In the midst of escalating India-Pakistan tensions, US Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to India earlier this week may have seemed like a minor event, but it reinforced the evolving dynamics of the India-US relationship. While the visit itself was largely private, its significance was highlighted through public engagements that showcased the dual approach of top-down diplomacy and grassroots people-to-people interactions. However, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam underscored the reality that the US continues to play a key role in influencing the course of India-Pakistan relations.

America's Stance on Pakistan: The timing of the Kashmir attack during Vance’s visit was no accident. Pakistan, seeking to maintain relevance on the global stage despite its diminishing influence, aimed to remind Washington of Kashmir’s importance. Despite Pakistan’s protests over India’s 2019 revocation of Article 370, the international community, including the US, largely disregarded these concerns. Under the Biden administration, US policy has focused on fostering deeper ties with India, partly driven by the shifting global power landscape. The US withdrawal from Afghanistan and Pakistan’s growing alliance with China have resulted in a policy shift, offering humanitarian and economic support to Pakistan but avoiding significant military engagement.

Washington's Distance from the India-Pakistan Dispute: For some time, Washington has refrained from involving itself in the India-Pakistan conflict. The Trump administration, in particular, pulled back from global commitments, focusing instead on national priorities. In 2019, President Trump had offered to mediate the Kashmir dispute at India’s request, a claim that India firmly denied. Since then, Kashmir has rarely been discussed in US-India dialogues. During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Washington earlier this year, the joint statement called on Pakistan to take strong action against terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, urging the country to bring justice to those responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot attacks. Pakistan’s response was one of defiance, labeling the joint statement as "misleading and contrary to diplomatic norms."

Pakistan’s Global Isolation: Pakistan’s diminishing influence in global strategy is a result of both its internal struggles and India’s successful international campaign to label it a state sponsor of terrorism. With a faltering economy, widespread social unrest, and increasing regional instability, Pakistan’s international partnerships are shrinking. Even China seems less inclined to support Pakistan, recognizing the latter’s economic troubles. The recent terror attacks in India can be seen as an attempt by Pakistan to capture Washington’s attention.

Vance, during his speech in India, emphasized the transformative potential of an India-US partnership, suggesting that if the two countries succeed in their collaboration, the 21st century could be marked by prosperity and peace. He praised Prime Minister Modi, signaling the US’s strategic partnership with India. This contrasted with his other speeches, where he had been critical of European leaders and others, including Zelensky. The terror attacks serve as a reminder of Pakistan’s continued reliance on desperate measures to provoke attention, but increasingly, such actions are leading to backlash against Pakistan. s the US deepens its engagement with India, the inability of Pakistan’s military-industrial complex to grasp this shift will likely lead to repeated mistakes. The future of India-Pakistan relations appears to be influenced less by Pakistan’s actions and more by the evolving nature of the US-India partnership.
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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, calling it a direct assault on the Indian state. He emphasized that in this critical moment, the entire nation stands united with the government in the fight against terrorism.

Kharge expressed deep sorrow over the attack, which targeted innocent tourists in Jammu-Kashmir around 2:30 PM. He strongly condemned the cowardly act and those responsible for it. "This attack is a direct assault on the unity and integrity of our nation," Kharge said, describing it as one of the most audacious acts of terrorism since the Chittisinghpura massacre in 2000.

Kharge mentioned that he had spoken with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to gather information about the incident. Shah informed him that decisive action would be taken in the affected area. The Congress Working Committee is set to meet on April 24 in New Delhi to discuss the attack.

Stressing that this is not the time for partisan politics, Kharge called for collective action to ensure justice for the victims and their families. "We must stand united with the government to fight against terrorism and protect the country's unity and integrity," he said. Kharge further urged the government to use all its resources to track down the terrorists, emphasizing the need to restore tourists' confidence in Jammu and Kashmir's security arrangements.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.

Former Congress MLA Sangram Thopte officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, accompanied by his supporters from Bhor taluka in Pune district. He was welcomed into the party by Maharashtra BJP President and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, along with working president Ravindra Chavan.

Thopte, who previously served as the MLA for Bhor constituency three times, lost the 2024 assembly election to NCP candidate Shankar Mandekar. Coming from a family with deep roots in the Congress party, Thopte is the son of veteran Congress leader Anantrao Thopte, who represented Bhor six times and had a longstanding rivalry with NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar.

Thopte had resigned from the Congress last week. During the induction ceremony, he expressed his disappointment with the party, stating, “I was a committed Congressman and worked diligently for the party and the Maha Vikas Aghadi, but my efforts and loyalty were never acknowledged.” He added that both he and his father had dedicated themselves to promoting Congress ideology at the grassroots level, but the lack of recognition ultimately pushed him to leave.

Explaining his decision to join the BJP, Thopte said he was drawn to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He emphasized that although he had known Fadnavis for years, he never leveraged that connection for political gain. Now, he sees the BJP as the right platform to continue his political journey, calling it the country’s largest and most effective political force.
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A federal judge has placed new restrictions on Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), limiting its access to sensitive Social Security data, which contains personal information about millions of Americans. The ruling, issued on Thursday by US District Judge Ellen Hollander, came in response to a lawsuit filed by a group of labor unions and retirees. These plaintiffs allege that DOGE's actions breach privacy laws and create significant risks to information security. Prior to this ruling, Judge Hollander had granted a temporary restraining order against DOGE's actions.

The court’s new injunction allows DOGE staff to access certain data that has been redacted or stripped of any personally identifiable information. However, this access is conditional. Staff must undergo training and background checks before they can review the data. The decision addresses concerns raised about DOGE's scope of access to Social Security data, which is a sensitive resource.

In a federal court hearing earlier in the week, Judge Hollander pressed the government’s lawyers about the need for such extensive access. She questioned why DOGE needed nearly unrestricted access to the Social Security system’s vast stores of personal data, especially in its efforts to uncover Social Security fraud. The case highlights a growing debate about privacy, government oversight, and the balance between combating fraud and protecting citizens' personal information. The outcome of this case could have wider implications for how government agencies access and handle sensitive data in the future.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.

The U.S. Department of Justice denies firing former pardon attorney Liz Oyer for refusing to recommend the restoration of Mel Gibson’s gun rights. However, Oyer shares a different account with Jonathan Freedland, suggesting it reflects a broader effort by the Trump administration to undermine the rule of law in America.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.

Despite firmly insisting he wouldn't delay his new tariffs, Donald Trump has now introduced a 90-day pause for most countries, excluding China. What prompted this reversal? Jonathan Freedland talks with James Bennet from The Economist to explore who may have influenced the president's decision and what the implications might be going forward.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.

As Donald Trump and his key aides scramble to address the Signal leak controversy, Jonathan Freedland and Susan Glasser of the New Yorker examine the consequences of the security breach and explore why the U.S. president is focusing his attacks on the media rather than those responsible for allowing a journalist access to potentially classified information.
Disclaimer:This podcast is taken from The Guardian.

Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey analyze whether the strong opposition to the government's proposed benefit cuts could force a policy reversal. They also explore which other government departments might experience severe budget reductions.

Disclaimer:This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.