Author: Lakshmi Sundari

Comprehensive sexuality education is an evidence- and rights-based approach to healthy decision-making. India needs to impart it in its schools now more than ever to move beyond the birds and the bees. It’s no surprise that sex is taboo in India, and it’s visible in how we approach the subject from a young age or when we first learn about it. Sex is a term we can’t say out loud, and it’s a topic that’s often met with an embarrassing “Ahem!” or “Shush!” that makes us look around to make sure no one heard us. Ironically, the same topic that…

The U.S. based Private equity firm Advent International will acquire a majority stake in Indian consumer electronics brand Eureka Forbes for an enterprise valuation of ₹4,400 crores ($597 million), its parent Shapoorji Pallonji Group said on Sunday. With a consumer base of 20 million and tracks in 450 cities and towns, Eureka Forbes Ltd has built a multi-channel network to be a household name in the vacuum cleaner and water purifier segments. In addition, it has an international trace in 53 countries. Eureka Forbes: Eureka Forbes (EFL) was founded in 1931, although its parent company, Forbes & Company, dates back…

In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, elite gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols, and Aly Raisman of U.S.A. gave an emotional narrative of F.B.I. errors in the investigation of former national team doctor Larry Nassar. The four women- Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols, and Aly Raisma- who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday have been referred to by initials or numbers in a plethora of reports and documents for years: “Athlete B,” “Gymnast 1,” “Athlete A,” “Gymnast 3.” The testimony gave a relentless story of how the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S.A. Gymnastics…

According to Lancet review, even for the delta variant, the vaccination effectiveness against severe COVID-19 is so high that third doses for the general population are not acceptable at this stage in the pandemic. A Lancet Viewpoint article on the argument for and against COVID-19 vaccine boosters, co-authored by a global team of leading COVID-19 scientists, was issued on Monday. While the idea of enhancing immunity in vaccinated people to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases caused by the highly transmissible delta variant is appealing, the authors of the opinion piece emphasise that any decision should be evidence-based and weigh…

Jet Airways will restart its domestic flights in the first quarter of 2022. For the unversed, the airline has ceased its operations from April 2019. Once India’s largest private carrier, Naresh Goyal’s Jet Airways ceased operations on April 17, 2019, due to financial disaster and underwent a resolution process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) for over two years. According to the cash-strapped airline, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had approved a resolution plan proposed by a consortium of London-based Kalrock Capital and UAE-based businessman Murari Lal Jalan in June. The bankruptcy court’s permission came several months after the…

Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has completed building end-to-end encrypted backups and will soon begin rolling out this extra layer of privacy and security protection to users. The extra layer of privacy: WhatsApp has released a big privacy update, which includes the addition of end-to-end encryption to chat backups. In recent months, one of the most provocative topics between WhatsApp and the Indian government has been using end-to-end encryption technology by WhatsApp to ensure that messages between two parties can be read-only by them. The capacity to track messages, according to WhatsApp, would involve breaking end-to-end encryption of chats, jeopardising the…

If you’re a person (or a family) who struggles to strike a balance between home and work, Sparking Joy might be just what you need. Marie Kondo’s famous Kon Mari method is brought to the television once more in the reality series. Saving Businesses Marie Kondo, the organising guru, returns in “Sparking Joy” to take her KonMari approach beyond people’s homes. She works with businesses, organisations, and relationships that have suffered from a lack of organising abilities. The three-episode first season has Kondo restructuring a garden centre operated by a father and son, cleaning up a cafe owner’s home office,…

The nation has been stunned by the alleged murder of a 21-year-old civil defence worker in Faridabad. The family of the deceased woman claims conspiracy and demands a CBI probe in the matter. Twitter has been buzzing with requests for equity. Last month, a 21-year-old defence officer was kidnapped at Lajpat Nagar and stabbed to death. The culprit, identified as Nizamuddin, claiming to be her husband, surrendered to the police station at Kalindi Kunj. The woman’s family suspects foul play and has asked for a CBI probe. The case history On August 26, the civil defence staffer of the Lajpat Nagar…

On Monday, the apex court dismissed a writ petition seeking orders to reschedule the NEET-UG 2021 exam. The exam will continue on September 12 as scheduled. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2021 for admission to undergraduate medical institutions will be held on September 12 (Sunday). After the Supreme Court (SC) dismissed a group of students’ request to postpone the exam. The SC stated that it does not want to meddle with the process and that rescheduling it would be “very unfair.” The petitioners, however, will be free to make a representation to the authorities, addressing their grievances, according…

Mukesh Ambani, India’s most prosperous promoter and billionaire, has seen his net worth steadily climb as the share price of Reliance Industries has risen (RIL). The value of Ambani’s family share in RIL crossed the $100 billion barriers, putting him in the exclusive billionaire club. Entry To the Elite Club According to data collected by Bloomberg’s, Ambani’s current net worth is $92.6 billion. So far, in 2021, the country’s wealthiest individual has added nearly $15 billion to his wealth, bolstered by a recent increase in Reliance Industries shares. Ambani is now ranked 12th on Forbes’ list of the wealthiest men,…