KI

IW

Hindu Oct 1 to 6

KI
IW

Content
ISRO to launch Canadian satellite

Indian navigational satellite's launch postponed

ISRO set for Oct. 10 launch of navigation satellite

Syria sees Turkish deployment inside its border as an aggression

Turkish Parliament votes for military action against IS

Normality returns, Hong Kong govt. gets upper hand

For clarity on Hong Kong

No breakthrough in hurdles facing India-U.S. ties

Deepening relationship

Taking ties beyond the Beltway

'India would not join anti-China coalition led by U.S.'

India-China stand-off ends: MEA

Move to deny foreign nationals access to surrogacy draws flak

The right to medicines in a world of stock-outs

Afghanistan's change of guard

ED to probe global drug money laundering operations

10

First draft of Constitution to be ready by January: Deuba

10

Gandhi, morality and political legitimacy

10

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

KI
IW

Content
'Citizenship if Rohingya identify as Bengali'

11

India growing as a desirable holiday destination: Survey

11

SC panel lays down guidelines for govt ads

12

Perspectives on ocean mixing

12

A Scotland on Kashmir?

13

The distance to disarmament

13

Why love is a four letter word

14

Turkey vows to fight Islamic State

15

Fighting rages as Ukraine rebels try to seize Donetsk airport

15

The truth behind encounters

16

Going beyond interest rate changes

16

India among five nations to build world's largest telescope

17

Young western women among jihadis

18

Coverage of antenatal care in India has to be increased: WHO

18

Tibetan plateau becomes focus of intense climate study

19

Three share Nobel for medicine

20

Dismantle the walls of secrecy

20

The message behind the broom

22

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

KI
IW

Content
NJAC Bill has not removed flaws of collegium system, says Justice Shah

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

22

KI
IW

ISRO to launch Canadian satellite

Sun, Oct 5, 2014

The Hindu, science & tech, ISRO, space,

In view of the international restrictions on Russia over Ukraine, Canada has decided
to sign a contract with Antrix, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO), for the launch of its satellite, industry sources said here on
Saturday.
t Antrix would be given the contract for the July 2015 launch of its M3M (Maritime
Monitoring and Messaging Micro-Satellite) communications satellite.

Indian navigational satellite's launch postponed

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

Regional Navigational Satellite, The Hindu, science & tech, isro, space,

The Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) was slated to carry the Indian
Regional Navigational Satellite System-1C (IRNSS-1C) in the early hours of October
10.
The satellite is one of the series of satellites to be launched by India to build its own
regional navigational system.

ISRO set for Oct. 10 launch of navigation satellite

Thu, Oct 2, 2014

The Hindu, science & tech, navigation satellite, ISRO, space,

Indian Space Research Organisation, fresh from the success of its Mars mission, has
unveiled its next mundane campaign starting with the launch of the third regional
navigation satellite on Oct. 10.
IRNSS-1C will be the third piece in the Indian navigation fleet dubbed the "Indian
GPS".
It will be flown on the indigenous PSLV-C26 rocket from Sriharikota at 1.56 a.m.,
according to an ISRO update on Wednesday.
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System is a seven-satellite fleet. It is being
put up to ensure precise information on location and time for civil and military users
on land, sea and air.
It will also help manage transport fleet, provide aid for hikers and travellers, in disaster
management, cell phone applications, mapping and driving. It can also support operations
within a radius of 1,500 km in the sub-continent. The navigation fleet forms the troika
of Indian satellites along with communication and earth observation (remote sensing)
satellites. IRNSS-1A was sent to space in July 2013 and 1B in April this year. ISRO

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 1

KI
IW

plans to complete the navigation ring within two years.

Syria sees Turkish deployment inside its border as an aggression

Fri, Oct 3, 2014

Islamic State, isis, The Hindu, Syria, international, Turkey,

Syria has warned Turkey that deploying troops inside its borders will be seen as an
"aggression," calling on the international community to "put limits to the adventures"
of the Turkish leadership.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry's statement, issued on Friday, came a day after Turkey's
parliament gave the government new powers to launch military incursions into Syria
and Iraq.
Syria's Foreign Ministry said the Turkish decision is an "aggression against a founding
member of the United Nations".
Kurdish fighters battled Islamic State fighters on Friday near a Syrian Kurdish town
along the border with Turkey as Turkish Prime Minister said his country will prevent
the fall of Kobani.
The Kurdish town and its surrounding have been under attack since mid-September,
with militants capturing dozens of nearby Kurdish villages. The assault, which has
forced some 160,000 Syrians to flee, has left the Kurdish militiamen scrambling to
repel the militants' advance into the outskirts of Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors Syria's civil
war, reported intense fighting on Friday to the east and southeast of Kobani, saying the
town's Kurdish fighters destroyed two vehicles belonging to militants. The group said
seven Islamic State fighters were killed in a village near Kobani.

Turkish Parliament votes for military action against IS

Fri, Oct 3, 2014

The Hindu, international, islamic state, turkey,

Turkey's parliament voted on Thursday to authorize the government to take military

action in Iraq and Syria, but it remains unclear what actions the NATO member might
take to support the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group.
The watchdog group, which compiles information from a network of local activists
across Syria, said the ill--equipped YPG and other Kurdish fighters were preparing for
street battles amid fears that the better armed Islamic State militants might commit
massacres if they take the city on the Turkish border.
The observatory, which noted that the jihadists had not yet overrun the city, said

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 2

KI
IW

additional fierce fighting was taking place in the eastern and southern parts of the city,
which was being shelled by the militants.
Meanwhile in Iraq, Islamic State fighters were engaged in battles against Kurdish
peshmerga forces in the north-west near Sinjar and also with the Iraqi army in the
western province of al-Anbar.
There were reports the jihadists and their allies had taken over parts of the city of Heet
in the province, but the situation remained unclear as fighting was still ongoing.
The US is also carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq along with Britain
and France.

