Modi selfie spells trouble
A first information report (FIR) was registered against the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, on Election Commission orders for allegedly violating electoral laws by displaying the party’s lotus symbol after voting in Gandhinagar on Wednesday.Mr. Modi has been booked for violating Sections 126 (1) (a) and 126 (1) (b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, Deputy Commissioner of Police Himanshu Shukla told The Hindu .
Section 126 (1) (a) prohibits holding of a public meeting or address in connection with an election and 126 (1) (b) bans displaying any election matter by means of cinematograph or television.
Around 8.30 a.m., Mr. Modi arrived at the Nishan secondary school polling booth in Gandhinagar. After he cast his vote, his car headed to a garden, separated from the polling station by a small lane.
As he began talking to the media, he held a lotus badge in his hand, displaying it prominently before the media along with his inked finger. He also posed with the lotus symbol for a “selfie.”
The Election Commission was of the view that this amounted to addressing a public meeting and displaying campaign material. It said Mr. Modi’s address was “intended to influence the result of elections” in constituencies going to the polls on Wednesday.
But Meenakshi Lekhi of the BJP insisted that Mr Modi had “not violated the election code. It was not an organised press conference.”
Lessons from a disaster
The resignation of South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, and a public apology by its President, Park Geun-hye, over a ferry disaster, has not calmed the people of South Korea, grieving over the unexpected death of about 200 students who were on an excursion. Sewol , the ferry, sank on April 16 in southwestern South Korea.There are many lessons to be drawn from the disaster in South Korea. For instance, it should be a basic tenet that the industry and regulator should not be from the same pool of talent. It is time for governments to put in place measures to reward compliance and deal firmly with violators of basic safety standards who put lives at risk.
Risk of nuclear accidents ‘rising’
A report recounting a litany of near-misses in which nuclear weapons came close to being launched by mistake concludes that the risk of potentially catastrophic accidents is higher than previously thought and appears to be rising.
Too Close for Comfort: Cases of Near Nuclear Use and Options for Policy, published on April 29 by Chatham House, the international think-tank based in London, says that “individual decision-making, often in disobedience of protocol and political guidance, has on several occasions saved the day,” preventing the launch of nuclear warheads.
The report lists 13 instances since 1962 when nuclear weapons were nearly used.
The Chatham House authors say the risks appear to be rising. Nuclear weapons are spreading — most recently to North Korea — and disarmament is stalling. Russia and the U.S. still have an estimated 1,800 warheads on high alert, ready to launch between five and 15 minutes after receiving the launch order — a fact that becomes all the more significant with rising tensions over Ukraine.
Too Close for Comfort: Cases of Near Nuclear Use and Options for Policy, published on April 29 by Chatham House, the international think-tank based in London, says that “individual decision-making, often in disobedience of protocol and political guidance, has on several occasions saved the day,” preventing the launch of nuclear warheads.
The report lists 13 instances since 1962 when nuclear weapons were nearly used.
The Chatham House authors say the risks appear to be rising. Nuclear weapons are spreading — most recently to North Korea — and disarmament is stalling. Russia and the U.S. still have an estimated 1,800 warheads on high alert, ready to launch between five and 15 minutes after receiving the launch order — a fact that becomes all the more significant with rising tensions over Ukraine.
Russia is in recession, says IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Wednesday that Russia was already in recession and slashed its growth forecast for 2014 citing the effect of the Ukraine crisis on investment.
“If we define recession as negative growth in two quarters in a row, then Russia from that point of view is experiencing recession,” IMF economist Antonio Spilimbergo was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.
The IMF has lowered its 2014 growth forecast for Russia to 0.2 per cent from the 1.3 per cent figure it issued on April 8, Mr. Spilimbergo said.
“If we define recession as negative growth in two quarters in a row, then Russia from that point of view is experiencing recession,” IMF economist Antonio Spilimbergo was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.
The IMF has lowered its 2014 growth forecast for Russia to 0.2 per cent from the 1.3 per cent figure it issued on April 8, Mr. Spilimbergo said.
BHEL to set up solar power plant in Yemen
Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) has signed an agreement with Yemen’s Ministry of Electricity and Energy for setting up solar photovoltaic (PV)-based power plants at different locations in the Gulf nation. The agreement was signed by BHEL Chairman and Managing Director B. Prasada Rao and Yemen’s Minister of Electricity and Energy Saleh Hassan Sumie.
