The budgetary measures can speed upIndia’s plans to switch to electric vehicles The Union Budget has announced a bold move to make a transition to electric vehicles, and offered a tax incentive for the early adopters. Its stated vision to leapfrog into an era of electric mobility and domestic vehicle …
Read More »Monthly Archives: July 2019
Global problem, local solutions
Forest dwellers and farmers are the best hope to preserve biodiversity and ensure food security The Dongria Kondh tribe of Niyamgiri Hills are among the best conservationists in the world. Known for the spirited defence of their forested habitat against short-sighted industrialisation, they have through millennia evolved a lifestyle that …
Read More »A pre-election strike on Iran?
Why a purportedly ‘limited’ attack by the U.S. is likely — and worrying Is Iran being set up for a ‘limited scale conflict’ just before the U.S. presidential election? This is a suspicion that might be far from the minds of North and West European leaders, hailing from countries that, …
Read More »More appeasement than justice
Maratha reservation borders on class legislation rather than signifying reasonable classification Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), once considered to be just a party of upper caste Hindus, is beginning to expand its social base. And a party that has consistently criticised the Indian National Congress …
Read More »The malaise of malnutrition
India needs to double yearly rate of fall in stunting cases to achieve its 2022 target A new report, ‘Food and Nutrition Security Analysis, India, 2019’, authored by the Government of India and the United Nations World Food Programme, paints a picture of hunger and malnutrition amongst children in large …
Read More »Pakistan economy needs bold reforms: IMF
Pakistan’s economy is at a “critical juncture” where it needs an ambitious and bold set of reforms, the IMF has said, days after the global lender agreed to give a $6 billion bailout package to the cash-strapped country. “Pakistan is facing significant economic challenges on the back of large fiscal …
Read More »Taliban, Afghan negotiators agree on road map for peace
Both sides support reducing civilian casualties to zero The Taliban and Afghan representatives, including some government officials, agreed on Tuesday to a basic road map for negotiating the country’s political future, a major step that could help propel peace efforts to end the long war, now in its 18th year. …
Read More »Hong Kong leader says bill is dead, but protesters unmoved
A lie, say activists; threaten more mass rallies Hong Kong’s embattled pro-Beijing leader on Tuesday said a China extradition bill that sparked unprecedented political unrest “is dead” — but protesters immediately dismissed her comments, threatening more mass rallies. Chief Executive Carrie Lam admitted that her administration’s attempt to introduce the …
Read More »France to impose green tax on plane tickets from 2020
The French government is to impose a tax of up to €18 on plane tickets for all flights from airports in France to fund less-polluting transportation projects, a Minister said on Tuesday. The move, which will take effect from 2020, will see a tax of €1.5 imposed on economy-class tickets …
Read More »‘Indian tariffs not acceptable’
It has long had a field day putting tariffs on U.S. items: Trump U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on India for imposing tariffs on American products and said it was “no longer acceptable”, days after he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and agreed …
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