Interview with Chairman, MD and CEO, Hero MotoCorp

Risk sentiment deteriorated after a news report, citing inadvertently released results, said the closely watched antiviral drug remdesivir had had no effect on patients in its first randomised clinical test.

Diego Maradona has lent a hand in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in his hometown by autographing an Argentina national team jersey for a raffle. The sale raised money for an underprivileged area on the outskirts of Buenos Aires affected by quarantine rules. "We're going to get through it," Maradona wrote on the jersey, a replica of the one he wore when he led his country to victory in the 1986 World Cup. The jersey was first offered at auction, but is being raffled to those who have given donations in an initiative that has collected hygiene products, masks and around 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of food for charity. "Diego can't even imagine what he has done for us, it's priceless. I'll be grateful to him until the day I die," said local resident Marta Gutierrez. In addition to the pandemic, Argentina is facing a serious economic crisis and is in laborious negotiations on debt restructuring with creditors.

Meritorious students hailing from poor sections of the society in Odisha have been provided smartphones to help them attend online classes during coronavirus-induced lockdown to sustain their focus on the NEET exam scheduled on July 26 for admission in medical colleges. These wards of humble vegetable sellers, fishermen and marginal farmers are students of "Zindagi foundation" run by a non-governmental organisation for talented students of Odisha, to help them give wings to their dreams. The man behind the initiative is academician Ajay Bahadur Singh, who was forced to quit medical studies due to his father's kidney ailment in 1990 and had to sell tea and sherbet to help his family survive. There are 19 medical aspirants, both boys and girls, at present under the project from remote corners of Odisha who will be undertaking the national level undergraduate medical entrance exam on July 26 next to qualify for admission in medical colleges. The lockdown caused by the ...

In this edition, we look into the odd-even traffic experiment going on in Delhi to combat its air pollution, how poor people lost eye sight in botched up cataract surgeries performed in Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, the skill deficit in the emerging work force of our country, an interview with the well-known Tamil feminist writer C S Lakshmi, and more.

Government schools are unable to deliver quality education in most cases. This has prompted some to argue for vouchers - coupons from the government to be given to parents that would let them admit their children in private schools instead. Krithika Ramalingam reports on a movement that is gathering steam.

Recognising that government schools with their Tamil medium education do nothing to ensure a good career path or ensure employment, parents are stretching themselves to make the shift in rural Tamilnadu. Still, plenty of challenges remain reports Krithika Ramalingam.

How does one countenance a regulator that does not adhere to the law of the land and is also unable to protect the interest of one group against another? The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, says Bhaskar Goswami, itself needs to be regulated to ensure it plays a balanced role.

Although as yet in India, there has not been a severe accident leading to core meltdown or large radiation exposures to the public, on measures of occupational exposure to workers, and compliance with standards for accident prevention, Indian nuclear plants perform poorly, writes Ashwin Kumar.

Total plan funding for urban areas is Rs 3,500 crores, but for rural programmes, it exceeds Rs 40,000 crores. In the meantime, the urban poor often live in sub-human conditions, and the infrastructure is barely able to cope. Ramesh Ramanathan says we need more rigour in our policy discourse.

Innovative use of information technology through mobile phones is enabling improved financial literacy and increased access to credit for economically disadvantaged women in rural and urban areas. Swapna Majumdar reports.

New Delhi's policy-makers are busy bartering the millions of jobs in agriculture for the far fewer ones with outsourcing firms in the cities, says Devinder Sharma.

For scores of students in Assam's primary schools, cooked food served in school under the Midday Meal Scheme is an attraction. Headmasters vouch for its impact in increasing attendance, but point to several challenges in making the scheme work statewide. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.

Conflict-ridden and marked as 'backward', Karbi Anglong is the first district in the North-East and the fourth in the country to have implemented a quality management system in compliance with the ISO 9001:2000 standard. Ratna Bharali Talukdar has more.

From Urban Poverty Alleviation Initiatives in India : A General Assessment and a Particular Perspective (2002), a publication of the Ramanathan Foundation.
Interact: What about bank red-tape and corruption?

Residents of our slums often pay more than their better-off counterparts for the most essential services. Aditi Dimri and Amiya Sharma discovered the poverty premium through a survey of Sanjay Colony, a slum in Okhla phase II, Delhi, with a population of around 40,000.

The Suresh Tendulkar Committee's estimate of poverty in the country has reopened the debate on how the poor should be counted, what benefits they should receive from the state, and how. Darryl D'Monte reports.

