U.S. employers shed 701,000 jobs in March, in the worst month for job losses since the 2007-2009 recession. But these losses still don't show the pandemic's full impact on the labor market. WSJ's Eric Morath explains. Photo: JOHN MINCHILLO/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Underneath the gloss of the UPA victory on 16 May lies a sober reality. Around the country, adivasi women are known for their leadership qualities, and yet, they do not get equal opportunities to contest elections, finds Manipadma Jena.

With the tide in favour of Narendra Modi, his shift to Delhi is inevitable. Aditi Phadnis examines

The coronavirus pandemic means we must wear masks. It also means unlocking an iPhone with Face ID is a challenge. WSJ’s Joanna Stern tracked down a woman who created a mask to get around it.

The mushrooming proposals for new thermal power plants must be managed better by State governments, considering the potential harm from such plants to local communities. Kannan Kasturi reports.

Fly ash, the residue from coal used in thermal power plants, is not only a headache for plant operators; its use in agriculture and other sectors violates environmental sanctity and poses a serious risk to human health. Shripad Dharmadhikary studies a new CEA report to bring us more.

The green bench of the Supreme Court transferred several forest cases to different institutions for decision making, in order to expedite the disposal of these long pending cases. Kanchi Kohli explains how this could influence forest governance in India.

The media today -- print and television -- reflect little active awareness of the fact that they have an important role to play in enabling children to learn about the highly complex world they live in. Children's voices are missing even in reports and articles on matters directly related and relevant to them, says Ammu Joseph.

Incidents of cracks, breaches and outright collapse of dams have been reported often in the last few years. But the country's water resources establishment maintains an ad-hoc attitude, responding to each disaster as it unfolds, often to little effect. Himanshu Upadhyaya reports.

Naam Poribortito, the debut film of activist Mitali Biswas, reveals the dark and gory underbelly of West Bengal in particular, and the nation at large, where rape victims are denied justice and crusaders are silenced more often than not. Shoma Chatterji has more on the film and its portrayals.

Hyderabad has been seeing a spurt in construction activity whose benefits are not exactly trickling down to daily wage workers. Safia Sircar finds out why.

Art blends with life through the tradition of woodcraft in Etikoppaka, but the need to sustain livelihoods is ever-present. Neeta Deshpande reports.

Winner of the 2013 Economics Nobel, Robert J Shiller adds the latest perspective to a long-standing, heated debate on whether Economics can be called a science at all, and if it merits the prestigious award. Shankar Jaganathan recounts the many points of view on the subject.

The media frenzy over Narendra Modi’s first 100 days in office is complemented by the cheer in markets, but Devinder Sharma sounds a caveat against judging the performance of the government by the standards of markets alone.

The declining participation of labour force in agriculture could have been treated as a natural, inevitable phase in India's transition towards industrialisation, but for the employment trends visible in the industrial sector. Kannan Kasturi’s analysis captures the real cause for worry.

The ruling government has allocated 7,060 crores of rupees for development of smart cities, but do our realities allow for westernised ICT-driven smart cities? Darryl D’Monte dwells on what would really make our cities smart, based on deliberations at the second Urban Age conference.

As Bengaluru is proposed to be split up into different municipal corporations, Mathew Idiculla explains why it is important to examine how decisions regarding cities and their boundaries are taken.

A recent report from the labour ministry reveals that skill-intensive occupations such as plumbing and carpentry pay more in rural India. Shambhu Ghatak looks at the data closely to argue for greater thrust on imparting skills, especially to rural women.

The Skill India Mission aims to provide skills training to around 402 million people by the year 2022. In the first of a two-part series, Shambhu Ghatak upholds estimates of skilled workforce from various reports to highlight the yawning gap that needs to be bridged.

The increasing power and influence of veterans of the Indian army, known for their natural affinity towards the right wing regime in power, holds important implications especially when one considers the extent of its permeation into the serving structure. Firdaus Ahmed explains.

For the last 15 years, India has been unable to deal with a fasting, frail poet! Anjuman Ara Begum writes  how Irom Sharmila has been waging a protest against the cruel Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, enforced in her home state of Manipur and other parts of northeast India.

Responses to the disappearances of the common house sparrow have been muted, although the change is clearly a sign of the extent to which our urban environments have been altered. Monitoring programs would protect the birds, and also better inform us about our environment. Vasudha V reports.

Numerous species of Indian birds are critically endangered. Only strict conservation laws can help them survive. Experts fear that many will be wiped off as the environment deteriorates. Unless we have emergency measures, it will be too late says Ramesh Menon.

Most measures of inflation over the last couple of months point to an encouraging downward movement in price indices; Shambhu Ghatak deconstructs these measures and quotes observations of the RBI to show why it may still be premature to take low inflation for granted.

