Modi Leads PM Race At 49%, Rahul Gandhi Trails As Vijay Emerges As New Political Alternative

In an interview with India Today, John Sfakianakis, Chief Economist and Head of Economic Research at the Gulf Research Center and Associate Fellow at Chatham House, analyzed the feasibility of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and mounting Middle East tensions. Evaluating the corridor, Sfakianakis noted, "IMEC can help the Strait of Hormuz, but it cannot replace the Strait of Hormuz." He highlighted major political, diplomatic, and infrastructural hurdles facing the project, pointing out that Saudi Arabia and Israel lack diplomatic ties and that the Arabian Peninsula currently lacks cross-border rail links. Addressing regional geopolitical friction, he explained that Saudi Arabia maintains a two-state solution for Palestine as a prerequisite for normalized ties with Israel. Sfakianakis also warned of broader economic ramifications from persistent conflicts involving Iran, Russia, and the United States, stressing that rising inflation remains the primary threat confronting global economies.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is investigating the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil, examining CCTV footage from the examination hall and campus corridors. The visuals show the deceased student writing his exam between 12:30 PM and 12:45 PM before being confronted by an invigilating professor and led outside. While initial disclosures by the institute alleged the student uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT via his mobile phone, his family subsequently alleged abetment to suicide and caste-based harassment, filing a police complaint citing provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act against a professor. Investigators have recorded statements from four to five classmates and are seeking technical expertise to access the password-protected phone to verify browsing history. The Crime Branch has also approached campus counseling facilities and the SC/ST cell to ascertain whether any prior complaints were lodged.

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor has gained renewed focus following support from US President Donald Trump amidst ongoing conflict in West Asia and disruptions to shipping routes at Bab el-Mandab and the Strait of Hormuz. First unveiled during India's G20 presidency in September 2023, the multimodal network combines rail, road, sea routes, pipelines, and digital cables linking India, the Gulf, and Europe. With attacks threatening critical energy flows, fertilizers, and commercial vessels, IMEC is viewed as an alternative route to diversify global supply chains away from vulnerable maritime chokepoints, though ongoing regional instability and infrastructure demands present operational delays.

Exclusive CCTV footage has surfaced in connection with the suicide of a 22-year-old student, Sahil, at IIT Bombay. Visuals from the examination hall show the candidate seated on the first bench during a mid-semester examination. According to institute authorities, a professor spotted the student allegedly using a mobile phone to upload an exam question paper onto ChatGPT. The sequence captures the invigilator walking past, noticing suspicious movement, questioning the candidate, and subsequently asking him to leave the hall around ten minutes into the exam. Counter-allegations suggest that the candidate faced rude remarks and discrimination during the interaction. Following the confrontation, the second-year Department of Energy, Science, and Engineering student returned to his hostel room at the Powai campus, where he was subsequently found dead. The footage captures the sequence without audio as investigations continue into the circumstances leading up to his death.