The Cinchona administration report just issued [in Ootacamund] sets out that the output of quinine rose from 62513 to 55014 pounds in the official year. This is a source of satisfaction as the increased production was accomplished without any addition to the manufacturing plants. Post office pice packets are becoming …

A Commission to examine the relationship between Inamdars and their tenants in Mysore has just been appointed by the Government of His Highness the Maharajah. The rights and responsibilities of this class of landholders in the State are not known with any definiteness, especially in the state of things now …

How has the monsoon fared this year? Even though the monsoon is fairly consistent in the amount of rainfall that India receives between June and September, there is a sharp variation every year that makes it unique. This year, the floods in Kerala and the torrential rains in Himachal Pradesh …

Hindi films that depict writers deepen our understanding of neither the writers nor their writing Nandita Das’s film Manto compelled me to think about the portrayal of writers in Hindi cinema. Good examples are hard to come by. But why? Are writers of no consequence to our Hindi film producers? …

The Aadhaar project has survived a fierce legal challenge. Ever since a nine-judge Bench ruled unanimously last year that privacy is a fundamental right, opinion began to gain ground that the unique identification programme was vulnerable in the face of judicial scrutiny. It was projected by sceptics, detractors and activists …

Understanding the differences in taxation of free services and sale of goods between the pre-GST and GST regimes There may be free lunches, but it is quite clear that such lunches will not be free from tax. Recently, the tax department withdrew its demand notice to banks on free service. …

The draft Personal Data Protection Bill poses a danger to the hard-won right to information On August 24, 2017, the Supreme Court declared the right to privacy a fundamental right, a ruling widely welcomed. But many transparency advocates also felt apprehension, fearing that the right to privacy — meant to …

When I was 16 years old, I started dating a guy I met at the Puente Hills Mall in a Los Angeles suburb. I worked there after school at the accessories counter at Robinsons-May. He worked at a high-end men’s store. He would come in wearing a grey silk suit …

After a sudden and brief moment of clear signal, the ‘India-Pakistan channel’ has gone back to static, with the cancellation of talks between the two Foreign Ministers in New York this week. The Foreign Ministers will, no doubt, spar at the UN General Assembly, with a host of diplomats backing …

The Union Cabinet approved increasing the government’s ownership in the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) to 100% from the existing 49% and also change the existing structure in line with a transition plan. “The Union Cabinet approved acquisition of the entire 51% equity held by the non-government institutions in …

Proposes to attract $100 bn investment in digital communications sector The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the new telecom policy that aims to provide broadband access to every citizen at 50 Mbps speed by the year 2022. The National Digital Communications Policy 2018, which envisions attracting $100 billion investments into …

Direct shipments of almonds from California to India grew by 68% from 53,965 tonnes to 90,500 tonnes between 2011-12 and 2017-18, according to the Almond Board of California (ABC). ABC president and CEO Richard Waycott told The Hindu that the board was now targeting to sustain 20% year-on-year growth rate …

Cabinet clears Rs. 5,538-crore proposal that includes higher production aid to ryots For the fourth time in the last five months, the Centre has approved incentives to help the cash-starved sugar mills clear thousands of crore in arrears of payment to cane farmers. On Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic …

The government on Wednesday released a list of 19 categories of items on which it would be hiking import duties, which include white goods such as air-conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines as well as non-essential items such as gems, travel bags and aviation turbine fuel (ATF). The new rates will …

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded with the UN’s highest environmental honour, also given to five other individuals and organisations, for his leadership of the International Solar Alliance and pledge to eliminate single use plastic by 2022. Cochin International Airport was honoured with the award for Entrepreneurial Vision, for …

Russia’s Parliament on Wednesday unanimously approved President Vladimir Putin’s amendments to a deeply unpopular pension reform plan that has led to a rare outburst of public anger in the country. Parliament’s lower house, the State Duma, approved Mr. Putin’s proposal to soften the reform, raising the state pension age for …

Sri Lanka does not want any foreign power exerting influence, President Maithripala Sirisena has said, while appealing to the international community for “room to resolve” the country’s problems. Mr. Sirisena made the remarks while addressing the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. “As an independent …

Scientists said on Wednesday that they have finally solved the riddle of the world’s largest bird. A study released on Wednesday by British scientists suggested that one species of elephant bird was even larger than previously thought, with a specimen weighing an estimated 860 kg — about the same as …

India and other Group-4 (G-4) countries reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and called for the early reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday. Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump pilloried multilateralism in this address to the UN General Assembly, Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Japan and Germany — Aloysio …

Barely 48 hours after outgoing Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen conceded poll defeat, the Opposition coalition that dislodged him has raised alarm over his alleged attempts to hold on to power. Its members on Wednesday accused Mr. Yameen of preparing to move the Supreme Court, seeking annulment of Sunday’s presidential election, …