As temperature rises in the hills of Uttarakhand, forest fires have engulfed 1,960 hectare of jungles, an official report said on Wednesday.


Forest fires spread in Uttarakhand jungles


IANS Automatic

Mississippi River flooding has affected at least eight U.S. states since January, and it has become the longest-lasting since the "Great Flood" of 1927, the National Weather Service said.


Mississippi flooding longest-lasting since 1927 'Great Flood'


The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), which won the BJP-led NDA government a lot of rural women  votes in the just concluded general elections, is expected to be further expanded under the incoming government with a focus on delivery and use of smaller 5 kg LPG gas cylinders.


5 kg LPG refill to power Ujjwala scheme under Modi 2.0


The front-line employees of Kaziranga National Park, who often brave attacks from wild animals as well as poachers, are now covered under an insurance scheme, thanks to the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL).


NRL facilitates insurance cover for Kaziranga staff


At least two people were killed and several others injured when a tornado tore slammed into the US state of Oklahoma.


2 killed due to tornado in US state


More than a dozen flights were cancelled on Indonesia's island of Bali on Saturday due to an ash cloud emitted by a fresh eruption of Mount Agung volcano.


Flights cancelled as volcano erupts in Indonesia


With no letup in heat wave conditions in Telangana, the state government on Friday decided to extend summer holidays for schools till June 11.


Telangana extends school holidays due to heat wave


Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland Ltd has lined up a capex plan of Rs 2,000 crore spread over two years for rolling out BS VI emission norm compliant vehicles, as well as new and modular vehicles, a top company official said on Friday.


Ashok Leyland plans Rs 2,000 cr capex over two years


United Nations officials on Wednesday said developing nations were facing the brunt of climate change despite their little contribution to the problem.


Climate change affecting developing nations most: UN


Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said that the dependence on few crops affects food security and loss in diversity can also lead to lifestyle diseases.


Dependence on few crops impacts food security: Vice President


The Centre on Tuesday asked states to step up their preparedness by advance planning and deployment of human, physical and financial resources ahead of the southwest monsoon which will arrive in the first week of next month.


Centre asks states for better preparedness ahead of monsoon


Montpellier (France), May 20 (IANS/AKI) More robust policy support is needed to reap the benefits of growing trees near crops and livestock, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation said at an agro-forestry summit in France on Monday.


FAO urges nations across world to support agroforestry


A farmers association in south Gujarat has come to the aid of scores of cattle herders, who walked over 350 km from the parched Kutch to Sanand town near here, by providing them 20,000 kg feed daily for their cattle.


South Gujarat farmers sending fodder to help cattle herders


Once known for its clean and clear water, the Bhalswa Lake of Delhi is narrating its own story of how modernisation and urbanisation is taking a toll on such water bodies.


Bhalswa Lake: Victim of urbanisation (Delhi Water Bodies)


Inclement weather on Friday disturbed air traffic at the IGI Airport here.


32 flights diverted from IGI Airport due to inclement weather


Peak power demand in Delhi this summer is expected to breach the 7,400 MW-mark. Besides making adequate power arrangements, the two BSES distribution companies (discoms) have also ramped-up network capacity by deploying both conventional and innovative solutions.


BSES gears up to meet Delhi's summer power demand


Rome, May 15 (IANS/AKI) Wind, rain and industrial farming methods accelerate soil erosion which can be mitigated before the world faces calamitous losses in terms of agricultural yields and critical ecosystem functions, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said at an international meeting on the issue beginning here on Wednesday.


Rome summit urges rapid action to mitigate soil erosion: UN


Rome, May 15 (IANS/AKI) A devastating drought in Somalia could leave some 2.2 million people - almost 18 per cent of the population - facing severe hunger in July-September after poor harvests, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Wednesday.


Over two million face famine in drought-hit Somalia: UN


Annual drying up of ponds in Uttar Pradesh's part of the Bundelkhand is an annual feature; a faint hope lies in the river Ken whose much narrowed flow brings small succour. Not this year, as the Ken's riverbed has been disemboweled, its sand scooped out by the unscrupulous. Result: hundreds of people have no source of water and their anger has spilled out on roads.


Sand mafia triggers drinking water crisis in Bundelkhand


Cyclone Fani that hit the Odisha coast on May 3 damaged Rs 524 crore worth of assets, according to the Housing and Urban Development Department assessment, said an official on Tuesday.


Odisha department estimates Rs 524 cr damage by Fani


Monsoon will hit Kerala on June 4 with a variation of two days, said private forecaster Skymet on Tuesday, adding the overall monsoon was predicted to be "below average".

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