India cuts off UN panel after Jammu & Kashmir report
Reacting angrily to a submission from the Geneva-based Human Rights Council (HRC) on the alleged violations in Jammu and Kashmir, India has informed the United Nations body that it will no longer entertain any communication with the HRC’s Special Rapporteurs on its report.
Leadership sweepstakes and the Modi factor
Is the 2019 Lok Sabha election essentially a leadership race? The CSDS-Lokniti post-poll data seems to indicate that while leadership was a factor, it was not the most critical issue that swayed electoral preferences.
During the campaign, it was patently visible that the BJP was taking every effort to make it a presidential-style poll, with their candidates seeking votes in the name of the Prime Minister.
After elections, oil marketing firms hike petrol, diesel prices
State-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) increased prices of petrol and diesel across the country on Monday, a day after the last phase of Lok Sabha polls concluded. This could mark the beginning of a rising trend in fuel prices as they are once again aligned to the rising global oil prices.
Opposition takes stock after exit polls favour NDA
A day after exit polls gave a clear mandate to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Opposition leaders on Monday took stock of the political situation.
While Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav called on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N. Chandrababu Naidu headed to Kolkata for a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Business | India unlikely to give additional seats to foreign airlines
India is unlikely to grant additional seats to foreign carriers, over and above the numbers agreed to under bilateral pacts, even though Indian expatriates in some of these countries are facing the prospect of having to pay sharply steeper airfares during the peak travel season this year following the grounding of Jet Airways.
Science | India adopts new standards for measuring units kilogram, kelvin, mole & ampere
With the definition of the ‘kilogram’ getting a global, technical makeover, textbooks — from those used in schools to ones recommended by engineering colleges in India — are set to undergo an update. Until Monday, the kilogram derived its provenance from the weight of a block of a platinum-iridium alloy housed at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in France.
Movies | Diego Maradona shows many sides of the legend
At a crucial juncture in Asif Kapadia’s much-awaited documentary on Diego Maradona, that premiered at Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, an eloquent comment is made about the essential ambiguity in the Argentinian football legend’s life: “Diego has nothing to do with Maradona. But Maradona drags him everywhere.” It’s this personal as opposed to the public persona; the individual/human being against the player/celebrity split that one witnessed in the British filmmaker’s previous work — Amy (2015, on singer Amy Winehouse) and Senna (2010, on racing legend Ayrton Senna) — that lies at the core of Diego Maradona as well.
Editorial | Yemen’s woes
The withdrawal of Houthi rebels from three of Yemen’s ports as part of the December 2018 ceasefire agreement should have been the basis for further talks to expand the truce to other parts of the country. But while the withdrawal was under way last week, Houthis, who are reportedly getting support from Iran, carried out a drone attack on a Saudi pipeline, and in retaliation Riyadh launched airstrikes on Sanaa, the capital city controlled by the rebels, killing at least six civilians, including children.
International | Trump warns Iran of its ‘official end’
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday warned he would destroy Iran if it threatens the U.S. “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again,” Mr Trump tweeted. Tensions between the long-time foes resumed a little over a year ago when the U.S. withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an international deal aimed at containing Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for stopping crippling sanctions against the country.
Cricket | ICC World Cup team analysis: Afghanistan - an inspirational side
In the early stage of the ICC World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe last year, Afghanistan was down and almost out. After losing to teams like Hong Kong, the Afghans ended their group engagements with just a solitary win. They had to rely on net run-rate to scrape through to the round of Super Sixes.
