chakravarthy

[ Based on an article written by K.C. Singh, former secretary in the external affairs ministry, published in Deccan Chronicle dated 06th March, 2018 (Tuesday), Edit.p. 10 ]. America's President Donald Trump announced import duties of 25 percent and 10 percent on steel and aluminium respectively on 02nd February, 2018. The New York Times noted that Mr. Trump has been spoiling for a trade war since he began electioneering. The announcement nevertheless took both America's allies and other countries by surprise. A Trump soundbite, disparagingly recounting Prime Minister Narendra Modi telling him about reducing Indian import duties on Harley Davidson motorcycles from 100 percent to 50 percent, went viral. Should the US be thanking India for that, President Trump asked sarcastically. The rationale for the US decision defies logic. For starters, the decision uses national security grounds, a rarely used World Trade Organisation (WTO) rule which is difficult to review. President G...

[ Based on a news item written by Syed Akbar, published in The Times of India, p. 6, dated 15th February, 2018 (Thursday) ] The Chinese manja for flying kites had killed or maimed scores of birds in Hyderabad during Sankranti, the festival of harvest and kites, and even after a month, the Chinese manja continues to take a toll on birds, particularly sparrows. The Chinese manja is made of synthetic material and does not bio-degrade unlike the cotton manja. The cotton manja are available in the market, but they are more expensive as compared to the 'Chinese' one. A sparrow fell prey to the Chinese manja at West Maredpally in the city on 14th February, 2018 (Wednesday). The dead bird was found hanging by the nylon thread used for Chinese manja. Another sparrow lost life after its tiny legs got entangled in the Chinese manja. Rama Menon, city coordinator of Nature Forever Scoiety, said the devastation caused by Chinese manja continues unabated in Hyderabad. "A sparrow wh...