The United Progressive Alliance government has made it clear to states that it will not permit them any relaxation in labour laws in special economic zones, petrochemical hubs and industrial parks such as easing norms for hiring and firing and employment of women and restricting union activity, among others. Over the last two weeks, at least three state governments have seen their proposals for relaxing labour laws in duty-free areas being rejected by the Centre.

Even as experts were debating pros and cons of the waiver, came the first-ever announcement in the history of commodity markets anywhere in the world the introduction of Commodity Transaction Tax and this, coupled with service tax imposed on commodity exchanges, was a blow to the nascent commodity Futures industry in the country.

One hopes the big daddies of South Block and DRDO realise why radical reforms are so crucial.

The Rajasthan Dharma Swatantraya Bill, 2008, reintroduced by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje last week, prohibits conversion by use of force, allurement or fradulent means. It was passed by voice vote, even as Congress, Communist Party of India-Marxist and Lok Janshakti Party Legislative Assembly members demanded that it be referred to a select committee.

This is clearly the worst financial problem we've had since the Great Depression," as Joseph Stiglitz told a radio show in New Zealand on Wednesday morning.

The RBI is of course fighting tooth and nail to hold interest rates while every constituency, political, business and economic is baying for lowering them. So far, the RBI has held on admirably. Whether it will manage to hold on is a question mark. I strongly feel it should, because high interest rates are the last reason growth will be affected. The good news is that an economic slowdown may exert pressure on asset prices, both in the commercial and non-commercial space.

State legislators of Indian-origin in the United States appeared to be divided in their support either for Senator Hillary Clinton or Senator Barack Obama -- both of whom are engaged in a bitter fight for Democratic nomination for the 2009 presidential election.

The waiting period can be stressful but there are some ethical and legal guidelines that must be followed during the admissions process. Here's a look at them.

As it pits itself against the sarkar and the "company" in a $12 billion stakeout, Latha Jishnu speculates about the future of a small village with an idyllic - but apparently doomed - way of life.

The text of US President George W Bush's final State of the Union address delivered to Congress on Monday.

Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel, who announced after day-long consultations among all concerned parties that the four-day old crisis has been resolved, sidestepped questions on whether it involved some changes in the ministry.

The year 2007 did not turn out to be much different than 2006 in that much of the time was spent on figuring out whether Washington and New Delhi will come to terms with the so-called 123 Agreement that would formalise the Henry J Hyde Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act that the President George W Bush signed into law in the closing days of 2006.

Choosing the next Dalai Lama is too profound a tradition to be controlled by the Communists in Beijing.

Senior colleagues, long-time friends and the Indian-American community leaders had sprung to the defence of Maryland House Majority Leader Kumar Barve, the senior-most Indian American lawmaker, Kumar Barve, who was arrested on November 29 in Gaithersburg in Montgomery Country, which he represents, for drunken driving.

This week's column takes a comic look at the controversies "communal" references in the public domain have caused.

For centuries man has tried to devise ways and means of telling the future just so that he won't be taken by surprise when something dramatic and unprecedented happens. One of the most popular predictions of the civilisations and cultures of yore was the date of the end of the world.

A clutch of innovators, entrepreneurs and researchers are heralding a revolution that combines the academic and the real world within the IIT Madras campus.

The award to the Dalai Lama is good 'for the conscience of the US,' but it does not help the Tibetans in their aspiration for freedom.

A senior Bush administration official refused to be pinned down on whether the bilateral 123 civil nuclear cooperative agreement between the United States supersedes the Hyde Act.

Is there a well-concealed additional vision of an 'arc of democracy'? That is the nagging question in the Chinese mind. It will nag even more after they have read Dr Singh's positive reaction to the idea of closer co-operation among major democracies

'I cannot think of being a writer in any other city in India!' says poet Sampurna Chattarji.

Home Minister K Jana Reddy termed the police firing"unfortunate" and conveyed his sympathies to the members of the bereaved families.

Telugu Desam Party and Bharatiya Janata Party also extended their support to the bandh call given by the Left parties.

It is time Indian Parliament woke up to the need for the nuclear deal to be subjected to parliamentary scrutiny and approval in the Indian national interest

What is a non-banking financial company (NBFC)? How does it differ from a bank? Get the answers to these and many more questions on NBFCs.

Promoters pay themselves huge sums in diversified firms and shareholders are none the wiser.

The untold story of how an epic loser engineered what may be the greatest brand makeover ever.

'This insanity must stop. Or else, the State will lose its legitimacy in the eyes of the people. Then, the Maoists will have achieved their purpose of discrediting not just the State, but democracy itself.'

'India has had seven years after the 1998 tests, what has it done on the weapons front?'

Following is the text of the public interest litigation filed in the Delhi high court

Two biathletes and four cross-country skiers from the 2006 Turin Olympics were banned for possession of doping equipment and collaboration.

A consistent use of RTI will bring about a positive change.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram's speech.

G K Pillai, who heads the government's SEZ panel, demystifies SEZs and the controversy surrounding them.

Globalisation, BlackBerries and new performance pressure are making 70-hour work weeks routine. But is this tiring trend good for Corporate America?

Speak up if you feel you are being sexually targeted at the office

Image of Condi Rice's testimony to Senate on the plan to send more troops to Iraq.

It all began in the family grocery store back in Omaha.

Key provisions of the Indo-US nuclear deal.

'If that occurs, the world will be safer,' says Senator Joseph Biden.