Monthly Archives: September 2018

Maldives set to vote in crucial election

Many poll observers were denied visa Around 2,60,000 Maldivians will cast their vote on Sunday in the nation’s third-ever multi-party presidential election since 2008. The election has come under focus amid fears of possible poll rigging and violence. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Asian Network for Free Elections …

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Sugarcane, paddy a hit this kharif

The biggest increases in acreage this kharif season come from water guzzling crops such as sugarcane and paddy. More resilient crops such as nutri-cereals — ragi, jowar, bajra — have dropped in acreage this year, Agriculture Ministry data reveals. As on September 20, paddy has been planted over 2.5% more …

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do Mudra loans have credit risks?

What is the problem? Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, in his report to Parliament recently, said that while non-performing assets stemming from corporate loans are a current problem, the government should focus on sources of the next crisis. In particular, he warned, the government should refrain from setting ambitious credit …

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Tracking a tigress in Maharashtra

For over a week now, more than 100 Forest Department officials, guards, tranquillising experts, shooters, trackers, rescue teams, veterinarians and two elephants, brought from Madhya Pradesh, have been carrying out a massive hunt for a tigress in the Ralegaon area of Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. What happened? They are looking …

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The lowdown on cases before new CJI

What is it?How did it come about?Why does it matter?What next? Over 54,000 cases are pending in the Supreme Court. But only a few grab public attention, and they become the litmus test for the court. Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who assumes office as the Chief Justice of India on October …

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Search operation on in Shopian

Joint operation of police, Army, CRPF after militants killed three SPOs A day after three policemen were abducted and killed by militants, security forces on Saturday launched a massive cordon-and-search operation in Shopian and Pulwama districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said. The operation was conducted in at least …

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‘Convinced that PM is corrupt’

Congress chief calls for clarification from Modi after Hollande’s statement Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday, “We are absolutely convinced that the Prime Minister of India is corrupt. This question is clearly settled into minds of people that Desh Ka Chowkidar Chor Hai (the country’s watchman is a thief),” …

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Alcohol intake doubles in 11 years

Per capita alcohol consumption in India has more than doubled from 2005 to 2016, according to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The consumption of alcohol has increased from 2.4 litres in 2005 to 5.7 litres in 2016 with 4.2 litres being consumed by men and 1.5 litre …

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Mysuru’s unlikely link to a Guantanamo detenu

In their fight to get Abu Zubaydah released from the U.S. military detention facility, lawyers are trying to collate details of his stay in Karnataka More than 27 years after he abandoned his undergraduate studies in Mysuru to wage jihad against the Soviet-backed regime in Afghanistan, Zainalabdeen Mohammad Hussein Abu …

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Diplomatic norms flouted: Qureshi

India, Pakistan Foreign Ministers may face off at UN Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday charged India with having “trampled on diplomatic norms” by cancelling the meeting between Foreign Ministers that it had agreed to just a day prior. Speaking to presspersons in Islamabad, Mr. Qureshi said the …

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Govt. will seek Parliament nod for triple talaq Bill: PM

Days after the promulgation of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Ordinance, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced here on Saturday that the NDA government would soon get the triple talaq Bill approved by Parliament. “Three days ago, the Centre took a decision that was needed for years. …

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The lone teacher

Meet Ushakumari, the lifeblood of a school in a forest settlement in south Kerala At 7 a.m., even before the sleepy Amboori village in southern Thiruvananthapuram is fully awake, R. Ushakumari begins her day. The only teacher of the Kunnathumala Agasthya Eka Adyapaka School (one-teacher school) inside the Agasthyavanam biosphere, …

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No role in choice of offset partner: govt.

After revelations by former French President Francois Hollande on the Rafale fighter deal, the Defence Ministry on Saturday said “unnecessary controversies” were being created on the statement, and reiterated that the government had “no role in the selection of Reliance Defence as the offset partner.” The French government and Dassault …

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healthline ritesh kumar

“A new study on sleep patterns suggests that a regular bedtime and wake time is as important for older adults as children.” —Scientific Reports Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/healthline-ritesh-kumar/article25018334.ece

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Fear fighter

Virtual cure:Virtual reality (VR) therapy is now the buzzword and can help people overcome their greatest terrors. The technology is just now reaching the mainstream after 20 years of research. Equipment is lighter and more affordable, with technological advances spilling over from the gaming industry to help people fight disabling …

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Lessons from a neighbour

The world has witnessed a transformation in health care during the last century. Prescription drugs have helped wipe out diseases and revolutionise cures. The global bio-pharmaceutical industry has seen a steady growth of 3-4% annually over the past five years, with India enjoying an annual growth rate of 9-12%. India …

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