-Hindustan Times The irregularities in Doing Business reports had affected four countries: China; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Azerbaijan. World Bank Group has decided to discontinue ‘Doing Business’ reports that used to assess investment climate in countries after data irregularities were found in 2018 and 2020, reported news agency Reuters. In August 2020, World Bank paused the publication of Doing Business reports following a number of irregularities were reported regarding changes...

-The Hindu Business Line Apart from endemic policy concerns, the promotion of palm oil has downsides The edible oilseed production has occupied centre-stage in the discourse on Indian agriculture after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent announcement of the ₹11,040-crore National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), to have self-sufficiency in edible oils, particularly palm oil. There are two reasons for this announcement. First, the recent skyrocketing of edible oil prices has irked the...

-The Tribune Chandigarh: Amid the agitation over the contentious farm laws when the Punjab Government is projecting itself as the champion of farmers’ rights, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that the “mighty state was required to be sensitive” towards the rights of poor farmers. The admonition came after the state was caught sitting over the land of farmers for the last 23 years “without paying a penny as compensation”. Rapping...

-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...

-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...