India Narrative

The mention of dinosaurs usually brings up the image of big and/or fearsome creatures walking around on their four limbs but now scientists have come across an unusual type which has hardly any forearms as reported in sciencealert.com. This new species has been discovered by palaeontologists in Argentina and has been christened as Guemesia ochoai and determined with the help of a single skull. This has been suggested to belong to the family of abelisaurids – carnivores that had tiny arms and were found in India, Africa, Europe and South America. This group disappeared nearly 66 million years ago. G. ochoai’s skull discovered in Argentina’s northwest region is dated to be about 70 million years old and is one of its kind and what distinguishes it from other abelisaurids is its “remarkably small” braincase. This creature whose brain was 70 per cent of Carnotaurus genus which roamed South America’s southern tip was in fact the smallest-brained abelisaurids. Read More

Antarctica was a place that was thought to be far removed from the effects of warming of the earth is now showing signs to the contrary. An article in smithsonianmag.com mentions that with the temperatures rising in the region, two native plant species are proliferating. The green cover on the continent from 2009 to 2019 has accelerated more than what it had in the last 50 years. This is complimented with the rise in air temperatures rising and decrease in seal population. Published recently in peer-reviewed scientific review Current Biology, the study highlights how warming of climate is increasingly impacting polar ecosystems. Talking to Gizmodo, the study’s lead author and an ecologist at the University of Insubria, Nicoletta Cannone, remarked: "Antarctica is acting as a canary in a coal mine.” Also read: The Majestic Emperor Penguins could face extinction due to climate change The continent has two native flowering plant species. These are Antarctic hair grass (Deschampsia Antarctica), and Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis) and these are capable of holding up against the chilly temperature of the snow-covered region and also carry photosynthesis when the thermometer shows below zero reading. Read More

The developing confrontation between the West and Russia on the Ukraine issue does not serve India’s interests. We have very friendly ties with the US, Europe and Russia and would prefer not take sides. This would require very deft diplomacy on our part. India is now an important global player and both sides will be watching the position India takes. The US will want some show of support for its position, while Russia will want us to take an independent position and not succumb to US pressure. For India an actual military conflict will be most undesirable because its international repercussions will be grave and cushioning against them by us will be most difficult. The US and the EU are issuing repeated warnings at the highest level that in case Russia invades Ukraine it will face sanctions of unprecedented severity. Russia has already been subject to severe sanctions in recent years and seems to have absorbed them so far without excessive difficulty. It has warned the West that the new sanctions t being contemplated- already leaked- will lead to a breakdown of ties. This is hardly a situation that would be welcome to the majority of the international community. Also Read: Ukraine crisis is a child of Europe’s Cold War mentality Western sanctions will complicate further our dealings with Russia both in the military and economic domains. And this at a time when we intend to invest more in Russia’s hydrocarbon sector and in the economic development of its Far East. The CAATSA sanctions against us for the purchase the S-400 system have not yet been invoked but the pressure to do so in some measure will grow. A closer US scrutiny of additional “significant” defence purchases from Russia by us would follow. Oil prices are already shooting up also because of Ukraine related tensions, imposing costs on us. If the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is not allowed to become operational, as Biden has publicly promised with the German Chancellor by his side as if Germany had no agency in the matter, will impact global gas prices too, which too will negatively impact us. All this when our economy is emerging from the Covid crisis. Read More

Anybody will tell you that if a repertoire of songs is played in the same order more than once it becomes tedious. Hence, the sequence needs to be shuffled to break the monotony and that is what male sparrows do – remix and rearrange their songs to keep intact the love interest of the female, a report in smithsonianmag.com stated. As per the details of the study published in Proceedings of The Royal Society B, the songbirds keeping track of every new song they sing, change the order every half an hour to keep the females wondering. Singing and songs are vital for the male sparrow as that is the way to win over a potential mate and battle for breeding territories. Also read:Arctic’s amazing sponges feed on the remains of ancient extinct creatures In order to know more about their songs, scientists went to the northwest Pennsylvania woods to record several hours of trilling and chirping. Following recording of more than 30 individual birds, they proceeded to their laboratory to chart the songs to find out the order in which they were sung and their duration. It was found that males did not go through their songs on a random basis rather they curated and planned their own playlist. Bachelor birds avoided repeating the same tune by ensuring that they select and put together six to 12 different two-second soundbites while performing which may go up to 30 minutes as per a report in NPR. Read More

