Environment

  Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. While Earth’s biodiversity is so rich that many species have yet to be discovered, many species are being threatened with extinction due to human activities, putting the Earth’s magnificent biodiversity at risk. Biosphere …

India is the world’s second most polluted country. Fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) in comparison to WHO guidelines shortens an average Indian’s life expectancy by 5.3 years. Records show that in 2019 over 1.6 million deaths were attributed to poor air quality. This ranged from strokes, diabetes, lung cancer and …

India and South Africa have finally signed a long-pending agreement to translocate 12 cheetahs to India, the Environment Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The cheetahs will be transported to India by February-end and reintroduced at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, where eight such cats were brought …

Single document detailing deaths to be prepared for more effective corrective measures The National Zoological Park, better known as Delhi zoo, has undertaken an analysis into deaths of 245 animals over 14 months from April 2018 to June 2019. “We were also surprised by the high number of deaths and …

Editor in Singapore charged with defamation The editor of a website in Singapore was charged with defamation late on Thursday for publishing a letter alleging corruption among the city-state’s leaders. Rights groups in Singapore denounced the “heavy-handed” response from the authorities. Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/singapore-editor-charged-with-defaming-government/article25737890.ece

‘Few places in coastal T.N. may experience heavy rainfall’ As the northeast monsoon inches closer to coastal areas, several areas in Chennai received intermittent spells of rainfall since Wednesday morning. The onset of monsoon is likely to be announced on Thursday initially in the coastal areas and rain would then …

The fighter plane now has the capability to take off vertically, giving a shot in the arm for the IAF The Indian Air Force’s beast — MiG-29 — has gained in strength and ferocity after an upgrade, giving the force, battling a shortage of fighter aircraft, a much-needed boost, according …

Task force of ex-servicemen will help in crowd management, keep river clean In January 2019, when the Uttar Pradesh government organises the Kumbh Mela, it will have a special unit to help: a volunteer force of ex-servicemen.The Ganga Task Force (GTF), specially trained by the Ministry of Defence will help …

Several organisations roll out traditional methods to save trees affected by human activities in the city Using the knowledge of senior botanists, nature lovers initiated an experimental effort in Odisha’s Berhampur on Sunday to cure trees affected by human activities by using traditional ingredients. Berhampur Development Authority (BDA) chairperson Subash …

Fed-up with a growing mountain of stinking disposable nappies, a Dutch firm on Tuesday started building the country’s first recycling plant to turn poo into profit. Plastic from the nappies extracted by the facility in the central Dutch town of Weurt near Nijmegen will have a second life as household …

Petitioners, including Maneka Gandhi, seek better care for Bandula A campaign for the freedom of an old and feeble elephant chained in Colombo’s Dehiwala Zoo for the past 66 years has garnered support from New Delhi. Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, who is known for her activism for animal rights, has …

Poor response to tenders called for on two earlier occasions As there is poor response to taking up extraction of sand in the non-Coastal Regulatory Zone areas, the district administration is considering relaxing norms and allowing people from outside the district to extract sand, said Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada …

The sight of a basking shark’s brooding silhouette gliding through the waters off western France is more than just a rare treat for sailors — it is a boon for scientists trying to trace its secretive migrations across the globe. It may be the world’s second largest fish, growing to …

Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja Group’s flagship company, unveiled Innoline, a BS IV engine driven by an in-line fuel pump. “This is the latest innovation from Ashok Leyland for commercial vehicles,” said Vinod K. Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland. “This technology can be upgraded and used for BS VI engines as …

The kind of tension typically felt outside a maternity ward was seen at Byculla zoo on Wednesday. Anxious minutes passed as staffers waited for the baby’s arrival. And at 8.02 p.m., they saw, via CCTV, the sight they had anticipated for 40 days — the first Humboldt penguin to be …

Manmade global warming and a natural surge in Earth’s surface temperature will join forces to make the next five years exceptionally hot, according to a study published on Tuesday. The double whammy of climate change and so-called natural variability more than doubles the likelihood of “extreme warm events” in ocean …

That undisputed fact led a Los Angeles judge to rule this spring that coffee companies must provide cancer warnings to coffee drinkers. The ruling cast a shadow on a daily and often essential rite for millions of people around the world. But now, the state of California has intervened, telling …

When Chinese state TV accidentally revealed much of the “salmon” sashimi eaten in the country was actually rainbow trout, domestic fish farmers faced a crisis of consumer confidence. After fishing for a solution, they came up with an idea: to officially deem the rainbow trout a type of salmon. Over …

Karnataka says it cannot be blamed Karnataka on Monday blamed Tamil Nadu in the Supreme Court for “failing to maintain the quality in the Cauvery river.” “The pollution is highest in the stretch below Mettur and up to Mayiladuthurai, which is the heart of irrigation in Tamil Nadu. The State …

Eleven Indian reserves now listed inWorld Network of Biosphere Reserves The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (KBR) of Sikkim, the highest biosphere reserve in the country that includes the third highest mountain peak in the world, Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), has been included in the UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WHBR). The …