-IPS News World Water Week recently concluded in Stockholm with a special emphasis on the linkages between water and food security. From the worst drought in 56 years in the United States Midwest, to the Karnataka’s drought in India, to the protracted drought in the Sahel region of West Africa, we have also seen how in our globalised world the nexus between lack of water and food security in one corner of...

-Outlook A labour survey underway in Bihar has indicated that outflow of labourers from the state in search of livelihood has further gone down from earlier estimates of 30 per cent on account of development works being carried out in the state. Preliminary reports emanating from the survey suggests a drastic arrest in exodus of workers mainly from districts like Saharsa, Madhubani, Katihar and Purnea in the state. These areas had earlier witnessed...

-The United Nations Governments must urgently act to reduce the health and environmental hazards posed by the increase in use of chemicals in industries worldwide, says a United Nations report launched today, which stresses that more sustainable management policies are needed to address this growing risk. Produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Chemicals Outlook report argues that a shift in the production, use and disposal of chemical products from...

-Frontline A study finds that institutional support alone cannot help reduce maternal mortality in India.  THE high rate of maternal mortality in India has been a cause for national concern, especially on account of the focus on reaching the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Although there is a growing realisation that it will be difficult to meet the MDG targets by that deadline, there is a renewed interest in the...

-The Hindu In a growing indication of Central trade unions setting aside differences to present a united front, a national convention of workers held on Tuesday here announced a two-day countrywide general strike on February 20 and 21 next year. National-level leaders of the five prominent trade unions said that unless workers and unions stood united, they would lose the struggle against violation of labour laws and contractisation of labour, besides being...