Normality returns, Hong Kong govt. gets upper hand

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

hong kong, The Hindu, international,

With the government stealing a march over activists, the stage seemed set for a dialogue
with the protesters, who could no longer talk from a position of strength. The Federation
of Students was to meet Undersecretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Lau
Kong-wah, later in the evening on Monday to prepare for talks with Chief Secretary
Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
The opposition activists are seeking open nominations for the 2017 elections to the post
of Chief Executive. The Chinese government has committed itself to universal suffrage,
but has also stated, as part of the Basic Law formulated in 1990, that a nominating
committee will vet the candidates, based on extensive consultations for the 2017 CE's
election.

For clarity on Hong Kong

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

hong kong, The Hindu, international,

Hong Kong has been rocked by a spate of student-led protests that have swept across
the city's sensitive financial, administrative and shopping hubs. The agitation has
sharply brought into focus the "one country-two systems" policy that defined Hong
Kong's transition from an erstwhile British colony to a Special Administrative Region
(SAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The protesters are clamouring for full
democracy, that includes open nomination of candidates for the post of Chief Executive
(CE) of the territory in the elections scheduled for 2017. Their protests have acquired
a sharp and emotive edge after Beijing was accused of reneging on its commitment to
premise the entire electoral process from 2017 on universal suffrage, including the
choice of candidates for Hong Kong's highest office.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 3

KI
IW

During the entire period of British rule -- a full 155 years following the Opium Wars -democratic advancement in the territory was minimal. Post-1997 under Chinese
sovereignty, the democratic reform process has begun to take shape, based on the Basic
Law adopted by China in 1990. While the agitating students, seeking unconditional
democracy, may be unhappy with this law, the accusation that Beijing has reneged on
its legal obligations is entirely flawed. It is highly unlikely that despite the considerable
force of the social media at their command and the sizeable mobilisation on the streets,
the protesters will manage to persuade Beijing to change its mind on the fundamentals
of its "one country-two systems" policy, which allows the people of Hong Kong to
retain their distinctive legal and political system.

No breakthrough in hurdles facing India-U.S. ties

Wed, Oct 1, 2014

The Hindu, international, usa,

While India did not accede to the U.S. request to join the international coalition against
Islamic State, the two sides agreed on several ways to enhance cooperation on terror.
India and the U.S. will work on "joint and concerted efforts to dismantle" terror groups
such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, D-Company (Dawood Ibrahim
network) and the Haqqani network by shutting down "their financial capabilities."
They would also work together on building a database to monitor citizens under the
terror scanner who are returning from "conflict zones." They will also increase a
partnership on maritime security.

Deepening relationship

Thu, Oct 2, 2014

The Hindu, international, usa,

the gesture of President Obama right at the end to accompany Mr. Modi to the Martin
Luther King Memorial came as a poignant signal that the U.S. genuinely wants to move
ahead with India's newly elected leader. Secondly, U.S. business, clearly disaffected
by the difficulties they face in doing business with India, have also signalled its desire
to renew investments.
On issues where the countries agree, such as defence and energy, they show only
incremental progress, without any big announcements. On issues where the countries
differ, like the nuclear deal, trade and WTO, they seem to have deferred negotiations,
indicating that no progress was made in resolving them. And while both sides made it
clear ahead of the talks that the U.S. would request, and India would discuss, the
possibility of joining the anti-ISIS coalition, there is silence on where those discussions
led. On all fronts of the 'comprehensive dialogue', that is, eight issues including energy,
health, space, women's empowerment, trade, skills, strategy and security, Mr. Modi's

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 4

KI
IW

visit successfully brought India-U.S. ties, that were faltering for a few years, back on
track

Taking ties beyond the Beltway

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

USA, The Hindu, international,

He overcame this challenge by interacting with a much broader American audience

than any of his predecessors. A very special feature of his visit was his determination
to open new doors in the U.S. and take the relationship beyond the beltway in Washington
DC. The public diplomacy effort this time included multiple energetic exchanges with
business and industry leaders, the Indian-American community, and U.S. lawmakers,
surpassing all previous efforts.
Several Congressmen and Senators were present at the event, including some who have
been critical of India on IT visas and compulsory licensing. These lawmakers saw at
first hand the size, scale and connectedness of the Indian-American community to India,
as also Mr. Modi's crowd-pulling power. The message that this community is now a
force whose expectations cannot be ignored, including for better India-U.S. ties, is a
positive asset.
the Vision Statement of the India-U.S. Strategic Partnership -- cleverly captioned by a
new "mantra": " Chalein Saath Saath : Forward together we go." Such a vision could
help in taking steps towards its progressive concretion.
This visit has gone some way in changing the atmospherics of the bilateral relationship.
It has convinced many in the U.S. strategic decision-making community of India's
commitment to forge an enduring partnership with the U.S., as also India's ability to
think on a big scale about its own global role, in which India-U.S. ties could find a new
energy.
The 2008 U.S. National Intelligence Council (NIC) report announced a multipolar
world and predicted that U.S. power was fated to wane. This coincided with the 2008
economic slowdown. Mr. Obama's principal policy imperative has been to rebalance
U.S. foreign and security policy in order to guide the U.S. towards graceful decline.
Three main initiatives of Mr. Obama -- outstretched hand to Iran, strategic reassurance
to China, and reset for Russia -- each foundered.
Long-established U.S. ascendancy in the China-Russia-U.S. triangular relationship
passed to China. Mr. Obama announced the strategic defeat of al-Qaeda, the same way
Mr. George W. Bush had announced success in Iraq, but the rise of the Islamic State
shows that Islamists are arguably stronger and more spread out than at any other time
in history.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 5

