Matilda reached the top of the stairs, stopped for a few moments to catch her breath and then knocked on the door. There was no answer. She frowned and knocked again. "Lazy slut of a girl", she muttered under her breath and pushed the door open. |
Matilda stood frozen for a moment and then she opened her mouth and began to scream. The girl lay on the carpet, staring at the ceiling with wide open eyes. A wasp was hovering over her face. Matilda did not dare go near her but she was certain the girl was dead. "Oh! Mother of god, preserve us from evil", she cried, clutching the door. She put a hand on her mouth to stop herself from screaming again. "Help me, O lord. Sweet Jesus, protect me!" she chanted. Her head was spinning and she could hardly breathe. She noticed, in a blur, that all the lights were switched on in the bedroom and sunlight danced on the dead girls face. Matilda crossed herself quickly and ran out. She stumbled down the stairs, landing at Mary's feet in a heap. |
"Calm. We must all stay calm. I must call Dr Bay", Mary heard Helen's voice repeating over and over again from somewhere in the house. She was not sure whom she was talking to since they were all in the library, huddled like refugees seeking shelter. She could not believe what had happened. Matilda had come running down the stairs which had amazed all of them since they had never seen the old ayah move so fast. Then she had said in a strangled voice, "The girl is...she is dead...god bless us all...she is dead, completely dead and gone to heaven." |
In the confusion Mary could not remember who had run upstairs with her but when they went into the room, Helen was standing near the bed, looking at the dead girl. "All over. It is all over now", she had said softly and moved towards the dead girl, as though she was going to pick her up. |
"We must not touch her", Mary said and Helen moved back. Now as she heard Helen's voice repeating its incantation, she tried her best to remember who had followed her upstairs. This person had shut the door behind her silently as she stood staring at the dead girl and then switched the lights off. Who had been standing behind her? Was it Matilda? |
Mary forced herself to think back but her mind seemed to have erased that moment. All she could remember was the brightly lit room suddenly going dark as someone switched the lights off and a strange, sweet pungent smell in the room as if someone had burnt roses. The sunlight was trembling on the walls and a wasp was droning over the girl's face. |
"We must call the police at once. William should inform them. We must do that now", Mary said, dragging Helen out of the room. She remembered suddenly that Helen had picked up something from the floor. What was it? Then the lights came on again. |
Matilda reached the top of the stairs, stopped for a few moments to catch her breath and then knocked on the door. There was no answer. She frowned and knocked again. "Lazy slut of a girl", she muttered under her breath and pushed the door open. |
Matilda stood frozen for a moment and then she opened her mouth and began to scream. The girl lay on the carpet, staring at the ceiling with wide open eyes. A wasp was hovering over her face. Matilda did not dare go near her but she was certain the girl was dead. "Oh! Mother of god, preserve us from evil", she cried, clutching the door. She put a hand on her mouth to stop herself from screaming again. "Help me, O lord. Sweet Jesus, protect me!" she chanted. Her head was spinning and she could hardly breathe. She noticed, in a blur, that all the lights were switched on in the bedroom and sunlight danced on the dead girls face. Matilda crossed herself quickly and ran out. She stumbled down the stairs, landing at Mary's feet in a heap. |
"Calm. We must all stay calm. I must call Dr Bay", Mary heard Helen's voice repeating over and over again from somewhere in the house. She was not sure whom she was talking to since they were all in the library, huddled like refugees seeking shelter. She could not believe what had happened. Matilda had come running down the stairs which had amazed all of them since they had never seen the old ayah move so fast. Then she had said in a strangled voice, "The girl is...she is dead...god bless us all...she is dead, completely dead and gone to heaven." |
In the confusion Mary could not remember who had run upstairs with her but when they went into the room, Helen was standing near the bed, looking at the dead girl. "All over. It is all over now", she had said softly and moved towards the dead girl, as though she was going to pick her up. |
"We must not touch her", Mary said and Helen moved back. Now as she heard Helen's voice repeating its incantation, she tried her best to remember who had followed her upstairs. This person had shut the door behind her silently as she stood staring at the dead girl and then switched the lights off. Who had been standing behind her? Was it Matilda? |
Mary forced herself to think back but her mind seemed to have erased that moment. All she could remember was the brightly lit room suddenly going dark as someone switched the lights off and a strange, sweet pungent smell in the room as if someone had burnt roses. The sunlight was trembling on the walls and a wasp was droning over the girl's face. |
"We must call the police at once. William should inform them. We must do that now", Mary said, dragging Helen out of the room. She remembered suddenly that Helen had picked up something from the floor. What was it? Then the lights came on again. |
Matilda reached the top of the stairs, stopped for a few moments to catch her breath and then knocked on the door. There was no answer. She frowned and knocked again. "Lazy slut of a girl", she muttered under her breath and pushed the door open. |
Matilda stood frozen for a moment and then she opened her mouth and began to scream. The girl lay on the carpet, staring at the ceiling with wide open eyes. A wasp was hovering over her face. Matilda did not dare go near her but she was certain the girl was dead. "Oh! Mother of god, preserve us from evil", she cried, clutching the door. She put a hand on her mouth to stop herself from screaming again. "Help me, O lord. Sweet Jesus, protect me!" she chanted. Her head was spinning and she could hardly breathe. She noticed, in a blur, that all the lights were switched on in the bedroom and sunlight danced on the dead girls face. Matilda crossed herself quickly and ran out. She stumbled down the stairs, landing at Mary's feet in a heap. |
"Calm. We must all stay calm. I must call Dr Bay", Mary heard Helen's voice repeating over and over again from somewhere in the house. She was not sure whom she was talking to since they were all in the library, huddled like refugees seeking shelter. She could not believe what had happened. Matilda had come running down the stairs which had amazed all of them since they had never seen the old ayah move so fast. Then she had said in a strangled voice, "The girl is...she is dead...god bless us all...she is dead, completely dead and gone to heaven." |
In the confusion Mary could not remember who had run upstairs with her but when they went into the room, Helen was standing near the bed, looking at the dead girl. "All over. It is all over now", she had said softly and moved towards the dead girl, as though she was going to pick her up. |
"We must not touch her", Mary said and Helen moved back. Now as she heard Helen's voice repeating its incantation, she tried her best to remember who had followed her upstairs. This person had shut the door behind her silently as she stood staring at the dead girl and then switched the lights off. Who had been standing behind her? Was it Matilda? |
Mary forced herself to think back but her mind seemed to have erased that moment. All she could remember was the brightly lit room suddenly going dark as someone switched the lights off and a strange, sweet pungent smell in the room as if someone had burnt roses. The sunlight was trembling on the walls and a wasp was droning over the girl's face. |
"We must call the police at once. William should inform them. We must do that now", Mary said, dragging Helen out of the room. She remembered suddenly that Helen had picked up something from the floor. What was it? Then the lights came on again. |
Matilda reached the top of the stairs, stopped for a few moments to catch her breath and then knocked on the door. There was no answer. She frowned and knocked again. "Lazy slut of a girl", she muttered under her breath and pushed the door open. |
Matilda stood frozen for a moment and then she opened her mouth and began to scream. The girl lay on the carpet, staring at the ceiling with wide open eyes. A wasp was hovering over her face. Matilda did not dare go near her but she was certain the girl was dead. "Oh! Mother of god, preserve us from evil", she cried, clutching the door. She put a hand on her mouth to stop herself from screaming again. "Help me, O lord. Sweet Jesus, protect me!" she chanted. Her head was spinning and she could hardly breathe. She noticed, in a blur, that all the lights were switched on in the bedroom and sunlight danced on the dead girls face. Matilda crossed herself quickly and ran out. She stumbled down the stairs, landing at Mary's feet in a heap. |
"Calm. We must all stay calm. I must call Dr Bay", Mary heard Helen's voice repeating over and over again from somewhere in the house. She was not sure whom she was talking to since they were all in the library, huddled like refugees seeking shelter. She could not believe what had happened. Matilda had come running down the stairs which had amazed all of them since they had never seen the old ayah move so fast. Then she had said in a strangled voice, "The girl is...she is dead...god bless us all...she is dead, completely dead and gone to heaven." |
In the confusion Mary could not remember who had run upstairs with her but when they went into the room, Helen was standing near the bed, looking at the dead girl. "All over. It is all over now", she had said softly and moved towards the dead girl, as though she was going to pick her up. |
"We must not touch her", Mary said and Helen moved back. Now as she heard Helen's voice repeating its incantation, she tried her best to remember who had followed her upstairs. This person had shut the door behind her silently as she stood staring at the dead girl and then switched the lights off. Who had been standing behind her? Was it Matilda? |
Mary forced herself to think back but her mind seemed to have erased that moment. All she could remember was the brightly lit room suddenly going dark as someone switched the lights off and a strange, sweet pungent smell in the room as if someone had burnt roses. The sunlight was trembling on the walls and a wasp was droning over the girl's face. |
"We must call the police at once. William should inform them. We must do that now", Mary said, dragging Helen out of the room. She remembered suddenly that Helen had picked up something from the floor. What was it? Then the lights came on again. |
Matilda reached the top of the stairs, stopped for a few moments to catch her breath and then knocked on the door. There was no answer. She frowned and knocked again. "Lazy slut of a girl", she muttered under her breath and pushed the door open. |
Matilda stood frozen for a moment and then she opened her mouth and began to scream. The girl lay on the carpet, staring at the ceiling with wide open eyes. A wasp was hovering over her face. Matilda did not dare go near her but she was certain the girl was dead. "Oh! Mother of god, preserve us from evil", she cried, clutching the door. She put a hand on her mouth to stop herself from screaming again. "Help me, O lord. Sweet Jesus, protect me!" she chanted. Her head was spinning and she could hardly breathe. She noticed, in a blur, that all the lights were switched on in the bedroom and sunlight danced on the dead girls face. Matilda crossed herself quickly and ran out. She stumbled down the stairs, landing at Mary's feet in a heap. |
"Calm. We must all stay calm. I must call Dr Bay", Mary heard Helen's voice repeating over and over again from somewhere in the house. She was not sure whom she was talking to since they were all in the library, huddled like refugees seeking shelter. She could not believe what had happened. Matilda had come running down the stairs which had amazed all of them since they had never seen the old ayah move so fast. Then she had said in a strangled voice, "The girl is...she is dead...god bless us all...she is dead, completely dead and gone to heaven." |
In the confusion Mary could not remember who had run upstairs with her but when they went into the room, Helen was standing near the bed, looking at the dead girl. "All over. It is all over now", she had said softly and moved towards the dead girl, as though she was going to pick her up. |
"We must not touch her", Mary said and Helen moved back. Now as she heard Helen's voice repeating its incantation, she tried her best to remember who had followed her upstairs. This person had shut the door behind her silently as she stood staring at the dead girl and then switched the lights off. Who had been standing behind her? Was it Matilda? |
Mary forced herself to think back but her mind seemed to have erased that moment. All she could remember was the brightly lit room suddenly going dark as someone switched the lights off and a strange, sweet pungent smell in the room as if someone had burnt roses. The sunlight was trembling on the walls and a wasp was droning over the girl's face. |
"We must call the police at once. William should inform them. We must do that now", Mary said, dragging Helen out of the room. She remembered suddenly that Helen had picked up something from the floor. What was it? Then the lights came on again. |
John was relieved that he had invested in a holographic keyboard. His palms pooled moisture where they met the fabric of his trousers, blotting against the skin on his thighs. |
He took several deep breaths and surveyed the counsellor's office. He had a 360-degree view of it from within his VirtuoPod. The walls were painted white. The occasional happy kitten frolicked within its mounted frame. Motivational quotes cycled across the walls to his left and right. |
"Persona is Prime". "Conform, don't Question". "Progress is Perfection." |
For several seconds, he wished he'd attended this session via his unidirectional flat-screen monitor. Instead, a perfect cylinder of glass cocooned him in its curvature, the Bell Corp Insignia discreetly etched onto its surface. It simulated his surroundings to a fault. |
John had invested in his set-up at home. He could transport himself to any Bell-approved location in the world and it would surround him, immersing him in high-fidelity reality. |
He'd experienced sweeping Hyper Reality views from atop the Bell Towers in Crown City, awestruck as its nano-fibre constructions reoriented themselves with clockwork precision. They crested and descended, swivelling to make the most of their solar-harvesting capabilities, absorbing snatches of power from the sunlight that peeked through whips of rain lashing down from the sky. |
He'd experienced a Hyper Real reconstruction of Apex City from decades ago, when it had still been named Bangalore. The immensity of the azure sky had left him speechless, arcing dome-like overhead and reflected in thousands of mirrored-glass buildings rising into the sky. When Bell Corp had taken over the city, they'd redesigned its architecture to eliminate all its heat islands. Now Bell Corp's twenty-six towers mushroomed over the streets, a bio-mat canopy that all but obscured the clouds. John would never forget his brief glimpse of the infinity that lay beyond the city's skyscape. |
If he made it to the top twenty percent of society, he'd gain admission to far more elaborate experiences; rumour had it that the apex of the Curve could access olfactory simulations. |
Mrs Naidu cleared her throat. John returned to the present. |
She was probably seated in a set-up similar to his own. |
She looked at him indifferently. John Alvares, I want to get to know you. |
"Okay." His throat felt dry. |
"I'm going to project a series of images onto your screen. Name them." |
"Okay. His throat seized up. He wasnt expecting a test. "Ready?" |
A sequence of cards appeared on the screen. The first was open-faced and had a timer beneath it. He surmised he had ten seconds to guess who each figure on the cards was. |
He stumbled through his guesses. |
"The Vindicators, that superhero group. Um. Barthoven, I dunno, all neo-Acousta composers look the same. Um, Steel Man. Er, wait, I know this one...I really do - no, let's skip it. Um, Battle Arena champion whos a famous VR fighter? I dunno, I really don't follow the League of Champions. Star Masters, the sci-fi franchise, not sure what the bad guy's name is. Ahh. Clash of Empires, the docudrama. I think this one is a start-up queen from the 2000s...the founder of FreshGoodz? I give up. |
John was relieved that he had invested in a holographic keyboard. His palms pooled moisture where they met the fabric of his trousers, blotting against the skin on his thighs. |
He took several deep breaths and surveyed the counsellor's office. He had a 360-degree view of it from within his VirtuoPod. The walls were painted white. The occasional happy kitten frolicked within its mounted frame. Motivational quotes cycled across the walls to his left and right. |
"Persona is Prime". "Conform, don't Question". "Progress is Perfection." |
For several seconds, he wished he'd attended this session via his unidirectional flat-screen monitor. Instead, a perfect cylinder of glass cocooned him in its curvature, the Bell Corp Insignia discreetly etched onto its surface. It simulated his surroundings to a fault. |
John had invested in his set-up at home. He could transport himself to any Bell-approved location in the world and it would surround him, immersing him in high-fidelity reality. |
He'd experienced sweeping Hyper Reality views from atop the Bell Towers in Crown City, awestruck as its nano-fibre constructions reoriented themselves with clockwork precision. They crested and descended, swivelling to make the most of their solar-harvesting capabilities, absorbing snatches of power from the sunlight that peeked through whips of rain lashing down from the sky. |
He'd experienced a Hyper Real reconstruction of Apex City from decades ago, when it had still been named Bangalore. The immensity of the azure sky had left him speechless, arcing dome-like overhead and reflected in thousands of mirrored-glass buildings rising into the sky. When Bell Corp had taken over the city, they'd redesigned its architecture to eliminate all its heat islands. Now Bell Corp's twenty-six towers mushroomed over the streets, a bio-mat canopy that all but obscured the clouds. John would never forget his brief glimpse of the infinity that lay beyond the city's skyscape. |
If he made it to the top twenty percent of society, he'd gain admission to far more elaborate experiences; rumour had it that the apex of the Curve could access olfactory simulations. |
Mrs Naidu cleared her throat. John returned to the present. |
She was probably seated in a set-up similar to his own. |
She looked at him indifferently. John Alvares, I want to get to know you. |
"Okay." His throat felt dry. |
"I'm going to project a series of images onto your screen. Name them." |
"Okay. His throat seized up. He wasnt expecting a test. "Ready?" |
A sequence of cards appeared on the screen. The first was open-faced and had a timer beneath it. He surmised he had ten seconds to guess who each figure on the cards was. |
He stumbled through his guesses. |
"The Vindicators, that superhero group. Um. Barthoven, I dunno, all neo-Acousta composers look the same. Um, Steel Man. Er, wait, I know this one...I really do - no, let's skip it. Um, Battle Arena champion whos a famous VR fighter? I dunno, I really don't follow the League of Champions. Star Masters, the sci-fi franchise, not sure what the bad guy's name is. Ahh. Clash of Empires, the docudrama. I think this one is a start-up queen from the 2000s...the founder of FreshGoodz? I give up. |
John was relieved that he had invested in a holographic keyboard. His palms pooled moisture where they met the fabric of his trousers, blotting against the skin on his thighs. |
He took several deep breaths and surveyed the counsellor's office. He had a 360-degree view of it from within his VirtuoPod. The walls were painted white. The occasional happy kitten frolicked within its mounted frame. Motivational quotes cycled across the walls to his left and right. |
"Persona is Prime". "Conform, don't Question". "Progress is Perfection." |
For several seconds, he wished he'd attended this session via his unidirectional flat-screen monitor. Instead, a perfect cylinder of glass cocooned him in its curvature, the Bell Corp Insignia discreetly etched onto its surface. It simulated his surroundings to a fault. |
John had invested in his set-up at home. He could transport himself to any Bell-approved location in the world and it would surround him, immersing him in high-fidelity reality. |
He'd experienced sweeping Hyper Reality views from atop the Bell Towers in Crown City, awestruck as its nano-fibre constructions reoriented themselves with clockwork precision. They crested and descended, swivelling to make the most of their solar-harvesting capabilities, absorbing snatches of power from the sunlight that peeked through whips of rain lashing down from the sky. |
He'd experienced a Hyper Real reconstruction of Apex City from decades ago, when it had still been named Bangalore. The immensity of the azure sky had left him speechless, arcing dome-like overhead and reflected in thousands of mirrored-glass buildings rising into the sky. When Bell Corp had taken over the city, they'd redesigned its architecture to eliminate all its heat islands. Now Bell Corp's twenty-six towers mushroomed over the streets, a bio-mat canopy that all but obscured the clouds. John would never forget his brief glimpse of the infinity that lay beyond the city's skyscape. |
If he made it to the top twenty percent of society, he'd gain admission to far more elaborate experiences; rumour had it that the apex of the Curve could access olfactory simulations. |
Mrs Naidu cleared her throat. John returned to the present. |
She was probably seated in a set-up similar to his own. |
She looked at him indifferently. John Alvares, I want to get to know you. |
"Okay." His throat felt dry. |
"I'm going to project a series of images onto your screen. Name them." |
"Okay. His throat seized up. He wasnt expecting a test. "Ready?" |
A sequence of cards appeared on the screen. The first was open-faced and had a timer beneath it. He surmised he had ten seconds to guess who each figure on the cards was. |
He stumbled through his guesses. |
"The Vindicators, that superhero group. Um. Barthoven, I dunno, all neo-Acousta composers look the same. Um, Steel Man. Er, wait, I know this one...I really do - no, let's skip it. Um, Battle Arena champion whos a famous VR fighter? I dunno, I really don't follow the League of Champions. Star Masters, the sci-fi franchise, not sure what the bad guy's name is. Ahh. Clash of Empires, the docudrama. I think this one is a start-up queen from the 2000s...the founder of FreshGoodz? I give up. |
John was relieved that he had invested in a holographic keyboard. His palms pooled moisture where they met the fabric of his trousers, blotting against the skin on his thighs. |
He took several deep breaths and surveyed the counsellor's office. He had a 360-degree view of it from within his VirtuoPod. The walls were painted white. The occasional happy kitten frolicked within its mounted frame. Motivational quotes cycled across the walls to his left and right. |
"Persona is Prime". "Conform, don't Question". "Progress is Perfection." |
For several seconds, he wished he'd attended this session via his unidirectional flat-screen monitor. Instead, a perfect cylinder of glass cocooned him in its curvature, the Bell Corp Insignia discreetly etched onto its surface. It simulated his surroundings to a fault. |
John had invested in his set-up at home. He could transport himself to any Bell-approved location in the world and it would surround him, immersing him in high-fidelity reality. |
He'd experienced sweeping Hyper Reality views from atop the Bell Towers in Crown City, awestruck as its nano-fibre constructions reoriented themselves with clockwork precision. They crested and descended, swivelling to make the most of their solar-harvesting capabilities, absorbing snatches of power from the sunlight that peeked through whips of rain lashing down from the sky. |
He'd experienced a Hyper Real reconstruction of Apex City from decades ago, when it had still been named Bangalore. The immensity of the azure sky had left him speechless, arcing dome-like overhead and reflected in thousands of mirrored-glass buildings rising into the sky. When Bell Corp had taken over the city, they'd redesigned its architecture to eliminate all its heat islands. Now Bell Corp's twenty-six towers mushroomed over the streets, a bio-mat canopy that all but obscured the clouds. John would never forget his brief glimpse of the infinity that lay beyond the city's skyscape. |
If he made it to the top twenty percent of society, he'd gain admission to far more elaborate experiences; rumour had it that the apex of the Curve could access olfactory simulations. |
Mrs Naidu cleared her throat. John returned to the present. |
She was probably seated in a set-up similar to his own. |
She looked at him indifferently. John Alvares, I want to get to know you. |
"Okay." His throat felt dry. |
"I'm going to project a series of images onto your screen. Name them." |
"Okay. His throat seized up. He wasnt expecting a test. "Ready?" |
A sequence of cards appeared on the screen. The first was open-faced and had a timer beneath it. He surmised he had ten seconds to guess who each figure on the cards was. |
He stumbled through his guesses. |
"The Vindicators, that superhero group. Um. Barthoven, I dunno, all neo-Acousta composers look the same. Um, Steel Man. Er, wait, I know this one...I really do - no, let's skip it. Um, Battle Arena champion whos a famous VR fighter? I dunno, I really don't follow the League of Champions. Star Masters, the sci-fi franchise, not sure what the bad guy's name is. Ahh. Clash of Empires, the docudrama. I think this one is a start-up queen from the 2000s...the founder of FreshGoodz? I give up. |
John was relieved that he had invested in a holographic keyboard. His palms pooled moisture where they met the fabric of his trousers, blotting against the skin on his thighs. |
He took several deep breaths and surveyed the counsellor's office. He had a 360-degree view of it from within his VirtuoPod. The walls were painted white. The occasional happy kitten frolicked within its mounted frame. Motivational quotes cycled across the walls to his left and right. |
"Persona is Prime". "Conform, don't Question". "Progress is Perfection." |
For several seconds, he wished he'd attended this session via his unidirectional flat-screen monitor. Instead, a perfect cylinder of glass cocooned him in its curvature, the Bell Corp Insignia discreetly etched onto its surface. It simulated his surroundings to a fault. |
John had invested in his set-up at home. He could transport himself to any Bell-approved location in the world and it would surround him, immersing him in high-fidelity reality. |
He'd experienced sweeping Hyper Reality views from atop the Bell Towers in Crown City, awestruck as its nano-fibre constructions reoriented themselves with clockwork precision. They crested and descended, swivelling to make the most of their solar-harvesting capabilities, absorbing snatches of power from the sunlight that peeked through whips of rain lashing down from the sky. |
He'd experienced a Hyper Real reconstruction of Apex City from decades ago, when it had still been named Bangalore. The immensity of the azure sky had left him speechless, arcing dome-like overhead and reflected in thousands of mirrored-glass buildings rising into the sky. When Bell Corp had taken over the city, they'd redesigned its architecture to eliminate all its heat islands. Now Bell Corp's twenty-six towers mushroomed over the streets, a bio-mat canopy that all but obscured the clouds. John would never forget his brief glimpse of the infinity that lay beyond the city's skyscape. |
If he made it to the top twenty percent of society, he'd gain admission to far more elaborate experiences; rumour had it that the apex of the Curve could access olfactory simulations. |
Mrs Naidu cleared her throat. John returned to the present. |
She was probably seated in a set-up similar to his own. |
She looked at him indifferently. John Alvares, I want to get to know you. |
"Okay." His throat felt dry. |
"I'm going to project a series of images onto your screen. Name them." |
"Okay. His throat seized up. He wasnt expecting a test. "Ready?" |
A sequence of cards appeared on the screen. The first was open-faced and had a timer beneath it. He surmised he had ten seconds to guess who each figure on the cards was. |
He stumbled through his guesses. |
"The Vindicators, that superhero group. Um. Barthoven, I dunno, all neo-Acousta composers look the same. Um, Steel Man. Er, wait, I know this one...I really do - no, let's skip it. Um, Battle Arena champion whos a famous VR fighter? I dunno, I really don't follow the League of Champions. Star Masters, the sci-fi franchise, not sure what the bad guy's name is. Ahh. Clash of Empires, the docudrama. I think this one is a start-up queen from the 2000s...the founder of FreshGoodz? I give up. |
The outbreak of plague in Bombay in 1896 throws up a complex narrative of class, caste, community, tradition, ignorance and prejudice. The steps that the British government took to control the epidemic such as forcible examination, isolation and quarantine, caused intense anger among the citizens, many of whom fled to their villages to get away as much from the cure as the disease. This is not the place to enter into that labyrinth of cause and effect. What concerns us here is that Shivaji Park owes its birth, at least partly if not wholly, to the plague epidemic of 1896-97. |
The problem created by the plague was not only socially complex, but medically too. There was a great resistance within the medical fraternity to accepting the new idea that bacilli were the cause of the disease. In every culture anywhere in the world, the plague had been seen as a divine retribution for mans sins. That superstition still clung to some medical men. |
Others resisted out of a sense of outrage that some whippersnappers were trying to sell them new-fangled theories. One such whippersnapper was Dr Sir Waldemar Mordecai Wolff Haffkine, whom the government had requested to help contain the epidemic. Haffkine started work in a poky corridor of the Grant Medical College in Byculla. In January 1897 he had a vaccine ready. He tested it on himself before trials were conducted on volunteers from Byculla jail. Those who were inoculated, survived the epidemic, while some members of the control group died. Haffkine arrived at the conclusion that the vaccine reduced risk by 50 per cent. |
Disbelieving his findings, some officials insisted that the problem had to do entirely with the lack of sanitary conditions in the over-populated city. The belief led to the setting up of the Bombay City Improvement Trust (BCIT) on 9 December 1898. The Trusts first task was to build avenues across the length and breadth of the city to open up its landlocked central and eastern regions to healthful sea breezes. |
The roads would incidentally solve another problem that had been troubling the British rulers greatly. They would reduce the dense growth of toddy palms and coconut trees on the island. Not only did they block the free flow of sea air, but, worse still, their nurture created an unhealthy miasma on account of the local tradition of burying dried fish at their roots as manure. This noisome practice was held to be at least partly responsible for the rampant ill-health among the British, cutting their lives down to the proverbial two monsoons. |
The BCIT's second task was to create new areas for housing on Mahim island in order to decongest the city centre. This was to be achieved by reclaiming some land from the sea and acquiring some from the Koll, Bhandari, Suryavanshi and other landowners of the island. |
The BCIT's first plans, known as Schemes 5 and 6, were designed to develop Dadar East, Matunga and Sion as residential precincts. An important feature of the schemes was building east-west roads that would release sea air to them. This entailed acquiring land from the landowners of the west. The landowners protested angrily. Why should they give up their land to benefit people living on the other side of the railway line? The land had been theirs from times immemorial and they paid taxes on it. This gave them clout. |
The outbreak of plague in Bombay in 1896 throws up a complex narrative of class, caste, community, tradition, ignorance and prejudice. The steps that the British government took to control the epidemic such as forcible examination, isolation and quarantine, caused intense anger among the citizens, many of whom fled to their villages to get away as much from the cure as the disease. This is not the place to enter into that labyrinth of cause and effect. What concerns us here is that Shivaji Park owes its birth, at least partly if not wholly, to the plague epidemic of 1896-97. |
The problem created by the plague was not only socially complex, but medically too. There was a great resistance within the medical fraternity to accepting the new idea that bacilli were the cause of the disease. In every culture anywhere in the world, the plague had been seen as a divine retribution for mans sins. That superstition still clung to some medical men. |
Others resisted out of a sense of outrage that some whippersnappers were trying to sell them new-fangled theories. One such whippersnapper was Dr Sir Waldemar Mordecai Wolff Haffkine, whom the government had requested to help contain the epidemic. Haffkine started work in a poky corridor of the Grant Medical College in Byculla. In January 1897 he had a vaccine ready. He tested it on himself before trials were conducted on volunteers from Byculla jail. Those who were inoculated, survived the epidemic, while some members of the control group died. Haffkine arrived at the conclusion that the vaccine reduced risk by 50 per cent. |
Disbelieving his findings, some officials insisted that the problem had to do entirely with the lack of sanitary conditions in the over-populated city. The belief led to the setting up of the Bombay City Improvement Trust (BCIT) on 9 December 1898. The Trusts first task was to build avenues across the length and breadth of the city to open up its landlocked central and eastern regions to healthful sea breezes. |
The roads would incidentally solve another problem that had been troubling the British rulers greatly. They would reduce the dense growth of toddy palms and coconut trees on the island. Not only did they block the free flow of sea air, but, worse still, their nurture created an unhealthy miasma on account of the local tradition of burying dried fish at their roots as manure. This noisome practice was held to be at least partly responsible for the rampant ill-health among the British, cutting their lives down to the proverbial two monsoons. |
The BCIT's second task was to create new areas for housing on Mahim island in order to decongest the city centre. This was to be achieved by reclaiming some land from the sea and acquiring some from the Koll, Bhandari, Suryavanshi and other landowners of the island. |
The BCIT's first plans, known as Schemes 5 and 6, were designed to develop Dadar East, Matunga and Sion as residential precincts. An important feature of the schemes was building east-west roads that would release sea air to them. This entailed acquiring land from the landowners of the west. The landowners protested angrily. Why should they give up their land to benefit people living on the other side of the railway line? The land had been theirs from times immemorial and they paid taxes on it. This gave them clout. |
The outbreak of plague in Bombay in 1896 throws up a complex narrative of class, caste, community, tradition, ignorance and prejudice. The steps that the British government took to control the epidemic such as forcible examination, isolation and quarantine, caused intense anger among the citizens, many of whom fled to their villages to get away as much from the cure as the disease. This is not the place to enter into that labyrinth of cause and effect. What concerns us here is that Shivaji Park owes its birth, at least partly if not wholly, to the plague epidemic of 1896-97. |
The problem created by the plague was not only socially complex, but medically too. There was a great resistance within the medical fraternity to accepting the new idea that bacilli were the cause of the disease. In every culture anywhere in the world, the plague had been seen as a divine retribution for mans sins. That superstition still clung to some medical men. |
Others resisted out of a sense of outrage that some whippersnappers were trying to sell them new-fangled theories. One such whippersnapper was Dr Sir Waldemar Mordecai Wolff Haffkine, whom the government had requested to help contain the epidemic. Haffkine started work in a poky corridor of the Grant Medical College in Byculla. In January 1897 he had a vaccine ready. He tested it on himself before trials were conducted on volunteers from Byculla jail. Those who were inoculated, survived the epidemic, while some members of the control group died. Haffkine arrived at the conclusion that the vaccine reduced risk by 50 per cent. |
Disbelieving his findings, some officials insisted that the problem had to do entirely with the lack of sanitary conditions in the over-populated city. The belief led to the setting up of the Bombay City Improvement Trust (BCIT) on 9 December 1898. The Trusts first task was to build avenues across the length and breadth of the city to open up its landlocked central and eastern regions to healthful sea breezes. |
The roads would incidentally solve another problem that had been troubling the British rulers greatly. They would reduce the dense growth of toddy palms and coconut trees on the island. Not only did they block the free flow of sea air, but, worse still, their nurture created an unhealthy miasma on account of the local tradition of burying dried fish at their roots as manure. This noisome practice was held to be at least partly responsible for the rampant ill-health among the British, cutting their lives down to the proverbial two monsoons. |
The BCIT's second task was to create new areas for housing on Mahim island in order to decongest the city centre. This was to be achieved by reclaiming some land from the sea and acquiring some from the Koll, Bhandari, Suryavanshi and other landowners of the island. |
The BCIT's first plans, known as Schemes 5 and 6, were designed to develop Dadar East, Matunga and Sion as residential precincts. An important feature of the schemes was building east-west roads that would release sea air to them. This entailed acquiring land from the landowners of the west. The landowners protested angrily. Why should they give up their land to benefit people living on the other side of the railway line? The land had been theirs from times immemorial and they paid taxes on it. This gave them clout. |
The outbreak of plague in Bombay in 1896 throws up a complex narrative of class, caste, community, tradition, ignorance and prejudice. The steps that the British government took to control the epidemic such as forcible examination, isolation and quarantine, caused intense anger among the citizens, many of whom fled to their villages to get away as much from the cure as the disease. This is not the place to enter into that labyrinth of cause and effect. What concerns us here is that Shivaji Park owes its birth, at least partly if not wholly, to the plague epidemic of 1896-97. |
The problem created by the plague was not only socially complex, but medically too. There was a great resistance within the medical fraternity to accepting the new idea that bacilli were the cause of the disease. In every culture anywhere in the world, the plague had been seen as a divine retribution for mans sins. That superstition still clung to some medical men. |
Others resisted out of a sense of outrage that some whippersnappers were trying to sell them new-fangled theories. One such whippersnapper was Dr Sir Waldemar Mordecai Wolff Haffkine, whom the government had requested to help contain the epidemic. Haffkine started work in a poky corridor of the Grant Medical College in Byculla. In January 1897 he had a vaccine ready. He tested it on himself before trials were conducted on volunteers from Byculla jail. Those who were inoculated, survived the epidemic, while some members of the control group died. Haffkine arrived at the conclusion that the vaccine reduced risk by 50 per cent. |
Disbelieving his findings, some officials insisted that the problem had to do entirely with the lack of sanitary conditions in the over-populated city. The belief led to the setting up of the Bombay City Improvement Trust (BCIT) on 9 December 1898. The Trusts first task was to build avenues across the length and breadth of the city to open up its landlocked central and eastern regions to healthful sea breezes. |
The roads would incidentally solve another problem that had been troubling the British rulers greatly. They would reduce the dense growth of toddy palms and coconut trees on the island. Not only did they block the free flow of sea air, but, worse still, their nurture created an unhealthy miasma on account of the local tradition of burying dried fish at their roots as manure. This noisome practice was held to be at least partly responsible for the rampant ill-health among the British, cutting their lives down to the proverbial two monsoons. |
The BCIT's second task was to create new areas for housing on Mahim island in order to decongest the city centre. This was to be achieved by reclaiming some land from the sea and acquiring some from the Koll, Bhandari, Suryavanshi and other landowners of the island. |
The BCIT's first plans, known as Schemes 5 and 6, were designed to develop Dadar East, Matunga and Sion as residential precincts. An important feature of the schemes was building east-west roads that would release sea air to them. This entailed acquiring land from the landowners of the west. The landowners protested angrily. Why should they give up their land to benefit people living on the other side of the railway line? The land had been theirs from times immemorial and they paid taxes on it. This gave them clout. |
The outbreak of plague in Bombay in 1896 throws up a complex narrative of class, caste, community, tradition, ignorance and prejudice. The steps that the British government took to control the epidemic such as forcible examination, isolation and quarantine, caused intense anger among the citizens, many of whom fled to their villages to get away as much from the cure as the disease. This is not the place to enter into that labyrinth of cause and effect. What concerns us here is that Shivaji Park owes its birth, at least partly if not wholly, to the plague epidemic of 1896-97. |
The problem created by the plague was not only socially complex, but medically too. There was a great resistance within the medical fraternity to accepting the new idea that bacilli were the cause of the disease. In every culture anywhere in the world, the plague had been seen as a divine retribution for mans sins. That superstition still clung to some medical men. |
Others resisted out of a sense of outrage that some whippersnappers were trying to sell them new-fangled theories. One such whippersnapper was Dr Sir Waldemar Mordecai Wolff Haffkine, whom the government had requested to help contain the epidemic. Haffkine started work in a poky corridor of the Grant Medical College in Byculla. In January 1897 he had a vaccine ready. He tested it on himself before trials were conducted on volunteers from Byculla jail. Those who were inoculated, survived the epidemic, while some members of the control group died. Haffkine arrived at the conclusion that the vaccine reduced risk by 50 per cent. |
