or Singapore a 'one-off' race - Klien By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:56:23 GMT Christian Klien says his future at HRT is out of his hands but suspects his Singapore Grand Prix appearance was a "one-off" Full Article
or Toro Rosso mechanic fired for Singapore blunder By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:57:11 GMT A mechanic has been reportedly dismissed by Toro Rosso following an incident before Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix Full Article
or Mixed feelings for Alonso after retirement with ERS issue By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Mar 2015 11:48:17 GMT Fernando Alonso was left with "mixed feelings" following the Malaysian Grand Prix after he retired from his McLaren-Honda debut on the 21st lap with an ERS cooling problem Full Article
or Penalty points for Maldonado and Force India pair By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Mar 2015 15:26:51 GMT Pastor Maldonado has been handed three penalty points to his super licence for exceeding the speed limit under the safety car at the Malaysian Grand Prix Full Article
or Raikkonen lost downforce with puncture damage By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Mar 2015 14:19:07 GMT Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari lost downforce as a result of the puncture he suffered at the start of the Malaysian Grand Prix Full Article
or Vettel's victory a 'wake-up call' for Mercedes By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 11:40:29 GMT Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Sebastian Vettel's win for Ferrari in Malaysia has set alarm bells ringing for the reigning world champion Full Article
or Lauda: Vettel 'not boring anymore' By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 09:40:36 GMT Three-time world champion Niki Lauda says Sebastian Vettel's victory in Malaysia was good for Formula One and the German driver's own image after the reputation he built between 2010 and 2013 Full Article
or Ecclestone keen on all-female world championship By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 15:28:08 GMT Bernie Ecclestone has suggested the creation of an all-female world championship to run alongside Formula One to encourage more women to enter the sport Full Article
or 2014 upheaval was crucial for Ferrari future - Allison By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Tue, 31 Mar 2015 10:43:36 GMT Ferrari technical director James Allison says the sweeping changes made to Ferrari over the winter are making it stronger every month following the team's first victory since May 2013 on Sunday Full Article
or Ferrari still has work to do to catch Mercedes - Kimi By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Tue, 31 Mar 2015 11:11:39 GMT Kimi Raikkonen says Ferrari still has work to do to be consistently competitive with Mercedes but is confident it has taken a big chunk out of Mercedes lead following Sebastian Vettel's victory in Malaysia Full Article
or Insight 219: Singapore in the Global Energy Transition By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Dec 3, 2019 Dec 3, 2019For decades, Singapore has been a premier refinery hub and gatekeeper between Asia and the Middle East, but its position is increasingly threatened as producer countries are shifting into the downstream activities that helped make Singapore the “Houston of Asia”. Oil and petrochemicals drive about one quarter of Singapore’s net exports. Greater competition in the global oil and gas value chain could take a heavy toll on the city-state’s national budget and economic growth prospects. Full Article
or Why the U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord is a Mistake By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Dec 4, 2019 Dec 4, 2019The authors explain why the Trump administration's reiteration of its intent to finalize U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is a tragic mistake that will weaken us as a nation. Full Article
or Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
or Geopolitical and Market Implications of Renewable Hydrogen: New Dependencies in a Low-Carbon Energy World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 4, 2020 Mar 4, 2020To accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, all energy systems and sectors must be actively decarbonized. While hydrogen has been a staple in the energy and chemical industries for decades, renewable hydrogen is drawing increased attention today as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier with the potential to play an important piece in the carbon-free energy puzzle. Countries around the world are piloting new projects and policies, yet adopting hydrogen at scale will require innovating along the value chains; scaling technologies while significantly reducing costs; deploying enabling infrastructure; and defining appropriate national and international policies and market structures. What are the general principles of how renewable hydrogen may reshape the structure of global energy markets? What are the likely geopolitical consequences such changes would cause? A deeper understanding of these nascent dynamics will allow policy makers and corporate investors to better navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities that decarbonization will bring, without falling into the inefficient behaviors of the past. Full Article
or Urban Waste to Energy Recovery Assessment Simulations for Developing Countries By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 26, 2020 Mar 26, 2020In this paper, a quantitative Waste to Energy Recovery Assessment (WERA) framework is used to stochastically analyze the feasibility of waste-to-energy systems in selected cities in Asia. Full Article