KI
IW
What India and the U.S. need to do together is clear; they simply have been unable to
do it. The areas of strategic convergence are known. A growing, pluralistic and democratic
India is a constructive force in Asia and the world. India needs U.S. investments and
technology. The U.S. needs Indian markets and skilled service providers. The gap
between promise and performance of the two countries lies in the mutual timidity of
their governments in treading the path signposted after considerable effort. Roadblocks
need to be removed by resolving differences, for which both sides must sit and talk.
The renewal of the 2005 Framework for the India-U.S. Defense Relationship is a
reminder that in the 10 years of its operation, nothing whatsoever was done to "increase
opportunities for technology transfer, collaboration, co-production, and research and
development." India's contingent and reactive defence policy, including on procurement,
compromises security and is a drain on national resources. India has stepped up buying
of U.S. weapons; but has not so far co-developed or built them.
Similarly, the absence of energetic pursuit of U.S. support for "a reformed UN Security
Council with India as a permanent member," and the U.S. resolve "to continue work
towards India's phased entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Missile
Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia
Group" -- almost exactly the same words used when Mr. Obama had visited India in
2010 -- persuade many Indians that inaction on these commitments might be a sign of
equivocation.
Mr. Modi deflected pressure to give up on India's pro-public health patent protection
policy that enables the supply of high-quality, life-saving medicines worldwide. When
pharma sector CEOs spoke of their apprehensions about India's intellectual property
rights (IPR) regime, he reportedly told them that India needed affordable medicines,
and that their firms needed to "devote the right energy" to R&D for new drug development,
"not just by changing the formulation of a drug to sustain a patent, but by inventing
things that make a difference to mankind."

'India would not join anti-China coalition led by U.S.'

Wed, Oct 1, 2014

The Hindu, international, China,

China has arrived at the conclusion that India would not join Japan, Australia and the
Philippines in an anti-Beijing coalition led by Washington.
Also called the Washington's "Pivot to Asia"-- a coinage first detailed by former U.S.
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton - the mantra anchors a decision to expand Washington's
military profile in the Asia-Pacific, including swathes of the Indian Ocean, by beefing
up military capabilities of countries on the periphery of China, including Japan, Australia
and the Philippines.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 6

KI
IW
The daily pointed out that rooted in its non-aligned culture, India will not develop its
ties with the U.S. at China's expense. "India adheres to an all-round foreign policy
strategy. Not only does India give priority to the India-U.S. relationship, it also attaches
great importance to Sino-India relationships," the daily observed.
Besides, both countries have vowed to forge a "closer development partnership" during
President Xi's visit to India. The article reiterated that the "unsolved territorial disputes
will not affect the development of Sino-India relations".
From a Chinese perspective, the core of the "rebalancing" doctrine would unfold in
Japan, where 40,000 U.S. troops would be positioned and in South Korea, where 28,
500 American servicemen were to be stationed.
Referring to the economic aspect of the "rebalancing" doctrine, the newspaper pointed
out that India was not even in the frame in the formation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP), which was at the heart of the approach to restrain China's economic rise. The
countries participating in the TPP include Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the United
States, Canada, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
On the contrary, India was focused inwards, seeking foreign investments to bolster its
domestic economy. "India has established an economic and financial partnership with
America.

India-China stand-off ends: MEA

Wed, Oct 1, 2014

The Hindu, international, China,

The 20-day "stand-off" between Indian and Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh has
ended. The External Affairs Ministry announced on Tuesday that both sides "carried
out disengagement and redeployment of border troops"
"The two sides have also agreed that a meeting of the Working Mechanism for
Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) will be convened
in India on October 16-17 to discuss various issues pertaining to the maintenance of
peace and tranquillity in the border areas," the statement said.

Move to deny foreign nationals access to surrogacy draws flak

Sat, Oct 4, 2014

surrogacy, The Hindu, social,

The view among experts looking into the new Assisted Reproductive Technologies
(Regulation) Bill 2014 that single parents and foreign nationals should not be allowed
to have children through surrogates in India has come in for criticism.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 7

KI
IW

The experts argued that it was promoting trafficking in women and children and in the
absence of regulations, surrogate mothers were being treated unjustly.
Advocate Anil Malhotra, who challenged the single parent restrictions on surrogacy,
said the ban would be untenable as the law permitted single parents and foreign nationals
to adopt under the Juvenile Justice Act and any contrary move might not be permissible
under the Fundamental Rights given to all persons.
"Any restriction on foreign parent, single or couple, may be questioned as foreigners,
irrespective of marital status, are allowed inter-country adoptions under Indian law.
The Supreme Court allows religion and gender-free secular adoptions. Even transgenders
will have rights. A restrictive law controlling foreign parent surrogacy, like adoptions,
may be the better legal option, rather than banning it altogether.
The view to disallow foreign nationals stems from the concern over citizenship rights
of children born to Indian surrogate mothers as several countries have banned surrogacy
and do not recognise the children born through assisted means as their citizens.
On September 4, the Supreme Court had asked the government to clarify its stand on
the citizenship of children born via an Indian surrogate mother in India, but whose
biological mother is a foreign national. "Under the Constitution, a child born here from
an Indian surrogate mother is entitled to Indian citizenship, but what happens if the
biological mother is a foreign citizen and the child applies for citizenship of that country,"
a Bench led by Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked.

