-IndiaToday.in The weather change in the region is being attributed to two major developments taking shape over the Bay of Bengal and in South Bangladesh. Kolkata broke the record for highest rainfall in 14 years as the city recorded over 200 mm of rainfall in the last two days. The previous such record was in 2007 when the city witnessed 174 mm rain. While airports, hospitals and roads are beginning to inundate,...

-TheWire.in Her writings are indispensable for anyone interested in learning about the history of agrarian change and labour in modern India. Professor Sheila Bhalla, professor emerita at the School of Social Sciences, JNU, a respected teacher, a labour economist of repute and a committed activist, passed away in Puducherry on September 5. Canadian by birth, she was introduced to trade union activities early in her life by her father. She studied at the...

-Down to Earth Groundwater contaminated with arsenic is extensively used for irrigation and finds its way into the food chain  Arsenic contamination in groundwater has been a growing concern in several parts of the country. Now, the chemical has found its way into the food chain — mainly rice, wheat and potato — a recent study has found. Ashok Kr Ghosh, one of the leading scientists of the team that led the research...

-Down to Earth These traditional varieties of rice are on the verge of extinction from farm fields As many as 12 folk varieties of Indian rice examined by researchers can supplement the nutritional demand of important fatty acids in undernourished mothers, a recent study has claimed. These can further supplement the arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in neonates through breast-feeding. DHA and ARA are fatty acids found in breast milk, as...

-TheWire.in Scientists described a 'culture of silence' at ICMR, with researchers worried that they would be passed over for opportunities if they questioned their superiors. New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s top leadership “tailored” the agency’s findings on the spread of COVID-19 and its possible trajectory to suit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda and pressured scientists to downplay the threat posed by the pandemic, New York Times has reported. The...