Instagram on Wednesday shut down an account that published comic strips about the struggles of a gay Muslim in Indonesia after it sparked a backlash in the world’s biggest Islamic nation. The move comes after Indonesia’s Communications Ministry sent a letter to the social media giant warning that the “pornographic” …
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2019
Trump signals support for border deal
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that he is likely to sign a bipartisan border security deal from Congress that will keep the federal government open past Friday. Mr. Trump, however, indicated he was not happy with the terms, which provide him with far less funding for shorter stretches of …
Read More »Rajya Sabha clears law removing leprosy as ground for divorce
Parliament on Wednesday passed a Bill removing leprosy as a ground for divorce under five personal laws, including the Hindu Marriage Act. The Rajya Sabha on the last day of the Budget session passed the Bill without debate after consensus on the issue. The Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018 sought …
Read More »Northeast hails lapse of Citizenship Bill
The Centre’s failure in tabling the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday triggered euphoria across the North-Eastern states. As soon as the news of the lapsing of the Bill came in, people across Assam and the neighbouring States took to the streets bursting firecrackers, singing, dancing …
Read More »MSP for jute hiked by Rs. 250/quintal
The government has increased the minimum support price (MSP) for raw jute by Rs. 250 per quintal, taking the price to Rs. 3,950 per quintal for the 2019-20 season, according to an official statement. The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday. India is the …
Read More »Citizenship, triple talaq Bills lapse
Despite the assurance, the Citizenship Bill was listed for Tuesday, the penultimate day of the session. The government claimed that three hours were allotted for debate on the legislation at a meeting in August 2016. But the contentious Bill could not be taken up because of disruptions. On Wednesday, the …
Read More »Rafale deal value of 2016 is 2.86% lower, says CAG
The Centre has made repeated assertions that under the IGA, better terms had been achieved in terms of “better pricing, better maintenance terms and better delivery schedule.” The CAG also observed that in respect of bank guarantees, the French government had not agreed to an escrow account and had contended …
Read More »Famed warrior’s memorial unearthed in Sinhagad fort
But they also realised that the stone structure that they had discovered was only the base of the original 7.5 feet high memorial rock. Where was the superstructure? It so happened that the concrete canopy, in addition to the bronze bust of Malusare, also sheltered a virgal or a hero …
Read More »A warrior’s memorial comes to light
Restoration workers at Sinhagad Fort, 35 km from Pune, have stumbled upon the original commemorative memorial of Tanaji Malusare, the brave Maratha warrior after whom Shivaji is said to have named Sinhagad Fort (Lion’s fort). Malusare died in 1670 after being seriously wounded in the Sinhagad battle. The stone structure, …
Read More »MPs bid adieu amid Mulayam’s twist
The valedictory sessions of Houses of Legislature are a mixture of camaraderie and piquant uncertainties of whether one will be re-elected. Party positions are gently reiterated, but good wishes are also exchanged for being in the same cohort again. The last day of the 16th Lok Sabha saw all this …
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