or Harvard Business School Professor Rebecca Henderson Outlines Ways Organizations are Changing in Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic and Climate Change in New Edition of "Environmental Insights" By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 8, 2020 Apr 8, 2020Rebecca Henderson, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard University, shared her perspectives on how large organizations are changing in response to the coronavirus pandemic and climate change in the newest episode of "Environmental Insights: Discussions on Policy and Practice from the Harvard Environmental Economics Program," a podcast produced by the Harvard Environmental Economics Program. Listen to the interview here. Listen to the interview here. Full Article
or Organizational Responses to COVID-19 and Climate Change: A Conversation with Rebecca Henderson By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 8, 2020 Apr 8, 2020Rebecca Henderson, the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard University, shared her perspectives on how large organizations are changing in response to the coronavirus pandemic and climate change in the newest episode of “Environmental Insights: Discussions on Policy and Practice from the Harvard Environmental Economics Program.” Full Article
or No, the Coronavirus Will Not Change the Global Order By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 16, 2020 Apr 16, 2020Joseph Nye advises skepticism toward claims that the pandemic changes everything. China won't benefit, and the United States will remain preeminent. Full Article
or Low Prices, Full Storage Tanks: What's Next for the Oil Industry By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 30, 2020 Apr 30, 2020When the economy slows, so does the demand for oil. Prices have plummeted and storage tanks are filled to capacity. We look at the future of the oil industry. Full Article
or How to Topple Dictators and Transform Society By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Jan 3, 2020 Jan 3, 2020Nonviolent resistance scholar Erica Chenoweth explains the key ingredients of successful social movements. Full Article
or What Makes for a Moral Foreign Policy? By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Jan 21, 2020 Jan 21, 2020Joseph Nye's new book rates the efforts of presidents from FDR to Trump. Full Article
or Lebanon has formed a controversial new government in a polarised, charged atmosphere, and protesters are not going to be easily pacified by its promises, explains Rami Khoury. By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Jan 22, 2020 Jan 22, 2020The fourth consecutive month of Lebanon's unprecedented political and economic crisis kicked off this week with three dramatic developments that will interplay in the coming months to define the country's direction for years to come: Escalating protests on the streets, heightened security measures by an increasingly militarising state, and now, a new cabinet of controversial so-called "independent technocrats" led by Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab. Seeking to increase pressure on the political elite to act responsibly amid inaction vis-a-vis the slow collapse of the economy, the protesters had launched the fourth month of their protest movement, which had begun on 17 October last year, with a 'Week of Anger', stepping up their tactics and targeting banks and government institutions. Full Article
or Grow Up About Dictators, America! By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 2, 2020 Mar 2, 2020The U.S. Democratic primary has exposed an obsession with morality when it comes to foreign policy that is harmful to strategic and moral objectives alike, Stephen M. Walt writes. Full Article
or How Do Past Presidents Rank in Foreign Policy? By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 2, 2020 Mar 2, 2020How do presidents incorporate morality into decisions involving the national interest? Moral considerations explain why Truman, who authorized the use of nuclear weapons in Japan during World War II, later refused General MacArthur's request to use them in China during the Korean War. What is contextual intelligence, and how does it explain why Bush 41 is ranked first in foreign policy, but Bush 43 is found wanting? Is it possible for a president to lie in the service of the public interest? In this episode, Professor Joseph S. Nye considers these questions as he explores the role of morality in presidential decision-making from FDR to Trump. Full Article
or The Overwhelming Case for No First Use By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Jan 13, 2020 Jan 13, 2020The arguments in favor of the United States' declaring that the only purpose of its nuclear weapons is to deter others who possess them from using theirs — in other words, that in no circumstances will this country use nuclear weapons first — are far stronger than the arguments against this stance. It must be hoped that the next US administration will take this no-first-use step promptly. Full Article
or Why is the United States So Bad at Foreign Policy? By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Jan 13, 2020 Jan 13, 2020Stephen Walt writes that the United States' unusual historical experience, geographic isolation, large domestic market, and general ignorance have weakened its ability to make viable foreign-policy strategies. Full Article
or What Makes for a Moral Foreign Policy? By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Jan 21, 2020 Jan 21, 2020Joseph Nye's new book rates the efforts of presidents from FDR to Trump. Full Article
