PPM says the election was rigged and it has received ‘numerous complaints’ from supporters Maldives’ outgoing President Abdulla Yameen has challenged his recent election defeat, with his Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) on Wednesday filing a legal petition claiming the September 23 presidential election was rigged. According to local media …

Aimed at reducing the rapidly growing human-elephant conflict in areas of Chhattisgarh, where nearly 20 human lives were lost because of attacks by a herd of 19 elephants, the State Forest Department in collaboration with Wildlife SOS has radio-collared a wild elephant to help create an early warning system and …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered that no policemen should enter Puri’s Jagannath temple armed with weapons and wearing shoes. The direction comes on the heels of the October 3 violence near the temple. Source  :  https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/no-weapons-shoes-inside-puri-temple-sc/article25185572.ece

Union Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister, Uma Bharti, on Wednesday likened the government’s initiative to mandate a minimum flow for the Ganga as a “MeToo moment” for Indian rivers. “All rivers in India would say ‘MeToo’ and would want that such standards be imposed for them [to restore their health] …

Almost after a year since the vacancy arose, the Narendra Modi government on Wednesday appointed senior advocate and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as Solicitor General of India, a key legal position to represent the State or Central governments in courtroom proceedings. His appointment notification was issued by the Department …

Warnings have been issued to fishermen to not venture out into the sea and citizens have been told to stock adequate food, essential items and fuel supplies. Schools and colleges have been ordered shut. Rescue measures “The National Disaster Response Force has deployed 14 teams in Orissa, 4 teams in …

Seek quashing of amendment, circular Retirees and employees who are members of the Employees Pension Scheme, 1995 have filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court against the Centre and the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), which administers the scheme. They are demanding the quashing of a 2014 amendment and …

‘U.S. is trying to sow discord between the two nations’ China has asked India to counter jointly the growing threat of trade protectionism championed by U.S. President Donald Trump. A statement issued by the Embassy of China in India said that attempts were being made to sow discord between China …

‘Place of study a non-issue to pick CEA’ Former Reserve Bank of India governor Bimal Jalan, who currently heads the committee tasked with selecting the next chief economic advisor (CEA), said his committee was focussed on selecting the best person for the job, a clear signal that the panel wasn’t …

Centre tells Assam government that their cases cannot be tried at tribunals The Centre has told the Assam government that Gurkhas living in the State cannot be sent to detention centres. Nor could their cases be tried at the Foreigners’ Tribunals. An estimated 1,00,000 of some 2.5 million Gurkhas in …

Central Water Commission made designated authority In a first, the Union government has mandated the minimum quantity of water — or ecological flow as it’s called in scientific circles — that various stretches of the Ganga must necessarily have all through the year. The new norms would require hydropower projects …

U.P. govt. plans Rs. 198-crore training institute in Ghaziabad Good news for aspiring politicians. They will soon have an institute in Ghaziabad to learn the nuances of the profession, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Wednesday. The decision to establish a sprawling political training institute at a cost of Rs. …

In phase two, Kashmir Valley records just 3.4% polling as against the 78.6% registered by Jammu’ The Kashmir Valley recorded a turnout of just 3.4% in the second phase of the urban local body elections in the State on Wednesday in contrast with the Jammu region’s 78.6%, taking the average …

Mysuru city has been decked up for the event and this has shored up festive spirit The 10-day Dasara festivities got off to a traditional start atop Chamundi Hills in Mysuru on Wednesday with prayers for the welfare of the State. It also signalled the continuation of a hoary tradition …

Bench seeks details in a sealed envelope by October 29 The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to submit details of the decision-making process in the Rafale deal with France in a sealed envelope by October 29. A Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, however, clarified that it …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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. …