-The Hindu Forest Bench says statutory clearance is a must   The Forest Bench of the Supreme Court on Friday made it clear that no iron ore mining operations in Karnataka shall be permitted to resume unless there was statutory clearance for mining and till reclamation and rehabilitation was implemented in full. The Bench, comprising Justice Aftab Alam, Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice Swatanter Kumar, took the decision after the Central Empowered Committee in...

-The United Nations The United Nations health agency today applauded the decision by Australia’s High Court to dismiss a legal challenge from the tobacco industry targeting the country’s new restrictive tobacco marketing laws. In a statement strongly welcoming what she called a “landmark” ruling, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan called on other countries to follow Australia’s example and adopt an equally tough stance on tobacco marketing. Australia is now on track...

-The Times of India CHENNAI: How can a Union minister go around issuing statements on the commissioning of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant when a court is still seized of the matter, the Madras high court asked on Thursday.  "He says the plant is going to be opened shortly. If that is so, why do you come to court?" asked a bench of Justices P Jyothimani and P Devadoss. Though the bench...

-PTI The Goa government has decided to implement stringent regulations on the mining industry in the state from August 15 onwards, with an aim to curtail unregulated and illegal mining in the state. Directorate of Mines and Geology in its letter to the association of mine owners, exporters and barges (ship carrying ore) owners has asked them to adhere to the new regulations, failing which strict action is prescribed in the notification. As...

-The Indian Express At a time when the government is struggling to get past objections from its coalition partners to attract investment in certain sectors such as retail, aviation and pensions fund management, a grim internecine ministerial battle has applied the brakes on foreign direct investment flow into one of the more attractive and lucrative sectors — pharmaceuticals. Clearances for over Rs 1,000 crore FDI in this sector, the second largest in...