The Delhi High Court has stayed proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed against Sudarshan TV and its editor Suresh Chavhanke in connection with allegations that his channel made false accusations against a madrasa. The case against Chavhanke was filed by Mohammed Tufail Khan
The Trump Intervention That Got the DOJ Off Live Nation’s Back Antitrust case started out aiming to force the concert giant to sell Ticketmaster. After two White House meetings, a deal kept the company intact. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:02:07 IST WSJ Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link The
China said on Sunday (August 23, 2026) it was postponing its planned ambitious Chang'e-7 lunar mission, which was set to carry out explorations including searching for water ice on the moon. The Chang'e-7 spacecraft was originally set to lift off in the coming days from the Wenchang Space Launch
Canada’s Carney Puts His ‘No Deal Is Better Than a Bad Deal’ Doctrine to the Test The prime minister ’s approach has broad support from the Canadian public and his political opponents, but it isn’t without risks. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:05:27 IST WSJ Prefer HTon Google Share via
An Indian national was killed in a shooting incident in New York on Friday night, said the Indian consulate general in the city. The man, Gurdeep Singh, was killed on Crescent Street in the city’s Brooklyn area, in what police believe may have been a road rage incident, CBS News reported
A group of former cricket captains, including Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar and one of England's longest-serving skippers Sir Alastair Cook, have called on Pakistan to ensure its ex-PM Imran Khan be given proper care while in custody. The cricketer-turned-politician has been in jail since
Fewer than 20 commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz at the weekend, shipping data showed on Monday (August 24, 2026), as Iranian and U.S. blockades restrict traffic through the chokepoint for energy shipments. Four vessels crossed the strait on Sunday (August 23, 2026)
India had asked the United States not to allow reporters to ask questions during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France in June, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Saturday
How does one survive
Earlier this week, rare scenes unfolded in Noida, a satellite city of India's capital Delhi, as thousands of factory workers blocked roads, demanding higher wages and better working conditions.
Most were non-unionised contract workers employed in small factories across industrial clusters, producing auto parts, electronics and garments, among other things. They earn between 10,000 rupees ($107; £79) and 15,000 rupees a month - wages that have remained largely unchanged for years. Many are migrant workers, living hand-to-mouth in cramped housing on the city's outskirts.
What began about a week ago as small, mostly peaceful protests across northern India has since escalated, turning violent in some areas. In Noida, police used tear gas to disperse crowds at several locations and arrested more than 300 people.
The unrest has been driven in part by stark pay disparities between states, highlighted by neighbouring Haryana's recent 35% increase in minimum wages following similar demonstrations.
As protests intensified, the government of Uttar Pradesh - where Noida is located - also announced a temporary wage increase in two districts and promised further measures.
But many workers say the rise falls short, reflecting a broader struggle over fair pay that continues to fuel the protests.
Factory worker Soni Singh says his payslip does not reflect the hours he puts in. He typically works 12 to 14 hours a day, but is paid overtime for only three hours beyond his eight-hour shift, he told news agency PTI. His monthly income is about 13,000 rupees.
Experts say the issue is not just low pay, but how inconsistently labour rules are enforced.
Minimum wages in India are set by individual states and vary widely by skill level and location, meaning similar work can be paid differently - even within the same region. Although they are meant to be revised periodically, delays are common.
In Noida - one of India's key manufacturing hubs - these disparities have deepened frustration.
"The workers just don't trust their employers anymore," said Rajesh Kumar, a Delhi-based trade unionist.
"Minimum wages have always existed, but not all employers comply with them. In most cases, workers have little choice but to accept this because jobs are scarce," he added.
Many workers say little remains after basic expenses and even a day without work can mean a sharp cut in pay.
"I pay 5,000 rupees in rent and spend another 4,000 on groceries and necessities," said a female worker who did not want to be named.
What do we save? Nothing. We just get by.
What sets these protests apart is the absence of major trade union leadership, which is unusual for labour movements in India, said a union leader who declined to be named for fear of police action.
The protests have also taken on a political edge.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called the violence a "conspiracy" to derail the state's development, while opposition leader Rahul Gandhi backed the workers, accusing the government of ignoring their concerns.
But the protests also point to deeper strains in India's labour market, even as the economy expands.
