Authorities in eastern India are distributing free radio sets to lower-caste villagers so that they can listen to music and news after a hard day’s work and improve their awareness, officials said Wednesday.

Officials are distributing transistors costing 400 rupees ($8) each among hundreds of “Dalits” or the formerly “Untouchables” at the bottom of India’s ancient Hindu caste system.

(Continue reading in Reuters)

850,000 New York children in low-income families will receive $200 each for back to school supplies from wealthy financier George Soros. Soros and his Open Society Institute today announced a $35 million gift for kids across the state for purchasing supplies and clothing for the new school year.

The grants enable the state to draw upon another $140 million in federal stimulus matching funds. Governor Paterson, who announced with Soros the program at a Harlem elementary school, said helping families who are on public assistance and food stamps was most definitely an economic stimulus.

“Even in the toughest of economic times, starting the school year right is key to a child’s success,” said Mr. Soros. “When I was a student after World War II, I had no money. I received financial help, and I remember how important that was to my education. Since then I have been very fortunate and am happy to have the opportunity today to help others. I hope these funds will relieve some of the financial burden on New York’s families,” added Mr. Soros.

In a unanimous vote, the Senate on Friday confirmed Dr. Francis Collins, a scientist who helped unravel the human genetic code, as director of the National Institutes of Health. (USA Today)

Collins may be most widely known for his 2007 best-selling book, “The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief.” The book examines and rejects creationism and intelligent design, in favor of theistic evolution, and describes scientific discovery an “opportunity to worship.”

Collins led the Human Genome Project that mapped the genetic code and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award.  Collins’s commitment to free, rapid access to genomic information helped to make all data immediately available to the worldwide scientific community, according to Wikipedia.

Watch this charming YouTube video of Dr. Collins singing his message to graduating college students at the University of Michigan.

(Thanks to G. Davenport for submitting the link!)

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday the United States would present a Middle East peace plan within weeks and Israel should accept it.

“I believe that Israel must take the lead in accepting the plan,”  he was quoted as saying.

(Continue reading at Reuters)