-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that cinemas need not compulsorily play the national anthem but if they did, everyone in the audience except the physically challenged must stand up. The apex court modified its own order issued in 2016 after the Centre, in keeping with its altered stand that was articulated on Monday, said the earlier directives on the national anthem had been abused and they could...

-Hindustan Times Access to formal credit can be a major game-changer in determining farm-incomes. It is to be expected that richer farmers would find it easier to avail of formal credit lines. What ails Indian farmers? The answer to this question is often mired in ideological quarrels. Some blame a lack of reforms in agricultural markets, while others accuse the state of not doing enough to support farming. Systemic issues are...

-The Indian Express In fact, endemic blocks have increased from 61 to 68 in 17 districts of Bihar and Jharkhand. New Delhi: India has missed the 2017 deadline that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced for elimination of Kala Azar (black fever) in his Budget speech last year. In fact, endemic blocks have increased from 61 to 68 in 17 districts of Bihar and Jharkhand. The matter was taken up at a meeting...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government has met a key demand of single-brand retailers by relaxing a mandatory 30 per cent local sourcing condition. The change was announced along with the decision to allow 100 per cent foreign direct investment under the automatic route for single-brand retail trading, which will help companies like Apple to set up branded stores across India. Foreign retailers will now be permitted to set off their...

-The Hindu Bengaluru: Aadhaar, an identity number issued to all Indians based on their biometric and demographic data, faces a potential threat from cyber criminals which can cripple the economy, according to a white paper done by the Institute for Development and Research in Banking, which is affiliated to the Reserve Bank of India. “Thanks to Aadhaar, for the first time in the history of India, there is now a readily...