Canada confirmed on Wednesday that it would not support an extended Kyoto Protocol after 2012, joining Japan and Russia in rejecting a new round of the climate emissions pact.

The current Kyoto Protocol binds only the emissions of industrialized countries from 2008-2012. Poor and emerging economies want to extend the pact, creating a deadlock at U.N.

In what may cause a minor setback to the UPA government

Cells of children rapidly divide and hence are more sensitive to any radiation.

High volatility and price swings in food commodities are likely to prevail for the rest of this year and could continue into 2012, UN body Food and Agriculture Organisation today said.

Milan World cereals output is expected to rise to a new record in 2011 due to more planting and improved yields but low stocks are set to keep prices high, the United Nations

The worst droughts in decades are wilting wheat fields from China to the US to the UK, overwhelming Russia

Ciudad Obregon, Mexico The dun wheat field spreading out at Ravi P Singh

German agricultural authorities on Sunday identified locally grown bean sprouts as the likely cause of the deadly E coli outbreak that has killed 22 people and sickened over 2,200 others in Europe.

The Lower Saxony agriculture ministry sent an alert on Sunday warning people to stop eating the sprouts, Ministry Spokesman Gert Hahne said.

Global warming will likely open up coastal areas in the Arctic to development but close vast regions of the northern interior to forestry and mining by mid-century as ice and frozen soil under temporary winter roads melt, researchers said.

Higher temperatures have already led to lower summer sea ice levels in the Arctic and the melting has the potential to increase access for fishermen, tourist

Iran has discovered a deposit of light oil offshore of an estimated in-place reserve of 756 million barrels valued at $13.6 billion, the state TV website reported on Saturday quoting a senior oil official.

The oil reserve was found at Khayyam field off the Gulf shore in Hormuzgan province.