Dan MacCarthy is roughing it on a jeep safari in rugged Bandhavgarh National Park in northern India, where he hopes to get a glimpse of an elusive tiger or, maybe, two.

The greatest number of people believed to have been trafficked into Ireland for the sex trade or as unpaid workers originate from West Africa, figures show.

NEANDERTHAL nookie thousands of years ago boosted the health of the human race, scientists believe.

More than 6,200 people worldwide have now died from swine flu, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said today.

EVEN the most resilient and optimistic among us must be approaching misery overload. If the economy and soaring unemployment figures don’t push you towards the edge then there’s always the predictions about the awful impact climate change will have on our world, especially our children’s world.

Halfway through a 15-year global development plan, the world is failing to sufficiently cut hunger, maternal mortality and infant death rates, the United Nations said today.

A break-in targeting US State Department computers around the world happened after an employee in Asia opened a mysterious email that quietly allowed hackers inside the government’s network.

THE other day I went for a walk with my son Sam and our dog. It ended up with a bit of an incident. We were crossing a field full of cattle when suddenly the cattle attacked and the dog decided to defend.

A WORLD Health Organisation investigation has found that the deadly bird flu virus has mutated slightly in an Indonesian family cluster on Sumatra island.

The European Union today appealed to North Korea to cancel apparent plans for test firing a long-range ballistic missile, an issue that has caused tensions in Eastern Asia to flare.

Asia must do more to prepare for quick action in case a pandemic flu strain erupts because every moment will count at the onset and rapid response will be crucial, the World Health Organisation said today.

The deaths of two more people in China and two in Turkey have brought the global toll from bird flu to 78, the World Health Organisation said today as it urged stepped-up preparation in case the illness turns into a pandemic strain.

TURKEY yesterday raced to contain an outbreak of bird flu and reassure the world it had the potentially fatal illness under control.

Turkey today raced to contain an outbreak of bird flu and reassure the world it had the potentially fatal illness under control, after preliminary tests showed at least 15 people – two of them children who have died – were infected with the deadly H5N1 strain.

Authorities have urged citizens to avoid contact with fowl today, as Turkey reported a 15th person had tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.

TURKEY’S health minister last night confirmed two human cases of bird flu, including a teenage farm boy who died after developing pneumonia-like symptoms.

Japan was handing over emergency medical supplies to Indonesia today to help tackle a bird flu outbreak that has killed four people in the sprawling archipelago, officials said.

THAILAND yesterday confirmed its 10th death from bird flu and said the woman may have contracted the virus from her daughter, raising the alarming possibility of human-to-human transmission of the disease.

AN epidemic of short-sightedness could soon result from children spending too much time glued to TVs and computers.

THE number of people living with HIV/AIDS around the world is now well over 40 million, figures released yesterday reveal.