-The Hindu The debate on the pros and cons of genetically engineered/modified crops is universal. In India, in the face of vociferous protests, the controversy has only deepened leading to a moratorium on cultivation of Bt Brinjal crop — the first GM food crop sought to be commercialised. Gargi Parsai spoke to Basudeb Acharia, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, on its new report, “Cultivation of Genetically Modified Food...

-Rediff.com On July 14, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court commuted the death sentence awarded to six convicts in the Khairlanji murder case to 25 years' rigorous imprisonment. On September 29, 2006, a mob brutally raped a mother and daughter before killing them along with her two sons. Surekha Bhotmange (then 42), Priyanka Bhotmange (17), Roshan Bhotmange (19) and Sudhir Bhotmange (21) belonged to one of the three Dalit families...

-The Times of India MIDNAPORE: A farmer from the former Maoist stronghold of West Midnapore village landed in jail on Saturday for putting uncomfortable questions to chief minister Mamata Banerjee at a public meeting at Belpahari. Hours after the meeting, police charged him with non-bailable offences such as criminal intimidation, the maximum punishment for which is death. Police started sniffing at his "criminal intent" when the bus conductor-turned-farmer, Shiladitya Chowdhury, broke through...

-The Telegraph Ranchi: Jharkhand High Court today granted three weeks to the state government to resolve the deadlock over land for building campuses in Nagri for three national academic institutions that are presently working out of temporary accommodations in the state capital. A division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Tatia and Justice Jaya Roy, while hearing a petition filed by Bar Association seeking a law university in Jharkhand, allowed the state government...

-The Indian Express As drought pushes up food prices, India must invest in new irrigation methods The speculation on the delay of the monsoons and below-normal rainfall this year is not new to India. But the drought in the maize belt of the United States — that is, in the Midwest — was unexpected. The impact of the drought will be felt on wheat and soya bean production. This will eventually lead...