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IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
DA backs down on no-confidence motion against Ramaphosa amid tensions
DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille says her party will abandon tabling the motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa "for now". Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers The (DA) has reversed its decision to pursue a motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa, amid ongoing tensions between the party and the ANC. DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille confirmed on Tuesday that her party would not be proceeding with the motion "for now", but emphasised that they would not be bullied by the ANC within the Government of National Unity (GNU). Experts have viewed the move by the DA leader as "grandstanding" and "seeking attention" because the party knows that they can't afford to leave the GNU. The DA and the ANC have been at loggerheads since the axing of Trade and Industry deputy minister Andrew Whitfield last week, resulting in the DA announcing that it would be withdrawing from the National Dialogue. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The party has since accused Ramaphosa of double standards, saying that he condoned corruption after he became mum following the DA's calls to fire Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane. Nkabane is embroiled in the appointment of boards for Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). Political analysts have weighed the situation, with some suggesting that the DA is grandstanding with their threats. Professor Sipho Seepe said that the DA is grandstanding and that the market would quickly self-correct if the rand were to crash. "The DA likes grandstanding. Yes, the rand may crash, but the market will quickly self-correct. "Having said this, the ANC is unlikely to kick the DA out of the GNU. The GNU is big business. The very big business had funded Ramaphosa's presidency. Ramaphosa is unlikely to bite the hand that feeds him," Seepe said. He said the DA hated the idea of the ANC, EFF, and the MK Party government so much that it would rather stick it out. "Besides, the decision to walk out of the GNU will be dictated by big business, not Helen Zille…The same applies to the idea of tabling the motion of no confidence… Such a step would leave the ANC with no option but to kick the DA out of this marriage of inconvenience. It is a gamble that many in the DA would frown upon," Seepe said. Another analyst, Sandile Swana, said Zille's reasons for staying in the GNU were arbitrary and not scientifically grounded. "The DA has not been able to grow the economy by more than 2% in the Western Cape. They have lingered around 2% but it was required to grow at 5.4%. The DA has governed the Western Cape and Cape Town for some time. There is increased unemployment in the province and the metro, more than in any other province in the country. "The DA and big business are using the GNU to prevent the MKP and the EFF from being part of the government," Swana said. He said if an opportunity would present itself, the EFF would take up a place in the GNU and continue working with Ramaphosa as they did not agree that Ramaphosa handled the Phala Phala matter correctly. Zille said that while the DA has the numbers to potentially outvote the president, they would instead take intermediate steps to address their concerns. "The president can fire us from the GNU, and there are many people from the ANC wishing that he would fire us. But here is the thing, if he fires us the rand will crash, the economy will go into a tailspin, investors will withdraw, unemployment will increase, and we will probably be pushed out of AGOA and tariffs will go up." Zille, however, said that it did not mean that her party would be bullied by the ANC within the GNU and that they had a plan if Ramaphosa booted out the DA from the GNU.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: Union Carbide Toxic Waste, Thali Index and Digital Services Tax
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for July 1, 2025. If you missed the June 30, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here ECONOMY 'External spillovers, weather-related events could pose risks to growth' Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment What's the ongoing story: Despite strong domestic growth drivers and macroeconomic fundamentals, external spillovers and weather-related events may pose risks to India's growth, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra warned on Monday. Key Points to Ponder: • RBI Issues June 2025 Monetary Policy Update-what are the key highlights? • 'External spillovers and weather-related events may pose risks to India's growth'-what have you understand by the given statement? • How external spillovers and weather-related events may pose risks to India's growth and in what way? • What are the examples of an external spillover? • What is real gross domestic product (GDP)? • What is nominal gross domestic product (GDP)? • What is Monetary Policy Framework? • The latest monetary policy review was significant for a variety of reasons-Why? • What are the steps taken by RBI to control inflation? • What is Monetary policy? • What is the primary objective of the monetary policy? • There are two aspects to any monetary policy-What are they? • The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is a Statutory Body-True or False? • Under Section 45ZB of the amended (in 2016) RBI Act, 1934, the central government is empowered to constitute a six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)- What is the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)? • What is the composition of Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)? • Know about these terms-Bank Rate, Reverse Repo