1. Jaishankar suggests FTA talks with EU stuck due to bloc's reluctance
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said negotiations for a free trade agreement between India and the European Union were stuck for the last six years due to reluctance of the grouping. The talks for the FTA have been stalled since May 2013 when both sides failed to bridge substantial gaps on crucial issues, including on data security status for the IT sector.
2. Deve Gowda bats for free COVID-19 vaccine to the poor
Lauding the Union government's efforts to get the COVID-19 vaccine rolled out early, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on Friday said the vaccine should be given for free to the poor and at affordable rates to the majority of the people.
3.I&B ministry advises broadcasters not to promote activity prohibited by law
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued an advisory to all private satellite TV channels on advertisements. Broadcasters have been advised to ensure advertisements do not promote any activity which is prohibited by statute or law. It had come to the notice of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that a large number of advertisements on online gaming, fantasy sports, etc have been appearing on television.
4. 25,000 soldiers, artillery for China-Pak eco corridor
China and Pakistan are collaborating on an extensive scale to deploy about 25,000 soldiers to guard and protect the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).But quite inexplicably, this force would come loaded with artillery in order to secure the massive infrastructure project that snakes through the disputed region of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and extends along the length of the border with India.
5. Bill Gates hails Indian-origin couple for pioneering work in fight against HIV, Covid-19
Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has hailed South African Indian-origin professors Salim Abdool Karim and wife Quarraisha for their contributions in the fight against HIV/Aids and COVID-19. The scientist couple has refused numerous awards both locally and internationally, including national honours in South Africa, for their pioneering work in preventing the spread of HIV among young women through the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
