[

HT Premium

]

Explained: The Post Office Act, 2023 and concerns about privacy infringement

While the present Act aims to modernise India Post, the absence of safeguards and the retention of colonial-era draconian provisions raise significant concerns.

Mumbai, India - April 4, 2024:Postal dept, while dealing with correspondence in India at GPO, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, April 4, 2024. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times)(Hindustan Times)

Analysis

Updated on Jun 25, 2024 07:00 PM IST

BySanya Singh

How Cape Town averted ‘Day Zero’: A lesson for Delhi

The City of Cape Town’s experience and the decisions of its administrators could hold significant lessons for Delhi, faced with an acute water shortage

In February 2018, people queuing up to collect water from a spring in the Newlands suburb as the city's water crisis grows in Cape Town, South Africa.(Reuters file)

Environment News

Published on Jun 25, 2024 06:12 PM IST

ByTannu Jain

Julian Assange's guilty plea signals the end of a years-long legal saga

Assange is set to plead guilty to violating the Espionage Act, ending his years-long battle with the United States that had implications for press freedom.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange looks out a plane window as he approaches Bangkok airport for layover, according to the post by Wikileaks on X, in this picture released to social media on June 25, 2024. Wikileaks via X/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY(Wikileaks via X via REUTERS)

Analysis

Updated on Jun 25, 2024 05:57 PM IST

BySanya Mathur

Justice robbed by mobs: Blasphemy in Pakistan

In Pakistan, religion is seemingly weaponised against fellow Muslims (and other non-Muslim minorities) to derive moral supremacy

Women and children look at a spot where a Muslim mob lynched and burned a man over allegations that he had desecrated Islam's holy book, the Quran, in Madyan in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Friday, June 21, 2024. The attackers also torched a police station which had held the man in Madyan and burned police vehicles parked there, according to local police official Rahim Ullah. (AP Photo/Naveed Ali)(AP)

Analysis

Published on Jun 25, 2024 08:00 AM IST

ByBantirani Patro

Why Putin and Kim Jong-un’s alliance has sparked concerns in the West

The Russia-North Korea Treaty has caused a stir globally, especially with its commitment to mutual military assistance and opposition to unilateral sanctions

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un exchange documents during a signing ceremony of the new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. Kim and Putin signed a major defense deal that observers worry could embolden Kim to direct more provocations at South Korea. (Kristina Kormilitsyna, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)(AP)

Analysis

Published on Jun 25, 2024 08:00 AM IST

ByNandan Unnikrishnan

Cal HC ruling for 1% reservation to trans persons is move in right direction

The judgment, even if it is upheld by the appellate courts and is implemented in earnest, may not provide social and educational empowerment to transgenders.

The recent judgement of the single judge of the Calcutta high court in Mrinal Barik v State of West Bengal case is significant.

Analysis

Updated on Jun 24, 2024 08:40 PM IST

ByVasuman Khandelwal

Explained: Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act

Different states already have legislation to check unfair practices but the same do not seem to have had any impact in putting an end to paper leaks.

Patna, Bihar, India -June .18, 2024: Aspirants standing in queue for entering an examination centre to appear in the UGC NET exams at A.N. College in Patna, Bihar, India, Tuesday,18, 2024.(Photo by Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

Analysis

Published on Jun 24, 2024 05:48 PM IST

ByParijata Bhardwaj

Hey Siri! Help me get Apple out of an AI-shaped hole

Tim Cook’s prayer to the almighty

Apple Inc. employees inside the Apple store ahead of its opening in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Photographer: Samsul Said/Bloomberg(Bloomberg)

Technology

Published on Jun 24, 2024 08:00 AM IST

The Economist

Remembering Akira Endo, the scientist who revolutionised heart care

Endo’s discovery, which came from a mold like the kind that grows on oranges, marked a significant advance in medicine, yet remains relatively unknown

This undated photo released by Jiji Press on June 11, 2024 shows professor Akira Endo from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Tokyo. Endo, the Japanese biochemist whose pioneering research on fungi led to the development of cholesterol-lowering statins, has died at the age of 90, Japanese media reported on June 11, 2024. (Photo by JIJI Press / AFP) / Japan OUT(AFP)