Disbelieving his findings, some officials insisted that the problem had to do entirely with the lack of sanitary conditions in the over-populated city. The belief led to the setting up of the Bombay City Improvement Trust (BCIT) on 9 December 1898. The Trusts first task was to build avenues across the length and breadth of the city to open up its landlocked central and eastern regions to healthful sea breezes. |
The roads would incidentally solve another problem that had been troubling the British rulers greatly. They would reduce the dense growth of toddy palms and coconut trees on the island. Not only did they block the free flow of sea air, but, worse still, their nurture created an unhealthy miasma on account of the local tradition of burying dried fish at their roots as manure. This noisome practice was held to be at least partly responsible for the rampant ill-health among the British, cutting their lives down to the proverbial two monsoons. |
The BCIT's second task was to create new areas for housing on Mahim island in order to decongest the city centre. This was to be achieved by reclaiming some land from the sea and acquiring some from the Koll, Bhandari, Suryavanshi and other landowners of the island. |
The BCIT's first plans, known as Schemes 5 and 6, were designed to develop Dadar East, Matunga and Sion as residential precincts. An important feature of the schemes was building east-west roads that would release sea air to them. This entailed acquiring land from the landowners of the west. The landowners protested angrily. Why should they give up their land to benefit people living on the other side of the railway line? The land had been theirs from times immemorial and they paid taxes on it. This gave them clout. |
For the first few years after the bombing it worried Rami that he was repeating himself. He sometimes had to tell Smadar's story two or three times a day. Once in the morning at a school. Once in the afternoon at the Parents Circle offices. Then again at night in a synagogue or a community hall or a mosque. To pastors. A'immah. Rabbis. Reporters. Cameramen. Schoolkids. Senators. Visitors from Sweden, Mexico Azerbaijan. The bereaved from Venezuela, Mali, China, Indonesia, Rwanda, who had come to visit the holy places. |
On occasion - early on, before he allowed himself to be comfortable in the repetition - he found himself pausing in mid-sentence, wondering if he had just said the same thing twice in the span of minutes, not just a general repetition, but the exact same words in a row, with the same intonation, the same facial expressions, as if somehow he had reduced the story to the mechanical, the rhythm of the everyday. It bothered him to think that the listeners might look at him as a broken- down reel, trapped by the sameness of his grief. |
Afterwards he would realise he had left out whole chunks of what he truly wanted to say. |
It flushed him with fear that he might appear fraudulent, theatrical, rehearsed. As if his story was a brand, a commercial, bound to repetition. He could feel the heat rise in his face. His palms grew sweaty. On the second or third telling in a day, he found himself pinching the skin on his forearms to jolt himself awake, to make sure he wasn't retreading old territory. My name is Rami Elhanan. I am the father of Smadar. I am a seventh-generation Jerusalemite. |
He wondered how actors did it. To say the same thing meaning- fully, performance after performance. What sort of discipline did it take? Once a day. Twice on matinee days. How could they, in that end-less repetition, continue to make it real? How could they keep it alive? |
But the more he went on - the more the story took on a singular shape - the more he began to realise that it did not matter. There was, he knew, always an end to the run of an actor, but he had no such end. No final curtain call. No ovation. No grand finale for him. No walk out the stage door, overcoat on, collar turned up. No streetlit alleyway. No rain falling on the grey cobbled street. No morning review. No fawning adulation. |
For the first few years after the bombing it worried Rami that he was repeating himself. He sometimes had to tell Smadar's story two or three times a day. Once in the morning at a school. Once in the afternoon at the Parents Circle offices. Then again at night in a synagogue or a community hall or a mosque. To pastors. A'immah. Rabbis. Reporters. Cameramen. Schoolkids. Senators. Visitors from Sweden, Mexico Azerbaijan. The bereaved from Venezuela, Mali, China, Indonesia, Rwanda, who had come to visit the holy places. |
On occasion - early on, before he allowed himself to be comfortable in the repetition - he found himself pausing in mid-sentence, wondering if he had just said the same thing twice in the span of minutes, not just a general repetition, but the exact same words in a row, with the same intonation, the same facial expressions, as if somehow he had reduced the story to the mechanical, the rhythm of the everyday. It bothered him to think that the listeners might look at him as a broken- down reel, trapped by the sameness of his grief. |
Afterwards he would realise he had left out whole chunks of what he truly wanted to say. |
It flushed him with fear that he might appear fraudulent, theatrical, rehearsed. As if his story was a brand, a commercial, bound to repetition. He could feel the heat rise in his face. His palms grew sweaty. On the second or third telling in a day, he found himself pinching the skin on his forearms to jolt himself awake, to make sure he wasn't retreading old territory. My name is Rami Elhanan. I am the father of Smadar. I am a seventh-generation Jerusalemite. |
He wondered how actors did it. To say the same thing meaning- fully, performance after performance. What sort of discipline did it take? Once a day. Twice on matinee days. How could they, in that end-less repetition, continue to make it real? How could they keep it alive? |
But the more he went on - the more the story took on a singular shape - the more he began to realise that it did not matter. There was, he knew, always an end to the run of an actor, but he had no such end. No final curtain call. No ovation. No grand finale for him. No walk out the stage door, overcoat on, collar turned up. No streetlit alleyway. No rain falling on the grey cobbled street. No morning review. No fawning adulation. |
For the first few years after the bombing it worried Rami that he was repeating himself. He sometimes had to tell Smadar's story two or three times a day. Once in the morning at a school. Once in the afternoon at the Parents Circle offices. Then again at night in a synagogue or a community hall or a mosque. To pastors. A'immah. Rabbis. Reporters. Cameramen. Schoolkids. Senators. Visitors from Sweden, Mexico Azerbaijan. The bereaved from Venezuela, Mali, China, Indonesia, Rwanda, who had come to visit the holy places. |
On occasion - early on, before he allowed himself to be comfortable in the repetition - he found himself pausing in mid-sentence, wondering if he had just said the same thing twice in the span of minutes, not just a general repetition, but the exact same words in a row, with the same intonation, the same facial expressions, as if somehow he had reduced the story to the mechanical, the rhythm of the everyday. It bothered him to think that the listeners might look at him as a broken- down reel, trapped by the sameness of his grief. |
Afterwards he would realise he had left out whole chunks of what he truly wanted to say. |
It flushed him with fear that he might appear fraudulent, theatrical, rehearsed. As if his story was a brand, a commercial, bound to repetition. He could feel the heat rise in his face. His palms grew sweaty. On the second or third telling in a day, he found himself pinching the skin on his forearms to jolt himself awake, to make sure he wasn't retreading old territory. My name is Rami Elhanan. I am the father of Smadar. I am a seventh-generation Jerusalemite. |
He wondered how actors did it. To say the same thing meaning- fully, performance after performance. What sort of discipline did it take? Once a day. Twice on matinee days. How could they, in that end-less repetition, continue to make it real? How could they keep it alive? |
But the more he went on - the more the story took on a singular shape - the more he began to realise that it did not matter. There was, he knew, always an end to the run of an actor, but he had no such end. No final curtain call. No ovation. No grand finale for him. No walk out the stage door, overcoat on, collar turned up. No streetlit alleyway. No rain falling on the grey cobbled street. No morning review. No fawning adulation. |
For the first few years after the bombing it worried Rami that he was repeating himself. He sometimes had to tell Smadar's story two or three times a day. Once in the morning at a school. Once in the afternoon at the Parents Circle offices. Then again at night in a synagogue or a community hall or a mosque. To pastors. A'immah. Rabbis. Reporters. Cameramen. Schoolkids. Senators. Visitors from Sweden, Mexico Azerbaijan. The bereaved from Venezuela, Mali, China, Indonesia, Rwanda, who had come to visit the holy places. |
On occasion - early on, before he allowed himself to be comfortable in the repetition - he found himself pausing in mid-sentence, wondering if he had just said the same thing twice in the span of minutes, not just a general repetition, but the exact same words in a row, with the same intonation, the same facial expressions, as if somehow he had reduced the story to the mechanical, the rhythm of the everyday. It bothered him to think that the listeners might look at him as a broken- down reel, trapped by the sameness of his grief. |
Afterwards he would realise he had left out whole chunks of what he truly wanted to say. |
It flushed him with fear that he might appear fraudulent, theatrical, rehearsed. As if his story was a brand, a commercial, bound to repetition. He could feel the heat rise in his face. His palms grew sweaty. On the second or third telling in a day, he found himself pinching the skin on his forearms to jolt himself awake, to make sure he wasn't retreading old territory. My name is Rami Elhanan. I am the father of Smadar. I am a seventh-generation Jerusalemite. |
He wondered how actors did it. To say the same thing meaning- fully, performance after performance. What sort of discipline did it take? Once a day. Twice on matinee days. How could they, in that end-less repetition, continue to make it real? How could they keep it alive? |
But the more he went on - the more the story took on a singular shape - the more he began to realise that it did not matter. There was, he knew, always an end to the run of an actor, but he had no such end. No final curtain call. No ovation. No grand finale for him. No walk out the stage door, overcoat on, collar turned up. No streetlit alleyway. No rain falling on the grey cobbled street. No morning review. No fawning adulation. |
For the first few years after the bombing it worried Rami that he was repeating himself. He sometimes had to tell Smadar's story two or three times a day. Once in the morning at a school. Once in the afternoon at the Parents Circle offices. Then again at night in a synagogue or a community hall or a mosque. To pastors. A'immah. Rabbis. Reporters. Cameramen. Schoolkids. Senators. Visitors from Sweden, Mexico Azerbaijan. The bereaved from Venezuela, Mali, China, Indonesia, Rwanda, who had come to visit the holy places. |
On occasion - early on, before he allowed himself to be comfortable in the repetition - he found himself pausing in mid-sentence, wondering if he had just said the same thing twice in the span of minutes, not just a general repetition, but the exact same words in a row, with the same intonation, the same facial expressions, as if somehow he had reduced the story to the mechanical, the rhythm of the everyday. It bothered him to think that the listeners might look at him as a broken- down reel, trapped by the sameness of his grief. |
Afterwards he would realise he had left out whole chunks of what he truly wanted to say. |
It flushed him with fear that he might appear fraudulent, theatrical, rehearsed. As if his story was a brand, a commercial, bound to repetition. He could feel the heat rise in his face. His palms grew sweaty. On the second or third telling in a day, he found himself pinching the skin on his forearms to jolt himself awake, to make sure he wasn't retreading old territory. My name is Rami Elhanan. I am the father of Smadar. I am a seventh-generation Jerusalemite. |
He wondered how actors did it. To say the same thing meaning- fully, performance after performance. What sort of discipline did it take? Once a day. Twice on matinee days. How could they, in that end-less repetition, continue to make it real? How could they keep it alive? |
But the more he went on - the more the story took on a singular shape - the more he began to realise that it did not matter. There was, he knew, always an end to the run of an actor, but he had no such end. No final curtain call. No ovation. No grand finale for him. No walk out the stage door, overcoat on, collar turned up. No streetlit alleyway. No rain falling on the grey cobbled street. No morning review. No fawning adulation. |
It was the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. Spiritual revelations were conceded to England at that favoured period, as at this. Mrs. Southcott had recently attained her five-and-twentieth blessed birthday, of whom a prophetic private in the Life Guards had heralded the sublime appearance by announcing that arrangements were made for the swallowing up of London and Westminster. Even the Cock-lane ghost had been laid only a round dozen of years, after rapping out its messages, as the spirits of this very year last past (supernaturally deficient in originality) rapped out theirs. Mere messages in the earthly order of events had lately come to the English Crown and People, from a congress of British subjects in America: which, strange to relate, have proved more important to the human race than any communications yet received through any of the chickens of the Cock-lane brood. |
France, less favoured on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill, making paper money and spending it. Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honour to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history. It is likely enough that in the rough outhouses of some tillers of the heavy lands adjacent to Paris, there were sheltered from the weather that very day, rude carts, bespattered with rustic mire, snuffed about by pigs, and roosted in by poultry, which the Farmer, Death, had already set apart to be his tumbrils of the Revolution. But that Woodman and that Farmer, though they work unceasingly, work silently, and no one heard them as they went about with muffled tread: the rather, forasmuch as to entertain any suspicion that they were awake, was to be atheistical and traitorous. |
In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting. Daring burglaries by armed men, and highway robberies, took place in the capital itself every night; families were publicly cautioned not to go out of town without removing their furniture to upholsterers' warehouses for security; the highwayman in the dark was a City tradesman in the light, and, being recognised and challenged by his fellow-tradesman whom he stopped in his character of "the Captain", gallantly shot him through the head and rode away; the mall was waylaid by seven robbers, and the guard shot three dead, and then got shot dead himself by the other four, "in consequence of the failure of his ammunition:" |
It was the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. Spiritual revelations were conceded to England at that favoured period, as at this. Mrs. Southcott had recently attained her five-and-twentieth blessed birthday, of whom a prophetic private in the Life Guards had heralded the sublime appearance by announcing that arrangements were made for the swallowing up of London and Westminster. Even the Cock-lane ghost had been laid only a round dozen of years, after rapping out its messages, as the spirits of this very year last past (supernaturally deficient in originality) rapped out theirs. Mere messages in the earthly order of events had lately come to the English Crown and People, from a congress of British subjects in America: which, strange to relate, have proved more important to the human race than any communications yet received through any of the chickens of the Cock-lane brood. |
France, less favoured on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill, making paper money and spending it. Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honour to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history. It is likely enough that in the rough outhouses of some tillers of the heavy lands adjacent to Paris, there were sheltered from the weather that very day, rude carts, bespattered with rustic mire, snuffed about by pigs, and roosted in by poultry, which the Farmer, Death, had already set apart to be his tumbrils of the Revolution. But that Woodman and that Farmer, though they work unceasingly, work silently, and no one heard them as they went about with muffled tread: the rather, forasmuch as to entertain any suspicion that they were awake, was to be atheistical and traitorous. |
In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting. Daring burglaries by armed men, and highway robberies, took place in the capital itself every night; families were publicly cautioned not to go out of town without removing their furniture to upholsterers' warehouses for security; the highwayman in the dark was a City tradesman in the light, and, being recognised and challenged by his fellow-tradesman whom he stopped in his character of "the Captain", gallantly shot him through the head and rode away; the mall was waylaid by seven robbers, and the guard shot three dead, and then got shot dead himself by the other four, "in consequence of the failure of his ammunition:" |
It was the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. Spiritual revelations were conceded to England at that favoured period, as at this. Mrs. Southcott had recently attained her five-and-twentieth blessed birthday, of whom a prophetic private in the Life Guards had heralded the sublime appearance by announcing that arrangements were made for the swallowing up of London and Westminster. Even the Cock-lane ghost had been laid only a round dozen of years, after rapping out its messages, as the spirits of this very year last past (supernaturally deficient in originality) rapped out theirs. Mere messages in the earthly order of events had lately come to the English Crown and People, from a congress of British subjects in America: which, strange to relate, have proved more important to the human race than any communications yet received through any of the chickens of the Cock-lane brood. |
France, less favoured on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill, making paper money and spending it. Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honour to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history. It is likely enough that in the rough outhouses of some tillers of the heavy lands adjacent to Paris, there were sheltered from the weather that very day, rude carts, bespattered with rustic mire, snuffed about by pigs, and roosted in by poultry, which the Farmer, Death, had already set apart to be his tumbrils of the Revolution. But that Woodman and that Farmer, though they work unceasingly, work silently, and no one heard them as they went about with muffled tread: the rather, forasmuch as to entertain any suspicion that they were awake, was to be atheistical and traitorous. |
In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting. Daring burglaries by armed men, and highway robberies, took place in the capital itself every night; families were publicly cautioned not to go out of town without removing their furniture to upholsterers' warehouses for security; the highwayman in the dark was a City tradesman in the light, and, being recognised and challenged by his fellow-tradesman whom he stopped in his character of "the Captain", gallantly shot him through the head and rode away; the mall was waylaid by seven robbers, and the guard shot three dead, and then got shot dead himself by the other four, "in consequence of the failure of his ammunition:" |
It was the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. Spiritual revelations were conceded to England at that favoured period, as at this. Mrs. Southcott had recently attained her five-and-twentieth blessed birthday, of whom a prophetic private in the Life Guards had heralded the sublime appearance by announcing that arrangements were made for the swallowing up of London and Westminster. Even the Cock-lane ghost had been laid only a round dozen of years, after rapping out its messages, as the spirits of this very year last past (supernaturally deficient in originality) rapped out theirs. Mere messages in the earthly order of events had lately come to the English Crown and People, from a congress of British subjects in America: which, strange to relate, have proved more important to the human race than any communications yet received through any of the chickens of the Cock-lane brood. |
France, less favoured on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill, making paper money and spending it. Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honour to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history. It is likely enough that in the rough outhouses of some tillers of the heavy lands adjacent to Paris, there were sheltered from the weather that very day, rude carts, bespattered with rustic mire, snuffed about by pigs, and roosted in by poultry, which the Farmer, Death, had already set apart to be his tumbrils of the Revolution. But that Woodman and that Farmer, though they work unceasingly, work silently, and no one heard them as they went about with muffled tread: the rather, forasmuch as to entertain any suspicion that they were awake, was to be atheistical and traitorous. |
In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting. Daring burglaries by armed men, and highway robberies, took place in the capital itself every night; families were publicly cautioned not to go out of town without removing their furniture to upholsterers' warehouses for security; the highwayman in the dark was a City tradesman in the light, and, being recognised and challenged by his fellow-tradesman whom he stopped in his character of "the Captain", gallantly shot him through the head and rode away; the mall was waylaid by seven robbers, and the guard shot three dead, and then got shot dead himself by the other four, "in consequence of the failure of his ammunition:" |
It was the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. Spiritual revelations were conceded to England at that favoured period, as at this. Mrs. Southcott had recently attained her five-and-twentieth blessed birthday, of whom a prophetic private in the Life Guards had heralded the sublime appearance by announcing that arrangements were made for the swallowing up of London and Westminster. Even the Cock-lane ghost had been laid only a round dozen of years, after rapping out its messages, as the spirits of this very year last past (supernaturally deficient in originality) rapped out theirs. Mere messages in the earthly order of events had lately come to the English Crown and People, from a congress of British subjects in America: which, strange to relate, have proved more important to the human race than any communications yet received through any of the chickens of the Cock-lane brood. |
France, less favoured on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister of the shield and trident, rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill, making paper money and spending it. Under the guidance of her Christian pastors, she entertained herself, besides, with such humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pincers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honour to a dirty procession of monks which passed within his view, at a distance of some fifty or sixty yards. It is likely enough that, rooted in the woods of France and Norway, there were growing trees, when that sufferer was put to death, already marked by the Woodman, Fate, to come down and be sawn into boards, to make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it, terrible in history. It is likely enough that in the rough outhouses of some tillers of the heavy lands adjacent to Paris, there were sheltered from the weather that very day, rude carts, bespattered with rustic mire, snuffed about by pigs, and roosted in by poultry, which the Farmer, Death, had already set apart to be his tumbrils of the Revolution. But that Woodman and that Farmer, though they work unceasingly, work silently, and no one heard them as they went about with muffled tread: the rather, forasmuch as to entertain any suspicion that they were awake, was to be atheistical and traitorous. |
In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting. Daring burglaries by armed men, and highway robberies, took place in the capital itself every night; families were publicly cautioned not to go out of town without removing their furniture to upholsterers' warehouses for security; the highwayman in the dark was a City tradesman in the light, and, being recognised and challenged by his fellow-tradesman whom he stopped in his character of "the Captain", gallantly shot him through the head and rode away; the mall was waylaid by seven robbers, and the guard shot three dead, and then got shot dead himself by the other four, "in consequence of the failure of his ammunition:" |
There can be no doubt that former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogol could be a distinguished presence in the Rajya Sabha. His experience and wisdom, and the stature that comes with having led the institution of the higher judiciary, would embellish its proceedings. Yet, it is equally true, if not more, that the institution that Justice Gogoi served and led now comes under a deeper shadow. And that no amount of whataboutery is going to take away from this reality. Yes, Justice Gogoi is not the first judge to have accepted what looks suspiciously like a post-retirement benefit from government, and not even the first Chief Justice of India to do so. Justice Ranganath Misra retired as CJI in 1991, and was made NHRC chairman and some years later, Rajya Sabha MP on a Congress ticket. As far back as in 1958, the chief justice of Bombay High Court, MC Chagia, was appointed as Indias ambassador to the US and then High Commissioner to the UK in the Nehru regime. In its first term in power, the Modi government appointed another former CJI, Justice P Sathasivam, as Kerala governor. There are other examples, too. Yet, when Justice (retired) Madan B Lokur asks if the "last bastion" has "fallen" today, his words have a special resonance. Because the several wrongs of the past do not make this right. In his first comments. Justice Gogoi has said that the legislature and judiciary must "at some point of time work together for nation-building". That's a deeply problematic formulation coming from someone who should know better. Because in its timing Justice Gogoi retired a mere four months ago and in its setting the independence of the judiciary has seemed especially precarious in his own tenure as CJI, and in times of a political executive that weaponises its large mandate the fact that the government offered and Justice Gogoi accepted, is a fell blow and a taint. |
Justice Gogoi was one of the four senior-most judges who held the historic press conference in January 2018 questioning then CJI Dipak Misra and his running of the top court. He has been articulate and eloquent about the imperative to protect and strengthen the integrity of the judicial institution, at the heart of which lies its independence. Delivering the third Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture in July 2018, he spoke of the precious freedom to speak truth to power, and the need for the judiciary to remain "uncontaminated", "independent" and "fierce" to "preserve its moral and institutional leverage". He spoke of the necessity of "independent journalists and sometimes noisy Judges". He quoted Alexander Hamilton: "civil liberties will have everything to fear from the union of the judiciary with either of the other two branches" of executive and legislature. |
There can be no doubt that former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogol could be a distinguished presence in the Rajya Sabha. His experience and wisdom, and the stature that comes with having led the institution of the higher judiciary, would embellish its proceedings. Yet, it is equally true, if not more, that the institution that Justice Gogoi served and led now comes under a deeper shadow. And that no amount of whataboutery is going to take away from this reality. Yes, Justice Gogoi is not the first judge to have accepted what looks suspiciously like a post-retirement benefit from government, and not even the first Chief Justice of India to do so. Justice Ranganath Misra retired as CJI in 1991, and was made NHRC chairman and some years later, Rajya Sabha MP on a Congress ticket. As far back as in 1958, the chief justice of Bombay High Court, MC Chagia, was appointed as Indias ambassador to the US and then High Commissioner to the UK in the Nehru regime. In its first term in power, the Modi government appointed another former CJI, Justice P Sathasivam, as Kerala governor. There are other examples, too. Yet, when Justice (retired) Madan B Lokur asks if the "last bastion" has "fallen" today, his words have a special resonance. Because the several wrongs of the past do not make this right. In his first comments. Justice Gogoi has said that the legislature and judiciary must "at some point of time work together for nation-building". That's a deeply problematic formulation coming from someone who should know better. Because in its timing Justice Gogoi retired a mere four months ago and in its setting the independence of the judiciary has seemed especially precarious in his own tenure as CJI, and in times of a political executive that weaponises its large mandate the fact that the government offered and Justice Gogoi accepted, is a fell blow and a taint. |
Justice Gogoi was one of the four senior-most judges who held the historic press conference in January 2018 questioning then CJI Dipak Misra and his running of the top court. He has been articulate and eloquent about the imperative to protect and strengthen the integrity of the judicial institution, at the heart of which lies its independence. Delivering the third Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture in July 2018, he spoke of the precious freedom to speak truth to power, and the need for the judiciary to remain "uncontaminated", "independent" and "fierce" to "preserve its moral and institutional leverage". He spoke of the necessity of "independent journalists and sometimes noisy Judges". He quoted Alexander Hamilton: "civil liberties will have everything to fear from the union of the judiciary with either of the other two branches" of executive and legislature. |
There can be no doubt that former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogol could be a distinguished presence in the Rajya Sabha. His experience and wisdom, and the stature that comes with having led the institution of the higher judiciary, would embellish its proceedings. Yet, it is equally true, if not more, that the institution that Justice Gogoi served and led now comes under a deeper shadow. And that no amount of whataboutery is going to take away from this reality. Yes, Justice Gogoi is not the first judge to have accepted what looks suspiciously like a post-retirement benefit from government, and not even the first Chief Justice of India to do so. Justice Ranganath Misra retired as CJI in 1991, and was made NHRC chairman and some years later, Rajya Sabha MP on a Congress ticket. As far back as in 1958, the chief justice of Bombay High Court, MC Chagia, was appointed as Indias ambassador to the US and then High Commissioner to the UK in the Nehru regime. In its first term in power, the Modi government appointed another former CJI, Justice P Sathasivam, as Kerala governor. There are other examples, too. Yet, when Justice (retired) Madan B Lokur asks if the "last bastion" has "fallen" today, his words have a special resonance. Because the several wrongs of the past do not make this right. In his first comments. Justice Gogoi has said that the legislature and judiciary must "at some point of time work together for nation-building". That's a deeply problematic formulation coming from someone who should know better. Because in its timing Justice Gogoi retired a mere four months ago and in its setting the independence of the judiciary has seemed especially precarious in his own tenure as CJI, and in times of a political executive that weaponises its large mandate the fact that the government offered and Justice Gogoi accepted, is a fell blow and a taint. |
Justice Gogoi was one of the four senior-most judges who held the historic press conference in January 2018 questioning then CJI Dipak Misra and his running of the top court. He has been articulate and eloquent about the imperative to protect and strengthen the integrity of the judicial institution, at the heart of which lies its independence. Delivering the third Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture in July 2018, he spoke of the precious freedom to speak truth to power, and the need for the judiciary to remain "uncontaminated", "independent" and "fierce" to "preserve its moral and institutional leverage". He spoke of the necessity of "independent journalists and sometimes noisy Judges". He quoted Alexander Hamilton: "civil liberties will have everything to fear from the union of the judiciary with either of the other two branches" of executive and legislature. |
There can be no doubt that former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogol could be a distinguished presence in the Rajya Sabha. His experience and wisdom, and the stature that comes with having led the institution of the higher judiciary, would embellish its proceedings. Yet, it is equally true, if not more, that the institution that Justice Gogoi served and led now comes under a deeper shadow. And that no amount of whataboutery is going to take away from this reality. Yes, Justice Gogoi is not the first judge to have accepted what looks suspiciously like a post-retirement benefit from government, and not even the first Chief Justice of India to do so. Justice Ranganath Misra retired as CJI in 1991, and was made NHRC chairman and some years later, Rajya Sabha MP on a Congress ticket. As far back as in 1958, the chief justice of Bombay High Court, MC Chagia, was appointed as Indias ambassador to the US and then High Commissioner to the UK in the Nehru regime. In its first term in power, the Modi government appointed another former CJI, Justice P Sathasivam, as Kerala governor. There are other examples, too. Yet, when Justice (retired) Madan B Lokur asks if the "last bastion" has "fallen" today, his words have a special resonance. Because the several wrongs of the past do not make this right. In his first comments. Justice Gogoi has said that the legislature and judiciary must "at some point of time work together for nation-building". That's a deeply problematic formulation coming from someone who should know better. Because in its timing Justice Gogoi retired a mere four months ago and in its setting the independence of the judiciary has seemed especially precarious in his own tenure as CJI, and in times of a political executive that weaponises its large mandate the fact that the government offered and Justice Gogoi accepted, is a fell blow and a taint. |
Justice Gogoi was one of the four senior-most judges who held the historic press conference in January 2018 questioning then CJI Dipak Misra and his running of the top court. He has been articulate and eloquent about the imperative to protect and strengthen the integrity of the judicial institution, at the heart of which lies its independence. Delivering the third Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture in July 2018, he spoke of the precious freedom to speak truth to power, and the need for the judiciary to remain "uncontaminated", "independent" and "fierce" to "preserve its moral and institutional leverage". He spoke of the necessity of "independent journalists and sometimes noisy Judges". He quoted Alexander Hamilton: "civil liberties will have everything to fear from the union of the judiciary with either of the other two branches" of executive and legislature. |
There can be no doubt that former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogol could be a distinguished presence in the Rajya Sabha. His experience and wisdom, and the stature that comes with having led the institution of the higher judiciary, would embellish its proceedings. Yet, it is equally true, if not more, that the institution that Justice Gogoi served and led now comes under a deeper shadow. And that no amount of whataboutery is going to take away from this reality. Yes, Justice Gogoi is not the first judge to have accepted what looks suspiciously like a post-retirement benefit from government, and not even the first Chief Justice of India to do so. Justice Ranganath Misra retired as CJI in 1991, and was made NHRC chairman and some years later, Rajya Sabha MP on a Congress ticket. As far back as in 1958, the chief justice of Bombay High Court, MC Chagia, was appointed as Indias ambassador to the US and then High Commissioner to the UK in the Nehru regime. In its first term in power, the Modi government appointed another former CJI, Justice P Sathasivam, as Kerala governor. There are other examples, too. Yet, when Justice (retired) Madan B Lokur asks if the "last bastion" has "fallen" today, his words have a special resonance. Because the several wrongs of the past do not make this right. In his first comments. Justice Gogoi has said that the legislature and judiciary must "at some point of time work together for nation-building". That's a deeply problematic formulation coming from someone who should know better. Because in its timing Justice Gogoi retired a mere four months ago and in its setting the independence of the judiciary has seemed especially precarious in his own tenure as CJI, and in times of a political executive that weaponises its large mandate the fact that the government offered and Justice Gogoi accepted, is a fell blow and a taint. |
Justice Gogoi was one of the four senior-most judges who held the historic press conference in January 2018 questioning then CJI Dipak Misra and his running of the top court. He has been articulate and eloquent about the imperative to protect and strengthen the integrity of the judicial institution, at the heart of which lies its independence. Delivering the third Ramnath Goenka Memorial Lecture in July 2018, he spoke of the precious freedom to speak truth to power, and the need for the judiciary to remain "uncontaminated", "independent" and "fierce" to "preserve its moral and institutional leverage". He spoke of the necessity of "independent journalists and sometimes noisy Judges". He quoted Alexander Hamilton: "civil liberties will have everything to fear from the union of the judiciary with either of the other two branches" of executive and legislature. |
The coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces, like plastic and steel, new research suggests. Experts say the risk of consumers getting infected from touching those materials is still low, although they offered additional warnings about how long the virus survives in air, which may have important implications for medical workers. |
The new study, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that the virus disintegrates over the course of a day on cardboard, lessening the worry among consumers that deliveries will spread the virus during this period of staying and working from home. |
When the virus becomes suspended in droplets smaller than 5 micrometers known as aerosols it can stay suspended for about a half-hour, researchers said, before drifting down and settling on surfaces where it can linger for hours. The finding on aerosol in particular is inconsistent with the World Health Organizations position that the virus is not transported by air. |
The virus lives longest on plastic and steel, surviving for up to 72 hours. But the amount of viable virus decreases sharply over this time. It does poorly on copper, surviving four hours. On cardboard, it survives up to 24 hours, which suggests packages that arrive in the mail should have only low levels of the virus unless the delivery person has coughed or sneezed on it or has handled it with contaminated hands. |
That's true in general. Unless the people who handle any of these materials are sick, the actual risk of getting infected from any of these materials is low, experts said. |
"Everything at the grocery store and restaurant takeout containers and bags could in theory have infectious virus on them", said Dr. Linsey Marr, who was not a member of the research team but is an expert in the transmission of viruses by aerosol at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. "We could go crazy discussing these 'what-ifs' because everyone is a potential source, so we have to focus on the biggest risks." |
If people are concerned about the risk, they could wipe down packages with disinfectant wipes and wash their hands, she said. |
It is unclear why cardboard should be a less hospitable environment for the virus than plastic or steel, but it may be explained by the absorbency or fibrous quality of the packaging compared with the other surfaces. |
That the virus can survive and stay infectious in aerosols is also important for health care workers. |
For weeks experts have maintained that the virus is not airborne. But in fact, it can travel through the air and stay suspended for about a half-hour. |
The virus does not linger in the air at high enough levels to be a risk to most people who are not physically near an infected person. But the procedures health care workers use to care for infected patients are likely to generate aerosols. |
"Once you get a patient in with severe pneumonia, the patients need to be intubated", said Dr. Vincent Munster, a virologist at the National. Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who led the study. "All these handlings might generate aerosols and droplets." |
The coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces, like plastic and steel, new research suggests. Experts say the risk of consumers getting infected from touching those materials is still low, although they offered additional warnings about how long the virus survives in air, which may have important implications for medical workers. |
The new study, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that the virus disintegrates over the course of a day on cardboard, lessening the worry among consumers that deliveries will spread the virus during this period of staying and working from home. |
When the virus becomes suspended in droplets smaller than 5 micrometers known as aerosols it can stay suspended for about a half-hour, researchers said, before drifting down and settling on surfaces where it can linger for hours. The finding on aerosol in particular is inconsistent with the World Health Organizations position that the virus is not transported by air. |
The virus lives longest on plastic and steel, surviving for up to 72 hours. But the amount of viable virus decreases sharply over this time. It does poorly on copper, surviving four hours. On cardboard, it survives up to 24 hours, which suggests packages that arrive in the mail should have only low levels of the virus unless the delivery person has coughed or sneezed on it or has handled it with contaminated hands. |
