Bangladesh readied a new law giving sweeping powers to the police to crack down on cyberoffences and arrest any potential offender without a warrant. The Digital Security Act, passed in Parliament on September 19, drew criticism from journalists and civil society leaders as they said that the law would muffle …
Read More »Monthly Archives: September 2018
Vatican announces historic deal with China on bishops
The Vatican on Saturday announced a historic accord with China on the appointment of Bishops in the Communist country as Pope Francis recognised seven Beijing-appointed Bishops in a move that could pave the way for a rapprochement between the Catholic Church and the world’s most populous country. Beijing immediately said …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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 …
Read More »‘No corruption in sale of Agusta choppers’
The court of second appeal in Milan found no conclusive evidence of corruption with a foreign public official in the 2010 sale of helicopters to India by AgustaWestland, according to a document released earlier this week, Reuters (Milan) has reported. The document, which explains the reasons given by the judges …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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 …
Read More »‘Talks and terror can’t go together’
The Chief of the Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat, said here on Saturday that stern action was needed to avenge the barbarism by terrorists and the Pakistan Army against Indian soldiers. The comment comes after a BSF jawan was shot and his throat slit recently, followed by the brutal killings …
Read More »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 …
Read More »‘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),” …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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. …
Read More »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, …
Read More »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 …
Read More »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
Read More »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 …
Read More »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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