Rate, Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF), Marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) etc. • New Standard for Measuring Inflation in India and Old Standard for Measuring Inflation-Key Differences Key Takeaways: • The RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra however, said that the outlook for inflation remains benign, with consumer price inflation (CPI) aligning to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) target of 4 per cent with a band of +/-2 per cent. • '…the Indian economy remains a key driver of global growth. Growth momentum is buoyed by strong domestic growth drivers, sound macroeconomic fundamentals and prudent policies. Nonetheless, external spillovers and weather-related events could pose downside risks to growth,' Malhotra wrote in the foreword of the Financial Stability Report (FSR) for June 2025. • The RBI has projected real gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 6.5 per cent for FY2026. • While announcing the June policy, Malhotra said that the growth remains lower than the RBI's aspirations amidst a challenging global environment and heightened uncertainty. • The announcement of large tariffs by the US administration in April has set in motion a new paradigm in trade and economic policy, Malhotra said, adding that geopolitical risks remain elevated. • 'The ensuing policy uncertainty and unpredictability will influence global growth. International agencies, including the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation) and the World Bank, have revised growth downwards,' the RBI Governor wrote in the half-yearly FSR. Do You Know: • Headline inflation, as measured by year-on-year changes in the all-India consumer price index (CPI), moderated to 2.8 per cent in May 2025 (the lowest since February 2019) from 3.2 per cent in April. • The government has mandated the MPC to maintain consumer price index (CPI) inflation at 4 per cent within a band of +/- 2 per cent. • In any economy, the main role of the central bank is to maintain price stability. In other words, the primary goal is to contain inflation. The inflation rate for any period (month, quarter or year) is the rate at which the general price level has gone up. If the overall price level — typically calculated by an index (such as the Consumer Price Index) that has the prices of different commodities — in a particular month is 5% more than what it was in the same month last year, then inflation rate is said to be 5%. The targeted level of inflation varies from one country to another. In the US, this target is 2%. In India, the law demands RBI to target 4%. But apart from the exact target, the law also provides a comfort zone — 2% to 6% — within which the inflation can stray. These numbers are decided based on research that suggests the ideal rate of inflation most conducive to sustained economic growth. • Monetary policy essentially deals with the supply and cost (interest rates) of money in an economy. The RBI's MPC meets every two months to assess the state of monetary activities, and may tweak the repo rate — the interest rate at which the RBI lends to commercial banks — in a manner that reduces price fluctuations in the economy while keeping the inflation rate (the rate at which the general price level in the economy grows) at a reasonable level. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍RBI Issues June 2025 Monetary Policy Update Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments. (2019) FRONT PAGE Weighing 337 tonnes, Union Carbide waste incinerated, residue burial in landfill cells Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: The entire 337 tonnes of waste from the now-defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal has been incinerated, officials said on Monday. Key Points to Ponder: • The 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy-know in detail • The 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy was caused by the leak of which gas? • What are the environmental and public health concerns associated with the long-pending disposal of Union Carbide toxic waste? • What lessons does the Bhopal Gas Tragedy offer regarding industrial safety and chemical disaster preparedness in India? • What are the institutional framework for handling hazardous and legacy industrial waste in India? • What are the challenges in transporting and incinerating toxic waste, especially in densely populated or ecologically sensitive areas? Key Takeaways: • Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation director Swatantra Kumar Singh told The Indian Express, 'The pollution board officials have informed us that all the waste has been disposed of as per protocol.' • More than 40 years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, the process of relocating the toxic waste from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory began on January 1, when 12 containers carrying 337 metric tonnes of hazardous waste left for a private disposal plant in Pithampur run by the firm Re Sustainability. • This came after the Madhya Pradesh High Court on December 3 set a four-week deadline for the authorities to dispose of the waste. On December 5, the HC pulled up the state government over the lack of progress, observing that the authorities were 'still in a state of inertia despite 40 years' having gone by. • While 30 tonnes of waste had been incinerated until March 13, the process of burning the rest at the disposal plant began around 7:45 pm on May 5 and ended on the intervening night of June 29-30 at 1 am, officials said. • As per protocol, the ash and other residue left after burning the waste were safely packed in sacks and stored in a leak-proof shed at the plant. • Special landfill cells were being constructed to bury the residue in the ground, and this work is expected to be completed by November. 