-Frontline There are no effective vaccines against Japanese encephalitis, but its spread can be controlled in India through vector management.  JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS, or JE, has become endemic in many parts of the country, occurring repeatedly in epidemic form in many of them—for instance, in parts of Gorakhpur in northern Uttar Pradesh. One can expect JE-type epidemics year after year in States where prolonged drought-like conditions are followed by heavy monsoons. This leads to...

-Outlook Child victims of sexual offences will now get swift and adequate compensation as well as immediate medical care and rehabilitaion with the Government today notifying new rules. As per the new rules under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, state governments shall pay compensation ordered by Special Court within 30 days of receipt court orders, officials said. Special Courts would award compensation to child after taking into account a host...

-The Hindu Wrapped in a shawl turned grey from grime, the three-month-old baby girl was brought to meet this correspondent near the Taimur Nagar police post. “How do you like her,” the girl’s maternal aunt, Rahima, asked. “I know she is too skinny, so she looks horrible. But one month of proper food, and she will turn healthy. Look, her features are so sharp.” Rahima had made contact hoping to sell the...

-NDTV Sangli, Maharashtra: Sugarcane farmers in Maharashtra, who have been protesting since last week to demand better prices for their produce, will meet today to decide on how they want to continue their agitation. Yesterday, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan met the farmers and appealed to them to call off their protests. The Chief Minister reportedly also urged the farmers not to resort to violence and told them that the prices of sugarcane...

-Outlook Hoogly (West Bengal): Seven persons have died after drinking illicit liquor at Payradanga village in this district, police said today. About 20 villagers drank liquor on Sunday night and fell sick, following which they were brought to Panduah rural hospital. After their condition deteriorated, they were shifted to the Imambara Sadar Hospital at Chinsurah. While one person died on way to Chinsurah, two others died during treatment there, officials said. As some of...