The proposal, made by the Prime Minister’s allies, did not find many takers at Cabinet meeting Backers of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday proposed abolishing the country’s highly-controversial executive presidency, but with few takers in the Cabinet it was thwarted, according to those present at the discussion. The move …
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2019
U.S. backs Saudi’s ‘right to defend itself’
Iranian regime’s threatening behaviour will not be tolerated, says Secretary of State Pompeo U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday that America backs Saudi Arabia’s “right to defend itself” after a weekend attack targeted the heart of its oil industry, comments coming after he described the assault as …
Read More »Astra missile tested five times
Indigenous Astra missile tested five times The indigenous Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile Astra was successfully test-fired five times by the Air Force between September 16 and 19 from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet off the coast of Chandipur in Odisha, the Defence Research and Development Organisation said on Thursday. …
Read More »J&K global investors’ summit put off
The Jammu and Kashmir government has shelved the global investors’ summit scheduled for October. Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday reviewed the preparedness for holding the summit, and decided “to reschedule it to 2020 in consultation with the Union government”. “This is to give the Industries and Commerce Departments reasonable …
Read More »Keeladi findings traceable to 6th century BCE: report
“This finding suggests that the society in Keeladi had used animals predominantly for agricultural purposes,” Mr. Udhayachandran said. Tamil-Brahmi potsherds Fifty-six Tamil-Brahmi inscribed potsherds were recovered from the site of excavation conducted by the TNAD alone, the report stated. Pottery specimens from Keeladi sent to the Earth Science Department of …
Read More »New social security code proposed
The Centre has proposed a new draft Code on Social Security that amalgamates eight laws — covering Employees’ Provident Fund, maternity benefits and compensation among others — that makes way for establishing funds for PF and pension as well as covering workers of the gig economy in social security schemes. …
Read More »Artificial Intelligence to boost education
In a bid to provide wider access to adaptive learning technologies, the Centre plans to launch a new scheme in partnership with companies using artificial intelligence to make learning a more personalised and customised experience as per the learner’s requirements. Start-ups which join the government platform must offer 25% free …
Read More »No scope for third party role in Kashmir, says India
Gokhale says PM made this clear to Trump at Osaka meet India reiterated on Thursday that there is no scope for third party intervention in the Kashmir issue. Announcing the details of Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. from September 21 to 27, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the Prime …
Read More »‘Howdy, Modi!’ may reveal ‘mini-deal’
Trump and Modi may announce a limited package of trade-related agreements at Houston event India and the U.S. are expected to announce the resolution of some of their trade-related differences on medical equipment caps, ICT (information and communication technology) tariffs and market access for agricultural produce. They are in discussions …
Read More »India unlikely to meet ‘Poshan Abhiyaan’ targets, finds study
‘The desired rate of improvement under the programme is aspirational’ India is unlikely to meet targets set under the ambitious Poshan Abhiyan or National Nutrition Mission (NNM) for reduction in prevalence of stunting, underweight, low birth weight and anaemia in women and children by 2022 if there is no progress …
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