The flight from Italy was one of the last arrivals that day at the Stockholm airport. A Swedish couple in their 50s walked up and loaded their skis into Razzak Khalaf's taxi. I t was early March and concerns over the coronavirus were already present, but the couple, both coughing for the entire 45-minute journey, assured Khalaf they were healthy and just suffering from a change in the weather. Four days later, the Iraqi immigrant got seriously ill with COVID-19. Still not able to return to work, Khalaf is part of the growing evidence that those in immigrant communities in the Nordic nations are being hit harder by the pandemic than the general population. Sweden took a relatively soft approach to fighting the coronavirus, one that attracted international attention. Large gatherings were banned but restaurants and schools for younger children have stayed open. The government has urged social distancing, and Swedes have largely complied. The country has paid a heavy price, with 2,769 ...

A man committed suicide by hanging himself after allegedly killing his wife and a minor son in Bilniyasar village in the district, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred in the Jasrasar police station area, where the man, identified as Suresh, allegedly thrashed his wife Suman (35) and an 11-year-old son in a fit of rage over some issue on Friday night, they said. After killing them, he allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself, the police said. His wife was working as an auxiliary nurse midwife at a local sub health centre. She was living in a government quarter, they said. The bodies were shifted to a hospital and the matter is being probed, the police added.

A day after the Andhra Pradesh government constituted a five-member team to probe the Visakhapatnam gas leak incident, TDP chief N Chandrababu Nadu on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up a scientific experts' committee to investigate the matter. In a letter to Modi, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief also commended the "quick response" of the central government in controlling the styrene vapour leak from the plastics manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam that left 12 people dead and hundreds hospitalised on Thursday. Naidu suggested that the prime minister set up a scientific experts' committee to inquire into the gas leakage and the circumstances that led to the release of toxic vapours. A thorough investigation needs to be done to understand the health impact as the company claims that only styrene gas was leaked but there are conflicting reports of other toxic gases being leaked, he said. "The long-lasting impact on the health of those undergoing ..

A 23-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide at the AIIMS here after her mother died of cancer at the hospital, police said on Saturday. She was reported missing after her mother passed away on Wednesday and her body was found near the new private ward block of the hospital on Saturday, they said, adding that she fell to her death from a building. "Her mother was a cancer patient. She was being treated at the hospital and had died during treatment on Wednesday," Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Kumar Thakur said. Her father was busy in the formalities when she left the area. She was reported missing since Wednesday. The family hails from Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, a senior police officer said. Hospital staff noticed the body and informed the police. The block was closed due to which nobody found out about it earlier, police said. Police said she had called her friends and told them that she was going to kill herself. The body has been recovered and an inquest ...

A special committee has been formed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for containing the spread of COVID-19 in different parts of the city, a member of the panel said. Chairperson, caretaker board of administrators of the civic body and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim, former deputy mayor Atin Ghosh, four community medicine experts and KMC health officials are members of the newly formed committee. The panel was formed after Hakim assumed charge as chairperson of the caretaker board of administrators (BOA) of the KMC on Friday. The state government appointed the board since elections could not be held to the KMC owing to the coronavirus outbreak. The Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed the BOA to act as the KMC's caretaker board for a month. Ghosh told PTI on Saturday, "We will sit every afternoon to take stock of the situation and decide accordingly. "Apart from containment zones, we will review the situation in other areas of the city as well. There ...

A 21-year-old married woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging at her house in a village in Bundi district on Saturday, police said. The deceased woman was identified as Uma Jangid (21), wife of Dinesh Jangid and a resident of Nayagaon village of Kapren town in Bundi district, SHO of Kapren police station Budhiprakesh Nama said. The woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging from the ceiling fan of her room on Saturday early morning while other members of the family were asleep, the SHO said. Prima facie, it appears that the woman took the extreme step due to family reasons, he opined. However, no suicide note was recovered from her possession. Uma got married to Dinesh in 2017. Her parents who had reached here after the death said their daughter did not have any complaints about her in-laws, the policeman said, adding that the couple did not have any child. The body was handed over to her family members after a post-mortem was conducted later in the day, Nama said. A case was ..

"Why are the Expert Committees of Ministry of Environment and Forests dominated by ex-bureaucrats, politicians and engineers?" asked over 60 non-profit organizations earlier this month in an open letter. Kanchi Kohli was one of the drafters of the letter to Ministry that has asked for a reconstitution of the flawed committees.

In North Sikkim, a familiar tale of subverting environment regulation is playing out, as plans to dam the Teesta river push past local opposition and ecological considerations. Kanchi Kohli reports.

An expert committee set up by the MoEF to study the impact of hydropower projects in the Alaknanda-Bhagirathi basin raises hope, but can it break the mould of the past to bring about the measures so critically needed? Shripad Dharmadhikary explores.

As the draft agreement is getting ready at the Climate Change Conference in Paris, Darryl D’Monte gives a final round-up on how countries are changing their alliances keeping their own interests in mind, and if it will be possible for a developing nation like India to work towards a low-carbon future.

In this edition we look at the recently concluded India-Africa Forum Summit, how the original habitants and workers of Mumbai Port are being ignored in the port redevelopment plans, how the RTE Act faring in the State of Tamil Nadu, the rights of the Indian domestic workers, the business of illegal sand mining, how a village is showing the way to sustainable living and much more.

In this edition we have reports on the recently concluded Paris Climate Change Conference by Darryl D'Monte who was in Paris. We also look at the shocking realities faced by AID patients and their families, how CAG is in trouble in Delhi for auditing three power distributors, will the Sustainable Development Goals of UN achieve what the Millennium Development Goals failed to do and much more.

