India reviews drug imports: Over 65 patented therapies flagged; agencies seek key cancer, diabetes and cardiac drugs

The government is considering a plan to allow global tenders for a wide range of patented medicines — spanning weight-loss, cancer, cardiac and diabetes treatments — to support procurement for central healthcare agencies such as the armed forces’ medical services and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIS).The plan is aimed at securing essential treatments that…

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Bitcoin crash: Price tumbles near $80,000; corporate crypto holdings hit hard

Representative image credits: IANS Bitcoin fell sharply on Friday, closing at $80,553, while ether also hit a four-month low, as cryptocurrencies led a sell-off in riskier assets. Analysts warned that dropping below $80,000 could bring even bigger losses for the world’s largest digital currency.The decline comes amid investor concerns about expensive tech stocks and uncertainty…

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US-Venezuela tensions: Airlines cancel flights from Caracas; FAA warns of unsafe airspace

Multiple international airlines suspended their departures from Venezuela on Saturday, following a US aviation alert warning of unsafe conditions in the country’s airspace. The cancellations come amid heightened tensions as the United States prepares a new phase of operations targeting Venezuela, raising concerns about the stability of the region.Gol of Brazil, Avianca of Colombia and…

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‘Richest, strongest US has ever been’: Donald Trump backs tariff push; takes dig at ‘sleepy’ Joe Biden

US President Donald Trump once again defended his aggressive tariff strategy, claiming it is generating “TRILLIONS of Dollars” for America and has functioned as a powerful tool to prevent international conflicts.In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump wrote, “We are taking in TRILLIONS of Dollars in Tariffs and Investment Dollars from foreign lands because…

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8th Pay Commission: NC JCM urges PM Modi to amend ToR; seeks OPS restoration, pension revision

The National Council (Staff Side) of the Joint Consultative Machinery (NC JCM) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting major changes to the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 8th Pay Commission. The letter, also marked to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, calls for restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), revising pensions for existing retirees…

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Labour rules revamped! From gratuity to equal wages, what all do new codes cover and who’ll benefit? All you need to know

The central government has notified a wide set of labour reforms under India’s four Labour Codes, bringing changes for fixed-term employees, women, gig workers, MSME staff and contract workers. The notification was issued on Friday. The four codes—Code on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations Code (2020), Code on Social Security (2020) and the Occupational Safety, Health…

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