Jairam Ramesh and Ayatollah Khamenei (Images/PTI)

New Delhi: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the Prime Minister on Friday. Narendra ModiQuestioned his hesitation to condemn the death of Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei.Recalling his earlier allegation of a “compromising PM”, Ramesh claimed that PM Modi “wanted to avoid angering his American and Israeli friends”, referring to US President Donald Trump and Tel Aviv Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.In a post on X, he wrote: “Why the hesitation now? A compromised Prime Minister undoubtedly wants to avoid angering his American and Israeli ‘friends’.”The Congress leader also questioned the silence of PM Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs after the death of Ayatollah Khamenei. He wrote, “Ayatollah Khamenei, the constitutional head of state in Iran, was assassinated by the US and Israel on February 28, 2026. The PM is silent. The Foreign Minister is silent. There is no obituary reference in Parliament yet.”His comments come after India supported the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution condemning Iran’s attacks on Middle Eastern countries.He further wrote, “India has rightly condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries, but is completely silent on the US-Israeli attack on Iran. It must be remembered that Iran is a part of the BRICS+ forum, which India chairs this year.”Recalling the death of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in 2024, Ramesh said the government had earlier announced a one-day state mourning and was now hesitating. He wrote, “In May 2024, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi died in a mysterious helicopter crash. The Modi government ordered a day of mourning on May 21, 2024, and a condolence message was delivered in the Parliament meeting on July 1, 2024.”Khamenei was killed in a coordinated attack by Israel and the United States earlier this month. He was later succeeded by his second eldest son, Mojtaba Khamenei.

New research highlights how children in India lag behind the global average screen time guidelinesWith lasting effects on health and cognitive abilitiesMultiple screens have become an integral part of children’s lives. But is it safe for young teens to spend so much time on screens? Existing research findings suggest that devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and TVs can aid learning, but their excessive use is associated with adverse health and developmental outcomes.A recent study* published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry examined children and adolescents with mental disorders to assess their screen usage habits. The findings are shocking: The average daily screen time was 3.1 hours. Importantly, two-thirds of the 212 study participants (average age 13 years) exceeded the recommended screen time limits set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). These guidelines recommend no screen exposure for children under two years of age (except video calls), less than one hour per day for ages two to four years, and a maximum of two hours per day for children ages five years and older.

The study revealed that television (66%) and mobile phones (70.3%) were the most commonly used devices among the 212 children and adolescents who were part of the study. Alarmingly, 22.2% of children meet the criteria for screen media addiction based on DSM-5 standards for Internet Gaming Disorder. DSM-5 is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, a guide used by researchers to diagnose, classify, and treat mental health disorders.Addiction was more prevalent among boys from joint or extended families and among children suffering from neurodevelopmental or disintegrative disorders.Excessive screen use contributes to obesity, sedentary behavior, poor dietary habits, and disrupted sleep. Cognitively, prolonged exposure can impair language development, executive functioning, and emerging literacy skills. Research also shows that structural brain changes occur in preschool children with high screen exposure, particularly affecting white matter pathways (which act as the brain’s communication network), which are important for learning and communication.Psychosocially, children addicted to screen media often display deception (hiding or lying about using devices), preoccupation, withdrawal symptoms, and conflict within families. Screen use also interferes with friendships and family activities, while increasing susceptibility to cyberbullying, unsafe online content, and negative emotional states.The study underlines the urgent need for parental awareness and regulation. Parents often allow children with neurodevelopmental disorders extra screen time as a coping measure, but this leads to more problems. In a joint family setting, inconsistent parenting rules can further compound the problem.In conclusion, screen media use among children is not inherently harmful, but excessive and unregulated use poses significant risks to physical health, cognitive development, and emotional well-being. With approximately one-quarter of children in psychiatric care showing signs of addiction, regular assessment of screen habits and strict adherence to recommended guidelines are essential steps to protect the next generation.(*Problematic screen media use among children and adolescents attending child and adolescent psychiatric services in a tertiary care center in North India, by Venkatesh Raju, Akhilesh Sharma, Ruchita Shah, Ravikant Tangela, Sana Devi Yumnam, Jyoti Singh, Jayvinder Yadav and Sandeep Grover)

