Must Read News Articles – April 15, 2018

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GS: 2


International relations:

Modi to fly to China soon to ‘reset’ bilateral ties(The Hindu)

In an effort to repair India-China relations and take the engagement to the next level, officials are working on a bilateral visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to China within the next few weeks, official sources from Delhi and Beijing have confirmed to The Hindu .

China to get a helping of soya(The Hindu)

India on Saturday walked with China in its trade row with Washington, and offered to export soya beans, which Beijing may no longer be able to source from the U.S.

Indian Constitution and Polity:

Group of SC judges tried to codify duties of CJI(The Hindu)

A group of five Supreme Court judges had attempted to codify the broad duties of the Chief Justice of India, particularly in allocating cases in his capacity as “Master of the Roster”.

SC/ST Act ruling: Kerala seeks review(The Hindu)

Kerala on Saturday became the first among States to file a separate review petition against the March 20 judgment of the Supreme Court banning immediate arrest of persons accused of committing atrocities against Dalits.

Medical PG quota case goes to Constitution Bench(The Hindu)

The Supreme Court has referred to a Constitution Bench to urgently consider whether reservation in favour of in-service candidates in respect of 50% of the seats granted to the States under the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations of 2000, as framed by the Medical Council of India, is unconstitutional.


GS: 3


Economy:

The lowdown on poor loan recovery(The Hindu)

The Centre earlier this month told Parliament that non-performing assets (NPAs) worth Rs. 2.41 lakh crore have been written off from the books of public sector banks between April 2014 and September 2017. Since the banks were able to recover only 11% of the distressed loans worth Rs. 2.7 lakh crore within the stipulated time, the rest had to be written off as per regulations.

U.S. wants patent form recall(The Hindu)

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has demanded the elimination of ‘Form 27’— a statutory requirement unique to India’s patent law that mandates patent holders to declare how a monopoly is being exercised in the country.

Science and Technology:

In the hope of a cure(The Hindu Opinion)

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a person’s social ability to interact. It manifests itself through speech disability and other social behavioural issues. It shows up early and can be diagnosed by the age of three.

An unequal fight(The Hindu Opinion)

The World Health Organisation’s dosage guidelines for two leading tuberculosis medications may be far too low for patients with HIV., allowing them to remain contagious for longer than necessary, a new study has found.

IGIB shows how fat cells protect TB bacteria from oxidative stress(The Hindu)

Dormant and actively dividing TB bacteria form distinct groups with very different susceptibility to anti-TB drugs. Now, researchers from the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, have found that even among the actively dividing bacteria, the essentiality of TB genes varies depending on whether the bacteria reside in fat-rich environment or not.

IASST researchers use smart bandage for faster wound healing(The Hindu)

A smart bandage material that can heal wounds better and faster and has antimicrobial properties has been fabricated by a team of researchers from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati.

How gut bacteria affect immunity(The Hindu)

The abundance and type of bacteria in the intestine gets altered when infected with tuberculosis, a study by Indian researchers shows.

Environment:

NCBS researcher has a go at the paradox of the plankton(The Hindu)

Microbe groups found in the soil, the gut, the tongue and many other places show many behavioural properties that are not clearly understood such as the reason for their diversity and stability.


Yesterday’s current affairs material by Forum IAS


7 PM Editorial:  WHO and UNICEF issues new global guidance to promote breastfeeding in health facilities

9 PM Current affairs brief:

10 PM Current affairs MCQs:

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