The recommendations of the committee constituted to look into the claims of endosulfan victims in Kasargod and decide on the need to set up a tribunal to settle those, appear to be largely sympathetic towards the Plantation Corporation and endosulfan manufacturers. P N Venugopal reports.

Two different bodies established by successive governments have made recommendations for sweeping changes to the system of representation and governance in urban areas. The opportunity is now at hand to bring these together, and ensure that wards are accessible and accountable to urban residents. Vinay Baindur reports.

Both the Supreme Court and the Prime Minister recognised that rehabilitation for Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river was incomplete, but neither was willing to fulfil their legal responsibility to actually stop construction. Instead, the the Shunglu Committee is now "independently" investigating rehabilitation and it appears compromised, worries Mike Levien.

A recent report suggests merging the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) into a new organisation to be called the National Water Commission. Shripad Dharmadhikary comments on the report.

Civil society candidates should be eligible for appointment to key RTI posts in the States and the Centre. We must apply for such jobs, and help improve the system, writes Krishnaraj Rao.

In July the Chief of the Central Election Commission wrote to the Prime Minister outlining several proposals for further reforms in the electoral arena. Rasika Dhavse reports.

L S Aravinda points out that many Indian children are better off because their parents prefer natural infant hygiene, but warns of an increasing number being swayed by 'the convenience' of diapers.

For some time now, the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court has been reviewing the decisons of the Forest Advisory Committee, which grants permission for converting forest land for non-forest use. But this oversight may be coming to an end. Kanchi Kohli reports.

The report of a high level committee under BJP MP Shanta Kumar proposes radical restructuring of the PDS and reduced coverage of the food security act. But is the estimate of leakages in the report flawed in itself? Shambhu Ghatak presents alternative findings.

In Chhatisgarh's Durg district, there is no shortage of farmers who have taken their lives - the district ranks second in the state on this count. But equally, there is no shortage of those who don't see these suicides. Shubhranshu Choudhary reports.

India and Africa both share interest in manufacturing, so how will this play out at the ongoing India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) in Delhi? And will we see a coherent strategy from the present Indian government for engaging the continent? Anoo Bhuyan looks into these questions and more.

Increasingly, job quotas are cited as 'discrimination' - in reverse. But the word discrimination in terms of caste means something very different that the media mostly do not, or choose not to, understand, writes P Sainath.

Campuses across the country are reimposing law and order in an indication of new resolve to root out ragging and violence, especially against women students. Puja Rawat reports.

In late January, the Justice J S Verma Committee recommended amendments to the India's criminal law so as to provide for quicker and more effective redress of sexual assault against women. PRS Legislative Research provides highlights.

There is a lot that happens in the background to make sure that every Indian election - like the just concluded Bihar assembly election - is conducted fairly, freely and peacefully. Smarak Swain, who was on election duty in Bihar reports on the challenges faced by the Election Commission of India and how it is overcoming them effectively.

In late August, the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a judicial inquiry on allegations of large scale corruption in distribution of compensation to families affected by Sardar Sarovar/Narmada Project. Himanshu Upadhyaya tells the continuing story of a scam.

Should foreign immigrants in Assam enjoy Indian citizenship as outlined by the Assam Accord and endorsed by Section 6A of the Citizenship Act? Tanvi Bhatikar reports on a recent court ruling that focuses on these questions.

Reading former CAG Vinod Rai’s autobiography Not Just an Accountant, Himanshu Upadhyaya feels that it is less about the individual and more about a constitutionally-mandated authority’s sustained efforts to uphold transparency in the face of concerted attempts by the powerful to thwart the same.

EPL: Giggs fires United back to summit

Global Business Summit 2020: Day 1, Full video

PM Boris Johnson opened a virtual global conference on Covid-19 on Monday where he said, "It's humanity against the virus - we are in this together, and together we will prevail." He said that fighting the pandemic together is the "most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetimes". He confirmed the UK's pledge of 388 million pounds aid funding for Covid-19 research.

A study by Deloitte found that 27 companies of the 100 listed on the NSE, won't be able to sustain current wage bill from cash profits, if their revenue dips by 30 per cent or more.

According to the Tamil Nadu government, the committee comprises economists, industrialists, vice chancellors, bankers, government officials and others.

FINA announced that world championships were due to be held in Fukuoka next year from July 16-August 1 but will instead take place from May 13-29 in 2022

Sun Yang was found guilty of refusing to give a doping sample and was banned for eight years for the same.

Hazlewood even said that he might consider Mankading Pujara the next time the two sides face each other in a Test series.

All India Football Federation recommended the implementation of the 3+1 foreigners' rule in Indian Super League and I-League starting XIs.

Ferrari came out to refute report that they are leaving F1 if a proposed budget cap for 2021 was set too low and said that they remain committed to Formula One.

The plea was mentioned for an urgent hearing and it has been allowed to be listed on May 12, Zafarul Islam Khan's advocate Vrinda Grover said.

India's financial capital has so far reported 11,219 positive cases and 437 deaths and is one of the worst-affected cities in Maharashtra.

His wife was working as an auxiliary nurse midwife at a local sub health centre. She was living in a government quarter, the police said.

She was reported missing after her mother passed away on Wednesday and her body was found near the new private ward block of the hospital on Saturday, they said, adding that she fell to her death from a building.

'Eleven trains carrying people from other states have already reached Madhya Pradesh and 10 more are coming on Saturday,' Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told BJP party workers that the committees would be formed at every panchayat level in the rural areas and ward level in the urban areas.

The West Bengal BJP’s legal cell convenor said the Mamata Banerjee-led government has failed to tackle the coronavirus crisis in the state.