Unlike the educated elite who go Westwards, attracted by better opportunities and a luxurious lifestyle, those who land up in West Asia as waged labourers have a much harder time: Practically no rights, hostile working environments and absolutely no support systems. Why is it that the violation of their basic rights doesn't figure at all in the national imagination? About the same time that India aired “absolute displeasure and concern” over...

While inflation has been hitting people hard across the country, the rate of price rise has been the most in Kerala, Orissa and Meghalaya, as per government data released today.     In all three states, the consumer price index (CPI) overall stood at 108 in January from a base of 100 in 2010, suggesting inflation of 8 per cent. Incidentally, even richer states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi and Punjab reported a...

Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu high on HDI: study In a study done by Abusaleh Shariff, chief economist at the National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER), Gujarat surprisingly emerges as a State with high levels of hunger, while simultaneously boasting high per capita income and consistent income stability. The hunger levels in Gujarat are higher than in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and surprisingly even higher than in Uttar Pradesh, according to...

Journalists should uphold accuracy and fairness and make a conscious attempt to present diverse views on a situation or an issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here on Saturday. Inaugurating the year-long centenary celebrations of the Kerala Kaumudi here on Saturday, Dr. Singh said: “Journalists who inform and educate the public are conscience keepers of society who point out lapses of the administration and government and also society at large. A...

In order to protect Kashmiris from being unnecessary harassed and faced humiliation, the Centre - on advice of the group of interlocutors on J&K - has issued an advisory to all States/UTs (except J&K) to exercise utmost sensitivity while making inquiries about residents of J&K living in different parts of the country. "It has also asked the States to issue appropriate instructions to all police stations that they should not...