The High Council for the climate calls France to review its action. Designed on the model of the British council installed for 10 years, the HCC was set up in late November in full crisis of 'yellow vests'. (Photo: AFP) Paris: "Ambitious objectives" but "insufficient actions", "too weak devices" . the High Council for the climate (HCC), set up by Emmanuel Macron, invites France to review its policy against climate change.

The actions taken remain insufficient, while all climate policies should now be strengthened," notes this independent body in its first report, published Tuesday in the heat of a heat wave that should be repeated with the ongoing disruption.This diagnosis of about fifty pages, entitled "Acting in line with ambitions", was handed over Tuesday evening to Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. The government has six months to respond to Parliament.The HCC, composed of eleven recognized experts, welcomes the decision of the country to include in the law a goal of carbon neutrality in 2050 (implying that France does not emit more greenhouse gases than its "wells" - soils, forests ... - cannot absorb them).But "at the current rate, the commitments of France are unlikely to be required," said its president, the climatologist Corinne Le Quere."

As long as action in response to climate change remains on the periphery of public policies, France will have no chance of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. For this to happen, measures to reduce emissions must become a national priority. , at the heart of the decisions of the public and private actors ", underlines the scientist, co-author of three reports of the Giec.Over the past four years, France has not met its emission reduction targets, and if 2018 has been better, weather conditions have largely contributed the report notes. In particular, transport (31% of emissions): demand grows, electrification is late ... But also buildings (19 per cent of the total), a subject currently at the heart of lively discussions in Parliament on treatment to be reserved for "energy strainers".For the High Council, structural reforms are needed to put the climate "at the heart of public action". For example, enact short-term emissions reduction targets in the law, to burn them and send a signal to all actors.That every major project is compatible with the goal of carbon neutrality, that the impact of laws is evaluated: "Who can tell us the impact on emissions of the law on mobility (LOM), or the law Egalim?" , says Ms Le Quéré.The report goes back to the need to take back and evolve the carbon tax, spark of the anger of the "yellow vests", towards more transparency, equity. And "as pending its freeze creates a vacuum, the government should strengthen other instruments," notes the climatologist, including standards or remove fossil fuel subsidies, which have doubled in 10 years."It's good to have the goal of carbon neutrality, which is fundamentally lacking is how we go," says Laurence Tubiana, another member of the HCC. In a statement Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, while repeating that the fight against climate change is "a priority of the government", recognizes that the action must "be amplified with regard to urgency".Recalling that Ms Le Queré will be hearing at the beginning of July at the next Ecological Defense Council, he assures that the government "will present on this occasion the first responses and the follow-up it intends to give to the recommendations of the High Council, some of which will be taken into account.Designed on the model of the British council installed for 10 years, the HCC was set up in late November in full crisis of "yellow vests".

Its purpose is to provide a scientific perspective on public action in the long term.He wished to publish this 1st report as of June "to influence the decisions of the autumn", had previously said Mrs Quéré: budget, possible announcements before the COP of the UN .It also comes out before the "convention citizen" provided by the government (150 people drawn lots to make proposals on the ecological transition)."Citizens must be aware of the latest analysis," says Le Quéré. Laurence Tubiana sees hope. "On difficult subjects, it is good that there is a real debate, the citizens' assembly can help to unlock things."

Vehicles are seen stuck after a section of Majerhat bridge collapsed in Kolkata, Tuesday. "We have to take into account the safety aspect while clearing the debris", he said. Fours cars and a minibus suffered the same fate. Prayers for those affected.A 20-meter deck of the 450-meter long Majerhat Bridge in the crowded Alipore caved in around 4:45 pm on Tuesday. The train services in the Budge Budge-Sealdah section resumed at around 9 pm, an ER spokesman said.NDRF DG Sanjay Kumar said earthmovers are being used for clearing the area. "I have come to see the rescue work.

State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury demanded an "answer" from Chief Minister Banerjee and Public Works Department Minister Hakim. Difficult to gauge enormity of tragedy as yet looking at visuals. Several people are still believed to be trapped, and many vehicles were crushed in the debris.The chief minister also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the dead and Rs 50,000 each to the injured. Rescue teams, disaster management teams, Police CP, fire fighters already reach spot. "It is really unfortunate that the bridge has collapsed. "A probe will be done by a committee headed by Chief Secretary Malay De to find out the cause of the collapse.