'The entire disposal was carried out as per established safety standards. The emission of different gases and particles from the Pithampur plant was monitored on a real-time basis by an online mechanism, and all the emissions were found to be within the standard limits,' said a state pollution control board officer. • Protests against the disposal of toxic waste had broken out in Pithampur at the beginning of this year, with two men also attempting to self-immolate. The Indore district officials had assured locals in multiple meetings about the safety standards and the need to carry out the disposal due to court orders. Do You Know: • The operation was set in motion when the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed 'immediate clean-up of the Union Carbide factory site' and 'safe disposal of the entire toxic waste/material from the area concerned'. • The waste consists of different categories: 162 MT of excavated contaminated soil; 92 MT of naphthol and carbaryl, also known as Sevin insecticide; 54 MT of semi processed pesticide waste; and 29 MT of residue from the plant's reactor. 'All the waste is in solid form. This waste is largely linked to the manufacturing process, raw material dumps and what was in the reactors,' said a government scientist who was part of the monitoring team at the plant. • The jumbo bags in which the hazardous waste was repacked were then weighed and labelled as per the Hazardous Waste Management Rules. • The Bhopal disaster, also known as the Bhopal gas tragedy, was a chemical accident that occurred at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide facility in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, during the night of December 2-3, 1984. The industrial disaster is regarded as the worst in history. • Union Carbide (India) Ltd. (UCIL) was a subsidiary of the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), a US corporation. The UCIL pesticide manufacturing factory was located on the outskirts of Bhopal. On December 2, highly toxic MIC gas escaped the plant. People living in nearby areas reported a burning sensation in their eyes and difficulties in breathing, with many also losing consciousness. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Bhopal Gas Tragedy after 38 years: Why the govt is demanding compensation now Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. (2018) PM heading to BRICS, declaration on terror to factor in Pahalgam Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. What's the ongoing story: At a time when Delhi is reaching out to leaders of the Global South and the BRICS grouping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting five nations in Africa and South America from July 2 to 9. Key Points to Ponder: • BRICS-Know in detail • Evolution of BRICS-Know in Detail • Evolution of BRICS from Russia-China (RC) to Russia-India-China (RIC) to Brazil- Russia-India-China (BRIC) to Brazil-Russia-India-China- South Africa (BRICS) to BRICS 2.0 • What is the Fortaleza Declaration? • Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Economy-Key Features • RIC (Russia-India-China) out of BRICS-Significance and Stature in World Politics? • Why BRICS Matters? • Is the BRICS alliance no longer relevant and effective? • The geopolitics of BRICS looks quite different today-how? • Map Work-BRICS Countries Key Takeaways: • Modi will be visiting Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia and, in his meetings with the leaders of these countries, will discuss issues ranging from trade to defence, energy to technology, and agriculture to health. • Ahead of the Prime Minister's trip, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, indicated that the BRICS declaration 'language' on terrorism will be 'much to our satisfaction'. • The Prime Minister's visit coincides with that of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to the US for a meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers on July 1. It is also emblematic of India's diplomatic balancing between the West and the non-West groupings at a time of strategic hedging in this period of geopolitical flux. • Jaishankar, who inaugurated an exhibition titled 'The Human Cost of Terrorism' at the United Nations Headquarters in New York Monday, said, 'Terrorism is one of the gravest threats to humanity. It is the antithesis of everything that the UN stands for, human rights norms and how nations should conduct their dealings to each other.' • The exhibition in New York will highlight the devastating toll of heinous terrorist acts around the world, and the steps taken by the international community to combat terrorism. • The Prime Minister, who leaves Wednesday on his tour of five nations, will be attending the summit of the BRICS leaders in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro from July 5 to 7, followed by a State Visit on July 8. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the 17th summit. • On the way to Brazil, Modi will stop over in Ghana on July 2 and 3. From there, he will go to Trinidad & Tobago on July 3-4, Argentina on July 4-5 and then head to Brazil. On his way home, he will stop over in Namibia on July 9. He will return to Delhi on July 10. Do You Know: • In Ghana, economic cooperation will be emphasised, while his visit to Namibia aims to renew economic ties. In Trinidad and Tobago, India will focus on diversifying cooperation in pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and digital infrastructure. • The Prime Minister's visit to Brazil is expected to strengthen trade and explore renewable energy and agricultural research. The visit to Argentina will enhance cooperation in defence, manufacturing and healthcare. Officials said this will be the Prime Minister's 'first ever bilateral visit to Ghana'. It will also be the first visit to Ghana by an Indian Prime Ministerial after three decades. • Modi will hold talks with Ghana President John Mahama to review the strong bilateral partnership and discuss further