Pak skipper Babar Azam named ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2nd straight year

Shivamogga, Mar 20: Days after former minister and BJP leader K S Eshwarappa’s provocative remarks against Azaan, a man delivered the Azaan in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Shivamogga, the home district of Eshwarappa. 

A small group of Muslim men holding flags protested against the BJP MLA’s statements. They even tried to barge into the DC’s office.

A video of the protest Azaan went viral on social media.

Shivamogga police booked a case agianst the offender and warned him not to indulge in such activities in the future. However, he was sent home.

Superintendent of Police G K Mithun Kumar said, "The person was called and warned not to do it. One preventive case is booked against that person. We are verifying the antecedents of those who participated in the protest: Based on the antecedents appropriate action is being initiated," he added.

Eswarappa had stirred controversy during last week Vijay Sankalp Yatra in Mangaluru. “This (Azaan) will come to an end. Will Allah listen only if the prayers are done through loudspeakers…this makes me question if He is deaf.” 

His statements received backlash from the Muslim community. However, the former minister defended his statements saying India is a Hindu Rashtra.

“In the entire world, India is the only country for Hindus. We are protecting the Hindu dharma. But if they (Muslims) continue this practice (of giving Azaan) through loudspeakers then we have to admit he (Allah) is deaf. So I think this issue should be addressed at the earliest,” he told reporters.

Bengaluru, Mar 8: Hardline attendance policy will force as many as 4,492 students to stay away from the second pre-university final examinations, starting from March 9 in Karnataka. 

The Department of School Education and Literacy has brought back the 75 per cent compulsory attendance rule from this year. Students who failed to maintain 75 per cent of the attendance, will not be allowed to appear for the exams.

The department of PU education had issued notices to students on the same and had shared attendance shortage list with principals of PU colleges in the state. This year, considering the students’ list sent by colleges, the department has not generated admission tickets to those who have less than 75 per cent attendance.

During 2021 and 2022 board exams, the department had provided exemption from mandatory attendance of 75 per cent considering the Covid-19 pandemic, closure of schools and colleges, delayed reopening, etc.

However, this year, the department has brought back the 75 per cent attendance rule and informed the students about the same in the beginning of the academic year itself. 

“Despite repeated notices and warnings, these students failed to maintain 75 per cent attendance and wasted one academic year as they will be allowed to attend exams only as fresh candidates in 2024,” said a senior official of the department. The Rule 21 of Karnataka Education Act 2006 mandates 75 per cent attendance to get eligibility for students to appear for class 10 and II PU board exams.

These amendments were brought following the Supreme Court’s directions and according to the rule, if any student falls short of attendance (less than 75 per cent), such students will not be allowed to appear for exams and admission tickets will not be issued.

“Before this, there was a provision to give relaxation considering medical certificates and this was misused by students. Now, there aren’t such provisions,” the official said. More than 20,000 students have missed their II PU exams between 2015 and 2020.

The II PU exams will be held at 1,109 exam centres across the state, starting from Thursday. A total of 7,26,213 students have registered. Of this, 6,29,780 are regular students, 25,847 are private candidates and 70,586 are repeaters.

New Delhi, Mar 18: Food supply in India and across the globe will go down by at least 6 per cent by 2050 as water crisis and heat stress caused by climate change will hit productivity, the Global Commission on Economics of Water (GCEW) has warned.

The commission is convened by the Government of the Netherlands and facilitated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Its latest report used a large dimensional computable general equilibrium model to project impacts on global irrigated food production and food security.

Food supply decreases were projected for two climate change scenarios or representative concentration pathways (RCP) based on the intensity of the greenhouse gas emissions. The optimistic RCP 4.5 based on drastic cut in emissions and RCP 8.5 the worst-case scenario. The model used 2014 as base year.

"Even under the best-case climate change scenario of RCP4.5, most African countries experience an increase in people with severe food insecurity by more than one third," the report 'The What, Why and How of the World Water Crisis' said.

The "best case" scenario for India meant a 6.52 per cent fall in food supply while it was 16.1 per cent in the worst case scenario. In China, it was 8.97 per cent and 22.4 per cent, respectively while the fall in the US was pegged at 4.8 per cent and 12.6 per cent.

Food insecurity affects 72-81 crore people globally and is linked to water insecurity. The fall in production, the study said, will push 100 crore people into severe food insecurity, the report said.

In another report titled 'Turning the Tide', the GCEW issued a seven-point agenda for collective action: managing global water cycle with just and equity, adopt outcomes-focussed approach to water conservation, cease underpricing water, phase out subsidies in agriculture and water, establishing just water partnerships, fortifying freshwater storage systems and reshape the multilateral governance of water.