The right to medicines in a world of stock-outs

Sat, Oct 4, 2014

The Hindu, social, right to medicines,

India is widely recognised as the pharmacy of the developing world thanks to its generic
drugs manufacturing sector. Yet, ironically, it often fails to provide necessary drugs to
its own population.
Drug shortages are common in India and rarely make news. A stock-out of essential
HIV drugs, however, is nothing short of a crisis; it is one that has parallels in previous
stock-outs and raises many questions
Contrary to popular perception, the government is designed to be a competent machinery
with detailed systems in place to avoid such crisis. Drug stocks in the public health
system are meant to be regularly monitored and the suppliers should be kept in the loop
about future requirements. Hence all drug stock-outs are created -- either out of neglect
or out of self-interest.
Where then do the poor go when they do not receive drugs? They have two options -they can wait and suffer or they go to the private sector. Truthfully, this is not really a

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 8

KI
IW

choice. It's well-known that a large number of patients seek care in the private sector
only due to the overburdened and patient-unfriendly nature of the public sector. So,
those who seek care in the public sector either cannot afford to go to the private sector
or have already been exploited by it.
The issue also has legal and ethical implications: how can the state put lives of patients
with HIV at risk by not making essential drugs available? Patients suffering from TB
and HIV also suffer extensive physical, psychological, social and economic consequences
of these diseases. These diseases impact income, raise expenses and often push families
into debt.
A stock-out also has significant implications for disease control. Unplanned HIV
treatment interruptions lead to increased risk resistance to HIV drugs, failure of treatment,
and death. Similarly, a TB patient without drugs can become drug-resistant and infectious.
Imagine a TB patient in a crowded slum -- coughing and transmitting the disease.
Stock-outs also significantly reduce the patient's trust in the system and makes retention
of patients more difficult.
Neglect by successive governments has resulted in the growth of an unregulated and
exploitative private sector which has become the primary provider of health services
to Indians. It is ethically and morally untenable that the state can renege on its duty to
provide the poor and vulnerable health care, particularly medicines under the public
sector.

Afghanistan's change of guard

Thu, Oct 2, 2014

The Hindu, international, Afghanistan,

The new President of Afghanistan, Ashraff Ghani, and Abdullah Abdullah, the country's
'chief executive officer' -- a new post that is to evolve into a prime ministership in two
years -- have their work cut out. Their swearing-in was billed as the first peaceful
transition of power in Afghanistan's history, but there is little peace. The Taliban want
to rule Afghanistan; they are hardly interested in negotiating power-sharing deals to
participate in a government they consider imposed by the West. Mr. Karzai, eager
towards the end of his term to get rid of the pro-West tag that was attached to him, had
been reluctant to sign an agreement allowing some U.S. troops to stay on after the
drawdown by end-2014. Mr. Ghani has quickly drawn the line under the previous
government -- among his first actions as President was to ink the long pending Bilateral
Security Agreement and Status of Forces Agreement.
Compounding the difficulties is the tenuous political agreement between Mr. Ghani
and Mr. Abdullah that ended the post-election deadlock. Mr. Abdullah had refused to
accept his defeat in the presidential run-off against Mr. Ghani, accusing him of electoral
fraud. in a U.S.-brokered deal that has brought together two leaders of opposed ethnicities

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 9

KI
IW

-- Mr. Ghani is Pashtun while Mr. Abdullah is Tajik. Pakistan, with its continuing lifeline
to the Taliban, which holds the key to the stability and survival of the new political
arrangement. Unfortunately, both will be elusive until Pakistan, especially its security
establishment, is able to draw the right lessons from its own pathetic internal security
situation to realise that an unstable Afghanistan goes against its own interests.

ED to probe global drug money laundering operations

Thu, Oct 2, 2014

The Hindu, international, narcotics,

The threads of the international drug money laundering network recently busted by the
Enforcement Directorate in partnership with the Australian Federal Police are suspected
to be spread far and wide -- from Thailand, Hong Kong, Mexico and Australia to the
United Kingdom and the United States.
Hong Kong has emerged as a common transit point where several companies are being
floated to launder drug money in the garb of export/import of goods to various countries,
including the United Kingdom and the United States.

First draft of Constitution to be ready by January: Deuba

Sun, Oct 5, 2014

The Hindu, international, Nepal,

The first draft of Nepal's new Constitution will be ready by the January 22 deadline,
He claimed that parties involved with the draft process have agreed to provide special
citizenship to non-residential Nepalis (NRN) but conceded there have been complications
over providing political rights.
Political parties, which pledged during the second Constituent Assembly elections,
have set January 22 as deadline to draft the Constitution so as to institutionalise the
achievements of the Peoples Movement of 2006.
Political instability has plagued Nepal since the end of the civil war in 2006.

Gandhi, morality and political legitimacy

Sat, Oct 4, 2014

gandhi, The Hindu, polity,

Gandhi showed Indians and the world that the ultimate legitimacy in politics comes
not from brute force, not from the state apparatus, and not even from mechanisms of
political participation, electoral choice and representative self-government. All of these
are limited, and all of them are fallible. The popular mandate of Hitler did not make
Nazi rule legitimate. The benign despotism of the British in India did not make colonial

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 10

KI
IW

rule legitimate. Totalitarianism that enters riding on the coat-tails of democracy, or

imperialism that seems bent over with the self-inflicted burden of delivering benighted
natives from their ignorance and backwardness -- neither of these forms attains legitimacy
merely because it is successful in capturing power on the basis of professed good
intentions.
True political legitimacy has to be premised on popular will, on the desire for
self-determination, and on the capacities and capabilities of a government, for sure.
But in the end it exceeds and transcends all of these factors, and resides elsewhere, in
a more subtle quality that has to do with the inherent morality of any structure of power
that purports to rule a people in their name and for their own good.

'Citizenship if Rohingya identify as Bengali'

Wed, Oct 1, 2014

Rohingya, Myanmar, The Hindu, international,

Myanmar has confirmed to the United Nations that it is finalising a plan that will offer
minority Rohingya Muslims citizenship if they change their ethnicity to suggest
Bangladeshi origin, a move rights groups say could force thousands into detention
camps.
Most of Myanmar's 1.1 million Rohingya are stateless and live in apartheid-like
conditions in Rakhine State on the western coast of the predominantly Buddhist country.
More controversially, the plan contains a section on a process to determine whether
Rohingya are citizens. Rohingya would be required to register their identities as
'Bengali,' a term most reject because it implies they are illegal immigrants from
Bangladesh despite having lived in the area for generations.

