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PAGE 7

The message in Viktor Orban’s defeat

Published on Apr 13, 2026 15:19 IST
Irrespective of whether Orban’s loss proves a bellwether for far-Right politics and authoritarians elsewhere, what is clear is that there is an end of the road for right-wing populism — just as there is for other variants of populism. (Bloomberg)

Babasaheb in our times

A spectacle of symbolism, centred around empty eulogisation of Ambedkar, is standing in for a more radical, emancipatory vision of politics. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)
Updated on Apr 13, 2026 15:19 IST

The window to negotiate peace

The US decision to send Vance to Islamabad for the talks too was a signal it is taking the process seriously. The talks have left open a window for forward movement. (AFP)
Updated on Apr 12, 2026 16:38 IST

Who moderates the moderators?

The question of who holds social media — platforms and users — accountable cannot be answered by either the government or the platforms, because both are parties to the dispute. (AP)
Published on Apr 10, 2026 15:50 IST

Monetary policy in a time of war

What is needed is a nimble policy response where the monetary and fiscal arms are in sync. It isn’t business as usual for the economy. It shouldn’t be for RBI. (HT Archive)
Updated on Apr 9, 2026 15:54 IST

Respect the red lines

Caught in a confrontation between the state government and ECI, these people voted in the previous polls and have simply run out of time for the authorities to process their appeals. (PTI)
Updated on Apr 9, 2026 15:54 IST

Learnings from war in West Asia

For the US (and the world), the war is a lesson that a confrontation using conventional (but modern) weapons, with a reasonably strong opponent is unlikely to end quickly, if it is likely to end at all. (Bloomberg)
Published on Apr 8, 2026 16:07 IST

Missing women in the candidates’ lists

The candidates’ lists of major political parties in the four states and one Union territory going to the polls this month show that none of the main parties in the fray — the BJP, Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, AIADMK, CPM, CPI, and Muslim League, among others — meet the 33% quota, or even 20%. (@NainarBJP X/ANI)
Published on Apr 7, 2026 15:42 IST

A flawed SIR in West Bengal

In terms of deletions (expressed as a proportion of the number of people on the rolls pre-SIR), West Bengal figured in the middle of the pack among states where the exercise was carried out. (PTI)
Published on Apr 7, 2026 15:41 IST

War worries over industry

The war’s supply shock seems to have triggered a reverse migration of Indian workers, though not at the pandemic scale. Most anecdotal accounts suggest that this is happening because the working-class migrant cohort cannot source LPG for their kitchens. (Reuters)
Published on Apr 6, 2026 17:07 IST

War worries over industry

The war’s supply shock seems to have triggered a reverse migration of Indian workers, though not at the pandemic scale. Most anecdotal accounts suggest that this is happening because the working-class migrant cohort cannot source LPG for their kitchens. (Reuters)
Updated on Apr 6, 2026 16:44 IST

Better compensatory afforestation needed

Compensatory afforestation in India remains blinkered in practice. In focusing primarily on the carbon-sink role of forests, it loses sight of several ecological realities that define the natural biological assemblage within a region. (HT Archive)
Published on Apr 5, 2026 18:17 IST

The debt burden on democracy

Every economic disruption worsens matters. As India loses its demographic advantage of a higher share of the working population, things will become even more difficult. Solving the problem will not be easy. (Reuters)
Published on Apr 5, 2026 18:06 IST

A sorry state of affairs in Bengal

The Supreme Court has rightly deprecated the “complete failure of civil and police administration” and taken top state officials to task, even as it ordered a probe. But some responsibility must also rest with the ECI. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)
Updated on Apr 3, 2026 15:39 IST

Rediscovering Raja Ravi Varma’s art

It is only normal that Raja Ravi Varma’s Hindu-themed art finds resonance in today’s India, which is deeply invested in investigating its cultural past. (PTI)
Published on Apr 2, 2026 15:35 IST

All blind fury, empty words

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the US President’s televised address was the complete disdain for the economic consequences or the pain countries in the Global South are facing. (AFP)
Published on Apr 2, 2026 15:35 IST

A difficult season ahead for agriculture

If El Niño effects intensify and rainfall proves deficient — a clearer picture will emerge closer to June — pulses and rice yields could get affected, depressing farm income and pushing up food inflation (AFP)
Published on Apr 1, 2026 15:14 IST

New captains in a turbulent sector

Walsh inherits an airline whose operational credibility was shattered barely three months ago. The turnaround mandate is clear — the airline has long stretched the limits of operational efficiency, and now requires systemic change. (PTI)
Published on Apr 1, 2026 15:14 IST

A new sunrise in the Red corridor

A credible and transparent civilian administration with fair elections that ensures the active participation of local communities, must remain high on the agenda of the authorities. This will require a change of gears — from a muscular securitised approach to a softer, more humane, more democratic one. (AFP)
Published on Mar 31, 2026 15:11 IST

The story of two Dravidian models

Governments led by both the DMK and the AIADMK have been promising populist benefits to voters, especially women, in the state for a long time now. The DMK’s latest promise of a  <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>8,000 “coupon” to buy home gadgets needs to be seen as a continuation of this tradition. (PTI)
Published on Mar 30, 2026 16:01 IST

Need to be careful about legislating care

The Employees Accountability and Monitoring of Parental Support Bill is moored in existing social norms but it could have unintended social consequences, deepening rifts beyond repair. (@tg_governor X/ANI)
Published on Mar 30, 2026 15:22 IST

Hatching of hope for the Indian bustard

The GIB is a slow breeder, laying only one egg per breeding season. Its survival, therefore, depends critically on expansive, protected grasslands that afford enough genetic diversity through lower chances of inter-breeding. (@byadavbjp X via PTI)
Published on Mar 29, 2026 16:18 IST

Widening gulf over Iran war

Iran’s firm grip on the Strait of Hormuz has also had a devastating impact on most GCC States, dealing a crushing blow to their hydrocarbon-dependent economies as energy shipments — their most important export — have virtually come to a halt. (REUTERS)
Published on Mar 29, 2026 16:17 IST

The rise and rise of IPL economy

The IPL is, by far, the biggest cricket league. Nothing else even comes close, and with most of the sponsorship money in the game coming from cricket. That isn’t about to change anytime soon. (Reuters)
Updated on Mar 27, 2026 14:43 IST

Setting the bar high on climate targets

The intent shown by India, the world’s third-largest emitter after China and the US, could help restart the conversation on recalibrating energy priorities and influencing the Global South to pursue a pathway to cleaner energy, with a focus on renewables and reduced emissions. (Reuters)
Published on Mar 26, 2026 15:10 IST

Framing social media addiction

The verdict is a beginning, and appeals will follow. But this week’s ruling cuts an important legal path that must be leveraged to drive more structural regulatory interventions. (AFP)
Updated on Mar 26, 2026 15:10 IST