Category Thematic Areas

New Parliament Defiled by Inaction on Sexual Harassment

Monday’s cartoon by EP Unny in the Indian Express compares the geometry of the new Parliament building with that of Jantar Mantar, for long the national capital’s favourite protest site. The juxtaposition is more than appropriate, given the recent developments. Even as the new Parliament building was being inaugurated, women wrestlers and their supporters protesting against alleged sexual harassment were roughed up and their protest site at Jantar Mantar cleared.

₹2,000 notes: Another Costly Mistake

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) announcement of withdrawal from circulation of the ₹2,000 currency notes has caused much incredulity. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin quipped, “500 doubts, 1,000 mysteries and 2,000 blunders”, and Rajya Sabha member P. Chidambaram said, “Demonetisation has come full circle”. The Union government has distanced itself from the decision by letting the RBI announce it.

US Hit the Debt Ceiling: Rising Alarm to Budget Deficit

The US hit the debt ceiling of $31.4 trillion on January 19 and as early as June 1, the US government may run out of money to pay its bills if Congress does not raise or suspend the debt ceiling. US treasury secretary Janet Yellen reaffirmed that defaulting on the US debt obligation would be a “catastrophe” and would put into question Washington’s “global economic leadership”. The debt ceiling refers to the maximum amount of money the government can borrow to meet its financial obligations.

Operationalisation of Sittwe Port’s New Terminal: An Advancement in Maritime Prospects

It was a dream of former Prime Minister (PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who first envisaged opening an alternate sea route through Myanmar for the northeastern part of India in 2003. Bangladesh at that time was very non-committal on transit to India. The Ministry of external affairs (MEA) appointed the public sector consultancy company RITES to do a study in 2003. The operationalisation of Sittwe Port's new terminal was the beginning of the journey.

Empowering India and the Developing World: The Benefits of a Balanced Global Power Distribution

TK Arun A distribution of power among country groups facilitates global growth far more than concentrated power in one or two hegemons There likely is no US debt ceiling crisis in the offing. Wrangling between Democrats and Republicans over expenditure…

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