A renewable energy project covering three of Odisha’s most backward villages has gone beyond the immediate promise of providing electricity, bringing about perceptible and deeper changes in the quality of lives of the local people. Abhijit Mohanty reports on the project.

Looking into what’s happening in the State of Karnataka, Kathyayini Chamaraj discusses the
housing needs and rights of the urban poor.

India is languishing in the Human Development Index recently released by the UNDP. Bangladesh has overtaken India in some vital parameters. What does this imply in terms of actual numbers? Are the Millennium Development Goals and those laid down by the Planning Commission achievable? Pavan Nair takes a look.

Sanitary conditions in most of the slum areas in Assam are abysmal. Ignorance about cleanliness, lack of water supply and proper working toilets, absence of covered drainage and sewage, and no action from the local and state government are to be blamed for the mess, reports Nilotpal Bhattacharjee.

In Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, people lost their sight after botched up cataract surgeries. Was it because the organizers, the medical and paramedical staff of the district hospital did not take necessary steps? Or was the quality of medication used questionable? Or, because the victims are too marginalised and too poor to protest? Asks Shoma Chatterji.

At the core of the agriculture crisis in Vidarbha are the disparities between the western and eastern regions that the state's policies have fostered over five decades. Starved of the funds that western region has for long received, it now hardly matters whether Vidarbha gains the status of statehood, notes Jaideep Hardikar.

A systematic, participatory effort to map and understand the need for sanitation in Sangli's slums has helped Shelter Associates bring about a change in the mindset of civic officials and residents alike. Its director, Pratima Joshi believes this is a model that can be replicated in many other cities. Rasika Dhavse reports.

The jersey was first offered at auction, but is being raffled to those who have given donations in an initiative that has collected hygiene products, masks and around 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of food for charity.

Did you know why the Indian lockdown is creating so much human suffering, even though we did relatively well on the Covid case numbers? Why is ours the only major country in the world where...

Utho! meri dunya ke ghareebo ko jaga do/ kakh-e-umra ke dar-o-diwar hila do (Rise, wake the poor of my world from slumber/ Shake the walls and windows of the mansions of the prosperous) —Allama Iqbal...

Mira Rajput tries her hands at embroidery, takes daughter Misha Kapoor's help

The ration kits contain essential items like oil, sugar, soap etc and are being delivered to poor households along with monthly rations which have also been doubled.

Dmitrii Baskov had come to India in January to visit a tennis academy and got stuck due to Covid-19 lockdown but is helping feel Ahmedabad's poor.

A video of Ranbir Kapoor talking about Katrina Kaif has surfaced, Elon Musk's girlfriend, singer Grimes, has given birth to their first child together. More details in today's entertainment recap.

Rishi Kapoor died in Mumbai on the morning of April 30. Just the night before, Riddhima was granted permission to drive to Mumbai from Delhi. Riddhima is a jewellery designer and lives with her husband and daughter in Delhi.

An old pic of Kareena Kapoor is making rounds on the internet where she is seen posing with the sibling duo -- Ibrahim and Sara Ali Khan-- flaunting her baby bump.

Leena Yadav, who worked with late veteran actor Rishi Kapoor in the film Rajma Chawal talked about her experience with the actor who was a "brutally honest" natural actor.

The photo is taken during the filming of Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Ayan Mukerji's big collaboration, Brahmāstra: Part One of Three or Brahmastra.

Despite working with late veteran actor Rishi Kapoor in many films, Jackie Shroff never happened to share any scene with him. The actor recently said that his dream of doing so will not come true now.

Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor's throwback picture from childhood is too cute to be missed.

A compilation video made from Rishi Kapoor's pics over the years shows his love for food. Check it out.

Kareena Kapoor has posted a throwback picture of RD Burman with the Kapoor family.

Arjun is also raising funds for animals that have been affected by the Covid-19 lockdown.

Gulshan Grover, who worked with Rishi Kapoor on many films like Vijay, Dillagi and Hawaalat, talked about how the late actor helped him get more work and validation in the industry.

Karisma Kapoor shared a slo-mo video from her trip to London to say how much she is missing the city while quarantined in Mumbai.

Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja connected with family over video conferencing and enjoyed quarantine snacks on the occasion of their second marriage anniversary.

Janhvi Kapoor took to Instagram Stories, where she shared a funny video of her sister Khushi trying her banana toffee sauce.