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The Asia Pacific region has emerged as a global epicentre for trade and economy, politics and diplomacy and has thus raised concerns for security. Recognising its importance, super power the United States, has termed the region as “pivot” and has expressed its intention to “rebalance” in this theatre. The emerging power, China too has made substantial forays. Now it is the turn for India as another emerging economy to play its role in the region.

BHOPAL: On November 29, 2014, Shivraj Singh Chauhan has entered tenth year as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Such a long tenure for a Chief Minister itself is a record in Madhya Pradesh. Only Digvijay Singh has the distinction of completing a decade as the Chief Minister. Leave aside ten years, only two Chief Ministers remained in office for the full five year term. They were Dr. K.N. Katju who was made Chief Minister by Jawaharlal Nehru after the sudden death of Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla in 1956. Shukla was the first Chief Minister of the new Madhya Pradesh. He could complete only two months and died in Delhi after severe heart attack. The second leader, who could complete five years, was Arjun Singh. Barring these two, no other Chief Minister could complete five year term. Chauhan is the fifth BJP leader who reached the top post.

As a sequel to an information from the office of Attorney General in Switzerland to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), London (U.K.) late in 2013 that Alstom Transport India, a British subsidiary of the French multi national train and turbine giant M/s Alstom Infrastructure, paid bribery to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) of Rs. 30 crore over a period of six years from August 2000 to 9th August 2006, when E.Sreedharan was Managing Director of DMRC, and investigation into that bribery by the SFO, the U.K. financial watchdog, has charged the ex MD of the Alstom Transport India, Robert Hallet for his alleged culpability in the alleged bribery to unknown officials of DMRC as inducements or rewards for favour to Alstom Group for award of a contract with the DMRC for Train Control, Signalling and Telecommunications System.

BHOPAL: At around midnight on December 2, 1984, during routine maintenance at the pesticide-manufacturing plant of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) plant at Bhopal, water gushed into one of the storage tanks due to leaking valves and rusting pipes, triggering a chemical reaction in the tank number E-610, filled with 60 tonnes of lethal Methyl Iso-Cyanate or MIC. The TLV (The Threshold Limit Value of a chemical substance is a level to which a worker can be exposed to it day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects) of MIC is 0.02 ppm (parts per million).

Heavy polling—over 71 per cent—in the first phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir is certain to continue in the remaining four phases. It means, people are fed up with terrorism and days of militancy in the strife-torn state are numbered. It is also a strong rebuff to separatists who had called for boycott of the poll. People of Kashmir and residents of Jammu, as if, mocked militants as they lined up in thousands outside polling booths, declaring support to democracy. Militants too, on their part, have realized the futility of their struggle and began bidding ‘farewell to arms’. This was evident from so many former militants jumping in the electoral fray; many of whom may get elected. Strong resentment against abrogation of article 370, which confers special status on J&K, was evident in first round, particularly in the valley. On its part, the BJP has tried to be soft on Article 370 and fielded over 40 per cent Muslim candidates.

NEW DELHI: Burgeoning population today is an asset for a democratic country like India, and not a liability. World’s eminent auditor and evaluator, PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) recent observation that India could grow by 9% to a $10 trillion economy in two decades from now, gives two ideas of demographic advantage that India has got.. One, its people have to build up a vibrant system of economy and development, and, two, their potentials have to be harnessed to the fullest capacities.

India has decided to build 558 roads totaling 27,986 km by 2030 at a cost of over Rs 50,000 crore along the borders with China and Pakistan. India stands justified in building these roads on land under its possession. It is not making any construction on land illegally occupied by China or Pakistan.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When misfortune strikes, it does so in droves. Ask the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government ruling Kerala. It will vouch for the veracity of this saying.

Elections to West Bengal Assembly are scheduled for 2016 but preparations have already begun with the political parties positioning themselves already. How else can you explain the present open fight between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress in Parliament and outside? The BJP chief Amit Shah made the fact that West Bengal is on the horizon of the BJP clear when he took over.

A stormy start to Parliament's winter session already seems to underline the 'exciting times ahead' that the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley himself presages, though in a positive sense, for 'the whole set of second generation reforms' he intends to unleash in February next in the Union Budget for 2015-16.