That's true in general. Unless the people who handle any of these materials are sick, the actual risk of getting infected from any of these materials is low, experts said. |
"Everything at the grocery store and restaurant takeout containers and bags could in theory have infectious virus on them", said Dr. Linsey Marr, who was not a member of the research team but is an expert in the transmission of viruses by aerosol at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. "We could go crazy discussing these 'what-ifs' because everyone is a potential source, so we have to focus on the biggest risks." |
If people are concerned about the risk, they could wipe down packages with disinfectant wipes and wash their hands, she said. |
It is unclear why cardboard should be a less hospitable environment for the virus than plastic or steel, but it may be explained by the absorbency or fibrous quality of the packaging compared with the other surfaces. |
That the virus can survive and stay infectious in aerosols is also important for health care workers. |
For weeks experts have maintained that the virus is not airborne. But in fact, it can travel through the air and stay suspended for about a half-hour. |
The virus does not linger in the air at high enough levels to be a risk to most people who are not physically near an infected person. But the procedures health care workers use to care for infected patients are likely to generate aerosols. |
"Once you get a patient in with severe pneumonia, the patients need to be intubated", said Dr. Vincent Munster, a virologist at the National. Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who led the study. "All these handlings might generate aerosols and droplets." |
The coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces, like plastic and steel, new research suggests. Experts say the risk of consumers getting infected from touching those materials is still low, although they offered additional warnings about how long the virus survives in air, which may have important implications for medical workers. |
The new study, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that the virus disintegrates over the course of a day on cardboard, lessening the worry among consumers that deliveries will spread the virus during this period of staying and working from home. |
When the virus becomes suspended in droplets smaller than 5 micrometers known as aerosols it can stay suspended for about a half-hour, researchers said, before drifting down and settling on surfaces where it can linger for hours. The finding on aerosol in particular is inconsistent with the World Health Organizations position that the virus is not transported by air. |
The virus lives longest on plastic and steel, surviving for up to 72 hours. But the amount of viable virus decreases sharply over this time. It does poorly on copper, surviving four hours. On cardboard, it survives up to 24 hours, which suggests packages that arrive in the mail should have only low levels of the virus unless the delivery person has coughed or sneezed on it or has handled it with contaminated hands. |
That's true in general. Unless the people who handle any of these materials are sick, the actual risk of getting infected from any of these materials is low, experts said. |
"Everything at the grocery store and restaurant takeout containers and bags could in theory have infectious virus on them", said Dr. Linsey Marr, who was not a member of the research team but is an expert in the transmission of viruses by aerosol at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. "We could go crazy discussing these 'what-ifs' because everyone is a potential source, so we have to focus on the biggest risks." |
If people are concerned about the risk, they could wipe down packages with disinfectant wipes and wash their hands, she said. |
It is unclear why cardboard should be a less hospitable environment for the virus than plastic or steel, but it may be explained by the absorbency or fibrous quality of the packaging compared with the other surfaces. |
That the virus can survive and stay infectious in aerosols is also important for health care workers. |
For weeks experts have maintained that the virus is not airborne. But in fact, it can travel through the air and stay suspended for about a half-hour. |
The virus does not linger in the air at high enough levels to be a risk to most people who are not physically near an infected person. But the procedures health care workers use to care for infected patients are likely to generate aerosols. |
"Once you get a patient in with severe pneumonia, the patients need to be intubated", said Dr. Vincent Munster, a virologist at the National. Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who led the study. "All these handlings might generate aerosols and droplets." |
The coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces, like plastic and steel, new research suggests. Experts say the risk of consumers getting infected from touching those materials is still low, although they offered additional warnings about how long the virus survives in air, which may have important implications for medical workers. |
The new study, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that the virus disintegrates over the course of a day on cardboard, lessening the worry among consumers that deliveries will spread the virus during this period of staying and working from home. |
When the virus becomes suspended in droplets smaller than 5 micrometers known as aerosols it can stay suspended for about a half-hour, researchers said, before drifting down and settling on surfaces where it can linger for hours. The finding on aerosol in particular is inconsistent with the World Health Organizations position that the virus is not transported by air. |
The virus lives longest on plastic and steel, surviving for up to 72 hours. But the amount of viable virus decreases sharply over this time. It does poorly on copper, surviving four hours. On cardboard, it survives up to 24 hours, which suggests packages that arrive in the mail should have only low levels of the virus unless the delivery person has coughed or sneezed on it or has handled it with contaminated hands. |
That's true in general. Unless the people who handle any of these materials are sick, the actual risk of getting infected from any of these materials is low, experts said. |
"Everything at the grocery store and restaurant takeout containers and bags could in theory have infectious virus on them", said Dr. Linsey Marr, who was not a member of the research team but is an expert in the transmission of viruses by aerosol at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. "We could go crazy discussing these 'what-ifs' because everyone is a potential source, so we have to focus on the biggest risks." |
If people are concerned about the risk, they could wipe down packages with disinfectant wipes and wash their hands, she said. |
It is unclear why cardboard should be a less hospitable environment for the virus than plastic or steel, but it may be explained by the absorbency or fibrous quality of the packaging compared with the other surfaces. |
That the virus can survive and stay infectious in aerosols is also important for health care workers. |
For weeks experts have maintained that the virus is not airborne. But in fact, it can travel through the air and stay suspended for about a half-hour. |
The virus does not linger in the air at high enough levels to be a risk to most people who are not physically near an infected person. But the procedures health care workers use to care for infected patients are likely to generate aerosols. |
"Once you get a patient in with severe pneumonia, the patients need to be intubated", said Dr. Vincent Munster, a virologist at the National. Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who led the study. "All these handlings might generate aerosols and droplets." |
The coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces, like plastic and steel, new research suggests. Experts say the risk of consumers getting infected from touching those materials is still low, although they offered additional warnings about how long the virus survives in air, which may have important implications for medical workers. |
The new study, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that the virus disintegrates over the course of a day on cardboard, lessening the worry among consumers that deliveries will spread the virus during this period of staying and working from home. |
When the virus becomes suspended in droplets smaller than 5 micrometers known as aerosols it can stay suspended for about a half-hour, researchers said, before drifting down and settling on surfaces where it can linger for hours. The finding on aerosol in particular is inconsistent with the World Health Organizations position that the virus is not transported by air. |
The virus lives longest on plastic and steel, surviving for up to 72 hours. But the amount of viable virus decreases sharply over this time. It does poorly on copper, surviving four hours. On cardboard, it survives up to 24 hours, which suggests packages that arrive in the mail should have only low levels of the virus unless the delivery person has coughed or sneezed on it or has handled it with contaminated hands. |
That's true in general. Unless the people who handle any of these materials are sick, the actual risk of getting infected from any of these materials is low, experts said. |
"Everything at the grocery store and restaurant takeout containers and bags could in theory have infectious virus on them", said Dr. Linsey Marr, who was not a member of the research team but is an expert in the transmission of viruses by aerosol at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. "We could go crazy discussing these 'what-ifs' because everyone is a potential source, so we have to focus on the biggest risks." |
If people are concerned about the risk, they could wipe down packages with disinfectant wipes and wash their hands, she said. |
It is unclear why cardboard should be a less hospitable environment for the virus than plastic or steel, but it may be explained by the absorbency or fibrous quality of the packaging compared with the other surfaces. |
That the virus can survive and stay infectious in aerosols is also important for health care workers. |
For weeks experts have maintained that the virus is not airborne. But in fact, it can travel through the air and stay suspended for about a half-hour. |
The virus does not linger in the air at high enough levels to be a risk to most people who are not physically near an infected person. But the procedures health care workers use to care for infected patients are likely to generate aerosols. |
"Once you get a patient in with severe pneumonia, the patients need to be intubated", said Dr. Vincent Munster, a virologist at the National. Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who led the study. "All these handlings might generate aerosols and droplets." |
Last week, the UK's Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance hinted at a strategy that would allow the novel coronavirus to infect 60% of the country's population so that a degree of "herd immunity" could be achieved. |
Following widespread criticism, and with Imperial College London projecting a dire scenario if the pandemic remains uncontrolled, the UK has now retracted and is looking at self-isolation for the elderly. Herd immunity refers to preventing an infectious disease from spreading by immunising a certain percentage of the population. While the concept is most commonly used in the context of vaccination, herd community can also be achieved after enough people have become immune after being infected. |
The premise is that if a certain percentage of the population is immune, members of that group can no longer infect another person. This breaks the chain of infection through the community ("herd"), and prevents it from reaching those who are the most vulnerable. |
However, the discussion on herd immunity to fight COVID-19 in the UK has not been based on this conventional definition. The UK government had wanted the entire population to be exposed to the novel coronavirus infection, so that the majority could develop Immunity to COVID-19. |
The scientific principle is that the presence of a large number of immune persons in the community, who will interrupt the transmission, provides indirect protection to those who are not immune. |
To estimate the extent of spread and immunity, epidemiologists use a measure called the 'basic reproductive number' (RO). This indicates how many persons will be infected when exposed to an single case; an R0 of more than 1 indicates one person can spread the infection to multiple persons. |
Scientific evidence shows that a person with measles can infect around 12-18 persons; and a person with influenza can infect around 1.2-4.5 persons, depending on the season. On the basis of the available evidence from China, and according to various experts, R0 COVID-19 ranges between 2 and 3. |
There are three ways in which an infection can spread in a community. The first scenario looks at a community that is not immunised. When two infectious cases, both with an R0 value of 1, are introduced, there is a possibility of the entire community being infected, with a few exceptions. |
In the second scenario, there may be some persons who have been immunised; and only these immunised persons will not be infected when at least two infectious cases are introduced in the community. |
The third scenario is when the majority of the community is immunised. So, when two infectious cases are introduced, the spread can take place only in exceptional cases, like in the elderly or other vulnerable persons. Even in such a situation, the immunised persons protect the non-immunised by acting as a barrier which is herd immunity. |
When do we know that a population has achieved herd immunity? |
It depends on multiple factors: how effective the vaccine for a given disease is, how long-lasting immunity is from both vaccination and infection, and which populations form critical links in transmission of the disease. Mathematically, it is defined on the basis of a number called "herd immunity threshold", which is the number of immune individuals above which a disease may no longer circulate. The higher the R0, the higher the percentage of the population that has to be immunised to achieve herd immunity. |
Polio has a threshold of 80% to 85%, while measles has 95%. With the current data for COVID-19, experts have estimated a threshold of over 60%. That means more than 60% of the population needs to develop immunity to reach the stage of herd immunity. |
Last week, the UK's Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance hinted at a strategy that would allow the novel coronavirus to infect 60% of the country's population so that a degree of "herd immunity" could be achieved. |
Following widespread criticism, and with Imperial College London projecting a dire scenario if the pandemic remains uncontrolled, the UK has now retracted and is looking at self-isolation for the elderly. Herd immunity refers to preventing an infectious disease from spreading by immunising a certain percentage of the population. While the concept is most commonly used in the context of vaccination, herd community can also be achieved after enough people have become immune after being infected. |
The premise is that if a certain percentage of the population is immune, members of that group can no longer infect another person. This breaks the chain of infection through the community ("herd"), and prevents it from reaching those who are the most vulnerable. |
However, the discussion on herd immunity to fight COVID-19 in the UK has not been based on this conventional definition. The UK government had wanted the entire population to be exposed to the novel coronavirus infection, so that the majority could develop Immunity to COVID-19. |
The scientific principle is that the presence of a large number of immune persons in the community, who will interrupt the transmission, provides indirect protection to those who are not immune. |
To estimate the extent of spread and immunity, epidemiologists use a measure called the 'basic reproductive number' (RO). This indicates how many persons will be infected when exposed to an single case; an R0 of more than 1 indicates one person can spread the infection to multiple persons. |
Scientific evidence shows that a person with measles can infect around 12-18 persons; and a person with influenza can infect around 1.2-4.5 persons, depending on the season. On the basis of the available evidence from China, and according to various experts, R0 COVID-19 ranges between 2 and 3. |
There are three ways in which an infection can spread in a community. The first scenario looks at a community that is not immunised. When two infectious cases, both with an R0 value of 1, are introduced, there is a possibility of the entire community being infected, with a few exceptions. |
In the second scenario, there may be some persons who have been immunised; and only these immunised persons will not be infected when at least two infectious cases are introduced in the community. |
The third scenario is when the majority of the community is immunised. So, when two infectious cases are introduced, the spread can take place only in exceptional cases, like in the elderly or other vulnerable persons. Even in such a situation, the immunised persons protect the non-immunised by acting as a barrier which is herd immunity. |
When do we know that a population has achieved herd immunity? |
It depends on multiple factors: how effective the vaccine for a given disease is, how long-lasting immunity is from both vaccination and infection, and which populations form critical links in transmission of the disease. Mathematically, it is defined on the basis of a number called "herd immunity threshold", which is the number of immune individuals above which a disease may no longer circulate. The higher the R0, the higher the percentage of the population that has to be immunised to achieve herd immunity. |
Polio has a threshold of 80% to 85%, while measles has 95%. With the current data for COVID-19, experts have estimated a threshold of over 60%. That means more than 60% of the population needs to develop immunity to reach the stage of herd immunity. |
Last week, the UK's Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance hinted at a strategy that would allow the novel coronavirus to infect 60% of the country's population so that a degree of "herd immunity" could be achieved. |
Following widespread criticism, and with Imperial College London projecting a dire scenario if the pandemic remains uncontrolled, the UK has now retracted and is looking at self-isolation for the elderly. Herd immunity refers to preventing an infectious disease from spreading by immunising a certain percentage of the population. While the concept is most commonly used in the context of vaccination, herd community can also be achieved after enough people have become immune after being infected. |
The premise is that if a certain percentage of the population is immune, members of that group can no longer infect another person. This breaks the chain of infection through the community ("herd"), and prevents it from reaching those who are the most vulnerable. |
However, the discussion on herd immunity to fight COVID-19 in the UK has not been based on this conventional definition. The UK government had wanted the entire population to be exposed to the novel coronavirus infection, so that the majority could develop Immunity to COVID-19. |
The scientific principle is that the presence of a large number of immune persons in the community, who will interrupt the transmission, provides indirect protection to those who are not immune. |
To estimate the extent of spread and immunity, epidemiologists use a measure called the 'basic reproductive number' (RO). This indicates how many persons will be infected when exposed to an single case; an R0 of more than 1 indicates one person can spread the infection to multiple persons. |
Scientific evidence shows that a person with measles can infect around 12-18 persons; and a person with influenza can infect around 1.2-4.5 persons, depending on the season. On the basis of the available evidence from China, and according to various experts, R0 COVID-19 ranges between 2 and 3. |
There are three ways in which an infection can spread in a community. The first scenario looks at a community that is not immunised. When two infectious cases, both with an R0 value of 1, are introduced, there is a possibility of the entire community being infected, with a few exceptions. |
In the second scenario, there may be some persons who have been immunised; and only these immunised persons will not be infected when at least two infectious cases are introduced in the community. |
The third scenario is when the majority of the community is immunised. So, when two infectious cases are introduced, the spread can take place only in exceptional cases, like in the elderly or other vulnerable persons. Even in such a situation, the immunised persons protect the non-immunised by acting as a barrier which is herd immunity. |
When do we know that a population has achieved herd immunity? |
It depends on multiple factors: how effective the vaccine for a given disease is, how long-lasting immunity is from both vaccination and infection, and which populations form critical links in transmission of the disease. Mathematically, it is defined on the basis of a number called "herd immunity threshold", which is the number of immune individuals above which a disease may no longer circulate. The higher the R0, the higher the percentage of the population that has to be immunised to achieve herd immunity. |
Polio has a threshold of 80% to 85%, while measles has 95%. With the current data for COVID-19, experts have estimated a threshold of over 60%. That means more than 60% of the population needs to develop immunity to reach the stage of herd immunity. |
Last week, the UK's Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance hinted at a strategy that would allow the novel coronavirus to infect 60% of the country's population so that a degree of "herd immunity" could be achieved. |
Following widespread criticism, and with Imperial College London projecting a dire scenario if the pandemic remains uncontrolled, the UK has now retracted and is looking at self-isolation for the elderly. Herd immunity refers to preventing an infectious disease from spreading by immunising a certain percentage of the population. While the concept is most commonly used in the context of vaccination, herd community can also be achieved after enough people have become immune after being infected. |
The premise is that if a certain percentage of the population is immune, members of that group can no longer infect another person. This breaks the chain of infection through the community ("herd"), and prevents it from reaching those who are the most vulnerable. |
However, the discussion on herd immunity to fight COVID-19 in the UK has not been based on this conventional definition. The UK government had wanted the entire population to be exposed to the novel coronavirus infection, so that the majority could develop Immunity to COVID-19. |
The scientific principle is that the presence of a large number of immune persons in the community, who will interrupt the transmission, provides indirect protection to those who are not immune. |
To estimate the extent of spread and immunity, epidemiologists use a measure called the 'basic reproductive number' (RO). This indicates how many persons will be infected when exposed to an single case; an R0 of more than 1 indicates one person can spread the infection to multiple persons. |
Scientific evidence shows that a person with measles can infect around 12-18 persons; and a person with influenza can infect around 1.2-4.5 persons, depending on the season. On the basis of the available evidence from China, and according to various experts, R0 COVID-19 ranges between 2 and 3. |
There are three ways in which an infection can spread in a community. The first scenario looks at a community that is not immunised. When two infectious cases, both with an R0 value of 1, are introduced, there is a possibility of the entire community being infected, with a few exceptions. |
In the second scenario, there may be some persons who have been immunised; and only these immunised persons will not be infected when at least two infectious cases are introduced in the community. |
The third scenario is when the majority of the community is immunised. So, when two infectious cases are introduced, the spread can take place only in exceptional cases, like in the elderly or other vulnerable persons. Even in such a situation, the immunised persons protect the non-immunised by acting as a barrier which is herd immunity. |
When do we know that a population has achieved herd immunity? |
It depends on multiple factors: how effective the vaccine for a given disease is, how long-lasting immunity is from both vaccination and infection, and which populations form critical links in transmission of the disease. Mathematically, it is defined on the basis of a number called "herd immunity threshold", which is the number of immune individuals above which a disease may no longer circulate. The higher the R0, the higher the percentage of the population that has to be immunised to achieve herd immunity. |
Polio has a threshold of 80% to 85%, while measles has 95%. With the current data for COVID-19, experts have estimated a threshold of over 60%. That means more than 60% of the population needs to develop immunity to reach the stage of herd immunity. |
Last week, the UK's Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance hinted at a strategy that would allow the novel coronavirus to infect 60% of the country's population so that a degree of "herd immunity" could be achieved. |
Following widespread criticism, and with Imperial College London projecting a dire scenario if the pandemic remains uncontrolled, the UK has now retracted and is looking at self-isolation for the elderly. Herd immunity refers to preventing an infectious disease from spreading by immunising a certain percentage of the population. While the concept is most commonly used in the context of vaccination, herd community can also be achieved after enough people have become immune after being infected. |
The premise is that if a certain percentage of the population is immune, members of that group can no longer infect another person. This breaks the chain of infection through the community ("herd"), and prevents it from reaching those who are the most vulnerable. |
However, the discussion on herd immunity to fight COVID-19 in the UK has not been based on this conventional definition. The UK government had wanted the entire population to be exposed to the novel coronavirus infection, so that the majority could develop Immunity to COVID-19. |
The scientific principle is that the presence of a large number of immune persons in the community, who will interrupt the transmission, provides indirect protection to those who are not immune. |
To estimate the extent of spread and immunity, epidemiologists use a measure called the 'basic reproductive number' (RO). This indicates how many persons will be infected when exposed to an single case; an R0 of more than 1 indicates one person can spread the infection to multiple persons. |
Scientific evidence shows that a person with measles can infect around 12-18 persons; and a person with influenza can infect around 1.2-4.5 persons, depending on the season. On the basis of the available evidence from China, and according to various experts, R0 COVID-19 ranges between 2 and 3. |
There are three ways in which an infection can spread in a community. The first scenario looks at a community that is not immunised. When two infectious cases, both with an R0 value of 1, are introduced, there is a possibility of the entire community being infected, with a few exceptions. |
In the second scenario, there may be some persons who have been immunised; and only these immunised persons will not be infected when at least two infectious cases are introduced in the community. |
The third scenario is when the majority of the community is immunised. So, when two infectious cases are introduced, the spread can take place only in exceptional cases, like in the elderly or other vulnerable persons. Even in such a situation, the immunised persons protect the non-immunised by acting as a barrier which is herd immunity. |
When do we know that a population has achieved herd immunity? |
It depends on multiple factors: how effective the vaccine for a given disease is, how long-lasting immunity is from both vaccination and infection, and which populations form critical links in transmission of the disease. Mathematically, it is defined on the basis of a number called "herd immunity threshold", which is the number of immune individuals above which a disease may no longer circulate. The higher the R0, the higher the percentage of the population that has to be immunised to achieve herd immunity. |
Polio has a threshold of 80% to 85%, while measles has 95%. With the current data for COVID-19, experts have estimated a threshold of over 60%. That means more than 60% of the population needs to develop immunity to reach the stage of herd immunity. |
The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Tuesday, keeping up its economic pressure campaign even as it offered to help Tehran cope with the coronavirus pandemic and called on the Islamic Republic to release detained Americans. |
Iran is considering freeing some US citizens. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a news conference where he made clear Washington will maintain its maximum-pressure campaign to choke off Tehran's ability to export its oil. |
The campaign, instituted after President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with six major powers, alms to force Iran to limit its nuclear, missile and regional activities. |
Pompeo on Tuesday said the State Department is blacklisting nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong and China, as well as three Iranian individuals, for engaging in "significant transactions" to trade in Iranian petrochemicals. |
While he did not name them, Pompeo said the step included blacklisting Iran's armed forces social security investment company and its director for investing in sanctioned entities. |
Separately, the Commerce Department said it will add six people - including five Iranian nuclear scientists - and 18 corporations to the US "Entity List" for aiding Iran's nuclear program, Pakistan's unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programs, and Russian military modernisation efforts. |
Without naming them, the Commerce Department said the move covers one company in Iran, two entities in China, nine in Pakistan, and five in the United Arab Emirates and will constrict the export of certain items to them. |
The Entity List names foreign parties that are barred from receiving some or all items subject to US export regulations unless the exporter secures a license, according to the department. |
On Monday, sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said the United States was unlikely to ease sanctions on Iran despite an appeal from China that it do so because of the pandemic. |
Pompeo urged Iran to free US citizens it has detained as a humanitarian gesture because of coronavirus. Iran has reported 16,169 coronavirus cases and 988 deaths in one of the worst national outbreaks outside of China, where the pandemic originated. |
We are aware that they are thinking about whether to release them or not, Pompeo told reporters. We are urging them ... to release every American that is being wrongfully held there as a humanitarian gesture, given the risk that is posed. |
It is not clear exactly how many Americans Iran may hold, but they include father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi; Michael White, a Navy veteran; and possibly Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent missing since 2007. |
The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Tuesday, keeping up its economic pressure campaign even as it offered to help Tehran cope with the coronavirus pandemic and called on the Islamic Republic to release detained Americans. |
Iran is considering freeing some US citizens. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a news conference where he made clear Washington will maintain its maximum-pressure campaign to choke off Tehran's ability to export its oil. |
The campaign, instituted after President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with six major powers, alms to force Iran to limit its nuclear, missile and regional activities. |
Pompeo on Tuesday said the State Department is blacklisting nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong and China, as well as three Iranian individuals, for engaging in "significant transactions" to trade in Iranian petrochemicals. |
While he did not name them, Pompeo said the step included blacklisting Iran's armed forces social security investment company and its director for investing in sanctioned entities. |
Separately, the Commerce Department said it will add six people - including five Iranian nuclear scientists - and 18 corporations to the US "Entity List" for aiding Iran's nuclear program, Pakistan's unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programs, and Russian military modernisation efforts. |
Without naming them, the Commerce Department said the move covers one company in Iran, two entities in China, nine in Pakistan, and five in the United Arab Emirates and will constrict the export of certain items to them. |
The Entity List names foreign parties that are barred from receiving some or all items subject to US export regulations unless the exporter secures a license, according to the department. |
On Monday, sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said the United States was unlikely to ease sanctions on Iran despite an appeal from China that it do so because of the pandemic. |
Pompeo urged Iran to free US citizens it has detained as a humanitarian gesture because of coronavirus. Iran has reported 16,169 coronavirus cases and 988 deaths in one of the worst national outbreaks outside of China, where the pandemic originated. |
We are aware that they are thinking about whether to release them or not, Pompeo told reporters. We are urging them ... to release every American that is being wrongfully held there as a humanitarian gesture, given the risk that is posed. |
It is not clear exactly how many Americans Iran may hold, but they include father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi; Michael White, a Navy veteran; and possibly Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent missing since 2007. |
The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Tuesday, keeping up its economic pressure campaign even as it offered to help Tehran cope with the coronavirus pandemic and called on the Islamic Republic to release detained Americans. |
Iran is considering freeing some US citizens. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a news conference where he made clear Washington will maintain its maximum-pressure campaign to choke off Tehran's ability to export its oil. |
The campaign, instituted after President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with six major powers, alms to force Iran to limit its nuclear, missile and regional activities. |
Pompeo on Tuesday said the State Department is blacklisting nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong and China, as well as three Iranian individuals, for engaging in "significant transactions" to trade in Iranian petrochemicals. |
While he did not name them, Pompeo said the step included blacklisting Iran's armed forces social security investment company and its director for investing in sanctioned entities. |
Separately, the Commerce Department said it will add six people - including five Iranian nuclear scientists - and 18 corporations to the US "Entity List" for aiding Iran's nuclear program, Pakistan's unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programs, and Russian military modernisation efforts. |
Without naming them, the Commerce Department said the move covers one company in Iran, two entities in China, nine in Pakistan, and five in the United Arab Emirates and will constrict the export of certain items to them. |
The Entity List names foreign parties that are barred from receiving some or all items subject to US export regulations unless the exporter secures a license, according to the department. |
On Monday, sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said the United States was unlikely to ease sanctions on Iran despite an appeal from China that it do so because of the pandemic. |
Pompeo urged Iran to free US citizens it has detained as a humanitarian gesture because of coronavirus. Iran has reported 16,169 coronavirus cases and 988 deaths in one of the worst national outbreaks outside of China, where the pandemic originated. |
We are aware that they are thinking about whether to release them or not, Pompeo told reporters. We are urging them ... to release every American that is being wrongfully held there as a humanitarian gesture, given the risk that is posed. |
It is not clear exactly how many Americans Iran may hold, but they include father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi; Michael White, a Navy veteran; and possibly Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent missing since 2007. |
The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Tuesday, keeping up its economic pressure campaign even as it offered to help Tehran cope with the coronavirus pandemic and called on the Islamic Republic to release detained Americans. |
Iran is considering freeing some US citizens. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a news conference where he made clear Washington will maintain its maximum-pressure campaign to choke off Tehran's ability to export its oil. |
The campaign, instituted after President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with six major powers, alms to force Iran to limit its nuclear, missile and regional activities. |
Pompeo on Tuesday said the State Department is blacklisting nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong and China, as well as three Iranian individuals, for engaging in "significant transactions" to trade in Iranian petrochemicals. |
While he did not name them, Pompeo said the step included blacklisting Iran's armed forces social security investment company and its director for investing in sanctioned entities. |
Separately, the Commerce Department said it will add six people - including five Iranian nuclear scientists - and 18 corporations to the US "Entity List" for aiding Iran's nuclear program, Pakistan's unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programs, and Russian military modernisation efforts. |
Without naming them, the Commerce Department said the move covers one company in Iran, two entities in China, nine in Pakistan, and five in the United Arab Emirates and will constrict the export of certain items to them. |
The Entity List names foreign parties that are barred from receiving some or all items subject to US export regulations unless the exporter secures a license, according to the department. |
On Monday, sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said the United States was unlikely to ease sanctions on Iran despite an appeal from China that it do so because of the pandemic. |
Pompeo urged Iran to free US citizens it has detained as a humanitarian gesture because of coronavirus. Iran has reported 16,169 coronavirus cases and 988 deaths in one of the worst national outbreaks outside of China, where the pandemic originated. |
We are aware that they are thinking about whether to release them or not, Pompeo told reporters. We are urging them ... to release every American that is being wrongfully held there as a humanitarian gesture, given the risk that is posed. |
It is not clear exactly how many Americans Iran may hold, but they include father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi; Michael White, a Navy veteran; and possibly Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent missing since 2007. |
The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Tuesday, keeping up its economic pressure campaign even as it offered to help Tehran cope with the coronavirus pandemic and called on the Islamic Republic to release detained Americans. |
Iran is considering freeing some US citizens. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a news conference where he made clear Washington will maintain its maximum-pressure campaign to choke off Tehran's ability to export its oil. |
The campaign, instituted after President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with six major powers, alms to force Iran to limit its nuclear, missile and regional activities. |
Pompeo on Tuesday said the State Department is blacklisting nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong and China, as well as three Iranian individuals, for engaging in "significant transactions" to trade in Iranian petrochemicals. |
While he did not name them, Pompeo said the step included blacklisting Iran's armed forces social security investment company and its director for investing in sanctioned entities. |
Separately, the Commerce Department said it will add six people - including five Iranian nuclear scientists - and 18 corporations to the US "Entity List" for aiding Iran's nuclear program, Pakistan's unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programs, and Russian military modernisation efforts. |
Without naming them, the Commerce Department said the move covers one company in Iran, two entities in China, nine in Pakistan, and five in the United Arab Emirates and will constrict the export of certain items to them. |
The Entity List names foreign parties that are barred from receiving some or all items subject to US export regulations unless the exporter secures a license, according to the department. |
On Monday, sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said the United States was unlikely to ease sanctions on Iran despite an appeal from China that it do so because of the pandemic. |
Pompeo urged Iran to free US citizens it has detained as a humanitarian gesture because of coronavirus. Iran has reported 16,169 coronavirus cases and 988 deaths in one of the worst national outbreaks outside of China, where the pandemic originated. |
We are aware that they are thinking about whether to release them or not, Pompeo told reporters. We are urging them ... to release every American that is being wrongfully held there as a humanitarian gesture, given the risk that is posed. |
It is not clear exactly how many Americans Iran may hold, but they include father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi; Michael White, a Navy veteran; and possibly Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent missing since 2007. |
Single-use plastic is only a part of what is truly a massive challenge, and that is the management of all kinds of plastic waste. But it is good to begin with single-use plastic, its large and growing volume adds enormously to the total plastic waste. The growing volume, to a large extent, is because of rising e-commerce in India. |
People buy from companies like Amazon.com and Flipkart.com, that use single-use plastic (cling film, bubble wrap, etc.) for disposable packaging. Both the companies have made a commitment to phase out their use of single-use plastic, but this is not likely to happen anytime soon. |
Ever since plastic was invented by John W Hyatt in 1869, many more inventions of synthetic polymers followed, plastics have been an integral part of human lives, contributing much to the convenience and ease of modern living because of the pliability, flexibility, durability, and lightness of the material. |
Plastics are used riot only in airplanes, computers, cars, trucks, and other vehicles but also in everyday use items such as refrigerators, air-conditioners, furniture, and even casings for electric wires, to name only a few. |
