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Society related issues:
WHO directives call for support for breastfeeding(The Hindu)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday issued a new 10-step guidance to increase support for breastfeeding in health facilities that provide maternity and newborn services, which provide the immediate health system platform to help mothers initiate breastfeeding within the first hour and breastfeed exclusively for six months.
Centre to snuff out ‘toxic’ e-cigarettes(The Hindu)
The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court that it is in the process of issuing guidelines to ban the manufacture, import, sale and any kind of trade in e-cigarettes, dubbing it a “new emerging threat”.
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Indian Constitution and Polity:
Ruling on SC/ST Act is causing great damage, Centre tells Supreme Court(The Hindu)
The Supreme Court judgment banning immediate arrest of a person accused of insulting or injuring Dalits is causing disharmony and “great damage” to the country, the Centre said on Thursday.
Justice Chelameswar won’t hear ‘master of roster’ plea(The Hindu)
A Supreme Court Bench, led by Justice Jasti Chelameswar, on Thursday turned down an urgent mentioning to list a petition for a judicial declaration that the authority of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) as ‘master of roster’ should not be reduced to an absolute, singular and arbitrary power.
Give us power to make rules, EC tells court(The Hindu)
The Election Commission of India told the Supreme Court that it should be given the power to make rules under the electoral law, instead of the Centre.
Still on the starting bloc(The Hindu Opinion)
The National Sports University Bill is still pending
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Economy:
Pressure on RBI to ease NPA norms(The Hindu)
The finance ministry is in discussion with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for relaxation of norms regarding stressed asset resolution that was announced in February. This follows representation by large banks to the ministry officials as they worry about pressure on profitability due to the revised guidelines.
Government policies:
Can Ayushman Bharat make for a healthier India?(The Hindu Opinion)
Ayushman Bharat, the new, flagship health initiative of the government, has two dimensions. First, it aims to roll out comprehensive primary health care with Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) serving as the people-centric nuclei. A nationwide network of 1.5 lakh HWCs will be created by transforming the existing sub-centres and primary health-care centres by 2022. This will constitute the very foundation of New India’s health care system.
Science and Technology:
IRNSS-1I to enrich navigation fleet(The Hindu)
Navigation satellite IRNSS-1I was flown into space from Sriharikota space pad in the early hours of Thursday. The 1,425-kg satellite will shortly become the eighth satellite to join the NavIC constellation of Indian regional navigation satellites.
Nine more missions planned for this year(The Hindu)
While the Chandrayaan-2 landing and rover mission is slated for late 2018, an important project is the seco- nd confirmatory launch of GSLV-MkIII heavy-lift rocket. It will carry the three-tonne-plus GSAT-29 communication satellite to space.
Environment:
NASA to study how tiny sea creatures affect Earth’s climate(The Hindu)
NASA is conducting a study of the world’s largest phytoplankton bloom in the North Atlantic to see how the tiny sea algae influence the climate every season. The study will track how phytoplanktons give rise to small organic particles that leave the ocean and end up in the atmosphere, influencing cloud formation
Yesterday’s current affairs material by Forum IAS
7 PM Editorial: India State of Forest Report (ISFR): an overview