The week-long 'Incredible India' campaign in New York aimed at boosting the vibrant image of an emerging, powerful India at 60 and showcasing its diversity. But the real action was at home, writes P Sainath.

Despite the enactment of a law prohibiting the casteist and deplorable practice of manual scavenging, many continue to labour in the profession in the face of neglect, deprivation and indignity. Pushpa Achanta draws attention to the injustice meted out to manual scavengers and other sanitary workers.

You don’t have to fear police harassment if you report or help an injured accident victim. You don’t even have to reveal personal details unless you wish to testify. Here’s a summary of the “Good Samaritan” guidelines that the apex court has now made compulsory for states to follow.

A social audit of the Corporation of Delhi finds public money is routinely redirected away from the purposes it is intended for. But citizens can monitor its uses, as Parivartan shows.

This Delhi non-profit's initial success in effective enforcement of Delhi’s Right to Information Act has woken up the establishment just as much as it has informed citizens, reports Varupi Jain.

There has been a massive erosion in public confidence in our criminal justice system. There have been numerous commissions set up to suggest improvements, but nothing much has come of these, writes C V Madhukar.

As the spectre of communal violence raises its ugly head yet again in the build-up towards elections, India Together talks to Ramachandra Guha to explore the threats to the secular imagination in India and the hopes for religious pluralism in the democracy.

The findings of a 2012 Lancet study on death by suicide in India reveal the alarming trend of suicide among those under the age of 29. Comparing the Lancet figures with NCRB data, Shambhu Ghatak highlights the real extent of the problem and identifies some of the key causes.

Vultures are nature's scavengers and their effectiveness in disposing off dead cattle has been a critical public health safeguard in India. But with the sub-continent losing 95% of its vulture population in just 15 years, scientists and conservationists have been scrambling to understand why, and propose remedies. Darryl D'Monte has more.

There is a strong case to reschedule the Kashmir valley railway line project, says Pavan Nair.

While documenting the plight and pluck of women, the film captures the everyday lives of young girls and women whose lives could be trapped in a no-exit situation at any moment, without dramatizing this, writes Shoma Chatterji.

The lack of awareness about a traditionally peace-loving species and inadequate safeguards to protect their natural habitats and corridors are posing a serious threat to the continued survival of leopards in and around the city of Guwahati. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.

An inspiring account of Malini Chib, disability rights activist and author, who talks about how she got around to developing a strong disability identity that she wants to “celebrate” rather than reject.

I could smell Buddham Bai before I could see her. She was covered with layers of clothes once white, laced with the acrid odour of incontinence, of old age. Arpan Tulsyan reports on one woman's poverty and homelessness in the capital.

With an eye on the electorate, the UPA government is trying to scale up its Direct Benefits Transfer scheme in a big way, linking it to the Aadhaar project. But given the low levels of financial inclusion and poor financial literacy among beneficiaries, its effectiveness remains suspect.

Marien Mathew meets a confident and yet vulnerable Padma Shri Malathi Holla, a very special athlete.

For decades, antibiotics have been used carelessly in India, with doctors, pharmacists, patients and drug companies all contributing to their abuse. The results could be catastrophic. Ramesh Menon reports.

Click here to read Part II

Superbugs will alter the course of medical history. India needs to put in place proper systems that will ensure that drug resistance does not set in. Ramesh Menon reports.

Click here to read Part I

The Government's response to the emergence of Superbugs should be urgent and specific, but instead it has been living in denial even as the threat multiplies, writes Ramesh Menon.

Click here to read Part I | Part II

For the three million plus marginalised people living in Assam's riverine ‘chars’, boat clinics arrive once every month with basic health supplies, services and education. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports on this innovative healthcare delivery system.

The Railway Budget this year has been hailed for its pragmatic approach and emphasis on modernisation and customer experience. Tanvi Bhatikar raises a critical issue that needs to be addressed in order to deliver on those fronts.

As the country boils over in outrage against Nestle following the detection of dangerous levels of lead in its popular Maggi brand, Sarika Agarwal takes an objective look at the possible real sources of contamination and the core issues related to food safety.

The out-of-pocket health expenditure by the poor is spiraling and the government spending on public health care is reducing. The existing public health programes and insurance schemes are failing; private health care sector is not properly regulated; Shambhu Ghatak finds the health of our nation worrisome.

Konkodi Bhat's simple pipe system at his home in Dakshina Kannada allows the family to use rainwater for half the year and lets the excess recharge the open well for usage in the remaining months. His easily replicable technique can successfully reduce groundwater usage in heavy rainfall areas, reports Shree Padre.

It's a classic headline: "Government-funded rainwater harvesting for public schools goes wrong, money wasted". However in one district, the tale is altogether different. Shree Padre records the positives and the lessons.

The Karnataka government’s attempts to reintegrate Naxals into the mainstream through the provision of a surrender and rehabilitation package have met with limited success. Akshatha M reports on the ground realities.