Research Work & Projects

When we talk about the education, promptly a question comes in mind. How bad is the education system Pakistan. However, the class system is exploiting every aspect of life. Whether, it is living standard, health facilities, viable education and fundamental rights provided by the government. Moreover, class system is a curse in our society and it ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MNPo8e

Growing up in Pakistan, there was an omnipresent societal culture of film and music creeping in from outside the country. Shahrukh Khan was my first love; how my mother remembers I danced as a toddler each time Dil Wale Dhulaniya came on television. I do not remember calling out for Shaan or any other Pakistani actor to dance on their songs; or ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2NFHlKe

Giving a glaring glimpse to the world to comprehend how China is excelling meticulously by merging past legacy into future through innovation, Beijing launched the ceremony of the “China Now: Silk Road Rediscovery Tour of Beijing Upon the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) with great pomp and ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MM60NO

“He was one of the finest people I have known, a man of great integrity and principle.” (Asma Jahangir on Dorab Patel)   Born in 1924, Dorab Patel was a Pakistani lawyer of Parsi descent. After completing his education in England, he returned to Karachi in early 1950s to practice law. Throughout his illustrious career, he never ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2NFGR6S

The fires in the Amazon rainforest have been the current topic of discussion this past week on social media, as people share photographs and outrage over the destruction of the ‘lungs of the earth’. However, a lot of the information is not exactly accurate, including many outdated pictures that have gone viral. Some Brazilians also feel that there is some sort of conspiracy against their new government, led by their right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, especially since he has dismissed the scientific consensus about climate change, calling it a hoax. Given his allegations of a “fake news campaign built against our sovereignty,” perhaps the best ... Read Full Post from The Big Picture – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2NJ4kEy

Since August 5, 2019, the day when Narandar Modi’s government terminated the autonomous status of the Indian Held Kashmir, Pakistanis have been throwing harangue against the indifference of the Gulf Countries conspicuous for not issuing a stern condemnation to India on taking this unilateral step which has led to a massive human rights ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/34clCQ3

The Indian government’s occupation of Jammu & Kashmir is the most glaring sign of the country’s democratic regression under Modi regime. Under the BJP, India has shown that it has not moved past its tradition of sowing chaos using the identity of a region. Employing tactics such as the arrest of local leaders and imposing curfews ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2UhnBy1

It goes unnoticed that India launched many small wars of unifications in 1947. How many in the world (even Pakistan) realise that in 1947 India was half the size it is today. From 1947 to 1961, Indian geographical map expanded two folds. There seems no end to this mythical size that goes beyond existing boundaries to Vedic History. As interpreted ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/348fWXn

Born in Karachi in 1940, Mushtaq Gazdar was a Pakistani film maker who made over 190 short feature films, documentaries in a career spanning over 33 years. He often focused on social issues in his works. For example, one of his most famous works, “They are killing the Horse”, is the story of a young woman suffering from depression ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2UpfwHG

3.8-million-year-old fossil cranium unveils more about human ancestry Digital reconstruction reveals the face of early human ancestor More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299133&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Romania : 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; Staff Supplement; and Statement by the Executive Director for Romania Published August 31, 2019 at 01:00AM

On our August 30, 2019 roundtable episode of the Longreads Podcast , Audience Editor Catherine Cusick , Essays Editor Sari Botton , and Senior Editor Kelly Stout share what they’ve been reading and nominate stories for the Weekly Top 5 Longreads . This week, the editors discuss stories in Jezebel, Governing, and The New Yorker . Subscribe and listen now everywhere you get your podcasts. 0:39  “ The Last Popeyes Chicken Sandwich in America ” ( Megan Reynolds , August 28, 2019, Jezebel ) 9:48   “ Addicted to Fines .” ( Mike Maciag , September 2019, Governing ) 21:35 “ Silicon Valley’s Crisis of Conscience .” ( Andrew Marantz , August 19, 2019, The New Yorker ) * * * Produced by Longreads and Charts & Leisure .

