The greatest exercise of democracy in the history of mankind — by the numbers‚ at least — kicked off Friday as almost 1 billion people began casting votes for the next leader and government of India. In 2023‚ India overtook China as the world’s most populous country‚ with 1.4 billion citizens. Up for grabs in its elections are 543 seats in the Lok Sabha‚ which translates to “House of the People‚” the lower house of the Indian Parliament. According to Indian...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi‚ his power at home secured and his Hindu-first vision deeply entrenched‚ has set his sights in recent years on a role as a global statesman‚ riding India’s economic and diplomatic rise. In doing so‚ he has distanced himself from his party’s staple work of polarizing India’s diverse population along religious lines for its own electoral gain. His silence provided tacit backing as vigilante groups continued to target non-Hindu minority groups and as members of...

The first of India's almost one billion voters cast ballots on Friday in the country's multi-day election‚ as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a rare third term on the back of issues such as growth‚ welfare and Hindu nationalism. The vote pits Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against an alliance of two dozen opposition parties that promise greater affirmative action and more handouts while stressing what they call the need to save democratic institutions....

Sen. Chris Murphy‚ D-Conn. and Utah’s Republican Gov. Spencer Cox are joining forces to try and address a vexing problem plaguing the U.S.: Americans are less and less happy. Today‚ the pair is launching the “Restoring the Common Good Initiative‚” a bipartisan effort they describe as a way to move away from the divisive politics of Washington and talk about and better understand “the state of American anxiety‚” Murphy told Semafor in an interview. US policymakers are grappling with a...

On Thursday‚ the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Donald Trump’s arguments that he is immune from prosecution for his efforts to steal the 2020 presidential election. It is likely that all — or nearly all — of the justices will agree that a former president who attempted to seize power and remain in office illegally can be prosecuted. I suspect that some justices may also wish to clarify whether doctrines of presidential immunity might apply in other contexts — for example‚ to a president’s actions...

Because it is receiving so many unearned accolades‚ this remark by an activist with the group that led a violent attack on the Democratic National Committee headquarters late last year was recently brought to my attention. It is a succinct summation of the lie that has mobilized so many young adults to participate in demonstrations that are as antisocial as they are explicitly anti-American: There is a banal interpretation of this remark that attributes its na&;iuml;vet&;eacute; to the cult of youth. The...

Student protests in the U.S. over the war in Gaza have intensified and expanded over the past week‚ with a number of encampments now in place at colleges including Columbia‚ Yale‚ and New York University. Police have been called in to several campuses to arrest demonstrators. Here are some details on the protests: WHAT ARE THE PROTESTERS DEMANDING&;#63; Across campuses where protests have broken out‚ students have issued calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza‚ an end to U.S. military...

Yesterday just before midnight‚ word goes out‚ tent to tent‚ student protester to student protester—a viral warning: Intruders have entered the “liberated zone‚” that swath of manicured grass where hundreds of students and their supporters at what they fancy as the People’s University for Palestine sit around tents and conduct workshops about demilitarizing education and fighting settler colonialism and genocide. In this liberated zone‚ normally known as South Lawn West on the Columbia...

A TikTok creator known as Hub posted a video that inspired an interesting discussion about living the 9-to-5 life. The video‚ set to some hypnotic‚ soothing music shows Hub‚ a confessed “normal guy doing normal things‚” going through a typical workday.The video shows his routine‚ which he seems to go through every day. The twist is that he enjoys it and finds it comfortable. In the video‚ the 29-year-old from Dallas‚ Texas‚ who works for a Fortune 500 company‚ seems to really take pleasure in eating his morning donut and having lunch at Chiili's‚ which isn’t exactly foodie fare. He also unwinds after a day at the office by taking his dog Benny to the park to get some exercise.Celebrating the typical 9-to-5 work day on TikTok seems to go against the platform's basic nature. Social media is usually where people brag about how exciting their lives are. It’s not the type of place where people share their genuine love for lunch at Chili’s. This is basically selling your soul‚ it\u2019s so pointless — (@) The video struck some as depressing‚ and many saw Hub as little more than a cog in a corporate system. Is a life that’s so regimented with virtually no spontaneity really worth living&;#63;&;quot;Naa this dePRESSED me‚&;quot; Maeve Nash wrote in the comments. “As someone who left corporate 13 years ago‚ this video validates that decision. I remember the sad leftover pizza lunches‚” Hiram added.&;quot;The life I want doesn’t include working till I’m 80 to enjoy the last 5 years‚&;quot; Brigman Bell wrote.However‚ many people found the video affirming because it showed a man who has found peace and comfort in adhering to his routine‚ which he genuinely enjoys. Some folks out there who detest their 9-to-5 routine may learn to appreciate it after seeing that others have found ways to make it enjoyable.“Man‚ your TikTok’s slow me down and are such a great reminder to appreciate the small things‚” Hayden Tindal wrote in the comments. &;quot;I seriously rate this content. It’s a good reminder to appreciate the little things in life&;#33;&;quot; Will Charter added.&;quot;I think what he meant was just to find what works for you and stick to it. Life doesn't have to be an endless cycle of looking for something‚&;quot; Sushibae wrote.The video is a great Rorschach test for people to project their own meaning onto. It either shows a man living a quiet life of desperation who is missing out on one of its greatest joys‚ variety‚ or it can be an example of a man who has found what works for him and has created a stress-free existence that he enjoys.When asked whether he’d ever want to leave his 9-to-5 job in exchange for making a living as an influencer‚ Hub wasn’t interested. “I love my 9-5 as it provides health insurance‚ steady income‚ 401k‚ structure‚ career growth opportunities‚ etc. I enjoy the people I work with and genuinely like the work that I do‚” he said in a follow-up video.