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Several international organisations are now engaged in the business of measuring what they call “poverty”. The World Bank has been in it for some time, but now we have a new measure of “Multidimensional Poverty” brought out by the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI). Neither of these measures however actually measures poverty; they typically end up “prettifying” neo-liberal capitalism. In fact according to the World Bank’s estimate, the proportion of the world’s population that lives in “extreme poverty” (that is, below a daily per capita expenditure of $1.90 at 2011 purchasing power parity exchange rate) has gone down from over 30 per cent in the late 1990s to less than 10 per cent in 2022, suggesting that under neo-liberal capitalism “millions have been lifted out of poverty”. Let us see why this much-quoted World Bank’s measure is conceptually flawed.

Bahraich is Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s big test. How does he handle the crisis will be his ticket to success or failure in the 10 bypolls, and within the party? So far, he seems to be doing 'ok'. Enforcing law & order at any cost and a “danga-free Uttar Pradesh” and the effects of Bahraich on the soon-to-be held 10 bypolls will extend up to 2027, when assembly elections are due.

GIFT City, India's sole international financial services centre, continues to make significant strides in attracting global investment and fostering innovation. Recent developments by Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Anicut Capital highlight the growing confidence in GIFT City's potential. Established in 2007, this ambitious project has witnessed significant growth, attracting numerous financial institutions and investors.

With the establishment of National Terrorism Data Fusion and Analysis Centre (NTDFAC) for enabling of Big Data Analytics and facilitating the automation and digitization of the various investigative processes, and procedures at the headquarters of National Investigation Agency (NIA) at New Delhi, the efficiency, consistency and accountability of the premier national agency to prevent, nab, curb, arrest, prosecute and punish with iron hands, acts, suspected or real terrors, has been made most effective. NIA’s mandate includes investigation of incidents of terror attacks, funding of terrorism, terror related crimes and cases of sabotage, bomb blasts, untoward incidents and similar other occurrences including human trafficking and prohibited arms.

Making a mockery of the BJP slogan of ‘Beti Bachao’ (save our daughters), the last few months have seen an exponential and very disturbing increase in incidents of horrific violence against women and children. Many of the cases include rape and murder of the victims. India is now witnessing more than 86 cases of rape in a day and at least 49 cases of crimes against women every hour. Most of these incidents have been taking place in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. TMC-ruled West Bengal has also witnessed horrific crimes against women and minors. An MP in Karnataka who belongs to a powerful political party which is part of the NDA and who was defeated in the last Lok Sabha election was guilty of the rape and sexual abuse of hundreds of women which he filmed and saved on his mobile phone. Many of his victims belonged to his own party.

India, Pakistan open window: Cricket on the table. Foreign ministers hold talks. S Jaishankar and Muhammad Ishaq Dar speak twice in 24 hours at the SCO meet at Islamabad on October 15 and 16. The breakthrough came when the Pakistan Cricket Board chief joined them. Jay Shah should have been flown in, if reducing Indo-Pak relations to the level of cricketing ties was the intention.

Omar Abdullah has become the first Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir sans statehood. With it comes numerous challenges and responsibilities. Administering this Union Territory as chief minister will be just like serving two masters simultaneously – the Centre’s diktat on the one hand and People’s mandate to uphold democracy and federalism on the other.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two Kerala High Court directions and a unanimous resolution by the Kerala Assembly notwithstanding, the Union Government has not released any funds for the victims of Wayanad landslide tragedy which claimed more than 400 lives.

Communalism in our country has been emerging as a major dividing force, even at the cost of violating our Constitution. The credit goes to the ruling forces. Our Constitution in its preamble declares that we are moving towards a secular, democratic and socialist society, but attempts are made to destroy these values. The threat of communalism is constant despite the fact that it has no rational ground to be in our democratic system. There is a strong bond between the communities. They have no distinctly underlined community interests that stand in clash against each other. The interests of Hindu and Muslim peasants and workers are no different. The reality is that if there is any common ground among the Hindus and Muslims, that would be against imperialists and for social interest.

A perform or perish moment has arrived for INDIA bloc in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Election Commission of India announced the schedule for Vidhan Sabha Election in Maharashtra in single phase on November 20, and in Jharkhand in two phases on November 13 and 20. INDIA bloc has given itself the task to wrest power from the NDA in Maharashtra, and to retain power in Jharkhand, but challenges before them have recently been accented after the Congress’s humiliating setback in Haryana Vidhan Sabha election.