Opinion

Published on Jun 24, 2024 08:00 AM IST

ByAnirban Mahapatra

Sowing the seeds of a farm-growth revival

Centre should focus on expanding land under irrigation, pushing greater adoption of horticulture by farmers, and raising agri-R&D spending in the country

Amritsar: Farm labourers plant seedlings in a field during sunset on the outskirts of Amritsar, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (PTI Photo)(PTI06_23_2024_000239B)(PTI)

Opinion

Published on Jun 23, 2024 11:23 PM IST

BySiraj Hussain, Shweta Saini

A code for members of the new Lok Sabha

Dialogue between the government and the Opposition is essential for the smooth running of the House.

The Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) who have been returned may harbour unpleasant memories: Mass suspensions, privilege cases, expulsions, and the denial of opportunities were common threads in the last House(File Photo)(HT_PRINT)

Opinion

Published on Jun 23, 2024 11:04 PM IST

ByPDT Achary

Friends in the neighbourhood

Maritime security cooperation and greater integration with regional economies will help India counter Chinese overtures in South Asia

This handout photograph taken and released on June 22, 2024 by the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) shows India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shaking hands with Bangladesh's counterpart Sheikh Hasina (L) after receiving her at the Presidential Palace Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on June 22, 2024. (Photo by PIB / AFP) (AFP)

Editorials

Published on Jun 23, 2024 10:33 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Illicit liquor economy points to a social crisis

The easy solution prescribed by many to curtail illicit liquor deaths is prohibition. But does it really work?

(FILES) A relative weeps next to the dead body of a victim who died after consuming toxic illegal alcohol in Kallakurichi district of India's Tamil Nadu state on June 20, 2024. Drinking liquor was acceptable in a south Indian village until at least 47 people died from a fatal poisoning earlier this week after they consumed arrack, a distilled alcoholic drink. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP)(AFP)

Editorials

Published on Jun 23, 2024 10:33 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Ganga needs joint efforts to regain its old strength

This river requires regular, phased dredging from Haridwar to Ganga Sagar.

Kolkata: The setting Sun on an evening, seen from the bank of the River Ganga, in Kolkata, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)(PTI06_23_2024_000213B)(PTI)

Opinion

Published on Jun 23, 2024 10:24 PM IST

ByShashi Shekhar

Eye on the Middle East | Drones and deterrence in the Israel-Hezbollah dynamic

Hezbollah's unprecedented drone footage over Israel's Haifa Port represents a strategic shift in the use of drones.

An Israeli fighter jet releases flares, and a drone is seen from Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kreem Hana)(AP)

Analysis

Published on Jun 23, 2024 10:00 AM IST

ByBashir Ali Abbas

Seeing Silicon | Going beyond the Indus

It started as a network for the Indian diaspora in Silicon Valley but The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) of today have global ambitions

Silicon Valley; specifically, the North First Street area of San Jose, looking southbound down Interstate 880 towards downtown San Jose.(Coolcaesar/Wikimedia Commons)

Technology

Published on Jun 23, 2024 08:30 AM IST

ByShweta Taneja

Yoga’s health benefits are proven but a competent instructor is crucial

While Hatha Yoga has taken the world by storm, people are less aware that Yoga is an eight-layered philosophy, of which the exercises are only the first part.

Mumbai, Jun 21 (ANI): Western Naval Command personnel perform yoga on the 10th International Day of Yoga, in Mumbai on Friday. (ANI Photo) (Deepak Salvi)

Opinion

Published on Jun 23, 2024 08:00 AM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Is the New York Times bestseller list politically biased?

Our investigation suggests it is

The New York Times Headquarters(Getty Images)

Books

Published on Jun 23, 2024 08:00 AM IST

The Economist

Tech Tonic | Where’s Ilya? He aims for AI smarter than humans, but not dangerous

Sutskever’s start-up, Safe Superintelligence, aims to create what the name suggests – a super-intelligent machine which surpasses anything we’ve seen thus far

Ilya Sutskever speaks during a talk at Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel.(Reuters)

Technology

Published on Jun 23, 2024 07:00 AM IST

ByVishal Mathur

SP out to counter BJP with their new temple town hero

Awadhesh Prasad won from Faizabad-Ayodhya after addressing local issues, overshadowing the BJP's focus on the temple.