It has been a while since the disintegrated factions of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have been involved in mudslinging with regards to every issue related to Karachi. The recent episode between the incumbent Mayor of Karachi Wasim Akhtar and former mayor of Karachi, Mustafa Kamal took an interesting turn when the former appointed the latter and within 24 hours suspended him from the voluntary position of Project Director Garbage. The entire fiasco began when Kamal claimed that he could clean up the city of Karachi within 90 days if he was provided with the resources and funds which the Karachi Metropolitan ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2MKmUMI

Prime Minister Imran Khan while addressing the nation on 26yh August said “ Pakistan will go to any extent in support of the people of occupied Kashmir and will stay with them till the last breath whether any country stands with us or not.” His remarks exhibited the irrefutable reality and the abiding commitment that Pakistan has in ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/30IMtBf

In countries with constitutional democracy quasi-military organizations like RSS should not exist. In the West most white supramist organizations like Klu Klux Klan (KKK) are banned. In Pakistan too all such organizations have been shut down. ‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’ (RSS) which translates to ‘National Patriotic ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2ZzUiMb

Professional and efficient diplomatic corps is a vanguard in pursuing country’s national interests and defending it against external onslaughts. The task is continuous, arduous and demanding. It requires a variety of skills and knowledge that probably may exceed the challenges in any other profession. The diplomats need to have a good ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/30HKCg0

Born in 1908 in Hyderabad, Makhdoom Mohiuddin was a prominent Urdu poet and activist. Having experienced poverty in his earlier life, Mohiuddin deeply felt for the poor and kept fighting against Capitalism, class exploitation throughout his life. He remained active in many leftist political organizations and movements of his time, including the ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2ZxVCPH

The Gambia : Technical Assistance Report-Public Investment Management Assessment Published August 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

Blinking eye-on-a-chip used for disease modeling and drug testing Chip that models eye disease may lead to new cures More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299115&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Since 1961, Bangladesh’s Muslim marriage laws required the bride to select one of the three options on a marriage certificate: widowed, divorced or kumari (virgin). Whereas, grooms had no similar requirement. However, earlier this week, Bangladesh’s highest court overturned this extremely medieval law. Now, not only will the word ‘virgin’ be removed but marriage certificates will also require grooms to select their marital status as either unmarried, widowed or divorced. This monumental step wasn’t easy for the lawyers and activists involved in this case. It took five years for the court to hear their petition. And while they issued a brief verdict straight ... Read Full Post from The Big Picture – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/325szR0

I have obtained the precious wealth that is the Lord!This invaluable treasure is from my true guru.Out of compassion, he has given this to me.I have obtained the asset of many lifetimes and lost everything of this world.–Mirabai Mirabai was a 16th century woman mystic poet from Rajisthan who is considered one of the stalwarts of Bhakti ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2UgOtye

Last week, I said in my article that a new school year is meant to be a happy time. Today, I will say that the first day of the new school at the opening of the SSPSS school on Kuri Road in Islamabad was indeed happy. The full name of the school in the new sector of the capital is ‘Sir Syed Preparatory School System’, and it borrows ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/349rn0Y

As Occupied Kashmir enters fourth week of lock down, the news coming out is not encouraging, it talks of blatant violations of international law and human rights, torture of young Kashmiris and violation of honor of Kashmiri women. Unfortunately international community has just looked the other side, some of our friends in Middle East have awarded ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2UasxEM

The interconnectivity between today’s international, regional and domestic issues and challenges has created a need for interdependence and greater global cooperation to address common issues like ensuring economic stability and development, maintaining security and ensuring environmental sustainability. Be it the spectre of transnational ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/345WvOP

Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) has been under lockdown for more than three weeks now. Narendra Modi’s desire to annex the territory was already made clear during his election campaign, and thus many have been asking why Islamabad was unable to pre-empt this. But given that Modi’s move on the geopolitical chessboard caught Islamabad off-guard, the question arises: how should Pakistan respond? Perhaps by rallying on the streets for 30 minutes. In a recently televised address, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he wanted the people of Pakistan to come out onto the streets for half an hour every Fridays in order to stand in solidarity ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/30MbueU

What is terrorism? Political scientists like Bruce Hoffman say that there are many means to commit terrorism but the eventual end is to attain a “political change”. UN Security Council Resolution 1566 of 2004 states there must be an intention to cause death or serious injury to provoke a state of terror in the “general ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2zqpb74

Donald Trump entered the 2016 presidential race as a Republican and defeated 16 other candidates in the primaries. Commentators described his political positions as populist, protectionist, and nationalist. He was elected in a surprise victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, although he lost the popular vote. He became the oldest ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2PkMaLA

There are conflicting reports going around in the media regarding the outcome of the recently concluded meeting held in Canberra, Australia, of The Asia-Pacific Group (APG), a regional affiliate of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). While Pakistan maintains that its presented report was in general well received by the APG, whereby with the ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2zmiMKa