The problem is that plastic does not decompose naturally and sticks around in the environment for thousands of years. Safe disposal of plastic waste is, therefore, a huge challenge worldwide. |
Close to 20 states of India have imposed a partial or a total ban on single-use plastics at one time or another. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh opted for complete bans, while others including Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha have tried partial bans. Plastic bags have been banned in even a larger number of cases. The bans have by and large not been successful owing to poor state enforcement capacity. |
Plastic carry bags pose a special problem. Although they are strong; lightweight and useful, and can be saved cleaned and reused many times, this is mostly not done because they are available very cheap and are, therefore, not valued (often shops give plastic carry bags for free). They become effectively single use plastics. |
A compulsory charge by retail stores on carry-bags has proven most effective in reducing their use sans a ban. In Ireland, a minor charge added to every bill saw a 95% reduction in demand for such carry-bags, as most shoppers began bringing in their own reusable grocery-bags. |
In India, the Plastics Waste Management Rules 2016 included a clause in Rule 15 calling for explicit pricing of carry bags, which required vendors to register and pay an annual fee to the urban local bodies. But lobbying by producers of plastics meant that this clause was removed by an amendment in 2018, that was never put up for public debate, as is mandatory. |
Single-use plastic is only a part of what is truly a massive challenge, and that is the management of all kinds of plastic waste. But it is good to begin with single-use plastic, its large and growing volume adds enormously to the total plastic waste. The growing volume, to a large extent, is because of rising e-commerce in India. |
People buy from companies like Amazon.com and Flipkart.com, that use single-use plastic (cling film, bubble wrap, etc.) for disposable packaging. Both the companies have made a commitment to phase out their use of single-use plastic, but this is not likely to happen anytime soon. |
Ever since plastic was invented by John W Hyatt in 1869, many more inventions of synthetic polymers followed, plastics have been an integral part of human lives, contributing much to the convenience and ease of modern living because of the pliability, flexibility, durability, and lightness of the material. |
Plastics are used riot only in airplanes, computers, cars, trucks, and other vehicles but also in everyday use items such as refrigerators, air-conditioners, furniture, and even casings for electric wires, to name only a few. |
The problem is that plastic does not decompose naturally and sticks around in the environment for thousands of years. Safe disposal of plastic waste is, therefore, a huge challenge worldwide. |
Close to 20 states of India have imposed a partial or a total ban on single-use plastics at one time or another. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh opted for complete bans, while others including Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha have tried partial bans. Plastic bags have been banned in even a larger number of cases. The bans have by and large not been successful owing to poor state enforcement capacity. |
Plastic carry bags pose a special problem. Although they are strong; lightweight and useful, and can be saved cleaned and reused many times, this is mostly not done because they are available very cheap and are, therefore, not valued (often shops give plastic carry bags for free). They become effectively single use plastics. |
A compulsory charge by retail stores on carry-bags has proven most effective in reducing their use sans a ban. In Ireland, a minor charge added to every bill saw a 95% reduction in demand for such carry-bags, as most shoppers began bringing in their own reusable grocery-bags. |
In India, the Plastics Waste Management Rules 2016 included a clause in Rule 15 calling for explicit pricing of carry bags, which required vendors to register and pay an annual fee to the urban local bodies. But lobbying by producers of plastics meant that this clause was removed by an amendment in 2018, that was never put up for public debate, as is mandatory. |
Single-use plastic is only a part of what is truly a massive challenge, and that is the management of all kinds of plastic waste. But it is good to begin with single-use plastic, its large and growing volume adds enormously to the total plastic waste. The growing volume, to a large extent, is because of rising e-commerce in India. |
People buy from companies like Amazon.com and Flipkart.com, that use single-use plastic (cling film, bubble wrap, etc.) for disposable packaging. Both the companies have made a commitment to phase out their use of single-use plastic, but this is not likely to happen anytime soon. |
Ever since plastic was invented by John W Hyatt in 1869, many more inventions of synthetic polymers followed, plastics have been an integral part of human lives, contributing much to the convenience and ease of modern living because of the pliability, flexibility, durability, and lightness of the material. |
Plastics are used riot only in airplanes, computers, cars, trucks, and other vehicles but also in everyday use items such as refrigerators, air-conditioners, furniture, and even casings for electric wires, to name only a few. |
The problem is that plastic does not decompose naturally and sticks around in the environment for thousands of years. Safe disposal of plastic waste is, therefore, a huge challenge worldwide. |
Close to 20 states of India have imposed a partial or a total ban on single-use plastics at one time or another. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh opted for complete bans, while others including Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha have tried partial bans. Plastic bags have been banned in even a larger number of cases. The bans have by and large not been successful owing to poor state enforcement capacity. |
Plastic carry bags pose a special problem. Although they are strong; lightweight and useful, and can be saved cleaned and reused many times, this is mostly not done because they are available very cheap and are, therefore, not valued (often shops give plastic carry bags for free). They become effectively single use plastics. |
A compulsory charge by retail stores on carry-bags has proven most effective in reducing their use sans a ban. In Ireland, a minor charge added to every bill saw a 95% reduction in demand for such carry-bags, as most shoppers began bringing in their own reusable grocery-bags. |
In India, the Plastics Waste Management Rules 2016 included a clause in Rule 15 calling for explicit pricing of carry bags, which required vendors to register and pay an annual fee to the urban local bodies. But lobbying by producers of plastics meant that this clause was removed by an amendment in 2018, that was never put up for public debate, as is mandatory. |
Single-use plastic is only a part of what is truly a massive challenge, and that is the management of all kinds of plastic waste. But it is good to begin with single-use plastic, its large and growing volume adds enormously to the total plastic waste. The growing volume, to a large extent, is because of rising e-commerce in India. |
People buy from companies like Amazon.com and Flipkart.com, that use single-use plastic (cling film, bubble wrap, etc.) for disposable packaging. Both the companies have made a commitment to phase out their use of single-use plastic, but this is not likely to happen anytime soon. |
Ever since plastic was invented by John W Hyatt in 1869, many more inventions of synthetic polymers followed, plastics have been an integral part of human lives, contributing much to the convenience and ease of modern living because of the pliability, flexibility, durability, and lightness of the material. |
Plastics are used riot only in airplanes, computers, cars, trucks, and other vehicles but also in everyday use items such as refrigerators, air-conditioners, furniture, and even casings for electric wires, to name only a few. |
The problem is that plastic does not decompose naturally and sticks around in the environment for thousands of years. Safe disposal of plastic waste is, therefore, a huge challenge worldwide. |
Close to 20 states of India have imposed a partial or a total ban on single-use plastics at one time or another. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh opted for complete bans, while others including Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha have tried partial bans. Plastic bags have been banned in even a larger number of cases. The bans have by and large not been successful owing to poor state enforcement capacity. |
Plastic carry bags pose a special problem. Although they are strong; lightweight and useful, and can be saved cleaned and reused many times, this is mostly not done because they are available very cheap and are, therefore, not valued (often shops give plastic carry bags for free). They become effectively single use plastics. |
A compulsory charge by retail stores on carry-bags has proven most effective in reducing their use sans a ban. In Ireland, a minor charge added to every bill saw a 95% reduction in demand for such carry-bags, as most shoppers began bringing in their own reusable grocery-bags. |
In India, the Plastics Waste Management Rules 2016 included a clause in Rule 15 calling for explicit pricing of carry bags, which required vendors to register and pay an annual fee to the urban local bodies. But lobbying by producers of plastics meant that this clause was removed by an amendment in 2018, that was never put up for public debate, as is mandatory. |
Single-use plastic is only a part of what is truly a massive challenge, and that is the management of all kinds of plastic waste. But it is good to begin with single-use plastic, its large and growing volume adds enormously to the total plastic waste. The growing volume, to a large extent, is because of rising e-commerce in India. |
People buy from companies like Amazon.com and Flipkart.com, that use single-use plastic (cling film, bubble wrap, etc.) for disposable packaging. Both the companies have made a commitment to phase out their use of single-use plastic, but this is not likely to happen anytime soon. |
Ever since plastic was invented by John W Hyatt in 1869, many more inventions of synthetic polymers followed, plastics have been an integral part of human lives, contributing much to the convenience and ease of modern living because of the pliability, flexibility, durability, and lightness of the material. |
Plastics are used riot only in airplanes, computers, cars, trucks, and other vehicles but also in everyday use items such as refrigerators, air-conditioners, furniture, and even casings for electric wires, to name only a few. |
The problem is that plastic does not decompose naturally and sticks around in the environment for thousands of years. Safe disposal of plastic waste is, therefore, a huge challenge worldwide. |
Close to 20 states of India have imposed a partial or a total ban on single-use plastics at one time or another. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh opted for complete bans, while others including Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha have tried partial bans. Plastic bags have been banned in even a larger number of cases. The bans have by and large not been successful owing to poor state enforcement capacity. |
Plastic carry bags pose a special problem. Although they are strong; lightweight and useful, and can be saved cleaned and reused many times, this is mostly not done because they are available very cheap and are, therefore, not valued (often shops give plastic carry bags for free). They become effectively single use plastics. |
A compulsory charge by retail stores on carry-bags has proven most effective in reducing their use sans a ban. In Ireland, a minor charge added to every bill saw a 95% reduction in demand for such carry-bags, as most shoppers began bringing in their own reusable grocery-bags. |
In India, the Plastics Waste Management Rules 2016 included a clause in Rule 15 calling for explicit pricing of carry bags, which required vendors to register and pay an annual fee to the urban local bodies. But lobbying by producers of plastics meant that this clause was removed by an amendment in 2018, that was never put up for public debate, as is mandatory. |
All people on Earth depend directly or indirectly on the ocean and cryosphere. The global ocean covers 71% of the Earth surface and contains about 97% of the Earth's water. The cryosphere refers to frozen components of the Earth system. Around 10% of Earth's land area is covered by glaciers or ice sheets. The ocean and cryosphere support unique habitats, and are interconnected with other components of the climate system through global exchange of water, energy and carbon. |
Human communities in close connection with coastal environments, small islands, polar areas and high mountains are particularly exposed to ocean and cryosphere change, such as sea level rise, extreme sea level and shrinking cryosphere. Other communities, further from the coast are also exposed to changes in the ocean, such as through extreme weather events. |
In addition to their role within the climate system, such as the uptake and redistribution of natural and anthropogenic carbon dioxide and heat, as well as ecosystem support, services provided to people by the ocean and/or cryosphere include food and water supply, renewable energy, and benefits for health and well-being, cultural values, tourism, trade, and transport. |
Over the last decades, global warming has led to widespread shrinking of the cryosphere, with mass loss from ice sheets and glaciers, reductions in snow cover and Arctic sea ice extent and thickness and increased permafrost temperature. |
Over the last century some species of plants and animals have increased in abundance, shifted their range, and established in new areas as glaciers receded and the snow-free season lengthened. Together with warming, these changes have increased locally the number of species in high mountains, as lower-elevation species migrate upslope. |
Some cold-adapted or snow-dependent species have declined in abundance, increasing their risk of extinction, notably on mountain summits. In polar and mountain regions, many species have altered seasonal activities especially in late winter and spring. |
Increased wildfire and abrupt permafrost thaw, as well as changes in Arctic and mountain hydrology have altered frequency and intensity of ecosystem disturbances. This has included positive and negative impacts on vegetation and wildlife such as reindeer and salmon. |
Since about 1950 many marine species across various groups have undergone shifts in geographical range and seasonal activities in response to ocean warming, sea ice change and biogeochemical changes, such as oxygen loss, to their habitats. This has resulted in shifts in species composition, abundance and biomass production of ecosystems, from the equator to the poles. Altered interactions between species have caused cascading impacts on ecosystem structure and functioning. In some marine ecosystems species are impacted by both the effects of fishing and climate changes. |
Coastal ecosystems are affected by ocean warming, including intensified marine heatwaves, acidification, loss of oxygen, salinity intrusion and sea level rise, in combination with adverse effects from human activities on ocean and land. Impacts are already observed on habitat area and biodiversity, as well as ecosystem functioning and services. |
All people on Earth depend directly or indirectly on the ocean and cryosphere. The global ocean covers 71% of the Earth surface and contains about 97% of the Earth's water. The cryosphere refers to frozen components of the Earth system. Around 10% of Earth's land area is covered by glaciers or ice sheets. The ocean and cryosphere support unique habitats, and are interconnected with other components of the climate system through global exchange of water, energy and carbon. |
Human communities in close connection with coastal environments, small islands, polar areas and high mountains are particularly exposed to ocean and cryosphere change, such as sea level rise, extreme sea level and shrinking cryosphere. Other communities, further from the coast are also exposed to changes in the ocean, such as through extreme weather events. |
In addition to their role within the climate system, such as the uptake and redistribution of natural and anthropogenic carbon dioxide and heat, as well as ecosystem support, services provided to people by the ocean and/or cryosphere include food and water supply, renewable energy, and benefits for health and well-being, cultural values, tourism, trade, and transport. |
Over the last decades, global warming has led to widespread shrinking of the cryosphere, with mass loss from ice sheets and glaciers, reductions in snow cover and Arctic sea ice extent and thickness and increased permafrost temperature. |
Over the last century some species of plants and animals have increased in abundance, shifted their range, and established in new areas as glaciers receded and the snow-free season lengthened. Together with warming, these changes have increased locally the number of species in high mountains, as lower-elevation species migrate upslope. |
Some cold-adapted or snow-dependent species have declined in abundance, increasing their risk of extinction, notably on mountain summits. In polar and mountain regions, many species have altered seasonal activities especially in late winter and spring. |
Increased wildfire and abrupt permafrost thaw, as well as changes in Arctic and mountain hydrology have altered frequency and intensity of ecosystem disturbances. This has included positive and negative impacts on vegetation and wildlife such as reindeer and salmon. |
Since about 1950 many marine species across various groups have undergone shifts in geographical range and seasonal activities in response to ocean warming, sea ice change and biogeochemical changes, such as oxygen loss, to their habitats. This has resulted in shifts in species composition, abundance and biomass production of ecosystems, from the equator to the poles. Altered interactions between species have caused cascading impacts on ecosystem structure and functioning. In some marine ecosystems species are impacted by both the effects of fishing and climate changes. |
Coastal ecosystems are affected by ocean warming, including intensified marine heatwaves, acidification, loss of oxygen, salinity intrusion and sea level rise, in combination with adverse effects from human activities on ocean and land. Impacts are already observed on habitat area and biodiversity, as well as ecosystem functioning and services. |
All people on Earth depend directly or indirectly on the ocean and cryosphere. The global ocean covers 71% of the Earth surface and contains about 97% of the Earth's water. The cryosphere refers to frozen components of the Earth system. Around 10% of Earth's land area is covered by glaciers or ice sheets. The ocean and cryosphere support unique habitats, and are interconnected with other components of the climate system through global exchange of water, energy and carbon. |
Human communities in close connection with coastal environments, small islands, polar areas and high mountains are particularly exposed to ocean and cryosphere change, such as sea level rise, extreme sea level and shrinking cryosphere. Other communities, further from the coast are also exposed to changes in the ocean, such as through extreme weather events. |
In addition to their role within the climate system, such as the uptake and redistribution of natural and anthropogenic carbon dioxide and heat, as well as ecosystem support, services provided to people by the ocean and/or cryosphere include food and water supply, renewable energy, and benefits for health and well-being, cultural values, tourism, trade, and transport. |
Over the last decades, global warming has led to widespread shrinking of the cryosphere, with mass loss from ice sheets and glaciers, reductions in snow cover and Arctic sea ice extent and thickness and increased permafrost temperature. |
Over the last century some species of plants and animals have increased in abundance, shifted their range, and established in new areas as glaciers receded and the snow-free season lengthened. Together with warming, these changes have increased locally the number of species in high mountains, as lower-elevation species migrate upslope. |
Some cold-adapted or snow-dependent species have declined in abundance, increasing their risk of extinction, notably on mountain summits. In polar and mountain regions, many species have altered seasonal activities especially in late winter and spring. |
Increased wildfire and abrupt permafrost thaw, as well as changes in Arctic and mountain hydrology have altered frequency and intensity of ecosystem disturbances. This has included positive and negative impacts on vegetation and wildlife such as reindeer and salmon. |
Since about 1950 many marine species across various groups have undergone shifts in geographical range and seasonal activities in response to ocean warming, sea ice change and biogeochemical changes, such as oxygen loss, to their habitats. This has resulted in shifts in species composition, abundance and biomass production of ecosystems, from the equator to the poles. Altered interactions between species have caused cascading impacts on ecosystem structure and functioning. In some marine ecosystems species are impacted by both the effects of fishing and climate changes. |
Coastal ecosystems are affected by ocean warming, including intensified marine heatwaves, acidification, loss of oxygen, salinity intrusion and sea level rise, in combination with adverse effects from human activities on ocean and land. Impacts are already observed on habitat area and biodiversity, as well as ecosystem functioning and services. |
All people on Earth depend directly or indirectly on the ocean and cryosphere. The global ocean covers 71% of the Earth surface and contains about 97% of the Earth's water. The cryosphere refers to frozen components of the Earth system. Around 10% of Earth's land area is covered by glaciers or ice sheets. The ocean and cryosphere support unique habitats, and are interconnected with other components of the climate system through global exchange of water, energy and carbon. |
Human communities in close connection with coastal environments, small islands, polar areas and high mountains are particularly exposed to ocean and cryosphere change, such as sea level rise, extreme sea level and shrinking cryosphere. Other communities, further from the coast are also exposed to changes in the ocean, such as through extreme weather events. |
In addition to their role within the climate system, such as the uptake and redistribution of natural and anthropogenic carbon dioxide and heat, as well as ecosystem support, services provided to people by the ocean and/or cryosphere include food and water supply, renewable energy, and benefits for health and well-being, cultural values, tourism, trade, and transport. |
Over the last decades, global warming has led to widespread shrinking of the cryosphere, with mass loss from ice sheets and glaciers, reductions in snow cover and Arctic sea ice extent and thickness and increased permafrost temperature. |
Over the last century some species of plants and animals have increased in abundance, shifted their range, and established in new areas as glaciers receded and the snow-free season lengthened. Together with warming, these changes have increased locally the number of species in high mountains, as lower-elevation species migrate upslope. |
Some cold-adapted or snow-dependent species have declined in abundance, increasing their risk of extinction, notably on mountain summits. In polar and mountain regions, many species have altered seasonal activities especially in late winter and spring. |
Increased wildfire and abrupt permafrost thaw, as well as changes in Arctic and mountain hydrology have altered frequency and intensity of ecosystem disturbances. This has included positive and negative impacts on vegetation and wildlife such as reindeer and salmon. |
Since about 1950 many marine species across various groups have undergone shifts in geographical range and seasonal activities in response to ocean warming, sea ice change and biogeochemical changes, such as oxygen loss, to their habitats. This has resulted in shifts in species composition, abundance and biomass production of ecosystems, from the equator to the poles. Altered interactions between species have caused cascading impacts on ecosystem structure and functioning. In some marine ecosystems species are impacted by both the effects of fishing and climate changes. |
Coastal ecosystems are affected by ocean warming, including intensified marine heatwaves, acidification, loss of oxygen, salinity intrusion and sea level rise, in combination with adverse effects from human activities on ocean and land. Impacts are already observed on habitat area and biodiversity, as well as ecosystem functioning and services. |
All people on Earth depend directly or indirectly on the ocean and cryosphere. The global ocean covers 71% of the Earth surface and contains about 97% of the Earth's water. The cryosphere refers to frozen components of the Earth system. Around 10% of Earth's land area is covered by glaciers or ice sheets. The ocean and cryosphere support unique habitats, and are interconnected with other components of the climate system through global exchange of water, energy and carbon. |
Human communities in close connection with coastal environments, small islands, polar areas and high mountains are particularly exposed to ocean and cryosphere change, such as sea level rise, extreme sea level and shrinking cryosphere. Other communities, further from the coast are also exposed to changes in the ocean, such as through extreme weather events. |
In addition to their role within the climate system, such as the uptake and redistribution of natural and anthropogenic carbon dioxide and heat, as well as ecosystem support, services provided to people by the ocean and/or cryosphere include food and water supply, renewable energy, and benefits for health and well-being, cultural values, tourism, trade, and transport. |
Over the last decades, global warming has led to widespread shrinking of the cryosphere, with mass loss from ice sheets and glaciers, reductions in snow cover and Arctic sea ice extent and thickness and increased permafrost temperature. |
Over the last century some species of plants and animals have increased in abundance, shifted their range, and established in new areas as glaciers receded and the snow-free season lengthened. Together with warming, these changes have increased locally the number of species in high mountains, as lower-elevation species migrate upslope. |
Some cold-adapted or snow-dependent species have declined in abundance, increasing their risk of extinction, notably on mountain summits. In polar and mountain regions, many species have altered seasonal activities especially in late winter and spring. |
Increased wildfire and abrupt permafrost thaw, as well as changes in Arctic and mountain hydrology have altered frequency and intensity of ecosystem disturbances. This has included positive and negative impacts on vegetation and wildlife such as reindeer and salmon. |
Since about 1950 many marine species across various groups have undergone shifts in geographical range and seasonal activities in response to ocean warming, sea ice change and biogeochemical changes, such as oxygen loss, to their habitats. This has resulted in shifts in species composition, abundance and biomass production of ecosystems, from the equator to the poles. Altered interactions between species have caused cascading impacts on ecosystem structure and functioning. In some marine ecosystems species are impacted by both the effects of fishing and climate changes. |
Coastal ecosystems are affected by ocean warming, including intensified marine heatwaves, acidification, loss of oxygen, salinity intrusion and sea level rise, in combination with adverse effects from human activities on ocean and land. Impacts are already observed on habitat area and biodiversity, as well as ecosystem functioning and services. |
Recently, the Parliament passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019, which seeks to prohibit the production, trade, transport, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes in the country. |
The government had issued ordinance to ban e-cigarettes in September 2019. The new law would replace the ordinance. |
First-time offenders will face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh can be imposed. For subsequent offences, a jail term can be extended up till three years or a fine of Rs 5 lakh, or both will be imposed. |
The storage of e-cigarettes shall also be punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 50,000, or both. |
An e-cigarette is a type of electronic inhaler filled with nicotine and other chemical liquids. This inhaler converts the liquid into steam with the energy of the battery, which makes the inhaler feel like smoking a cigarette. |
Such devices are called Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), which are used to heat a nicotine solution to make aerosols. It is also available in different tastes. Sometimes, the liquid used in e-cigarettes is nicotine and many times more dangerous chemicals. In addition, some brands use formaldehyde in e-cigarettes, which are extremely dangerous and carcinogenic. |
According to the WHO, the e-cigarette industry has reached a global trade of 3 billion. There are 500 brands and more than 8,000 flavours available globally. Generally an e-cigarette costs between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000. Manufacturers claim that aerosol is just water vapour, but recent tests have confirmed the presence of toxic chemicals in it. |
E-cigarette companies positioning it as the 'new fashion statement' for youth and millennials are getting influenced by it. Consumption of e-cigarette doubles the chances of depression. According to research, people who consume e-cigarettes increase their risk of heart attack by 56 per cent. At the same time, consuming it for a long time can also cause blood clotting problems. |
Before India, it has also been banned in New York, a US state. The trend of such cigarettes had increased greatly among the youth living there. Due to which the number of diseases related to the lungs increased. After this, e-cigarettes have been banned completely here. New York City has become the second state in the United States after Michigan where flavoured e-cigarettes have been banned. |
According to reports, nearly half of the e-cigarettes are sold through the online market. China emerged as the largest supplier of e-cigarettes in India. The culture of e-cigarettes was started as an alternative to traditional tobacco smoking, but over a period of time, it has also started becoming a habit. There is no regulation of e-cigarette sales in India, which makes it easier for children and adolescents to buy e-cigarettes online. |
Lok Sabha members argued over regulation instead of complete ban on e-cigarettes. It is banned because unlike traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and therefore are not regulated under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The COTPA Act, regulates the sale, production, and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India, and prohibits advertisement of cigarettes. |
Recently, the Parliament passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019, which seeks to prohibit the production, trade, transport, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes in the country. |
The government had issued ordinance to ban e-cigarettes in September 2019. The new law would replace the ordinance. |
First-time offenders will face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh can be imposed. For subsequent offences, a jail term can be extended up till three years or a fine of Rs 5 lakh, or both will be imposed. |
The storage of e-cigarettes shall also be punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 50,000, or both. |
An e-cigarette is a type of electronic inhaler filled with nicotine and other chemical liquids. This inhaler converts the liquid into steam with the energy of the battery, which makes the inhaler feel like smoking a cigarette. |
Such devices are called Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), which are used to heat a nicotine solution to make aerosols. It is also available in different tastes. Sometimes, the liquid used in e-cigarettes is nicotine and many times more dangerous chemicals. In addition, some brands use formaldehyde in e-cigarettes, which are extremely dangerous and carcinogenic. |
According to the WHO, the e-cigarette industry has reached a global trade of 3 billion. There are 500 brands and more than 8,000 flavours available globally. Generally an e-cigarette costs between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000. Manufacturers claim that aerosol is just water vapour, but recent tests have confirmed the presence of toxic chemicals in it. |
E-cigarette companies positioning it as the 'new fashion statement' for youth and millennials are getting influenced by it. Consumption of e-cigarette doubles the chances of depression. According to research, people who consume e-cigarettes increase their risk of heart attack by 56 per cent. At the same time, consuming it for a long time can also cause blood clotting problems. |
Before India, it has also been banned in New York, a US state. The trend of such cigarettes had increased greatly among the youth living there. Due to which the number of diseases related to the lungs increased. After this, e-cigarettes have been banned completely here. New York City has become the second state in the United States after Michigan where flavoured e-cigarettes have been banned. |
According to reports, nearly half of the e-cigarettes are sold through the online market. China emerged as the largest supplier of e-cigarettes in India. The culture of e-cigarettes was started as an alternative to traditional tobacco smoking, but over a period of time, it has also started becoming a habit. There is no regulation of e-cigarette sales in India, which makes it easier for children and adolescents to buy e-cigarettes online. |
Lok Sabha members argued over regulation instead of complete ban on e-cigarettes. It is banned because unlike traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and therefore are not regulated under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The COTPA Act, regulates the sale, production, and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India, and prohibits advertisement of cigarettes. |
Recently, the Parliament passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019, which seeks to prohibit the production, trade, transport, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes in the country. |
The government had issued ordinance to ban e-cigarettes in September 2019. The new law would replace the ordinance. |
First-time offenders will face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh can be imposed. For subsequent offences, a jail term can be extended up till three years or a fine of Rs 5 lakh, or both will be imposed. |
The storage of e-cigarettes shall also be punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 50,000, or both. |
An e-cigarette is a type of electronic inhaler filled with nicotine and other chemical liquids. This inhaler converts the liquid into steam with the energy of the battery, which makes the inhaler feel like smoking a cigarette. |
Such devices are called Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), which are used to heat a nicotine solution to make aerosols. It is also available in different tastes. Sometimes, the liquid used in e-cigarettes is nicotine and many times more dangerous chemicals. In addition, some brands use formaldehyde in e-cigarettes, which are extremely dangerous and carcinogenic. |
According to the WHO, the e-cigarette industry has reached a global trade of 3 billion. There are 500 brands and more than 8,000 flavours available globally. Generally an e-cigarette costs between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000. Manufacturers claim that aerosol is just water vapour, but recent tests have confirmed the presence of toxic chemicals in it. |
E-cigarette companies positioning it as the 'new fashion statement' for youth and millennials are getting influenced by it. Consumption of e-cigarette doubles the chances of depression. According to research, people who consume e-cigarettes increase their risk of heart attack by 56 per cent. At the same time, consuming it for a long time can also cause blood clotting problems. |
Before India, it has also been banned in New York, a US state. The trend of such cigarettes had increased greatly among the youth living there. Due to which the number of diseases related to the lungs increased. After this, e-cigarettes have been banned completely here. New York City has become the second state in the United States after Michigan where flavoured e-cigarettes have been banned. |
According to reports, nearly half of the e-cigarettes are sold through the online market. China emerged as the largest supplier of e-cigarettes in India. The culture of e-cigarettes was started as an alternative to traditional tobacco smoking, but over a period of time, it has also started becoming a habit. There is no regulation of e-cigarette sales in India, which makes it easier for children and adolescents to buy e-cigarettes online. |
Lok Sabha members argued over regulation instead of complete ban on e-cigarettes. It is banned because unlike traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and therefore are not regulated under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The COTPA Act, regulates the sale, production, and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India, and prohibits advertisement of cigarettes. |
Recently, the Parliament passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019, which seeks to prohibit the production, trade, transport, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes in the country. |
The government had issued ordinance to ban e-cigarettes in September 2019. The new law would replace the ordinance. |
First-time offenders will face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh can be imposed. For subsequent offences, a jail term can be extended up till three years or a fine of Rs 5 lakh, or both will be imposed. |
The storage of e-cigarettes shall also be punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 50,000, or both. |
An e-cigarette is a type of electronic inhaler filled with nicotine and other chemical liquids. This inhaler converts the liquid into steam with the energy of the battery, which makes the inhaler feel like smoking a cigarette. |
Such devices are called Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), which are used to heat a nicotine solution to make aerosols. It is also available in different tastes. Sometimes, the liquid used in e-cigarettes is nicotine and many times more dangerous chemicals. In addition, some brands use formaldehyde in e-cigarettes, which are extremely dangerous and carcinogenic. |
According to the WHO, the e-cigarette industry has reached a global trade of 3 billion. There are 500 brands and more than 8,000 flavours available globally. Generally an e-cigarette costs between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000. Manufacturers claim that aerosol is just water vapour, but recent tests have confirmed the presence of toxic chemicals in it. |
E-cigarette companies positioning it as the 'new fashion statement' for youth and millennials are getting influenced by it. Consumption of e-cigarette doubles the chances of depression. According to research, people who consume e-cigarettes increase their risk of heart attack by 56 per cent. At the same time, consuming it for a long time can also cause blood clotting problems. |
Before India, it has also been banned in New York, a US state. The trend of such cigarettes had increased greatly among the youth living there. Due to which the number of diseases related to the lungs increased. After this, e-cigarettes have been banned completely here. New York City has become the second state in the United States after Michigan where flavoured e-cigarettes have been banned. |
According to reports, nearly half of the e-cigarettes are sold through the online market. China emerged as the largest supplier of e-cigarettes in India. The culture of e-cigarettes was started as an alternative to traditional tobacco smoking, but over a period of time, it has also started becoming a habit. There is no regulation of e-cigarette sales in India, which makes it easier for children and adolescents to buy e-cigarettes online. |
Lok Sabha members argued over regulation instead of complete ban on e-cigarettes. It is banned because unlike traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and therefore are not regulated under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The COTPA Act, regulates the sale, production, and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India, and prohibits advertisement of cigarettes. |
Recently, the Parliament passed the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Bill, 2019, which seeks to prohibit the production, trade, transport, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes in the country. |
The government had issued ordinance to ban e-cigarettes in September 2019. The new law would replace the ordinance. |
First-time offenders will face a jail term of up to one year or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh can be imposed. For subsequent offences, a jail term can be extended up till three years or a fine of Rs 5 lakh, or both will be imposed. |
The storage of e-cigarettes shall also be punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to Rs 50,000, or both. |
An e-cigarette is a type of electronic inhaler filled with nicotine and other chemical liquids. This inhaler converts the liquid into steam with the energy of the battery, which makes the inhaler feel like smoking a cigarette. |
Such devices are called Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), which are used to heat a nicotine solution to make aerosols. It is also available in different tastes. Sometimes, the liquid used in e-cigarettes is nicotine and many times more dangerous chemicals. In addition, some brands use formaldehyde in e-cigarettes, which are extremely dangerous and carcinogenic. |
According to the WHO, the e-cigarette industry has reached a global trade of 3 billion. There are 500 brands and more than 8,000 flavours available globally. Generally an e-cigarette costs between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000. Manufacturers claim that aerosol is just water vapour, but recent tests have confirmed the presence of toxic chemicals in it. |
E-cigarette companies positioning it as the 'new fashion statement' for youth and millennials are getting influenced by it. Consumption of e-cigarette doubles the chances of depression. According to research, people who consume e-cigarettes increase their risk of heart attack by 56 per cent. At the same time, consuming it for a long time can also cause blood clotting problems. |
Before India, it has also been banned in New York, a US state. The trend of such cigarettes had increased greatly among the youth living there. Due to which the number of diseases related to the lungs increased. After this, e-cigarettes have been banned completely here. New York City has become the second state in the United States after Michigan where flavoured e-cigarettes have been banned. |
According to reports, nearly half of the e-cigarettes are sold through the online market. China emerged as the largest supplier of e-cigarettes in India. The culture of e-cigarettes was started as an alternative to traditional tobacco smoking, but over a period of time, it has also started becoming a habit. There is no regulation of e-cigarette sales in India, which makes it easier for children and adolescents to buy e-cigarettes online. |
