Editorials

Wimbledon ensures that reporters conceal their loyalty towards a player To be a Rafael Nadal fan is to be an underdog. It feels unreasonable, for Nadal is an 18-time Grand Slam champion and a serial winner. But in a universe full of Roger Federer supporters, I have often felt like …

The health emergency declared by the WHO can counter the risk of a global spread After holding itself back on three occasions, the World Health Organization has declared the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The outbreak in …

The intent of the Finance Ministry seems to be to know which official met which journalist and when Any reporter worth her beat will tell you that the fine art of loitering is a very useful tool in journalism. It is cultivated with patience and honed with experience. Even before …

While the bloc has made repeated references to Kashmir, it has been ambivalent about China’s treatment of Uighurs In an epochal development, India became the ‘Guest of Honour’ at the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Abu Dhabi in …

The Economic Survey, while rightly calling for a rise in private investment, incongruously invokes the East Asian model The recently-released Economic Survey either glosses over or ignores many acute challenges faced by the Indian economy — like the severe agrarian crisis; the troubles of loss-making and debt-ridden public sector units; …

The law is against the principles of representative democracy and needs to be reformed The Supreme Court has held that it is the Speaker’s discretion to decide on the resignations of the 15 dissident MLAs belonging to the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government of Karnataka as and when he considers …

Apollo-11 was well on target for the moon to-day [July 17] after its three-man crew had successfully fired its main rocket for three seconds – the first flight path correction of the historic mission. The spacecraft’s speed was increased by 25 KPH (21 feet per second), an essential correction if …

SC order on rebel MLAs hands over the floor advantage to the Karnataka Opposition The Supreme Court’s interim order stating that the 15 dissident Karnataka legislators cannot be compelled to attend the House, means they are not bound by any whip relating to the trust vote moved by Chief Minister …

India needs a free and independentmedia for its own well-being Journalists are facing heightened threats around the globe, according to the 2019 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), covering 180 countries and territories. It notes that the number of countries regarded as safe for journalists is …

India could take a leaf out of Europe’s book insteadof calling for a blanket ban on cyptocurrencies The Banning of Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2019 has proposed stringent penalties, including 10 years of imprisonment, for holding, selling or dealing in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Given the …

The lives of tea-estate workers in West Bengal have worsened in many aspects over the years The tea plantation sector continues to play a significant role in the economy of north Bengal. There are 276 organised tea estates spread over the three tea-growing regions of West Bengal: Darjeeling Hills, Terai …

India’s more successful legal journey to the ICJ must now reshape New Delhi’s approach to potentially difficult situations Kulbhushan Jadhav, the former Indian Navy officer, who was allegedly abducted by Pakistani intelligence from Iran and sentenced to death on charges of espionage and terrorism by a farcical military court in …

Why Ankara is ready to risk NATO’s ire over a defence deal with Moscow In November 2015, a Turkish F-16 shot down a Russian fighter jet over the Syrian border, ratcheting up tensions between Moscow and Ankara. There were speculations that Russian President Vladimir Putin would retaliate. But Mr. Putin …

India should once again become a consensus-builder, instead of the outlier it has progressively become India’s singular objective as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2021-22 should be to help build a stable and secure external environment. In doing so, India will promote its own …

The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Morarji Desai, resigned in protest from the Central Cabinet to-day [July 16, New Delhi], when the Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, relieved him of the Finance portfolio and herself took it over in a surprise political move to hit back at the party bosses and …

Alongside Federer and Nadal, Djokovic is ensuring tennis is at its competitive best No player in the last decade has so thrillingly disrupted the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal binary quite like World No.1 Novak Djokovic. Back in 2008, when Federer and Nadal met at Wimbledon in that iconic final, the contest …

China’s famed model of growth is under pressure due to fall in exports and investment The Chinese economy is seeing the first signs of trouble after long years of sustained growth that rode on cheap labour and high volumes of exports. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on …

Success is achieved where policies and programmes focus on people, not diseases The UN Sustainable Development Goals include ensuring good health and well-being for all by 2030. This includes the commitment to end the AIDS epidemic. In many countries, continued access to HIV treatment and prevention options are reducing AIDS-related …

If designed better and implemented effectively, thescheme could radically transform the irrigation economy Earlier this year, the Cabinet approved the Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM). With a Budget allocation of Rs. 34,000 crore, and a similar contribution expected from the States, KUSUM aims to provide energy sufficiency and …

It rests on accessing public service, choosing rapid transit over car driving and supporting electric vehicle transition Congested streets and polluted air are common experiences in India’s metropolises, although the average Indian contributes only minuscule amounts of transport-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to global climate change. Patterns of road transport, …