In a landmark ruling that revisits one of medicine’s toughest ethical questions, the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the withdrawal of artificial life support — or passive euthanasia, as it is commonly called — for a 31-year-old man who had been in a coma for more than 13 years. The judgment in the Harish Rana case is the first time that the court has directly allowed passive euthanasia for a patient in a permanent vegetative state. Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar Former AIIMS chief and professor of onco-anesthesia and palliative medicine explains times of India What does this mean in medical practice, and how do doctors decide when to withdraw life support?What does passive euthanasia mean in medical practice?In simple terms, it involves withdrawal of life support, stopping some types of artificial support that prolong life without improving the patient’s condition. For example, doctors may discontinue artificial nutrition, fluids, or other life-sustaining measures when they are no longer beneficial. The aim is not to actively end life, but to prevent treatments that only increase suffering, and allow the disease to continue its course when recovery is not possible.

In what situations do doctors consider withdrawing life support?Doctors consider this when the treatment is not providing any benefit to the patient and his suffering is only increasing. In such cases, continuing aggressive medical support may not be in the best interests of the patient. Conditions may include permanent vegetative state, severe and irreversible brain injury, terminal cancer, end-stage kidney failure where dialysis is no longer effective, or advanced heart disease where treatment options have been exhausted. This may include withdrawal of ventilatory support, stopping medications that artificially maintain blood pressure, dialysis, artificial feeding through tubes, or other interventions that maintain physical functions without improving the patient’s condition.

How do doctors determine whether a patient has no chance of recovery, and what safety measures should be followed before withdrawing life support in India?There are established medical criteria and tests. For example, specific instruments are used to confirm conditions such as coma or vegetative state. In incurable diseases such as advanced cancer, prognosis and chances of cure are assessed using evidence-based medical guidelines. In India, review is usually done by primary and secondary medical boards before any decision is taken. In some cases, hospital ethics committees may also be involved to ensure that the procedure follows medical ethics and legal guidelines set by the Supreme Court. These measures ensure that the decision is medically appropriate and ethically correct.How important are living wills or advance directives?They are extremely important. If a patient has clearly stated in advance what type of treatment they would or would not like in such circumstances, the doctor and family may follow their wishes. Respecting patient autonomy is a fundamental principle of medical ethics.How often do doctors in India receive requests to withdraw life support?It is still relatively rare in India.Awareness of advance directives is limited. Culturally, many families find it difficult to accept death as a natural part of life.What is the difference between active and passive euthanasia, and how does the latter differ from assisted suicide or assisted death?Active euthanasia involves deliberately administering drugs that cause death. Passive euthanasia refers to the withdrawal or stopping of treatments that artificially maintain life and includes stopping medical interventions that are no longer beneficial. Assisted suicide involves actively helping a person end their life, usually by providing medication that the person takes themselves.What are some common misconceptions about passive euthanasia?Many people believe that this means that doctors are actively trying to end the patient’s life. In fact, it usually involves stopping medical interventions that are no longer useful, and focusing on comfort, care, and respect at the end of life.From a medical ethics perspective, why are these practices treated differently?Medical ethics emphasize doing no harm and avoiding treatments that provide no benefit. When treatment only increases suffering with no real possibility of cure, it may be considered morally justified to withdraw it.

