The report presents a mixed picture. Over the past 25 years, there have been notable improvements in child well-being in the group of countries examined in this report: steady decline in child mortality, overall reduction in adolescent suicide and increase in school completion rates. But the last five years have …
With its awe-inspiring architecture and remarkable concepts of astronomy, the Maya was undoubtedly one of the greatest civilisations of Mesoamerica. At the peak of its glory, around 800 ad, the civilisation extended from Mexico's Yucat
Southern Mexico's Chiapas state boasts of a bizarre export: radiated flesh-eating flies. Chiapas' capital, Tuxtla Gutierrez, is home to an unusual screwworm factory which breeds millions of insects notorious for burrowing into human or animal flesh. In the 1950s us scientists first adopted the method of sterilising the dangerous screwworm …
A Mexican wheat variety is bringing cheer to farmers in Uzbekistan. The winter wheat developed in Mexico was released to farmers in several provinces of Uzbekistan late last year. The variety, called Dostlik, shows a yield advantage of 14 per cent over its local counterparts. Dostlik matures early, has a …
The Bhuj earthquake was something of a watershed in Indian disaster preparedness. Several state governments, most so in the Northeast, and various central ministries were shocked into a comprehension of the dangers. However, national capital New Delhi, which is under perpetual latent seismic threat, is blissfully unattended. Neither the local …
Languages are like oysters holding pearls of wisdom. Tove shares one such: "Pekka Aikio, the President of the Saami Parliament told me this in 2001. Finnish fish biologists have just
The centuries-old silver mines of Mexico are even today lethal traps of toxic mercury. Workers who helped recover mercury and silver from the over 400-year mine waste from around a dozen old Spanish mining towns, have been afflicted with health problems. Yet, sadly, no comprehensive study has been conducted to …
Mexico City streets wore a deserted look on September 19 as the first pollution alert in almost three years was declared in the region. Hundreds and thousands of cars were ordered off the road after ozone levels reached more than 2.5 times the acceptable limits. The ban affected about 350,000 …
this year's ozone hole over Antarctic is not only much smaller than what it was in 2000 and 2001, but it has split into two. The so-called hole, actually an area of thinner-than-normal ozone, was measured at 15.6 million square kilometers (sq km) in September 2002
Greenhouse gas emissions from developing countries will likely surpass those from developed countries within the first half of this century, highlighting the need for developing country efforts to reduce the risk of climate change. While developing nations have been reluctant to accept binding emissions targets, asking that richer nations take …
Oil industry heavyweight Pemex had to throw in the towel recently when a group of irate fisherfolk brought operations at its refinery in Salina Cruz, in Mexico's southern state of Oaxaca, to a grinding halt. The protesters were demanding compensation for damage which, they claim, was caused by a diesel …
There is a quiet revolution sweeping across the forests of Mexico. The movement seeks to save the endangered Monarch butterfly. Even as millions of these butterflies spend their winters in Mexico yet the government has failed to protect their forest habitat from illegal logging. The 200,000-odd largely impoverished people, who …
The simmering water dispute between Mexico and the us seems to have been finally settled. The border countries reached an agreement under which Mexico will release about 111 million cubic metres of water into Rio Grande river for use by Texas farmers. This is six per cent of the water …
Mexico's proposed plan to pay off its long-standing water debt to the us within five years is ambitious but not substantial. The plan put forward by the national water commission calls for increasing Mexico's annual water payment to the us from 432 million cubic metres to 682 million cubic metres …
There's an anti-us wave among Mexican transporters. They are upset over the us delay in implementation of North American Free Trade Agreement (nafta) that would let Mexican trucks deliver goods in the us. Mexican truck companies have asked authorities to suspend opening the border to us cargo vehicles. Execution of …
Originally called www.purefood.org, the website is the project of Organic Consumers Association (OCA). This site focuses on safe and sustainable systems of food production and consumption. The site lists various campaigns of the organisation to drive out genetically engineered food off the market. The recent and most prolific campaign is …
it could be termed as heart rending. According to a recent report, more than 28 million children under age five suffer from the debilitating effects of malnutrition in developing countries. At least 10 million die due to
