Indian farmers protest Monsanto GM corn field trial in Haryana

Carrying banners and placards featuring monster corn, farmers protested outside the Regional Research Station where open air GM corn trials are being run.

Monsanto, the American multinational seed giant, has been running open field trials of its herbicide tolerant GM corn variety in the Regional Research station of Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCHAU) at Kurukshetra.

Since the field trials on GM food crops like GM corn started in the public sector research stations, public opposition has grown... read more.

Video: Laughter Yoga — a unique concept in health & happiness

We've often heard that laughter is good for you. A doctor in Mumbai in India has come up with Laughter Yoga, a daily exercise which is good for your health and your soul.

The concept is the brainchild of Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician from Mumbai in India, who launched the first Laughter Club in a park on March 13, 1995.

Starting with just a few persons, the club has now become a worldwide phenomenon, with over 6,000 Social Laughter Clubs in around 60 countries worldwide... read more and watch video.

Hundreds of miners trapped in India by power outage

While 600 million people in India suffer without electricity, hundreds of miners are trapped underground. Officials are attempting a rescue operation.

Digital Journal reported on the power outage in northern India, which initially affected 300 million, but is today affecting 600 million people in the country... read more.

Train fire kills 47 in Andhra Pradesh, India

At least 47 people were killed when a train in southern India caught fire. Local officials state that the accident may have been caused by a short circuit.

The fire broke out early on Monday, as the New Delhi-Chennai Tamil Nadu Express was passing the town of Nellore, about 500 kms south of Hyderabad, in Andhra Pradesh state, India. There were 72 passengers on the train... read more.

Bhopal Special Olympics: An insight into why the event was held

On July 26, Bhopal held the Bhopal Special Olympics, in protest against Dow Chemical's sponsorship of the London Olympics 2012. Meet a few of the participants and learn more about the event.

Digital Journal reported on the Bhopal Special Olympics held on July 26, where 80 children, disabled due to the Bhopal disaster, participated in their own, very special, sporting event.

Learn more about why the event was held, hear about some of the participants and sign a petition to help the people of Bhopal.   Read more.

Bhopal victims stage their own 'Olympics' in protest against Dow

In protest at Dow Chemical's sponsorship of the London Olympics 2012, survivors of the 1984 Bhopal disaster held their own Special Olympics today.

The Bhopal disaster was one of the world's worst industrial catastrophes, which killed around 25,000 residents of Bhopal. The people died in the aftermath of a massive gas leak in a pesticide factory owned by Union Carbide, a U.S. company purchased by Dow Chemical in 2001... read more and watch video of the Bhopal Special Olympics.

Video: Workers riot in Maruti Suzuki India factory

Rioting was sparked by a labor dispute and has killed one person and injured many more. Maruti Suzuki has shut one of its two factories due to the damage caused.

Workers smashed and burned many vehicles in a rampage which left one dead and injured dozens of others.

The factory is owned by the top Indian car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, and is located in Manesar, in the north Indian state of Haryana... read more and watch video.

Ministry blames Bt cotton for Indian farmer suicides

While policy makers insist that Bt cotton in India is a success, the ministry says otherwise and blames the crop for suicides among India's farmers.

Digital Journal reported in March that cotton growing was not going well with the genetically modified crop.

Now for the first time suicides by farmers, including those in 2011 and 2012, have been definitively linked to the declining performance of the GM cotton.

Starting a decade ago, 90% of the country's cotton growers have adopted the GM cotton...read full article.

Pakistan tests nuclear-capable ballistic missile

Coming less than a week after India tested a long-range ballistic missile of its own, on Wednesday Pakistan successfully tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile.

The missile, Shaheen-1A was reportedly aimed southward to the Indian Ocean and successfully covered some 4,000-4,500 kilometers. 

The distance covered by the test is sufficient to target any chosen location on Indian territory.... read full article.

Video: Dr. Vandana Shiva talks on genetically modified food

A lot of controversy is floating around about Monsanto and its genetically modified seeds and crops and pesticides. For those who wish to learn more, Dr. Vandana Shiva is an expert on the subject.

With a bachelors degree in physics, Dr. Vandana Shiva started Navdanya International 20 years ago.

When she discovered that global corporations, such as Monsanto, wanted to patent seeds, crops and life forms, she started the organisation in an effort to protect biodiversity, to promote organic farming and also to defend the rights of farmers.

She has been involved in creating markets for farmers and in promoting healthy, high quality and tasty food for consumers, by connecting the seed to the kitchen, and biodiversity to gastronomy.... read more and view video.