SUNDAY FOCUS

New Delhi:China, the world's largest military, has reduced the size of its 2.3-million People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to just two-million-strong force by decommissioning 3 lakh troops, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced on Monday.

The move came as part of China's goal of making the world’s largest army a mightier force capable of winning modern wars. Premier Li Keqiang made the announcement in his annual work report to the National People’s Congress (NPC).

China also aimed to restructure its command system and refocus its spending on modernising the military and therefore it has announced a defence budget of $175 billion for this year.

New Delhi: If medications aren't easing your pain, you might be interested in finding alternative remedies for relief. Essential oils may be one natural way to relieve pain.

Essential oils are highly fragrant substances found within the petals, stems, roots, and other parts of plants. They’re typically removed from the plant though steam distillation.

The oils resulting from this centuries-old technique may improve physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Each type of oil has its own unique scent and benefits. These oils can be used individually or as blends.

New Delhi: Sea level rise is happening now, and the rate at which it is rising is increasing every year, thanks to ongoing melting of ice sheets in both Antarctica and Greenland; according to a study released in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers led by University of Colorado-Boulder professor of aerospace engineering sciences Steve Nerem, used satellite data dating to 1993 to observe the levels of the world's oceans rather than tide-gauge data that is normally used to measure sea levels allows for more precise estimates of global sea level, since it provides measurements of the open ocean.

New Delhi: As the debate over granting independent religion status for Lingayats grows in the run up to the K’Taka Assembly elections in April-May, legal minds and experts say the Constitution does not permit the government to declare any community as a separate religion.

The Centre, though, can grant minority status to any religion under some Acts. There are two different Acts: National Minorities Commission Section Act, 1992 - Section 2 (3) and National Minorities Education Institutions Act, 2004 - Section 2(F) of the central government that allow it to grant minority status.

The previous UPA government had accorded minority status to Jains in 2014 to enable them to avail social and reservation benefits offered to other religious minorities, like Muslims and Christians.

New Delhi: “Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter,” goes an old African proverb, which is also apt to describe the state of the world’s farmers. Farmers are like the hunted lions that need their side of the story told and their sacrifices, agony, courage and fears to be brought to light. 

Between July and October last year, more than 40 farmers died, leaving more than 1000’s suffering in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region in what were feared to be cases of pesticide poisoning — the pestilence was at its worst in Yavatmal district.