No to death penalty

18th aug 2011 Hindu editorial

·         universal declaration of human rights art 5 calls for ending death penalities

·         why stop?

o   It doesn’t deter crime

o   There is more possibility of someone being punished wrongly and irrevocably

o   No humane method available to execute people

·         Why should it remain?

o   It is only way to provide justice to people affected by heinous crimes

·         Current status

o   UN has passed 3 resolutions so far claling for ending the inhumane practice

o   India, US, China  others continue this rpactice

o   96 countries have abolished it and 34 have put a moratorium

o   India alst executed in 2004. But last eyar courts gave 105 death sentences

·         Conclusion

o   There is no scope for eye for an eye in modern criminal justice system

o   Instead lifetime imprisonment could serve the purpose

Aruna roy's anti corruption measures

1. Scope and Coverage- Lokpal Basket of Measures




5. Public Grievance Redress Lokpal



2. National Anti-Corruption Lokpal

why west is losing its step in arab spring?

• western powers interference has yielded little success
• now battle lines are being drawn for syria with US now calling for removal of Assad
• different interventions
• direct in libya
• envoys in egypt
• mild rebukes in saudi and bahrain
• tunisia
• main control now with army
• elections postpones fmr jul to oct 2011
• egypt
• fought for
• end of militairy rule
• end of tight control on intelligence agency
• political reforms
• many of rulers loyalists still in army postns
• army tight control
• religious conservatives have sidelined liberals
• libya
• 5 months of bombing and yet no results
• pushed into civil war
• key issue
• world thought cause was democracy
• reality is shia-sunni
• tribal rivalry
• separatist movts
• demonstrations by thousands of people doesnt necessarily create +ve chng
• btwn 1970-2000: 100 countries protests for dcrcy; only 20 achvd
• 43% countries that defeated dictator ended up in civil wars
• conclusion
• UNSC must look into the history and take action accordingly

Dollar and its superior status

·         the ratings downgrade of the United States sovereign debt has done nothing to erase the dollar's special position as the numeraire of international transactions

·         However, the downgrade might be the most forceful reminder ever that the dollar's special status might be lost at some point in time.

·          the downgrade is attributed to “the political discourse that has diminished the credit standing of the U.S.”

·          even as the stock markets across the world turned extremely volatile, investors sought the sanctuary of U.S. government treasury instruments.

·         treasuries are still considered a haven

·         studies have shown that in times of great global uncertainty the demand for U.S. treasury instruments goes up. This has enabled the U.S. to lower its cost of debt.

·         Governments around the world continue to keep a large part of their reserves in dollars.

·         According to the IMF, the dollar's share of global reserves was as high as 60 per cent as followed by the euro (26.6 per cent).

·         The dollar is therefore unlikely to lose its safe-haven status any time soon.

Leadership Mind Map

Tackling oil spills

12th aug Hindu editorial

·         It requires coordinated efforts between coast guard, SPCBs

·         Coast guard is designated agency under national oil spill disaster contingency pklan

·         Considering the growing shipping in and around India, CG needs to augment its capabilities

·         National ports must be equipped with necesssary infra to handle oil spills

·         SPCBs must be strengthened with physicala nd human resources and made accountable for minimising impact fo oil spills on beaches

·         Government must sign up international protocols on compensation and civil liability like

Convention on hazardus and noxious substances which will enable payment of compensation for economic losses arising form oil spill

PDS leakages

• 54% diverted
• least TN-7%
• BH,JH,OR,RJ-85-95%
• solution
• make people aware of their entitlements