03.06.2008 India's Planning Commission has cautioned against treating left-wing extremism in the country as a mere law and order problem while drawing attention to its socio-economic dimensions. Poverty, lack of access to forest resources and other deprivations are cited as reasons for growth of
naxalism in a recent report.

27.06.2008 ASUNCION, Jun 26 (IPS) - Paraguay's public hospitals are on the verge of collapse, due to a lack of resources for responding to the wave of southern hemisphere winter illnesses. The first measure to be adopted by the new government that will take over in August will be to declare a "social emergency" in healthcare, the future health minister told IPS.

30.05.2008 Public interest litigations in India have played an important role in bringing about accountability. Several important judgments concerning civil liberties, custodial deaths, environment, public health and women’s rights have come through PILs. Senior advocate Sanjay Parikh points out why they are vital to keep the state on its toes.

30.05.2008 Ravaged by Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar is battling hard for survival with the country's rice production being severely affected. Sean Turnell, expert on Burmese affairs at Macquarie University, Australia, says the disaster will have a profound impact on the economies of Southeast and South Asia, including India.

02.06.2008 Women working in the salt pans in southern India suffer not just from government apathy. Earning pittances for their hard work in the hot sun, these women also endure bad health due to dehydration, joint pains, poor eyesight and miscarriages.

29.05.2008 The efforts of Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) for Sri Lanka have led to the country's parliament adding Sinhala and Tamil versions to its existing English website. This is being hailed as an important milestone as multilingual websites offer citizens broader access to information in their mother tongues.

02.06.2008 Mumbai based research think tank Strategic Foresight Group and the United Nations Global Compact will host an international conference on responsible business, peace and sustainability on June 26-28, 2008. Bringing together leading global innovators and business leaders, the event will explore the link between economic growth and sustainable peace.

03.06.2008 UNICEF”s publication titled It’s About Ability - An explanation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a learning guide for children, with or without disabilities, towards fighting exclusion and discrimination in society and promoting the Convention's principles.