COVID-19: Why Nepal’s farmers should have sustained cereal production

Shifting from cereal to vegetable production came at a cost to the farmers of west Nepal

COVID-19 pulls fishermen back to Bengal, Amphan forces them to reconsider

Several fishermen in West Bengal have begun weighing options to go back to fishing harbours in other states where they worked

World Day Against Child Labour 2020: Vulnerable children worse off due to COVID-19

The nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has left child labourers with no source of income, no …

COVID-19: 300,000 seafarers need flights for crew changes, says UNCTAD estimate

About half the seafarers will have to travel home by air for repatriation, while the other half will need to join ships for work

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (June 2, 2020)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal

International Sex Workers Day: Odisha’s sex workers get little help amid COVID-19 lockdown

The COVID-19 lockdown means a complete loss of income, struggle for daily survival for sex workers across the country

Nigeria was once an indisputable leader in Africa: What happened?

The intractable problems of Boko Haram and Islamic State, coupled with kidnappings, have created a security crisis in the country

Tonight we riot? What Nintendo’s ‘revolutionary’ video game misses about worker liberation

Some might think this fantasy epitomises the modern movement for worker liberation. It doesn’t.

COVID-19: Centre’s financial package through DBT attracts criticism

Financial assistance given to approximately 390 million beneficiaries, says Union government, countered by experts who say stranded migrants left out

COVID-19: The need is to decentralise how we manage wastewater

The water crisis in India is dire: By 2030, the country’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply

COVID-19: Daily electricity demand dips 15% globally, says report

There is, however, a spike in residential demand for electricity, because of people staying and working from home

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (September 1, 2020)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal

The case of anti-microbial resistance: Adding worry to the woes of COVID-19 pandemic

The WHO, in 2019, said AMR is one of the top 10 threats to health, with speculation emerging of it having the potential to become a global epidemic

COVID-19: Bats’ immune system, longevity offer clues for treatment, says study

Bats’ immune systems have mechanisms to control inflammation, a mainstay of disease and ageing

COVID-19: 400 mln jobs lost in Q2 2020, says ILO

Job losses up 400% in Africa, Asia since first 3 months; working hours lower than estimates

Sexual and gender-based violence during COVID-19: lessons from Ebola

Sexual and gender-based violence does not begin with disasters like the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. But the chaos and …

Vishakhapatnam gas leak: What were the errors and what are the lessons

Industrial management methodologies have to be fine-tuned in line with the COVID-19 pandemic, not only to ensure safety but to function effectively

Food wrappers overtake cigarette butts as beach litter: Report

A record 4,771,602 food wrappers picked up in a single day by 943,195 volunteers of environmental advocacy group Ocean Conservancy across …

Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance: A strong EC Act is still needed

The ordinance does not expressly define ‘extraordinary circumstances’: Such legislative ambiguity makes one question the entire …

The IMF’s $4 bln loan for South Africa: The pros, cons and potential pitfalls

The most important benefit is that South Africa is getting $4.2 billion at about 1.1 per cent interest. This is a very cheap source of funds

COVID-19: Phase 3 of vaccine developed by Chinese researchers underway, says Lancet

The Ad5-vectored COVID-19 vaccine tested on people above 55 years of age, is considered a step up from another vaccine being developed by the UK

Pangolin scale seizures jumped 10 times between 2014 and 2018: UN report

Pangolins have, recently, been vilified because of reports that linked them to the emergence of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes …

Study predicts 4 outcomes for aquaculture industry amid COVID-19 impact

The relatively young industry suffers curb in exports, layoffs, reduced demand and production because of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) …

COVID-19: Researchers develop portable, battery-operated ventilator

The device, called AirBridge, works as a bridge for a few hours to a few days before conventional ventilation is provided

COVID-19: Revised guidelines show how biomedical waste must be handled

Extra precautions to be taken by sanitation workers, healthcare facilities and COVID-19 isolation wards are also described