The flood situation in Upper Assam worsened to-day [July 14] following a major breach in the embankment of the Desang river. According to official information reaching here [Gauhati], about 4,000 people in four villages have lost their homes as a result of the breach. Road communication between Dibrugarh and the …

Converting resignation into a disqualification matter adds new dimension to a political crisis The Supreme Court’s decision to ask the parties to the political crisis in Karnataka to maintain the status quo until it examines the questions of law involved, is pragmatic and expedient. The Speaker has been asked not …

The conviction of the Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda is cause for cautious optimism that perpetrators of serious crimes cannot escape justice, even where they have evaded domestic laws. Ntaganda, known as “the terminator”, was pronounced guilty of 13 counts of war crimes and five of crimes against humanity by the …

The ‘good cop’ in ‘Article 15’ is aware of his privilege One popular trope in Hindi cinema is that of a ‘good cop’. He regularly performs swashbuckling tricks, takes the rowdies to task and doles out justice. Amitabh Bachchan played many of these angry cop roles in the 1970s. In …

The Readers’ Editor’s office requires effort and expertise to verify arguments and counterarguments What are the issues that a Readers’ Editor can address and what are the issues that are beyond his remit? The fine line between acting responsibly and overreach is clear to all the three concerned parties: readers, …

With growing environmental distress, policymakers cannot shy away from adopting best eco-management practices In a report last year, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) called the Chennai floods of 2015 a “man made disaster”, a pointer to how the encroachment of lakes and river floodplains has driven India’s …

For Dalits, the institution has become synonymous with a grievance cell offering no immediate solutions Caste plays an important role in every facet of life, writes Suraj Yengde, a first-generation Dalit scholar, in his latest book, Caste Matters . Mr. Yengde grew up in dire circumstances in a family where …

In the coming five years, a host of geopolitical and economic issues need to be reconciled Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained a frenetic pace, renewing contacts with world leaders ever since the results of general election 2019. He was the cynosure of all eyes at the G-20 meeting in …

Overfishing, plastic pollution pose threat to their populations Sharks — the sea’s top predators for millions of years — are at risk of disappearing from the Mediterranean as overfishing and plastic pollution choke populations of the endangered hunters, conservationists have warned. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said that more than …

Globally, losses from malicious software rose by 60% last year to $8 bn, according to latest data Services in the U.S. cities of Baltimore and Maryland were paralysed earlier this year when a ransomware attack locked up computer networks and made it impossible for residents to make property transactions or …

Orchids of India: A Pictorial Guide, which was published recently, puts the total number of species endemic to India at 388 The Botanical Survey of India has come up with the first comprehensive census of orchids of India putting the total number of orchid species or taxa to 1,256. Orchids …

People queued to get their hands on ‘Zero Euro’, recognised by European Central Bank as souvenir banknote, depicting the pop icon Hundreds of people from home and abroad queued in steady rain in central Prague Sunday to buy a “Zero Euro” souvenir banknote depicting Czech pop singer Karel Gott in …

Good diet, adequate exercise could make a big difference: study A healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia even in the presence of genes that raise the risk for these mind-destroying diseases, says a study. People with high genetic risk and poor health …

Reap rich dividends via bio agents Even as organic agriculture is gaining momentum in the country, a self-help group of tribal women in Wayanad district of Kerala is scripting a success story in production of 13 different varieties of bio agents to support organic farming. Eight members of the Sabari …

Clients are eyeing next level of impact from new tech: Nasscom chairman As a turnaround specialist, Keshav Murugesh has helped raise fortunes at both Syntel and now WNS. In the 9 years he has served as CEO of WNS, its shares have risen 4-fold to $60. In an interview, Mr. …

Policy must evolve over years and not change things overnight, say analysts The Union government’s push for electric vehicles (EV) in the Budget and the Economic Survey may adversely impact the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) auto industry, which is already under stress, in the medium to long term. The two …

The successor of the Dalai Lama has to be decided within China and any interference by India will impact bilateral ties, Chinese authorities have said. In first clear assertion on the sensitive issue, Chinese officials and experts said the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be approved by the Chinese …

The Indian team, consisting of delegates from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, cautioned Pakistan against building an earth-filled embankment that could create flooding problems at Dera Baba Nanak inside India. Preparatory work Sunday’s discussion highlighted the preparatory work under way on both sides of …

He was ‘set upon an act of diplomatic vandalism’, says memo from former U.K. envoy It was just hours after Boris Johnson, then Britain’s Foreign Secretary, returned to London from a whirlwind trip last year to try to persuade the White House to abide by the Iran nuclear accord. Kim …

be enough for admission to MD/MS programmes In a relief to medical students aspiring to pursue postgraduate courses, the Union Health Ministry has proposed to do away with NEET-PG and use the final MBBS examination for admission to MD and MS programmes. The amendment has been incorporated in the revised …