-The Hindu In yet another strategy to counter Maoists, the Centre has asked all Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected States to offer reverse sterilisation procedure to surrendered Naxals so that they can return to normal family life. Forced sterilisation of lower cadres of Maoists has been in practice for years. This is done to keep the cadres battle-fit and also to keep them away from family life so that they can remain committed...

-The Business Standard TV channel says evidence 'farcical', meant to deter coverage of coal block allocation scam Naveen Jindal, chairman of Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL) and Congress leader from Haryana, on Thursday alleged the Subhash Chandra-promoted news broadcaster Zee News Ltd tried to blackmail his company and extort money. Jindal played video clips to a packed media gathering in support of JSPL’s allegation that Zee News demanded Rs 100 crore from...

-The Indian Express But in this year of the scam, the political class must refrain from lashing out at the messenger To shoot the messenger while simultaneously shooting yourself in the foot is a feat of marksmanship that politicians are performing with agility. The achievement is being recorded by the pitiless gaze of the camera — which is also the cause of all the excitement. Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh...

-The Hindu Women continue to be invisible to planners, despite their high levels of contribution to the national economy, says a UN Women paper on women and forests Some of the present policies in forest management are detrimental to the poor, particularly women, states a UN Women paper by NC Saxena, member National Advisory Council, even as he suggests changes that could ameliorate their condition. Despite economic growth, gender inequalities in “critical human development...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Has the amendment to the Hindu Succession Act conferring equal rights over property to daughters shattered the peace at home? A study put together by an American and a Canadian university not only arrives at this conclusion but goes one step further and draws a co-relation between the Act being changed in 2005 and a subsequent rise in suicides. The paper, called 'Suicide and Property Rights in...