The price of rice, the staple food of Madagascar's 19 million people, has stabilised, but the country's southern regions, where remote communities are vulnerable to chronic food insecurity, are preparing for the onset of seasonal food shortages that usually start in October.

Almost every major auto manufacturer has now announced plans to offer a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can run on electricity for 20-40 miles before switching to gasoline. Since half of American cars travel under 25 miles a day, plug-ins allow people to do most of their driving on electricity, but still have a car for long-distance trips that can be easily and quickly refuelled with gasoline.

Bamboo is an ideal material to fashion into gadgets — it’s tough but lightweight, and it wears well, acquiring a patina to complement any knocks and scratches.

California passed legislation this week that enables the state to take more responsibility for identifying and regulating toxic chemicals in consumer products by the year 2011.

A Mexican institute and a Chinese university are among those receiving funding as part of the expanded Framework Programs for Global Health initiative of the Fogarty International Center, part of the US National Institutes of Health.

The next time you spend a pretty penny on lotion, shampoo or cream that claims to be organic or natural, you may want to think twice. So-called "green" products are not always as beneficial as they seem.

A Mexican institute and a Chinese university are among those receiving funding as part of the expanded Framework Programs for Global Health initiative of the Fogarty International Center, part of the US National Institutes of Health.