Worried Indian parents across all segments have typically asked their children to stay off video games—but that was until the Covid 19 pandemic broke out two years ago. It was considered nothing less than a taboo then. But recently when the Karnataka High Court reversed amendments to the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act, 2021 aimed at prohibiting and criminalizing participation in online games, it came as a major relief to the country’s $930 million gaming industry. All India Gaming Federation’s (AIGF) chief executive Roland Landers said that the Karnataka High Court’s decision was in the right direction. “We look forward to working with the government and stakeholders to develop a clear regulatory framework – that will enable legitimate gaming companies to operate in the state with safeguards, while eradicating illegal gambling apps from the state," he said. The pandemic, leading to several lockdowns and restrictions has changed the landscape of the gaming industry in India, which is one of the leaders in the global market today. India’s internet penetration is estimated at 30 per cent. Read More

Over two years after its transformation from a State to a Union Territory (UT), Jammu and Kashmir is getting back a commission of the empowerment and protection of women. The UT administration on Tuesday approved the constitution of “Jammu and Kashmir Commission for Women” for which a chairperson and four members would be appointed shortly. According to the Government Order issued by Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner-Secretary Social Welfare, JKCW would have powers to investigate and examine all matters related to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws. It would also review extant provisions of the Constitution and take suo motu cognizance of various issues related to women’s rights. The Commission would be headed by a female chairperson committed to the cause of fair sex. It would have five government nominee members, each having not less than 10 years of experience in the field of women welfare, administration, economic development, health, education or social welfare. At least one member would be from Scheduled Castes (SCs) or Scheduled Tribes (STs). The Member Secretary shall be either from the All India Services or an officer of the rank of Special Secretary in the UT’s Civil Services or an expert in the field of management, organisational structure of sociological movement. The Commission has been mandated to investigate and examine all matters related to safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws. It will recommend steps for effective implementation of those safeguards which can improve the condition of women in the UT. Read More

In a major medical breakthrough, a paralysed man with a severed spinal cord has been able to walk again, with an implant developed by a team of Swiss researchers. It is the first time someone who has had a complete cut to their spinal cord has been able to walk freely again. The research has been published in the journal Nature Medicine. Michel Roccati was paralysed after a motorbike accident five years ago. His spinal cord was completely severed - and he has no feeling at all in his legs. But he can now walk - because of an electrical implant that has been surgically attached to his spine. "I stand up, walk where I want to, I can walk the stairs - it's almost a normal life," BBC quoted Roccati as saying. The implant sends electrical pulses to his muscles, mimicking the action of the brain, and could one day help people with severe spinal injuries stand, walk and exercise. Read More

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to the Philippines starting this weekend is set to cement special ties between New Delhi and Manila riding of their recent BarhMos missile deal, widely touted as a game-changer in the South China Sea. The two countries are now looking at working together in the fields of maritime security, intelligence-sharing, military training, procurement and logistics. The Philippines' Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and BrahMos Aerospace Director General Atul Dinkar Rane had signed the contract worth PHP 18.9 billion in a virtual ceremony at the DND headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on January 28. Calling it a landmark move, the western Pacific Ocean country said it realises the importance of the contract considering escalating regional tensions, especially China's strategic expansion into the South China Sea. "Equipping our Navy with this vital asset is imperative as the Philippines continues to protect the integrity of its territory and defend its national interests," Lorenzana had said at the time of contract signing for the shore-based anti-ship missile system acquisition project for the Philippine Navy. "As the world's fastest supersonic cruise missiles, the Brahmos Missiles will provide deterrence against any attempt to undermine our sovereignty and sovereign rights, especially in the West Philippine Sea," the defence chief had added. Read More

Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chains KFC and Pizza Hut have both apologised after they faced an outrage on social media over posts from the twitter handles of their franchises in Pakistan supporting Kashmiri separatists. Several screenshots of posts by KFC Pakistan surfaced online in which the fast-food chain had claimed support for "Kashmir Solidarity Day". In a social media post, a verified account of KFC had supported the separatists in Kashmir and posted "Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris." Similarly, an Instagram post from the verified account of 'Pizzahutpak' had said, "We stand with you. Kashmir Solidarity Day." This triggered a huge backlash as #BoycottKFC and #BoycottPizzaHut started trending on Twitter after which both fast-food chains issued statements to apologise and distance themselves from their Pakistani counterparts. "We deeply apologize for a post that was published on some KFC social media channels outside the country. We honour and respect India, and remain steadfast in our commitment to serving all Indians with pride," according to a message on KFC India official account on Twitter. Read More