New Delhi: Amid concerns over the impact of the Iran war on India’s energy supplies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his government is making no efforts to mitigate its impact on citizens and accused opposition parties of spreading fear to further their agenda at the cost of national interest.He said that no country is untouched by this global crisis and India is making efforts at various levels to deal with it, including efforts to deal with supply chain disruptions. He said at the NXT Summit, he has spoken to global leaders.On a day when Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi hit out at the government over the “LPG crisis” in the House, Modi hit back without naming anyone and said everyone, including political parties, has a role to play in ensuring that the country successfully deals with the crisis.He said, “Some people are trying to spread panic. They want to push their agenda. I do not want to give any political reaction right now, but I would like to say that they are exposing themselves to the people and causing huge loss to the country.” He stressed that India will definitely be able to deal with the challenges posed by the war.He listed several measures taken by his government since 2014 to build India’s alternative energy sources, reduce its dependence on oil, increase its petroleum storage capacity as well as ensure more people benefit from them.India used to have negligible storage capacity to deal with any crisis but now it has 5 million tonnes, while it has become one of the largest refining centers in the world. Before targeting his critics, he said, people’s aspirations have increased and their government welcomes them.“Many of my ‘well-wishers’ are hoping that I will collapse under the weight of expectations… their intentions are dishonest and their expectations will never be fulfilled,” he said, adding that he has people’s blessings. He asked the states to take strict action against those spreading rumors and black marketing.He said India will emerge from the crisis as successfully as it did during Covid, describing the present era as a period like never before.He compared the rise of the Indian economy to people’s enduring interest in cricket, saying that now they are curious to know about the latest details all the time. “If you want to be part of the future, you have to live in India,” he said. “Despite many global challenges, the world looks at India with great hope,” he said.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that parents’ income cannot be the sole criterion for excluding a candidate from the OBC quota on the basis of being part of the ‘creamy layer’, stressing that the status and category of parents’ jobs should be considered, along with the income/assets test as an additional criterion for exclusion. Currently, the income limit to determine the ‘creamy layer’ is Rs 8 lakh per annum.The court’s judgment will have a major impact on the children of PSU and private sector employees as for them income was taken as the sole determining factor to decide on ‘creamy layer’ status, whereas in the case of children of government employees, their job category is the deciding factor. A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and R Mahadevan said that children of Group A and B government employees are barred from availing the benefits of OBC reservation due to their job status, but children of Group C and Group D employees are eligible to get the benefit of OBC reservation due to promotion and time loss, even if their income level exceeds the limit.The court rejected the Centre’s contention that it insisted on the income/asset test criteria and accepted the plea of ​​the aggrieved children of PSU employees, who had fought the case through their lawyer Shashank Ratnu for over a decade.An office memorandum issued by the Center in 1993 stated that the same principle would be applied to employees of public sector undertakings, banks, insurance organizations, universities and similar bodies holding equivalent or comparable posts. But “equality of positions” has not been carried out as contemplated in the OM, and a clarification letter was issued by the Government in 2004, making the income/asset test the sole criterion for PSU and private sector employees.The Supreme Court said that placing excessive emphasis on the 2004 letter, regardless of the status or category of service of the parents, would defeat the structural framework of exclusion envisaged under the 1993 OM.There cannot be double standards for children of government employees: Supreme CourtIt is also clear from a wide reading of the 1993 Office Memorandum along with the explanatory letter that salary income alone cannot be the sole criterion to decide whether a candidate falls in the creamy layer or not. Along with the position, the category of post to which the parents of the candidate belong is also required. Exclusions under Categories I to III of the Schedule are status-based rather than being entirely income-based, reflecting the policy understanding that advancement within the government service hierarchy reflects social progress independent of fluctuations in pay levels. The status of a candidate, whether he falls in the creamy layer of OBC or the non-creamy layer, cannot be decided on the basis of income alone,” Justice Mahadevan, who wrote the judgment, said. “Thus, determination of the creamy layer status solely on the basis of income group, without reference to the categories of posts and position parameters mentioned in the 1993 OM, is clearly untenable in law.”Highlighting that there cannot be different standards for children of government employees and others, the court said this would amount to discrimination which cannot be permitted.“Adopting an interpretation that disadvantages a section of the same backward class without rational justification would amount to treating similar people unequally and would thus become antithetical to equality… Keeping in mind the specific facts of the present cases, the logic adopted by the HC that treating similar employees of private entities and PSUs differently from government employees and their wards, while deciding their entitlement to reservation, would amount to hostile discrimination, certainly inspires the confidence of this court,” it said. Said.

An Indian passenger was welcomed by family members upon taking off from Saudi Arabia at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat, amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. (PTI photo)

New Delhi: With the Israel-Iran war escalating by the day, Indian missions in West Asia, including Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, are working hard to evacuate as many compatriots as possible. While Bahrain has had no air connectivity since February 28, Doha and the UAE have some flights. But since they are clearly not close to the travel demand, given the fact that more than one crore Indians live and work in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, these missions are coordinating with the Indian embassies in Saudi Arabia and Oman (for those residing in the UAE) to obtain transit visas so that people can travel to Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh and Muscat. Can go out of.But given the odds amid the war, Indians in the GCC are feeling the heat. A Doha-based Indian said, “I applied for a Saudi pass (transit) visa for myself, wife and my child on March 2. He has not yet arrived. I keep buying Qatar Airways tickets for Delhi flights but am unable to go out. Every time there is an explosion, our child gets very scared and we have difficulty consoling him.”

