Bombay HC Strikes Down Centre's Fact Check Unit: Unconstitutional

In a setback to the Centre, the Bombay High Court struck down as "unconstitutional" the amended IT rules that empower the Government to identify "fake news" on social media platforms through a Fact Check Unit (FCU). 

Following a split verdict on pleas challenging the amended rules by a two-judge division bench on January 31, a third judge, Justice Atul S Chandurkar, gave the deciding opinion on the matter and held that the rule was "ultra vires", or beyond the powers, of the IT Act. 

Nadda: PM to launch expanded Ayushman Bharat scheme in Oct

Apart from expanding the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Centre has developed a digital vaccine management platform U-win, besides a real-time database of doctors and a rapid alert system for imported foods that fail quality tests, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said Friday. 

The expanded Ayushman Bharat, to provide R 5 lakh cover to those 70 years and above, was approved by the Cabinet earlier this month and will be formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda said. 

India formally joins the International Big Cat Alliance

India has formally joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), which it launched in 2023. After approval from the Union Cabinet, India signed and ratified the framework, an official release. 

Four nations, including India, Nicaragua, Eswatini and Somalia, have become the IBCA members now. In April 2023, PM Narendra Modi launched the IBCA to secure the future of big cats and their landscapes. 

FOR LIBERTY, BY LAW

The robust protection of personal liberty and the creation of a constitutional architecture ensures this is something the members of the Constituent Assembly repeatedly asserted. 

They may have suffered a temporary setback, for Article 21 makes no mention of due process rights. 

But they prevailed in the long run. In no uncertain terms, these decisions vindicate the vision that the founding mothers and fathers had for India. 

A new White Revolution: where India stands, where it aims to be

Operation Flood, launched in 1970, ushered in the White Revolution and transformed the dairy sector in India. Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah announced plans for "White Revolution 2.0". 

White Revolution 2.0

The idea of White Revolution 2.0 revolves around cooperative societies, which were also the bedrock of Operation Flood five decades ago.

White Revolution 2.0 will "increase milk procurement of dairy cooperatives by 50%...over the next five years by providing market access to dairy farmers in uncovered areas and increasing the share of dairy cooperatives in the organised sector", according to the Ministry of Cooperation. 

HOW STARLINK SATELLITES ARE 'BLINDING' ASTRONOMERS

Elon Musk's Starlink satellites are impeding the work of astronomers, a study published on Wednesday in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics found.

Currently, the Starlink "constellation" comprises more than 6,300 working satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of around 550 km. These satellites deliver high-speed internet to places that otherwise would not have access to it.

Blinded by light

Radio astronomy is a branch of astronomy that studies celestial objects at radio frequencies. Unlike optical telescopes that detect visible light, radio telescopes are designed to detect radio waves (which have higher wavelengths and lower frequencies) emitted by objects in space.-

HC's 'Fact Check Unit' order

The Bombay High Court struck down as unconstitutional a key provision of the amended Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021 which empowered the government to identify "fake news" on social media platforms through a "Fact Check Unit" (FCU).

What is the law in question?

In April 2022, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) promulgated the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 (2023 Rules), which amended the Information Technology Rules, 2021.

The amendment to Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the IT Rules, 2021 expanded the general term "fake news" to include "government business".

Volatility in food prices remains a contingent risk, says RBI article

Although consumer price index (CPI) inflation has remained below the 4 per cent target in July and August, volatility in food prices continues to pose risk, a Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) said.

Headline inflation, as measured by year-on-year (y-o-y) changes in the all-India CPI, edged up to 3.7 per cent in August 2024 from 3.6 per cent in July 2024. 

The RBI has been targeting to keep inflation at 4 per cent on a durable basis. "Consumer price index (CPI) inflation came in below the Reserve Bank's target for the second consecutive month in August, although in light of the recent experience, food price volatility remains a contingent risk," the 'State of the Economy' article published in the RBI's September bulletin said.

FATF report on India and the significance of the observations

The global money laundering and terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) came out with the Mutual Evaluation Report for India. 

While India gained comfort from being placed in the regular follow-up category, the FATF flagged certain areas for improvement: the need to strengthen prosecution in money laundering (ML) and terror financing (TF) cases, protecting the non-profit sector from terrorist abuse, and supervision and implementation of preventive measures.

The FATF and India's membership

The FATF is the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. The Paris-based intergovernmental organisation was formed in 1989 as a G7 initiative to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering. In 2001, the FATF expanded its mandate to also combat terrorist financing.

India decides to retaliate against EU's steel tariffs

After goods exports in August shrunk by 9 per cent, India notified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that it had decided to retaliate against the European Union's (EU) steel tariffs, which have resulted in a trade loss of $4.41 billion between 2018 and 2023, an official notification said.