-IPS   Food security activists who secured a moratorium on introducing genetically modified brinjal (aubergine) into India fear that their efforts are being undermined by the release of GM brinjal in neighbouring Bangladesh. "India and Bangladesh share a long and porous border and it is easy for GM brinjal varieties to be brought over," says Suman Sahai, director of Gene Campaign, a Delhi-based research and advocacy group devoted to the conservation of...

-The Hindu The pressure to furnish proof, the fear of fighting a superior, the likely impact on career, and adverse publicity prevent women from reporting sexual harassment An employee of Tehelka accuses Tarun Tejpal, founder and editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine, of sexually assaulting her during an event organised in Goa, and the police file a first information report. A law intern claims she was sexually harassed by a retired judge of...

-The Indian Express Pune: Even as the Supreme Court had directed that Aadhaar cards are not compulsory to avail LPG subsidy, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has asked oil companies to make it mandatory and has set February 1 as deadline for customers to link their Aadhaar cards with banks. With Pune among the districts being covered under Direct Benefit Transfer scheme to avail LPG subsidy, oil companies have made...

-The World Bank   Policy Interventions Can Turn the Tide, Says World Bank Report WASHINGTON: A new World Bank report warns that risky behaviors -smoking, using illicit drugs, alcohol abuse, unhealthy diets, and unsafe sex- are increasing globally and pose a growing threat to the health of individuals, particularly in developing countries. The report looks at how individual choices that lead to these behaviors are formed and reviews the effectiveness of interventions...

-The Hindu More than 800 NGO representatives walk out of the climate talks Warsaw: The developed countries must step up to the plate to come true on their existing commitments to fight climate change, said Jayanthi Natarajan, Indian Environment Minister, while addressing the U.N. climate negotiations. "There is a huge ambition gap between what developed country have pledged and what is required by science and their historical responsibilities. The irony is that developing...