According to the aviation ministry, more than 1.5 lakh people have flown from the GCC to India between February 28 and March 11. Indian carriers resumed Riyadh flights from Thursday, with the first day seeing four flights each from Air India, IndiGo and AI Express.Aviation analytics company Cirium says that between March 6 and 12, Dubai International (DXB) saw a maximum of 167 departures to India, with Mumbai accounting for the highest number of departures at 62, followed by Delhi at 56; Hyderabad at 25th and Bengaluru at 24th. India has been the largest market for DXB for years.The Indian Embassy in Qatar on Thursday said Qatar Airways is expected to operate 1-2 daily flights to India in the coming days. “Indian nationals wishing to travel out of Qatar have the option of either taking a limited number of flights operated by Qatar Airways or transiting to Saudi Arabia via the Salwa border if a valid Saudi visa is available. We continue to facilitate temporary transit visas valid for 96 hours to Saudi Arabia for Indian nationals who were on a visit visa to Qatar and wish to transit through Saudi Arabia.”The UAE does not have regular flights and is giving slots to airlines as per availability. India is trying to get as many slots as possible but the demand is very high.Those who managed to reach home narrated their ordeal and also spoke about the pressure under which Indian Mission staff in the GCC are working. An Indian who returned to Mumbai on Thursday said, “The situation at Saudi embassies is strange in other GCC countries. Indian embassies are coordinating in getting Saudi transit visas which is a big help. We are really grateful to the embassy officials in Bahrain for helping us with our Saudi visas.”The Embassy in Qatar has set up a war room from where requests to get confirmed seats on Qatar Airways flights or Saudi visas are being handled.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday downplayed the energy crisis arising in the country due to the ongoing conflict between the joint forces of the United States and Israel with Iran. Addressing the NXT summit, the Prime Minister indirectly hit out at those who are “trying to create panic” and claimed that, by doing so, they are exposing themselves to the public.PM Modi said, “We have to make collective efforts while keeping the national interest paramount and fulfilling our duties. Nowadays there is a lot of discussion about LPG. There are some people who are trying to create panic. They want to push their agenda.” He said, “At this time I do not want to make political comments on them. But I must say that by doing this they are not only exposing themselves to the public but are also causing great harm to the country.”The Prime Minister said the government has given priority to self-reliance in the energy sector to ensure that the country does not have to depend solely on foreign sources for energy.PM Modi said, “To ensure that we do not have to depend solely on foreign sources for energy, emphasis was laid on self-reliance in the energy sector. Till 2014, there were only 14 crore LPG connections in the country. Today, there are more than double that i.e. 33 crore domestic LPG connections. In 2014, there were only 4 LNG terminals in the country.”He said, “Today their number has also doubled. No country is untouched by the impact of this global crisis. Everyone is a victim of this crisis to a greater or lesser extent. India is also leaving no stone unturned to deal with this crisis.”The Prime Minister also said that the government is making every effort to ensure that the burden of conditions arising from war does not fall on the citizens of India.He said, “The Government of India has always made every possible effort to ensure that the burden of conditions arising from war does not fall on the citizens of India.”He said, “This time too we will make every possible effort to ensure that the war has minimal impact on the lives of the country’s farmers and citizens of the country.”Fears of LPG shortage began to spread across the country as the global energy supply chain was disrupted due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.The closure of the Strait of Hormuz following Iranian retaliation against the US-Israeli strikes has triggered panic buying, led to long queues at LPG agencies and petrol pumps and forced restaurants and small businesses to switch to alternative cooking methods.Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the oil ministry, said some measures have helped in increasing domestic LPG production by 28 per cent and with some alternative sources being used abroad, the government has decided to allow some sales of commercial LPG to meet one-fifth of the demand.“State governments will have to identify the beneficiaries,” he said.As panic buying continues to rise, the government has extended the LPG refill ordering window for rural users to 45 days, up from 25 days set for all users last week, replacing the previous 21-day limit. He said the move is aimed at managing demand and ensuring equitable distribution amid the ongoing energy supply disruptions due to the West Asia crisis.The increase in the monthly quota of kerosene released to states is the first in more than a decade and temporarily reverses the government’s stated objective of phasing out the fuel, which was also used for adulteration of petrol, apart from being heavily subsidized.