The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
after a series of agitations demanding the protection of rights of the traditional fisherfolk community of India, the National Fishworkers' Forum (nff) has finally been assured by Prime Minister (pm) Atal Bihari Vajpayee that its demands will soon be looked into. Even as the nff delegates were hopeful that their …
till recently, restoring the pristine beauty of the famous Dal, Nagin and Aanchar lakes seemed an impossible task. But a recent court directive on the cleaning of these water bodies has rekindled hopes. In a significant judgment, a two-member division bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, comprising Chief …
the United Nation Development Programme's (undp) latest Human Development Report (hdr 2002) has reiterated what we have always talked about: that mere democracy is not enough, deepening of democracy through the empowerment of people is the real route to development. And also that democracy and equity are words that the …
Over a year ago, Anil Agarwal wrote in this column that science is a political orphan. He was discussing how even as we remain bombastic about our prowess in science, there is so little science in those areas which affect our daily lives. Indeed, there is little to show that …
The Supreme Court (sc) has issued show-cause notices to the Delhi government and the Delhi police commissioner for non-implementation of its order banning the entry of trucks which do not comply to Bharat Stage
With a view to arm the judiciary to combat environmental destruction, Indonesia has decided to train judges and prosecutors. At the end of the exercise, the government hopes the judges would be competent enough to handle eco-issues more effectively. "Indonesian law is extremely weak, while environmental problems are complex. We …
the monsoon is late by a little more than a fortnight. And the alarm bells are already ringing furiously across the country. State governments, lulled into a false sense of security by the meteorological department's forecast of
An hiv/aids catastrophe is staring China in the face. A un report warns that spread of the virus in the country could result in unimaginable human suffering, economic loss and social devastation. The report revealed that by the end of 2001, 0.8 million to 1.5 million Chinese were infected with …
• Aboriginal children living a semi-traditional lifestyle ... were shown to be the critical group for radiation protection purposes • The inhalation of plutonium dust presents the most significant potential health hazard arising from residual contamination of the Maralinga area • If in time the Maralinga Tjarutja were to move …
THE US government is considering charging Imclone Drugs Inc, a biotechnology firm for deluding investors about the status of their cancer drug, Erbitux. Company officials revealed that they have received a 'wells notice' from the Securities and Exchange Commission. This notice is issued when the staff of the panel is …
the failure to construct rainwater harvesting structures in individual dwellings and large establishments in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh could lead to seizure of land by the government. This recent announcement was made by Andhra Pradesh chief minister (cm) N Chandrababu Naidu. The government is …
Electric vehicles are suffering a setback because of the policies of the Nepal government, which is discouraging their import and use. This charge was levelled by entrepreneurs who met at a seminar organised by the Environment Sector Programme Support (ESPS) and the Electrical Vehicle Association Nepal (EVAN). They also pointed …
the Australian government is being bombarded with criticism for deciding to hand back a 3.2 lakh hectare (ha) site to its traditional aboriginal owners despite fresh evidence surfacing that the land is still toxic from nuclear tests conducted 40 years ago. Maralinga, the tract in question, is located in the …
The bill to amend the Representation of People's Act all but dilutes the directives contained in the Supreme Court's verdict and appears to have been drafted only to push out Election Commission's more stringent guidelines.
on june 13, death deluged the banks of Yamuna river in Agra. The Sikandara-Taj Mahal area along the water body was covered with thousands of dead and dying fish. Less than a week later, reports of more fish deaths poured in from Bateshwar
Trash on mountains causes a major environmental problem. Considering this, Japan is building new toilets on Mount Fuji, the country's most picturesque mountain. The Japanese environment ministry intends to help fund around six new "green' toilets in huts along hiking routes to the summit of Fuji. It is reported that …
Despite taking the initiative to propagate rainwater harvesting (rwh) as a household concept, Chennai has surprisingly been losing its capacity to hold water over the years. This incongruity could be attributed to the message not percolating down convincingly enough to the city's domestic consumers (a survey suggests that though 48 …
It's Thursday, and the bell of the Miguelete Tower, outside the Cathedral of Valencia in Spain, strikes twelve. Eight figures in black robes have assembled before Apostle's gate of the Cathedral, in a midday gathering reminiscent of mediaeval times. They are the s
industrialists in Delhi could soon be forced to pay up for common effluent treatment plants (cetps) in their area. A proposal to tax erring industrialists, who refuse to foot the bill for the construction of cetps, was put forth by state industry and environment minister Deep Chand Bandhu. He announced …