Government data shows that around nine in 10 Indian workers earn less than 25,000 rupees a month (about $300). This is roughly in line with minimum wages for skilled workers in Delhi - among the highest in the country - and underscores how low earnings remain for much of the workforce, particularly in India's vast informal sector, which employs more than 310 million people and offers little job security.
For many households, wages have not kept pace with rising living costs, putting budgets under growing pressure. Recent increases in cooking gas prices - linked to global supply disruptions due to the conflict in the Middle East - have added to the strain.
The discontent is no longer limited to factory floors.
In Noida, domestic workers have also staged protests in recent days, demanding higher wages and better access to housing, healthcare and education for their children.
Rakhi Sehgal, an independent labour researcher and former consultant with the International Labour Organisation, told the BBC that a "cost of living crisis" was the common thread across recent protests - reflecting the widening gap between wages and the cost of basic necessities.
But paying higher wages is not easy for small businesses.
These ventures, which form the backbone of India's manufacturing sector, often operate on thin margins, where even modest pay rises can strain finances.
Vaibhav Gupta, who runs a plastic utensils factory in Delhi which employs about 50 workers, said he understood the pressure workers are under as living costs rise. But sudden increases in labour costs, he added, are difficult for businesses like his to manage.
When labour comes together to demand a raise, we have to listen," he said, "but that often means cutting into already thin margins or absorbing losses on existing purchase orders.
Experts say this leaves both sides in a bind.
"In a situation where they [small factories] can't make any other cost adjustments, they tend to squeeze the workers' time and wages, leading to worker exploitation," labour rights activist Nikhil Dey told the BBC.
Some of the frustration has also been building around India's new labour codes - which brought together dozens of existing labour and industrial laws into four broader frameworks. Introduced last year, the reforms were aimed at strengthening worker protections while simplifying compliance for employers.
But the expectations have not been fully met, says Sehgal.
Arvind Goel, co-chair of the industrial relations committee at the Confederation of Indian Industry, said the government should consider bearing some social security costs for micro and small enterprises to help them comply with labour laws and reduce disputes.
Others say the problem runs deeper, pointing to weak protections for contract workers and poor conditions in sectors where workers have little or no union representation.
Back in Noida, many workers have since returned to their jobs, though smaller protests continue.
Officials say steps are being taken to ensure timely payment of wages, with provisions such as double pay for overtime and work on weekly rest days.
News reports, citing the state government, say a broader national revision of minimum wages is also under way, with consultations ongoing. The BBC has reached out to the Noida administration and the federal labour ministry for comment.
But not everyone is convinced, or hopeful.
"We're working more every year, but not getting ahead," said a factory worker.
If this is the future, how will we ever live a decent life - or save anything for our children?
Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: World
Former Australian captain Greg Chappell with the support of 20 other former international skippers appealed to the Pakistan Government led by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, to provide ‘humane treatment and proper medical care’ for Imran Khan
11 hours ago
The shock resignation of Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran earlier this month has left corporate India's top job vacant. But finding his successor will be no easy task for the country's most revered conglomerate, whose sprawling $300bn empire spans Jaguar Land Rover and Air India as well as
11 hours ago
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian defended a memorandum of understanding with the United States as the best way out of a stalled war. Meanwhile, the new head of the Islamic Republic's top security body warned, in a more forceful tone, of retaliation if neighbouring countries support U.S
11 hours ago
Authorities in China have launched an investigation into reports of formaldehyde being used to preserve the freshness of cabbages for human consumption. Officials in the northeastern Hebei province confirmed that they had verified footage showing individuals dipping cabbages in a solution before
11 hours ago
Three newborns died after a fire that broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit of a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Amravati district in the early hours of Monday, PTI reported. The fire broke out at the Amravati District Women’s Hospital around 3
11 hours ago
Imran's party demands immediate cardiac care for him at Shifa International Hospital Imran's party demands immediate cardiac care for him at Shifa International Hospital Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 11:10:49 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Islamabad
11 hours ago
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s three-day visit to New Delhi in July 2026 for the India-Japan summit appears to have elevated relations between the two Asian countries into a fresh phase of strategic expansion. Ties had already undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade
11 hours ago
