For centuries, scientists viewed the brain as one unified organ. A new Stanford Medicine study published in Nature Neuroscience on 18 September by lead authors Rayyan Jokhai and Carolyn Dundes overturns that idea. It shows that what we call the brain is really two ancient nervous systems joined together. The front part, which includes the forebrain and midbrain, comes from one type of starter cell. The back part, the hindbrain, comes from an entirely different starter cell. These two cell groups never mix.
WHEN Benjamin Netanyahu rose to address the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, the rows of empty seats spoke before he did. Diplomats walked out, while others had stayed away from the outset. News reports citing an Israeli tally put the number of delegations absent or departing at 77.
ONE of the cardinal principles of a vibrant, organic democracy is the manner in which elections are held. What is important in this connection is transparency, impartiality and accountability of the body administering elections. Whatever be the aberrations or peculiarities of the TN Sheshan (former CEC) period, the impartial authority that the ECI should possess was made public during those days. Ever since Gyanesh Kumar took over, just the opposite has been the case.
CRONY capitalism is one of the hallmarks of the current Union government. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which acts as a mouthpiece and tool for a regime that cosies up to capitalists, has once again become active in Kerala. In this context, it would be appropriate to examine the real picture of the Modi-ED-Adani nexus, which has largely gone unnoticed.
THE contest over electoral enfranchisement took a confrontational turn on the thoroughfares of central Kolkata as hundreds of women, alongside students, youth, and civil society activists, marched toward the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Friday September 25. Demonstrators demanded the immediate, unconditional restoration of an estimated 27 lakh names struck off the electoral rolls during the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
IN the first local body by-elections held after the Assembly elections, the CPIM led Left Democratic Front has registered a triumphant comeback. It wrested seven seats from the UDF, including one district panchayat division, two block divisions, and a municipal ward. This includes the sitting seats of two UDF MLAs. The LDF increased its tally from 15 to 18 seats, while the UDF’s count dropped from 22 to 19. Twenty 20 retained its single seat. The BJP failed to win anywhere.
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement September 30, 2026
The suspicious intent behind the constitution of the High Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC) has been unravelled through media reports about various questions asked by the HLCDC. The CPI(M) had expressed its strong opposition and apprehensions when the committee was constituted.
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on September 27, 2026
THE Election Commission of India’s (ECI) statement issued on September 26 does not address the serious questions raised by disclosures about the Commission’s functioning and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The INDIA Bloc met on September 30, to discuss about the situation arising after the expose on the role of the Chief Election Commissioner in the functioning of the Election Commission of India and the entire SIR process, how they were used to influence the electoral process.
