Environment & Ecology
Climate, biodiversity, pollution control and environmental legislation
U.S. agencies to monitor drinking water for microplastics, pharmaceuticals
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) that, for the first time, includes microplastics an...
Under global spotlight, Australia plays hardball on social media ban
Australia is standing firm on its world-first social media ban for children under 16, resisting pressure from major technology platforms despite early enforc...
Petroleum Secretary met State Chief Secretaries, addressed concerns about LPG for autos, migrant workers
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas convened a review meeting with Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries (Food and Civil Supplies) of ...
Education Ministry notifies NCERT as deemed university
The Ministry of Education formally notified the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) as an "Institute Deemed to be University," mark...
Trump fires Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general, White House official says
US President Donald Trump dismissed Pam Bondi as Attorney General on April 2, 2026 — only about two months after she took office in January 2026 following Se...
Six ISRO launches remain unfulfilled as March ‘deadline’ passes
At least six planned ISRO launches remain unexecuted as the self-imposed March 2026 deadline passed, reflecting a broader pattern of mission delays that has ...
Jal Shakti Minister’s remarks on Kaleshwaram trigger row in Rajya Sabha
Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil sparked a major controversy in the Rajya Sabha by declaring that over ₹1 lakh crore spent on Telangana's Kaleshwaram Lift ...
Vande Bharat Sleeper train: Indo-Russian JV ‘Kinet Railway Solutions’ completes first car body, prototype soon
Kinet Railway Solutions, the Indo-Russian joint venture between Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and Russia's Transmashholding (TMH), has completed the protot...
Bank locker theft news: 40 cases reported in PSBs in 5 years – check state-wise, bank-wise data
Over 40 cases of locker theft have been reported in public sector banks (PSBs) across India during the five-year period from FY2020-21 to FY2024-25. Compensa...
‘We seek accountability’: India condemns attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon
India strongly condemned attacks on United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, calling for accountability and the pro...
Govt. exempts Customs Duty for 40 petrochemical products
The Central Government on April 2, 2026, issued a notification exempting customs duty on 40 petrochemical products to protect domestic supply chains disrupte...
Yamuna, the river that became stagnant
A detailed assessment by Down to Earth documents the Yamuna's transformation from a living river to a stagnant, ecologically dead waterway due to compounding...
India seeks preferential market access over competitors as part of US trade deal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India is pushing for "preferential market access" in its ongoing trade engagement with the United Sta...
Lack of inter-state coordination has led to rampant illegal sand mining in Chambal—SC-appointed panel
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), a Supreme Court-appointed oversight body, submitted findings to the Supreme Court that the root cause of rampant illeg...
Artemis II update: Where are its astronauts? When will NASA's mission reach moon? All FAQs answered
NASA's Artemis II mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026 at 6:35 PM EDT — the first crewed mission to travel beyond low Earth orbit sinc...
Sandmining mafia are the modern dacoits of Chambal: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India, hearing a suo motu case on illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary, described the sand mining mafia as "modern daco...
One battle after another: How India fared in the year of Trump tariffs
On April 2, 2026 — dubbed "Liberation Day" by US President Donald Trump — the United States announced a sweeping set of "reciprocal tariffs" on imports from ...
India ready to slash import duties, curb exports to secure domestic supply: Trade official
India's trade ministry signalled readiness to cut import duties and, where necessary, curb exports to ensure adequate domestic supply of essential goods amid...
Use of recycled plastic in packaging made mandatory, new rules to boost circularity
India has made the use of recycled plastic in packaging mandatory, with specific targets for different categories of plastic packaging taking effect from fis...
Indian cities’ heat action plans must focus on high night-time temperatures, study says
A new study published ahead of the 2026 summer season finds that India's existing city-level Heat Action Plans (HAPs) are significantly under-prepared for th...