-The United Nations A United Nations report released today stresses the importance of providing meals for schoolchildren, particularly in times of crisis, and notes that this is still lacking in many developing countries. "School feeding assures that where quality education is available, children are able to take advantage of the opportunity to learn," said the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin. "It's an investment that pays off in the...

-The Indian Express Concerned about rising levels of air pollution in the city, the Delhi government has commissioned IIT-Kanpur to conduct a comprehensive study of pollution levels and causes. The government plans to use data to formulate a policy to control and reduce air pollution, and initiate a second-generation air action plan. Commissioned last month, the IIT-K study will be the most comprehensive study since the 2007 Central Pollution Control Board and...

-PTI Guwahati: In Assam, where the social status of women is high in comparison to some other states, the female population recorded a growth rate of 19.7 per cent during the last decade compared to 18.2 per cent males against the previous decade's 18.5 per cent and 15.7 per cent. The growth rate of the female population in the state over males continued to be high during 2001-2011 as in the previous...

-Down to Earth Government and academic differ on reasons for decline Census data, released by directorate of census operations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has revealed that the tribal population of the islands declined by 3.19 per cent in the decade between 2001 and 2011. The overall population on the islands, however, increased by 6.86 per cent. While the government says the 2004 tsunami could be a reason for the decline...

-The Hindu   Ranbaxy's fraudulent practices may have jeopardised millions of lives in India, Africa and the U.S. Exactly two weeks ago, the pharmaceuticals industry was rocked by revelations that one of the world's largest generic drug manufacturers, Ranbaxy Laboratories, pleaded guilty to seven federal criminal charges stemming from its fraudulent production practices dating back to 2008, and agreed to pay U.S. regulators $500 million in fines. Much has since been said about Ranbaxy's...