England and Wales have marked a new era in which heterosexual couples can choose to have a civil partnership instead of a marriage. The change, mandated by Britain’s Supreme Court last year, took effect Tuesday. The groundbreaking case had been brought by Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, who were among the first to form […]
VS Kundu to take charge as GMDA chief
Almost a year after V Umashankar was reinstated as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), the post has been handed over to Varinder Singh Kundu, a Haryana-cadre IAS officer of the batch of 1986, who will take charge on Monday. The role is in […]
Bhima Koregaon probes take different trajectories
Thousands of people had gathered on the banks of the Bhima river on New Year’s Day 2018 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of a British-era war. It was an annual ritual a matter of pride for the Dalit communities because it marked the victory of a small British army manned […]
China’s divorce rates rise, govt mulls 30-day cooling-off period for couples
The Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver starring “Marriage Story” about their broken marriage and child custody fight has sparked heated online discussions in China even before its release here. Hardly surprising, it turns out, if the latest official data related to divorce in China is to be believed: The number […]
Rupee starts New Year on a positive note, rises to 71.29 vs US dollar
The Indian rupee started the New Year on a positive note and rose 7 paise to 71.29 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday as optimism over the US-China trade deal strengthened investor sentiments. Forex traders said easing crude oil prices and higher opening in domestic equities also […]
World welcomes 2020, but celebrations shadowed by wildfires, protests, Korea tensions
The world celebrated the New Year on Wednesday with fireworks displays from Sydney to London, although celebrations were clouded by deadly wildfires in Australia, protests in Hong Kong and India and new nuclear tensions with North Korea. Large crowds gathered in European capitals for spectacular fireworks displays that lit up […]
Trump warns Iran after Iraqi protesters storm US embassy in Baghdad
The US flew a rapid response team of Marines into Baghdad to reinforce its embassy on Tuesday after a mob of pro-Iranian demonstrators stormed the compound, setting fires and chanting “Death to America!” Angered by US air strikes that killed two dozen fighters, hundreds of protesters spilled through checkpoints in […]
Here is your horoscope for 1 Jan, 2020
Aries :Some of you may seek solitude today as you may want to recover from a snubbed relationship. You blurted out your feelings too soon to your partner, without waiting to check if they were being reciprocated. You simply assumed that the answer would be yes.The Moon in Pisces today […]