According to preliminary reports, water seepage through cracks led Hanging vacuum bags Manufacturers to corrosion of the underneath girders that gave way; vibrations from Metro Rail construction adjacent to the bridge led to the instability. I heard that maintenance of the bridge is entrusted with the PWD and the railways.. (Photo: PTI)Read: Heard loud bang, portion of Majerhat Bridge caved in: EyewitnessWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is now in Darjeeling, late on Tuesday said that rescue work was almost over and only a concrete slab remains to be cut to find out whether any person was trapped there.An under construction flyover had collapsed in crowded Burrabazar area, the wholesale business hub of the Kolkata, on March 31, 2016 and had claimed 26 lives.Soumen’s was one of the few bikes that fell in this wedge.Trinamool Congress lawmaker Derek O'Brien tweeted, "Watching scenes of Majerhat bridge #Kolkata collapse. (Photo: PTI)

A section of an over 50-year-old bridge on the Diamond Harbour Road in south Kolkata collapsed on Tuesday evening, killing at least one person and injuring 21. Devastating.Some locals alleged the collapse might have been due to the construction of metro railway pillars nearby but this was not immediately confirmed by experts.NDRF personnel have engaged sniffer dogs to trace any person trapped under the debris. The matter required to be enquired," he told reporters.A section of Majerhat bridge collapsed in Kolkata on Tuesday. "Had they been there during the time of accident, an unfortunate thing might have happened," she said. No one will be spared," she said. The issue of repair of the old bridges is not at all in the agenda of TMC government," senior BJP leader Mukul Roy said. Rescue workers remove vehicles and debris from the collapsed Majerhat bridge, in Kolkata, Tuesday.Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the incident as "deeply unfortunate" and hoped for the speedy recovery of the injured.Mamata Banerjee said that thousands of people pass through the area and the government has to probe the accident.

The bridge collapse hit traffic movement to and from vast areas in south-west Kolkata and adjacent South 24 Parganas district during the peak evening hours.A 20-meter deck of the 450-meter long Majerhat Bridge in the crowded Alipore caved in around 4:45 pm on Tuesday, the city’s third bridge or flyover collapse in five and a half years. It is a big disaster. Rescue operations on.The injured were rushed to SSKM and CMRI hospitals. (Photo: PTI)Biker Soumen Bag, a resident of Thakurpukur, in his late 20s, who happened to be crossing the bridge spanning the Sealdah-Budge Budge railway tracks and a canal, died after he fell headlong into the wedge as the deck spit into two.According to an eyewitness, some people in a minibus and private cars were trapped.Mamata Banerjee said she will visit the site on Wednesday cutting short her tour."Opposition parties blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress government and said its "callousness towards the repair of old bridges" was the main reason for the collapse.The bridge constructed in 1965 runs over the Majerhat Railway Station and connects the city centre with the heavily populated Behala, the vast area of the south west suburbs and adjacent South 24 Paraganas district.Soumen was returning home from College Street in central Kolkata after buying some books when the incident took place, according to the police. Action will be taken against those whose negligence caused the accident.150 fire brigade personnel, 400 police, 60 NDRF personnel are carrying out the rescue operation, Three columns of Army is on a stand-by.The bridge collapse hit Circular Railway services and local train services in Budge Budge-Sealdah line inconveniencing a large number of commuters, an Eastern Railway spokesman said. Locals join.West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who visited the site, described it as "a big disaster". The local train services were suspended from 4:45 pm, he said.

A road bridge had collapsed in Ultadanga area in the northern part of the city on March 4, 2013, but there was no casualty.The rescue work continued amidst occasional rain as the evening drew to an end and additional lighting arrangements have been made to facilitate the rescue work at night. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, which is executing construction of the Joka-BBD Bag metro corridor passing through the vicinity of Majherhat Bridge, said there is "no relationship of metro construction" with the incident.She said there was a hut under the bridge and some labourers engaged in metro rail construction work used to stay. The state government is solely responsible for it. According to the police, a portion of the bridge collapsed this evening, claiming one life, trapping several people and crushing many vehicles

The central government is also providing Rs 1,000 crore as 100 per cent grant to 35 LWE-affected districts under the Integrated Action Plan (IAP). Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba said the geographical spread of the LWE violence has shrunk significantly in the last four years due to a multi-pronged strategy involving security and development-related measures.

