A pest threatens Japan heritage island forest
Tokyo, Jan 6 (IANS) A nematode pest from pinewood is threatening to infest a forest on the Japanese island of Yakushima, a world heritage site and home to an endangered pine species. The pest has…
Environment
Heavy snowfall closes Jammu-Srinagar highway
Srinagar, Jan 6 (IANS) The strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway was closed on Friday due to heavy snowfall. The closure followed snowfall on both sides of the Jawahar tunnel, officials said.
Manali hills wrapped in snow
Shimla, Jan 6 (IANS) The hills near Manali in Himachal Pradesh on Friday recieved snow, a weather official said. Manali, which saw a low of 0.6 degree, also got mild rains. The temperatures remained below…
Cold wave in Lucknow forces schools to shut down
Lucknow, Jan 6 (IANS) All schools up to eighth standard have been closed in the Uttar Pradesh capital till January 10, owing to extreme cold wave condition, an official said on Friday. The decision was…
What’s common to Arab Spring, European Summer, American Winter
By Rajendra Shende Mohamed Bouazizi was a Tunisian fruit vendor. Six years ago, in Decemebr 2010, he set himself ablaze at a market in the town of Sid Bouzi. He was protesting because the police…
70 trains delayed, 23 rescheduled due to fog
New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) At least 70 trains were running late and were 23 rescheduled due to dense fog in parts of north India on Friday morning, a railway official said here. According to…
Partly foggy Friday morning in Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) It was a partially foggy Friday morning here with the minimum temperature recorded at 11.5 degrees Celsius, four notches above the season’s average, the weather office said. “The sky would…
US Navy-trained dolphins on a saving mission
New York, Jan 6 (IANS) US Navy-trained dolphins are being tapped to save worlds smallest porpoise, vaquita, that is on the verge of extinction in the Gulf of California, experts said. Experts are hoping dolphins’…
7 trains cancelled, 85 delayed due to fog
New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) At least 85 trains were running late and seven others cancelled on Thursday due to dense fog in parts of north India, a railway official said. According to the Northern…
Arctic area pollutants threatening polar bear: Study
London, Jan 5 (IANS) The exposure of the Arctic ecosystem to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is toxic to the health of endangered polar bears, researchers warn. POPs are chemicals that remain intact in the environment…
Rare migratory birds spotted near Gurugram parks
By Pradeep Singh Gurugram, Jan 5 (IANS) Rare migratory birds are being spotted in and near Sultanpur National Park here, including the white-tailed eagle and yellow-legged button quall in neighbouring Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary, for the…
Respite for animals as India bans skin, fur imports
New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) In a bid to end the suffering of animals abroad, which are culled in large numbers to meet the market demands here, India has shut its doors to fur and…
German coast sees worst storm surge in 10 years
Berlin, Jan 5 (IANS) Germany’s Baltic coast has been hit by the worst storm surge in 10 years, with citizens on Thursday waking up to flooding and damage as weather conditions exceeded forecasts. Images on…
France to cull 800,000 birds to check avian flu
Paris, Jan 5 (IANS) France on Thursday launched a farm bird culling campaign that could affect up to 800,000 birds in an attempt to avoid the spread of avian flu. The cull, according to the…
No exemption from environment clearance until further orders
New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) said on Thursday that the union Environment Ministry’s notification exempting construction projects up to an area of 150,000 sq mtrs from obtaining clearance shall not…
Bus to run on biogas in Kolkata from March-end
Kolkata, Jan 5 (IANS) A 75-seat bus powered by biogas will soon ferry passengers in this metropolis from March 30. The operators claim it will be India’s first such bus service. A nominal fare of…
World sees longest coral bleaching, says study
By Vishal Gulati New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) In the past two years, the world witnessed the longest bleaching event ever recorded, which killed coral on an unprecedented scale, a latest international study says. In…
World’s smallest jellyfish causes havoc in Australia
Brisbane, Jan 5 (IANS) The world’s smallest jellyfish have been causing havoc in Australia’s north coast over the festive summer period after a 10th victim was transferred to hospital from a spate of stings. A…
UAE bans wild animals as pets
Dubai, Jan 5 (IANS) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned the keeping of wild animals as pets. The new law banned dealing in and ownership of “all types of wild and domesticated but dangerous…
China to use less coal, more clean energy
Beijing, Jan 5 (IANS) China will cut coal consumption in its total energy use and raise the share of clean energy before 2020, according to the latest plan for the energy sector. The share of…