India growing as a desirable holiday destination: Survey

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

The Hindu, tourism, economics,

Overseas travellers increasingly show interest in India as a "desirable" holiday destination,

as hotels in the country have been experiencing a large uptake in tourist interest,
The study also showed that while Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra were the top three most
searched Indian destinations in the past year, it is accommodations in Rajasthan that
commend the highest average review rating of 4.3, out of a possible five.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 11

KI
IW
SC panel lays down guidelines for govt ads

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

The Hindu, elections, polity,

A Supreme Court-appointed high powered committee has recommended that names

and pictures of political parties and their office bearers like presidents not be mentioned
in government advertisements.
Holding that there had been "misuse and abuse" of public money on such advertisements,
the three-member committee headed by eminent academician Professor N R Madhava
Menon has framed guidelines to regulate expenditure and contents of such advertisements
paid out of tax payers' money.
The report, submitted to the apex court, has emphasised that only pictures and names
of the President, the Prime Minister, Governor and Chief Ministers be published to
"keep politics away from such ads".
Sources said the Committee has also endorsed the suggestions of the Election Commission
that there must be "severe" restrictions on such advertisements six months prior to
elections.

Perspectives on ocean mixing

Fri, Oct 3, 2014

environment, The Hindu, ocean,

While it is a well-known fact that dense ocean waters in the high latitudes sink to the
bottom carrying dissolved atmospheric carbon with them it is not quite clear even now
how and where these waters return to the surface and exhale the dissolved carbon back
into the atmosphere.
The most recent perception is that mixing brings bottom waters up to about 2000 m
and then they flow at that depth all the way to the southern ocean, where the roaring
forties lift them to the surface. In this new scenario the potential energy needed from
mixing is only half of the earlier estimate.
Mixing is strong where the bottom topography of the ocean is rough and weak where
it is smooth. This heterogeneity must be mapped on a global scale to determine the
amount of mixing. It has been shown that 70 per cent of the waves break at the ocean
bottom while the remaining 30 per cent propagate away from their generation sites and
break against continental slopes where mixing is strong and make their way along the
slopes of continents and ridges to the surface.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 12

KI
IW
A Scotland on Kashmir?

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

Pakistan, The Hindu, kashmir, polity,

But the comparison with Scotland is perhaps unfair, for Scotland has been part of a
300-year-old union, and its attempted withdrawal was triggered largely by issues of
domestic governance. Kashmir on the other hand poses more complex issues of religious,
ethnic and national identity. Without the participation of thousands of Hindu and Sikh
refugees, obviously no referendum on Kashmir can be fair.
Separatist movements in other parts of the world have only marginally succeeded in
creating autonomy, certainly not complete freedom. In the 1980 and 1995 referendum,
Quebec rejected independence and chose to stay with Canada.
At the heart of the problem lies the Indian practice of nationalism, often confused with
private patriotism. The country's status as an old civilisation and a young nation
contributes to such collective insecurity and anxiety. It becomes essential to parade
around all the symbol of togetherness at public functions -- the national anthem, the
tricolour, the Ashok Chakra, and an endless array of cultural diehard longings that make
patriotic statements to others: Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations, the
'India Day Parade' in New York, Ram-Leela in London.
For the most part, the rest of the world treats its national symbols with less reverence
and with the banter of easy familiarity, not to be taken too seriously.
Referendums on independence and flags as underwear are of course for self-assured
nations that value human choice and dignity over a vague and -- now in the 21st century
-- waning patriotism.
Who is Indian, what he eats, who he worships, what company he keeps, in which country
he lives, all have little relevance in a world that no longer respects borders. Certainly
at the time of independence, when the Kashmir problem was framed, nationalism was
a natural sentiment, triggered as it was by anti-colonialism. At the time, it was the
binding glue necessary for a country discovering its new identity. That time is long
past. But as a people, perhaps, we have not progressed beyond the assertion of symbolic
identity

The distance to disarmament

Sat, Oct 4, 2014

non proliferation treaty, nuclear, The Hindu, international,

The 1966 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty remains on date the only agreement to
prevent the spread of these weapons outside the original five nuclear weapons states.
But then, there are more countries today that flaunt these terrible weapons as a symbol

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 13

KI
IW

of military might and many more that are perhaps perilously close to their acquisition.
The treaty privileges the status quo; it obliges non-nuclear weapons states not to acquire
nuclear weapons, without concomitant guarantees on disarmament from the Nuclear
Weapons States (NWSs). The 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty aims to
prohibit all tests and explosions. A potentially crucial deal, it has yet to come into force
because not all of the 44 countries with nuclear power reactors would ratify it. The big
players in Asia's geopolitics including India have kept out of it, as has Washington.
The refusal of many non-aligned countries to sign up to a deal that would exclude
current stocks from its purview, in effect preserving the hegemony of the NWSs, seem
unexceptionable. The 2010 New START (strategic arms reduction treaty) limits the
U.S. and Russia to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads deployed on 700 strategic delivery
systems. This is the most current legally binding and verifiable bilateral arms control
accord between Washington and Moscow. Meanwhile, the five nuclear weapons free
zones in different regions across the globe have not been backed by unconditional
assurances by the original five NWSs not to use force. Efforts at the UN Conference
on Disarmament towards the conclusion of a treaty may be long-drawn. But the stakes
for world peace were never greater than they are today.

