The National Center for Atmospheric Research, an important hub for work on the causes and consequences of climate change, has shut down a program focused on strengthening poor countries' ability to forecast and withstand droughts, floods and other climate-related hazards.

The move, which center officials say resulted from the shrinking of federal science budgets, is being denounced by many experts on environmental risk, who say such research is more crucial than ever in a world with rising populations exposed to climate threats.

WE are concerned at the slow progress in containing the baby boom for which the Millennium Development Goal (MDG-5) is likely to be difficult to attain by 2015. MDG was set at reducing total fertility rate (TFR) to 2.2 percent by 2010. According to Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey 2007, the TFR in the period 1993-94 was 3.4 percent, which came down to 2.7 in 2007 but did not come down any further. Poor management of the programme is widely considered the main reason for the stagnancy in achieving the target.

PEOPLE need clean water and sanitation to maintain their health. Water also sustains ecological systems and provides an input into the production systems that maintain livelihoods. Water security is an integral part of a broader conception of human security.

In broad terms, water security means ensuring that every person has access to enough safe water to lead a healthy life, while maintaining the ecological systems that provide water and also depend on water.

The employees of Sindh Rural Development Project, local government department, have appealed to the Sindh government, the People's Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement to save the employees of the project and their families from starvation by regularising their services as they are likely to be rendered jobless with the closure of the project.

Suddenly, across the spectrum of print and electronic media, the Indian tiger is making its presence felt. From dwindling numbers to reintroduction of the species in Sariska, the audience is being fed on information about what oft has been called the king of the jungle. It might be an instance of efforts coming in too late, but nevertheless it underlines the motive to save one of the keystone species from extinction. The status of the tiger in Indian protected area is a matter of concern, not only is the population on a decline, but their habitat and their prey-base are also being threatened.

The growth of Indian cities is chaotic at best It is a migration that is unstoppable. throughout Asia, including India, the wave of people moving to cities will only swell as years go by.