Born in Wazirabad in 1933, Munnu Bhai was a prominent columnist, poet and playwright of Pakistan. A firm believer in the power of truthful journalism and free media, he wrote regular columns for Urdu newspaper “Jang” for many years. He also wrote such memorable plays for PTV as “Sona Chandi.” Besides, he also wrote poetry ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2PkM7zo

Promising new solar-powered path to hydrogen fuel production Team is first to create a solar-driven water-splitting catalyst to produce renewable energy More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299097&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Technique uses magnets, light to control and reconfigure soft robots Reconfigurability developed for soft robotics may be useful in aerospace, biomedical applications More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299098&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

New tools minimize risks in shared, augmented-reality environments ShareAR lets app developers build in features without sacrificing privacy More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299099&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

New way for bridges to withstand earthquakes: support column design Hybrid sliding-rocking bridge columns are more earthquake-resistant More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299100&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Extinct Caribbean bird yields DNA after 2,500 years in watery grave DNA discovered in bones shows relation to living species More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299101&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Environmental change is triggering an identity switch in grasslands Scientists discover species turnover in more than 100 grassland experiments More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299102&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Virtual 'UniverseMachine' sheds light on galaxy evolution Scientists' advanced computer simulations help find clues to galaxy formation More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299103&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Every now and then, Naya Pakistan surprises us from its bag of wonders. Every new policy is a roller-coaster turn. While one is still gasping from the last swirl, the next one is even steeper and more unpredictable. The recent drive to de-plasticise the capital territory is the latest.  Although going plastic-free had been on the cards for some time, its implementation plan seems to have been not. The Ministry of Climate Change announced plans in early August to abolish the manufacture, sale and purchase of plastic bags in the capital. The local administration too announced to make Islamabad plastic-free ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2NBZk4m

No army of the world can effectively confront the enemy if it loses public support. It is the inevitable lesson of history which is mostly ignored by the powerful. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. On December 16, 1971, Lt. Gen. A. A. K. Niazi Command­er of the Eastern Command together with 93000 soldiers surren­dered ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2L8Hy64

 Is Nazism revisiting the planet? Is its revival taking shape in a Hindu av­atar in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) now? Can the world not read the writing on the Kashmiri wall or is it cal­lously blinded by its obtuse, self-serving geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-eco­nomic interests in a ma­nipulative India? The hapless, ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MGHgGC

 Born in Tharparkar in 1944, Jam Saqi was a prominent activist, politician of Pakistan who rendered invaluable services for res­toration of democracy and workers’ rights in the country. He began his political career through stu­dent unions in 1961. He was considered a hero of 1967 March against General Ayyub’s one-unit ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MGHiOK

 The misadventures of India are not stopping. She knows, has known and must know that it is playing with the fire. Even yet, why is the cunning enemy bent upon acting dangerously? It can be calculated as to why the skir­mishes on the LOC are not end­ing till the day of revoking the constitutional provisions. The acts of the enemy can ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Lb6gmg

 Perhaps as a consequence of being a nation born in the shroud of its Islamic identi­ty, Pakistan has always looked towards the wider Islamic community, or the “Um­mah”, more than other nations. The Islamic world is a geographically congruous land spanning several continents and cultures, united many times in history under ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MHti7d

 Some of the world powers think that a nuclear deal with Iran is still possible. The President of France, Emmanu­el Macron, believes in this proposition more than any­one else. Iran’s foreign minister Muhammad Javad Zarif’s talks with Macron at the sidelines of the G7 summit also suggests more than an ordinary meeting ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2LaVaxt

 Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address to the country on Monday was an important declaration of support for the Kashmiri cause, which helped clarify the govern­ment’s stance on the issue. It’s not as if the intention to stand behind the Kashmiris was not established before, but PM Khan’s speech was an important ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MGHeyu

Working a stable job, paying rent on time, keeping a clean house ─ being a model tenant was not enough to keep a roof over Cokethia Goodman and her six children. When their Atlanta neighborhood became a hot market, their property’s owner decided to sell, and the family had to move. Their situation went downhill from there, taking them briefly to a Rodeway Inn paid for by the Red Cross, before struggling to secure homeless services. For The New Republic , Brian Goldstone spent nearly a year reporting on the Goodman family’s struggle to live in Atlanta, and the larger phenomenon of working homelessness , where people without a residence still don’t qualify for certain essential types of assistance. This is a story about a lack of tenant protections, the human cost of so-called urban revitalization, rising rents and declining wages, and the tenuous positions of America’s working poor. As Goodman says, “I grew up in Atlanta. I graduated from high school in this city. Through my job, I’ve

