AN international team of scientists have discovered a set of seven, near earth-sized exoplanets circling a nearby star, named Trappist-1. They have reported this discovery recently in Nature. What is exciting about these exoplanets is that all of them may have water, with three falling in what is called the habitable zone. In the habitable zone, planets may have water in liquid form on their surface, and therefore the possibility of life.

Statement issued by Bank Employees Federation of India on February 28AT the call of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the umbrella organisation of nine unions of workmen and officers of the banking industry of the country, the workmen and officers of banks all over the country, including those of regional rural banks and co-operative banks, struck work on February 28 to ventilate their unequivocal protest and opposition to the neoliberal reform of the banking sector being pursued by the central government. The strike was total throughout the length and breadth of the country.

Statement issued on February 27THE All India Democratic Women’s Association strongly condemns the decision of the Censor Board of Film Certification to deny certification to Alankrita Srivastava and Prakash Jha’s film ‘Lipstick under my Burkha’, which depicts the range of problems that women in India are facing today, and their struggle to overcome these obstacles. The much acclaimed film has won the Best Film for Women’s Equality Award at the Mumbai Film Festival and the ‘Spirit of Asia’ Award in the Tokyo Film Festival.

It seems the Indian psyche has accepted dynastic politics whenever elections come. Tamil Nadu is no exception - to some extent, where it appears to be a case of "crash landing". How does CPI(M) view  this?
 
Asit Sengupta, West Bengal
 
THERE is a growing trend of dynastic politics in India. It was first manifested by the Nehru-Gandhi family in the Congress party.  Subsequently, it has spread and has now become a common occurrence, particularly, in the regional parties. 

FOLLOWING the death of Jayalalithaa, who was the general secretary of AIADMK and the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, AIADMK split into two factions, one under the leadership of Sasikala and the other of O Panneerselvam. These groups entered into a competition to capture power in both the party and the government. With Sasikala having gone to prison following the Supreme Court judgement in the Disproportionate Assets case, a ministry has been formed under the leadership of Edappadi Palanisamy belonging to the Sasikala faction.