Lok Sabha members argued over regulation instead of complete ban on e-cigarettes. It is banned because unlike traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and therefore are not regulated under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The COTPA Act, regulates the sale, production, and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India, and prohibits advertisement of cigarettes. |
Democracy is in trouble. By Freedom House's measures, 2019 was the 14th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. Most concerning, the decline isn't only in dictatorships like Russia or Syria: democracy is in retreat in its traditional strongholds. Among 41 established democracies, more than half have slipped over the past decade. As freely elected leaders set aside democratic norms, were seeing weaknesses particularly in rule of law, free expression and belief, and the functioning of government. |
There are many reasons for the erosion. I will focus on two. First, the economic downturn in 2008 left people feeling less secure, and leaders were able to exploit those feelings to make undemocratic moves that strengthened their grip on power. For example, the scapegoating of migrants in Europe has bolstered Hungary's Viktor Orban and other leaders there, even though migrants did not pose a real threat to security or jobs in Hungary. Second, Russia and especially China, have been spreading their models of autocracy, initially among their immediate neighbours, and now much more widely through measures such as new multilateral organisations for information sharing that parallel the existing international system, trainings for foreign officials in various modes of repression, and massive diplomatic efforts. |
Have new technologies, including social media platforms and facial recognition, also contributed to the decline in democracy? |
The internet has been a boon for free expression and the ability to hold those in power to account. |
People continue to innovate new ways of using technology to circumvent restrictions and make their voices heard. But autocrats have become more savvy as well. They are using technology to monitor their opponents, to disrupt electoral processes, and for new forms of harassment online. China and others export technological tools for repression, and even run trainings on new media and information management. In 2019 Freedom House found that nearly all countries we examined that had held elections in the previous year had had some form of digital interference in their elections. |
Democracy in India should be a major concern for both Indians and people around the world. As the largest democracy, and one that is extremely vibrant, India can he a beacon for people struggling for freedom in all comers of the globe. But right now, many Indians seem less interested in upholding the pluralistic roots of their democracy than in promoting a more limited view of what Indian society should be. The biggest challenge facing Indian democracy is to address the concerns of all Indians while also protecting everyones rights. |
In 2019, Freedom House saw a steeper decline in freedom in India than in any of the world's 25 largest democracies. This is according to our Freedom in the World methodology, which is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with input from a panel of experts from every region of the world. The decline in India is due to developments such as the review of citizenship status in Assam that effectively rendered nearly two million people stateless, the new CAA that offered citizenship to certain religious groups from neighbouring countries but excluded Muslims, and authorities harsh repression of protests against the Act. Each of these moves targets a slice of the population, shaking India's foundation of inclusiveness. When a government violates the rights of a minority, it paves the way for everyone to become a target. That might happen under this administration, or under a different administration in the future. |
Democracy is in trouble. By Freedom House's measures, 2019 was the 14th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. Most concerning, the decline isn't only in dictatorships like Russia or Syria: democracy is in retreat in its traditional strongholds. Among 41 established democracies, more than half have slipped over the past decade. As freely elected leaders set aside democratic norms, were seeing weaknesses particularly in rule of law, free expression and belief, and the functioning of government. |
There are many reasons for the erosion. I will focus on two. First, the economic downturn in 2008 left people feeling less secure, and leaders were able to exploit those feelings to make undemocratic moves that strengthened their grip on power. For example, the scapegoating of migrants in Europe has bolstered Hungary's Viktor Orban and other leaders there, even though migrants did not pose a real threat to security or jobs in Hungary. Second, Russia and especially China, have been spreading their models of autocracy, initially among their immediate neighbours, and now much more widely through measures such as new multilateral organisations for information sharing that parallel the existing international system, trainings for foreign officials in various modes of repression, and massive diplomatic efforts. |
Have new technologies, including social media platforms and facial recognition, also contributed to the decline in democracy? |
The internet has been a boon for free expression and the ability to hold those in power to account. |
People continue to innovate new ways of using technology to circumvent restrictions and make their voices heard. But autocrats have become more savvy as well. They are using technology to monitor their opponents, to disrupt electoral processes, and for new forms of harassment online. China and others export technological tools for repression, and even run trainings on new media and information management. In 2019 Freedom House found that nearly all countries we examined that had held elections in the previous year had had some form of digital interference in their elections. |
Democracy in India should be a major concern for both Indians and people around the world. As the largest democracy, and one that is extremely vibrant, India can he a beacon for people struggling for freedom in all comers of the globe. But right now, many Indians seem less interested in upholding the pluralistic roots of their democracy than in promoting a more limited view of what Indian society should be. The biggest challenge facing Indian democracy is to address the concerns of all Indians while also protecting everyones rights. |
In 2019, Freedom House saw a steeper decline in freedom in India than in any of the world's 25 largest democracies. This is according to our Freedom in the World methodology, which is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with input from a panel of experts from every region of the world. The decline in India is due to developments such as the review of citizenship status in Assam that effectively rendered nearly two million people stateless, the new CAA that offered citizenship to certain religious groups from neighbouring countries but excluded Muslims, and authorities harsh repression of protests against the Act. Each of these moves targets a slice of the population, shaking India's foundation of inclusiveness. When a government violates the rights of a minority, it paves the way for everyone to become a target. That might happen under this administration, or under a different administration in the future. |
Democracy is in trouble. By Freedom House's measures, 2019 was the 14th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. Most concerning, the decline isn't only in dictatorships like Russia or Syria: democracy is in retreat in its traditional strongholds. Among 41 established democracies, more than half have slipped over the past decade. As freely elected leaders set aside democratic norms, were seeing weaknesses particularly in rule of law, free expression and belief, and the functioning of government. |
There are many reasons for the erosion. I will focus on two. First, the economic downturn in 2008 left people feeling less secure, and leaders were able to exploit those feelings to make undemocratic moves that strengthened their grip on power. For example, the scapegoating of migrants in Europe has bolstered Hungary's Viktor Orban and other leaders there, even though migrants did not pose a real threat to security or jobs in Hungary. Second, Russia and especially China, have been spreading their models of autocracy, initially among their immediate neighbours, and now much more widely through measures such as new multilateral organisations for information sharing that parallel the existing international system, trainings for foreign officials in various modes of repression, and massive diplomatic efforts. |
Have new technologies, including social media platforms and facial recognition, also contributed to the decline in democracy? |
The internet has been a boon for free expression and the ability to hold those in power to account. |
People continue to innovate new ways of using technology to circumvent restrictions and make their voices heard. But autocrats have become more savvy as well. They are using technology to monitor their opponents, to disrupt electoral processes, and for new forms of harassment online. China and others export technological tools for repression, and even run trainings on new media and information management. In 2019 Freedom House found that nearly all countries we examined that had held elections in the previous year had had some form of digital interference in their elections. |
Democracy in India should be a major concern for both Indians and people around the world. As the largest democracy, and one that is extremely vibrant, India can he a beacon for people struggling for freedom in all comers of the globe. But right now, many Indians seem less interested in upholding the pluralistic roots of their democracy than in promoting a more limited view of what Indian society should be. The biggest challenge facing Indian democracy is to address the concerns of all Indians while also protecting everyones rights. |
In 2019, Freedom House saw a steeper decline in freedom in India than in any of the world's 25 largest democracies. This is according to our Freedom in the World methodology, which is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with input from a panel of experts from every region of the world. The decline in India is due to developments such as the review of citizenship status in Assam that effectively rendered nearly two million people stateless, the new CAA that offered citizenship to certain religious groups from neighbouring countries but excluded Muslims, and authorities harsh repression of protests against the Act. Each of these moves targets a slice of the population, shaking India's foundation of inclusiveness. When a government violates the rights of a minority, it paves the way for everyone to become a target. That might happen under this administration, or under a different administration in the future. |
Democracy is in trouble. By Freedom House's measures, 2019 was the 14th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. Most concerning, the decline isn't only in dictatorships like Russia or Syria: democracy is in retreat in its traditional strongholds. Among 41 established democracies, more than half have slipped over the past decade. As freely elected leaders set aside democratic norms, were seeing weaknesses particularly in rule of law, free expression and belief, and the functioning of government. |
There are many reasons for the erosion. I will focus on two. First, the economic downturn in 2008 left people feeling less secure, and leaders were able to exploit those feelings to make undemocratic moves that strengthened their grip on power. For example, the scapegoating of migrants in Europe has bolstered Hungary's Viktor Orban and other leaders there, even though migrants did not pose a real threat to security or jobs in Hungary. Second, Russia and especially China, have been spreading their models of autocracy, initially among their immediate neighbours, and now much more widely through measures such as new multilateral organisations for information sharing that parallel the existing international system, trainings for foreign officials in various modes of repression, and massive diplomatic efforts. |
Have new technologies, including social media platforms and facial recognition, also contributed to the decline in democracy? |
The internet has been a boon for free expression and the ability to hold those in power to account. |
People continue to innovate new ways of using technology to circumvent restrictions and make their voices heard. But autocrats have become more savvy as well. They are using technology to monitor their opponents, to disrupt electoral processes, and for new forms of harassment online. China and others export technological tools for repression, and even run trainings on new media and information management. In 2019 Freedom House found that nearly all countries we examined that had held elections in the previous year had had some form of digital interference in their elections. |
Democracy in India should be a major concern for both Indians and people around the world. As the largest democracy, and one that is extremely vibrant, India can he a beacon for people struggling for freedom in all comers of the globe. But right now, many Indians seem less interested in upholding the pluralistic roots of their democracy than in promoting a more limited view of what Indian society should be. The biggest challenge facing Indian democracy is to address the concerns of all Indians while also protecting everyones rights. |
In 2019, Freedom House saw a steeper decline in freedom in India than in any of the world's 25 largest democracies. This is according to our Freedom in the World methodology, which is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with input from a panel of experts from every region of the world. The decline in India is due to developments such as the review of citizenship status in Assam that effectively rendered nearly two million people stateless, the new CAA that offered citizenship to certain religious groups from neighbouring countries but excluded Muslims, and authorities harsh repression of protests against the Act. Each of these moves targets a slice of the population, shaking India's foundation of inclusiveness. When a government violates the rights of a minority, it paves the way for everyone to become a target. That might happen under this administration, or under a different administration in the future. |
Democracy is in trouble. By Freedom House's measures, 2019 was the 14th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. Most concerning, the decline isn't only in dictatorships like Russia or Syria: democracy is in retreat in its traditional strongholds. Among 41 established democracies, more than half have slipped over the past decade. As freely elected leaders set aside democratic norms, were seeing weaknesses particularly in rule of law, free expression and belief, and the functioning of government. |
There are many reasons for the erosion. I will focus on two. First, the economic downturn in 2008 left people feeling less secure, and leaders were able to exploit those feelings to make undemocratic moves that strengthened their grip on power. For example, the scapegoating of migrants in Europe has bolstered Hungary's Viktor Orban and other leaders there, even though migrants did not pose a real threat to security or jobs in Hungary. Second, Russia and especially China, have been spreading their models of autocracy, initially among their immediate neighbours, and now much more widely through measures such as new multilateral organisations for information sharing that parallel the existing international system, trainings for foreign officials in various modes of repression, and massive diplomatic efforts. |
Have new technologies, including social media platforms and facial recognition, also contributed to the decline in democracy? |
The internet has been a boon for free expression and the ability to hold those in power to account. |
People continue to innovate new ways of using technology to circumvent restrictions and make their voices heard. But autocrats have become more savvy as well. They are using technology to monitor their opponents, to disrupt electoral processes, and for new forms of harassment online. China and others export technological tools for repression, and even run trainings on new media and information management. In 2019 Freedom House found that nearly all countries we examined that had held elections in the previous year had had some form of digital interference in their elections. |
Democracy in India should be a major concern for both Indians and people around the world. As the largest democracy, and one that is extremely vibrant, India can he a beacon for people struggling for freedom in all comers of the globe. But right now, many Indians seem less interested in upholding the pluralistic roots of their democracy than in promoting a more limited view of what Indian society should be. The biggest challenge facing Indian democracy is to address the concerns of all Indians while also protecting everyones rights. |
In 2019, Freedom House saw a steeper decline in freedom in India than in any of the world's 25 largest democracies. This is according to our Freedom in the World methodology, which is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with input from a panel of experts from every region of the world. The decline in India is due to developments such as the review of citizenship status in Assam that effectively rendered nearly two million people stateless, the new CAA that offered citizenship to certain religious groups from neighbouring countries but excluded Muslims, and authorities harsh repression of protests against the Act. Each of these moves targets a slice of the population, shaking India's foundation of inclusiveness. When a government violates the rights of a minority, it paves the way for everyone to become a target. That might happen under this administration, or under a different administration in the future. |
Custodial violence refers to violence that is experienced physically, psychologically as well as emotionally in the custody of law and lawful authority, which includes enforced disappearance, illegal detention, torture, extrajudicial execution, and various other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatments and punishment. Custodial violence involves specific situations such as those where custody itself is prima facie unlawful or does not have any authority of law, which is a violation of rights originating at the moment of invoking custody, and this continues post custody too, for instance, crimes of illegal detention and enforced disappearance by state or agents of state, that is, public authorities. |
Another specific situation is when the custody itself is lawful hut the standards of custodial practices are not followed post custody. Thus violation of rights starts at some point of time post detention custody and this may continue during custody. |
The role of the police and the nature of policing have become the focus of debate and controversy among politicians, media, and the public. With the police often being the major violator of human rights and the culprit in custodial violence, Indian policing is often perceived to be in a state of crisis. Major misuse of power and cause of Injustice to the people have weakened the public confidence in police. There has been little agreement on what the police should do and not do, and this is the reason why there is a huge commotion in the structural foundation of the entire police system in India. |
The crime rate in India is much higher as compared to other nations, especially when it comes to violation of human rights and human dignity. The ever-escalating trajectory of the crime rate also questions the role and status of the police system and the overall administration of law, order, and justice in the country. There lies a huge responsibility with the police force of the country to curb crime. |
As per the Indian Constitution, members of the police force are public servants and a police station is considered as public property. Therefore, the duty and the conduct of a police officer must conform to the law of the land, respect basic human freedom, and obey as well as maintain law and order in the country. However, time and again, we observe a contrasting character where members of the police are involved in custodial violence, torture, inhuman treatment, handcuffing prisoners, use of third degree methods, and so on, which are often demonstrated and practised by the police force during their official duties. |
The Constitution is based primarily on the principle and concept of equality among all citizens irrespective of their status, gender, caste, or creed and social, economic, and political justice. The Constitution also guarantees some exclusive rights for persons who are under institutional custody besides other rights including fundamental rights. The concept of equality and the provision for protection against torture or any other arbitrary behaviour forms the basis of the Indian Constitution. Thus each and every citizen of the country has the right to equality and protection before law. |
Custodial violence refers to violence that is experienced physically, psychologically as well as emotionally in the custody of law and lawful authority, which includes enforced disappearance, illegal detention, torture, extrajudicial execution, and various other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatments and punishment. Custodial violence involves specific situations such as those where custody itself is prima facie unlawful or does not have any authority of law, which is a violation of rights originating at the moment of invoking custody, and this continues post custody too, for instance, crimes of illegal detention and enforced disappearance by state or agents of state, that is, public authorities. |
Another specific situation is when the custody itself is lawful hut the standards of custodial practices are not followed post custody. Thus violation of rights starts at some point of time post detention custody and this may continue during custody. |
The role of the police and the nature of policing have become the focus of debate and controversy among politicians, media, and the public. With the police often being the major violator of human rights and the culprit in custodial violence, Indian policing is often perceived to be in a state of crisis. Major misuse of power and cause of Injustice to the people have weakened the public confidence in police. There has been little agreement on what the police should do and not do, and this is the reason why there is a huge commotion in the structural foundation of the entire police system in India. |
The crime rate in India is much higher as compared to other nations, especially when it comes to violation of human rights and human dignity. The ever-escalating trajectory of the crime rate also questions the role and status of the police system and the overall administration of law, order, and justice in the country. There lies a huge responsibility with the police force of the country to curb crime. |
As per the Indian Constitution, members of the police force are public servants and a police station is considered as public property. Therefore, the duty and the conduct of a police officer must conform to the law of the land, respect basic human freedom, and obey as well as maintain law and order in the country. However, time and again, we observe a contrasting character where members of the police are involved in custodial violence, torture, inhuman treatment, handcuffing prisoners, use of third degree methods, and so on, which are often demonstrated and practised by the police force during their official duties. |
The Constitution is based primarily on the principle and concept of equality among all citizens irrespective of their status, gender, caste, or creed and social, economic, and political justice. The Constitution also guarantees some exclusive rights for persons who are under institutional custody besides other rights including fundamental rights. The concept of equality and the provision for protection against torture or any other arbitrary behaviour forms the basis of the Indian Constitution. Thus each and every citizen of the country has the right to equality and protection before law. |
Custodial violence refers to violence that is experienced physically, psychologically as well as emotionally in the custody of law and lawful authority, which includes enforced disappearance, illegal detention, torture, extrajudicial execution, and various other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatments and punishment. Custodial violence involves specific situations such as those where custody itself is prima facie unlawful or does not have any authority of law, which is a violation of rights originating at the moment of invoking custody, and this continues post custody too, for instance, crimes of illegal detention and enforced disappearance by state or agents of state, that is, public authorities. |
Another specific situation is when the custody itself is lawful hut the standards of custodial practices are not followed post custody. Thus violation of rights starts at some point of time post detention custody and this may continue during custody. |
The role of the police and the nature of policing have become the focus of debate and controversy among politicians, media, and the public. With the police often being the major violator of human rights and the culprit in custodial violence, Indian policing is often perceived to be in a state of crisis. Major misuse of power and cause of Injustice to the people have weakened the public confidence in police. There has been little agreement on what the police should do and not do, and this is the reason why there is a huge commotion in the structural foundation of the entire police system in India. |
The crime rate in India is much higher as compared to other nations, especially when it comes to violation of human rights and human dignity. The ever-escalating trajectory of the crime rate also questions the role and status of the police system and the overall administration of law, order, and justice in the country. There lies a huge responsibility with the police force of the country to curb crime. |
As per the Indian Constitution, members of the police force are public servants and a police station is considered as public property. Therefore, the duty and the conduct of a police officer must conform to the law of the land, respect basic human freedom, and obey as well as maintain law and order in the country. However, time and again, we observe a contrasting character where members of the police are involved in custodial violence, torture, inhuman treatment, handcuffing prisoners, use of third degree methods, and so on, which are often demonstrated and practised by the police force during their official duties. |
The Constitution is based primarily on the principle and concept of equality among all citizens irrespective of their status, gender, caste, or creed and social, economic, and political justice. The Constitution also guarantees some exclusive rights for persons who are under institutional custody besides other rights including fundamental rights. The concept of equality and the provision for protection against torture or any other arbitrary behaviour forms the basis of the Indian Constitution. Thus each and every citizen of the country has the right to equality and protection before law. |
Custodial violence refers to violence that is experienced physically, psychologically as well as emotionally in the custody of law and lawful authority, which includes enforced disappearance, illegal detention, torture, extrajudicial execution, and various other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatments and punishment. Custodial violence involves specific situations such as those where custody itself is prima facie unlawful or does not have any authority of law, which is a violation of rights originating at the moment of invoking custody, and this continues post custody too, for instance, crimes of illegal detention and enforced disappearance by state or agents of state, that is, public authorities. |
Another specific situation is when the custody itself is lawful hut the standards of custodial practices are not followed post custody. Thus violation of rights starts at some point of time post detention custody and this may continue during custody. |
The role of the police and the nature of policing have become the focus of debate and controversy among politicians, media, and the public. With the police often being the major violator of human rights and the culprit in custodial violence, Indian policing is often perceived to be in a state of crisis. Major misuse of power and cause of Injustice to the people have weakened the public confidence in police. There has been little agreement on what the police should do and not do, and this is the reason why there is a huge commotion in the structural foundation of the entire police system in India. |
The crime rate in India is much higher as compared to other nations, especially when it comes to violation of human rights and human dignity. The ever-escalating trajectory of the crime rate also questions the role and status of the police system and the overall administration of law, order, and justice in the country. There lies a huge responsibility with the police force of the country to curb crime. |
As per the Indian Constitution, members of the police force are public servants and a police station is considered as public property. Therefore, the duty and the conduct of a police officer must conform to the law of the land, respect basic human freedom, and obey as well as maintain law and order in the country. However, time and again, we observe a contrasting character where members of the police are involved in custodial violence, torture, inhuman treatment, handcuffing prisoners, use of third degree methods, and so on, which are often demonstrated and practised by the police force during their official duties. |
The Constitution is based primarily on the principle and concept of equality among all citizens irrespective of their status, gender, caste, or creed and social, economic, and political justice. The Constitution also guarantees some exclusive rights for persons who are under institutional custody besides other rights including fundamental rights. The concept of equality and the provision for protection against torture or any other arbitrary behaviour forms the basis of the Indian Constitution. Thus each and every citizen of the country has the right to equality and protection before law. |
Custodial violence refers to violence that is experienced physically, psychologically as well as emotionally in the custody of law and lawful authority, which includes enforced disappearance, illegal detention, torture, extrajudicial execution, and various other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatments and punishment. Custodial violence involves specific situations such as those where custody itself is prima facie unlawful or does not have any authority of law, which is a violation of rights originating at the moment of invoking custody, and this continues post custody too, for instance, crimes of illegal detention and enforced disappearance by state or agents of state, that is, public authorities. |
Another specific situation is when the custody itself is lawful hut the standards of custodial practices are not followed post custody. Thus violation of rights starts at some point of time post detention custody and this may continue during custody. |
The role of the police and the nature of policing have become the focus of debate and controversy among politicians, media, and the public. With the police often being the major violator of human rights and the culprit in custodial violence, Indian policing is often perceived to be in a state of crisis. Major misuse of power and cause of Injustice to the people have weakened the public confidence in police. There has been little agreement on what the police should do and not do, and this is the reason why there is a huge commotion in the structural foundation of the entire police system in India. |
The crime rate in India is much higher as compared to other nations, especially when it comes to violation of human rights and human dignity. The ever-escalating trajectory of the crime rate also questions the role and status of the police system and the overall administration of law, order, and justice in the country. There lies a huge responsibility with the police force of the country to curb crime. |
As per the Indian Constitution, members of the police force are public servants and a police station is considered as public property. Therefore, the duty and the conduct of a police officer must conform to the law of the land, respect basic human freedom, and obey as well as maintain law and order in the country. However, time and again, we observe a contrasting character where members of the police are involved in custodial violence, torture, inhuman treatment, handcuffing prisoners, use of third degree methods, and so on, which are often demonstrated and practised by the police force during their official duties. |
The Constitution is based primarily on the principle and concept of equality among all citizens irrespective of their status, gender, caste, or creed and social, economic, and political justice. The Constitution also guarantees some exclusive rights for persons who are under institutional custody besides other rights including fundamental rights. The concept of equality and the provision for protection against torture or any other arbitrary behaviour forms the basis of the Indian Constitution. Thus each and every citizen of the country has the right to equality and protection before law. |
Exactly three months ago, on December 11, India's parliament passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. This, for the first time, introduced a religious element to India's citizenship law. The legislation allowed so-called illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to apply for Indian citizenship - as long as they were not Muslim. |
This law was even more controversial given the fact that leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said that it would work in tandem with a proposed National Register of Indian Citizens. By linking the two, the BJP intended to convey that only Muslims would be targeted by an NRC. |
The Citizenship Amendment Act sparked off massive protests, international condemnation and large-scale chaos. Yet, the BJP has been steadfast in that it will not roll back the law. Despite being so adamant, three months after the act was passed, the Modi government is yet to begin the process of implementing the legislation on the ground. The rules to the CAA - guidelines on how the legislation will be implemented - are yet to be notified by the Union government. |
What explains this delay for a law so core to the BJP's current politics? |
The CAA catalysed fears amongst Muslims that they could be rendered stateless using an NRC, leading to massive protests. This, in turn, prompted often-brutal crackdowns by BJP-led state governments. In one case, threats by a BJP leader to violently uproot protestors in Delhi were a major factor in sparking of widespread communal rioting and attacks by the police on Muslim neighbourhoods. |
In the three months since the act was passed by parliament, 80 people have died: two in Karnataka, six in Assam, 19 in Uttar Pradesh, and 53 in Delhi. |
One simple reason for the delay in framing the rules therefore could be that the Modi government is wary of further fanning protests. |
A similar process has already occurred in the case of the NRC. Till before the protests started, the BJP volubly stated that an NRC was going to be conducted. However, after the protests, the party suddenly changed its public position, claiming that "nowhere has the NRC word been discussed or been talked about". (Notably however, this has still meant the BJP is proceeding with the National Population Register, a door-to-door survey that collects data for an NRC.) |
The other difficulty when it comes to framing the rules for the CAA is the self-contradictory nature of the law itself. The act is so unusually framed that experts have argued the legislation would fail to help many migrants gain Indian citizenship. |
A scenario where the CAA is operationalised but very few migrants apply for citizenship under it would greatly embarrass the BJP. The party would have upturned India in pursuit of its stated aim of helping non-Muslim migrants - except that the CAA would not have helped them. This could, thus, be a significant factor in the delay in framing rules. |
Exactly three months ago, on December 11, India's parliament passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. This, for the first time, introduced a religious element to India's citizenship law. The legislation allowed so-called illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to apply for Indian citizenship - as long as they were not Muslim. |
This law was even more controversial given the fact that leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said that it would work in tandem with a proposed National Register of Indian Citizens. By linking the two, the BJP intended to convey that only Muslims would be targeted by an NRC. |
The Citizenship Amendment Act sparked off massive protests, international condemnation and large-scale chaos. Yet, the BJP has been steadfast in that it will not roll back the law. Despite being so adamant, three months after the act was passed, the Modi government is yet to begin the process of implementing the legislation on the ground. The rules to the CAA - guidelines on how the legislation will be implemented - are yet to be notified by the Union government. |
What explains this delay for a law so core to the BJP's current politics? |
The CAA catalysed fears amongst Muslims that they could be rendered stateless using an NRC, leading to massive protests. This, in turn, prompted often-brutal crackdowns by BJP-led state governments. In one case, threats by a BJP leader to violently uproot protestors in Delhi were a major factor in sparking of widespread communal rioting and attacks by the police on Muslim neighbourhoods. |
In the three months since the act was passed by parliament, 80 people have died: two in Karnataka, six in Assam, 19 in Uttar Pradesh, and 53 in Delhi. |
One simple reason for the delay in framing the rules therefore could be that the Modi government is wary of further fanning protests. |
A similar process has already occurred in the case of the NRC. Till before the protests started, the BJP volubly stated that an NRC was going to be conducted. However, after the protests, the party suddenly changed its public position, claiming that "nowhere has the NRC word been discussed or been talked about". (Notably however, this has still meant the BJP is proceeding with the National Population Register, a door-to-door survey that collects data for an NRC.) |
The other difficulty when it comes to framing the rules for the CAA is the self-contradictory nature of the law itself. The act is so unusually framed that experts have argued the legislation would fail to help many migrants gain Indian citizenship. |
A scenario where the CAA is operationalised but very few migrants apply for citizenship under it would greatly embarrass the BJP. The party would have upturned India in pursuit of its stated aim of helping non-Muslim migrants - except that the CAA would not have helped them. This could, thus, be a significant factor in the delay in framing rules. |
Exactly three months ago, on December 11, India's parliament passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. This, for the first time, introduced a religious element to India's citizenship law. The legislation allowed so-called illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to apply for Indian citizenship - as long as they were not Muslim. |
This law was even more controversial given the fact that leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said that it would work in tandem with a proposed National Register of Indian Citizens. By linking the two, the BJP intended to convey that only Muslims would be targeted by an NRC. |
The Citizenship Amendment Act sparked off massive protests, international condemnation and large-scale chaos. Yet, the BJP has been steadfast in that it will not roll back the law. Despite being so adamant, three months after the act was passed, the Modi government is yet to begin the process of implementing the legislation on the ground. The rules to the CAA - guidelines on how the legislation will be implemented - are yet to be notified by the Union government. |
What explains this delay for a law so core to the BJP's current politics? |
The CAA catalysed fears amongst Muslims that they could be rendered stateless using an NRC, leading to massive protests. This, in turn, prompted often-brutal crackdowns by BJP-led state governments. In one case, threats by a BJP leader to violently uproot protestors in Delhi were a major factor in sparking of widespread communal rioting and attacks by the police on Muslim neighbourhoods. |
In the three months since the act was passed by parliament, 80 people have died: two in Karnataka, six in Assam, 19 in Uttar Pradesh, and 53 in Delhi. |
One simple reason for the delay in framing the rules therefore could be that the Modi government is wary of further fanning protests. |
A similar process has already occurred in the case of the NRC. Till before the protests started, the BJP volubly stated that an NRC was going to be conducted. However, after the protests, the party suddenly changed its public position, claiming that "nowhere has the NRC word been discussed or been talked about". (Notably however, this has still meant the BJP is proceeding with the National Population Register, a door-to-door survey that collects data for an NRC.) |
The other difficulty when it comes to framing the rules for the CAA is the self-contradictory nature of the law itself. The act is so unusually framed that experts have argued the legislation would fail to help many migrants gain Indian citizenship. |
A scenario where the CAA is operationalised but very few migrants apply for citizenship under it would greatly embarrass the BJP. The party would have upturned India in pursuit of its stated aim of helping non-Muslim migrants - except that the CAA would not have helped them. This could, thus, be a significant factor in the delay in framing rules. |
Exactly three months ago, on December 11, India's parliament passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. This, for the first time, introduced a religious element to India's citizenship law. The legislation allowed so-called illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to apply for Indian citizenship - as long as they were not Muslim. |
This law was even more controversial given the fact that leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said that it would work in tandem with a proposed National Register of Indian Citizens. By linking the two, the BJP intended to convey that only Muslims would be targeted by an NRC. |
The Citizenship Amendment Act sparked off massive protests, international condemnation and large-scale chaos. Yet, the BJP has been steadfast in that it will not roll back the law. Despite being so adamant, three months after the act was passed, the Modi government is yet to begin the process of implementing the legislation on the ground. The rules to the CAA - guidelines on how the legislation will be implemented - are yet to be notified by the Union government. |
What explains this delay for a law so core to the BJP's current politics? |
