As many as 26 "mini interventions" will make up the world's largest programme to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that will be launched by India soon. The "New Delhi Call for Action on combating NCDs in India" initiative will be against specific diseases, and some will exclusively address major risk factors like obesity, junk food and tobacco consumption. The World Health Organization (WHO) only recognizes cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung ailments as...

-IANS   The flood situation in Bihar remained grim Tuesday with the Lakhandei river breaching its embankment at three places, affecting thousands, officials said. Lakhandei, swelled by the flood waters of turbulent Bagmati, breached the embankment in over 50 metres near Basantpur and Aurai in Muzaffarpur district. The flood waters then submerged over 100 villages, affecting nearly one lakh people. Road and rail communications were disrupted at several places as flood waters submerged roads and...

-The Telegraph   After Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani are wreaking havoc and the two rivers have left as many as 1,114 villages marooned. Six choppers of the navy and air force were pressed into service for airdropping relief material in the flood-affected pockets. Two more helicopters are expected to reach by tomorrow to expedite the relief operation. “The next 36 hours will be crucial as the water level of the Brahmani is rising,” said...

Torrential rain and fresh landslides on Saturday hampered search and rescue operations in North Sikkim's quake-affected areas. The death toll of the Sikkim quake stood at 77. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Sikkim on September 27. He will fly over north Sikkim for an aerial survey of the quake-hit areas. State information secretary Karma Topgay said the Sikkim government will give him a memorandum about the assistance needed from the...

The army in Sikkim is fed up with the National disaster Response Force (NDRF) because its personnel are not only unfit for rescue and relief work but also a drain on the military’s resources. Army officers are wary of speaking out in public on the difficulties of helping the NDRF — which they have been asked to by the home ministry — but it takes little for them to vent their...