-TheWire.in Swaraj Abhiyan founder Prashant Bhushan discusses the Essar tapes and other scams, the role of whistleblowers and his fallout with Arvind Kejriwal. Celebrated lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan has just notched up another victory with the Supreme Court-appointed panel decreeing there was prima facie evidence that former CBI director Ranjit Sinha had attempted to influence the investigation into the coal block allocation scam under the then UPA government. The court’s observation was based...

-The Hindu Widespread chewing, legendary paan shops and a ‘so-what’ attitude trump disease concerns. Chennai: Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda promised concerned members in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that he would advise all States to ban spitting in public. He was reassuring several MPs led by K.T.S Tulsi, who expressed worry that “the great Indian spit” was causing many communicable diseases. Yet, most municipal laws already prohibit spitting and prescribe penalties....

-CIVICUS.org The 2016 State of Civil Society Report summarizes the key events, issues and trends affecting civil society around the world. The 5th annual report draws on contributions from more than 30 of the world's leading experts on civil society as well as investigative work from the CIVICUS Staff, which was conducted in close partnership with hundreds of activists in the field. Please click here to read the full report. ...

-The Hindu Nine days for release, the sole inhabitant fears losing benefits New Delhi: Arvind Singh is not a beggar, but he chooses to be seen as one. For three months now, the 60-year-old with sunken cheeks and arched eyebrows has been the only resident of Delhi government’s shelter for 1,525 beggars at Lampur, Narela. The single-storied home on 22 acres shares a compound with the Foreigners Detention Centre. There are nearly 70 rooms...

-PTI Itanagar: To implement the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 more effectively, the state government has constituted the Arunachal Pradesh State Food Commission (APSFC). Exercising the powers conferred under section 16 of NFSA, the state governor has delegated the Arunachal Pradesh State Information Commission as the State Food Commission with its supporting Staff to discharge the work of the regulatory body for hearing of consumer grievances under the Act, an official...