or The Need for Creative and Effective Nuclear Security Vulnerability Assessment and Testing By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Feb 10, 2020 Feb 10, 2020Realistic, creative vulnerability assessment and testing are critical to finding and fixing nuclear security weaknesses and avoiding over-confidence. Both vulnerability assessment and realistic testing are needed to ensure that nuclear security systems are providing the level of protection required. Systems must be challenged by experts thinking like adversaries, trying to find ways to overcome them. Effective vulnerability assessment and realistic testing are more difficult in the case of insider threats, and special attention is needed. Organizations need to find ways to give people the mission and the incentives to find nuclear security weaknesses and suggest ways they might be fixed. With the right approaches and incentives in place, effective vulnerability assessment and testing can be a key part of achieving and sustaining high levels of nuclear security. Full Article
or Arms Control Agreement With Russia Should Cover More Than Nuclear Weapons By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Feb 23, 2020 Feb 23, 2020With the Russia investigation and impeachment behind him, President Trump finally may feel empowered to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin and pursue an arms control deal. Full Article
or How Do Past Presidents Rank in Foreign Policy? By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Mar 2, 2020 Mar 2, 2020How do presidents incorporate morality into decisions involving the national interest? Moral considerations explain why Truman, who authorized the use of nuclear weapons in Japan during World War II, later refused General MacArthur's request to use them in China during the Korean War. What is contextual intelligence, and how does it explain why Bush 41 is ranked first in foreign policy, but Bush 43 is found wanting? Is it possible for a president to lie in the service of the public interest? In this episode, Professor Joseph S. Nye considers these questions as he explores the role of morality in presidential decision-making from FDR to Trump. Full Article
or Budapest Memorandum at 25: Between Past and Future By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Mar 17, 2020 Mar 17, 2020On December 5, 1994, leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation met in Budapest, Hungary, to pledge security assurances to Ukraine in connection with its accession to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear-weapons state. The signature of the so-called Budapest Memorandum concluded arduous negotiations that resulted in Ukraine’s agreement to relinquish the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal, which the country inherited from the collapsed Soviet Union, and transfer all nuclear warheads to Russia for dismantlement. The signatories of the memorandum pledged to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and inviolability of its borders, and to refrain from the use or threat of military force. Russia breached these commitments with its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and aggression in eastern Ukraine, bringing the meaning and value of security assurance pledged in the Memorandum under renewed scrutiny. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the memorandum’s signature, the Project on Managing the Atom at the Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School, with the support of the Center for U.S.-Ukrainian Relations and the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, hosted a conference to revisit the history of the Budapest Memorandum, consider the repercussions of its violation for international security and the broader nonproliferation regime, and draw lessons for the future. The conference brought together academics, practitioners, and experts who have contributed to developing U.S. policy toward post-Soviet nuclear disarmament, participated in the negotiations of the Budapest Memorandum, and dealt with the repercussions of its breach in 2014. The conference highlighted five key lessons learned from the experience of Ukraine’s disarmament, highlighted at the conference. Full Article
or Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
or So Do Morals Matter in U.S. Foreign Policy? I Asked the Expert. By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Apr 24, 2020 Apr 24, 2020In his new book, Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump, Joseph S. Nye developed a scorecard to determine how U.S. presidents since 1945 factored questions of ethics and morality into their foreign policy. In an interview, Henry Farrell asked him a few questions to get to the heart of his findings. Full Article
or Maxwell Taylor's Cold War: From Berlin to Vietnam By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: May 6, 2020 May 6, 2020Nathaniel Moir reviews Maxwell Taylor's Cold War: From Berlin to Vietnam by Ingo Trauschweizer. Full Article
or Who said what after practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Fri, 23 Nov 2012 20:30:04 GMT Read what the teams and drivers had to say after practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix Full Article
or A quiet farewell for HRT By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Mon, 26 Nov 2012 08:25:50 GMT While the media clustered around Sebastian Vettel in the aftermath of the Brazilian Grand Prix, the HRT team quietly started to pack up for what most believe will be the last time Full Article