The Arab Spring that shook the roots of the Middle East was sparked by an incident in Tunisia. We all remember the vegetable vendor and some of us even remember his name, Bouazizi. But very few of us have heard the name of Faida Hamdy, the woman who, if she had not done what she did, we may not have had Bouazizi dousing himself in gasoline and ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/31Z8Geg

Though formally founded on August 26, 1941, the Jamaat-e-Islami is ideally the continuation of the movement which the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had set up fourteen hundred and fifty years ago in Makkah. Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and great scholars, sufis and leaders like Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi, Imam Ahmad bin Hambal, Imam Malik and ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2KTpcXy

India, under fascist Modi, has changed the status of Jammu and Kashmir and annexed Ladakh in the Indian Territory by abrogating Articles 370 and 35A of its constitution through a presidential order. For a more embryonic account of Kashmir, A. G ‘Noorani’s book “Article 370: A Constitutional History of Jammu & Kashmir” ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/321KgAX

Born in Calicut, Kerala in 1930, BM Kutty moved to Pakistan at a young age of 19 and played an active part in different progressive, democratic, workers’ movements of the country for more than six decades. He has been a part of National Awami Party and was secretary general of Movement for Restoration of Democracy during General Zia’s ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2KWy4vO

The fast changing circumstances in this region are detrimental to regional peace. Afghanistan is going through highly uncertain dangerous transition as the final outcome of USA/Afghan dialogue is not yet certain. USA is focusing on this issue while I do not expect any positive outcome from Donald Trump’s mediation in favour of Pakistan as ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2ZbkLAi

All eyes were fixed on Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, making his Independence Day speech. Speaking on the revocation of special constitutional status of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) Modi exclaimed, “The spirit of one nation, one constitution has become a reality now”. Perhaps, he forgot to add the other emerging reality ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Ns0HCu

On Friday, a three-member bench of the honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan delivered its detailed judgment in the ‘video scandal’ case of Judge Arshad Malik, along with its possible impact (if at all) on the conviction of Nawaz Sharif. This measured judgment, authored by the honorable Chief Justice himself, must be prescribed as ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2ZbzBGW

Born between 1892 and 1897 in North Waziristan, Mirza Ali Khan, more famously known as the faqir of ipi, was a Pashtun tribal leader who waged an armed struggle against the British rule in the frontier regions. After performing Hajj in 1923, he settled down in the village of ipi, situated between Bannu and Razmak, and gained reputation for his ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Nva4BG

All over the world, the perception about Pakistan is that it is a country full of surprises, good and bad. It comes with its own set of challenges and ample amount of unpredictability. We live one day at a time and no one knows what might happen in the blink of an eye. It is perhaps this lack of stability and sense of insecurity in Pakistan which ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2znvdFj

The Independent Power Producers (IPPs) may have alleviated Pakistan’s power shortages, but they may also have also brought Pakistan’s to its present state. The 1994 and subsequent private power policies of the Federal Government rewarded investors generously, paying in U.S. Dollars with all variables at the cost of the country. The ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Pawjza

Tourniquet is a kind word for lack of a better synonym. Modi has put a strangle-hold on Kashmir; a neck lock that has closed all avenues of access. It is inflicting deep wounds and flushing out blood in the same direction that rivers flow. This is dangerous development the world may live to regret. It is not a question of years but months that the ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2zhsaOW

I do sing of equality In which dissolves All the barriers and estrangements, In which have been united Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians. I do sing of equality. –“Samyabadi”, Kazi Nazrul Islam   Born in 1899 in Bengal, Kazi Nazrul Islam was a Bengali poet, writer, musician known as “rebel poet” for his ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2P9Kww9

People’s Republic of China : Selected Issues Published August 23, 2019 at 09:00AM

Guinea : Third Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement, Request for Modification of Performance Criterion and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; Supplementary Information; and Statement by the Executive Director for Guinea Published August 22, 2019 at 09:00AM

On our August 23, 2019 roundtable episode of the Longreads Podcast , Audience Editor Catherine Cusick , Longreads Head of Fact-Checking Matt Giles , and Senior Editor Kelly Stout share what they’ve been reading and nominate stories for the Weekly Top 5 Longreads . This week, the editors discuss stories in The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, and a collaboration between Texas Monthly and The Texas Tribune . Subscribe and listen now everywhere you get your podcasts. 3:20 “ Neil Young’s Lonely Quest to Save Music .” (David Samuels, August 20, 2019, The New York Times Magazine ) 16:58  “ The Quickening . ” ( Leslie Jamison , September 2019, The Atlantic ) 28:45 “ How the Unchecked Power of Judges Is Hurting Poor Texans .” ( Neena Satija , August 19, 2019, Texas Monthly and  The Texas Tribune ) * * * Produced by Longreads and Charts & Leisure .

