China and Russia to-day [August 13] accused each other of intruding into their territory in the Sinkiang area. Both said the intruding forces had killed several of the defending soldiers. China claimed that “Several hundred” Soviet mechanized troops, under cover of helicopters, tanks and armoured cars, have crossed the border …

One of the most unedifying sights in public life is lawmakers taking to organised disruption of legislative business. Such displays became common in Parliament in the past decade as political parties and legislators demonstratively advertised their points of view without recourse to debate. A number of crucial bills have taken …

The Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen is proof of how things can go wrong with an ill-conceived, poorly strategised and geopolitics-driven military interference that cares little about human lives. After four years of war, the Saudis have not met their declared goal — pushing back the Shia Houthi rebels from …

In mid-August 2018, Kerala experienced severe floods and is still struggling to deal with their devastating impact. It is a matter of deep concern that, a year later, the State is facing a similar situation. This only shows that there is a considerable human-induced natural imbalance in the State, making …

Nearly three months into the southwest monsoon, the water crisis hasn’t abated in large parts of Chennai. This scenario, for sure, will haunt the city again next summer with an even greater vigour, as freshwater supply hasn’t overcome the rising demand.This demand-supply asymmetry has rendered traditional solutions such as rainwater …

Over the past few days, there have been expressions of concern in various fora over a few clauses of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, now enacted. Even medical professionals have protested. According to media reports, there are five primary concerns. These pertain to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)/National Exit …

Any major country in the world would give an arm and a leg for a growth rate of 6% per annum. But, in India, we lament such an achievement as a ‘slowdown’. This is because, somehow, today we perceive any growth below 7% to be unsatisfactory. And not so long …

The government has defended its twin decisions to revoke operative portions of Article 370 of the Constitution and dividing Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories as “internal policy” that warrant no international comment. While the Prime Minister’s moves have a domestic basis, their manner, or “Modi’s vivendi” as it …

Retail inflation in July snapped a five-month accelerating trend to ease marginally to 3.15%, according to official data released on Tuesday.Growth in the Consumer Price Index slowed slightly in July from 3.18% in June. Within the index, food prices bucked an eight-month accelerating trend to ease to 2.33% in July, …

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday issued the final framework for regulatory sandbox in order to enable innovations in the financial technology space.A regulatory sandbox usually refers to live testing of new products or services in a controlled/test regulatory environment for which regulators may permit certain regulatory relaxations …

The government is likely todebate lowering the rates on certain categories of automobiles in the next GST Council meeting, according to a Finance Ministry official.It is also likely to look at increasing the rate on premium real estate, but also restore the provision of input tax credit for the segment. …

Senior U.S. diplomat, Andrea Thompson, said on Tuesday that the U.S. is consulting its allies as it plans to deploy intermediate-range missiles in Asia, a move China says it will respond to with countermeasures. The U.S. has said it plans to place such weapons in the Asia-Pacific following the U.S. …

President Donald Trump said on Monday that the U.S. is learning “much” from a deadly blast during a Russian missile test that caused elevated radiation levels. Experts have linked the blast — which killed at least five people — to the 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.AFP Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/trump-says-us-learning-much-from-russia-missile-test-blast/article29088569.ece

Japan is “in the dark” as to why South Korea has downgraded Tokyo’s trading status, Trade Minister Sung Yun-mo said on Tuesday. South Korea on Monday created a new category of trading status for Japan, which Mr. Sung said made it “hard to work closely with a country that frequently …

Riyadh and Abu Dhabi put on a display of unity over Yemen, but the capture of Aden by UAE-backed separatists exposes simmering divisions that analysts say weaken their joint campaign against Iran-linked rebels.The seizure of the presidential palace in the southern port city on Saturday dealt a fresh blow to …

The U.S. is delaying tariffs on Chinese-made cellphones, laptop computers and other items and removing other Chinese imports from its target list altogether in a move that triggered a rally on Wall Street.The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Tuesday that it is still planning to go ahead …

On the direction of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said on Tuesday it has decided to restore the practice of charging only Rs. 50 from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students of Delhi government and aided schools. The CBSE had recently hiked …

An app that will allow users to have waste — solid, wet or construction and demolition (C&D) — collected by their urban local bodies, was launched by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on Tuesday, along with a new protocol on wastewater treatment that would become a part of …

Assam Public Works, the NGO whose petition made the Supreme Court start the exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in 2013, has resented the rejection of its plea for 100% re-verification of documents of the applicants. The court on Tuesday declined to reopen the process to conduct …

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday recommended a comprehensive legislation to make the Central Bureau of Investigation functional as an efficient and impartial investigative agency.Delivering the 18th D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture, Chief Justice Gogoi listed legal ambiguity, weak human resource, lack of adequate investment, accountability, and political and …