or HRT slammed for 'misleading information' by supplier By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Tue, 11 Dec 2012 09:44:30 GMT One of HRT's suppliers has accused the team of providing "misleading information" and claims the team went in to liquidation in early November Full Article
or Bid to take over HRT 'too late' for 2013 entry - Ecclestone By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:13:35 GMT A new bid to take over HRT and rebrand it Scorpion Racing is not likely to get the go-ahead to compete in this year's championship, according to Bernie Ecclestone Full Article
or Can Sudan’s military be convinced to support democracy? By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 25 Jun 2019 22:40:25 +0000 Full Article
or Africa in the news: SACU-UK trade agreement, Nigeria’s border closures, and Sudan’s transitional government By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Sat, 14 Sep 2019 12:45:13 +0000 Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique sign post-Brexit trade agreement with the United Kingdom On Tuesday, the United Kingdom signed an economic partnership agreement with six African countries, including the five-country Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and Mozambique, that would take effect after the U.K.’s official exit from the European Union. SACU includes Botswana, eSwatini,… Full Article
or Toward a Red Sea forum: The Gulf, the Horn of Africa, and architecture for a new regional order By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Sun, 03 Nov 2019 07:58:46 +0000 The Red Sea has fast become the subject of new geopolitical intrigue, as unprecedented engagement between Gulf states and the Horn of Africa reframes politics, economics, and security astride one of the world’s most heavily trafficked waterways. Friends and foes have converged in this increasingly crowded neighborhood as the Red Sea and its environs are… Full Article
or New rear wing for Lotus in Brazil By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:11:54 GMT Lotus will be bringing a new rear wing to the Brazilian Grand Prix which should see it close the gap to the midfield in qualifying Full Article
or Vettel takes record-breaking pole in Brazil By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:20:57 GMT Sebastian Vettel took his 15th pole position of the season at the Brazilian Grand Prix, breaking Nigel Mansell's record for the most in a season from 1992 and lining up on the front row alongside Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber Full Article
or A chance for citizens to shape the city’s future, let’s not waste it: A Bengalurean’s appeal By www.thenewsminute.com Published On :: Thu, 15 Jun 2017 07:19:15 +0000 Civic issuesCitizens can now join ward committees to work with the BBMP and local Corporators to make sure your neighbourhood develops the right way.Representational ImageBy Srinivas Alavilli Bengalureans, did you notice that someone fixed that black spot on your way to work and it now looks nice with a little bench and simple art that makes the place walkable and pleasant on the eyes? Did you come across pictures on social media of people sweating it out and cleaning lakes on a Sunday morning? Do you know someone that teaches and helps out in the local government school? Did you notice there was a massive protest to save trees on Jayamahal Road and a thousand people got on the streets? Did you know local residents were filing RTIs, writing letters, and meeting officials behind the scenes before it became a protest? Did you notice that right now there is a group of concerned citizens trying to save trees in the compound of the Queens Road veterinary hospital? Have you met the senior citizen in your park who takes care of composting and upkeep of the park on a daily basis to keep it a happy place for local residents? Did you ever sit in a small meeting along with your neighbors to learn about waste segregation at source from fellow citizens that are working with BBMP to keep our city clean? Do you know, every day, in some place or the other in our city, a group of citizens are getting involved locally, in one way or another, and making a difference to their neighborhood that they can see and feel? Did you wonder how 8,000 people gathered in one place for the human chain in support of the ‘Steel Flyover Beda’ campaign? Did you know that much before the steel flyover, people got together and stopped wasteful projects in Koramangala and elsewhere? The people that do this are just like you and me – regular people with jobs and other responsibilities. They have come to the realisation that talk is cheap, and actions speak louder. These people – who partner with their local Corporator and the Health Inspector (to bring the truck when the cleanup is done) and work closely with various city agencies are indeed an asset to our city. Does it bother you that the system is so broken that people need to get involved in getting simple things done while there is an elected body that runs the city and has an annual budget of Rs 9,000 crores and all the resources in terms of personnel and equipment? Do you feel that the good work citizens do must be scaled up because our city is huge with 1.2 crore population? In my travels over a decade in this city I have come across hundreds of people that are committed and passionate and bring their professional expertise to learn about things like composting and rain water harvesting. I am often amazed at the level of understanding ordinary citizens have about mobility, road design, city planning and the laws that govern it. Does it not make sense for these every day unsung heroes to become part of the ward committees of BBMP? Do you find yourself asking, "What is this ward committee?". Here is the simple answer: a ward committee is a group of 10 residents of a ward that works with the Corporator and the corporation (BBMP) for the betterment of the ward. They have monthly meetings with the Corporator and officials and review projects and give feedback on behalf of people of that ward. Their presence in ward committees will go a long way in making the right decisions for the ward and in bridging the gap and building trust between the government and the citizen. We request you to think of all those people and nominate them to get on ward committees. Most of these people are reluctant warriors and shun the spotlight. But it is time we publicly acknowledge their work and ask them to be formally engaged when there is an opportunity that is built into our law but never gets implemented. We request you to spread the word so more people are aware that there is such a thing called the Ward Committee and now is open for active citizen participation. We have more than 850 nominations so far. But our city has 198 wards which means we need 1880 members! We invite you to do your bit in strengthening our local government which in fact is the government we see and experience every day. Nominate people here: http://bit.ly/cfbwcnominate Or submit applications before 5pm Friday, 16 June, at the BBMP Head Office. http://bit.ly/cfbwcjun16 (This blog was first published on the Facebook page Citizens for Bengaluru and has been republished with permission from the author.) Full Article
or What growing up with a sports-obsessed mother taught me about life and learning By www.thenewsminute.com Published On :: Wed, 27 Jun 2018 06:42:15 +0000 BlogWhile Amma is passionate about sports, Appa just cannot understand what the hype is all about. But she has allies in my sister and me.SS VenkateswaranAmma looking at the Football World Cup schedule pasted on the door.It was June 9, 1990. Cameroon had done the unthinkable. They had defeated World Cup champions Argentina, led by the great Diego Maradona. Two images remain engraved in my memory forever. One that was playing on the television - Claudio Caniggia brought down by Benjamin Massing, which also meant the end of my footballing hero Maradona’s career. Another was playing at home the tension between Amma and Appa. Appa believed that sports were another form of entertainment (now that I think of it he was so right!!). He ardently believed that it makes us unproductive. He simply could not understand the 'adrenaline rush' that is associated with sports. And, on the other hand, Amma loved sports and learned to appreciate games like cricket, football and tennis by observing and listening to the commentary. She loved Sunil Gavaskar, Maradona and Martina Navratilova. Appa, whose sleep was broken by the commotion, was surprised to see his son crying, but was aghast to see his otherwise stoic wife heartbroken for an alien sport and for a faraway country, Argentina. I will never forget his reaction all my life. Amma, Meenakshi, born in Coimbatore, was born in a middle-class Tamil family. She was a promising student; however, economic conditions and the general apathy towards girl children’s education means she did not study beyond Class 10. But that did not stop her from learning. Binaca Geetmala and Ameen Sayani were her windows to Bollywood. After her marriage, radio commentary became her medium to fall in love with cricket. The Football World Cup and Wimbledon television telecast helped her fall in love with more 'alien' sports like tennis and football. The fact that her husband was not attracted to sports meant that she learned about the game by meticulously watching the proceedings and listening to the commentary closely. She would follow it up by reading about it in the newspaper or a sports magazine. She often tells me how she struggled to understand the idea of a deuce and advantage in tennis as she was not aware of the existence of a word ‘deuce’. It took her a great bit of persistent observation to decipher this unique format in tennis to break a tie. Amma at the Centre Court in Wimbledon. At times her battle was lonely as not many in the family had similar likings as her. It was not until my sister and I grew up that she found someone to share her passion for sports with. It is with extreme doggedness that she seeks to learn new things. Years later we went to see Wimbledon; we saw a game at the Centre Court. She was as excited as a child when we got tickets for the London Olympics. I had promised her a trip to Europe and asked her to select the places of her choice. She chose Switzerland (her love for Bollywood, I guess), Paris and then she asked me if we could watch a football match at Camp Nou. She wanted to see her favourite Lionel Messi play. Amma and the author at the London Olympics. This year, I am home in Coimbatore for the Football World Cup. Amma has meticulously updated her knowledge about the teams (Panama and Iceland playing their first World Cup) and had stuck the schedule of the tournament on the door. I ask her who should win. Amma says, "I want Messi to win, a player of his calibre needs a cup to sign off. A bit like Tendulkar needed a cup before he retired." How could I argue with her? Nothing has changed - her spirit, her keenness to learn and her strong opinion. I remember she always made coffee for me during the late-night games. I told her to take a nap for I can wake her up and make coffee for her; after all, I can do this bit for the lady who taught me to observe, learn, and keep learning. She is still a child, and I am holding on to the one in me. SS Venkateswaran returned to India after an 8-year stint in the UK. Before moving to Bengaluru, he will watch the Football World Cup 2018 with his Amma in Coimbatore. Full Article
