-Al Jazeera New report from UN's telecommunications agency breaks down international internet usage statistics. About one-third of the world's population now has access to the internet, but more needs to be done in order to achieve internet penetration targets as set out in the Millennium Development Goals, the International Telecommunications Union has said in a new report. Currently, 20.5 per cent of households in developing countries have access to the internet, which the...

-The Times of India The Union health ministry is pushing to decriminalize the act of attempting suicide, which currently is an offence under Section 309 of the IPC with a punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine. The new Mental Health Care Bill 2012, that is expected to be tabled in the winter session, aims to introduce a provision saying "no complaint, investigation or prosecution shall be entertained...

-The Hindustan Times Although some detailed exposés of India’s nefarious role in purchasing or leasing agricultural land in other countries — notably in Africa — have been surfacing in the last few years, the full picture of what some critics term a land grab and new form of colonialism has only emerged during the Rio+20 environmental meet in June. The Washington DC-based think tank, the Worldwatch Institute, released a report based...

-PTI Patchy monsoon has its shadow over onion cultivation with major producing regions in Maharashtra and Gujarat witnessing drop in sowing area of the key kitchen item almost by half. Decline in area would affect supply of onion during October-December period and could trigger its price rise in the domestic market. Onion is selling at Rs 10-15 a kg at present in retail in Delhi and other parts of the country. "Almost 50 per...

-Reuters Corn exports from India could hit a record 3.5 million tonnes in the 2011/12 marketing year to September, spurred by higher global prices and a bumper harvest, the India representative of a major US grains export association said on Thursday. India is Asia's second-largest grower of corn after China but it is not a significant global exporter of the grain. It mainly sells to Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, which seek small...