-The United Nations More than a decade after it was classified as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans,’ the UN health agency today classified diesel engine exhaust as ‘carcinogenic to humans.’   The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO), announced the re-classification today, after a week-long meeting of international experts, and based its decision on sufficient evidence that exposure is associated with an increased risk...

Johannesburg, June 13 (ANI): The World Health Organisation's (WHO) cancer research agency classified diesel engine exhaust as cancer-causing on Tuesday, and urged action to reduce human exposure to it. In 1988, the IARC had classified diesel exhaust as "probably" carcinogenic. "Diesel engine exhaust causes lung cancer in humans," News24 quoted Christopher Portier, chair of a working group at the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), as saying.   The UN body said...

-The Hindu The Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights is developing a protocol for elimination of child labour with its contents devoted to various aspects of child trafficking, children being forced into hazardous Occupations and rehabilitation of rescued child labourers. Panel chairperson Deepak Kalra said at a workshop on child labour here on Monday that the protocol would be submitted to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot with request for urgent action...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: RTI activists have decided to file a PIL against the state government on the process of selecting the state chief information commissioner. The move follows the appointment of Ratnakar Gaikwad as the state chief information commissioner (SCIC) and activists feel that the state government needs to rethink its decision of having him at the helm of affairs. Gaikwad, who met RTI activists on Monday at his office,...

Government should consider a freeze on mining in Naxal-hit areas, tribal affairs minister V Kishore Chandra Deo has said. Deo clarified that he was not against the industry or economic development, but unresolved land rights and mining were principle causes of alienation among tribals. This gave Maoists a toe-hold to exercise control over the area and local population. “To a certain extent, unrest among the tribal population can be traced to...