or Abhijit Iyer-Mitra's arrested for 'derogatory' remarks: Many condemn Odisha govt's move By www.thenewsminute.com Published On :: Thu, 25 Oct 2018 07:22:37 +0000 ArrestAbhijit Iyer-Mitra was arrested for his alleged derogatory remarks against the Sun Temple and Odisha culture. TNM StaffSecurity analyst and columnist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra was arrested on Tuesday for his alleged derogatory remarks against the Sun Temple and Odisha culture. The Commissionerate Police arrested Abhijit after hours of interrogation at an undisclosed location in Bhubaneswar. Police Commissioner Satyajit Mohanty said Abhijit was arrested in connection with a criminal case registered against him at Saheed Nagar Police Station on September 20. He has been booked under IP63C Sections 294, 295A, 153A, 500, 506 and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. He also appeared before a House Committee of Odisha Assembly on Tuesday and tendered an unconditional apology for his derogatory remarks on legislators. The House panel, headed by leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra, asked Abhijit to re-appear on November 2 and submit an affidavit. "Abhijit Iyer-Mitra admitted to the charges levelled against him and offered an unconditional apology for his 'stupidity'. He has been directed to depose before the Committee and submit an affidavit in this regard," said Mishra. "After examining his affidavit, the panel will decide whether to accept his apology or not. Accordingly, the Committee will then recommend to the House to take action against him, if necessary," he said. Abhijit was questioned about the alleged breach of privilege. Many have condemned his arrest, terming it "a zone where freedom is in danger, and an "Orwellian nightmare". Dear Prime Minister @narendramodi, quite admirable that you are active on social media. So I am sure you are aware that in India one can get arrested, like my friend @Iyervval, for a tweet on the origin of Rasagola. That's the democracy & freedom we Indians enjoy under your govt. https://t.co/Hg9kd3pAAe — Aarti Tikoo Singh (@AartiTikoo) October 24, 2018 We're slipping into a zone where #freedom is in danger. It's outrageous that Abhijit Iyer-Mitra @Iyervval has been arrested by #Odisha Police on risible charges and denied bail. Please read and circulate my protest and appeal. Fight for your, his and everybody's liberty. #India pic.twitter.com/gbuHebzI8g — Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) October 24, 2018 Absurd, vindictive, to jail @iyervval for 14 days over a rosogolla-origin tweet. He's a shock-jock, but trawling through his year-old tweets to fuel specious outrage charges is an illustration of how much is wrong with India's FoE laws.https://t.co/TQZTh05PDW — Nilanjana Roy (@nilanjanaroy) October 24, 2018 .@Iyervval has been arrested by Odisha over a tweet about rasgolas. Read that again. Yes. Does this country have a reset button?https://t.co/wfBXqi5JgH — Kabir Taneja (@KabirTaneja) October 24, 2018 #AbhijitIyerMitra (@Iyervval) got arrested in Odisha for a conversation he had a year ago on SM about the origin of Rasogola! Yes, it's 2018 and you read it right, Rasagola. This is beyond bizarre!!https://t.co/ZGzeuI2fEy — Viju Cherian (@vijucherian) October 24, 2018 This is absurd, we are descending into some Orwellian nightmare. The man is known for his viciousness on social media but he can’t be targeted like this. https://t.co/nAkJqnwSpY — Rammanohar Reddy (@ramreddy) October 23, 2018 We are a banana republic. So much for India being a secular democracy . Shame ! #istandwithabhijit https://t.co/yhN95j5T4K — Naveen Suresh (@NavSuresh) October 24, 2018 This nonsense with @Iyervval has got to stop. His comments are often bigoted and silly and he knows it but mouthing off shouldn't be cause for arrest. Fighting over the origins of rasagola? How about over the success or otherwise of #MakeInIndia instead?https://t.co/EP4kxnYxmE — Jabin T Jacob 鄭嘉賓 (@jabinjacobt) October 25, 2018 He had earlier been summoned to appear before the panel on October 11, which he had skipped. He was summoned again to appear on October 23. Odisha Assembly Speaker Pradip Amat had on September 20 constituted a House Committee to probe the journalist's alleged derogatory remarks against the state and its lawmakers. Abhijit had on September 16 posted a video on Twitter criticising the Konark temple. Later, he went on to make the alleged derogatory remarks against Odisha and its culture. Two FIRs were registered against him at Konark and Saheed Nagar police stations for his remarks. Last month, the Odisha Police arrested the columnist in New Delhi for his anti-Odisha comments. However, he was given conditional bail by a local court in Delhi. Later, the Supreme Court rejected his bail plea saying his comments 'incited religious sentiments'. With IANS inputs Full Article