The poll scenario began changing positively for Congress-SP alliance in Uttar Pradesh once Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav decided to contest the 2024 poll and the alliance won 43 of 80 UP seats. (HT FILE)(HT_PRINT)

Opinion

Published on Jun 23, 2024 12:44 AM IST

BySunita Aron

Book Box | Three unexpected ways to introduce yourself

Experimenting with tell-me-about-yourself questions reveals creative ways of connecting with people

Sonya Dutta Choudhury(Sonya Dutta Choudhury)

Books

Published on Jun 23, 2024 12:37 AM IST

BySonya Dutta Choudhury

In TN, where people who cannot afford expensive IMFL turn to bootleg alcohol

In February this year, the M K Stalin-led DMK government increased the price of IMFL available through the state-owned distribution network TASMAC.

Relatives mourn near the mortal remains of people who died after consuming spurious liquor in Kallakurichi in Tamil Nadu on Friday. (PTI)(HT_PRINT)

Analysis

Published on Jun 23, 2024 12:00 AM IST

ByK A Shaji

Phase 6 of Lok Sabha Elections recorded the highest heat stress

55 out of 57 parliamentary constituencies in Phase 6 observed heat stress hours during the polling window, finds analysis

New Delhi, India - May 25, 2024: Voters seen waiting their turn under a makeshift canopy on a hot day at a polling station during the Sixth phase of voting for General Lok Sabha elections , at MC School 64 khamba near Maharaja Ranjeet Singh marg in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Photo by Raj K Raj/ Hindustan Times)(Hindustan Times)

Environment News

Published on Jun 22, 2024 11:57 PM IST

ByBadri Chatterjee

A look back at the me I used to be: Life Hacks by Charles Assisi

We don’t often see it, but life is defined by transition, that wily sidekick to change. Each phase is a chance to mourn a previous self, or celebrate a new you.

One of the things that makes the series The Bear (2022-) so compelling is that each of its key characters, all chefs, are navigating personal turning points or transitions.

Art and Culture

Updated on Jun 22, 2024 05:24 PM IST

ByCharles Assisi

The drool factor: Swetha Sivakumar on what makes food mouth-watering

Saliva plays a key role. Even though it’s 99% water, that final 1% defines how we taste, how we experience flavour, and what we can eat.

Art and Culture

Updated on Jun 22, 2024 05:21 PM IST

BySwetha Sivakumar

Goodness, is that the time: A look at how languages name hours, colours, numbers

In parts of the world, the day is divided into slabs. Words for hues are limited to just a handful. And directions include realms above and below.

The Hausa (above) and Zarma tribes of West Africa are not known for punctuality, so the day was traditionally simply broken up into chunks. Through recent centuries, amid the rise of Islam here, these chunks came to be linked to the nearest Islamic prayer time. (Africulture / Shutterstock)

Art and Culture

Updated on Jun 22, 2024 05:23 PM IST

ByAdam Jacot de Boinod

The lure of low-brow: Why we love bad movies

Research suggests the lack of emotional investment is a big draw. The stress-free suspense and absurdity also offer an increasingly rare thing: novelty.

A still from Sharknado 2 (2014), set in New York City.

Art and Culture

Updated on Jun 22, 2024 04:03 PM IST

ByAnesha George

Counter stripe: Why are our big cats changing colour?

We have a lot more black tigers, a golden tiger, and all-black wolves. Why? The short answer could be: Us. See how changes to habitats may be at the root.

Assam’s lone golden tiger, at Kaziranga National Park. (Gaurav Ramnarayanan)

Art and Culture

Updated on Jun 22, 2024 05:18 PM IST

ByNatasha Rego

Bachchan, Haasan are set to storm our screens: Anupama Chopra on Kalki, Indian 2

With nearly 120 years of acting experience between them, it is a joy to see these veterans still vital, vibrant and, yes, violent.