Exim Bank plans to set up project development company in Africa
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) plans to set up a project development company (PDC) in Africa, with the participation of State Bank of India (SBI), IL&FS and African Development Bank.
The new company will essentially look to bring infrastructure projects in Africa to a bankable stage and facilitate exports from India to Africa. This is the first time Exim Bank is looking to set up a PDC and also the first time in Africa.
The new company will essentially look to bring infrastructure projects in Africa to a bankable stage and facilitate exports from India to Africa. This is the first time Exim Bank is looking to set up a PDC and also the first time in Africa.
The future of the tiger hinges on gene flow
The future of tigers, with approximately 3,600 remaining in fragmented habitats worldwide, hinges not just on population expansion but also on “gene flow” or the ability of the species to migrate and breed outside their territorial gene pool, finds a new study.
Gene flow — both within tiger subspecies and between subspecies separated today by national boundaries — is vital in protecting the existing “reserve” of genetic diversity of this endangered species, say authors of a paper published in the latest edition of the Journal of Heredity . “Low genetic diversity can negatively impact the fitness of a species, and thus it’s survival,” they add.
Shrinking the genetic diversity affected the population in a few notable ways — reduced reproductive capacity, increased cardiac defects and prevalence of infectious diseases.
“The lower the genetic diversity, the greater the population numbers needed to ensure the species’ survival,” said co-author Uma Ramakrishnan.
Gene flow — both within tiger subspecies and between subspecies separated today by national boundaries — is vital in protecting the existing “reserve” of genetic diversity of this endangered species, say authors of a paper published in the latest edition of the Journal of Heredity . “Low genetic diversity can negatively impact the fitness of a species, and thus it’s survival,” they add.
Shrinking the genetic diversity affected the population in a few notable ways — reduced reproductive capacity, increased cardiac defects and prevalence of infectious diseases.
“The lower the genetic diversity, the greater the population numbers needed to ensure the species’ survival,” said co-author Uma Ramakrishnan.
Extremes in monsoon rainfall growing: study
Amidst worrisome indications that human-induced climate change is affecting the monsoon over India, research just published adds to a body of evidence showing that extremes in rainfall are increasing.
“Our analyses indicate a shift in the recent period towards more intense wet spells and more frequent but less intense dry spells,” say a team of researchers from Stanford University in the U.S. in a Nature Climate Change paper.
“Our analyses indicate a shift in the recent period towards more intense wet spells and more frequent but less intense dry spells,” say a team of researchers from Stanford University in the U.S. in a Nature Climate Change paper.
U.S. trade representative retains India on IPR ‘Watch List’
The Obama administration has retained India on the ‘Priority Watch List’ of nations in the U.S. Trade Representative’s ‘Special 301’annual report on global intellectual property rights (IPR) regimes, on the basis that there were “growing concerns with respect to the environment for IPR protection and enforcement in India.”
Arguing that there were “serious questions” regarding the future of the innovation climate in India across multiple sectors, the USTR’s closely-watched report urged India to address concerns such as online piracy and ‘çamcording incidents’ affecting the film industry, to promote predictability in patent laws including the question of section 3(d) of India’s Patent Act and tackle “concerns” stemming from Section 84 of the Act and the Intellectual Property Appellate Board’s support for the grant of compulsory licenses.
Despite enumerating a long list of specific complaints about India’s IPR regime, the USTR also announced that it would conduct “Out-of-Cycle reviews” to promote engagement and progress on IPR challenges identified in the 2014 review of India.
The Special 301 report however pulled no punches in criticising India’s institutional infrastructure in the context of “significant delays” in the proceedings before the Trademark Registry, “reported difficulty in obtaining remedies and damages,” for trade secret violations actions and “discriminatory… actions and policies… that appear to favour local manufacturing or Indian IP owners in a manner that distorts the competitive landscape.”
Arguing that there were “serious questions” regarding the future of the innovation climate in India across multiple sectors, the USTR’s closely-watched report urged India to address concerns such as online piracy and ‘çamcording incidents’ affecting the film industry, to promote predictability in patent laws including the question of section 3(d) of India’s Patent Act and tackle “concerns” stemming from Section 84 of the Act and the Intellectual Property Appellate Board’s support for the grant of compulsory licenses.
