Women’s Reservation Bill has been projected as a historic step toward empowerment, but from my perspective, it raises deeper questions about the meaning of true equality and justice in a democracy. I strongly believe that women must rise in politics through capability, leadership, and equal opportunity, not merely through a quota-based framework. Reservation may…

Today’s edition tracks a shift in the American immigration conversation, as JD Vance reframes the debate from policy to “loyalty”, raising fresh uncertainty for Indian professionals stuck in the green card backlog. Alongside, a deeply personal case of an Indian-origin interpreter’s detention reveals how fragile long-term legal status can be. And in Offbeat, we step…

The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit China on May 14–15, 2026 for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. This will be Trump’s first visit to China in his second term and his first in-person meeting with Xi since a trade truce was agreed upon…

When we hear about rising tensions in the Middle East—especially around the Strait of Hormuz—the story is usually framed as military threats or economic warfare. But this framing misses the deeper structure of the crisis. What we are witnessing is a high-stakes game of communication—one in which words, actions, and expectations matter as much as…

So, what if we are not inclined to insure our homes for whatever reason; so, what if a sizeable lot do not have ‘regular’ homes? Incidentally around sixty-five million individuals, which constitutes 17.4% of India’s urban population, are slum dwellers. So, what if all Australian population equals that of greater Mumbai?! As the percentage of…

India’s food is way too big and different to fit into just one box called “Indian cuisine.” Think about this: in some places in Bengal, people even put potatoes in biryani! You might see it packed in foil at rallies, a little squished but still tasty. At the same time, people argue a lot about…