News: The World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) jointly launched the first Global Report on Assistive Technology (GReAT) on May 16. What is Assistive technology (AT)? It may include any item, piece of equipment, software programme or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of… Continue reading New WHO report on assistive technology for disabled provides a roadmap for India
Category: 9 PM Daily Articles
The IPEF holds promise but there are perils too
News: Recently, the US President Joe Biden has established the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) which is said to be a new version of a “pivot to Asia”. Background The US President had first spoken about it in October 2021 during the East Asia Summit, in the presence of all IPEF signatories except Fiji.… Continue reading The IPEF holds promise but there are perils too
The Ukraine conflict has raked up old dilemmas
News: The Ukraine Conflict has caused a resurfacing of the deepest dilemma related to the energy sector, i.e. – whether to ensure there is affordable, secure, and accessible energy at present, or – to secure the longer-term imperatives of economic growth and sustainable development. Situation Prior to the Ukraine Conflict Oil market It was globally… Continue reading The Ukraine conflict has raked up old dilemmas
The new era of fiscal federalism could strengthen national unity
Context: The 15th Finance Commission (2021-2026) retained the states’ share, and its methodology of assigning weights based on population. This is likely to be a factor in the politics of federalism. Importance of fiscal federalism in India Linguistic pluralism, a federal structure and fiscal federalism have served us well and enabled us to succeed At… Continue reading The new era of fiscal federalism could strengthen national unity
Why kidney rackets thrive
News: Last week, a network of kidney traffickers was busted in Delhi. This is the 3rd such scam in the last 15 years in Delhi. The trafficker involved doctors and other healthcare personnel, hospital administrators. They catered to patients that have end-stage kidney diseases and cannot be treated with medicines or dialysis and require a… Continue reading Why kidney rackets thrive
7% Growth Is India’s Best Foreign Policy Strategy
Context: Countries from around the world like the US, Israel, Iran, etc. are trying to build good relations with India. However, India is still not free to make strategic choices. How economic development determines freedom to make choices for countries? In 2010, Professor Michael Beckley analyzed the relationship between military effectiveness and economic development. In the… Continue reading 7% Growth Is India’s Best Foreign Policy Strategy
Unnatural urbanisation
News: Recently, a 20-minute thunderstorm in Delhi uprooted many trees, some of them between 40 and 50 years old, throwing the city out of gear for hours. This chaos, caused due to poor urban planning, has become a pattern whenever a pre-monsoon storm, with high-velocity winds, hits the city. Delhi High Court has taken note… Continue reading Unnatural urbanisation
‘Plants adapt by their fragrances — these enrich the environment and our lives
Context: Plants express their needs through the release of aromatic chemicals. They emit fragrances for both attraction and protection. What is the significance of various fragrances emitted by the plants? For protection, a certain fragrance is released when a leaf is crushed or when someone walks on grass. This is sharp and green, called ‘green… Continue reading ‘Plants adapt by their fragrances — these enrich the environment and our lives
Veiled threats to privacy
Context: Cert-In recently issued a new directive making it mandatory for VPN service providers to keep user data for at least five years and share records with authorities when required. This new regulation threatens free speech and privacy. What is a VPN? Read here What are the different use cases of VPNs? By surfing through… Continue reading Veiled threats to privacy
Gradual engagement – India should maintain with Afghanistan a policy of engagement rooted in realism
News: India has sent a multi-member team of senior diplomats to Afghanistan for the first time since the Indian Embassy in Kabul was evacuated in August 2021 following the arrival of the Taliban in the Afghan capital. The MEA has said that the visit is only to help coordinate India’s humanitarian assistance for the Afghanistan… Continue reading Gradual engagement – India should maintain with Afghanistan a policy of engagement rooted in realism
