-IANS   An uneasy calm prevailed Thursday evening at the B.C. Roy Children's hospital here, which till late afternoon witnessed chaos and violence following the death of at least 18 infants in less than two days due to various causes. The unfortunate parents had left the hospital after authorities released the bodies of their babies. Only a cluster of relatives of the other admitted child patients, some media persons and police personnel...

-The Times of India   After years of debate, foreign direct investment in retail may soon be a reality with a panel of secretaries expected to approve the framework for allowing global retail chains to set up shop in India later this month. Government sources said the proposal has gained momentum, with both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee backing it, and chances are that the Cabinet could clear...

The Orissa government suspends the land acquisition for the Posco project in the face of stiff opposition from the people. SIX years ago, when the South Korean steel giant Posco arrived in Orissa with the biggest ever foreign direct investment that had come the country's way, it was expected to help rid the economically backward State of its ‘poor' tag and bring prosperity. Posco had won the $12 billion deal at...

-PTI   Pressing its demand for a strong Lokpal with teeth to fight corruption, the CPI has warned that the government could face "trouble" if it comes up with a bogus draft in Parliament. The remarks came after a team of civil society activists led by Anna Hazare met leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) to put their points across on the issue of the Lokpal and seek support for...

Protest against government attempts to suppress democratic resistance by villagers Police avoid confrontation; no work on construction of boundary wall As Orissa on Wednesday made failed attempts to acquire land for the Posco steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district, five political parties announced that they would begin an indefinite dharna opposing the Naveen Patnaik government's attempts to suppress democratic resistance by villagers who oppose establishment of the project in their locality. The dharna would...