Andhra Pradesh is reeling under a severe power crisis, with generation at several power stations badly hit due to the recent floods and poor maintenance. This has led to four to nine hours of power cuts in rural areas and at least one-hour power cuts in cities like Hyderabad, besides unscheduled outages.

NO SUITS, TIES, IN SUMMER: In a bid to save electricity, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has asked all male colleagues and male government employees to wear suits, jackets and ties only in winter. During the hot months, between March and November, they have been asked to wear trousers and shirts which need not be tucked in. Doing so, said Hasina, would minimize the use of

Public awareness about the "catastrophe" of climate change is not high enough to pressure politicians into taking action, former Vice President Al Gore said on Tuesday.

Gore, who shared a Nobel Prize in 2007 for his environmental campaigning, said politicians will only do more once the people who elect them force the issue.