-The Indian Express Amid criticism of the government and the police following the gangrape of the 23-year-old who died on Saturday, the Centre on Tuesday announced a 13-member special task force headed by Union Home Secretary R K Singh to look at “safety issues” of women in the city and “review the functioning” of the Delhi Police on a regular basis. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs,...

-The Indian Express The debate on the death penalty in India has gained new momentum, and the European Union (EU) is following the discussions with great interest. Under the visionary and far-sighted leadership of thinkers and politicians, Europe has come a long way from being the continent where the guillotine was invented and where death sentences were common under the dictatorships of the first half of the 20th century, to become,...

-The Hoot The coverage given to Thackeray’s death by some television channels was overwhelmingly disproportionate to his contribution to people’s well-being. The comments made by the “experts” were toned by the fear of Sena reprisal, says KALPANA SHARMA. Can Indian news television plumb greater depths? The blanket coverage of Bal Thackeray’s death and funeral on some channels would make any self-respecting journalist hang her head in shame. What were they thinking?...

-Outlook Dengue continued to spread in the capital with 38 more people testing positive for the mosquito-borne disease, taking the total number of cases to 1,584 this season. Thirty-seven of the fresh cases were reported from East, South and North Delhi Corporations while one originated from outside the capital. So far, four persons have died in the capital due to dengue. Of the 1,584 cases, 12 cases originated from outside the city. South Delhi...

-The Economist MID-AFTERNOON in Delhi, and a red blob looms in the haze. The sun barely illuminates the city. A yellow-green smog hangs low. Even indoors, fuzzy halos of dust and smoke surround lamps. Those foolish enough to be out jogging, or compelled to stand at junctions directing traffic, complain of shortness of breath, migraines, clogged lungs. Newspapers are crammed with articles about asthma, wheezing children at clinics, an epidemic of...