Thursday, 4th July, 2013

HEADLINES

• Cabinet clears food bill ordinance

NATIONAL NEWS

• 40% of global population now online; women catching up
  • While India inches towards 13 per cent Internet penetration with roughly 160 million users, nearly 40 per cent of the global population or 2.7 billion people are already online in 2013, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
  • In the developing world, 31 per cent of the population is online compared to 77 per cent in the developed world. Though these figures represent digital disparity — there is hope as most governments, aided by technological developments, have placed broadband penetration on the top of their developmental agenda. Mobile broadband is expected to dominate the choice of technology.
  • According to the ITU, a U.N. agency, Europe is the region with the highest Internet penetration rate, where at 75 per cent or nearly three out of every four Europeans have access to the Internet
  • The United States, with 61 per cent penetration, stands the second highest amongst regions (see graphic). Africa has nearly 16 per cent of its citizens using the Net — only half the penetration rate of Asia-Pacific, where one out of every three citizens has access to the Internet.
  • Europe and Africa are the regions with the highest and lowest household Internet penetrations respectively. About 77 per cent homes in Europe compare with an extreme low of 7 per cent in Africa.

• Monsoon patrolling to be launched in Bandiput tiger reserve
  • Monsoon patrolling will be introduced at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve from July 15 to deter poachers who tend to be active in the rainy season.
  • Patrolling squads will be deployed along 13 select anti-poaching camps spread over different ranges and each squad will have five armed personnel.

• Indian ocean countries meet to focus on trade ties
  • Countries of the Indian Ocean region will come together on Thursday in picturesque Mauritius for their first-ever meeting aimed at exploring possibilities for trade and economic cooperation
  • Minister for Commerce and Industries Anand Sharma will lead the Indian delegation at the Economic and Business Conference of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IORARC).
  • “The IORARC has huge untapped economic potential which can be effectively implemented through trade and commerce for economic development of the Indian Ocean region
  • The IORARC boasts 20 members, of which India and Australia have the largest economies. The region represents one-third of the world’s population, and the world has huge stakes in its combined economy
  • Through it pass some of the most important energy transport routes from West Asia to South-East and East Asia and securing these routes has become a global priority. In recent years, the United States, Britain, France, China, Japan and Egypt have become “dialogue partners” of the IORARC.
  • Within the IORARC too, there is increased competition for the resources of the Indian Ocean, as well as realisation of the urgency of joining hands to protect these resources. Climate change and its impact on the ocean is also an issue which is bringing the IORARC members closer.

OPINION/EDITORIALS

• Article on America's crisis of voting rights
• Article on the tragedy of Uttrakand
• Another Article on the tragedy of uttrakand
• Article on having talks with maoists
• Editorial on Marakesh treaty
• Editorial on the Australian prime ministerial competition