-The Guardian A spike in prices caused by poor harvests and rising demand is an apt moment for the west to reassess the wisdom of biofuels The last decade saw the end of cheap oil, the magic growth ingredient for the global economy after the second world war. This summer's increase in maize, wheat and soya bean prices – the third spike in the past five years – suggests the era of...

-The Hindu The government was unable to get approved in the Rajya Sabha a Bill for setting up AIIMS-like premier medical-cum-educational institutions across the country, with the Left parties protesting against a legislation being passed without discussion. The Bill hence couldn’t be taken up for discussion, as the house was frequently adjourned with din on the coal blocks allocation scandal. As soon as Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, S....

-PTI The government’s attempts to push through a bill to set up AIIMS-like institutions in the country failed today with Left parties objecting to passing it without discussion. After the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was moved by minister of state for health and family welfare S. Gandhiselvan, Left members were on their feet in the Rajya Sabha, with some from the CPM storming the well. As the BJP raised...

-The Hindu In an unprecedented move, the government, through the Department of Telecommunications and the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, has agreed to initiate dialogue on Internet censorship with mega Internet companies, social media giants such as Google and Facebook, members of civil society, technical community, media, ISPs and legal experts. The triggers for the discussion, which will be held on Wednesday, are the riots in Assam, Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh,...

-The Hindustan Times A new proposed bill aims to provide relief to mentally ill patients across the country. Prepared by the law and health ministries, it will ensure that patients are not dumped in hospitals and mental asylums for more than six months or given electric shocks without their prior consent. The Mental Health Care Bill, which seeks to update India’s 25-year-old law in accordance with the United Nations’ conventions, calls...