As the world was focusing on swine flu, or H1N1, this past week, there were worrisome developments with respect to bird flu, H5N1

High food prices fueled a land-buying spree in developing nations, particularly in Africa, by countries and private investors wanting to assure food supplies for themselves, a think tank said on Wednesday.

Some of the developing world's largest rivers including Ganges in South Asia are drying up because of climate change.

Researchers from the US-based National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) said this after analysing data combined with computer models to assess river flows across the world.

Fresh efforts and funding to tackle malaria in recent years have brought the goal of eradicating the deadly disease within sight, health experts said on Friday.

Wiping out malaria worldwide could take decades but many countries where it is endemic are on the brink of eliminating the disease, which infects up to 500 million people a year and kills nearly one million worldwide, they said.

A thaw of Arctic ice will open "plenty of opportunities" in oil and gas exploration and shipping even though the overall impact of global warming will be damaging for the region, Norway's Foreign Minister said.