Republic of Mozambique : Diagnostic Report on Transparency, Governance and Corruption Published August 23, 2019 at 09:00AM

Imagine, you dine fish at a desi hotel. As you witness the skinning of fish before your eyes, you find traces of plastic in its intestine. Won’t you, for a fraction of second, recall all those previous times when you had dined fish but you didn’t bother see it deboning before your eyes? It is horrific because what goes around, comes ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2NmpS9L

If knowledge is power, clarity of mind in an age of infinite distractions is no less than a blessing. Execution of Punjab Solarisation Project in a short span of one year by energy department is a living example of the latter. It’s been almost a year since I started working as Minister to energy department, Government of the Punjab. I can ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Z7Ofix

While one year is not long enough a period to evaluate impact of the policies of any government because of the time-lag required in the completion of the projects initiated for socio-economic development and the inherited challenges, but the exercise can give a fair idea of the trends set and the degree of the success achieved. However before ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2NpFl8U

Born in 1888 in Sialkot, Iqbal Shedai was a devoted member of Indian independence movement. He joined “Anjuman Khadami Kaaba” organized by Ali Brothers in 1914 for which he was jailed. On his release in 1918, Shedai left for Kabul, a journey which marked the start of his three decades long exile. During this time period, he went to ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Z82T9n

When human expertise improves the work of machines Machine learning algorithms advance materials science More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299080&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Genetic redundancy aids competition among symbiotic bacteria in squid Bacteria compete to colonize squid's organs More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299082&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

In some surreal news, Qandeel Baloch’s parents have taken steps to essentially cancel her case. Should they be successful, Qandeel’s story will most likely take the same disappointing direction as those of countless other innocent women who fell victim to a deafening patriarchy. According to an affidavit filed with the Multan courts, Qandeel’s parents have asked the court to not only dismiss the murder charges against their sons, Waseem and Aslam Shaheen, but have also requested to the court to wrap up the case as soon as possible. This is because not only have they forgiven him, but they also believe ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2Za4vQ0

Seamus McGraw   | Betting the Farm on a Drought   | University of Texas Press | April 2015 | 41 minutes (7,419 words)   The sun wasn’t even up yet when Ethan Cox tugged his work boots on, along with his old barn coat, the lighter one. He knew he wouldn’t need the heavier one. He didn’t even have to check the local forecast. It was going to be warm that day, low to mid-80s as the day wore on, he guessed, pretty much the same as it had been for quite a while. He glanced out the bedroom window at the sky. It was gray and brittle. It was going to be dry, too. That was no surprise either. The first week of March 2012 had been unusually dry. So had the whole month of February. In fact, the whole winter had been warm and dry. The yuppies and the liberals across the river in St. Louis or up in Chicago or out in San Francisco and New York all talked about that as being evidence that the climate was changing, that the bill was coming due for a century’s worth of pouring all manner of poison i

Once German military truth-seeker Carl von Clausewitz commented in the early 1800s that war was the extension of strategy by other means, he wanted to regularize the notion of war in contemporary policies. Nevertheless, his verses also specified that actions slight of war are obtainable to support states attaining their goals. These are normally ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2HjEXF8

Finally, the Rubicon has been crossed by the radical Hindutva government having shoved the battalions of soldiers on the innocent yet steadfast Kashmiri civilians. The snow clad mountains surrounding the lush green Himalayan valley bursting of exotic fresh saffron have been praised by the poets, and passionately re-produced by artists as a ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2ZlZ4sq

A new school year is meant to be a happy time for students, parents, teachers, local communities and the whole nation. In Pakistan, many children are not enrolled and do not have the chance to go to school, and others drop out early before the full primary school cycle has been completed. Parents sometimes take the children out of school because ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2He3nzV

(I am) mountain when I stop; (I am) beyond life when I walk I have, (turned) every step on the path of the beloved into a memorial –Faiz Ahmed Faiz on Mian Iftikharuddin   Born in Baghbanpura in 1907, Mian Iftikharuddin was a prominent politician of the British India and later of Pakistan. He joined Congress in 1936 and left it in ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Zkw8Bd

