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 …
the Tamil Nadu (tn) government is all set to ban non-reusable plastics. A bill that was tabled in the tn assembly recently proposes to prohibit the sale, storage, transport and use of plastic carrybags, cups, tumblers, plates, spoons, forks and knives. Once passed, it will be called the Tamil Nadu …
The passing of the Patents (Second Amendment) Bill, 2002, by both Houses of Parliament is one more step towards complete compliance with the trips Agreement (Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights). However, further amendments would have to be incorporated to completely comply with trips provisions, since the …
After 20 years If the bombs didn't kill, the land will. Afghanistan's natural resources are all but dead survival is an impossible dream in Afghanistan. Last December, as Afghans looked up to the deceptively beautiful sky for rain, bombs rained from endless streams of b-52 bombers
We are not starting from scratch. Our institutions have been substantially weakened. But they still exist,' says Hedayat Amin-Arsala, minister of finance of Afghanistan Interim Authority. Hidayat's statement has more meaning now when the interim government is struggling hard to convene the Loya Jirga and to chart out his country's …
life ravaged by war and drought has one hope: resilience of a people. "A good monsoon and a bit of peace will bring Afghan's life to normal,' says J Gabriel Campbell of icimod. Take Kohistan district of Kapisa province for example. Just after usa bombarded and damaged water channels in …
a team comprising secretaries of the forest and revenue departments has been set up to file a detailed report on the rampant land-grabbing in the forests of the Mathikettan region in Kerala. The Union ministry of environment and forests has also taken stock of the situation. Earlier, the state government …
in a recent report, the parliamentary standing committee on energy has observed that stringent environmental regulations hinder the progress of projects conducted by the Union government's Department of Atomic Energy (dae). The report has also emphasised the need to promote nuclear energy. Critical of strict environmental regulations, the committee reports …
The persistent honking of a car stuck in a traffic jam. The blaring music playing at a wedding in the nearby community hall. The mind-numbing splutter of gensets every time power breaks down in the neighbourhood, or the noisome grating of gravel at a construction site next to your house. …
Sale Logged Indonesia plans to impose a permanent ban on export of logs to save its forests. Over-logging has nearly destroyed the country's rain forests. Realising this, it had imposed a ban on log exports in 1980 but later replaced it with a 200 per cent export tax to protect …
fights over water have begun, although summer is yet to peak. Hit by severe water scarcity, the states of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have reported incidents of violence and major protests over the past few weeks. Women in Amreli, Manavadar and Rajkot, staged dharnas demanding more supply of …
Heads of panchayati raj institutions have aggressively set the government a deadline to amend the Indian constitution and implement changes that would forcibly impact and empower Village India. It would give villages control over natural resources like water, minor forest produce and minerals, which at present lies with the state …
extreme measures do work! Like it did for the staff of Valmiki Tiger Reserve who had not been paid their salaries since October last year. As a culmination of their efforts, the Supreme Court has now ordered the Bihar government to pay salaries to its employees at the Valmiki Tiger …
aids may soon become curable. Scientists will put on trial in India, a potential AIDS vaccine made from a modified Vaccinia Ankara formulation. Incidentally, Vaccinia Ankara is a harmless version of a pox virus that was the basis for smallpox vaccines. When modified, it would act as the vector, or …
taking its cue from Delhi, the Karnataka government has banned all transport vehicles that are over 15 years old. The state transport department regulation, which came into force from April 1, 2002, forms a part of the authorities' efforts to curb vehicular pollution in the metropolis. Another such measure is …
Originally called www.purefood.org, the website is the project of Organic Consumers Association (OCA). This site focuses on safe and sustainable systems of food production and consumption. The site lists various campaigns of the organisation to drive out genetically engineered food off the market. The recent and most prolific campaign is …
A temporary suspension has been clamped on the licence of a pipeline builder in Ecuador by the country's environment ministry. The ministry has said that until the company repairs damages near a protected forest, the licence would remain revoked. The ministry took the decision after construction work caused damage in …
While coming down heavily on the "Greater Thal Canal Project', the Karachi city district government in Pakistan has asked the federal government to stop its construction immediately. The city council in its resolution indicated that lakes, canals and water of Indus river had been a source of irrigation for land …
• Kochi has been selected as one of the centres for a major study, undertaken by the US-based Oakridge National Laboratory, to measure the phenomenon of global warming. • An innovative Green Card Yojana has been announced by the Madhya Pradesh government. The scheme is aimed at using foodgrain as …
