-First Post They came in waves, like silent armies that move in the night. Each of the Congress Ministers and party leaders who were seen studio-hopping or otherwise implanting themselves in front of cameras late on Friday had been assigned a specific role: to defend the First Family of Indian politics against the most audacious allegation of corruption levelled by Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan, the two Johnny-come-latelys to the world...

-Outlook Indian MPs would soon float a forum to advocate elimination of stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy. "Next Parliament session, we will float a forum to end leprosy and advocate the rights of persons affected by the disease," Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi said at an international symposium on leprosy and human rights in Asia. Also supporting the cause were Minister of State for Human Resource Development and Lok Sabha...

-The Hindu FDI cap in insurance raised to 49%; foreign investment in pension sector allowed; new Companies Bill 2011 cleared Notwithstanding the strong opposition to its reforms agenda, the Manmohan Singh government on Thursday pressed ahead with more big-ticket reforms, raising the FDI cap in the insurance sector to 49 per cent, opening up the pension sector for foreign investment and clearing the Companies Bill, 2011. It also approved amendments to the...

-The United Nations A top United Nations official today strongly encouraged governments to adopt special temporary measures, such as quotas, to boost the number of women in Parliament and decision-making positions, pointing to the progress achieved by women in India as a result of affirmative action. “Here in India, quotas have spurred one of the world’s greatest successes in women’s empowerment and grassroots democracy,” Michelle Bachelet said in her keynote address to...

-IANS At a meet to discuss making Parliaments gender-sensitive, organised in the Parliament House, many women Parliamentarians were conspicuous by their absence. India is hosting the 7th Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament on Gender-Sensitive Parliaments organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The two-day event held in the Parliament House was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday and is attended by women speakers and delegates from many countries. While there were a number of delegates...