-The Economic Times It's extreme weather season in Asia again. Deadly cyclones, blinding rain, floods and mudslides are becoming the norm from Nepal to Fiji. The world's policymakers must reflect on extreme weather patterns while budgeting their nations' finances. In Thailand last year's floods caused losses of $46.5 billion. Reconstruction costs will reach at least $50 billion, according to the government and UN's assessments. In Pakistan widespread flooding two years ago affected 20...

-The Hindu Over 260 houses torched, police arrest 90 persons Three colonies of Dalits (of the Adi-Dravida community) near Naikkankottai in Dharmapuri district of western Tamil Nadu remained benumbed on Thursday by the fury unleashed on them by a rampaging mob of caste Hindus on Wednesday. As many as 268 dwellings – huts, tiled-roof and one or two-room concrete houses–were torched by the mob after a caste Hindu man, Nagarajan, committed suicide over...

-The Times of India KOCHI: The private schools in the state which don't meet the infrastructure requirements as prescribed in the Right to Education (RTE) Act have a reason to smile. The sixteenth joint mission of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, in its latest report, has suggested that instead of closing down private schools that are not RTE-compliant, the state governments should ensure that quality standards are met both by private as...

-The Hindu Cyclone ‘Nilam' caused unprecedented damage to Srikakulam district which is still under grip of fear with the heavy inflows to Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers. Bahuda and Mahendra Tanaya rivers are also in full spate with heavy rains in the catchment area of Odisha. Almost 80, 000 acres of crop got damaged and 43 villages were inundated in the district. The officials of all the mandals have been alerted to...

-The Telegraph Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh elections appear to have turned a straight fight between the induction cooker and “pricey” LPG. The Congress, led by five-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh, was looking the clear favourite till incumbent Prem Kumar Dhumal unveiled a new voter sop in the final rounds of campaigning. The BJP chief minister offered free induction cookers to tide the people over the cooking gas price hike brought about by the...