-The Hindu India’s proposed changes to ITRs preliminary; firm position in Dubai only after consultation and consensus India’s proposal on the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs), submitted to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), is far from the last word on the matter, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal has said. Mr. Sibal’s remark offers immense relief to Indian citizens and the Internet industry, especially Internet and mobile service providers, social media and other Companies that are...

-Outlook Mandatory mixing of five per cent ethanol in petrol will be implemented across the country from next month, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs decided today, a step which will help the country save around 100 crore litres of fuel every year. In 2009, the CCEA had decided to mix five per cent ethanol in petrol but it could not be implemented due to opposition by some sections in the chemical and...

-Outlook Concerned over the health hazards likely to be caused by cell phone towers, the National Green Tribunal has restrained several telecom firms from setting them up without following mandatory provisions of law and taking permission from the competent authority. "Considering gravity of allegations levelled and health hazard likely to be caused, we direct that no construction of cell phone communication towers shall be made without following mandatory provisions of law and necessary...

-Farmlandgrab.org Oxfam’s Phil Bloomer reports on the shocking scandal of (mostly) secretive land-grabbing, usually from those least able to defend their rights Land grabbing has fast become a major threat to poor communities in Africa, Asia and South America. Poverty-stricken women and men are being driven from their homes and the land they rely on to grow food to eat and make a living, usually without compensation. In many cases this is...

-The Economic Times MUMBAI: The ministerial panel entrusted with framing the country's drug pricing guidelines will meet Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday to discuss its final draft policy. The Group of Ministers, led by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, has decided to keep the market-based pricing mechanism but tweak the methodology used for calculating the price increase, a move it hopes will address the concerns of the finance ministry. The ministry was initially...