-The Hindu Chandigarh: For one Sarabjit Singh, whose death brought politicians to his funeral and financial assistance for his family, the Punjab countryside is dotted with scores of men knocking on the doors of courts seeking compensation for the years many of them spent in Pakistani jails, and recognition of their services as spies for India. Neither the government nor his family has ever acknowledged that Sarabjit - who died this week...

-The Hindu Stockholm convention approves non-chemical as well as chemical alternatives THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Conference of Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, meeting in Geneva, approved non-chemical as well as chemical alternatives to endosulfan on Thursday. The non-chemical alternatives were proposed in a significant departure from past practice. The evaluation of non-chemical alternatives, as accepted by the conference, consists of an ecosystem-based approach to pest management as well as technical interventions. C....

-Frontline   But in Modi's Gujarat the difference between development and darkness is all too visible to those who care to see. NARENDRA MODI may have won three consecutive elections and ruled Gujarat for more than a decade after he was posted there almost as a night watchman, to borrow a cricketing expression. He may have mobilised a massive fan following that is shouting to catapult him into the Prime Minister's post,...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Union CABinet on Wednesday approved proposed amendments in the Prevention of Corruption Act, providing a safeguard to retired government officials from unnecessary prosecution for any bona-fide mistake and also broadening the definition of bribery to make a commercial entity liable for failing to prevent bribery of an official. The proposed changes - Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 - also provide for allowing confiscation of...

-The Times of India The Union CABinet on Wednesday approved a legislation to protect the livelihood ofstreet vendors and provide them more legal vending space in urban areas. Once it becomes law, street vendors hoped it could shield them from unabated harassment and extortion by police and municipal officials. Anxious to regain confidence of aam aadmi ahead of 2014 general elections, the housing and urban poverty alleviation (HUPA) ministry has fixed...