Singapore slips in global press freedom survey

SINGAPORE has slipped down the latest world press freedom ranking, according to international association Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF). The Republic is now ranked 147th out of 167 countries, three rungs lower than last year, making it the lowest ranked developed country when it comes to press freedom. Malaysia is ranked 122nd while Indonesia is 117th.

RSF described The Straits Times as practising "systematic self-censorship in its domestic reporting" while noting that Today and Streats published independent commentaries on the domestic situation more often. RSF said that the rankings are not indicators of the press quality. Read the complete rankings here.

Just felt like writing in hindi today

Aaj pehli baar lagta hai jaise ki mein likhoon
Likhoon woh sab kuch zehan mein mere
Baar baar jo sochne par majboor kartee mujhe
Aisa kya hua ki bachpan jo kal tak yaheen tha
Aaj achanak alvida keh raha hai

Abhi kal hi ki baat thi sardi ka mausam tha,
Garam rajayee mein baithee,
Chai peete huae padhne ki koshish kar rahee thee
Tabhi telephone ki ghanti bajtee
Aur phir kitaab band aur shuru hotee
khoob saari idhar udhar ki betuki batein, bewajeh gupshup..

Ghanto hum baat karte,
Na jaane kya woh mausam tha
Ki baaten khatm hi nahi hoti
Matlab, maksad bina, aise hi bas

Aur phir jeb kharch ke naam par choubees rupaye
Woh bhi yaad hai mujhe
Yakeen hain ki koi college ke paas waale chole bhature,
Aur woh bus ke dhakke kabhi bhool nahi sakte

Tab sarkaar banee thee jab Atal Bihaari ki
Hum sum Khadi pehen kar parlaiment ke session discuss karte
aur phir Pramod Mahajan ke speech kole kar emotional hote

Jab padosi desh ne parmaanu bomb kee pareeksha kee
Dilli ki sadko par hum naare laga rahe the
Chappal ghis jatee par sadkain kabhi khatam nahi hotee

Connaught place ke anginat chakkar
aur woh burger aur aloo chat
Shhaam hotee to bus stop par
hum aise alvida kahte jaise
ki phir kabhi milenge hi nahi

Chaar paanch saal mein lagta hai
jaise ek arsaa guzar gaya
doston ka saath choota,
zindagi bas jaise college ke baad se ruk hee gayee

Kya aisa sab ke saath hota hai?
Ya, mein over react kar rahee hoon aaj?