The CAA catalysed fears amongst Muslims that they could be rendered stateless using an NRC, leading to massive protests. This, in turn, prompted often-brutal crackdowns by BJP-led state governments. In one case, threats by a BJP leader to violently uproot protestors in Delhi were a major factor in sparking of widespread communal rioting and attacks by the police on Muslim neighbourhoods. |
In the three months since the act was passed by parliament, 80 people have died: two in Karnataka, six in Assam, 19 in Uttar Pradesh, and 53 in Delhi. |
One simple reason for the delay in framing the rules therefore could be that the Modi government is wary of further fanning protests. |
A similar process has already occurred in the case of the NRC. Till before the protests started, the BJP volubly stated that an NRC was going to be conducted. However, after the protests, the party suddenly changed its public position, claiming that "nowhere has the NRC word been discussed or been talked about". (Notably however, this has still meant the BJP is proceeding with the National Population Register, a door-to-door survey that collects data for an NRC.) |
The other difficulty when it comes to framing the rules for the CAA is the self-contradictory nature of the law itself. The act is so unusually framed that experts have argued the legislation would fail to help many migrants gain Indian citizenship. |
A scenario where the CAA is operationalised but very few migrants apply for citizenship under it would greatly embarrass the BJP. The party would have upturned India in pursuit of its stated aim of helping non-Muslim migrants - except that the CAA would not have helped them. This could, thus, be a significant factor in the delay in framing rules. |
Exactly three months ago, on December 11, India's parliament passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. This, for the first time, introduced a religious element to India's citizenship law. The legislation allowed so-called illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to apply for Indian citizenship - as long as they were not Muslim. |
This law was even more controversial given the fact that leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said that it would work in tandem with a proposed National Register of Indian Citizens. By linking the two, the BJP intended to convey that only Muslims would be targeted by an NRC. |
The Citizenship Amendment Act sparked off massive protests, international condemnation and large-scale chaos. Yet, the BJP has been steadfast in that it will not roll back the law. Despite being so adamant, three months after the act was passed, the Modi government is yet to begin the process of implementing the legislation on the ground. The rules to the CAA - guidelines on how the legislation will be implemented - are yet to be notified by the Union government. |
What explains this delay for a law so core to the BJP's current politics? |
The CAA catalysed fears amongst Muslims that they could be rendered stateless using an NRC, leading to massive protests. This, in turn, prompted often-brutal crackdowns by BJP-led state governments. In one case, threats by a BJP leader to violently uproot protestors in Delhi were a major factor in sparking of widespread communal rioting and attacks by the police on Muslim neighbourhoods. |
In the three months since the act was passed by parliament, 80 people have died: two in Karnataka, six in Assam, 19 in Uttar Pradesh, and 53 in Delhi. |
One simple reason for the delay in framing the rules therefore could be that the Modi government is wary of further fanning protests. |
A similar process has already occurred in the case of the NRC. Till before the protests started, the BJP volubly stated that an NRC was going to be conducted. However, after the protests, the party suddenly changed its public position, claiming that "nowhere has the NRC word been discussed or been talked about". (Notably however, this has still meant the BJP is proceeding with the National Population Register, a door-to-door survey that collects data for an NRC.) |
The other difficulty when it comes to framing the rules for the CAA is the self-contradictory nature of the law itself. The act is so unusually framed that experts have argued the legislation would fail to help many migrants gain Indian citizenship. |
A scenario where the CAA is operationalised but very few migrants apply for citizenship under it would greatly embarrass the BJP. The party would have upturned India in pursuit of its stated aim of helping non-Muslim migrants - except that the CAA would not have helped them. This could, thus, be a significant factor in the delay in framing rules. |
Institutions have been defined as 'the rules of the game in society, or more formally, are the humanly devised constraints that human interaction'. One of the most effective of these rules of interaction is the 'law'. The relationship between the legal Institutions and economic development has interested the academic fraternity for far too long, across the globe. |
An efficient institutional structure resolves the uncertainties in the market and the problem of asymmetric information and thus, creates a positive exogeneity, ensures the efficient distribution of the resources and makes a positive Impact on the functioning of the economy. It further ensures that the economic transactions are done in a cheaper and a safer way, prevents wastage of resources, contributes in prevention of corruption and ensures transparency and accountability. Hence, it can be said that a strong institutional structure increases the efficiency and quality of trade in a country. |
Law is specific and compelling in nature, and may cause both, deprive individuals of rights and benefits, and also protect another individual's rights and freedoms, or economic rights and benefits from unlawful acts. Economy is the main factor that affects the community, either positively or negatively. The close interlinkage between law and economy keeps the States standing, both, nationally and internationally. |
In India, the lawmakers are gaining increasing consciousness about the importance of rule of law, in order to boost the economic development of the country. While addressing the event at Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the then Vice President, Shri Hamid Ansari had stated that the rule of law is an essential pre-requisite for economic growth and for drawing foreign investments. |
However; despite realising the same, the development of the legal institutions in the country are quite at a standstill. The 'rule of law' is yet a fancy phrase, and transparency and accountability is a long way off. In this light, this article delves into analysing the impact of developed legal institutions in USA on its economic growth and suggest recommendations that should be applicable in the Indian set up. |
USA has been considered to be an economic superpower of the world. While, China has been considered a very strong competitor for the top spot, it has been USA that has been making the edge, as yet. A country becomes an economic superpower, based on the perceptions of the other countries around the world, and this perception has recently been collected and analysed by the Pew Research Center. |
Across 38 nations polled by Pew Research Center, a median of 42% consider the USA to be the worlds leading economy. Across all of the countries surveyed in Latin America, as well as most in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, people tend to view USA as the top economy of the world. The gap between USA and China is narrowing, but that aspect is irrelevant to the theme of this paper. The pictorial representation provides us an estimate of countries which view USA as the economic superpower. |
Institutions have been defined as 'the rules of the game in society, or more formally, are the humanly devised constraints that human interaction'. One of the most effective of these rules of interaction is the 'law'. The relationship between the legal Institutions and economic development has interested the academic fraternity for far too long, across the globe. |
An efficient institutional structure resolves the uncertainties in the market and the problem of asymmetric information and thus, creates a positive exogeneity, ensures the efficient distribution of the resources and makes a positive Impact on the functioning of the economy. It further ensures that the economic transactions are done in a cheaper and a safer way, prevents wastage of resources, contributes in prevention of corruption and ensures transparency and accountability. Hence, it can be said that a strong institutional structure increases the efficiency and quality of trade in a country. |
Law is specific and compelling in nature, and may cause both, deprive individuals of rights and benefits, and also protect another individual's rights and freedoms, or economic rights and benefits from unlawful acts. Economy is the main factor that affects the community, either positively or negatively. The close interlinkage between law and economy keeps the States standing, both, nationally and internationally. |
In India, the lawmakers are gaining increasing consciousness about the importance of rule of law, in order to boost the economic development of the country. While addressing the event at Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the then Vice President, Shri Hamid Ansari had stated that the rule of law is an essential pre-requisite for economic growth and for drawing foreign investments. |
However; despite realising the same, the development of the legal institutions in the country are quite at a standstill. The 'rule of law' is yet a fancy phrase, and transparency and accountability is a long way off. In this light, this article delves into analysing the impact of developed legal institutions in USA on its economic growth and suggest recommendations that should be applicable in the Indian set up. |
USA has been considered to be an economic superpower of the world. While, China has been considered a very strong competitor for the top spot, it has been USA that has been making the edge, as yet. A country becomes an economic superpower, based on the perceptions of the other countries around the world, and this perception has recently been collected and analysed by the Pew Research Center. |
Across 38 nations polled by Pew Research Center, a median of 42% consider the USA to be the worlds leading economy. Across all of the countries surveyed in Latin America, as well as most in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, people tend to view USA as the top economy of the world. The gap between USA and China is narrowing, but that aspect is irrelevant to the theme of this paper. The pictorial representation provides us an estimate of countries which view USA as the economic superpower. |
Institutions have been defined as 'the rules of the game in society, or more formally, are the humanly devised constraints that human interaction'. One of the most effective of these rules of interaction is the 'law'. The relationship between the legal Institutions and economic development has interested the academic fraternity for far too long, across the globe. |
An efficient institutional structure resolves the uncertainties in the market and the problem of asymmetric information and thus, creates a positive exogeneity, ensures the efficient distribution of the resources and makes a positive Impact on the functioning of the economy. It further ensures that the economic transactions are done in a cheaper and a safer way, prevents wastage of resources, contributes in prevention of corruption and ensures transparency and accountability. Hence, it can be said that a strong institutional structure increases the efficiency and quality of trade in a country. |
Law is specific and compelling in nature, and may cause both, deprive individuals of rights and benefits, and also protect another individual's rights and freedoms, or economic rights and benefits from unlawful acts. Economy is the main factor that affects the community, either positively or negatively. The close interlinkage between law and economy keeps the States standing, both, nationally and internationally. |
In India, the lawmakers are gaining increasing consciousness about the importance of rule of law, in order to boost the economic development of the country. While addressing the event at Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the then Vice President, Shri Hamid Ansari had stated that the rule of law is an essential pre-requisite for economic growth and for drawing foreign investments. |
However; despite realising the same, the development of the legal institutions in the country are quite at a standstill. The 'rule of law' is yet a fancy phrase, and transparency and accountability is a long way off. In this light, this article delves into analysing the impact of developed legal institutions in USA on its economic growth and suggest recommendations that should be applicable in the Indian set up. |
USA has been considered to be an economic superpower of the world. While, China has been considered a very strong competitor for the top spot, it has been USA that has been making the edge, as yet. A country becomes an economic superpower, based on the perceptions of the other countries around the world, and this perception has recently been collected and analysed by the Pew Research Center. |
Across 38 nations polled by Pew Research Center, a median of 42% consider the USA to be the worlds leading economy. Across all of the countries surveyed in Latin America, as well as most in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, people tend to view USA as the top economy of the world. The gap between USA and China is narrowing, but that aspect is irrelevant to the theme of this paper. The pictorial representation provides us an estimate of countries which view USA as the economic superpower. |
Institutions have been defined as 'the rules of the game in society, or more formally, are the humanly devised constraints that human interaction'. One of the most effective of these rules of interaction is the 'law'. The relationship between the legal Institutions and economic development has interested the academic fraternity for far too long, across the globe. |
An efficient institutional structure resolves the uncertainties in the market and the problem of asymmetric information and thus, creates a positive exogeneity, ensures the efficient distribution of the resources and makes a positive Impact on the functioning of the economy. It further ensures that the economic transactions are done in a cheaper and a safer way, prevents wastage of resources, contributes in prevention of corruption and ensures transparency and accountability. Hence, it can be said that a strong institutional structure increases the efficiency and quality of trade in a country. |
Law is specific and compelling in nature, and may cause both, deprive individuals of rights and benefits, and also protect another individual's rights and freedoms, or economic rights and benefits from unlawful acts. Economy is the main factor that affects the community, either positively or negatively. The close interlinkage between law and economy keeps the States standing, both, nationally and internationally. |
In India, the lawmakers are gaining increasing consciousness about the importance of rule of law, in order to boost the economic development of the country. While addressing the event at Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the then Vice President, Shri Hamid Ansari had stated that the rule of law is an essential pre-requisite for economic growth and for drawing foreign investments. |
However; despite realising the same, the development of the legal institutions in the country are quite at a standstill. The 'rule of law' is yet a fancy phrase, and transparency and accountability is a long way off. In this light, this article delves into analysing the impact of developed legal institutions in USA on its economic growth and suggest recommendations that should be applicable in the Indian set up. |
USA has been considered to be an economic superpower of the world. While, China has been considered a very strong competitor for the top spot, it has been USA that has been making the edge, as yet. A country becomes an economic superpower, based on the perceptions of the other countries around the world, and this perception has recently been collected and analysed by the Pew Research Center. |
Across 38 nations polled by Pew Research Center, a median of 42% consider the USA to be the worlds leading economy. Across all of the countries surveyed in Latin America, as well as most in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, people tend to view USA as the top economy of the world. The gap between USA and China is narrowing, but that aspect is irrelevant to the theme of this paper. The pictorial representation provides us an estimate of countries which view USA as the economic superpower. |
Institutions have been defined as 'the rules of the game in society, or more formally, are the humanly devised constraints that human interaction'. One of the most effective of these rules of interaction is the 'law'. The relationship between the legal Institutions and economic development has interested the academic fraternity for far too long, across the globe. |
An efficient institutional structure resolves the uncertainties in the market and the problem of asymmetric information and thus, creates a positive exogeneity, ensures the efficient distribution of the resources and makes a positive Impact on the functioning of the economy. It further ensures that the economic transactions are done in a cheaper and a safer way, prevents wastage of resources, contributes in prevention of corruption and ensures transparency and accountability. Hence, it can be said that a strong institutional structure increases the efficiency and quality of trade in a country. |
Law is specific and compelling in nature, and may cause both, deprive individuals of rights and benefits, and also protect another individual's rights and freedoms, or economic rights and benefits from unlawful acts. Economy is the main factor that affects the community, either positively or negatively. The close interlinkage between law and economy keeps the States standing, both, nationally and internationally. |
In India, the lawmakers are gaining increasing consciousness about the importance of rule of law, in order to boost the economic development of the country. While addressing the event at Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the then Vice President, Shri Hamid Ansari had stated that the rule of law is an essential pre-requisite for economic growth and for drawing foreign investments. |
However; despite realising the same, the development of the legal institutions in the country are quite at a standstill. The 'rule of law' is yet a fancy phrase, and transparency and accountability is a long way off. In this light, this article delves into analysing the impact of developed legal institutions in USA on its economic growth and suggest recommendations that should be applicable in the Indian set up. |
USA has been considered to be an economic superpower of the world. While, China has been considered a very strong competitor for the top spot, it has been USA that has been making the edge, as yet. A country becomes an economic superpower, based on the perceptions of the other countries around the world, and this perception has recently been collected and analysed by the Pew Research Center. |
Across 38 nations polled by Pew Research Center, a median of 42% consider the USA to be the worlds leading economy. Across all of the countries surveyed in Latin America, as well as most in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, people tend to view USA as the top economy of the world. The gap between USA and China is narrowing, but that aspect is irrelevant to the theme of this paper. The pictorial representation provides us an estimate of countries which view USA as the economic superpower. |
The Allahabad High Court on Sunday held a special sitting on the suo moto case with respect to the banners put up in several parts of Lucknow on Friday. The two judge bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising of Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha held a two session hearing on Sunday, one from 10 AM and .another from 3 PM, to hear Mr. Raghvendra Singh, Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh. |
The Allahabad High Court took suo moto action in the matter just three days after the unusual and unthinkable action of the Uttar Pradesh administration of putting up banners including the Name of persons accused of violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests and shaming them. The Allahabad High Court took swift actions and within just three days of the incident swung to action in a case taken suo moto. |
During the hearing, the primary objection that was raised by the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh was that, the High Court cannot register a suo moto PIL into the matter. His argument was that PIL was a remedy which was meant for the underprivileged, those who cannot access the Court on their own. The AG then went on to add that those whose names have been mentioned on the banners are capable enough to access the Court on their own if they feel aggrieved. Mr. Raghvendra Singh also cited the case of State of Uttaranchal v. Balwant Singh Chaufal and Others, 2010 (3) SCC 402 which lays down the guidelines for Courts to streamline PIL Jurisdiction. |
Responding to the argument put forward by the AG, the High Court replied that the guidelines mentioned in the above case are in context of PIL by a party litigant, it have no application in matters arising out of suo moto action taken by Courts. The bench further added, "The Court duly applied its mind to ensure that the PIL is aimed at redressal of genuine public harm or public injury." |
The High Court further elaborated its stance by stating, "the judiciary usually takes action once a case is brought before it by a party and that is mostly in adverse litigation, but, where there is gross negligence on part of public authorities and government, where the law is disobeyed and the public is put to suffering and where the precious values of the Constitution are subjected to injuries, a Constitutional Court can very well take notice of that at its own." |
For justifying the suo moto action taken by the High Court, the Court elaborated its justification by stating, "In the case in hand, a valid apprehension of causing serious injury to the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India exists which demands adequate treatment by the Court at its own. The economic status of the persons directly affected in such matters is not material. The prime consideration before the Court is to prevent the assault on fundamental rights, especially the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. As already stated, in the instant matter the act of the district and police administration of Lucknow is alleged to be in conflict with the right of life and liberty. Hence, the suo moto action by the Court is justified." |
Another objecting raised by the Advocate General was that since the cause of action arose in Lucknow the Allahabad High Court won't have any jurisdiction over the matter. Rejecting this argument of the AG the High Court stated, "In the present case, the cause is not about personal injury caused to the persons whose personal details are given in the banner but the injury caused to the precious constitutional value and its shameless depiction by the administration. The cause as such is undemocratic functioning of government agencies which are supposed to treat all members of public with respect and courtesy and at all time should behave in manner that upholds constitutional and democratic values. |
The Allahabad High Court on Sunday held a special sitting on the suo moto case with respect to the banners put up in several parts of Lucknow on Friday. The two judge bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising of Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha held a two session hearing on Sunday, one from 10 AM and .another from 3 PM, to hear Mr. Raghvendra Singh, Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh. |
The Allahabad High Court took suo moto action in the matter just three days after the unusual and unthinkable action of the Uttar Pradesh administration of putting up banners including the Name of persons accused of violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests and shaming them. The Allahabad High Court took swift actions and within just three days of the incident swung to action in a case taken suo moto. |
During the hearing, the primary objection that was raised by the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh was that, the High Court cannot register a suo moto PIL into the matter. His argument was that PIL was a remedy which was meant for the underprivileged, those who cannot access the Court on their own. The AG then went on to add that those whose names have been mentioned on the banners are capable enough to access the Court on their own if they feel aggrieved. Mr. Raghvendra Singh also cited the case of State of Uttaranchal v. Balwant Singh Chaufal and Others, 2010 (3) SCC 402 which lays down the guidelines for Courts to streamline PIL Jurisdiction. |
Responding to the argument put forward by the AG, the High Court replied that the guidelines mentioned in the above case are in context of PIL by a party litigant, it have no application in matters arising out of suo moto action taken by Courts. The bench further added, "The Court duly applied its mind to ensure that the PIL is aimed at redressal of genuine public harm or public injury." |
The High Court further elaborated its stance by stating, "the judiciary usually takes action once a case is brought before it by a party and that is mostly in adverse litigation, but, where there is gross negligence on part of public authorities and government, where the law is disobeyed and the public is put to suffering and where the precious values of the Constitution are subjected to injuries, a Constitutional Court can very well take notice of that at its own." |
For justifying the suo moto action taken by the High Court, the Court elaborated its justification by stating, "In the case in hand, a valid apprehension of causing serious injury to the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India exists which demands adequate treatment by the Court at its own. The economic status of the persons directly affected in such matters is not material. The prime consideration before the Court is to prevent the assault on fundamental rights, especially the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. As already stated, in the instant matter the act of the district and police administration of Lucknow is alleged to be in conflict with the right of life and liberty. Hence, the suo moto action by the Court is justified." |
Another objecting raised by the Advocate General was that since the cause of action arose in Lucknow the Allahabad High Court won't have any jurisdiction over the matter. Rejecting this argument of the AG the High Court stated, "In the present case, the cause is not about personal injury caused to the persons whose personal details are given in the banner but the injury caused to the precious constitutional value and its shameless depiction by the administration. The cause as such is undemocratic functioning of government agencies which are supposed to treat all members of public with respect and courtesy and at all time should behave in manner that upholds constitutional and democratic values. |
The Allahabad High Court on Sunday held a special sitting on the suo moto case with respect to the banners put up in several parts of Lucknow on Friday. The two judge bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising of Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha held a two session hearing on Sunday, one from 10 AM and .another from 3 PM, to hear Mr. Raghvendra Singh, Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh. |
The Allahabad High Court took suo moto action in the matter just three days after the unusual and unthinkable action of the Uttar Pradesh administration of putting up banners including the Name of persons accused of violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests and shaming them. The Allahabad High Court took swift actions and within just three days of the incident swung to action in a case taken suo moto. |
During the hearing, the primary objection that was raised by the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh was that, the High Court cannot register a suo moto PIL into the matter. His argument was that PIL was a remedy which was meant for the underprivileged, those who cannot access the Court on their own. The AG then went on to add that those whose names have been mentioned on the banners are capable enough to access the Court on their own if they feel aggrieved. Mr. Raghvendra Singh also cited the case of State of Uttaranchal v. Balwant Singh Chaufal and Others, 2010 (3) SCC 402 which lays down the guidelines for Courts to streamline PIL Jurisdiction. |
Responding to the argument put forward by the AG, the High Court replied that the guidelines mentioned in the above case are in context of PIL by a party litigant, it have no application in matters arising out of suo moto action taken by Courts. The bench further added, "The Court duly applied its mind to ensure that the PIL is aimed at redressal of genuine public harm or public injury." |
The High Court further elaborated its stance by stating, "the judiciary usually takes action once a case is brought before it by a party and that is mostly in adverse litigation, but, where there is gross negligence on part of public authorities and government, where the law is disobeyed and the public is put to suffering and where the precious values of the Constitution are subjected to injuries, a Constitutional Court can very well take notice of that at its own." |
For justifying the suo moto action taken by the High Court, the Court elaborated its justification by stating, "In the case in hand, a valid apprehension of causing serious injury to the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India exists which demands adequate treatment by the Court at its own. The economic status of the persons directly affected in such matters is not material. The prime consideration before the Court is to prevent the assault on fundamental rights, especially the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. As already stated, in the instant matter the act of the district and police administration of Lucknow is alleged to be in conflict with the right of life and liberty. Hence, the suo moto action by the Court is justified." |
Another objecting raised by the Advocate General was that since the cause of action arose in Lucknow the Allahabad High Court won't have any jurisdiction over the matter. Rejecting this argument of the AG the High Court stated, "In the present case, the cause is not about personal injury caused to the persons whose personal details are given in the banner but the injury caused to the precious constitutional value and its shameless depiction by the administration. The cause as such is undemocratic functioning of government agencies which are supposed to treat all members of public with respect and courtesy and at all time should behave in manner that upholds constitutional and democratic values. |
The Allahabad High Court on Sunday held a special sitting on the suo moto case with respect to the banners put up in several parts of Lucknow on Friday. The two judge bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising of Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha held a two session hearing on Sunday, one from 10 AM and .another from 3 PM, to hear Mr. Raghvendra Singh, Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh. |
The Allahabad High Court took suo moto action in the matter just three days after the unusual and unthinkable action of the Uttar Pradesh administration of putting up banners including the Name of persons accused of violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests and shaming them. The Allahabad High Court took swift actions and within just three days of the incident swung to action in a case taken suo moto. |
During the hearing, the primary objection that was raised by the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh was that, the High Court cannot register a suo moto PIL into the matter. His argument was that PIL was a remedy which was meant for the underprivileged, those who cannot access the Court on their own. The AG then went on to add that those whose names have been mentioned on the banners are capable enough to access the Court on their own if they feel aggrieved. Mr. Raghvendra Singh also cited the case of State of Uttaranchal v. Balwant Singh Chaufal and Others, 2010 (3) SCC 402 which lays down the guidelines for Courts to streamline PIL Jurisdiction. |
Responding to the argument put forward by the AG, the High Court replied that the guidelines mentioned in the above case are in context of PIL by a party litigant, it have no application in matters arising out of suo moto action taken by Courts. The bench further added, "The Court duly applied its mind to ensure that the PIL is aimed at redressal of genuine public harm or public injury." |
The High Court further elaborated its stance by stating, "the judiciary usually takes action once a case is brought before it by a party and that is mostly in adverse litigation, but, where there is gross negligence on part of public authorities and government, where the law is disobeyed and the public is put to suffering and where the precious values of the Constitution are subjected to injuries, a Constitutional Court can very well take notice of that at its own." |
For justifying the suo moto action taken by the High Court, the Court elaborated its justification by stating, "In the case in hand, a valid apprehension of causing serious injury to the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India exists which demands adequate treatment by the Court at its own. The economic status of the persons directly affected in such matters is not material. The prime consideration before the Court is to prevent the assault on fundamental rights, especially the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. As already stated, in the instant matter the act of the district and police administration of Lucknow is alleged to be in conflict with the right of life and liberty. Hence, the suo moto action by the Court is justified." |
Another objecting raised by the Advocate General was that since the cause of action arose in Lucknow the Allahabad High Court won't have any jurisdiction over the matter. Rejecting this argument of the AG the High Court stated, "In the present case, the cause is not about personal injury caused to the persons whose personal details are given in the banner but the injury caused to the precious constitutional value and its shameless depiction by the administration. The cause as such is undemocratic functioning of government agencies which are supposed to treat all members of public with respect and courtesy and at all time should behave in manner that upholds constitutional and democratic values. |
The Allahabad High Court on Sunday held a special sitting on the suo moto case with respect to the banners put up in several parts of Lucknow on Friday. The two judge bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising of Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha held a two session hearing on Sunday, one from 10 AM and .another from 3 PM, to hear Mr. Raghvendra Singh, Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh. |
The Allahabad High Court took suo moto action in the matter just three days after the unusual and unthinkable action of the Uttar Pradesh administration of putting up banners including the Name of persons accused of violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests and shaming them. The Allahabad High Court took swift actions and within just three days of the incident swung to action in a case taken suo moto. |
During the hearing, the primary objection that was raised by the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh was that, the High Court cannot register a suo moto PIL into the matter. His argument was that PIL was a remedy which was meant for the underprivileged, those who cannot access the Court on their own. The AG then went on to add that those whose names have been mentioned on the banners are capable enough to access the Court on their own if they feel aggrieved. Mr. Raghvendra Singh also cited the case of State of Uttaranchal v. Balwant Singh Chaufal and Others, 2010 (3) SCC 402 which lays down the guidelines for Courts to streamline PIL Jurisdiction. |
Responding to the argument put forward by the AG, the High Court replied that the guidelines mentioned in the above case are in context of PIL by a party litigant, it have no application in matters arising out of suo moto action taken by Courts. The bench further added, "The Court duly applied its mind to ensure that the PIL is aimed at redressal of genuine public harm or public injury." |
The High Court further elaborated its stance by stating, "the judiciary usually takes action once a case is brought before it by a party and that is mostly in adverse litigation, but, where there is gross negligence on part of public authorities and government, where the law is disobeyed and the public is put to suffering and where the precious values of the Constitution are subjected to injuries, a Constitutional Court can very well take notice of that at its own." |
For justifying the suo moto action taken by the High Court, the Court elaborated its justification by stating, "In the case in hand, a valid apprehension of causing serious injury to the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India exists which demands adequate treatment by the Court at its own. The economic status of the persons directly affected in such matters is not material. The prime consideration before the Court is to prevent the assault on fundamental rights, especially the rights protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. As already stated, in the instant matter the act of the district and police administration of Lucknow is alleged to be in conflict with the right of life and liberty. Hence, the suo moto action by the Court is justified." |
Another objecting raised by the Advocate General was that since the cause of action arose in Lucknow the Allahabad High Court won't have any jurisdiction over the matter. Rejecting this argument of the AG the High Court stated, "In the present case, the cause is not about personal injury caused to the persons whose personal details are given in the banner but the injury caused to the precious constitutional value and its shameless depiction by the administration. The cause as such is undemocratic functioning of government agencies which are supposed to treat all members of public with respect and courtesy and at all time should behave in manner that upholds constitutional and democratic values. |
Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea explains that for any act to be illegal in nature it must be done with a guilty mind. Thus to convict the defendant, it must be proved that the criminal act was carried out with a criminal intend. Not only is the act of the accused important but the intention of the accused to do the specific act is equally important to prove the guilt of the accused. Thus it can be concluded that mere commission of a criminal act or breach of law is not sufficient to constitute a crime. It should be combined with the presence of wrongful intent. Further the mens rea is important to understand the severity of the crime committed. The essential ingredient is the blameworthy condition of the mind. Its absence can negate the liability. However the statement without a guilty mind there is no crime is subjected to certain exceptions such as strict liability. Under strict liability, it is not necessary to show that a defendant possessed the relevant mens rea for the act committed. |
This maxim can find its importance under section 14 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. It states that facts which indicate state, of mind or intention are relevant facts in issue. |
The two basic components of criminal law is Actus Reus and Mens Rea. Actus Reus is the wrongful act committed and Mens Rea is the state of mind behind such acts. The Latin maxim Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea is derived from Mens Rea. Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea further explains as to how Mens Rea is applicable in criminal law. It states that a person is guilty of a criminal act only if such acts are accompanied by a criminal intention. This maxim is used to determine whether an act committed is criminal in nature or not. Severe penal actions are required for crimes committed with specific intend and not for unanticipated or unintentional acts. However no breach of law can be left unpunished. Thus this maxim is established to differentiate between intentional and unintentional criminal act so that the quantum of punishment can be decided accordingly. |
When a person is attacked by another person with an intention to cause grievous hurt or injury then it is a crime. But when the person who was attacked causes injury to the other person in private defence then it is an unintentional act. In the first scenario guilty mind was present but in the second case no intention of causing harm was there. The second act is categorised as self defence and is dealt under section 96 to 106 of the Indian Penal Code. In the first act the person is guilty of criminal act. |
Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea explains that for any act to be illegal in nature it must be done with a guilty mind. Thus to convict the defendant, it must be proved that the criminal act was carried out with a criminal intend. Not only is the act of the accused important but the intention of the accused to do the specific act is equally important to prove the guilt of the accused. Thus it can be concluded that mere commission of a criminal act or breach of law is not sufficient to constitute a crime. It should be combined with the presence of wrongful intent. Further the mens rea is important to understand the severity of the crime committed. The essential ingredient is the blameworthy condition of the mind. Its absence can negate the liability. However the statement without a guilty mind there is no crime is subjected to certain exceptions such as strict liability. Under strict liability, it is not necessary to show that a defendant possessed the relevant mens rea for the act committed. |
This maxim can find its importance under section 14 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. It states that facts which indicate state, of mind or intention are relevant facts in issue. |
The two basic components of criminal law is Actus Reus and Mens Rea. Actus Reus is the wrongful act committed and Mens Rea is the state of mind behind such acts. The Latin maxim Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea is derived from Mens Rea. Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea further explains as to how Mens Rea is applicable in criminal law. It states that a person is guilty of a criminal act only if such acts are accompanied by a criminal intention. This maxim is used to determine whether an act committed is criminal in nature or not. Severe penal actions are required for crimes committed with specific intend and not for unanticipated or unintentional acts. However no breach of law can be left unpunished. Thus this maxim is established to differentiate between intentional and unintentional criminal act so that the quantum of punishment can be decided accordingly. |