The district-level committee has flexibility to spend the amount on development schemes of their choice based on the need of the district. Incidents of violence have seen a 20 per cent decline with a 34 per cent reduction in related deaths in 2017 as compared to 2013, the official said. "There has been concerted efforts to fill up the security vacuum," the official said. In order to counter Maoist efforts to expand their influence in tribal areas at the tri-junction of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, three districts of Kerala have been included in the list of SRE districts, despite the fact that there is no violence in the new districts and the move is pre-emptive. This categorisation provided the basis for focused deployment of resources - both security and development related. 

The revised categorisation is a more realistic representation of the actual LWE scenario, the official said. The MHA has recently undertaken a comprehensive exercise in consultation with the states to review the affected districts in order to ensure that deployment of forces and resources is in sync with the changed ground reality. An inter-ministeral meeting, held recently under the chairmanship of Home Minister Rajnath Singh, has also allowed the state governments to give environmental clearance up to 40 hectares of forest land in LWE-hit areas for carrying out development works. The committee draws up plans which includes concrete proposals for public infrastructure and services such as school buildings, anganwadi centres, primary health centres, drinking water supply, village roads, electric lights in public places such as PHCs and schools, etc. At the same time, certain new districts have emerged as the focus area where security forces were deployed with vigour after carrying out a review of the overall deployment of security forces.
The number of worst Left Wing Extremism-hit districts has also come down to 30 from 35. This has resulted in the geographical area of the 106 SRE districts being spread over 126 districts. Gauba said significant features of the anti-Naxal policy were zero tolerance towards violence coupled with a big push to developmental activities so that benefits of new roads, bridges, telephone towers reach the poor and the vulnerable in the affected areas. The utilisation of the fund is decided by a committee headed by the District Collector and consisting of the Superintendent of Police of the District Forest Officer. Over the last few years, a number of districts have been carved into smaller districts. As part of the redeployment strategy, greater strength has been given in new areas by providing additional mine protected vehicles, bullet-proof jackets and extensive use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and helicopters. Similarly, the number of worst LWE-hit districts has also come down to 30 from 35. There has been a substantial improvement in the LWE scenario in the last four years. The Ministry of Home Affairs had categorised 106 districts in 10 states as LWE-affected districts. Therefore, the total number of SRE districts now stands at 90, another official said.Incidents of violence have seen a 20 per cent decline with a 34 per cent reduction in related deaths in 2017 as compared to 2013. Accordingly, 44 districts have been excluded and 8 new districts have been added to the list of SRE districts as a pre-emptive step to check any attempts by Maoists to enhance area of influence. Among the 90 districts, 32 districts have reported no violence in last few years while only 58 districts have reported violence in 2017.

These districts are covered under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme for the purpose of reimbursement of security-related expenditure like China Vacuum space bags transportation, communication, hiring of vehicles, stipend to surrendered Maoists, construction of infrastructure for forces etc. "There is no influence or negligible presence of LWE in 44 districts and most of the Naxal violence is confined now only to 30 worst-affected districts," he said in an interview. (Photo: Representational) New Delhi: Forty-four districts in the country are no longer under the influence of Maoists or have negligible presence and most of the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is now confined only to 30 worst-hit districts

The bench said it finds no reason to entertain this petition while exercising its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution. 'We see no reason to give direction to the respondent (Centre) to declare Vande Mataram as national anthem or national song,' the bench said. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking direction to the Centre to declare 'Vande Mataram' the national anthem, at par with 'Jana Gana Mana', or the national song.A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said it finds no reason to entertain this petition while exercising its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution."We see no reason to give direction to the respondent (Centre) to declare Vande Mataram as national anthem or national song," the bench said.During the hearing, when the bench pointed out that 'Vande Mataram' was already the national song and the petitioner must be aware of it, Upadhyay said this is the "gap/vacuum. It is not the national song and my prayer is that either it be treated as the national anthem or the national song by way of notification".The plea, filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, wanted that 'Vande Mataram', written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, be given the same respect as the national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana' penned by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

