National
Mangaluru scores high in list of open defecation-free cities – A survey conducted by the Quality Council of India at the behest of the Union Ministry of Urban Development across 75 cities, including 53 with a population of more than one million and State capitals, declared Mangaluru as an ODF city in the sub-5 lakh population category.
Pakistan’s MFN tag may stay for now – The Centre is not considering any proposal to withdraw the ‘Most Favoured Nation’ (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan as even without the move the level of bilateral trade is “very low,” official sources said.
Science & Technology
NASA-funded rocket solves cosmic mystery – Scientists have confirmed that some of the X-ray emissions in our universe originate from a huge bubble of hot ionised gas enveloping our solar system, a finding that strengthens our understanding of the solar neighbourhood’s early history.
A new technique to look for exomoons – The recent discovery of Proxima b, an exoplanet in our neighbouring star system, Proxima Centauri in the Alpha Centauri group, has fuelled popular interest in studying new worlds.
International
China to deploy drones over S. China Sea – China plans to deploy its indigenously built drones for surveying and mapping in the disputed South China Sea and along the contentious islands with Japan.
G4 issues joint statement for UN reforms – India, Germany, Japan and Brazil will continue to push for comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, Foreign Ministers of the four countries who met on the sidelines of General Assembly resolved.
Sri Lanka’s Tamils rally for greater devolution – Thousands of Tamils on Saturday participated in a rally in Jaffna, led by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, drawing attention to “Sinhala colonisation” and “rampant militarisation” of Sri Lanka’s North and East.
Environment
Anthropocene 2: Damage control measures – Here we highlight some of the remedial measures being taken, wherein fossil fuels can hopefully, and soon, be replaced by renewable and thus sustainable methods for energy production.
Indian ROV monitors the health of coral reefs – The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, had recently deployed the ROV for studying the coral reefs of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are facing survival threats due to global warming.
Editorials
Sepsis fight gets smarter, cheaper – Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore have demonstrated a cheap and efficacious way of neutralising bacterial endotoxins in blood that cause sepsis.
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