Bumper crop

there is good news for mango lovers. According to the Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture Research in Lucknow, this year's mango crop is set to break all records of the past 20 years. Favourable weather conditions have helped extensive flowering in the mango orchards in Uttar Pradesh.

UNITED NATIONS

In the wake of the recent forest fire disasters the world over, Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has said that governments, UN agencies, on-governmental organisations and those directly involved in fire-fighting operations must strengthen their cooperation, in order to be better prepared and jointly respond to the growing emergencies of forest fires. He was addressing the fifth Association of South East Asean Nations (ASEAN) ministers meeting on haze in Kuala Lumpur.

Sailing with penguin power

True to its metal

scientists are employing various techniques to develop metal foams that are sound and heat absorbent, lightweight and fireproof. These unique properties of the foams could soon attract wide-ranging applications in manufacturing cars, ships and aeroplanes. Metal foams are made up of metals such as aluminium and require less material to fill the same space.

BRAZIL

Sao Paulo, the largest city in South America is to introduce permanent restrictions on the use of cars in an attempt to alleviate the city's growing transport problems and curb pollution. Residents have been banned from using their cars during peak hours in the morning and early evening once a week.

Navigating disaster

one of the largest proposed infrastructure projects in South America - the Hidrovia Paraguay-Parana river navigation project - has received a setback with an independent panel of experts concluding that its current designs and evaluations are fundamentally flawed.

Floating highway

the Norwegian Public Roads Administration plans to construct a 1,400-metre long tunnel that would float 25 metres below the surface of the 155-metre deep Hogsfjord near the western city of Stavanger. The proposed tunnel is first of its kind in the world which will have a two-lane automobile conduit and a bicycle-pedestrian path.

"People who own cars make life unpleasant"

On why he is interested in Calcutta's transport problems: I have been interested in transport and the environment for the past 25 years and have worked in Europe, Australia and North America. Three years ago, I decided to work in a situation where there was rapid growth in population and in the number of motor vehicles and very serious environmental problems. And since I have always been interested in India, I decided to come to Calcutta. Interviewee:  John Whitelegg

Wheel harrows

Riding on waves

National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Langley Research Centre and Accurate Automation of Tennessee, US are designing a 23-foot-long subsonic flyer model of a Mach 5 'waverider', a jet that rides its shockwave like a surfer riding a crest. The unmanned jet powered aircraft, being designed with the help of Lockheed Martin and Mississipi State University could fly by 1998. Wedge shaped and with a blended wing and body, the waverider presents a lot of challenges at high speeds.