A new report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has found that politically and ideologically motivated attacks against teachers, students and schools are on the rise, calling for greater community involvement to reduce such incidents. Since the first-ever study on the issue, entitled “Education under Attack,” was published in 2007, the systematic targeting of students and teachers has been on the upswing, especially in Afghanistan, Pakistan,...

Away from the gaze of the media and the judiciary, the adivasis of Bastar are paying a heavy price … for just being there.  An operation is underway in Central India, but no one really knows what it is. Variously described as a media myth, a comprehensive hearts and minds strategy, and an all-out offensive by paramilitary forces and the state forces along the borders of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh...

Dismissing notions that readers are not interested in development issues or rural reportage, editors and activists Monday stressed that the media perspective on the issue needed a change as “society is no longer passive”. ‘Can rural Reporting be sexy?’– this was the topic of discussion at an event organised by the Foundation for Media Professionals, an independent organisation by a group of Indian journalists, here Monday. “The time has come for rural...

Food inflation inched up to 17.56% for the week ended January 23 on account of rising prices of potato and pulses.  The wholesale price-based food inflation was 17.40% in the previous week. Potato prices jumped by 44.91% over the last year, while pulses became dearer by 44.43%. The inflation for primary articles, which include food and non-food items, marginally eased to 14.56% in the Reporting week from 14.66% in the...

Guwahati: The National Human Rights Commission has sought an explanation from the Manipur Chief Secretary as to why reports of 111 cases, which were reported as police encounter cases, were not forwarded to the Commission. The NHRC, in an order, stated that the Commission had not been receiving any report from the Manipur government. It also directed the Manipur government to pay Rs.5 lakh as relief to the next of...