-The United Nations The number of people killed by malaria has been cut by nearly half in Africa and a slightly lower rate globally, but sustained funding is needed to lower the numbers even more, according to the United Nations health agency which today released its annual assessment report on the disease. "This remarkable progress is no cause for complacency: absolute numbers of malaria cases and deaths are not going down as...

-The Hindustan Times Patna: Arjun Singh, 48, lost his father and wife in quick succession, in 2004 and 2005. Then followed a long spell of depression and "utter loneliness", until in 2007 a sparrow chick that had fallen from a tree in the courtyard of his house transformed his life for good. He tended to the bird for a few days. It recovered and flew off, kicking off a passionate association...

-IANS A small sugarcane farmer in western Maharashtra, Bhau Kadam (name changed) and his family, own about three hectares of land. He has two sons who are both graduates and work in Pune. When I asked him why he did not make his sons farmers, he says that farming is hard work, is non-remunerative and it is difficult to get labour. Besides he also thinks that farming is not glamorous, a farmer's...

-The Hindu     Questioning a technology, especially of the kind that has serious unknowns and lacks clear social benefits, is not an attack on science Jairam Ramesh, former Environment Minister for India, made the brave decision in 2010 to tell his then apex regulator of genetically modified organisms (GEAC) that it had failed to properly use available science to determine the safety - to human health and the environment - of Bt brinjal,...

-PTI Lucknow: After incidents of dead lizard and insecticides being detected in mid-day meals, frogs have now been found in the meal served at two primary schools in Moradabad and Chitrakoot districts of Uttar Pradesh, prompting authorities to order an inquiry. A dead frog was found in "Khichdi" served to students at primary school in Dilari block yesterday and four children were taken ill after consuming the meal, official sources said. In Chitrakoot,...