Author: Mike Harrison

Notices issued to Centre, Press Council of India, News Broadcasters Federation, among others The Supreme Court has decided to examine a petition seeking the framing of guidelines outlining the broad regulatory paradigm within which the right to free speech of broadcasters and electronic media can be judicially regulated.The plea filed by Pune residents Nilesh Navalakha and Nitin Memane has also sought the setting up of an independent Media Tribunal to hear and expeditiously adjudicate complaints against “media businesses” filed by viewers and citizens.A Bench led by Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde has issued notices to the Centre, Press Council…

Crisis triggered by Viva party’s withdrawal from coalition over his handling of the outbreak Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned on Tuesday in the hope of forming a new government after weeks of turmoil in his ruling coalition, leaving Italy rudderless as it battles the deadly coronavirus pandemic.He tendered his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella, the ultimate arbiter of Italian political crises, who invited him to stay on in a caretaker capacity pending discussions on what happens next.The uneasy coalition that has led Italy since September 2019 was fatally weakened earlier this month by the withdrawal of former premier Matteo Renzi’s…

Earlier this month, Mr. Trump became the first President in history to be impeached twice – on January 13 this year and in December 2019, when he was impeached on charges of abuse of power Democrats of the U.S. House of Representatives delivered charges of “incitement of insurrection” against former President Donald Trump to their Senate colleagues, clearing the way for his trial by the upper chamber of the U.S. Congress. With enthusiasm waning among the GOP, it is far from clear that Senate Democrats will get the required minimum of 17 GOP Senate votes to convict the former president…

Dr. Shahid Jameel, virologist and director, Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, on how the country has fared so far with the vaccine rollout India has begun its massive COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and over 16 lakh frontline workers have been vaccinated so far. This however, falls somewhat short of the government’s targeted number. There has also been some debate with regard to the emergency use authorisation granted to one of the vaccines being used.Experts point to vaccine hesitancy as one of the reasons the expected numbers have not been met.  To speak to us about how the country has fared…

As farmers’ protest turned violent in parts of Delhi on Republic Day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued orders to temporarily suspend Internet in some areas under a rarely used provision of a British era Act.The order issued under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety Rules 2017) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 had been issued only twice- in Delhi on December 19 and 20, 2019, at the height of the CAA (Citizenship [Amendment] Act/National Register of Citizens (NRC) protests.The rules framed in 2017 empower the Union Home Secretary and a State’s Home Secretary…

As New Delhi and Dhaka celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Liberation War, a 122-member tri-Service contingent of Bangladesh marched on Rajpath at the Republic Day parade. It had soldiers drawn from the units of that year.“The majority of the soldiers in this contingent hail from the most distinguished units of the Bangladesh Army comprising 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 East Bengal Regiment and 1, 2 and 3 Field Artillery Regiment. These units have the distinct honour of fighting and winning the Liberation War,” an official said. The contingent, led by Lt. Col. Abu Mohammed…

India, along with Brazil, Japan and Germany are pressing for urgent reform of the U.N. Security Council and for a permanent seat in the reformed 15-member top organ of the world body. India has said that the U.N. Security Council is finding itself unable to act effectively to address increasingly complex issues of international peace and security as it lacked inclusivity of those who need to be members of the powerful organ of the world body.India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N., Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti, on Monday said there is no process in the U.N. that has traversed the “torturous pathways”…

Joe Root has also become the fourth-highest run-getter in Test cricket for England and the first ever captain to hit two double-hundreds. The legendary Geoffrey Boycott believes prolific England captain Joe Root has the potential and talent to surpass Indian great Sachin Tendulkar as the all-time run scorer in Test cricket. Root, 30, amassed 426 runs in four innings at an average of 106.50 including two centuries with a high score of 228 in the just-concluded 2-0 series sweep over Sri Lanka. Root, whose next assignment is the four-Test series in India starting on February 5, also became the fourth-highest…

The centre-right Reform Party, chaired by Ms. Kallas, and the left-leaning Centre Party, which are Estonia’s two biggest political parties, clinched a deal on Sunday to form a government Estonia’s new two-party coalition government has been sworn in with the first female Prime Minister in the Baltic country since it regained independence in 1991.The 15-member Cabinet of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas — a 43-year-old lawyer and a former European Parliament lawmaker — was approved Tuesday in the 101-seat Riigikogu legislature, after President Kersti Kaljulaid had first appointed it.The centre-right Reform Party, chaired by Ms. Kallas, and the left-leaning Centre Party,…

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan on Tuesday criticised the AIADMK government for denying permission for the conducting of gram sabha meetings by citing COVID-19. He pointed out that the government allowed Republic Day celebrations and the unveiling of a mausoleum for former CM Jayalalithaa. In a tweet on Tuesday, he asked: “Who is this government really afraid of?” In another tweet, Mr. Haasan questioned the role of people in nation building and said it had shrunk to a mere casting of votes during elections. “Let’s move towards the path through which people can get what they want and…