avenues to enhance it through economic, energy and defence collaboration, and development cooperation partnership. This visit will reaffirm the shared commitment of the two countries to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen India's engagement with the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and the African Union. • His visit to Trinidad & Tobago, at the invitation of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, will be his first visit to the country as Prime Minister and the first bilateral visit by a PM since 1999. • He will hold talks with the President of Trinidad & Tobago, Christine Carla Kangaloo, and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and discuss further strengthening of the bilateral relationship. He is also expected to address a joint session of the country's Parliament, officials said. In Argentina, he will hold talks with President Javier Milei, review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to further enhance the bilateral partnership in key areas including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. • In Brazil, Modi will attend the 17th BRICS Summit and follow it with a State Visit at the invitation of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. This will be Modi's fourth visit to Brazil. • In Namibia, the final leg of his visit at the invitation of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Modi will hold bilateral talks and also pay homage to the Founding Father and first President of Namibia, Late Dr Sam Nujoma. He is also expected to deliver an address in the Parliament of Namibia. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍India's outreach to the Global South Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍Compare the significance of IBSA and BRICS in the context of India's multilateral diplomacy. (UPSC CSE GS2, 2012) THE IDEAS PAGE The thali index Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to poverty and hunger. What's the ongoing story: Pulapre Balakrishnan and Aman Raj writes: In 2023-24, upto 40 per cent of rural population and 10 per cent of urban population could not afford two thalis a day, indicating that levels of food deprivation are much higher than implied by poverty estimates Key Points to Ponder: • What are the limitations of using calorie intake as the sole measure of poverty? • What is the Thali Index? • How thali index can better reflect the ground reality of food affordability and poverty in India? • How food inflation disproportionately affects the poor and the implications for poverty measurement? • Know the shift from calorie-based poverty measures to expenditure-based and multidimensional measures in India. • How can region-specific thali index data help policymakers address inequality and ensure nutritional security? Key Takeaways: Pulapre Balakrishnan and Aman Raj writes: • The publication of the survey of household consumption expenditure for 2023-24 by the National Statistics Office in January 2025 has been followed by a flurry of estimates of poverty in India. • Of these, two have received the most attention. The first off the block was a report from SBI in January, which was followed by one from the World Bank. They report more or less similar findings. • The former flags 'a remarkable decline in rural poverty, estimated at 4.86 per cent in FY24… urban poverty estimated at 4.09 per cent'. The World Bank's report is far more optimistic, pegging 'extreme poverty' at 2.8 per cent for rural India and 1.1 per cent for urban India in 2022-23. If poverty in India is what these estimates show, it would be a matter for rejoicing, as it would have been virtually eradicated. • These estimates of poverty have brought forth many responses. The Narendra Modi government's votaries have been quick to claim that the outcome reflects the success of its policies. Critics have focused on the non-comparability of the latest consumption data with those for 2011-12 as the survey methods have undergone change since. Both neglect the issue of the standard of living in India, and whether the extant methodology of poverty measurement underlying these estimates can lead to anything at all being said on the matter. • Given the centrality of the thali in Indian life, it would be appropriate to treat it as the metric by which to measure the standard of living. This implies measuring the standard of living in terms of food, but then we believe that the level of food consumption should be treated as its most important constituent. • The price of a thali at Rs 30 was taken from the rating agency Crisil, which calculates the cost of a home-cooked thali using data on the cost of its ingredients sourced from the east, west, north and south of India. The value of food consumption per capita given in the consumption survey for 2023-24 was expanded to include items purchased from the public distribution system and items received free as part of social welfare programmes. Do You Know: Pulapre Balakrishnan and Aman Raj writes: • Officially approved poverty measurement in India has involved estimating the level of consumption expenditure sufficient to enable the minimum calorie intake necessary for living and working. As calories measure the energy ingested through food and drink, the methodology represents a physiological approach. • In urban India, up to 10 per cent of the population could not afford two thalis a day. These findings indicate that levels of food deprivation are much higher than what are implied by the poverty estimates using the same data, which we recounted at the outset. • A possible reason for the difference between our estimate of the standard of living and the poverty estimates from the SBI and the World Bank is that we take the expenditure on food as opposed to total consumption expenditure as the relevant measure of consumption. The reasoning was as follows. There are five items of essential expenditure – housing, conveyance, telephony, health and education – that a household cannot forgo if it is to ensure its livelihood. Now, expenditure on food ends up as the residual. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Counting India's poor: Numbers suggest the need for a welfare state Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍Though there have been several different estimates of poverty in India, all indicate reduction in poverty levels over time. Do you agree? Critically examine with reference to urban and rural poverty indicators. (2015) EXPLAINED India's secular Constitution, even without the word Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. What's the ongoing story: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Saturday called the Emergency-era addition of expressions 'socialist' and 'secular' to the Constitution's Preamble a 'sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatan'. Leaders such as Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and RSS general secretary Dattareya Hosabale have echoed the VP's critique in recent days. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the Preamble of the Constitution? • How did the words 'socialist' and 'secular' come in the Preamble? • What about the word 'secular'? • Wasn't secularism already an integral part of the Constitution even before the 42nd Amendment? • Has this issue been discussed earlier too? • How else has the preamble been debated earlier? • Under what circumstances was the preamble amended? • Were 'secular' and 'socialist' debated before Independence? • How is western concept of secularism different from the Indian concept? • Read about the fundamental duties and Directive Principles of State Policy provided in the Indian Constitution. • What is the doctrine of basic structure? • What were Kesavananda Bharati (1973) and Minerva Mills v Union of India (1980) ruling? Key Takeaways: • The words 'socialist' and 'secular' were added to the Preamble through the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act of 1976, which made wholesale changes to India's founding document. While the Janata government reversed most of these changes through the 44th Amendment in 1978, the Preamble was left untouched. • The Preamble is a vision statement to the Constitution, or as the Supreme Court described in its 1961 ruling in In Re: The Berubari Union, 'a key to open the mind of the makers' of the Constitution. • In 1950, when the Constitution was adopted, the Preamble read: 'We, the People Of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Democratic Republic' that would secure to all its citizens 'Justice… Equality… Liberty… and Fraternity'. • The 42nd Amendment in 1976 changed this to '…Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic…' and added the expression 'integrity' to the description of fraternity as a right, which now reads 'assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation…'. • These were just a few of a whole host of changes made by the 42nd Amendment, which introduced the chapter on Fundamental Duties, added new Directive Principles on State Policy, diluted powers of judicial review, and froze delimitation. • With Indira Gandhi taking an explicit leftward turn — she nationalised banks in 1969, abolished privy purses in 1971, and romped to victory in Lok Sabha polls later that year with 'Garibi Hatao' ('End Poverty') as her campaign slogan — the inclusion of 'socialist' was to indicate the Constitution's alignment with the Prime Minister's economic roadmap. Do You Know: • The words 'socialist' and 'secular' from the preamble of the Indian Constitution. The two terms were inserted into the preamble as part of the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution in 1976 during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. • Secularism is a theme that permeates through the Constitution in several other provisions. For instance, secularism is a key facet of the right to equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution. Article 15 explicitly prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. Article 16 guarantees equality of opportunity in matters of public employment. • These rights against the state make the Constitution inherently secular. This view has repeatedly been emphasised by the Supreme Court. Even before the 42nd amendment altered the Preamble, a 13-judge bench in the landmark 1973 Kesavananda Bharati ruling held that secularism is a basic feature of the Constitution that cannot be done away with. • In the 1994 Bommai ruling, that dealt with Centre-State relations, the SC again upheld secularism as a basic feature of the Constitution. • In another landmark ruling in 1980, Minerva Mills v Union of India, which also debated more constitutional amendments made during the Emergency, the Court recognised 'socialism' was a constitutional ideal for the framers. It cited Part IV of the Constitution, which deals with Directive Principles of State Policy, a non-enforceable policy outline for the state that has several socialist ideas. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | 50 Years of Emergency: From causes to constitutional implications Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍How is the Indian concept of secularism different from the western model of secularism? Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2016) WHY CANADA MADE A U-TURN ON ITS CONTENTIOUS DIGITAL SERVICES TAX Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests What's the ongoing story: In a bid to restart stalled trade negotiations with the United States, Canada scrapped its Digital Services Tax (DST) hours before it was due to take effect on Monday. Key Points to Ponder: • What was the DST? • Why did Canada consider imposing a Digital Services Tax? • What does Canada's U-turn mean? • Know the conflict between unilateral digital taxes like Canada's DST and multilateral frameworks such as OECD's global tax deal. • What are the main challenges of taxing digital services in a globalized economy? • Compare and contrast India's Equalisation Levy and Canada's DST proposal in terms of scope, intent, and global reception. Key Takeaways: • Calling the DST 'a direct and blatant attack' on the US, President Donald Trump had on Friday announced the termination of all trade discussions with Canada. With the contentious tax out of the way, talks between Washington and Ottawa will likely resume. • The DST was a 3% levy on the digital services revenue a firm made from Canadian users above $20 million in a calendar year. Controversially, the tax was set to be retroactively implemented beginning 2022. • This would have had a significant impact on American technology giants such as Google, Meta, Apple, and Amazon — American tech companies would have had to pay roughly $2.7 billion to the Canadian government, if the tax were to be implemented, The New York Times had reported. • 'The DST was announced in 2020 to address the fact that many large technology companies operating in Canada may not otherwise pay tax on revenues generated from Canadians…,' Canada's finance ministry said in its statement. Do You Know: • Canada is the United States' second-largest trading partner after Mexico, and the largest buyer of US exports. It bought $349.4 billion of US goods and exported $412.7 billion to the US last year, according to US Census Bureau data. • At the same time, it currently faces the steepest of Trump's tariffs: apart from the 10% base tariff imposed on most countries, Canada (and Mexico) face an additional 25% on all exports to the US, apparently meant to curb illegal immigration and stop fentanyl smuggling. Trump has also slapped 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and 25% on auto imports. • This makes getting a trade deal with the US a top priority for Canada. Scrapping the DST would help in this regard — Trump had been among its most vehement critics. Early indications are that Washington and Ottawa could meet the previously-set July 21 deadline for a trade agreement. • Domestically, the U-turn is unlikely to hurt Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, despite his election platform revolving around standing up to the US President. This is because the DST was not particularly popular in Canada either since it could have raised the cost of all kinds of digital services — from hailing cab rides to streaming movies. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Canada scraps proposed levy amid Trump's threat to terminate trade talks: The Digital Services Tax row, explained For any queries and feedback, contact Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
Egypt Independent
4 days ago
- General
- Egypt Independent
Photos: Three Old Kingdom tombs uncovered in Qubbet al-Hawa necropolis
An Egyptian archaeological mission working at the Qubbet al-Hawa necropolis in Aswan uncovered three rock-cut tombs dating back to the Old Kingdom during the current excavation season. The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, confirmed that preliminary results indicate that some of these tombs were reused during the Middle Kingdom, signifying the historical continuity of the Qubbet al-Hawa necropolis as a burial site across different eras. He explained the importance of this discovery, in that it sheds light on a critical transitional period between the end of the Old Kingdom and the beginning of the First Intermediate Period. Studies show that some of the tombs excavated during that period were devoid of inscriptions, he noted, but preserved their architectural character and traditional burial rituals, implying limited economic resources at the time. Three ancient tombs The head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Abdel-Badie, revealed further details on the three tombs. The first tomb is devoid of inscriptions and writings and contains an outer courtyard where two false doors, two offering tables, pottery vessels, and poorly preserved coffins were found, in addition to skeletal remains. Inside the courtyard, the mission found a burial shaft containing dilapidated wooden coffins containing skeletons and pottery vessels, several of which bear inscriptions dating back to the Old Kingdom. The second tomb is located to the west of the first tomb, also devoid of inscriptions. Two offering tables and pottery vessels dating back to the Middle Kingdom were found inside. Its architectural design suggests that it dates back to the end of the Old Kingdom or the beginning of the First Intermediate Period, and was reused again in the Middle Kingdom. The third tomb differs in design from the previous two. It is located west of the Ka-Kem tomb from the New Kingdom. The tomb is devoid of inscriptions. A large quantity of well-preserved pottery was found inside, along with skeletons, some of which belonged to children. Evidence suggests that the tomb dates back to the Old Kingdom. This archaeological discovery confirms the importance of the Qubbet al-Hawa cemetery as one of the most important archaeological sites in southern Egypt and deepens scientific understanding of the chronology, architecture, and burial rituals during the transitional periods of ancient Egyptian history.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Ransomware targets IT firm handling college admissions
