-The Telegraph A panel of Union ministers today finalised a market-based drug pricing policy that public health experts say cold-shoulders concerns expressed by the health ministry and threatens to legitimise high prices for medicines. The policy finalised by the group of ministers (GoM), led by Sharad Pawar, will apply to 348 essential drugs to cover virtually all common ailments — from painkillers and antibiotics to asthma medications and drugs against high blood...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Nearly two months after workers went on the rampage at its Manesar plant, Maruti Suzuki has doled out a bumper increment package in a new wage settlement agreement, offering salary increment of nearly 70%, apart from other benefits like interest-free personal loans. The agreement has been accepted by the company's labour union. S Y Siddiqui, Maruti's chief operating officer (administration ), said the company has signed...

-Bloomberg It wasn't the Gettsyburg Address -- unless it's poker faces we're comparing. Future historians aren't going to be parsing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech for hidden meanings, and rhetoricians won't be delighting in the majesty of its style and the compression of its effects. It inflamed no passions, as did Mitt Romney's words about the "47 percent," and asserted no big idea or thesis, unless there was one contained in the...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Consumers can look forward to a reduction in prices of essential medicines, with the Sharad Pawar-led Group of Ministers (GoM) planning to take a final decision on the pharmaceutical policy soon. The GoM will meet on September 27 to examine options under the market price-based mechanism to cap prices of drugs, which may lead to a reduction ranging from 25% to even 90% in some cases,...

-Al Jazeera  Organic farming is the "only way to produce food" without harming the planet and people's health. Reports trying to create doubts about organic agriculture are suddenly flooding the media. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, people are fed up of the corporate assault of toxics and GMOs. Secondly, people are turning to organic agriculture and organic food as a way to end the toxic war against the earth and...