Why love is a four letter word

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

sociology, The Hindu, social, women,

From its beginnings in the south to its tentacular spread in the north, the thick smoke
screen of "love jihad" -- by which Muslim men are alleged to have designs on Hindu
women of an entirely dishonourable kind -- disguises a far more familiar face, one that
even many Muslims will recognise. It is a deep-seated fear among many sections of
Indian men that too many Indian women have taken control of their lives at a much
faster pace than expected, show little patience for the strictures of the past, and therefore
need to be taught a quick lesson and kept in place.
The bloody violence of the khap panchayat has been a warfare between generations
and also between genders -- beleaguered older and very Hindu patriarchs versus the
young men and women who risked a great deal in dreaming of caring, sharing partners
and a less hierarchical life. The ferocity of khap panchayat attacks on these men and
women, and the prevarications of a state which did not doubt the moral authority of
these actions, has done little to deter these daily transgressions.
On the other hand, Indian feminism's very success has produced some contradictory
outcomes. An ever-eager and sophisticated state has altered its laws, policies and plans
to accommodate the language of women's aspirations
Quite simply, many Indian women are no longer the passive bearers of caste, religious,
ethnic or other meaning -- but the makers of meaning. That is surely a cause for dismay

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 14

KI
IW

among those who feel their grip is loosening. Large numbers of women have gained a
measure of independence, freedom from domestic tyrannies, and have won some
economic and legal liberty. Straw polls, discouraging editorials and sensational headlines
notwithstanding, these hard-won gains will not be diminished.
Hence the need for a clarion call to place all Hindu women under a protection they did
not demand; back to a lock up where they will be safe from the dangers of independent
thinking and action. We should therefore take heart in these difficult times from the
courage shown by judges of the Delhi High Court in naming a clear and present danger
to married women: the matrimonial home.

Turkey vows to fight Islamic State

Thu, Oct 2, 2014

isis, The Hindu, international, turkey,

Turkey signalled it may send troops into Syria or Iraq and let allies use Turkish bases
to fight Islamic State (IS), as coalition jets launched air strikes
The proposal would also mean Turkey, until now reluctant to take a frontline role against
IS, could allow foreign forces to use its territory for cross-border incursions.
But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the removal of Syrian President Bashar
Al-Assad remained a Turkish priority and stressed Ankara's fears that U.S.-led air
strikes without a broader political strategy would only prolong the instability.

Fighting rages as Ukraine rebels try to seize Donetsk airport

Fri, Oct 3, 2014

The Hindu, Ukraine, international, Donetsk airport,

Pro-Russian rebels pressed on Friday to seize a key airport in eastern Ukraine despite
fierce resistance by government forces.
Rebels have made some gains in the area near the airport, seizing some buildings on
its fringes and using them to target the main terminal.
The airport, located just north of Donetsk, the largest city in the east, gives the Ukrainian
forces a convenient vantage point to target rebel positions. Its loss would be a major
blow to Ukraine and would also allow the rebels to receive large cargo planes with
supplies in addition to truck convoys from Russia.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 15

KI
IW
The truth behind encounters

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

encounter killing, The Hindu, polity,

Making impartial investigations into killings in police encounters constitutes an area

of governance that is quite delicate and controversial. The police version often gains
traction in the media, and support from the ruling party and the administration often
helps a cover-up. The recent Supreme Court verdict laying down detailed guidelines
on how the police and administration should respond to a death in an alleged encounter,
seeks to put in place a proper mechanism that will set at rest all doubt and speculation
about the incident. The first requirement being an independent and impartial investigation,
the court has now laid down a standard procedure, which will operate in addition to
existing provisions in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) relating to unnatural
deaths. Holding the magisterial enquiry and keeping the National Human Rights
Commission informed are other requirements. As a general rule, the court has asked
the State governments to send a report once in six months (January 15 and July 15 every
year) on all incidents of death in police firing, in a prescribed format.
Ending impunity and ensuring impartiality in probes subsequent to death at the hands
of the police are easier said than achieved in some conflict-hit regions. As the Supreme
Court itself has pointed out, one cannot be oblivious to the fact that the police in India
have to perform a delicate task, especially wherever extremism and organised crime
have taken strong roots. However, it has also noted that even such criminals must be
dealt with by the police in an efficient and effective manner and brought to justice by
following the rule of law.

Going beyond interest rate changes

Sun, Oct 5, 2014

The Hindu, economics, interest rate,

The RBI has not only explained why a rate cut was not possible this time but has also
more than hinted as to why there might not be any change for quite sometime. The
'pause' may well extend to the greater part of 2015. The reason, of course, is inflation.
While the RBI is fairly confident of reaching its target of 8 per cent retail inflation by
January, 2015, it is far less certain about its medium-term target of 6 per cent by January,
2016.
The present softening of commodities prices, especially of oil -- now trading below
$100 a barrel -- might not last indefinitely. Food prices may spike. The impact of the
recent monsoons has not been assessed fully.
Incidentally, it is on the basis of the Urjit Patel committee's recommendations (January,
2014) that the targets for inflation based on the CPI rather than the WPI were first

