-The Hindustan Times New Delhi: The sting of dengue has turned more lethal this year with at least 15 persons falling prey to the bite of the aedes mosquito, compared to just four in 2012. Moreover, October recorded the highest number of dengue cases -- 2,442 - for the same month's reading in the past six years in the national capital. However, out of the 15 casualties, only six are confirmed dengue...

-Rediff.com Fairs are commonplace in the festive season but in tribal West Midnapore, which falls in the erstwhile Maoist-hit Jangalmahal area, it is child marriage fairs which are drawing large crowds. Such tribal child marriage fairs are held each year during this festive season. With the decline in Maoist violence, more tribals are fearlessly participating in the fairs being held this year, according to a report by women rights Non-Governmental Organisation 'Suchetna',...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Supreme Court today hinted at allowing private FM and community radio stations to broadcast their own news and current affairs programmes, a privilege so far enjoyed only by the Centre-run All India Radio (AIR). "Only TV channels are allowed to broadcast news. Radio channels have access to every village, nook and corner. We will examine the issue. We will impose some conditions.... (before granting permission)," a bench...

-The Hindu In addition to ailments caused by poverty, salt pan workers across the country suffer from several occupational diseases, including chronic dermatitis, loss of vision and hypothyroidism In Adivasi Colony, a remote hamlet off the road from Vedaranyam to Kodikarai in Tamil Nadu, most of the adults in the 200-odd households work in salt manufacturing. They prepare salt pans manually, irrigate them with saline water which is three times saltier than...

-The Hindu A warmer world may be leading to a delayed withdrawal of the Indian monsoon, hitting crop yield and affecting the livelihoods of small farmers and agricultural workers The joys of a bountiful southwest monsoon are increasingly changing to anxiety as the rains unseasonally drag on in many parts of India. "The normal rains should be from June 1 to mid-September. In fact it usually reduces by August 15, and is...