Monthly Archives: October 2018

1 in 5 Indian children ‘wasted’, says GHI

Country’s ranking drops 3 places inthe index for 2018 At least one in five Indian children under the age of five are ‘wasted,’ which means they have extremely low weight for their height, reflecting acute under-nutrition, according to the Global Hunger Index 2018. The only country with a higher prevalence …

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Fears of flooding as rain pounds Odisha

Rising rivers prompt fresh evacuation in Odisha; in A.P., around 100 houses collapse, power supply cut off Cyclone ‘Titli’ that left a trail of destruction in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on Thursday was not as intense as Phailin and Hud-Hud that wreaked havoc in 2013 and 2014. However, high-speed winds …

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U.S. sanctions Act no hurdle: Russian envoy

Kudashev hints at more defence deals with India after the conclusion of the S-400 Triumf missile purchase India and Russia’s defence deals won’t be affected by the United States’ threat of sanctions, and several more defence deals are expected to be completed after the S-400 Triumf missile deal concluded on …

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HC quashes amendment to PF pension order

The scheme had drastically reduced pension to employees A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday set aside the Employees Pension (Amendment) Scheme (GSR609(E) effecting various changes in the schemes that have drastically reduced pension payable to employees. The Bench comprising Justice K. Surendra Mohan and Justice A.M. …

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The Influenza Epidemic.

Unfortunately the influenza epidemic does not show any indication of abatement in Madras City and in the mofussil. Official figures in regard to the latter are not available, but in the City, the Health Officer has reported that in the week ending with the 5th instant, the number of deaths …

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The Food Control. New Machinery.

The Government of India have decided to discontinue further purchases of wheat for export overseas other than (1) Wheat which is absolutely necessary on military and Government account and (2) supplies to Mosopotamia, and they have under consideration the question of reducing these commitments. The Government of India further propose …

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Silent and suffering

Manual scavenging remains a social reality despitea 2013 act calling for its abolition One manual scavenger dies every five days, according to official data. Recently, the Delhi High Court gave the authorities two months to identify manual scavengers in the national capital. The order proved two things — one, manual …

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Whither inclusiveness?

The Windrush scandal has raised questions on Britain’s attitudetowards immigrants In the 1960s, hundreds of immigrants reached the United Kingdom from the West Indies, on the ship, the Windrush. They came to provide an essential service. Sadly, they were not properly integrated into the U.K. and recently many of them …

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#UsToo

The movement to make workplacessafe for women must involve us all In what has been called India’s MeToo moment, the social media is thick with women coming forth with stories of sexual harassment. In the quick aftermath of actor Tanushree Dutta’s allegations, in an interview in end-September, of harassment at …

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An economics fix

The Nobel to work on growth and long-run sustainability frames a crucial priority American economists William D. Nordhaus and Paul M. Romer were jointly awarded the 50th economics Nobel prize this week in recognition of their work on economic growth and its long-run sustainability. The Nobel committee noted that the …

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Not without her consent

The #MeToo outpouring demands a new, fair system that delivers brisk justice At last count, Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar had been accused of sexual harassment by at least 10 women journalists. These accusations fall in a large spectrum — from inappropriate behaviour to acts of physical …

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The great Indian abdication

The judiciary alone cannot take forward the mission of deepening democracy and protecting social freedoms Unless… philosophers become kings in the cities… there can be no cessation of evils… for cities nor, I think, for the human race . — Plato, The Republic After the slew of verdicts by the …

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‘Ancient pigment can boost energy efficiency’

A colour developed by Egyptians thousands of years ago can boost energy efficiency by cooling rooftops and walls, and could also enable solar generation of electricity via windows, scientists say. Egyptian blue, derived from calcium copper silicate, was routinely used on ancient depictions of gods and royalty, according to the …

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Study tries to find heading-dementia link

Research team is comparing the medical histories of 10,000 former football players with nonplayers Does heading a football give you dementia? That’s the question neuropathologist Willie Stewart is attempting to answer by comparing the health of thousands of former footballers with non-players. Football authorities have been accused of dragging their …

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Durga Puja diplomacy plays out in Bengal

Most Consulates are participating in the celebration and see it as an opportunity to enhance ‘cultural ties with eastern India’ The participation of foreign envoys in Durga Puja festivities in Kolkata saw a new upsurge on Thursday with the arrival of U.S. Ambassador to India Keneth I. Juster in Kolkata …

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