-The Hindustan Times India's ailing economy has found a new scapegoat - environment and forests. For most things that go wrong these days, from power shortage to slow growth, the blame is tossed at the door of the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), the paradigm being that forests, wildlife and green laws are hurdles to development. So much so, that a Group of Ministers established to 'rationalise' coal mining in forests...

-The Hindu Former Cabinet Secretary Chandrashekhar deposes before JPC The former Cabinet Secretary, K.M. Chandrashekhar’s shocking revelation on Thursday to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigating the 2G scam that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had ignored his recommendation that an entry fee of Rs. 36,000 crore be charged for spectrum, has brought the ghost of the 2G scam back to the Prime Minister’s doorstep. Mr. Chandrashekhar’s disclosure that he had submitted a note...

-Outlook Allegations of extortion attempt made against a television channel by a private firm took a new turn today with the Press Council of India (PCI) taking up the issue and a broadcasting body removing an office bearer associated with the channel. PCI chairperson Justice Markandey Katju today wrote to the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) to probe an alleged extortion attempt by certain people belonging to Zee news from Jindal Steel...

-The Times of India The Centre has advised Naxal-hit states not to release hardened Maoist fighters as part of swap deals with red ultras, who have increasingly been using high-profile abductions to further their subversive activities. However, it has said that negotiations and low-value releases can be considered for the safety and release of hostages. The draft hostage policy, which will be discussed at a meeting of chief secretaries/DGPs of nine Naxalism-affected...

-The Times of India ROHTAK: The Rohtak police have registered a case against CPM politburo member Brinda Karat and several other activists in connection with a violent clash with police during a march in Rohtak on Monday to protest the spate of rape incidents in Haryana. The protest, organized by All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) - the women frontal organisation of CPM, was led by Karat and attended by around 400 activists. They...