-The United Nations   Millions of people suffering under the yoke of modern slavery - more than half are women and girls primarily in commercial sex trade or domestic work - are generating some $150 billion a year in illegal profits for the people who are exploiting them, according to a new report released today by the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO). The startling new report, Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced...

-The United Nations   Public procurement can contribute to making food systems more fair and sustainable, and help realize the human right to adequate food, according to a United Nations independent expert. "When sourcing food for schools, hospitals and public administrations, Governments have a rare opportunity to support more nutritious diets and more sustainable food systems in one fell swoop," Olivier De Schutter said in his final publication to the UN Human Rights...

-Down to Earth   The new government may take efforts to eradicate the disease, says BJP representative  Majority of the seats in eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of western Bihar have fallen in Bharatiya Janata Party's account. Will the change of guard bring any relief to the children dying from Japanese Encephalitis in the area? Aditya Nath, BJP representative in Parliament from Gorakhpur, who had been vociferously speaking about the issue, now senses a...

-The Hindustan Times   Like all other children, 11-year-old Gayatri Kachari loves playing. And if play involves water, she loves it even more. For many children at Sajjanpara Lower Primary School in Assam's Kamrup district, the three minutes spent washing their hands as a group before their mid-day meal is the highlight of the day. The children cheerfully sing the "Hand Washing song" as they scrub their hands under running water...

-Live Mint   The top achiever was Liberia, where average lifespans increased by a full 20 years, from 42 to 62 New Delhi: Life expectancy has risen globally since 1990, especially in low-income countries, according to a report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday. Life expectancy of a girl born in 2012 is 73 years, while that of a boy is 68 years. The average life expectancy of a child...