The Hindu
Front Page / NATIONAL
GST Council undecided over authority for tax assessment: Was inconclusive regarding the key issue of how to divide the authority to assess tax between the Centre and the States.
Legal tangle hits Ecuador Dhruv deal: HAL moves court after the South American nation terminated chopper pact following four crashes.
‘Make enforcement stricter’: CPCB had issued a 42-point guideline to the States to tackle air pollution. There were short-, medium- and long-term measures.
Panel seeks views on judicial vacancies: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has sought views from the public on the delay in filling vacancies in the Supreme Court and the High Courts. There is an ongoing tussle between the Union government and the judiciary on the draft Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) for judicial appointments.
Editorial/OPINION
Still unwieldy but just in time: Retaining the standard rates of 12 per cent and 18 per cent proposed at the Council’s last meeting, but tweaking the highest and lowest tax slabs from 26 per cent to 28 per cent and 6 per cent to 5 per cent, respectively.
Piecing together an encounter: For nation’s security, we need to strengthen the lowest rungs of the national security architecture, namely, the police stations and prisons.
INTERNATIONAL
India, China discuss steps to improve ties: India and China discussed on improving bilateral ties, especially on the issue of India’s entry into the NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) and U.N. ban on terrorist Masood Azhar.
President reaches out to Madhesis: Highlighting India’s unique ties with Nepal, President of India said (in the Madhesh region) that, India’s development plans would help achieve shared prosperity for both countries.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Mcr-1 isolated in India, a further chapter in antibiotic resistance: Indian researchers have isolated a strain of E.Coli bacteria, carrying a new gene (mcr -1), described previously as ‘truly pan-drug resistant’. It is resistant to the last mile antibiotic the human race currently has access to colistin.
Encephalitis ravages Odisha tribe, claims 60 children: The on-going outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (JE and AES) has severely affected the Koya community, Malkangiri’s indigenous tribe.
‘Zebrafish offers hope for spinal cord repair’: The Zebrafish, which can completely regenerate its severed spinal cord, might hold promise for research into tissue repair in humans, researchers said on Thursday. One of the proteins, called CTGF — connective tissue growth factor — was intriguing because its levels rose in supporting cells that formed the bridge in the first two weeks following injury.
Global conservation team visits Odisha’s Bhitarkanika park: A two-member technical evaluation mission team of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), deputed by UNESCO, visited the Bhitarkanika National Park. In 1984, UNESCO had declared the Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha as a World Heritage Site.
ECONOMY
Turkey wants India to start free trade pact talks soon: Turkey wants India to start talks on a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) soon and said the ongoing political turmoil will not impact foreign investment flows.
Demand to dictate coal production: There is no shortage of coal at the power plants currently and the emphasis now is on quality.
GDP advance estimates by Jan.: The expenditure numbers are not linked to the GDP figure, so this year extrapolation approach will be adopted and next year, the CSO would take steps to advance the data collection.
Indian Express
Engaging with the enemy: As a first step, though, India needs to devote more resources to examining objectively the ferment in Kashmir, with less blaming Pakistan reflexively every time protests erupt there or militants attack.
Live Mint
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