Across the world's largest cities, WRI estimates the longest heatwave each year could last 16.3 days on average under a 1.5°C scenario, but 24.5 days at 3°C
world9 hours ago
India's cabinet has accepted a recommendation to hold simultaneous elections to state assemblies and the national parliament, the information minister said on Wednesday, a move pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to improve governance.
A government-appointed panel had recommended in March that simultaneous elections in the world's most populous country will help increase transparency, but the move is contentious and will have to be approved by parliament.
Simultaneous election will strengthen democracy, minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters, adding that the plan is supported by a large section of India's young population.
The government will build consensus and take all legal aspects into consideration before moving forward, he said.
Simultaneous elections used to be the norm in India, but the cycle was disrupted decades ago, resulting in the current staggered system which sees on average five or six state polls being held either at the same time or separately every year.
Frequent election campaigns take politicians away from governance, raise electioneering expenses and also pause new policies and programmes from being announced due to an election code, Modi and his government say, and have been pushing what is called the 'One Nation, One Election' plan.
The nine-member government panel, appointed by Modi's government last year, also said it found that real GDP growth was higher when simultaneous polls were held, compared to a decrease when they were not.
Those opposed to the idea, including some prominent opposition parties, say it violates India's federal politics.
Across the world's largest cities, WRI estimates the longest heatwave each year could last 16.3 days on average under a 1.5°C scenario, but 24.5 days at 3°C
world9 hours ago
The move aims at taming record immigration levels that pushed country's population past 41 million earlier this year
world9 hours ago
Wickremesinghe, Premadasa, and Dissanayake are the main contenders for the post
world10 hours ago
His visit to Cairo aimed to salvage stalled negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to end the conflict
world1 day ago
Hundreds of pagers belonging to the armed group exploded in Lebanon on Tuesday, killed 12 people, including two children, and wounded up to 2,800 others
world1 day ago
Over a week ago, India had reported its first case in a man who had arrived from western Africa in Delhi
world1 day ago
Government faces challenge of accelerating IMF reforms
world1 day ago
Thailand reported three more deaths on Wednesday, taking the toll in the kingdom to 18, with a total of 537 fatalities now confirmed across the region
world1 day ago