The acronym BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) is attributed to economist Jim O’Neill of the Goldman Sachs, who initially coined the term and hypothesized their rise at the turn of the century. Today, BRICS together account for 30 percent of global land, 43 percent of global population, 17.3 percent of the world’s […]
The Pakistan High Commission in India has invited Hurriyat leaders and other separatists from Kashmir to its Eid Milan party to be held on July 21. “There is nothing unusual about our invite to Hurriyat leaders,” Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit told IANS. He said Pakistan will continue to extend its support to the people […]
President Zail Singh could not get through to then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi when he needed most to, when thousands upon thousands of Sikhs needed him to, urgently. It was after all a matter of life and death for them. “We tried all day,” Tarlochan Singh, press secretary to the president through those deathly days […]
If there is anything between heaven and earth, it’s Qinghai – the Tibet Plateau in southwestern China. Surrounded by chuckling mountains, abounding with virgin biodiversity at an elevation of over 4,000 metres, it’s also known as the Roof of the World or Third Pole of the Earth. The plateau is no longer an enigma. For, […]
Upon my return from a driving trip around Europe, the front page anchor of the Indian Express caught my eye. It showed Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in a warm handshake with the Communist Chief Minister of Tripura, Manik Sarkar, at the inauguration of an Internet Gateway in Agartala. Even more striking was […]
The temperature in Antarctica may rise by as much as three degrees by the end of the century, an expert has said, adding this could be the tipping point as far as the fight against global warming is concerned. “There are models about the kind of increase in (temperature in) 21st century in Antarctica and […]
Aamir Khan-starrer “PK” is set to become the highest income-earning Indian movie in China where Bollywood films are gaining in popularity and its songs can be heard even in ringtones. Following its release across 4,500 screens in China on May 22, “PK” made more than 120 million yuan (around $20 million) — and it remains […]
Slight volatility on account of subdued factory output data and upcoming inflation numbers might impact the bourses in the coming week, even as the Indian markets recover after slipping on the Greek and Chinese crises. Apart from the upcoming macro numbers, investors will focus on domestic issues like the first quarter (Q1) results, the monsoon’s […]
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has provided images of sunspots from the other side of the Sun that is turned away from Earth. While investigating bedrock types on Mars’ Mount Sharp and preparing for a drill test, Curiosity tracked large sunspots from the opposite side of the Sun. “Tracking the sunspot activity on the far side […]
Healing times for skin ulcers and bedsores particularly among diabetics and the elderly can be reduced by a third with the use of low-intensity ultrasound, a study says. The low-intensity ultrasound that transmits vibration through the skin and wakes up cells in wounds, helps to stimulate and accelerate the healing process. The ultrasound treatment also […]