-The Business Standard News TV's martial music drowns out its responsibilities It should go without saying that the media has a role in informing and educating a citizenry about the issues of the day, providing background, context and holding the powerful to account. A case study in how not to go about this is currently being provided by the electronic media in its coverage of recent raids and counter-raids on the Line...

-Down to Earth Becomes 17th state in country to impose ban on them The Andhra Pradesh government on January 9 banned manufacture, storage, sale, transport and distribution of gutkha, paan masala and similar chewable products that contain tobacco and nicotine. The ban has come into force with immediate effect. With this, Andhra Pradesh becomes the 17th state in India to ban tobacco products (see box). Civil society organisations and anti-tobacco activists have long...

-Jagran Post Jabalpur (MP): Press Council of India (PCI) chairman Justice Markandey Katju on Friday released a report on Gujarat polls which claimed that the malpractice of paid news was noticed on a large-scale in the recently held elections.      Releasing the report before the media here, Katju said that the team has found large-scale practice of paid news, both in print and electronic media, in the recent Gujarat Assembly elections.      The...

-Live Mint Court says legal, ethical issues involved; directs govt to monitor and regulate clinical trials of all experimental drugs  The Supreme Court directed the health ministry to monitor and regulate all clinical trials of experimental drugs in the country until further notice and observed that unregulated trials have caused “havoc”. The apex court order on Thursday revoked the power of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization under the Drugs Controller General of...

-The Hindustan Times All colleges may soon have to get accredited, and foreign varsities will be able to offer joint degrees with Indian universities – without the enactment of laws making accreditation mandatory and allowing foreign institutions entry into India. With 14 bills aimed at a plethora of higher education reforms stuck at different stages of parliamentary approval, the UPA has decided to try and use existing laws to draw up Regulations...