-The United Nations For the second consecutive month, the cost of food worldwide remained nearly unchanged in December, with overall global food prices for 2013 among the highest on record, the United Nations food agency today reported. In a news release, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said its most recent Food Price Index averaged 206.7 points, nearly the same as the 206.4 in November. The FAO's Index measures the monthly change...

-Frontline A report by ActionAid and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences highlights the vulnerability and tragic living conditions of thousands of children who take shelter in Mumbai's streets. IN 1988, the acclaimed film-maker Mira Nair made Salaam Bombay!, a poignantly revealing film on street children in Mumbai. The plot revolves around the protagonist, Krishna or "Chaipau", who is kicked out of his home by his mother for having damaged his...

-The Telegraph Ranchi: Ranchi residents, who discovered in 2013 that Rs 500 equalled to not even a week's worth of vegetables, will welcome this piece of news. Year-round vegetable farming is a better catch than slippery fish, say Ramdaga villagers in Angara block, near Getalsud dam, 25km off the capital. Ramdaga villagers normally raised one paltry crop a year, fished at the Getalsud dam and came to Ranchi to work as manual...

-The Hindu Amid reports in a section of the media that the Government was reconsidering its policy that disallows news programmes on private FM channels, Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Bimal Julka on Tuesday said no decision as such had been taken as yet. According to Mr. Julka, the policy was being looked at in the wake of the Supreme Court's notice to the Centre on a public interest writ petition...

-The Hindu Scheme will be extended to all taluk hospitals: Minister THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (Kerala): The Planning Commission has recognised the palliative care programme being implemented in the State under Arogyakeralam as one among the best healthcare schemes in the country, Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar has said. In a statement here, Mr. Sivakumar said that the palliative care scheme, being implemented in 736 local bodies in the State, would be extended to all taluk hospitals. Thiruvananthapuram...