It is some consolation to note that the Government of India seem, at any rate at present, to have realised the urgency as well as the importance of solving the food problem. They have decided to take over the control of the supply of food grains in the country and …
Read More »Daily Archives: October 10, 2018
Mysore Dasara Festivities.
His Highness the Yuvarajh opens the All-India Dasarah Exhibition [in Mysore] on the 12th evening. The arrangements for the opening ceremony are nearing completion and considerable improvements have been effected, in the accommodation of exhibits. Another useful feature is the opening of a Hindu Restaurant and hotel within one of …
Read More »Learning to ask
Reporting on reservations and facing inconvenient questions posed by students The year was 2006 and the Central government had directed institutions of higher education to implement a 27%-reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). With 22.5% of seats already reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), this would …
Read More »Target 1.5
Time is running out to keep global warming below 1.5°C since pre-industrial era levels The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has come out with a clear scientific consensus that calls for a reversal of man-made greenhouse gas emissions, to prevent severe harm to humanity in the decades ahead. World leaders …
Read More »Arrest the exodus
Gujarat must rethink the proposalto limit jobs for migrant workers Following the horrific rape of a toddler, allegedly by a migrant worker, in Sabarkantha district on September 28, there has been an exodus out of northern Gujarat of Hindi-speaking migrant workers. There have been incidents of “revenge attacks” on them. …
Read More »We need a pro-liberty judicial approach
The judiciary is deviating from its own precedents in terms of civil liberties Article 21 of the Constitution places the personal liberty of citizens on the highest pedestal, and so it is the duty of our courts to protect it. However, two recent decisions of the Supreme Court suggest that …
Read More »Another warning on warming
The new IPCC report makes it clear that the path forward offers no simple or easy solutions The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has just released a special report on global warming of 1.5°C over pre-industrial temperatures. Produced speedily, it provides details on how the global response to climate …
Read More »‘If the Opposition wants to go on a wild goose chase, so be it’
The Defence Minister fields questions about a number of concerns that relate to the Rafale deal — ranging from pricing to due process Last month, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said there was “a perception battle” the Centre was fighting over the Rafale deal and she would do so by “stating …
Read More »Salvaging a strategic partnership
The India-Russia dialogue should not get inextricably entangled in the India-U.S. dialogue At their meeting in Goa at the India-Russia annual summit, in October 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi quoted a Russian proverb to Russian President Vladimir Putin: “An old friend is better than two new ones.” It was a …
Read More »Humpback whale calf rescued from net off Australian beach
A whale calf has been freed after it got tangled in a shark net off the Australian east coast. Authorities worked for almost two hours on Tuesday morning to free the calf. “The calf had some superficial wounds, but nothing life threatening, and swam away with its mother when released,” …
Read More »Tiny device helps nerve growth
Scientists say they have developed the first bioelectronic medicine — an implantable, biodegradable wireless device that speeds nerve regeneration and improves the healing of a damaged nerve. Researchers at the Washington University in the U.S. developed a device that delivers regular pulses of electricity to damaged peripheral nerves in rats …
Read More »Legendary Arab poet Antara rises as comic book superhero
The story cuts across class and race lines, says writer In a red cape, dark hair blowing in the wind, he crosses the dunes under a blazing sun: Antara, the famed 6th century Arab poet born a slave, is now a superhero. A pre-Islamic poet, Antara is celebrated in the …
Read More »Ancient Mayans produced salt: study
Evidence shows that the civilisation also stored and traded the commodity Salt may have been a valuable commodity for the Mayans, say scientists who found that the ancient civilisation produced, stored and traded the mineral over 1,000 years ago. Stone tools found at a site called the Paynes Creek Salt …
Read More »It’s Yerushalayim, says inscription
Archaeologists unearth 2000-year-old carving in Jerusalem Israel on Tuesday unveiled a stone pillar engraved with an ancient inscription showing that the spelling of Jerusalem in its present-day Hebrew form was already in common use some 2,000 years ago. During construction work in February in Jerusalem, archaeologists unearthed the pillar with …
Read More »Japanese tycoon makes plans for training before moon trip
Billionaire Yusaku Maezawa says he has received “safety guarantees” from Musk Billionaire Japanese tycoon and future space tourist Yusaku Maezawa’s training to go the moon should not be too tricky, he joked on Tuesday, adding that he planned to use free time from his six-hour work day to squeeze it …
Read More »Google’s new phones boast wider screens, better camera
Tech giant also unveils Pixel 2-in-1 tablet and a connected Home Hub speaker Google’s new Pixel phones mirror the industry trend moving the devices toward lusher, bigger screens and add new twists on the camera for taking better selfies and other pictures. The Pixel phones have barely made a dent …
Read More »Foreigners snap up Istanbul’s iconic waterfront mansions
novels and more recently through modern Turkey’s hugely successful TV soap operas They are among Istanbul’s most iconic sights — magnificent waterside mansions strung out along the Bosphorus as the waters of the strait dividing Europe and Asia lap almost at their front doors. Once the preserve of the Ottoman …
Read More »Govt. hikes interest for gratuity funds to 8%
The Centre has notified a higher interest rate of 8% for the non-government provident, superannuation, and gratuity funds, effective from October 1. The interest rate on these funds has been raised from 7.6%. The move comes on the back of a hike in small savings rates — by up to …
Read More »IMF projects India growth at 7.3% in 2018
India is projected to grow at 7.3% in 2018 and 7.4% next year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday, predicting that the country will regain the tag of the world’s fastest growing major economy this year, surpassing China with more than 0.7 percentage points. In 2017, India had …
Read More »Rupee hits fresh low, ends at 74.39 against $
Weakens for sixth straight session The rupee weakened against the dollar for the sixth straight session, as the currency hit a fresh low amid strengthening of the greenback. The rupee declined 33 paise against the dollar to end the day at 74.39, which is a record low. The rupee opened …
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