Top Hunger Headlines: Diets of Mud and Despair in India

International
Diet of Mud and Despair in Indian Village. "We live on a day-to-day basis," Suraj says, as the faint sound of hammering echoes across the village. "What we earn is what we spend on our families in a day." [BBC]

Economic Crisis Threatens Europe’s Progress on Hunger. The Europe and Central Asia region has achieved striking success in fighting poverty and food insecurity over the last ten years, with agriculture playing a key role… [FAO]

South Africa's Economic Growth Failed to Lift Poverty Levels. South Africa overtook Brazil last year as one of the most unequal societies in the world… [AllAfrica]

Shielded by U.S. Umbrella, Israel Joins Rich Man's Club. With tongue firmly entrenched in his cheek, an Arab diplomat recounts an Israeli cabinet meeting interrupted by an aide rushing in with the latest statistics on the state of the economy. [Inter-Press Service]

Domestic
Research Links Pesticides with ADHD in Children. A new analysis of U.S. health data links children's attention-deficit disorder with exposure to common pesticides used on fruits and vegetables. [The Washington Post]

Is the U.S. Stimulus Package Working? Fifteen months after an economic stimulus package was put in place in the U.S., there is much disagreement about whether it has achieved its aim. [BBC]

Obama Aide: U.S. Economy Still Needs Further Boost. The U.S. economy has begun to climb out of the worst downturn since the 1930 Great Depression but still needs additional steps by the federal government… [Reuters]

Food Expert: Ban Sugary Soda from U.S. Food Stamps. Congress should ban sugary sodas from the $58 billion-a-year U.S. food stamp program as a step to combat the obesity crisis… [Reuters]

Climate Change/Environment
U.N. Picks New Climate Change Chief. Costa Rica's Christiana Figueres is to be the new head of the U.N. climate convention… [BBC]

Senate Climate Bill under a Cloud. Although the Kerry-Lieberman measure is deeply flawed, its positives far outweigh its negatives. [The Los Angeles Times]

U.S. Lags China on Climate Change: Europe Climate Chief. The United States' future as a global economic power depends on what it does to fight global warming, and it is lagging behind other countries like China… [Reuters]