The BSP faces a situation in which it either emerges stronger nationally or loses significance beyond Uttar Pradesh The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) finds itself at a unique juncture that is important for the party and for democratic and contemporary politics. As a party, it has faced trials in the …

Stirring reminders of the distance travelled and challenges ahead in securing human rights Paris flared — Paris, which the divine sun had sown with light, and where in glory waved the great future harvest of Truth and of Justice. Émile Zola, Paris I asked my soul: What is Delhi? She …

India is bombarded with electoral rhetoric that is shorn of care for citizens who inhabit desolate worlds Every person who aspires to political power ought to read the book, Considerations on Representative Government, by John Stuart Mill. Ideally, democracy is not the best form of government, wrote Mill, unless it …

Self-guided, internet-based platforms can help people cope with depression Scientists have found that a series of self-guided, internet-based therapy platforms effectively reduce depression. Researchers from Indiana University (IU) in the U.S. reviewed 21 pre-existing studies with a total of 4,781 participants. In the past several years, many internet-based apps and …

It may trigger cropland expansion, which will further increase greenhouse gas emissions Bioplastics — often promoted as a climate-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics — may lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study. According to the study by researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany, …

At the press conference post the fifth monetary policy review on December 5, Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel brushed aside a question on reduction in cash reserve ratio (CRR) saying that it is not in the ambit of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). On the face of it, …

Amendments to key laws needed before the suggestion can become reality The world is flat is an international best-seller by three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman. The title of the 2005 book was a smart take on the concept that the world should be a level-playing field, with all companies …

‘Puzzle’ about data needs explanation: Arvind Subramanian Amid raging controversy over the revised economic growth numbers, Former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian has called for an investigation by experts to clear doubts and build confidence while noting that the “puzzle” about the data needs to be explained. He stressed that …

GST collections are yet to show a stable trend which means projections for 2020-25 are difficult, says the Chairman of the Fifteenth Finance Commission The Chairman of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, N.K. Singh, says that though the Commission will have to take the 2011 census as the base year for …

U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner continued to have private conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and advised him on how to deal with the aftermath of the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. media report said. Mr. Kushner offered Prince Mohammed advice “about …

Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, PM warns hardliners in her party that a loss could bring Labour to power Prime Minister Theresa May warned on Sunday that Parliament’s rejection of her Brexit deal could leave Britain in the European Union and bring the Opposition Labour Party to power. The embattled leader’s …

‘Muslim women may go to Haj without Mehram’ A large number of Muslim women may to go to Haj without ‘Mehram’ (male companion) next year, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Sunday. He explained that the Haj Committee has received more than 2,23,000 applications for 2019, including 47 …

The contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, is pending in Parliament, but the Union Home Ministry has notified amendments to the Citizenship Rules, 2009, to include a separate column in the citizenship form for applicants belonging to six minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Under the amendments, a separate entry …

Will provide all help to pilgrims: envoy Going ahead with a people-oriented diplomacy, Pakistan has issued a large number of visas for Indian pilgrims who are expected to visit the famed Shiva temple at Katas Raj Dham, near the city of Lahore. “Group of Indian pilgrims, comprising 139 people, has …

Ex-NSA blames U.S.-China tensions Asia is witnessing “history’s greatest arms race” as a result of a sense of insecurity stemming from tensions between the United States and China, and an “ill-defined Indo-Pacific concept”, said former National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon here on Sunday. “U.S. and Japan seek partners for …

Discharge of drug-containing effluents can cause drug resistance By studying nine different pharmaceutical active compounds in Yamuna river, researchers have now pointed out that it can “possibly cause chronic toxicity” to aquatic life and to humans who use this water for drinking purposes. As our body does not use the …

The Andaman Islands are well-known for stunning beaches and now, the Sentinelese. Less-known are the colourful sea snakes – banded sea kraits – that also share these beaches. Now, a four-year study has helped shed more light on the mysterious terrestrial life of these amphibious snakes. Banded sea kraits hunt …

Astronomers have observed sunspots on the surface of the Sun for nearly 400 years. It is known that sunspots follow a cyclic pattern of growing in number and disappearing in approximately 11 years, known as the sunspot cycle or the Sun’s activity cycle. We are currently in the 24th sunspot …

Our veterinary institutions might want to think about the feasibility of this idea by choosing, training and deploying animals A few weeks ago, there was an interesting news item which said that dogs can identify a person infected with the malarial parasite, and that they use their superb sense of …

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said U.S. sanctions were “economic terrorism”, as he sought to foster a united front from visiting regional officials on Saturday. Addressing Parliament speakers from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey, Mr. Rouhani said they had all suffered economic pressure from the U.S. “America’s unjust and illegal …