Bachchan is a melancholy and brooding Ashwatthama in Kalki 2898 AD.‘They really want to be part of the process. They want to be directed. And they don’t want to do what they’ve done before,’ director Nag Ashwin says, of Bachchan and Haasan.

Art and Culture

Updated on Jun 22, 2024 03:43 PM IST

ByAnupama Chopra

Yemen's powerful tribal leaders are key to jailed Nimisha Priya's release

A unique aspect of Yemen's culture is the significant influence wielded by tribal leaders. Convincing them and gaining favour in a case like this is not easy.

Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala, was sentenced to death by the trial court in Sana’a, Yemen, in 2020, for murdering a Yemeni man. (File)

Analysis

Published on Jun 21, 2024 09:15 PM IST

ByRejimon Kuttappan

Copy

Whatsapp Twitter Facebook Linkedin

HT Premium

While the present Act aims to modernise India Post, the absence of safeguards and the retention of colonial-era draconian provisions raise significant concerns.

The City of Cape Town’s experience and the decisions of its administrators could hold significant lessons for Delhi, faced with an acute water shortage

Assange is set to plead guilty to violating the Espionage Act, ending his years-long battle with the United States that had implications for press freedom.

In Pakistan, religion is seemingly weaponised against fellow Muslims (and other non-Muslim minorities) to derive moral supremacy

The Russia-North Korea Treaty has caused a stir globally, especially with its commitment to mutual military assistance and opposition to unilateral sanctions

The judgment, even if it is upheld by the appellate courts and is implemented in earnest, may not provide social and educational empowerment to transgenders.

Different states already have legislation to check unfair practices but the same do not seem to have had any impact in putting an end to paper leaks.

Tim Cook’s prayer to the almighty

Endo’s discovery, which came from a mold like the kind that grows on oranges, marked a significant advance in medicine, yet remains relatively unknown

Centre should focus on expanding land under irrigation, pushing greater adoption of horticulture by farmers, and raising agri-R&D spending in the country

Dialogue between the government and the Opposition is essential for the smooth running of the House.

Maritime security cooperation and greater integration with regional economies will help India counter Chinese overtures in South Asia

The easy solution prescribed by many to curtail illicit liquor deaths is prohibition. But does it really work?

This river requires regular, phased dredging from Haridwar to Ganga Sagar.

Hezbollah's unprecedented drone footage over Israel's Haifa Port represents a strategic shift in the use of drones.

It started as a network for the Indian diaspora in Silicon Valley but The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) of today have global ambitions

While Hatha Yoga has taken the world by storm, people are less aware that Yoga is an eight-layered philosophy, of which the exercises are only the first part.

Our investigation suggests it is

Sutskever’s start-up, Safe Superintelligence, aims to create what the name suggests – a super-intelligent machine which surpasses anything we’ve seen thus far

Awadhesh Prasad won from Faizabad-Ayodhya after addressing local issues, overshadowing the BJP's focus on the temple.

Experimenting with tell-me-about-yourself questions reveals creative ways of connecting with people

In February this year, the M K Stalin-led DMK government increased the price of IMFL available through the state-owned distribution network TASMAC.

55 out of 57 parliamentary constituencies in Phase 6 observed heat stress hours during the polling window, finds analysis

We don’t often see it, but life is defined by transition, that wily sidekick to change. Each phase is a chance to mourn a previous self, or celebrate a new you.

Saliva plays a key role. Even though it’s 99% water, that final 1% defines how we taste, how we experience flavour, and what we can eat.

In parts of the world, the day is divided into slabs. Words for hues are limited to just a handful. And directions include realms above and below.

Research suggests the lack of emotional investment is a big draw. The stress-free suspense and absurdity also offer an increasingly rare thing: novelty.

We have a lot more black tigers, a golden tiger, and all-black wolves. Why? The short answer could be: Us. See how changes to habitats may be at the root.

With nearly 120 years of acting experience between them, it is a joy to see these veterans still vital, vibrant and, yes, violent.

A unique aspect of Yemen's culture is the significant influence wielded by tribal leaders. Convincing them and gaining favour in a case like this is not easy.

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like