The fourth pillar of democracy would cease to be free if it is made accountable to one or more of the other pillars. Much of the media, says Justice Markandey Katju, the new Chairman of the Press Council of India, is of very Poor intellectual level. That, even for a former judge, would be being judgmental — except that sections of the media concerned seem hell-bent on proving him right. Setting...

Three lives have been lost while several others had a narrow escape in fireaccidents that have so far claimed 16 night shelters between last year and now. In the latest incident, a night shelter was destroyed in a fire early on Saturday morning leaving a nine-year-old girl charred to death. Worse still, like every year, the state government is scrambling to put in place a winter plan for the city's...

Sitting outside his home in a plastic chair among neighbours, Shabbir Masiullah Ahmed tries to recognise people he is meeting after five years. “You have aged,” he tells one. His brother-in-law Raees Ahmed is trying to bond with his five-year-old daughter who, he says, “has begun to recognise me”. Dr Salman Farsi complains of lack of sleep because of the steady flow of journalists and relatives. These three are among the seven men...

-The Indian Express   The finance ministry has come to an agreement with the department of industrial policy and promotion about what the government’s policy towards foreign direct investment in retail should look like. This means the retail FDI proposal will be placed before the cabinet soon, and hopefully will be cleared as soon as possible. Currently, only 51 per cent foreign investment is permitted, and only in stores selling a single...

How do you quantify happiness in a diverse nation like ours? Growth levels, value-based structural changes, what can affect it? Life is Elsewhere?     Bhutan’s GNH: Based on the Buddhist doctrine of harmony with environment and fellow beings besides material comfort     UNDP Human Development Report: Ranks nations on quality of life—adjusted real income, life expectancy, education etc     World Values Survey: Started in 1995, it explores impact of social and political changes...