National
Babies fall victim to antibiotic resistance – Infected with ‘superbugs’ in birth facilities within 72 hours of being born, thousands of Indian babies are dying due to an ‘alarming degree’ of drug resistance, a major study has found.
‘Yatri Mitra’ to the aid of rail passengers in need of assistance – In an initiative to improve the railway travel experience of elderly, differently-abled and ailing passengers, the Ministry of Railways has announced the launch of ‘Yatri Mitra Seva’ to simplify access to wheelchairs, battery operated cars and porter services. The scheme will be operational at all major railway stations.
Centre bans sharing of Aadhaar details – Agencies in possession of Aadhaar number of an individual will not be allowed to publish or post the information publicly and will have to ensure security and confidentiality of the 12-digit identification number under the Aadhaar Act.
Gold key to lower GST rate – The Centre is set to propose that the rate of tax on gold consumption be doubled under the Goods & Services Tax (GST) regime so as to allow the GST council the elbow room to set a lower standard GST rate.
Editorial
The full circle of reason – Its faith in Pakistan as an interlocutor for peace shaken, Afghanistan opts for a tighter embrace of its old ally India.
When the river weeps – The amount of water the river receives during the summer rains is becoming increasingly unreliable. In good years, when the river receives enough rainfall, there is no discord between the two States. We need to find ways to recharge the Cauvery, increase inflow of water and efficiency of water use, and clean up hotspots of pollution.
International
BRICS members to unite against terror groups – Underscoring the demand for an international legal order to deal with the threat of terrorism, BRICS High Representatives in charge of security, on Thursday agreed to intensify cooperation against terror groups like the IS in West Asia and North Africa region (WANA).
Delink drug prices from R&D costs: UN – As the debate over unaffordable blockbuster drugs such as Sovaldi and Epipen rages on, a landmark report by the United Nations High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines has called for delinking drug prices from research and development (R&D) costs.
Indonesia to resume work on “Giant Sea Wall” to save sinking Jakarta – Indonesia will resume land reclamation that will help prevent Jakarta from sinking below sea level, a Cabinet Minister said, five months after work was suspended due to regulatory and environmental concerns.
Environment
U.S expects India to ratify Paris treaty this year – The U.S is confident that India will be able to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change before the end of the year, according to a senior Obama administration official.
Ganga water has heavy metal, pesticide traces, says CPCB – Water quality of the river Ganga shows the presence of bacterial contamination besides traces of pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides, says the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Indian Express
What upper castes owe – Reservations combined with economic opportunities and social empowerment of Dalits could stem atrocities against them.
Leave a Reply