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New Delhi, Dec 7 (IANS) The dawn of the 19th century in Hindustan was marked by the deafening sound of European cannon, yet the greatest anxiety felt in the distant councils of the British Empire was not the size of the native armies but the ominous possibility of their intellectual growth.From Delhi to Poona, the British East India Company (EIC) sought absolute dominion but their ultimate power rested on a fragile scaffolding -- a technological and organizational monopoly maintained by a relatively small corps of European men. When the great Maratha chiefs began to adopt the very military tactics and training that defined the British system, a wave of strategic panic swept through Parliament.This fear, disguised as geopolitical necessity, laid bare a profound truth -- the Raj was built up...

New Delhi, Dec 7 (IANS) Nearly four years into Russia's invasion, satellite constellations have proved indispensable for Ukraine, keeping communications alive despite sustained electronic and physical attacks.China, observing their impact on modern warfare, is now studying how to neutralise such networks in future conflicts.According to a report by the Dark Reading, citing a recent Chinese-language academic paper by researchers from two major universities examined whether mega-constellations like Starlink can be effectively jammed.Their conclusion: It is possible -- but extraordinarily resource-intensive.According to the study, disrupting Starlink signals over an area the size of Taiwan would require between 1,000 and 2,000 drones equipped for electronic jamming, the report said.The findin...

Kathmandu, Dec 7 (IANS) Nepal's anti-graft body on Sunday filed corruption cases at the Special Court against 55 individuals, including five former ministers and several former government secretaries, and a Chinese construction company in connection with irregularities in the construction of the Pokhara Regional International Airport.The China-funded Pokhara International Airport in western Pokhara has long been mired in controversy over alleged irregularities. Finally, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), the constitutional anti-corruption body, registered the corruption cases against them in court. It is one of several corruption cases that have plagued projects involving Chinese contractors or suppliers in Nepal.The corruption cases were filed based on an e...

New Delhi, Dec 7 (IANS) Bangladesh, once considered a poster child of development among emerging economies, now finds itself at critical crossroads. For years, the country defied odds, posting consistent GDP growth, expanding its garment exports, improving key human development indicators, and reducing poverty at a commendable rate. International observers -- from the World Bank to regional think tanks -- celebrated what many dubbed the "Bangladesh miracle". However, by mid-2025, this narrative has shifted dramatically. A confluence of structural inefficiencies, political instability, and adverse global trends has plunged the country into its most severe economic crisis in decades.This downturn is neither sudden nor rooted in a single factor. Instead, it reflects years of deferred reforms,...