Climate conference: developed countries push for closing talks under Long-Term Cooperative Action

East Kolkata most vulnerable to climate change: World Bank

The eastern fringe of Kolkata, the fastest growing part of the city, is expected to be hit the hardest by climate change-induced impacts, and the poor will be affected the most, according to the findings of a World Bank study submitted recently to the West Bengal government.

Error n' trial

The world's largest hiv vaccine trial in Thailand has turned out to be an expensive flop. The multi-million dollar trial involves tests on 16,000 Thai citizens and is the last hurdle before the vaccine can be registered and administered freely.

In Court

Paying a price: A civil court in southern Bangkok, Thailand, has ordered state-owned Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority (eta) to pay six billion baht in compensation to BBCD Joint Venture Corporation for problems the private company met building the Bang Na-Chon Buri expressway. This has raised the hackles of the Thai government. The ETA contracted BBCD to build the expressway above the Bang Na-Trat highway in 1995. However, the ETA delayed handing over construction areas to BBCD for 11 months.

Under fire

the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (irri) has admitted that it had allowed us rice-breeders to take out Thai jasmine rice seeds without signing the Material Transfer Agreement (mta). Not only has the institute's move drawn flak from jasmine rice farmers in Bangkok, it has led genetic conservators and farm groups to question the credibility of irri.

Question of safety

THAILAND

Bangkok's Royal Irrigation Department has announced a scheme to pipe water to needy villages. Once completed, it will provide a 24-hour water supply to northeastern provinces and will increase farm output two-fold, said the department chief Pramote. With 12 projects under the scheme, each project is considered as one system, with each having distribution units depending on the water supply in the area. While well-to-do sugarcane and orchard growers may jump at the offer, it was doubtful if the poor and debt-ridden farmers would be able to afford it.