When a person is attacked by another person with an intention to cause grievous hurt or injury then it is a crime. But when the person who was attacked causes injury to the other person in private defence then it is an unintentional act. In the first scenario guilty mind was present but in the second case no intention of causing harm was there. The second act is categorised as self defence and is dealt under section 96 to 106 of the Indian Penal Code. In the first act the person is guilty of criminal act. |
Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea explains that for any act to be illegal in nature it must be done with a guilty mind. Thus to convict the defendant, it must be proved that the criminal act was carried out with a criminal intend. Not only is the act of the accused important but the intention of the accused to do the specific act is equally important to prove the guilt of the accused. Thus it can be concluded that mere commission of a criminal act or breach of law is not sufficient to constitute a crime. It should be combined with the presence of wrongful intent. Further the mens rea is important to understand the severity of the crime committed. The essential ingredient is the blameworthy condition of the mind. Its absence can negate the liability. However the statement without a guilty mind there is no crime is subjected to certain exceptions such as strict liability. Under strict liability, it is not necessary to show that a defendant possessed the relevant mens rea for the act committed. |
This maxim can find its importance under section 14 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. It states that facts which indicate state, of mind or intention are relevant facts in issue. |
The two basic components of criminal law is Actus Reus and Mens Rea. Actus Reus is the wrongful act committed and Mens Rea is the state of mind behind such acts. The Latin maxim Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea is derived from Mens Rea. Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea further explains as to how Mens Rea is applicable in criminal law. It states that a person is guilty of a criminal act only if such acts are accompanied by a criminal intention. This maxim is used to determine whether an act committed is criminal in nature or not. Severe penal actions are required for crimes committed with specific intend and not for unanticipated or unintentional acts. However no breach of law can be left unpunished. Thus this maxim is established to differentiate between intentional and unintentional criminal act so that the quantum of punishment can be decided accordingly. |
When a person is attacked by another person with an intention to cause grievous hurt or injury then it is a crime. But when the person who was attacked causes injury to the other person in private defence then it is an unintentional act. In the first scenario guilty mind was present but in the second case no intention of causing harm was there. The second act is categorised as self defence and is dealt under section 96 to 106 of the Indian Penal Code. In the first act the person is guilty of criminal act. |
Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea explains that for any act to be illegal in nature it must be done with a guilty mind. Thus to convict the defendant, it must be proved that the criminal act was carried out with a criminal intend. Not only is the act of the accused important but the intention of the accused to do the specific act is equally important to prove the guilt of the accused. Thus it can be concluded that mere commission of a criminal act or breach of law is not sufficient to constitute a crime. It should be combined with the presence of wrongful intent. Further the mens rea is important to understand the severity of the crime committed. The essential ingredient is the blameworthy condition of the mind. Its absence can negate the liability. However the statement without a guilty mind there is no crime is subjected to certain exceptions such as strict liability. Under strict liability, it is not necessary to show that a defendant possessed the relevant mens rea for the act committed. |
This maxim can find its importance under section 14 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. It states that facts which indicate state, of mind or intention are relevant facts in issue. |
The two basic components of criminal law is Actus Reus and Mens Rea. Actus Reus is the wrongful act committed and Mens Rea is the state of mind behind such acts. The Latin maxim Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea is derived from Mens Rea. Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea further explains as to how Mens Rea is applicable in criminal law. It states that a person is guilty of a criminal act only if such acts are accompanied by a criminal intention. This maxim is used to determine whether an act committed is criminal in nature or not. Severe penal actions are required for crimes committed with specific intend and not for unanticipated or unintentional acts. However no breach of law can be left unpunished. Thus this maxim is established to differentiate between intentional and unintentional criminal act so that the quantum of punishment can be decided accordingly. |
When a person is attacked by another person with an intention to cause grievous hurt or injury then it is a crime. But when the person who was attacked causes injury to the other person in private defence then it is an unintentional act. In the first scenario guilty mind was present but in the second case no intention of causing harm was there. The second act is categorised as self defence and is dealt under section 96 to 106 of the Indian Penal Code. In the first act the person is guilty of criminal act. |
Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea explains that for any act to be illegal in nature it must be done with a guilty mind. Thus to convict the defendant, it must be proved that the criminal act was carried out with a criminal intend. Not only is the act of the accused important but the intention of the accused to do the specific act is equally important to prove the guilt of the accused. Thus it can be concluded that mere commission of a criminal act or breach of law is not sufficient to constitute a crime. It should be combined with the presence of wrongful intent. Further the mens rea is important to understand the severity of the crime committed. The essential ingredient is the blameworthy condition of the mind. Its absence can negate the liability. However the statement without a guilty mind there is no crime is subjected to certain exceptions such as strict liability. Under strict liability, it is not necessary to show that a defendant possessed the relevant mens rea for the act committed. |
This maxim can find its importance under section 14 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. It states that facts which indicate state, of mind or intention are relevant facts in issue. |
The two basic components of criminal law is Actus Reus and Mens Rea. Actus Reus is the wrongful act committed and Mens Rea is the state of mind behind such acts. The Latin maxim Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea is derived from Mens Rea. Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea further explains as to how Mens Rea is applicable in criminal law. It states that a person is guilty of a criminal act only if such acts are accompanied by a criminal intention. This maxim is used to determine whether an act committed is criminal in nature or not. Severe penal actions are required for crimes committed with specific intend and not for unanticipated or unintentional acts. However no breach of law can be left unpunished. Thus this maxim is established to differentiate between intentional and unintentional criminal act so that the quantum of punishment can be decided accordingly. |
When a person is attacked by another person with an intention to cause grievous hurt or injury then it is a crime. But when the person who was attacked causes injury to the other person in private defence then it is an unintentional act. In the first scenario guilty mind was present but in the second case no intention of causing harm was there. The second act is categorised as self defence and is dealt under section 96 to 106 of the Indian Penal Code. In the first act the person is guilty of criminal act. |
The concept of freedom is a widely advocated topic. However, there is a generalized yet stringent template of freedom construed by society when it comes to that of women. Somewhere, is it happening that the society in attempting to advocate for women's freedom is rather curbing it by deciding the definition of freedom on behalf of them? Freedom is not just about the popular idea of it. Instead, it needs to get reflected from the inner self of everyone. Freedom should, ideally, lie in the mind and demeanour of an individual. It is intrinsic and cannot be fathomed in terms of only external pursuits. The actuality women's freedom in India, and not the fancy version of it, is shown in the following instances: |
Marital Rape can be seen across as a major impediment in the way of women in attaining freedom in its true essence. It is discrimination that has been conveniently homogenized in society. The presence of such an unfortunate conception reflects upon the materialization of the whole existence of women in society. It reduces their position to a mere inanimate state. It clearly asserts that marital rape is an engrained nuisance in Indian society. The idea of consent to sexual activities post marriage is to "implied" on behalf of a woman. The mere fact that she is married takes away her right to say no to any kind of intimate activity between her and her husband. Isn't this a violation of the Right to live with dignity? Does it not go against her guaranteed fundamental rights? The reason behind such heinous reality is the misconstrued notion that wives are their husband's property. How can we assert the presence of equal freedom between men and women when such a basic element of consent is subjectively available to women? |
The modern age definition of freedom of women is very constricted and narrow in terms of the inclusivity of choices. It doesn't provide for the free flow of decisions amongst women. The society, while constructing this definition, forgets to provide the right to decide for themselves to the women. It creates a standard idea of the freedom of women. However, one generalized idea of fancy freedom might not be freedom at all. Freedom implies the liberty to take decisions of one's life, to make choices, to freely express one's self and the like. But, the new-age definition of it certainly revolves around the surface definition of freedom. But there are instances when, while attempting to conform to the generalized idea of freedom, the real sense of freedom gets lost. For instance, a woman wearing Hijab is not necessarily a sign of religious repression. It might be her choice to wear Hijab and not a compulsion. But society has become so obsessed with the generally perceived perceptions that it will make irrational assumptions without even knowing what that woman really wants. We are advocating for women's rights without even knowing what they really want. How can this be freedom in its true sense? It is less empowering and more constricting rather in the modern age world. |
The concept of freedom is a widely advocated topic. However, there is a generalized yet stringent template of freedom construed by society when it comes to that of women. Somewhere, is it happening that the society in attempting to advocate for women's freedom is rather curbing it by deciding the definition of freedom on behalf of them? Freedom is not just about the popular idea of it. Instead, it needs to get reflected from the inner self of everyone. Freedom should, ideally, lie in the mind and demeanour of an individual. It is intrinsic and cannot be fathomed in terms of only external pursuits. The actuality women's freedom in India, and not the fancy version of it, is shown in the following instances: |
Marital Rape can be seen across as a major impediment in the way of women in attaining freedom in its true essence. It is discrimination that has been conveniently homogenized in society. The presence of such an unfortunate conception reflects upon the materialization of the whole existence of women in society. It reduces their position to a mere inanimate state. It clearly asserts that marital rape is an engrained nuisance in Indian society. The idea of consent to sexual activities post marriage is to "implied" on behalf of a woman. The mere fact that she is married takes away her right to say no to any kind of intimate activity between her and her husband. Isn't this a violation of the Right to live with dignity? Does it not go against her guaranteed fundamental rights? The reason behind such heinous reality is the misconstrued notion that wives are their husband's property. How can we assert the presence of equal freedom between men and women when such a basic element of consent is subjectively available to women? |
The modern age definition of freedom of women is very constricted and narrow in terms of the inclusivity of choices. It doesn't provide for the free flow of decisions amongst women. The society, while constructing this definition, forgets to provide the right to decide for themselves to the women. It creates a standard idea of the freedom of women. However, one generalized idea of fancy freedom might not be freedom at all. Freedom implies the liberty to take decisions of one's life, to make choices, to freely express one's self and the like. But, the new-age definition of it certainly revolves around the surface definition of freedom. But there are instances when, while attempting to conform to the generalized idea of freedom, the real sense of freedom gets lost. For instance, a woman wearing Hijab is not necessarily a sign of religious repression. It might be her choice to wear Hijab and not a compulsion. But society has become so obsessed with the generally perceived perceptions that it will make irrational assumptions without even knowing what that woman really wants. We are advocating for women's rights without even knowing what they really want. How can this be freedom in its true sense? It is less empowering and more constricting rather in the modern age world. |
The concept of freedom is a widely advocated topic. However, there is a generalized yet stringent template of freedom construed by society when it comes to that of women. Somewhere, is it happening that the society in attempting to advocate for women's freedom is rather curbing it by deciding the definition of freedom on behalf of them? Freedom is not just about the popular idea of it. Instead, it needs to get reflected from the inner self of everyone. Freedom should, ideally, lie in the mind and demeanour of an individual. It is intrinsic and cannot be fathomed in terms of only external pursuits. The actuality women's freedom in India, and not the fancy version of it, is shown in the following instances: |
Marital Rape can be seen across as a major impediment in the way of women in attaining freedom in its true essence. It is discrimination that has been conveniently homogenized in society. The presence of such an unfortunate conception reflects upon the materialization of the whole existence of women in society. It reduces their position to a mere inanimate state. It clearly asserts that marital rape is an engrained nuisance in Indian society. The idea of consent to sexual activities post marriage is to "implied" on behalf of a woman. The mere fact that she is married takes away her right to say no to any kind of intimate activity between her and her husband. Isn't this a violation of the Right to live with dignity? Does it not go against her guaranteed fundamental rights? The reason behind such heinous reality is the misconstrued notion that wives are their husband's property. How can we assert the presence of equal freedom between men and women when such a basic element of consent is subjectively available to women? |
The modern age definition of freedom of women is very constricted and narrow in terms of the inclusivity of choices. It doesn't provide for the free flow of decisions amongst women. The society, while constructing this definition, forgets to provide the right to decide for themselves to the women. It creates a standard idea of the freedom of women. However, one generalized idea of fancy freedom might not be freedom at all. Freedom implies the liberty to take decisions of one's life, to make choices, to freely express one's self and the like. But, the new-age definition of it certainly revolves around the surface definition of freedom. But there are instances when, while attempting to conform to the generalized idea of freedom, the real sense of freedom gets lost. For instance, a woman wearing Hijab is not necessarily a sign of religious repression. It might be her choice to wear Hijab and not a compulsion. But society has become so obsessed with the generally perceived perceptions that it will make irrational assumptions without even knowing what that woman really wants. We are advocating for women's rights without even knowing what they really want. How can this be freedom in its true sense? It is less empowering and more constricting rather in the modern age world. |
The concept of freedom is a widely advocated topic. However, there is a generalized yet stringent template of freedom construed by society when it comes to that of women. Somewhere, is it happening that the society in attempting to advocate for women's freedom is rather curbing it by deciding the definition of freedom on behalf of them? Freedom is not just about the popular idea of it. Instead, it needs to get reflected from the inner self of everyone. Freedom should, ideally, lie in the mind and demeanour of an individual. It is intrinsic and cannot be fathomed in terms of only external pursuits. The actuality women's freedom in India, and not the fancy version of it, is shown in the following instances: |
Marital Rape can be seen across as a major impediment in the way of women in attaining freedom in its true essence. It is discrimination that has been conveniently homogenized in society. The presence of such an unfortunate conception reflects upon the materialization of the whole existence of women in society. It reduces their position to a mere inanimate state. It clearly asserts that marital rape is an engrained nuisance in Indian society. The idea of consent to sexual activities post marriage is to "implied" on behalf of a woman. The mere fact that she is married takes away her right to say no to any kind of intimate activity between her and her husband. Isn't this a violation of the Right to live with dignity? Does it not go against her guaranteed fundamental rights? The reason behind such heinous reality is the misconstrued notion that wives are their husband's property. How can we assert the presence of equal freedom between men and women when such a basic element of consent is subjectively available to women? |
The modern age definition of freedom of women is very constricted and narrow in terms of the inclusivity of choices. It doesn't provide for the free flow of decisions amongst women. The society, while constructing this definition, forgets to provide the right to decide for themselves to the women. It creates a standard idea of the freedom of women. However, one generalized idea of fancy freedom might not be freedom at all. Freedom implies the liberty to take decisions of one's life, to make choices, to freely express one's self and the like. But, the new-age definition of it certainly revolves around the surface definition of freedom. But there are instances when, while attempting to conform to the generalized idea of freedom, the real sense of freedom gets lost. For instance, a woman wearing Hijab is not necessarily a sign of religious repression. It might be her choice to wear Hijab and not a compulsion. But society has become so obsessed with the generally perceived perceptions that it will make irrational assumptions without even knowing what that woman really wants. We are advocating for women's rights without even knowing what they really want. How can this be freedom in its true sense? It is less empowering and more constricting rather in the modern age world. |
The concept of freedom is a widely advocated topic. However, there is a generalized yet stringent template of freedom construed by society when it comes to that of women. Somewhere, is it happening that the society in attempting to advocate for women's freedom is rather curbing it by deciding the definition of freedom on behalf of them? Freedom is not just about the popular idea of it. Instead, it needs to get reflected from the inner self of everyone. Freedom should, ideally, lie in the mind and demeanour of an individual. It is intrinsic and cannot be fathomed in terms of only external pursuits. The actuality women's freedom in India, and not the fancy version of it, is shown in the following instances: |
Marital Rape can be seen across as a major impediment in the way of women in attaining freedom in its true essence. It is discrimination that has been conveniently homogenized in society. The presence of such an unfortunate conception reflects upon the materialization of the whole existence of women in society. It reduces their position to a mere inanimate state. It clearly asserts that marital rape is an engrained nuisance in Indian society. The idea of consent to sexual activities post marriage is to "implied" on behalf of a woman. The mere fact that she is married takes away her right to say no to any kind of intimate activity between her and her husband. Isn't this a violation of the Right to live with dignity? Does it not go against her guaranteed fundamental rights? The reason behind such heinous reality is the misconstrued notion that wives are their husband's property. How can we assert the presence of equal freedom between men and women when such a basic element of consent is subjectively available to women? |
The modern age definition of freedom of women is very constricted and narrow in terms of the inclusivity of choices. It doesn't provide for the free flow of decisions amongst women. The society, while constructing this definition, forgets to provide the right to decide for themselves to the women. It creates a standard idea of the freedom of women. However, one generalized idea of fancy freedom might not be freedom at all. Freedom implies the liberty to take decisions of one's life, to make choices, to freely express one's self and the like. But, the new-age definition of it certainly revolves around the surface definition of freedom. But there are instances when, while attempting to conform to the generalized idea of freedom, the real sense of freedom gets lost. For instance, a woman wearing Hijab is not necessarily a sign of religious repression. It might be her choice to wear Hijab and not a compulsion. But society has become so obsessed with the generally perceived perceptions that it will make irrational assumptions without even knowing what that woman really wants. We are advocating for women's rights without even knowing what they really want. How can this be freedom in its true sense? It is less empowering and more constricting rather in the modern age world. |
The devaluation of women in society is a remnant of the years of asymmetrical relationships and unequal distribution of resources between men and women. This has led to a sense of subordination in women to men. It is very conveniently and conventionally internalized in the various aspects of society. The society has had patriarchal instincts. These instincts have resulted in years of discrimination. The growth and development of women have been much slower than the same happening amongst the men of society. This is the truth quite clearly visible in society. The literacy rate, female foeticide, rape, dowry deaths, sexual harassment at workplaces and the likes are the remnant of the years of discrimination. The society will not be able to attain the maximum extent of growth if this continues to persist. This needs to get eradiated from society for overall inclusive development of it. |
Women need to become well versed in their rights. They should be aware of the provisions made by the government for their growth and development. This especially holds ground for women belonging to the rural areas. This would make them aware of the kinds of discrimination they have to go through. They will be able to comprehend the homogenized versions of such gender discrimination. And, only the understanding of such naturalized discrimination can lead to an elimination of it. |
The political representation of women is another important step to eliminate gender discrimination. The increase in the number of women in politics will lead to a system that will be able to put forth the issue related to women in a better manner. Women need to participate more in politics. They should be doing so even on the basic levels of politics like the Gram Panchayat level in order to make the rural women more developed and aware of the discrimination embedded in society. The number of women participating in politics will inspire other women as well. Moreover, it will also lead to a creation of laws that are aimed at the growth and development of women, education of women, eradication of gender equality and the like. |
Financial independence is one of the most important essentials for the attainment of gender equality. Men have dominated the society on the vapid reasoning of them being the bread earners of the family. They completely tend to ignore the contributions of the women to the well being of a family. They don't take into consideration the efforts that a woman has had. Women have constantly been nagged about their financial dependence on men. They have used this as a tool to treat women with disdain. This needs to be eliminated from society. The women should aim to become more independent in terms of financial, emotional and social dependence upon men. They should be encouraged to pursue their passion and dream. This will not only make them economically independent but also act as a strong stimulant for their self-esteem and self-gratification. Financial soundness is a very practical aspect. It needs to be given its due importance, along with the other forms of development. |
The devaluation of women in society is a remnant of the years of asymmetrical relationships and unequal distribution of resources between men and women. This has led to a sense of subordination in women to men. It is very conveniently and conventionally internalized in the various aspects of society. The society has had patriarchal instincts. These instincts have resulted in years of discrimination. The growth and development of women have been much slower than the same happening amongst the men of society. This is the truth quite clearly visible in society. The literacy rate, female foeticide, rape, dowry deaths, sexual harassment at workplaces and the likes are the remnant of the years of discrimination. The society will not be able to attain the maximum extent of growth if this continues to persist. This needs to get eradiated from society for overall inclusive development of it. |
Women need to become well versed in their rights. They should be aware of the provisions made by the government for their growth and development. This especially holds ground for women belonging to the rural areas. This would make them aware of the kinds of discrimination they have to go through. They will be able to comprehend the homogenized versions of such gender discrimination. And, only the understanding of such naturalized discrimination can lead to an elimination of it. |
The political representation of women is another important step to eliminate gender discrimination. The increase in the number of women in politics will lead to a system that will be able to put forth the issue related to women in a better manner. Women need to participate more in politics. They should be doing so even on the basic levels of politics like the Gram Panchayat level in order to make the rural women more developed and aware of the discrimination embedded in society. The number of women participating in politics will inspire other women as well. Moreover, it will also lead to a creation of laws that are aimed at the growth and development of women, education of women, eradication of gender equality and the like. |
Financial independence is one of the most important essentials for the attainment of gender equality. Men have dominated the society on the vapid reasoning of them being the bread earners of the family. They completely tend to ignore the contributions of the women to the well being of a family. They don't take into consideration the efforts that a woman has had. Women have constantly been nagged about their financial dependence on men. They have used this as a tool to treat women with disdain. This needs to be eliminated from society. The women should aim to become more independent in terms of financial, emotional and social dependence upon men. They should be encouraged to pursue their passion and dream. This will not only make them economically independent but also act as a strong stimulant for their self-esteem and self-gratification. Financial soundness is a very practical aspect. It needs to be given its due importance, along with the other forms of development. |
The devaluation of women in society is a remnant of the years of asymmetrical relationships and unequal distribution of resources between men and women. This has led to a sense of subordination in women to men. It is very conveniently and conventionally internalized in the various aspects of society. The society has had patriarchal instincts. These instincts have resulted in years of discrimination. The growth and development of women have been much slower than the same happening amongst the men of society. This is the truth quite clearly visible in society. The literacy rate, female foeticide, rape, dowry deaths, sexual harassment at workplaces and the likes are the remnant of the years of discrimination. The society will not be able to attain the maximum extent of growth if this continues to persist. This needs to get eradiated from society for overall inclusive development of it. |
Women need to become well versed in their rights. They should be aware of the provisions made by the government for their growth and development. This especially holds ground for women belonging to the rural areas. This would make them aware of the kinds of discrimination they have to go through. They will be able to comprehend the homogenized versions of such gender discrimination. And, only the understanding of such naturalized discrimination can lead to an elimination of it. |
The political representation of women is another important step to eliminate gender discrimination. The increase in the number of women in politics will lead to a system that will be able to put forth the issue related to women in a better manner. Women need to participate more in politics. They should be doing so even on the basic levels of politics like the Gram Panchayat level in order to make the rural women more developed and aware of the discrimination embedded in society. The number of women participating in politics will inspire other women as well. Moreover, it will also lead to a creation of laws that are aimed at the growth and development of women, education of women, eradication of gender equality and the like. |
Financial independence is one of the most important essentials for the attainment of gender equality. Men have dominated the society on the vapid reasoning of them being the bread earners of the family. They completely tend to ignore the contributions of the women to the well being of a family. They don't take into consideration the efforts that a woman has had. Women have constantly been nagged about their financial dependence on men. They have used this as a tool to treat women with disdain. This needs to be eliminated from society. The women should aim to become more independent in terms of financial, emotional and social dependence upon men. They should be encouraged to pursue their passion and dream. This will not only make them economically independent but also act as a strong stimulant for their self-esteem and self-gratification. Financial soundness is a very practical aspect. It needs to be given its due importance, along with the other forms of development. |
The devaluation of women in society is a remnant of the years of asymmetrical relationships and unequal distribution of resources between men and women. This has led to a sense of subordination in women to men. It is very conveniently and conventionally internalized in the various aspects of society. The society has had patriarchal instincts. These instincts have resulted in years of discrimination. The growth and development of women have been much slower than the same happening amongst the men of society. This is the truth quite clearly visible in society. The literacy rate, female foeticide, rape, dowry deaths, sexual harassment at workplaces and the likes are the remnant of the years of discrimination. The society will not be able to attain the maximum extent of growth if this continues to persist. This needs to get eradiated from society for overall inclusive development of it. |
Women need to become well versed in their rights. They should be aware of the provisions made by the government for their growth and development. This especially holds ground for women belonging to the rural areas. This would make them aware of the kinds of discrimination they have to go through. They will be able to comprehend the homogenized versions of such gender discrimination. And, only the understanding of such naturalized discrimination can lead to an elimination of it. |
The political representation of women is another important step to eliminate gender discrimination. The increase in the number of women in politics will lead to a system that will be able to put forth the issue related to women in a better manner. Women need to participate more in politics. They should be doing so even on the basic levels of politics like the Gram Panchayat level in order to make the rural women more developed and aware of the discrimination embedded in society. The number of women participating in politics will inspire other women as well. Moreover, it will also lead to a creation of laws that are aimed at the growth and development of women, education of women, eradication of gender equality and the like. |
Financial independence is one of the most important essentials for the attainment of gender equality. Men have dominated the society on the vapid reasoning of them being the bread earners of the family. They completely tend to ignore the contributions of the women to the well being of a family. They don't take into consideration the efforts that a woman has had. Women have constantly been nagged about their financial dependence on men. They have used this as a tool to treat women with disdain. This needs to be eliminated from society. The women should aim to become more independent in terms of financial, emotional and social dependence upon men. They should be encouraged to pursue their passion and dream. This will not only make them economically independent but also act as a strong stimulant for their self-esteem and self-gratification. Financial soundness is a very practical aspect. It needs to be given its due importance, along with the other forms of development. |
The devaluation of women in society is a remnant of the years of asymmetrical relationships and unequal distribution of resources between men and women. This has led to a sense of subordination in women to men. It is very conveniently and conventionally internalized in the various aspects of society. The society has had patriarchal instincts. These instincts have resulted in years of discrimination. The growth and development of women have been much slower than the same happening amongst the men of society. This is the truth quite clearly visible in society. The literacy rate, female foeticide, rape, dowry deaths, sexual harassment at workplaces and the likes are the remnant of the years of discrimination. The society will not be able to attain the maximum extent of growth if this continues to persist. This needs to get eradiated from society for overall inclusive development of it. |
Women need to become well versed in their rights. They should be aware of the provisions made by the government for their growth and development. This especially holds ground for women belonging to the rural areas. This would make them aware of the kinds of discrimination they have to go through. They will be able to comprehend the homogenized versions of such gender discrimination. And, only the understanding of such naturalized discrimination can lead to an elimination of it. |
The political representation of women is another important step to eliminate gender discrimination. The increase in the number of women in politics will lead to a system that will be able to put forth the issue related to women in a better manner. Women need to participate more in politics. They should be doing so even on the basic levels of politics like the Gram Panchayat level in order to make the rural women more developed and aware of the discrimination embedded in society. The number of women participating in politics will inspire other women as well. Moreover, it will also lead to a creation of laws that are aimed at the growth and development of women, education of women, eradication of gender equality and the like. |
Financial independence is one of the most important essentials for the attainment of gender equality. Men have dominated the society on the vapid reasoning of them being the bread earners of the family. They completely tend to ignore the contributions of the women to the well being of a family. They don't take into consideration the efforts that a woman has had. Women have constantly been nagged about their financial dependence on men. They have used this as a tool to treat women with disdain. This needs to be eliminated from society. The women should aim to become more independent in terms of financial, emotional and social dependence upon men. They should be encouraged to pursue their passion and dream. This will not only make them economically independent but also act as a strong stimulant for their self-esteem and self-gratification. Financial soundness is a very practical aspect. It needs to be given its due importance, along with the other forms of development. |
The National IPR Policy is one among the many steps yet to come in cementing the future of Intellectual Property on a global scale. It not only calls for creation and innovation from the masses but also provides ways to safeguards such creations and commercialize them to the best interest of such creators and innovators. The policy is a correct blend for attracting foreign investments from different countries. A speedy process for IP registrations also works in the favour of foreign companies which will in turn serve their IP needs in India. This promotes domestic as well as foreign IP filings in the country. |
The policy which was unveiled this year alms to foster creativity and growth by promoting science and technology. It also aims to create awareness about IPR as an economic asset. |
While unveiling the policy, the government had specifically announced that the policy is in consonance with TRIPS of the World Trade Organization. The NIPR comes with a set of 7 objectives that needs to be undertaken by the identified nodal ministry or department and work towards attaining such objectives. These objectives provide for a wide range of duties, responsibilities and objectives to be performed by the identified ministries in the objectives. |
The 7 major objectives are: |
1st Objective: IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion |
2nd Objective: Generation of IPRs |
3rd Objective: Legal and Legislative Framework |
4th Objective: Administration and Management |
5th Objective: Commercialization of IP |
6th Objective: Enforcement and Adjudication |
7th Objective: Human Capital Development |
The NIPR policy comes with the foremost motive of increasing awareness about social, cultural and economic benefits IPR to all sections of the society. It not only stimulates the generation of innovation and creativity but also provides ways to commercialize them. The policy with its slogan "Creative India: Innovative India" aims to spread awareness to the maximum people possible so that their knowledge, creativity and innovation does not go to waste. By this people can understand to commercially exploit their own potential and putting it to best possible use for the country and themselves. |
Bringing Traditional Knowledge into the field of IPR is a commendable job by the framers of the policy however such traditional knowledge is a rare asset and the access to its database should be restricted to the extent that multinational companies should not make slight variations to it and use it to their own benefit. The need for recognizing the introduction of a sui-generis law for Traditional Knowledge is an important highlight of this policy. By the way of this policy, the ambit of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library is to be expanded and how it can be used for research and development purposes. However the policy fails to explain details about the ownership of a traditional knowledge. |
The government by the way of the NIPR policy aims to use the IPR more towards supporting the less empowered people in the society such as farmers, weavers etc. By doing this, the policy intends to use such rights not just for commercial purpose but also for socio- economic purposes. |
Bringing the Copyrights Act and the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout Design under one roof of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) enhances its commercial efficiency. Every government and other state departments have been asked to create an IPR cell to work in coordination with the DIPP. |
The National IPR Policy is one among the many steps yet to come in cementing the future of Intellectual Property on a global scale. It not only calls for creation and innovation from the masses but also provides ways to safeguards such creations and commercialize them to the best interest of such creators and innovators. The policy is a correct blend for attracting foreign investments from different countries. A speedy process for IP registrations also works in the favour of foreign companies which will in turn serve their IP needs in India. This promotes domestic as well as foreign IP filings in the country. |
The policy which was unveiled this year alms to foster creativity and growth by promoting science and technology. It also aims to create awareness about IPR as an economic asset. |
While unveiling the policy, the government had specifically announced that the policy is in consonance with TRIPS of the World Trade Organization. The NIPR comes with a set of 7 objectives that needs to be undertaken by the identified nodal ministry or department and work towards attaining such objectives. These objectives provide for a wide range of duties, responsibilities and objectives to be performed by the identified ministries in the objectives. |
The 7 major objectives are: |
1st Objective: IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion |
2nd Objective: Generation of IPRs |
3rd Objective: Legal and Legislative Framework |
4th Objective: Administration and Management |
5th Objective: Commercialization of IP |
6th Objective: Enforcement and Adjudication |
7th Objective: Human Capital Development |
The NIPR policy comes with the foremost motive of increasing awareness about social, cultural and economic benefits IPR to all sections of the society. It not only stimulates the generation of innovation and creativity but also provides ways to commercialize them. The policy with its slogan "Creative India: Innovative India" aims to spread awareness to the maximum people possible so that their knowledge, creativity and innovation does not go to waste. By this people can understand to commercially exploit their own potential and putting it to best possible use for the country and themselves. |
