-The Indian Express When the UPA government passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, that laid down in clear terms that the age of consent for sex is 18 years, even then activists had warned against such misuse. THE Supreme Court refused to extend the detention of the juvenile convicted in the 2012 Delhi gangrape saying it has to go by the law as it stands today. Lawmakers...

-The Hindu A complex picture emerges from the analysis of a year of Mumbai sessions court rulings on sexual assault: false cases foisted by parents, wide variation in the sentences, societal prejudices and vulnerabilities at play, and a tendency for investigating high-profile cases with greater rigour Over half of all sexual assault cases decided by Mumbai’s sessions courts in 2015 involved either parents filing cases against young couples who had eloped, or...

-The Times of India Recent reports from Bundelkhand, or rather from the side of Bundelkhand that lies in Uttar Pradesh, are most alarming. A rapid survey conducted by Swaraj Abhiyan, under the leadership of Yogendra Yadav, found evidence of famine-like conditions developing in the area. To illustrate, 38% of the sample villages reported at least one death due to starvation or malnutrition in the preceding eight months. Among poor families, barely half...

-The Hindu Experts and NGOs say Nairobi outcomes favour rich countries and effectively end Doha Round. In the backdrop of a political intrigue surrounding the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) final Ministerial Declaration at the recently-concluded meet in the Kenyan capital, Commerce Minister, Nirmala SITharaman, is likely to make a statement in Parliament tomorrow on what the ‘Nairobi package’ means for India. The minister will be making her statement amidst claims by international trade...

-The Pioneer Pollution alarm bell might be ringing aloud in Delhi, but several other cities are also facing similar grim SITuation due to rising air pollution and its impact on the health of the citizens. Recent data available from the Government shows that number of people suffering from respiratory diseases believed to be associated with air pollution exposure has shot up from 3.16 crore in 2012 to 3.48 crore in 2014. The...