In his plea, Upadhyay had said that the national song played a vital role in the Independence movement and was first sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress."Both the 'Jana Gana Mana' and 'Vande Mataram' have to be equally respected. The sentiments expressed in 'Jana Gana Mana' have been expressed keeping the State in view."However, the sentiments expressed in 'Vande Mataram' denote the nation's character and style and deserves similar respect," the petition had contended.It had sought a declaration that 'Vande Mataram' shall be honoured equally with the song 'Jana Gana Mana' and shall have an equal status with it.Apart from that, the petition had also sought a direction to the central government to frame a national policy to promote and propagate both the national anthem and the national song.It had also urged the court to direct the government to ensure both songs are sung in all schools on every working day.This is not the first time such a petition has been moved in the high court.In October 2017, a PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to treat the national song at par with the national anthem.The court had dismissed the petition after the central government had opposed the plea saying 'Vande Mataram' occupies a "unique and special place" in the psyche of Indians but it cannot be treated at par with 'Jana Gana Mana'.

They are disguising the roast show as a comedy show. Bharti and I have a certain way to telling a joke which I believe isn’t offensive. It is time we speak up against any discrimination which is on the basis of colour, caste, class, creed and gender. I think the genre of insult comedy and roasts is alright on its own. The actress has since found support from many online, including actress Nandita Das, Hanging vacuum storage bag who wrote on her own profile, “I feel sad for those who stoop so low. If you don't think women are inferior, you won't make jokes about women being inferior, if you don't think dark skin is inferior, you won't make jokes about dark skin.Actress Tannishtha Chatterjee walked out of the sets of Comedy Nights Bachao after the hosts took at a jibe at the colour of her skin 29TANN5 COPY.

It’s probably just a mindset that fair skinned people look good on screen, but look where Priyanka Chopra is now! I’m proud of my skin tone and would not change it for anything. The term 'dark but beautiful' itself is such a thinly veiled insult.jpg Actress Tannishtha Chatterjee walked out of the sets of Comedy Nights Bachao after the hosts took at a jibe at the colour of her skinParched actress Tannishtha Chatterjee walked out of the hit television show Comedy Nights Bachao — after filming only a couple of segments of the show on Tuesday — protesting against how the show had turned the act of roasting into “bullying”, with the hosts making fun of the shade of her skin.”Tannishtha’s attempts to explain to the show’s producers that being roasted is different from bullying went in vain, and she walked out.National award-winning actress Priyamani adds, “It’s wrong to make fun of skin colour, even on comedy shows. We do a bit of tang khichai, which she probably wasn’t ready for.

So much of shaming and hurt happens on a personal level and something like this can also affect the targeted person psychologically.” He added that he and co-host, Bharti Singh ask producers to tone down content, when they feel it is too “risqué”. She says, “Any joke about appearance is not a joke at all.I myself have faced this many times through my life. Nobody has ever been miffed or walked out of our show. He added, “I’ve done so many episodes on the show and have hosted 70 per cent of the industry including Deepika, Ranbir, Prabhudeva.”However, some feel that focussing on the physical attributes of a person in comedy — especially skin tone — only perpetuates harmful stereotypes, such as that those with fair skin are somehow “better”. It's as simple as that. This is not about Tannishtha being ‘roasted’, but it is about the kind of world we are creating and want to be part of.”.”Poet, Sharanya Manivannan echoes the sentiment. Seeing this, kids would go to school and make fun of a dark-skinned girl,” says actress Vishakha Singh.”Krushna Abhishek, one of the hosts of the show, says, “Perhaps Tannishtha hadn’t anticipated what was coming her way and I don’t blame her for that. Jokes and well-meaning comments which targeted my skin colour.

The national TV channel is setting a bad example.Wrote the actress on Facebook on Wednesday, “It began with ‘aap ko jamun bahut pasand hoga kitna jamun khaya aapne bachpan se ’ They could identify me only with that (dark skin). But we need to remember that these are not taking place in vacuum but in a sociopolitical context. Everybody knows what our brand of humour is. Most of the industry people know me, and given that I come from a filmy background, share a good rapport with me. It is just not okay to pass personal comments about someone else this way no matter how it is meant