-The Times of India Of all the warnings about dramatic effects of climate change, a leaked draft UN report is the most vigorous in arguing that fears of an ice-free Arctic Ocean in summer months can become a reality if global temperature rises by more than 2 degree Celsius over current levels. The draft copy of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report says there is a 90-100% chance that the...

-The Times of India In a move to curb multi-drug resistant tuberculosis cases caused mostly because of irregular medication, the government has decided that relevant medicines will be available for free at all chemist shops and corporate hospitals. The scheme will be rolled out across the country by next March. A patient, confirmed positive for TB by a qualified doctor, simply needs to register with the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP). The...

-The Hindu Jaipur: Twenty-five years have passed since Rajasthan witnessed its last known case of sati; it has been 20 years since Bhanwri Devi of Bhateri was allegedly gang-raped for raising her voice against girl child marriages; and it took 15 years for a gang-rape victim in the J.C. Bose hostel rape case to get justice. With these “landmarks” serving as a background, the ‘One Billion Rising’ campaign was launched in Rajasthan...

-The Indian Express A free press that is able to operate without fear or favour remains an essential cornerstone of a modern democratic society. It plays a fundamental role as the guardian of public interest. By the same token, when certain deficiencies in its role become apparent, public and political furore is inevitable. So it came to pass in Britain, where public anger emanating from a single action — the hacking...

-Down to Earth The treated water recharges aquifers It is a common sight that greets those visiting the villages in the semi-arid Mewat district of Haryana—streams of waste water emerging from doorsteps of homes, running through streets, and forming puddles here and there. Village Rawli is one such village. It has no sanitation facilities or sewers. Children play in these puddles while their parents watch them without any sign of concern. They...