or Dealing with coronavirus: A not-so-serious take on surviving the lockdown By www.thenewsminute.com Published On :: Thu, 26 Mar 2020 08:09:07 +0000 CoronavirusDo all the things you always wished you had the time to do, like working on a script that will be picked up by Leonardo DiCaprio or perfecting the pincha mayurasana.Anuja ChandramouliPixabayCorona or not, it sucks to be cooped up like chickens with our loved ones without the comfortable distance required to make the heart grow fonder. In a bid to do my part to save the world from this crippling pandemic without actually moving my backside for fear of stepping over the Lakshman Rekha, I decided to draw up a survival guide of Dos and Don’ts to weather the tsunami of trouble stirred up by this nasty critter. Trust me, preliminary studies conducted by the reputed folks at WhatsApp University have confirmed their efficacy beyond a shadow of doubt. The first step is to make soap and water your most intimate acquaintances. They have proven themselves good friends to humanity long before diamonds and dogs usurped their rightful spot and will continue to prove their worth long after corona has shrunk back into the bowels of hell from which it has erupted like a particularly foul effluent. It would also help if one were to make personal hygiene a priority and public hygiene an even bigger one if only as a preventive measure against the spread of communicable diseases and related hazards that could prove to have epic stakes in the survival game. Roughly translated, that means not ever dumping your trash outside the sparkling interiors of your home into the streets, using the great outdoors as a spittoon or latrine, defacing public property by scratching your lover’s name, throwing up pornographic sketches on every available surface or blowing your nose and allowing the discharge to fly every which way. Steer clear of social media if you value your sanity or at least use it in moderation especially if you lack the balancing power of a monkey on stilts to take the better while leaving out the bitter, barf – inducing garbage out there. Ever since some wiseacre got word out that democracy works best when your voice is heard out loud, people have been screaming themselves hoarse to make sure that their endless torrent of nonsense is amplified to the furthest reaches of the internet, bolstered by twitchy fingers compulsively hitting like and share in the desperate hope that they will be rewarded in kind. Therefore we have internet idiots and savants with interchangeable attributes raving and ranting fit to burst. The insufferably self-righteous and superior types tend to drip scorn for everyone and everything from the admitted showmanship of the supreme leader and inadequacy of the ruling party to the extreme foolishness of the folks who tentatively stepped out of their homes to find a bite to eat or medicine for an ailing grandmother only to be sneakily photographed or recorded so that they may be viciously trolled, endlessly abused and publicly shamed for putting millions at risk. Then there are the fanatical religious nuts who swear that India need not be subjected to a lockdown because Indians practise the downward facing dog regularly on their balconies with their rear ends strategically raised towards the benign sun which unleashes the Kundalini Shakti with all its serpentine strength which is more than sufficient to slay corona, sharona and whatever else have you or something equally ludicrous about the virus killing power of pots and pans banged in unison. Relatively innocuous Instagram must also be avoided at all costs too. According to the illustrious professors of WhatsApp University, those pretty pictures have great envy-inducing powers which can corrupt the best and brightest till they are reduced to gibbering, glass-eyed cyber stalkers who can spend years staring at pics and videos of Janhvi Kapoor sexily pretending to eat a slice of pizza, giving her puppy a bath or showing you the correct technique for applying lipstick to the exclusion of all things useful or worthy. Avoid fake news like the plague. Fear and panic cause a lot more damage than pandemics. Be sure to verify the credentials and reliability of all purveyors of information and check the facts. Even if you can’t be bothered, be sure to think thrice before you join hands with the mob to tear apart the hapless medical personnel getting off a gruelling nightshift because they are suspected to be carriers of COVID-16 (or is it COVID-17?). And believing self-proclaimed experts who have declared that the only country in the world that is currently corona free is Kailasa and you are considering applying for permanent citizenship under the benevolent rule of HDH Nithyananda even if you run a far higher risk of contracting HIV, do yourself a favour and check yourself into the nearest hospital for a lobotomy. While many endorse vegetating in front of Netflix, it is advisable to take time out to work out, read a book, cook a meal, take the dog for a walk, play with the kids or teach them something useful that does not involve staring at a screen, converse with the spouse about something other than whose turn it is to do the dishes or swab the floors and do whatever it takes to tough things out as long as it is legal and non-fattening. Do all the things you always wished you had the time to do, even if it is something impracticable like working on a script that will be picked up by Leonardo DiCaprio at an exorbitant price or perfecting the pincha mayurasana in the hopes that a video of you executing the same or at least the blooper version will go viral on the internet. If you are inclined to feel that this survival guide is lacking in scientific detail, didn’t once mention social distancing, testing, gaumutra, masks, sanitiser and is somewhat on the rambling side not unlike the supreme leader’s impassioned addresses to the nation, allow me to stress that if the buzz on WhatsApp is to be believed I am a shoo-in for the Noble Prize thanks to this priceless contribution towards the greater good, entirely free of cost. If that doesn’t convince you to take every word put down here as the gospel truth which deserves to be liked and shared till it has spread to the furthest corners of civilized society like a contagion, I don’t know what will. Body 2: Full Article
