-PTI India’s monsoon, vital for Asia’s third-largest economy, has been 22% deficient till June 26, official data showed, adding to the government’s worries and prompting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to consult key aides on measures to tone up the economy on Wednesday. In a revised forecast, the Met department predicted the rains would be 96% of the long-term average, lower than its April forecast of 99%. Rainfall is considered normal if...

-The Hindu Hygiene and sanitation will be the focus of the next round of sample survey across the country that will begin on July 1. K.P. Unnikrishnan, Deputy Director-General, National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), South zone, said here on Monday that source and availability of drinking Water and housing conditions too would be included in the survey. In the south of Karnataka, including Bangalore district, 76 villages and 116 urban blocks have been...

Days after he broke away from the NDA over choice of the presidential poll nominee, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has managed to get the Centre to double the special assistance package to Rs 20,000 crore during the 12th five year (2012-17) plan. The state will get Rs 4,000 crore every year as central package. Although the assistance was promised at the time of its separation from Jharkhand, it was pegged at...

-The Times of India RAJKOT: Right to Information (RTI) activist Natha Sukhadia, 38, a resident of Devaliya village of the Amreli taluka was attacked on Monday evening. Sukhadia, a farmer, alleged that the attack was carried out at the behest of agricultural minister and Amreli BJP MLA Dileep Sanghani. Sukhadia has filed a complaint against six people with the Amreli taluka police station. Bharat Kathi, Kishor Kathi, Ashok Kathi, Devendra Kathi,...

-BBC Dalits are at the bottom of the Hindu caste system and despite laws to protect them, they still face widespread discrimination in India, writes Natalia Antelava. As the glass flew across the room and straight into the wall, a dozen or so men stopped drinking their tea. Dr Vinod Sonkar threw money on the counter - enough for the tea he drank and the glass he had smashed - and walked out. Dr...