How well do COVID antivirals actually work? Not as well as we thought How well do COVID antivirals actually work? Not as well as we thought Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 11:11:50 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Sydeny, If you're aged over 70
11 hours ago
On Sunday, in a post on X, Wali said the audio contained "explosive evidence" and claimed that Brar admitted his gang had ordered Nijjar's killing, alleging that the assassination was driven by an inter-gang feud. Ottawa: Three years after NIA designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in
14 hours ago
Until recently, there would have been little to distinguish Vietnam's so-called Justice Tree from the hundreds of others lining the streets of Hanoi. Then the bouquets started piling up. It was here that former politician Nguyen Sy Cuong was driving his BMW in May last year when he veered into the
14 hours ago
Fast-fashion giant Shein says it plans to raise up to HK13.86bn (£1.3bn; $1.77bn) when its shares start trading on the Hong Kong stock market on 1 September. In a filing on Monday, Shein said it will offer nearly 280 million shares for between HK$47.60 and HK$49.50
14 hours ago
A fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire near Reno, Nevada, has forced about 42,000 people to evacuate, while another 45,000 have been urged to prepare to leave. The Hawk Fire has burned 15,040 acres, destroyed some homes and injured six people. Officials declared a state of emergency as the blaze
14 hours ago
Former Indian diplomat Navdeep Suri has raised concerns about the verification process under the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Suri, a retired Indian Foreign Services officer, went through the process in Punjab. It is among the 16 states where the voter roll revision is being
14 hours ago
A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early Sunday (August 23, 2026), injuring more than 20 people, most of them slightly, officials said. There was no danger of a tsunami. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency
1 days ago
Chinese humanoid robots broke records set by humans, including beating Usain Bolt’s 100-meter sprint world record, on the opening day of the Olympics-like World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday (August 22, 2026). More than 2,000 humanoid robots were participating in the event
1 days ago
One afternoon in 1907, a young accountant named Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman walked into the laboratory of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science at 210 Bowbazar Street in Calcutta. Though he had a passion for the sciences, colonial India offered no stable careers in the field
1 days ago
Three first information reports were filed against 14 identified and more than 200 unidentified persons on Saturday in connection with clashes between the police and student protesters a day earlier, PTI quoted Ranchi Superintendent of Police Paras Rana as saying
1 days ago
Did an Amazon delivery guy assault a 71-year-old man in California? What we know about the attack and lawsuit A California lawsuit alleged that an Amazon delivery driver assaulted a 71-year-old man at an Elk Grove gas station. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
‘Pure evil’: Videos of mothers splashing water at their kids spark outrage amid Lindsay Clancy trial Social media videos of mothers throwing water at their children have sparked concerns amid Lindsay Clancy's trial. Published on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
The sister of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday (August 22, 2026) filed a petition in the Supreme Court, accusing the government and senior officials of violating the top court’s order to shift him to a private hospital for medical examination and treatment
1 days ago
The United States and Canada have entered into uncharted territory. The longtime allies and economic partners, who have enjoyed free trade for decades, are now in an escalating trade war with no clear off ramp. And for Prime Minister Mark Carney
1 days ago
Harrisburg weather update: Special Weather Statement issued for central Pennsylvania as thunderstorms bring 40mph wind NWS has issued a Special Weather Statement for Harrisburg and surrounding parts of central Pennsylvania. Published on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
The police in Maharashtra’s Latur have registered a first information report against Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party political campaign, for allegedly entering a government school without permission, threatening teachers and defaming the institution
1 days ago
The United States and Iran exchanged defiant messages ahead of Monday’s (August 24, 2026) scheduled announcement of new U.S. economic sanctions that could impact the Islamic Republic and Tehran’s most important trading partners including China
1 days ago
Fourteen people were killed in military air strikes at a monastery in Myanmar early on Friday, opposition fighters and a local rescue worker have said. All of those killed were elderly and a number of monks were also injured, the rescue worker told BBC Burmese, adding that the site was struck twice
1 days ago
Deadly airstrikes in Gaza killed at least ten people on Wednesday. These attacks occurred just days after U.S. negotiators asked Israel to reduce its actions. Israeli troops also crossed the Gaza ceasefire line and detained a Hamas official. The ongoing conflict has killed over seventy-three
1 days ago
The Armed Forces Tribunal on Thursday upheld an administrative censure for a brigadier who was commanding a sector of the Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district in December 2023 when three civilians died during an interrogation following a militant attack
1 days ago
