Editorial : Sealed disclosure: SC order on electoral bonds

The Supreme Court order will not alter the influence of electoral bonds on polls
The Supreme Court’s interim order asking political parties to disclose(खुलासा ), to the Election Commission in sealed covers, details of the donations(दान/चंदा) they have received through anonymous(अज्ञातकृत/नामरहित) electoral(चुनावी ) bonds is an inadequate(अपर्याप्त/न्यून) and belated response(प्रतिक्रिया ) to the serious concerns(चिंताओं) raised about the opaque(अपारदर्शी ) scheme.

Editorial : Closed road: Udhampur-Baramulla highway ban

The ban on civilian traffic on the Udhampur-Baramulla highway must be rescinded
The ban on civilian traffic(नागरिक यातायात ) for two days a week on the 271-km stretch(विस्तार/फैलाना) of National Highway 44 between Udhampur in Jammu and Baramulla in Kashmir, which came into force on April 7, is an ill-advised (मूर्ख/अविचारी)move.

Editorial : Rafale rebuff

Supreme Court’s decision exposes attempts to de-legitimise investigative journalism
The Supreme Court’s decision to consider(विचार करने) the relevance(प्रस्तुतता/प्रासंगिकता) of the documents published in the media on the Rafale deal is a firm and necessary rebuff to the Central government’s attempts(प्रयास) to prevent(रोकें) judicial examination of these papers and to de-legitimise(वैध करना/न्याय्य करना) all investigative journalism on the subject.

Editorial : Fighting together: the SP-BSP-RLD alliance

The BSP, SP and RLD need to convince voters that they are on the same page
The chiefs of the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal combine(मिश्रण) threw down the gauntlet(कवच) to the ruling(सत्तारूढ़) Bharatiya Janata Party in Deoband in western Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. The scale and fiery rhetoric(उग्र बयानबाजी ) were clearly aimed at forcing the momentum(गति/चाल) as western U.P. constituencies(निर्वाचन क्षेत्रों) go to the polls on April 11, in the first of a seven-phase(सात चरण ) parliamentary election in the State.

Editorial : Capital high: foreign investment in India

To retain the confidence of foreign investors, macroeconomic management is key

Editorial : Space for campaign: On PM Modi’s address on ASAT test

EC went by rule book on ASAT issue, but PM should have upheld the spirit of Model Code
In ruling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not violate(उल्लंघन ) the Model Code of Conduct(आचरण/व्यवहार) by announcing through a nationally televised(प्रसारित ) address the demonstration(प्रदर्शन/अभिव्यक्ति) of India’scapability(क्षमता/योग्यता) to bring down an operational satellite, the Election Commission has taken a possibly(संभवतः )correct view of the Code’s provisions(प्रावधान).

Editorial : Murky swamp: on Goa politics

The midnight manoeuvres in post-Parrikar Goa raise disturbing questions
The drama of government-formation(गठन/निर्माण ) and Cabinet(मंत्रिमंडल )shuffle (फेरबदल) amid shifts in political allegiance(निष्ठा) in Goa serves as a reminder of the dark shadows(काली छाया) of manoeuvre(पैंतरेबाज़ी/तिकड़म) andintrigue(साज़िश) that lurk(छुपा रहना/घात में रहना) within Indian democracy(लोकतंत्र).

Editorial : Power in space: on Mission Shakti

Mission Shakti might have had one message for India, and another for the world
India has entered an elite(कुलीन /अभिजात वर्ग) space club with the Defence Research and Development Organisation blowing up a satellite in a Low Earth Orbit(परिक्रमा/क्षेत्र ) into smithereens(छोटो-छोटे टुकड़े). Such Indian capability(क्षमता/योग्यता) to take out moving objects has never really been in doubt:

Editorial : In slow mode: on manufacturing and inflation data

Manufacturing, inflation data give monetary policy makers room for an interest rate cut
Manufacturing activity(गतिविधि) in the country continues to remain be calmed. The latest Index of Industrial Production data show that output across the broad sector expanded(विस्तार/फैला हुआ) 1.3% in January, a clear loss of momentum(गति) from the 3% pace in December and a drastic(कठोर/भीषण) slowdown(मंदी/सुस्त होना) from the 8.7% growth seen in January 2018.

Editorial : A fresh warning: what GEO-6 means for India

India must recognise the human cost of poorly enforced environment laws
The sixth edition(छठा संस्करण) of the Global Environment(वैश्विक पर्यावरण) Outlook from the UN Environment Programme has come as another stark(कठोर/पूर्ण रूप से) warning:(चेतावनी/संकेत) the world is unsustainably extracting(निकालने) resources(संसाधन/संपदा) and

Editorial : Travesty of justice: On Samjhauta case acquittals

The Samjhauta blast case raises doubts about India’s resolve to prosecute terror cases
The acquittal(बरी/रिहाई ) of Swami Aseemanand and three others brought(लाया) to trial(परीक्षण ) for the killing of 68 people on board the Delhi-Lahore Samjhauta Express near Panipat in February 2007 is bound to be seen as a travesty(आघात/उपहासात्मक रचना) of justice.

Editorial : China’s block: on not listing Azhar as global terrorist

Its decision on Masood Azhar is shocking — but India must keep up persuasive diplomacy
China’s decision to block(बाधा/आड़) the listing of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the UN Security Council is both a setback

Editorial : Avoiding a slowdown: on Fed interest rates

Central banks are reversing the direction of their policies in a seemingly coordinated bid
Over the last few days, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has been trying to allay(शांत करना/कम करना) fears that it will continue to raise(बढ़ाते ) interest(रुचि) rates notwithstanding conditions(परिस्थिति) in the economy. Many, including(समेत/सहित) President

Editorial : Mixed optics: Saudi Crown Prince’s India visit

The Saudi Crown Prince’s visit highlighted the complexities in bilateral ties
As a standalone visit, the day-long trip(दिन भर की यात्रा) of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (MBS) to New Delhi will be regarded(मानना) as a diplomatic(राजनयिक/नीति संबंधी) success, given the numerous(अनेक/कई )outcomes(परिणाम). After talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two sides announced(घोषणा ) measures(उपाय कार्यवाही) to

Editorial with Vocab

Proposed rules for online monitoring should balance legitimate interest with privacy

Laws seeking(मांग/प्रयास करना) to regulate online activity, especially(ख़ास तौर पर) on social media, will have to be tested against two fundamental rights: free speech and privacy. Regulations that abridge(हनन /संक्षेप करना) these rights tend