​Dire efforts: on de-extinction and conservation

Colossal Biosciences is an American company with an unusual marketing line: combining genomics with conservation — not in its traditional form, but through de-extinction, which is resurrecting species extinct for thousands of years. Leading this project is Harvard geneticist George Church, a prominent promoter of the company, who aims to bring back the woolly mammoth, … Read more

When Parliament stayed awake through the night

Opposition MPs protest in the Lok Sabha against the Waqf Amendment Bill during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: ANI The recently concluded Budget session of Parliament found its place in history. Both Houses sat through the night, closing only before sunrise, when parts of Delhi were just beginning to … Read more

Letters to The Editor — April 11, 2025

Trump and tariffs The U.S.’s move to single out China by slapping an unprecedented 125% tariff on it while pausing tariffs for most other countries shows that the escalations begun by the U.S. are fuelled by political motives. It seems to be part of a broader American strategy to contain China on the global stage. … Read more

Drop the piecemeal ways to social security for workers

‘Relying on a piecemeal approach can fail to account for the precarious nature of all informal work’  | Photo Credit: Getty Images India’s efforts to establish social security for online (app-based) gig workers are gaining momentum, with the central scheme awaiting Cabinet approval. Benefits announced include health coverage under Ayushman Bharat, registration on the eShram … Read more

​A cut in time: on RBI and repo rate cut  

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Monetary Policy Committee’s unanimous decision to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points, to 6%, is a timely reprieve for India’s business community. For weeks now, exporting sectors have been imploring the government to hasten bilateral trade negotiations with the U.S. to attempt to shield themselves from President … Read more

The issue with delimitation’s population-based process

Delimitation, enshrined in Articles 82 and 170 of the Constitution of India, has stirred unprecedented passions that have taken shape in both serious and ludicrous ways. The serious ones stem from what the Constitution provides and its possible implications if implemented as provided. The ludicrous ones include calls by some who are asking people to … Read more

When Parkinson’s strikes early – The Hindu

Parkinson’s disease, often viewed as an ailment of the elderly, is manifesting with alarming frequency among younger individuals in India. This shift not only challenges existing clinical perceptions of the disease but also poses significant socio-economic and public healthcare implications for the nation. The tremors, stiffness, and slow movement commonly associated with the disease in … Read more

The Rohingya are on the brink of starvation

Rohingya refugees hold placards while attending a Ramadan Solidarity Iftar to have an Iftar meal with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Interim Government, at the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh on March 14, 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters During his four-day visit to Bangladesh in March, … Read more