-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Women scholars, politicians and activists from across South Asia expressed concern over escalation of violence, fundamentalism and increased militarization of response to people's movements and urged inclusion of women in peace building. At a seminar organized by UN Women, SAFHR and IDRC on Tuesday, Rebeca Tavares of UN Women said, "Women and men experience war differently. There is a need to convincingly demonstrate that engaging women...

-IPS News RAYAGADA- The deafening din of the lunch gong is sweet music to the 200-odd tribal girls rushing down the stairway, clutching stainless steel plates and tumblers. Sikhsya Niketan (House of Education) in Chattikona administrative block of Rayagada district is a residential school meant exclusively for girls of the Dongria Kondh tribe in eastern Odisha state. The school is part of the federal government’s intensified efforts to take universal education to...

Will Vijay Mallya commit suicide for running up huge losses at Kingfisher Airlines," asks Talaka Rajiah, a farmer near Parkala town, 35 kilometres from Warangal in Andhra Pradesh's Telangana region. "He will not. The government has already thrown some lifelines for him and the airline sector in the Budget," says Rajiah, who also happens to be the secretary of the Telangana Farmers Association. "But when it comes to farmers the...

Be prepared for power outages ahead as coal supplies to 30 out of India's 95 thermal power plants have reached alarming levels.  Out of these 30 power stations that produce 26,320 mega-watt (mw) of power, 25 plants are running on less than four days of coal stocks, according to data available with the power ministry's advisory wing, Central Electricity Authority (CEA). Of the 25, five are from National Thermal Power Corp...

Toxicity in Ferozepur district's groundwater is causing crippling disorders among children in several villages Sutlej water gets polluted by effluents and seeps into groundwater People in border areas upset at official apathy The toxicity of the groundwater in over four dozen villages in the border areas of Ferozepur district of Punjab has risen to such alarming levels that an increasing number of children now requires wheelchairs more than toys, as they fall victim...