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 16

KI
IW

formalised. The bi-monthly policy review format is also based on the same committee.
However, till now, the government and the RBI have not formally accepted the
committee's recommendations.
The major implication of the fourth bi-monthly policy review is that the RBI framework
puts a higher weight on promoting macroeconomic stability and pursuing real interest
rates. On the latter, the financial savings of households could certainly do with inflation
--beating real returns.
Another clear inference is that the RBI expects the government to tackle the supply
side issues relating to food. Food inflation accounts for a significant part of retail and
wholesale inflation indices. In the CPI index, food inflation at 9.5 per cent is still high
although in the WPI, it has shown improvement. The RBI has to wage a relentless war
in keeping down inflation expectations.
ecent policy statements and clarifications by the Governor and senior officials are meant
to downplay the overweening focus on rate actions in the policy review. The policy
announcements ought to be viewed for the structural changes they propose. This time,
there is a further calibrated move to cut the held-to-maturity (HTM) ceiling by banks.
This will pave the way for a more orderly development of institutions. By tweaking
the norms for calculating the liquidity coverage ratio (LCR), banks are allowed greater
access to funds for their normal deployment. The announcement to create a central
repository for frauds is another welcome step. The decline in credit disbursements by
banks -- it has dropped to below 10 per cent on year-on-year basis -- is a worrisome
development. The RBI, however, thinks it is not due to high interest rates. The base
effect may be at play. Besides, companies may be mobilising money from outside the
banking system. Oil companies have not been fully utilising the limits allotted to them.
The RBI has emphatically stated that future policy changes will be entirely dependent
on data. Its projections on medium-term inflation -- 6 per cent by January, 2016 -- will
be the pivot around which other policy changes will devolve.

India among five nations to build world's largest telescope

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

The Hindu, science & tech, largest telescope,

India along with Japan, the US, China and Canada will start work on the world's biggest
telescope on Hawaii Island that will enable to identify an object as small as coin from
a distance of 500 kms.
The 30-meter telescope will be established near the summit of the Mauna Kea volcano
with a cost of $1.4 billion.
The construction is expected to be completed by March 2022. Japan is expected to

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 17

KI
IW

cover about a quarter of the construction costs.

The telescope will be larger than Japan's Subaru Telescope, one of the world's biggest,
which was also built on the summit of Mauna Kea and started observation in 1999.
The Subaru Telescope's single main mirror measures 8.2 meters in diameter, while the
new telescope will be composed of 492 hexagonal mirrors, each measuring 72 cm
across.
The telescope's light-condensing capabilities will be 13 times greater than the Subaru
telescope's, enabling the identification of an object as small as a coin from a distance
equivalent to 500 kms.
A telescope with greater light-condensing capabilities can search for stars that are less
bright or farther from Earth. The most distant and oldest star observed to date was born
some 800 million years after the Big Bang.

Young western women among jihadis

Thu, Oct 2, 2014

isis, The Hindu, international, women, jihadis,

Hundreds of young women and girls are leaving their homes in western countries to
join Islamic fighters in the Middle East, causing increasing concern among counter-terrorism
investigators.
Girls as young as 14 or 15 are travelling mainly to Syria to marry jihadis , bear their
children and join communities of fighters, with a small number taking up arms. Many
are recruited via social media. Women and girls appear to account for about 10 per cent
of those leaving Europe, North America and Australia to link up with jihadi groups,
including Islamic State (IS).
Counter-terrorism experts in the U.K. believe about 50 British girls and women have
joined IS, about a 10th of those known to have travelled to Syria to fight. Many are
believed to be based in Raqqa, the eastern Syrian city that has become an IS stronghold.

Coverage of antenatal care in India has to be increased: WHO

Wed, Oct 1, 2014

Antenatal care, The Hindu, social, health,

In 2013, globally, preterm birth complications were responsible for 15 per cent (0.96
million) of deaths in children under five years of age. It is a leading cause of death in
neonates (0-27 days after birth).
India ranks first in the list of 10 countries that account for 60 per cent of all preterm
births; the U.S. is ranked sixth in the list.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 18

KI
IW
"India has little more than 50 per cent of antenatal care coverage. So in order to face
the issue of premature births, low birth weight babies and stillbirths, the first aspect is
to increase the coverage of antenatal care,"
nearly 30 per cent of maternal deaths are linked to indirect causes like gestational
diabetes and obesity
Pregnant mothers who have diabetes, are obese or have preeclampsia (high blood
pressure) are less likely to complete full term and babies will be born with low birth
weight.
Of course, babies who are born before full term can still survive as simple interventions
and treatments are available. For instance, corticosteroid given to mothers before delivery
can greatly facilitate the development of the babies' lungs.
. "Our latest data show that India is just an inch away from reaching the MDG4 (child
morality) and MDG5 (maternal mortality) targets. [The current under-five mortality
rate is 56 and should reach 42 before December 2015. The MMR is 190 and should
drop to 140 before the end of next year.] It's just a matter of the curve accelerating a
little bit.
One big challenge that stares the country in the face is the reach of antenatal care.
According to the 2014 data, antenatal care in rural areas is about 50 per cent for more
than one visit and about 10 per cent for more than four visits. The availability of skilled
attendant at the time of delivery is only about 20 per cent in rural areas.
Talking about the huge number of adolescent marriages and women's role in the society
and education, she noted that positive results can be obtained despite certain determinants
that impact on maternal and child mortality taking a long time to change.

Tibetan plateau becomes focus of intense climate study

Wed, Oct 1, 2014

environment, The Hindu, tibet, climate change,

The Tibetan plateau has become the focus of intense meteorological study in a never-before
attempt to understand its effect on climate locally as well as globally,
This development follows close on the heels of the massive floods which hit Kashmir
and Pakistan recently.
The $49-million Chinese effort, in which the plateau is being flooded with sensors, is
aimed to help predict extreme weather -- both in Asia and as far away as North America
-- and give scientists knowledge on how climate change affects these events.
Having a high altitude, the plateau receives more sunlight, gets hotter than land at sea

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 19

KI
IW

level. Acting like a giant heating plate it pumps air upwards which disperses in the
upper troposphere, influencing atmospheric circulation and thereby, climate.
Being the biggest and highest plateau in the world, it disturbs the troposphere unlike
any other structure on earth. However, there are little data on the impact on climate.
The plateau's remoteness, altitude and harsh conditions -- it is often called the third
pole because it hosts the world's third-largest stock of ice -- meaning that even basic
weather stations are few.
"The data should help determine the extent to which different types of land surface heat
up the overlying air, and how this might vary in response to factors such as snow cover
and vegetation changes,"

Three share Nobel for medicine

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

The Hindu, science & tech, Nobel Prize, health,

U.S.-British scientist John O'Keefe and Norwegian married couple May--Britt Moser
and Edvard Moser won the Nobel Prize in medicine on Monday for discovering the
brain's positioning system.
This "inner GPS" helps explain how the brain creates "a map of the space surrounding
us and how we can navigate our way through a complex environment," the Nobel
Assembly said.
O'Keefe, of University College London, discovered the first component of this positioning
system in 1971 when he found that a certain type of nerve cell was always activated
when a rat was at a certain place in a room.
It said that knowledge about the brain's positioning system may "help us understand
the mechamism underpinning the devastating spatial memory loss" that affects people
with Alzheimer's disease.

