-The United Nations   Despite a narrowing disparity in access to cleaner water and better sanitation between rural and urban areas, sharp inequalities still persist around the world, says a new United Nations report. According to the 2014 Joint Monitoring Report on global progress against the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on water and sanitation, more than half of the global population lives in cities, and urban areas are still better supplied with improved...

-The Hindustan Times   An increasing number of candidates facing criminal charges are being fielded by India's political parties at all levels of elections, including state polls, data from over a 10-year period shows. Underlining the seriousness of the issue, two new studies suggest stronger correlation between wealth, crime and winning ability. Overall 17% of the candidates contesting the 2014 elections have a criminal background, up from 15% in 2009, when the previous...

-The Times of India   HAZARIBAG: Bikram Kumar Das, deputy general manager, Nabard in Ranchi said unless banks provide loans to women self help groups formed in 18 of the 24 districts in the state, the purpose to make them self reliant will be defeated. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, he said despite Nabard providing funds through NGOs, banks are not sanctioning loans to the self help groups. Although these women's...

-Live Mint   India had the highest number of maternal deaths according to the latest UN report   New Delhi: India had the highest number of maternal deaths, accounting for almost a fifth of the global total in 2013, according to the latest UN report.   In 2013, maternal deaths in India stood at 50,000, or 17% of such deaths across the world, the report said. Global maternal mortality has, however, dropped 45% in 2013 compared...

-The Hindu   Agriculture Department reports drop in use of fertilizer in the past two years Mysore: Ahead of a new cropping season in the district, data furnished by the Department of Agriculture here shows decline in the use of fertilizers in the last two years. According to the department, farmers were expected to use 1.65 lakh tonnes of fertilizers, including non-urea fertilizers and urea, based on the area of cultivation in the previous...