-The United Nations Some 3.5 billion people, half the world's population, lack crucial waste management services, significantly harming environment, health and economies, the United Nations reported today, stressing that recycling and proper treatment can be a literal and metaphorical gold mine. "Open dumping, the most prevalent waste disposal method in many countries, can lead to acute health impacts for those living closest to dumping SITes, most often the urban poor," the UN...

-The Hindu After a long and painful period of neglect, India promises to devote attention to the issue of preparing all children for primary schooling. The draft National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy aims to end the "current laissez faire SITuation" that has led to the mushrooming of expensive crèches, play schools, nursery schools and so on that adhere to no particular standard. On the other hand, there is...

-Outlook Bhubaneswar: Rejecting a UN panel recommendation for halting POSCO's port-to-steel plant project, both the Republic of Korea and the Odisha government today exuded optimism to go for the ground-breaking ceremony of the proposed facility near Paradip early next year. "We are happy that the state government has acquired the land required for POSCO project. I hope everything will be ready and the POSCO project work will start soon," Korean ambassador Joon-gyu...

-Down to Earth   This defies logic. Despite rapid economic growth, India has often been placed below sub-Saharan African countries that have very high number of malnourished children. But the government has no data to clarify its poSITion. In the first week of September, Parliament’s Committee on Estimates criticised the government, saying: “The committee is surprised to note that in the modern era of Information and Technology, there is no recent official...

-The United Nations The global supply of cereal this year will surpass the 2012 level by nearly eight per cent, the United Nations food agency reported today, as it also announced a drop in global food prices for the fifth consecutive month. In its Crop Prospects and Food SITuation report, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the increase is mainly the result of an 11 per cent anticipated expansion in coarse...