Despite enumerating a long list of specific complaints about India’s IPR regime, the USTR also announced that it would conduct “Out-of-Cycle reviews” to promote engagement and progress on IPR challenges identified in the 2014 review of India.
The Special 301 report however pulled no punches in criticising India’s institutional infrastructure in the context of “significant delays” in the proceedings before the Trademark Registry, “reported difficulty in obtaining remedies and damages,” for trade secret violations actions and “discriminatory… actions and policies… that appear to favour local manufacturing or Indian IP owners in a manner that distorts the competitive landscape.”
Antibiotic resistance a worldwide threat to public health: WHO
Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to public health with cases being reported from every region of the world and having the potential to affect anyone, the World Health Organisation has said.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as antibiotic resistance is also known as, is a technical term that means resistance to medicines used against microorganisms, thereby making the drugs ineffective.
In India, the easy availability and higher consumption of antibiotics have contributed to the inappropriate use of the drugs, creating a situation where resistant microorganisms are becoming more common.
What is difference between working principles of microwave oven and induction stove? Why are only stainless steel vessels preferred for the induction stove instead of copper, brass and aluminium, which are good conductors of heat?
While there is some similarity in the working of microwave oven and induction stove as both consume electric energy for heating, the similarity ends there. Working principles of microwave oven and induction stove are poles apart.
In case of microwave oven, microwaves which are of low wave lengths (about 12 cm) but contain high energy, are produced through a device known as magnetron. The microwaves are reflected on to the cooking vessel where the food is stored.
The high energy microwaves vibrate the molecules of the food at very high frequency (2500,000000 per sec) which in turn produces high quantity of heat energy. The heating of food is more uniform as compared to other methods. However, only non metallic containers can be used to store food inside the oven as metallic containers are likely to reflect back the micro waves.
Also one has to take extra precautions while using the microwave oven as the high energy waves can harm the living cells of the body.
In case of an induction stove, the heat energy is produced through induction effect. There is an electric coil below the top of induction stove. When varying (alternating) electric current is passed through the coil, a magnetic field is produced around it.
When a steel or any other ferro-magnetic metal vessel is kept on the top of the induction stove, it produces eddy electric current in the vessel itself. Due to resistivity of the metal, when the electric current is passed in the vessel, it produces heat energy (as produced in an electric heater) which in turn heats up the food. However, limitation of the induction stove is that vessels which are of non ferro-magnetic metal like copper, aluminium, or of glass cannot be used as there will be no eddy current in them.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as antibiotic resistance is also known as, is a technical term that means resistance to medicines used against microorganisms, thereby making the drugs ineffective.
In India, the easy availability and higher consumption of antibiotics have contributed to the inappropriate use of the drugs, creating a situation where resistant microorganisms are becoming more common.
What is difference between working principles of microwave oven and induction stove? Why are only stainless steel vessels preferred for the induction stove instead of copper, brass and aluminium, which are good conductors of heat?
While there is some similarity in the working of microwave oven and induction stove as both consume electric energy for heating, the similarity ends there. Working principles of microwave oven and induction stove are poles apart.
In case of microwave oven, microwaves which are of low wave lengths (about 12 cm) but contain high energy, are produced through a device known as magnetron. The microwaves are reflected on to the cooking vessel where the food is stored.
The high energy microwaves vibrate the molecules of the food at very high frequency (2500,000000 per sec) which in turn produces high quantity of heat energy. The heating of food is more uniform as compared to other methods. However, only non metallic containers can be used to store food inside the oven as metallic containers are likely to reflect back the micro waves.
Also one has to take extra precautions while using the microwave oven as the high energy waves can harm the living cells of the body.
In case of an induction stove, the heat energy is produced through induction effect. There is an electric coil below the top of induction stove. When varying (alternating) electric current is passed through the coil, a magnetic field is produced around it.
When a steel or any other ferro-magnetic metal vessel is kept on the top of the induction stove, it produces eddy electric current in the vessel itself. Due to resistivity of the metal, when the electric current is passed in the vessel, it produces heat energy (as produced in an electric heater) which in turn heats up the food. However, limitation of the induction stove is that vessels which are of non ferro-magnetic metal like copper, aluminium, or of glass cannot be used as there will be no eddy current in them.
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