or Of sunrise service and eating vivika: Memories of a south Indian Easter By www.thenewsminute.com Published On :: Sat, 11 Apr 2020 05:26:06 +0000 EasterEaster breakfast was special - it was the first meal with non-vegetarian food in a while. Navin SigamanyEaster - the Christian festival that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ - is this Sunday. This year, thousands of Christians will be observing it from their homes, following their church’s online services on their phones or computers. When I was a boy in Coimbatore, many many moons ago, Easter meant being rousted out of bed at the unholy hour of 4 AM to get ready to go to church for the sunrise service. For my brother and me, getting to the 8 AM service every Sunday was in itself quite an achievement. But, growing up in a south Indian Christian household, we didn’t really have a choice. So, on Easter day, we were woken up, bathed, dressed in new clothes and turned out shiny and clean so we could fall asleep in the pews of the church that had been moved outdoors while the service happened. As we grew older, we learnt to experience the novelty of participating in a service outdoors, instead of within the confines of the ancient stone church. The pews faced East and the service began before sunrise. There would be a nip in the air when the service began. As the service progressed, the sun would rise from behind the altar, bathing the whole setting in a golden glow. Of course, the golden glow turned hot quite quickly - we said our prayers a bit quicker, and sang the hymns a bit faster, so that we ended the service and retreated to the relative cool in the shade of the church gardens. There we would have coffee and biscuits and Easter conversations. We greeted each other with the words, “Christ is Risen” and responded with the words, “Risen indeed.” It was great fun for us - once a year we got to go to church out in the open, and then we got to go around greeting everyone there, rather like spies in the novels we read! After the service, we would head as a family to the nearest bakery, where we would buy Easter Eggs. The size of your palm, these were made of hard white cast sugar with fondant icing. The outside would be decorated with flowers and bows in icing, and when we broke into them, there would be a treasure of chocolates to be discovered. Needless to say, the eggs were often bones of contention between my brother and me - one of us would finish his quicker, and would then have to watch the other savour his egg and chocolates with deliberate slowness. Clearly, we did not get the message of the season, which was that Jesus had died and risen again to save us from our sins, and maybe we could treat each other slightly better because of that. Easter comes at the end of the Holy Week. The Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, when we would all hold palm leaves and circumambulate (walk around) the church singing hymns to commemorate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, where Jesus predicts his betrayal and death. This is particularly important, as it also is where the sacred sacrament of communion originates. In short, the practice of consuming bread and wine as ‘communion’ in the Christian faith has its origin in the Last Supper. The Good Friday service was a long one commemorating the actual crucifixion. It was in the early evening and was a sombre affair that often ran into hours. The one thing I remember vividly about Good Friday was buying hot cross buns from the bakery and munching on them on the way home. There wasn’t much different about them - they were regular buns with a cross made of dough tacked on to them, but just the fact that they were called hot cross buns made them special! Easter also signaled the end of Lent, the 40 days of self-denial practised by Christians. For us, Lent was a time during which we gave up eating non-vegetarian food. This was a real sacrifice as our usual diet included a significant amount of chicken, meat and fish. Easter breakfast was special - it was the first meal with non-vegetarian food in a while. At our place, it was usually a sweet idli called vivika made of rice flour, bananas, raisins and sweet spices, accompanied by a savoury mutton curry. At the end of 40 days of no chicken, meat or fish - this was a sweet, sweet return to our normal, predominantly carnivorous culinary lifestyle. This year, it’s going to be different. I cannot think of a single year when my parents have missed going to church for Easter. One of the fundamentals of Christian worship is fellowship - worshiping with your fellow believers, and that is brought alive especially on festival days. This year, the service will be in an empty church, streamed live. The worshipers, my parents among them, will be attending from home. Happy Easter! Navin Sigamany is a Hyderabad-based photographer and heritage enthusiast who writes on food and culture. Body 2: Full Article
or Urban Waste to Energy Recovery Assessment Simulations for Developing Countries By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 26, 2020 Mar 26, 2020In this paper, a quantitative Waste to Energy Recovery Assessment (WERA) framework is used to stochastically analyze the feasibility of waste-to-energy systems in selected cities in Asia. Full Article
or Confronting COVID-19: A Conversation with Columbia University Professor Scott Barrett By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 27, 2020 Mar 27, 2020Columbia University Professor Scott Barrett assessed the massive global efforts underway to address COVID-19 and the potential impacts of the pandemic on our lives in the future in a special episode of “Environmental Insights: Discussions on Policy and Practice from the Harvard Environmental Economics Program. Full Article