-Al Jazeera Treaty to ban chemicals that harmed the ozone layer came about when there was consensus between science and politics. In 1974, chemists Mario Molina and Frank Sherwood Rowland published a landmark article that demonstrated the ability of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to break down the ozone layer, the atmospheric region that plays a vital role in shielding humans and other life from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It marked the opening salvo of...

-IPS News Environmental activists are cautiously optimistic that a call by a court-appointed technical committee for a ten-year moratorium on open field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops will shelve plans to introduce bio-engineered foods in this largely agricultural country. “We are now waiting to see whether the Supreme Court will accept the recommendations of its own committee at the next hearing on Oct. 29,” said Devinder Sharma, chairman of the Forum...

-The Economic Times The fear of drought in India has abated with late precipitation of the monsoon in September this year. However, the country continues to suffer from a drought of formalised tabulated data of agro items on a real-time or monthly basis, though many estimates continue to fatigue the print and electronic media.  Red or green prices flashing on computer screens are taken for 'granted', but the discovery of future or...

-The Times of India They stay in cramped prison spaces with minimum facilities at their disposal. But they're not criminals. They are the children of women who have been convicted or are facing trial. Over 800 children up to the age of six are languishing in prisons across seven states and union territories, including Delhi, for no fault of their own. Sadly, the juvenile justice system is yet to make room...

-PTI Amid reports of discrimination against students admitted under RTE, the government today issued fresh guidelinesprohibiting schools from announcing community, castes or tribes of students and labelling students as reserved category in classes. School shall prescribe procedures and mechanism to deal with complaint and will be obligatory on its part to decide such complaints within a maximum period of 60 days from the date of receipt or submission of complaint, the...