-The Economic Times It's extreme weather season in Asia again. Deadly cyclones, blinding rain, floods and mudslides are becoming the norm from Nepal to Fiji. The world's policymakers must reflect on extreme weather patterns while budgeting their nations' finances. In Thailand last year's floods caused losses of $46.5 billion. Reconstruction costs will reach at least $50 billion, according to the government and UN's assessments. In Pakistan widespread flooding two years ago affected 20...

-The Indian Express ‘Will write to Environment ministry’ A day after the Supreme Court expressed concern over the smog cover over the city saying it will “deal with the matter”, the Delhi government on Wednesday absolved itself of any blame and pointed a finger at the neighbouring states. The Environment department said it has commissioned a study under IIT-Kanpur to identify the exact role of various pollutants and suggest measures to improve air...

-Outlook Locking horns with the Haryana government, senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka today said there was no need to set up a committee after he cancelled the sale of over three acres of land to realty major DLF following a deal with businessman Robert Vadra. Khemka, who kicked up a political storm three weeks ago alleging irregularities in Vadra-DLF land deals, also said there was no need of security that was provided...

-The Business Standard The consequences of unplanned growth in Haryana real estate One of the positive consequences of the recent focus on the dealings between companies owned by Robert Vadra and the real estate giant DLF is that the unregulated nature of the Haryana land market has become a topic of discussion. Mr Vadra’s companies’ purchases of additional land and apartments were funded from the windfall gains that accrued after a 3.5...

-The Economist A new form of radical centrist politics is needed to tackle inequality without hurting economic growth BY THE end of the 19th century, the first age of globalisation and a spate of new inventions had transformed the world economy. But the “Gilded Age” was also a famously unequal one, with America’s robber barons and Europe’s “Downton Abbey” classes amassing huge wealth: the concept of “conspicuous consumption” dates back to 1899....