Bringing Traditional Knowledge into the field of IPR is a commendable job by the framers of the policy however such traditional knowledge is a rare asset and the access to its database should be restricted to the extent that multinational companies should not make slight variations to it and use it to their own benefit. The need for recognizing the introduction of a sui-generis law for Traditional Knowledge is an important highlight of this policy. By the way of this policy, the ambit of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library is to be expanded and how it can be used for research and development purposes. However the policy fails to explain details about the ownership of a traditional knowledge. |
The government by the way of the NIPR policy aims to use the IPR more towards supporting the less empowered people in the society such as farmers, weavers etc. By doing this, the policy intends to use such rights not just for commercial purpose but also for socio- economic purposes. |
Bringing the Copyrights Act and the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout Design under one roof of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) enhances its commercial efficiency. Every government and other state departments have been asked to create an IPR cell to work in coordination with the DIPP. |
The National IPR Policy is one among the many steps yet to come in cementing the future of Intellectual Property on a global scale. It not only calls for creation and innovation from the masses but also provides ways to safeguards such creations and commercialize them to the best interest of such creators and innovators. The policy is a correct blend for attracting foreign investments from different countries. A speedy process for IP registrations also works in the favour of foreign companies which will in turn serve their IP needs in India. This promotes domestic as well as foreign IP filings in the country. |
The policy which was unveiled this year alms to foster creativity and growth by promoting science and technology. It also aims to create awareness about IPR as an economic asset. |
While unveiling the policy, the government had specifically announced that the policy is in consonance with TRIPS of the World Trade Organization. The NIPR comes with a set of 7 objectives that needs to be undertaken by the identified nodal ministry or department and work towards attaining such objectives. These objectives provide for a wide range of duties, responsibilities and objectives to be performed by the identified ministries in the objectives. |
The 7 major objectives are: |
1st Objective: IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion |
2nd Objective: Generation of IPRs |
3rd Objective: Legal and Legislative Framework |
4th Objective: Administration and Management |
5th Objective: Commercialization of IP |
6th Objective: Enforcement and Adjudication |
7th Objective: Human Capital Development |
The NIPR policy comes with the foremost motive of increasing awareness about social, cultural and economic benefits IPR to all sections of the society. It not only stimulates the generation of innovation and creativity but also provides ways to commercialize them. The policy with its slogan "Creative India: Innovative India" aims to spread awareness to the maximum people possible so that their knowledge, creativity and innovation does not go to waste. By this people can understand to commercially exploit their own potential and putting it to best possible use for the country and themselves. |
Bringing Traditional Knowledge into the field of IPR is a commendable job by the framers of the policy however such traditional knowledge is a rare asset and the access to its database should be restricted to the extent that multinational companies should not make slight variations to it and use it to their own benefit. The need for recognizing the introduction of a sui-generis law for Traditional Knowledge is an important highlight of this policy. By the way of this policy, the ambit of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library is to be expanded and how it can be used for research and development purposes. However the policy fails to explain details about the ownership of a traditional knowledge. |
The government by the way of the NIPR policy aims to use the IPR more towards supporting the less empowered people in the society such as farmers, weavers etc. By doing this, the policy intends to use such rights not just for commercial purpose but also for socio- economic purposes. |
Bringing the Copyrights Act and the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout Design under one roof of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) enhances its commercial efficiency. Every government and other state departments have been asked to create an IPR cell to work in coordination with the DIPP. |
The National IPR Policy is one among the many steps yet to come in cementing the future of Intellectual Property on a global scale. It not only calls for creation and innovation from the masses but also provides ways to safeguards such creations and commercialize them to the best interest of such creators and innovators. The policy is a correct blend for attracting foreign investments from different countries. A speedy process for IP registrations also works in the favour of foreign companies which will in turn serve their IP needs in India. This promotes domestic as well as foreign IP filings in the country. |
The policy which was unveiled this year alms to foster creativity and growth by promoting science and technology. It also aims to create awareness about IPR as an economic asset. |
While unveiling the policy, the government had specifically announced that the policy is in consonance with TRIPS of the World Trade Organization. The NIPR comes with a set of 7 objectives that needs to be undertaken by the identified nodal ministry or department and work towards attaining such objectives. These objectives provide for a wide range of duties, responsibilities and objectives to be performed by the identified ministries in the objectives. |
The 7 major objectives are: |
1st Objective: IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion |
2nd Objective: Generation of IPRs |
3rd Objective: Legal and Legislative Framework |
4th Objective: Administration and Management |
5th Objective: Commercialization of IP |
6th Objective: Enforcement and Adjudication |
7th Objective: Human Capital Development |
The NIPR policy comes with the foremost motive of increasing awareness about social, cultural and economic benefits IPR to all sections of the society. It not only stimulates the generation of innovation and creativity but also provides ways to commercialize them. The policy with its slogan "Creative India: Innovative India" aims to spread awareness to the maximum people possible so that their knowledge, creativity and innovation does not go to waste. By this people can understand to commercially exploit their own potential and putting it to best possible use for the country and themselves. |
Bringing Traditional Knowledge into the field of IPR is a commendable job by the framers of the policy however such traditional knowledge is a rare asset and the access to its database should be restricted to the extent that multinational companies should not make slight variations to it and use it to their own benefit. The need for recognizing the introduction of a sui-generis law for Traditional Knowledge is an important highlight of this policy. By the way of this policy, the ambit of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library is to be expanded and how it can be used for research and development purposes. However the policy fails to explain details about the ownership of a traditional knowledge. |
The government by the way of the NIPR policy aims to use the IPR more towards supporting the less empowered people in the society such as farmers, weavers etc. By doing this, the policy intends to use such rights not just for commercial purpose but also for socio- economic purposes. |
Bringing the Copyrights Act and the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout Design under one roof of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) enhances its commercial efficiency. Every government and other state departments have been asked to create an IPR cell to work in coordination with the DIPP. |
The National IPR Policy is one among the many steps yet to come in cementing the future of Intellectual Property on a global scale. It not only calls for creation and innovation from the masses but also provides ways to safeguards such creations and commercialize them to the best interest of such creators and innovators. The policy is a correct blend for attracting foreign investments from different countries. A speedy process for IP registrations also works in the favour of foreign companies which will in turn serve their IP needs in India. This promotes domestic as well as foreign IP filings in the country. |
The policy which was unveiled this year alms to foster creativity and growth by promoting science and technology. It also aims to create awareness about IPR as an economic asset. |
While unveiling the policy, the government had specifically announced that the policy is in consonance with TRIPS of the World Trade Organization. The NIPR comes with a set of 7 objectives that needs to be undertaken by the identified nodal ministry or department and work towards attaining such objectives. These objectives provide for a wide range of duties, responsibilities and objectives to be performed by the identified ministries in the objectives. |
The 7 major objectives are: |
1st Objective: IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion |
2nd Objective: Generation of IPRs |
3rd Objective: Legal and Legislative Framework |
4th Objective: Administration and Management |
5th Objective: Commercialization of IP |
6th Objective: Enforcement and Adjudication |
7th Objective: Human Capital Development |
The NIPR policy comes with the foremost motive of increasing awareness about social, cultural and economic benefits IPR to all sections of the society. It not only stimulates the generation of innovation and creativity but also provides ways to commercialize them. The policy with its slogan "Creative India: Innovative India" aims to spread awareness to the maximum people possible so that their knowledge, creativity and innovation does not go to waste. By this people can understand to commercially exploit their own potential and putting it to best possible use for the country and themselves. |
Bringing Traditional Knowledge into the field of IPR is a commendable job by the framers of the policy however such traditional knowledge is a rare asset and the access to its database should be restricted to the extent that multinational companies should not make slight variations to it and use it to their own benefit. The need for recognizing the introduction of a sui-generis law for Traditional Knowledge is an important highlight of this policy. By the way of this policy, the ambit of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library is to be expanded and how it can be used for research and development purposes. However the policy fails to explain details about the ownership of a traditional knowledge. |
The government by the way of the NIPR policy aims to use the IPR more towards supporting the less empowered people in the society such as farmers, weavers etc. By doing this, the policy intends to use such rights not just for commercial purpose but also for socio- economic purposes. |
Bringing the Copyrights Act and the Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout Design under one roof of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) enhances its commercial efficiency. Every government and other state departments have been asked to create an IPR cell to work in coordination with the DIPP. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Job satisfaction is an organizational behavior topic that is often overlooked and underappreciated. Job satisfaction can energize and motivate employees to give their best effort resulting in a stronger work performance. Studies have shown that employees who are given excessive workloads, limited growth opportunities and minimal compensation, are not as engaged and their work performance suffers as a result. Job satisfaction can have a different meaning to different people because some individuals are pleased by money and others by job content. Employees are expected to do their jobs effectively, however if these individuals feel valued and are satisfied this could improve their performance at work. Satisfaction at work can make individuals excited about their job and as a result, they become more engaged. Becoming more engaged at work make individuals focuses more and work harder to achieve their objectives. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Job satisfaction is an organizational behavior topic that is often overlooked and underappreciated. Job satisfaction can energize and motivate employees to give their best effort resulting in a stronger work performance. Studies have shown that employees who are given excessive workloads, limited growth opportunities and minimal compensation, are not as engaged and their work performance suffers as a result. Job satisfaction can have a different meaning to different people because some individuals are pleased by money and others by job content. Employees are expected to do their jobs effectively, however if these individuals feel valued and are satisfied this could improve their performance at work. Satisfaction at work can make individuals excited about their job and as a result, they become more engaged. Becoming more engaged at work make individuals focuses more and work harder to achieve their objectives. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Job satisfaction is an organizational behavior topic that is often overlooked and underappreciated. Job satisfaction can energize and motivate employees to give their best effort resulting in a stronger work performance. Studies have shown that employees who are given excessive workloads, limited growth opportunities and minimal compensation, are not as engaged and their work performance suffers as a result. Job satisfaction can have a different meaning to different people because some individuals are pleased by money and others by job content. Employees are expected to do their jobs effectively, however if these individuals feel valued and are satisfied this could improve their performance at work. Satisfaction at work can make individuals excited about their job and as a result, they become more engaged. Becoming more engaged at work make individuals focuses more and work harder to achieve their objectives. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Job satisfaction is an organizational behavior topic that is often overlooked and underappreciated. Job satisfaction can energize and motivate employees to give their best effort resulting in a stronger work performance. Studies have shown that employees who are given excessive workloads, limited growth opportunities and minimal compensation, are not as engaged and their work performance suffers as a result. Job satisfaction can have a different meaning to different people because some individuals are pleased by money and others by job content. Employees are expected to do their jobs effectively, however if these individuals feel valued and are satisfied this could improve their performance at work. Satisfaction at work can make individuals excited about their job and as a result, they become more engaged. Becoming more engaged at work make individuals focuses more and work harder to achieve their objectives. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Qualified, hardworking Americans are denied job opportunities, fired or otherwise discriminated against just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Even with the passing and enforcement of employment anti-discrimination laws, statistics show that persons with minority status such as people of color, persons with disabilities and women continue to experience discrimination in the workplace, particularly sexual minorities - LGBT persons. LGBT individuals who are also ethnic minorities are at an even greater disadvantage, with African-American transgender people faring the worst. To date, no federal law exists which consistently protects LGBT individuals from discriminatory practices in the workplace. It is still legal in 29 states to discriminate against employees and job applicants based on their sexual orientation, and legal in 38 states to discriminate based on gender identity. There is no state-wide non-discrimination law that protects individuals based on sexual orientation in America. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
"Qualified, hardworking Americans are denied job opportunities, fired or otherwise discriminated against just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT)". Even with the passing and enforcement of employment anti-discrimination laws, statistics show that persons with minority status such as people of color, persons with disabilities and women continue to experience discrimination in the workplace, particularly sexual minorities - LGBT persons. LGBT individuals who are also ethnic minorities are at an even greater disadvantage, with African-American transgender people faring the worst. To date, no federal law exists which consistently protects LGBT individuals from discriminatory practices in the workplace. It is still legal in 29 states to discriminate against employees and job applicants based on their sexual orientation, and legal in 38 states to discriminate based on gender identity. There is no state-wide non-discrimination law that protects individuals based on sexual orientation in America. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
"Qualified, hardworking Americans are denied job opportunities, fired or otherwise discriminated against just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT)". Even with the passing and enforcement of employment anti-discrimination laws, statistics show that persons with minority status such as people of color, persons with disabilities and women continue to experience discrimination in the workplace, particularly sexual minorities - LGBT persons. LGBT individuals who are also ethnic minorities are at an even greater disadvantage, with African-American transgender people faring the worst. To date, no federal law exists which consistently protects LGBT individuals from discriminatory practices in the workplace. It is still legal in 29 states to discriminate against employees and job applicants based on their sexual orientation, and legal in 38 states to discriminate based on gender identity. There is no state-wide non-discrimination law that protects individuals based on sexual orientation in America. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
"Qualified, hardworking Americans are denied job opportunities, fired or otherwise discriminated against just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT)". Even with the passing and enforcement of employment anti-discrimination laws, statistics show that persons with minority status such as people of color, persons with disabilities and women continue to experience discrimination in the workplace, particularly sexual minorities - LGBT persons. LGBT individuals who are also ethnic minorities are at an even greater disadvantage, with African-American transgender people faring the worst. To date, no federal law exists which consistently protects LGBT individuals from discriminatory practices in the workplace. It is still legal in 29 states to discriminate against employees and job applicants based on their sexual orientation, and legal in 38 states to discriminate based on gender identity. There is no state-wide non-discrimination law that protects individuals based on sexual orientation in America. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Since women first entered the workforce at the beginning of the twentieth century, there have been many uphill battles fought in order to acquire the same opportunities as men. These rights included womens suffrage, the right to use contraceptives, a wife being able to own property separately from her husband and the privilege for women to attain higher education. One issue that remains significantly problematic in the world is that womens earnings in the workplace are not yet equal to that of men. Although women have advanced in both their education and work experience, the wage gap has closed very little in comparison. There are diverse positions on this subject and the reasons behind the pay disparity are largely debated. People typically have one of two general opinions: some believe the wage gap exists for justifiable reasons and others believe the disparity is a result of discriminatory views of women. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Since women first entered the workforce at the beginning of the twentieth century, there have been many uphill battles fought in order to acquire the same opportunities as men. These rights included womens suffrage, the right to use contraceptives, a wife being able to own property separately from her husband and the privilege for women to attain higher education. One issue that remains significantly problematic in the world is that womens earnings in the workplace are not yet equal to that of men. Although women have advanced in both their education and work experience, the wage gap has closed very little in comparison. There are diverse positions on this subject and the reasons behind the pay disparity are largely debated. People typically have one of two general opinions: some believe the wage gap exists for justifiable reasons and others believe the disparity is a result of discriminatory views of women. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Since women first entered the workforce at the beginning of the twentieth century, there have been many uphill battles fought in order to acquire the same opportunities as men. These rights included womens suffrage, the right to use contraceptives, a wife being able to own property separately from her husband and the privilege for women to attain higher education. One issue that remains significantly problematic in the world is that womens earnings in the workplace are not yet equal to that of men. Although women have advanced in both their education and work experience, the wage gap has closed very little in comparison. There are diverse positions on this subject and the reasons behind the pay disparity are largely debated. People typically have one of two general opinions: some believe the wage gap exists for justifiable reasons and others believe the disparity is a result of discriminatory views of women. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Since women first entered the workforce at the beginning of the twentieth century, there have been many uphill battles fought in order to acquire the same opportunities as men. These rights included womens suffrage, the right to use contraceptives, a wife being able to own property separately from her husband and the privilege for women to attain higher education. One issue that remains significantly problematic in the world is that womens earnings in the workplace are not yet equal to that of men. Although women have advanced in both their education and work experience, the wage gap has closed very little in comparison. There are diverse positions on this subject and the reasons behind the pay disparity are largely debated. People typically have one of two general opinions: some believe the wage gap exists for justifiable reasons and others believe the disparity is a result of discriminatory views of women. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
Since women first entered the workforce at the beginning of the twentieth century, there have been many uphill battles fought in order to acquire the same opportunities as men. These rights included womens suffrage, the right to use contraceptives, a wife being able to own property separately from her husband and the privilege for women to attain higher education. One issue that remains significantly problematic in the world is that womens earnings in the workplace are not yet equal to that of men. Although women have advanced in both their education and work experience, the wage gap has closed very little in comparison. There are diverse positions on this subject and the reasons behind the pay disparity are largely debated. People typically have one of two general opinions: some believe the wage gap exists for justifiable reasons and others believe the disparity is a result of discriminatory views of women. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
In recent years, global environmental issues like climate change and trans-boundary pollution has gained a lot of attention and has inspired a lot of concern. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization, in 2005, reported that every year around 18 million acres of the world's forests are lost due to deforestation. Forest trees play an essential role in stable ecosystems and the global atmospheric make-up. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. When they are cleared, whether it is by being cut down or burned, they release carbon dioxide into the air. According to The Union of Concerned Scientist, deforestation contributes to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year, which is about 10% of all global warming emissions. Global warming has a significant effect on our environment and impacts all other facets of our natural ecological industries. Issues like these forces people to recognize the intricate connection we all have due to the planet we share; yet, humans continue to ignore this interdependence and proceeds with the attack on the Earth's ecosystems.. |
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In recent years, global environmental issues like climate change and trans-boundary pollution has gained a lot of attention and has inspired a lot of concern. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization, in 2005, reported that every year around 18 million acres of the world's forests are lost due to deforestation. Forest trees play an essential role in stable ecosystems and the global atmospheric make-up. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. When they are cleared, whether it is by being cut down or burned, they release carbon dioxide into the air. According to The Union of Concerned Scientist, deforestation contributes to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year, which is about 10% of all global warming emissions. Global warming has a significant effect on our environment and impacts all other facets of our natural ecological industries. Issues like these forces people to recognize the intricate connection we all have due to the planet we share; yet, humans continue to ignore this interdependence and proceeds with the attack on the Earth's ecosystems. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
In recent years, global environmental issues like climate change and trans-boundary pollution has gained a lot of attention and has inspired a lot of concern. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization, in 2005, reported that every year around 18 million acres of the world's forests are lost due to deforestation. Forest trees play an essential role in stable ecosystems and the global atmospheric make-up. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. When they are cleared, whether it is by being cut down or burned, they release carbon dioxide into the air. According to The Union of Concerned Scientist, deforestation contributes to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year, which is about 10% of all global warming emissions. Global warming has a significant effect on our environment and impacts all other facets of our natural ecological industries. Issues like these forces people to recognize the intricate connection we all have due to the planet we share; yet, humans continue to ignore this interdependence and proceeds with the attack on the Earth's ecosystems. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
In recent years, global environmental issues like climate change and trans-boundary pollution has gained a lot of attention and has inspired a lot of concern. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization, in 2005, reported that every year around 18 million acres of the world's forests are lost due to deforestation. Forest trees play an essential role in stable ecosystems and the global atmospheric make-up. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. When they are cleared, whether it is by being cut down or burned, they release carbon dioxide into the air. According to The Union of Concerned Scientist, deforestation contributes to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year, which is about 10% of all global warming emissions. Global warming has a significant effect on our environment and impacts all other facets of our natural ecological industries. Issues like these forces people to recognize the intricate connection we all have due to the planet we share; yet, humans continue to ignore this interdependence and proceeds with the attack on the Earth's ecosystems. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
In recent years, global environmental issues like climate change and trans-boundary pollution has gained a lot of attention and has inspired a lot of concern. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization, in 2005, reported that every year around 18 million acres of the world's forests are lost due to deforestation. Forest trees play an essential role in stable ecosystems and the global atmospheric make-up. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. When they are cleared, whether it is by being cut down or burned, they release carbon dioxide into the air. According to The Union of Concerned Scientist, deforestation contributes to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year, which is about 10% of all global warming emissions. Global warming has a significant effect on our environment and impacts all other facets of our natural ecological industries. Issues like these forces people to recognize the intricate connection we all have due to the planet we share; yet, humans continue to ignore this interdependence and proceeds with the attack on the Earth's ecosystems.. |
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Widespread discontent apathy among the common populace has plagued the Indian polity since independence. This discontent has often led to unrest and resentment sometimes resulting in violence also. Since independence various statutory enactments and institutional mechanisms for addressing the aspects of deprivation and neglect have been brought into being but the irony is that discontent and unrest continue to surface in spite of the measures undertaken. Today, even after six decades of independence, for a large section of the populace, basic survival and making the two ends meet is still the biggest challenge. |
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Widespread discontent apathy among the common populace has plagued the Indian polity since independence. This discontent has often led to unrest and resentment sometimes resulting in violence also. Since independence various statutory enactments and institutional mechanisms for addressing the aspects of deprivation and neglect have been brought into being but the irony is that discontent and unrest continue to surface in spite of the measures undertaken. Today, even after six decades of independence, for a large section of the populace, basic survival and making the two ends meet is still the biggest challenge. |
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Widespread discontent apathy among the common populace has plagued the Indian polity since independence. This discontent has often led to unrest and resentment sometimes resulting in violence also. Since independence various statutory enactments and institutional mechanisms for addressing the aspects of deprivation and neglect have been brought into being but the irony is that discontent and unrest continue to surface in spite of the measures undertaken. Today, even after six decades of independence, for a large section of the populace, basic survival and making the two ends meet is still the biggest challenge.. |
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The circulation of black money has adversely affected the Indian economy in several ways. It has enormously worsened the income-distribution. The fixed income salary class finds itself ever be the lower rung of the income-ladder as they pay taxes. They are not able to catch up with the people in business, or in professions, or many of those employed who make money by black activities. Black money has corrupted our political system in a most vicious manner. National policies are, therefore, being bent in favor of the big business under the pressure of black money. It is like a cancerous growth in the country's economy which, if not checked in time, is sure to lead to its ruination. |
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The circulation of black money has adversely affected the Indian economy in several ways. It has enormously worsened the income-distribution. The fixed income salary class finds itself ever be the lower rung of the income-ladder as they pay taxes. They are not able to catch up with the people in business, or in professions, or many of those employed who make money by black activities. Black money has corrupted our political system in a most vicious manner. National policies are, therefore, being bent in favor of the big business under the pressure of black money. It is like a cancerous growth in the country's economy which, if not checked in time, is sure to lead to its ruination. |
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The circulation of black money has adversely affected the Indian economy in several ways. It has enormously worsened the income-distribution. The fixed income salary class finds itself ever be the lower rung of the income-ladder as they pay taxes. They are not able to catch up with the people in business, or in professions, or many of those employed who make money by black activities. Black money has corrupted our political system in a most vicious manner. National policies are, therefore, being bent in favor of the big business under the pressure of black money. It is like a cancerous growth in the country's economy which, if not checked in time, is sure to lead to its ruination. |
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India is secular country in nature which consists of 65% of young population which is counted as backbone for countrys development. We need a leadership style in national politics which can bridge the gap between the ideologies of people from various religion having different needs, requirement for the upliftment of their community. In India there are various problems such as naxalism, extreme poverty, superstition, unemployment and under employment, etc., this can create havoc situation in future so we need the leaders who can help to overcome the extreme situation which can arise due to different ideologies. |
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India is secular country in nature which consists of 65% of young population which is counted as backbone for countrys development. We need a leadership style in national politics which can bridge the gap between the ideologies of people from various religion having different needs, requirement for the upliftment of their community. In India there are various problems such as naxalism, extreme poverty, superstition, unemployment and under employment, etc., this can create havoc situation in future so we need the leaders who can help to overcome the extreme situation which can arise due to different ideologies.. |
Direction: Study the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below: |
India is secular country in nature which consists of 65% of young population which is counted as backbone for countrys development. We need a leadership style in national politics which can bridge the gap between the ideologies of people from various religion having different needs, requirement for the upliftment of their community. In India there are various problems such as naxalism, extreme poverty, superstition, unemployment and under employment, etc., this can create havoc situation in future so we need the leaders who can help to overcome the extreme situation which can arise due to different ideologies. |
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Global restructuring leading to the integration of developing countries into the global economy can lead to increased inequality and poverty in these countries. On the other hand, Economic restructuring refers to the phenomenon of Western urban areas shifting from a manufacturing to a service sector economic base. This transformation has affected demographics including income distribution, employment, and social hierarchy; institutional arrangements including capital mobility, informal economy. It will bring geographic spacing including the rise of world cities and metropolitan growth differentials among the people who are will to transform their economical status. |
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Global restructuring leading to the integration of developing countries into the global economy can lead to increased inequality and poverty in these countries. On the other hand, Economic restructuring refers to the phenomenon of Western urban areas shifting from a manufacturing to a service sector economic base. This transformation has affected demographics including income distribution, employment, and social hierarchy; institutional arrangements including capital mobility, informal economy. It will bring geographic spacing including the rise of world cities and metropolitan growth differentials among the people who are will to transform their economical status. |
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Global restructuring leading to the integration of developing countries into the global economy can lead to increased inequality and poverty in these countries. On the other hand, Economic restructuring refers to the phenomenon of Western urban areas shifting from a manufacturing to a service sector economic base. This transformation has affected demographics including income distribution, employment, and social hierarchy; institutional arrangements including capital mobility, informal economy. It will bring geographic spacing including the rise of world cities and metropolitan growth differentials among the people who are will to transform their economical status.. |
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Amount of Rice, Wheat & Sugar consumed by various Restaurants over a year (Amount consumed in Kilograms) |
Restaurants |
Direction: Study the following Graph carefully and answer the questions given below. |
Amount of Rice, Wheat & Sugar consumed by various Restaurants over a year (Amount consumed in Kilograms) |
Restaurants |
Direction: Study the following Graph carefully and answer the questions given below. |
Amount of Rice, Wheat & Sugar consumed by various Restaurants over a year (Amount consumed in Kilograms) |
Restaurants. |
Direction: Study the following Graph carefully and answer the questions given below. |
Amount of Rice, Wheat & Sugar consumed by various Restaurants over a year (Amount consumed in Kilograms) |
Restaurants |
Direction: Study the following Graph carefully and answer the questions given below. |
Amount of Rice, Wheat & Sugar consumed by various Restaurants over a year (Amount consumed in Kilograms) |
Restaurants |
Direction: Study the following table carefully and answer the questions given below it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Percentage of Marks obtained by different students in different subjects | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Direction: Study the following table carefully and answer the questions given below it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Percentage of Marks obtained by different students in different subjects | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Direction: Study the following table carefully and answer the questions given below it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Percentage of Marks obtained by different students in different subjects | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Direction: Study the following table carefully and answer the questions given below it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Percentage of Marks obtained by different students in different subjects | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Direction: Study the following table carefully and answer the questions given below it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Percentage of Marks obtained by different students in different subjects | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Direction: Study the following information carefully to answer the questions given below it. |
There are 6 villages around city 'Y' namely P, Q R, S, T and U. The population of village P is 50% of the population of city 'Y'. The population of village Q is 48% of the total population of city V. The population of village R is three-fifth of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village S is 60% of the total population of village R. The population of village T is 80% of the total population of village Q. The total population of village U is 60,000, which is 75% of the total population of city 'Y'.. |
Direction: Study the following information carefully to answer the questions given below it. |
There are 6 villages around city 'Y' namely P, Q R, S, T and U. The population of village P is 50% of the population of city 'Y'. The population of village Q is 48% of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village R is three-fifth of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village S is 60% of the total population of village R. The population of village T is 80% of the total population of village Q. The total population of village U is 60,000, which is 75% of the total population of city 'Y'. |
Direction: Study the following information carefully to answer the questions given below it. |
There are 6 villages around city 'Y' namely P, Q R, S, T and U. The population of village P is 50% of the population of city 'Y'. The population of village Q is 48% of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village R is three-fifth of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village S is 60% of the total population of village R. The population of village T is 80% of the total population of village Q. The total population of village U is 60,000, which is 75% of the total population of city 'Y'. |
Direction: Study the following information carefully to answer the questions given below it. |
There are 6 villages around city 'Y' namely P, Q R, S, T and U. The population of village P is 50% of the population of city 'Y'. The population of village Q is 48% of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village R is three-fifth of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village S is 60% of the total population of village R. The population of village T is 80% of the total population of village Q. The total population of village U is 60,000, which is 75% of the total population of city 'Y'. |
Direction: Study the following information carefully to answer the questions given below it. |
There are 6 villages around city 'Y' namely P, Q R, S, T and U. The population of village P is 50% of the population of city 'Y'. The population of village Q is 48% of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village R is three-fifth of the total population of city 'Y'. The population of village S is 60% of the total population of village R. The population of village T is 80% of the total population of village Q. The total population of village U is 60,000, which is 75% of the total population of city 'Y'. |
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