China and the US are responsible for around 40 per cent of the world's carbon emissions.
The Congress, who has presently become a "leaderless" party, has also been facing multiple shocks at the state levels.
Mr T V R Shenoy, who contributed columns to Rediff.com from its birth, passed into the ages on Tuesday evening. As we grieve and mourning his passing, Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar bids adieu to an unusual human being, a sage for our times.
A magnificent display of India's cultural diversity through colourful parades across the length and breadth of the country marked the 71st Republic Day celebrations on Sunday which passed off peacefully, barring in Upper Assam, which was rocked by four explosions within a span of 10 minutes.
In an apparent attempt at assuaging his feelings in the wake of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's denunciation of the government, Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi on Sunday praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying schemes launched under his leadership have helped millions of people from the marginalised sections.
As many as 48 ministers of National Democratic Allaince government were in the fray in the general elections.
About 78 per cent respondents said they were also satisfied with the steps taken by their own state government, according to the findings of the survey.
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh (all BJP-ruled), Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Assam, West Bengal and Kerala are among the worst performers.
The government's focus is on containing and controlling coronavirus the ministry of external affairs said on Thursday and advised Indians to stay put wherever they are and travel only under compelling reasons.
After 17 tumultuous years, a nationwide Goods and Services Tax (GST) will rollout from midnight of June 30, overhauling India's convoluted indirect taxation system and unifying the $2 trillion economy with 1.3 billion people into a single market.
'After each election the losers troop to the court with various objections. The general election will not be different.' 'It could be worse if there is no clear majority and the President has to invite the party with the largest number to form the government,' points out M J Antony.
10 central trade unions have called a nationwide shutdown against 'anti-worker policies' of the central government. Apart from being successful in Bengal, Kerala and NE states, the bandh has also got support from Cong leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
'The Congress's allies won't be left behind in looking out for their own interests. Some will demand a bigger share of the ministerial or electoral pie, others will simply jump ship,' says T V R Shenoy.
Govt gave 36,000 seats per week more than inter-ministerial group's recommendations.
As per plans, the Indian Air Force may use its planes to fly out Indian nationals stranded in Iraq to safer places nearby such as Kuwait or the United Arab Emirates from where commercial airliners would ferry them back to India.
Noting that the Congress was not able to win even a single Lok Sabha seat in 17 states, he said it was time for the Congress to introspect and "accept defeat".
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
'Amit Shah's trajectory seems unstoppable; no wonder some say the day is not far off when he could be pitching for the top job, and that this is only the first step,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Sources at the NSE as well as the President's office rejected media reports that Kovind's pulling out of the event had to do with reasons other than his packed itinerary this week.
'There were days when there was no rice at home and we ate only jackfruit seeds.' 'They feel I, a lowliest human being, a tribal, have no right to go abroad and study.' 'The humiliation was so bad that I was broken inside.'
Indian-origin former German lawmaker facing probe for allegedly possessing child pornography has denied any wrongdoing and said he intends to initiate legal proceedings against the state prosecutor's office for spreading "false information" and "unjustly harassing" him.
IMD is preparing a concept paper on narrowing its grid resolution from 22 sq km to 10 sq km.
In the first phase of evacuation of Keralite nurses from strife-torn Libya, 50 of them are expected to be moved to Tunisia by road on Thursday as per the plan worked out by the ministry of external affairs.
The coming election to the Delhi assembly has so far been labelled a two-way contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party, but the Congress is not throwing in the towel yet.
Suresh Prabhu on the priority being given to safety and the need for more funds for railways to move ahead.
Hours after India decided not to prosecute two of its marines accused of killing Indian fishermen under the strict anti-piracy SUA law, Italy said the decision was the "fruit of Italian firmness".
"Our neighbouring country thinks such terror attacks can weaken us, but their plans will not materialise," he said at a function to flag off a new semi-high speed train from Delhi to Varanasi.
Haasan said that interference in the functioning of an elected government is 'unacceptable in a democracy'.
'E Ahamed will be sorely missed as a decent and wise man who made the best use of his political career and personal abilities for the good of the nation,' remembers Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
The Tamil Nadu voter may not be in the mood to test new talent, not when the state and the people are going through unprecedented and unanticipated crises, of which coronavirus is only the first. All of it boils down to an election between the ruling AIADMK and the Opposition DMK next year, with small-timers, had-been parties and promised parties left on the sidelines, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
A senior opposition member in Rajya Sabha on Friday sought a probe into the manner in which the death of former Union Minister E Ahamed was "handled", alleging he had died soon after being rushed to the hospital but his demise was announced much later.
The chief minister may have Prime Minister Modi's backing.
'It was a moment when I felt what power can get. Such a reception was beyond my expectation.'
West Bengal and Maharashtra, despite having fewer public sector employees, are likely to face a higher burden of salaries and pensions.
'The nominations were not meant to last permanently, but depended on the government of the day.' 'There was no question of revoking it during Congress, Janata Dal or even Vajpayee's NDA rule.' 'But Modi is different.'
Truth be acknowledged, Rajinikanth is not known for wanting to leave his comfort zone to take the politico-electoral plunge, even if it meant his becoming the chief minister of a state that has conferred Tamil cinema's superstardom on him over the past 25 years. Today, his fans belong to the younger generation all right, but their numbers are far fewer than their counterparts in the '90s. They are not devoid of personal ambitions and agendas, unlike what Rajinikanh wants them to be, if he and they were to enter politics, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Two state ministers have also come out in the open to demand a detailed assessment by the top leadership.
Here's a list of the full first-time ministers in the second term of the Narendra Modi government.
'There's nothing in the 2019 campaign air, the chunavi hawa that tells you it's a wave election, for anyone,' argues Shekhar Gupta.
According to a Deutsche Bank report, the Idea-Vodafone combine will have to pay a 30 per cent lower annual installment on spectrum due to the longer duration of the payment tenure.