1 2 Kolkata: A ransomware attack on the server of a Sector V company handling online college admissions has compromised students' data and disrupted the entrance process for multiple institutes. The attack involved unauthorised access to servers, financial fraud and an extortion bid. According to the complaint, the first breach occurred between June 15 and 16 on a server hosted in Chennai, allowing the accused access to admission databases for Scottish Church College. The accused used fake email addresses to send fraudulent payment instructions to UG candidates, several of whom were reportedly conned into transferring so-called fees to different accounts. "The breach came to our notice after several candidates told us they had received emails, mentioning bank details and asking them to transfer money. We told all candidates neither to share any details nor send money to this account," said Scottish Church College principal Madhumanjari Mandal. "But from Tuesday to Friday morning, those handling the admission process could not access the website. A new server had to bought and admissions were restarted in the afternoon." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Livguard Lithium-X: The Future of Power Backup Livguard Shop Now Undo Surya Shakti Infotech Pvt Ltd director Praveen Kumar Jha lodged a complaint at the Bidhannagar Cybercrime PS, saying the company received "multiple coordinated cyber intrusions" between June 15 and June 25. The breaches targeted servers hosted in Chennai and Dallas, resulting in the students' data theft and deletion of admission database of several institutes, including Scottish Church. The complainant said while emergency security measures were implemented after the first breach, two more attacks followed on June 24 and June 25, targeting servers in both Chennai and Dallas, which deleted admission records of multiple colleges. The company also received an email on June 24 from a ProtonMail ID — — that contained implicit threats and hinted at a ransom demand. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata A senior Bidhannagar City Police officer said, "Hackers reportedly gained unauthorised access to admission data and sent fraudulent emails to applicants, instructing them to transfer money. Several students are believed to have lost money." Bidhannagar Cybercrime Police have registered a case under IT Act and the BNS, 2023.
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
‘Arrogant' Minister Nkabane says sorry to Adv Terry Motau for falsely naming him in SETA panel saga
Higher Education Minister Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane has apologised to Advocate Terry Motau for wrongly naming him as the leader of controversial SETA panel boards. Image: X Higher Education Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane has issued a formal apology to Advocate Terry Motau after wrongly naming him as chair of an 'independent panel' that allegedly helped appoint ANC linked board members to Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). The apology comes after growing pressure on Nkabane and calls in Parliament for a criminal investigation, following reports that the selection process was manipulated to benefit politically connected individuals. IOL News previously reported that Motau was shocked to learn through media reports that he had been named chair of the five-member panel tasked with reviewing nominations for SETA boards. In a leaked letter circulating on social media, Motau firmly denied any involvement. 'I did not assist you or your office in reviewing and assessing the nominations received for the appointment of Accounting Authorities per Sector Education and Training Authorities,' he wrote. 'I did not participate in this process.' Motau further said that he had not met with any panel members, reviewed any documents, or submitted any reports or recommendations. 'You would also know that the upshot of all of this is that you intended to appoint me to chair the committee, which intention never materialised,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading In a statement issued on Monday, Nkabane acknowledged the error and apologised to Motau, saying that her office had written to him on June 23 seeking a 'shared understanding' and expressing regret for the confusion caused. 'The minister conveyed her sincere apology to Advocate Motau for any inconvenience, reputational discomfort, or misunderstanding that may have arisen,' her department said. 'This outreach was undertaken in the spirit of transparency, mutual respect, and professional courtesy.' Nkabane said there was no intention to misrepresent Motau's role or damage his professional standing. She added that the misunderstanding had been resolved and that both parties now share a mutual understanding of the situation. Nkabane also admitted that she had not been fully aware that formal legal engagement was necessary to finalise Motau's role, describing this as a 'gap in communication' that contributed to the oversight. Nkabane has committed to briefing the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education about the matter and outlining the steps taken to clarify Motau's non-involvement. 'She remains accountable to Parliament and is committed to ensuring full transparency and procedural compliance going forward,' the statement read. The controversy has intensified calls from opposition parties for an investigation into Nkabane's conduct. Critics accuse her of misleading Parliament and manipulating the appointment process for political gain. Initially, Nkabane refused to disclose the names of the panel members involved in selecting SETA board chairpersons. Under pressure, her department eventually released the list, which included: Advocate Terry Motau SC (who has denied participating) Asisipho Solani Nelisiwe Semane Mabuza Ngubane Rhulani Ngwenya The scandal follows public backlash in May after Nkabane recommended several politically connected individuals to SETA boards. Among the appointees were Buyambo Mantashe, son of Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe; former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube; KwaZulu-Natal transport head Siboniso Mbhele, and ANC Johannesburg deputy regional secretary Loyiso Masuku. Nkabane's initial refusal to identify who selected the board members raised additional concerns over transparency and political patronage. IOL Politics
