-Hindustan Times India’s June-September monsoon, the lifeblood of Asia’s third-largest economy, will most likely be “deficient” this year with the met department downgrading its forecast from 93% to 88%, earth sciences minister Harsh Vardhan said on Tuesday.   The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) revision -- which had forecast “below normal” monsoon in April -- will potentially toughen challenges for the Narendra Modi government already battling a farm crisis triggered by unseasonal rains in...

-The Hindu PSUs fare better; only 16 corporates, big and small, have shown some interest in the endeavour. The Narendra Modi government has been facing accusations of being “corporate-friendly,” but it seems to be a one-way street when it comes to the corporates loosening their purse strings to contribute to the Swachh Vidyalaya (Clean School) campaign. According to the progress report card of the Swachh Vidyalaya, Swachh Bharat (Clean School, Clean India) campaign,...

-The Times of India YAVATMAL: He sits despondently with his array of unsold cow-bells and cattle ornaments at the Ghatanji cattle bazaar. Arun Nandeshwar's livelihood is now collateral damage in the fallout of Maharashtra's beef ban. With trade paralysed by the ban, Nandeshwar has barely any customers. Nandeshwar has been selling cattle gear for the last decade. His assortment includes brightly polished brass bells, leather neck-straps lined with ghunghroos and cowrie shells...

-The Hindu Mahant Maniyari, Bihar: October in Bihar is a month of festivals, but the mood in this village comprising 10,000 people in Kudhani block was far from celebratory. Hundreds of workers sat on a 32-day dharna in the village panchayat bhawan, festivals forgotten, their only demand being wages. Despite visits by district officials, what came of the protests were only cases slapped against four protestors. There are over 300 workers in...

-The Times of India A bunch of concerned doctors and members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have written a letter demanding an explanation from the IMA for its decision to 'validate' Kent water purifiers. The slew of advertisements released by Kent, in which it has prominently claimed that its products were 'validated', 'approved' or 'accepted' by IMA has led to a slug fest, especially in the online world, between groups...