Dismantle the walls of secrecy

Sat, Oct 4, 2014

The Hindu, right to information, RTI Act, polity,

The Madras High Court recently took a significant step to rectify its own order in a
case dated September 17 by restoring Section 6(2) of the Right to Information (RTI)
Act, 2005, to say: "An applicant making a request for information shall not be required
to give any reason for requesting the information or any other personal details except
those that may be necessary for contacting him."
The RTI Act allows for citizens' access to information without anyone asking for it.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 20

KI
IW

Section 4 of the Act states that information ought to be provided by public authorities
suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various means of communications,
including internet, so that the public have minimum resort to the use of this Act. Further,
information which is not exempted and certain information which, even if exempted,
can be provided if larger public interest is shown. Only with reference to this that the
identity of the individual and the reasons for seeking information become necessary to
ascertain whether any larger public interest is involved.
the court's order implies is that an information seeker under the RTI does not have the
right to bring an action, to be heard in court, or to address the court on a matter before
it.
By way of judicial activism a PIL was created earlier to reduce the rigour of the rule
of locus standi. A common man will not be in a position to understand why a High
Court should reintroduce this rule in the context of RTI.
"Notings, jottings, administrative letters, intricate internal discussions, deliberations
etc. of the High Court cannot be brought under Section 2(j) of the RTI." The RTI Act
and several judgements upheld file notings as part of information that could be legitimately
accessed. In the September 17 order, the division Bench said: "It will have an adverse
impact on the regular, normal and serene functioning of the High Court office on the
administrative side."
In the Elango case the High Court says: "Information should be denied for the purpose
of maintaining utmost confidentiality and secrecy of the delicate functioning of the
internal matters of High Courts. Usage of undefined expressions such as "delicate
functioning," "utmost confidentiality," "secrecy," and "delicate functioning" in these
orders will ensure that the right to access information further shrinks.
The matter is sub judice and is pending before the court. According to Section 8(1)(b),
only when there is a specific prohibition by the court can information be denied. Sub
judice was not a ground for denial; yet, Para 27 of the judgment states that it is.
The secrecy and privacy of the internal working process may get jeopardised. Besides,
the furnishing of the said information would result in the invasion of privacy of the
individuals concerned. Privacy is an integral part of the right to life of persons as
explained by the judiciary. Can institutions then claim privacy?
The three orders have redefined the RTI Act -- reducing its scope, expanding its
restrictions, creating new grounds for denial of information and claiming total exemption
to its administration. They need to be reviewed so that the walls of secrecy can be
demolished.
(Madabhushi Sridhar is Central Information Commissioner.)

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 21

KI
IW
The message behind the broom

Sat, Oct 4, 2014

The Hindu, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Clean India , polity,

Mr. Modi was evidently carrying forward the message in his Independence Day address
on the need for more toilets in schools, and for India's villages and towns to be free of
dirt.
If India's villages and towns are to be dirt-free, what is required is not the involvement
of each and every citizen for two hours every week in the clean-up. While that would
lend a Gandhian touch of personal involvement, it would surely be a colossal waste of
productive hours of skilled personnel. True, without the cooperation of citizens, it would
be impossible for any government or civic body to ensure clean streets and public
places. But this is not the same as requiring everyone in the workforce to engage in
actual cleaning. Efforts must be made to de-stigmatise the act of cleaning, and the
participation of citizens in large numbers in a mass cleaning exercise, even if as a
one-off or annual event, will have a positive effect. The government may not be able
to do everything, but voluntarism cannot be a substitute for strengthening civic
infrastructure.

NJAC Bill has not removed flaws of collegium system, says Justice Shah

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

The Hindu, NJAC Bill, polity, judiciary, National Judicial Appointments Commission,

Law Commission Chairman Justice A.P. Shah on Sunday criticised the proposed law
in its present form as "disquieting." According to Justice Shah it may perpetuate a
"culture of trade-offs and sycophancy present in the collegium system of appointment."
Justice Shah, who was consulted by the government during the framing of the NJAC
Bill, described it as a "missed opportunity" for the government to provide guidance on
Constitutional values integral to judicial appointments.
According to him the NJAC Bill has not removed the flaws of the collegium system.
"Constitutional Courts of this country cannot be run like closed country clubs.
Since 1993, the Supreme Court has been "packed" with Chief Justices of High Courts
elevated by the collegium merely due to their seniority, and without looking at merit
and other objective qualifications. This, he said, has led to a "decline in the standard
of judges."
Noting that the Bill erodes judicial independence, he pointed to how non-judicial
members in the NJAC can veto a candidate irrespective of the views of three judicial
members, including the Chief Justice of India.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 22

KI
IW

The former Chief Justice of India, R.M. Lodha, who was the chief guest at the lecture,
said the ultimate goal of a Judicial Appointments Commission is to safeguard independence
of judiciary.
Mr Shah said it is best that members have a cooling-off period of two to three years to
ensure that they are not just independent in fact, but are also seen by the wider public
as being independent of the Executive.

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

Page 23