Study reveals changing patterns in globally important algae Algae key to the ocean carbon cycle are scarce in equatorial waters More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299079&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

The Prime Minister (PM) is right in saying that by invoking Article 370 of which 35A is a part of the constitution, India has played the last card on Kashmir. Unlike the Nehru family led Indian National Congress (INC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to settle Kashmir as they desire to build a Hindu State. Belonging to the Pundit’s ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2HiSXPr

The maritime industry has entered into a new phase of its development since the introduction of information technology. The number of numerous developments in the field of industrial control systems has transformed the method through which harbors, ships, navigation systems, communication systems, and rigs operate and work. The introduction of new ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2ZdxCNl

India has unilaterally stripped Occupied Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status it held for more than a half century. Fascist Narendra Modi’s presidential decree has revoked article 370 of Indian constitution which guaranteed some autonomy to the state. This revocation means Indians can now buy territory and settle in Indian-Occupied Kashmir ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2HhnjSe

“Central to Akhtar Hameed Khan’s vision was the still uncommon view that poverty was not simply the result of a lack of resources, but an outcome of lack of power.” –David Lewis   Born in 1914 in Agra, Akhtar Hameed Khan was a Pakistani Social Scientist known for his participatory, community based rural development ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2ZgiXBd

Facial recognition technique could improve hail forecasts Scientists use machine learning to recognize potentially damaging storms More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299074&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

The emergency session held by the UNSC on 16 August 2019 on the Kashmir issue(s) between India and Pakistan and India and China (Ladakh) was significant for many reasons, most importantly because it involved three of the world’s nine known nuclear powers! Two, it resurrected the Kashmir issue at the world’s most premium forum, the ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33IZAUP

Abrogation of Article 370 (and Article 35A) of the Constitution of India, by Hindu nationalist government Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has once again dragged the whole South Asian region to the brink of a crisis. On August 5, 2019, an Indian presidential decree revoked the special status of Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), dividing the state into ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2TKdCRy

“The non-Hindu people of Hindustan must either adopt Hindu culture and language, must learn and respect and hold in reverence the Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but of those of glorification of the Hindu race and culture….In a word, they must cease to be foreigners, or may stay in the country wholly subordinated to the Hindu ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33MsJhI

“To resolve all Indian problems and especially Hindu-Muslim differences on purely religious basis cannot produce any permanent path to salvation.” –Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi Born in 1872 in Sialkot, Ubaidullah Sindhi was a prominent Islamic leader and activist of the Indian Independence Movement. Converting to Islam at the age ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2TKxOme

Earth's last magnetic field reversal took far longer than once thought Study suggests that society would have generations to adapt to magnetic instability More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299068&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Scientists discover key factors in how some algae harness solar energy Research results could lead to more efficient and affordable algal biofuels More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299069&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Data assimilation method offers improved hurricane forecasting Better forecasting uses data from GOES-16 satellite and Penn State's all-sky radiance method More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299070&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

As Pakistan roils with anger at India’s brazen dismantling of Article 370, the US has remained impassive, disengaged, and has failed to truly recognise, let alone show an active interest, towards the regional gravity and international implications of this tectonic disruption. Understanding that media wars now mobilise international political opinion, (consider both the gilet jaune movement in France, and the weeks-long protests in Hong Kong) India’s absolute isolation of the people of Kashmir is an emphatic prelude to Narendra Modi’s intentions. But it seems that the American top brass is willing to turn a blind eye towards Modi’s antics in ... Read Full Post from The Big Picture – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2ZfMgUm

Mia Armstrong | The Marshall Project | August 2019 | 9 minutes (2,400 words) This article was co-published with The Marshall Project , a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for their newsletter , or follow The Marshall Project on Facebook or Twitter . Niccole Wetherell and Paul Gillpatrick were engaged in 2012. The state of Nebraska has prevented their wedding ever since​. Wetherell is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, housed in a prison about 50 miles away from her fiance, Gillpatrick, who is serving a 55-to-90-year sentence for second-degree murder. The pair, who met in 1998, have come to accept they cannot marry in person. Instead, they want to wed via video conference, and they want an end to a prison policy that forbids Nebraska inmates from marrying each other except in “special circumstances.” Wetherell and Gillpatrick argue they have a “fundamental right to marry.” In June, U.S. District Judge Robert Rossiter