The following appears in the “Englishman”: The veil has been raised for a brief space upon the members of the Indian Press Deputation to the Western Fronts and it has revealed them – not tin-hatted and gartered, not amazed at the sights and sounds of war, not careering in motor-cars …

With concern over repayment of dues, shadow banks are caught in a vicious cycle What’s up with NBFCs? Shares of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) have witnessed a steep fall in recent weeks after concerns over whether they can successfully meet their short-term dues. Housing finance companies (HFCs) in particular have …

The Centre, which has been dragged intothe CBI mess, has a lot of explaining to do The abrupt replacement of Alok Verma as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, albeit as an interim measure, is the culmination of a series of murky events that must deeply embarrass the Centre. …

#CaravanaMigrante puts issues inthe U.S. mid-term elections in sharp relief The winding caravan of more than 7,000 migrants from Central America through Mexico has become such a political hot potato that it is likely to thrust the immigration issue to the forefront of the U.S. mid-term elections, barely two weeks …

The emotional toil of loving a work while scorning its creator will be a burden borne by the next generation One of the enduring legacies of the #MeToo movement will be the dilemma of separating the art from the artist. This predicament applies even when the creator of a much-loved …

Under Mohammed bin Salman, there has been an incremental erosion of Saudi Arabia’s strategic power In April 2018, while in the U.S., Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that he would “encourage the power of law” inside the Kingdom. “We would like to encourage freedom of speech as …

How a bruised Mumbai morphed into the most sanitised and uninteresting version of itself after 26/11 Brace yourselves. November is just around the corner. Indian print and television media will soon go into overdrive about the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Everybody will want in on the 10-year anniversary of one …

Silencing of academics from criticising the government denies us a vital safeguard against despotism The university in India is morphing under external pressure. How it will end up should be a matter of concern for all Indians and not just its denizens. This is so as universities are a source …

Mockingbirdis America’s best-loved novel To Kill a Mockingbird, a coming-of-age story about racism and injustice, overpowered wizards and time travellers to be voted America’s best-loved novel by readers nationwide. The 1960 book by Harper Lee emerged as No. 1 in PBS’ “The Great American Read” survey, whose results were announced …

Most Afghans prefer cheaper Chinese-made imports to handmade glassware; foreign tourists, who once used to frequent the trade hub, are no longer coming Hunched and shrivelled, Afghan glassblower Ghulam Sakhi deftly blows and twirls molten glass into delicate blue and green goblets and vases — a craft passed down for …

Most medical textbooks are based on European body type, and places others at risk The size and shape of women’s birth canals vary depending on what part of the world they live in but most medical textbooks are based on a European body type, scientists said on Wednesday, warning of …

MIT scientists make devices that float through the bloodstream MIT scientists have developed a method to mass produce robots no bigger than a cell that could be used to monitor conditions inside an oil or gas pipeline, or to search out disease while floating through the bloodstream. The key to …

Forest officials, along with an NGO, helped injured animal return Two days after being hit by a train, a female elephant was on Wednesday reunited with its herd in West Bengal’s Kalimpong district. The female elephant, part of a larger herd, was hit by a goods train, while crossing the …

Study covers clinics in 8 countries, including India, that offer various ‘dangerous treatments’ Online appeals to help sick people by raising money for unfounded and sometimes dangerous treatments and purported cures bring in millions of dollars each year, researchers have warned. The study in the Journal of the American Medical …

Airline sees first ever loss at Rs. 652.1 cr. The unrelenting increase in fuel prices, along with the tumbling rupee in a quarter that typically sees weak demand from air-travellers, has led to IndiGo recording its first-ever loss at Rs. 652.1 crore for the quarter ended September. The airline, with …

Indian carriers ferried 11.39 million passengers against 9.58 million last year Domestic aviation traffic witnessed a growth of 18.95% in September with Indian carriers ferrying 11.39 million passengers as compared with 9.58 million during the same month last year. IndiGo recorded its highest market share this calendar year at 43.2%. …

Amid stiff competition, carriers keep fares low despite rising losses, ATF costs Having landed in a Catch-22 situation with the inability to increase airfares despite rising fuel costs, airlines in India have flown into losses. The quarterly loss of Rs. 652.1 crore by IndiGo, despite having more than 42% market …

The Maldives Opposition moved closer on Wednesday to impeaching the Speaker of Parliament, a staunch loyalist of outgoing strongman President Abdulla Yameen. An alliance of Opposition parties has collected signatures from 55 MPs, or roughly two-thirds of sitting lawmakers, for a petition to oust Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed. The Speaker has …

Pakistan has been offered aid worth $6 bn by Saudi Arabia Pakistan has not dropped the idea of seeking assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) despite Saudi Arabia offering a $6-billion aid package, officials said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this month gave the green signal to …

Officials reach out to Huawei to recover data from a phone Sri Lankan authorities will seek Chinese assistance to tap evidence pertaining to an “assassination plot” said to be targeting President Maithripala Sirisena. On Tuesday, Sri Lankan police won permission from a magistrate court here to approach Chinese multinational Huawei …