Daily roundup by CSE and Down to Earth @COP27 by Avantika Goswami and Rohini Krishnamurthy, November 7, 2022 • UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that Loss and damage can no longer be swept under the rug. “It is a moral imperative, a fundamental question of international solidarity and climate justice,” …
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has obtained permission for “restricted use in public health emergency” of two second-line HIV medications for use against the novel coronavirus (nCoV). Top Health Ministry officials said these medications are to be used only in “vulnerable” cases, as they are not without side-effects. …
The thermometer reading of 98.6°F has been a gold standard for a century and a half, ever since a German doctor laid it down as the “normal” human body temperature. If you suspect you have a fever, a reading of 98.6 tells you that you are not. Over the last …
This week Kerala reported its third case of coronavirus, a student of a university in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the centre of the viral outbreak that has spread globally in less than a month. The student who hails from Kasargode is out of danger, and so are the other …
Fiscal deficit targets sometimes lead to vicious cycles. As an economy slows, so do tax collections, and if the government slows down its spending to meet the deficit targets, it exacerbates weak growth — one of the risks flagged in this column last year (‘Seize the slowdown’, IE, August 30, …
The Union Cabinet’s approval of the amended Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Bill 2020 was reported on January 29. This amendment was long due and has made some anticipated changes demanded by women’s groups and courts, including the Supreme Court. The Act is not yet available in the public domain …
South Africa is one of the countries with the highest burden of tuberculosis (TB). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, 322,000 TB cases reported in South Africa in 2017. The highest TB incidence rates reported in Western Cape province in South Africa and reported rate was 938 per …
Ghanaian President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged African countries here on Thursday to strengthen the fight against climate change and rescue the African continent from effects of carbon emissions. Opening the ongoing three-day second Africa Climate Chance Summit, Akufo-Addo added that determined actions were necessary as climate change posed the greatest …
Malawi has the world's highest preterm birth rate, with almost 1 in 5 babies born prematurely , but the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) programme introduced by the health ministry as part of a quality-improvement initiative increased survival rates of respiratory illness for newborns finds a new study. With use …
In Zambia, where agriculture accounts for 35% of the country’s GDP, farming is a way of life. One agri-tech company is bringing the future to Zambian farms. Agripredict, led by young founder and CEO Mwila Kangwa, helps identify and stop the crop diseases that have ravaged Zambia’s farms in past …
Alex Muli does not consider himself lucky, despite winning one of the most coveted agricultural prizes in Africa two weeks ago. This is because he has worked hard to reach where he is today. For him, it has been a decade of hard work, ambition, optimism and bravery, qualities that …
India’s most trusted two-wheeler brand Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd (HMSI) was recently presented with coveted GreenCo Star Performer Award at the 8th edition of CII GreenCo Summit. Honda’s manufacturing plant in Narsapura (Karnataka) was recognised with the award for its environmental sustainable initiatives. Taking sustainable initiatives, Narsapura …
Ahmedabad: The state government has admitted that 240 complaints of irregularities have been reported about chemical units in Ahmedabad city and district. The state government was replying to the question of Danilimda MLA Shailesh Parmar. The government stated that there are 1,566 chemical units in Ahmedabad city and 521 units …
Thiruvananthapuram: A project to keep prime tourism destinations across the state free of plastic and garbage, piloted by the Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission, together with stake-holders in tourism sector, was launched on Wednesday. Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran flagged off the ‘Clean Kerala Initiative’, aimed to promote good practices like ‘Green …
Vistara will stop giving plastic water bottles on board its flights, in a bid to reduce plastic usage. The airline, which had earlier banned chewing of gutka on its flights, on Wednesday said it “plans to remove all individual-sized 200ml water bottles from its flights, This initiative was implemented on …
AGRA: Green and black stains have again started appearing on the marble walls of the Taj Mahal due to insect attack. The Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) superintending archaeologist (Agra circle) Vasant Swarankar said the issue has become a permanent problem as filth in the Yamuna river provides a perfect …
The viability of storing solar power using batteries and using the same power during peak times is increasing due to declining battery prices, said Raj Pratap Singh, Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), here. “The storing of solar power using batteries is already working in several countries. In Australia, …
Shakti Pumps (India) announced that the Government of India has announced a mega scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Uttham Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) with an objective to scale up use of solar energy for irrigation pumps. The new scheme would immensely help the farmers and will contribute to climate …
Haridwar: Despite the National Green Tribunal's (NGTs) ban on the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags in the pilgrim cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, the use of polythene bags is going on unabated in the pilgrimage town of Haridwar during the kanwar yatra with traders rampantly using them in the kanwar …
To facilitate investors in obtaining time-bound permissions and making the procedures less cumbersome, Himachal Government will now only accept online common application forms (CAF) for investment proposals which will have to be processed within 45 days time. The Himachal Government has issued a notification where the constitution and terms of …
