News

1. At the time of its formation it has 28 members 2. In case of an attack against any of the members, it is considered that attack is against all its members. A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None Q.2- which of the following statements are correct regarding World Health Organisation? 1. It is a specialised agency of the United Nations 2. Its parent organisation is United Nations Economic and Social Council 3. WHO headquarters is in Geneva A. 1,2 only B. 2,3 only C. 1,3 only D. All Q.3- Which of the following is correct regarding Eurasian economic union? 1. It aims to provide free trade among member countries without any barriers. 2. It will co-ordinate the financial systems and regulates industrial and agricultural policies. A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Answer 1- B,2-D,3-C

The government will have to take a call, and quick, on how to engage with the U.S. on Afghanistan During his inaugural address in January 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy famously asked his fellow Americans: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” In 2017, it is a question that U.S. President Donald Trump is posing to the world, as he begins to set his imprint on American foreign policy. In the past few weeks, the one campaign promise Mr. Trump’s actions have held fast to is “America First” and to make every other country “pay its dues”. As a result, he has backed away from his earlier tough position on declaring China a “currency manipulator” after his meeting with President Xi Jinping, but the quid pro quo is clear: China must rein in North Korea, particularly its plans for a nuclear test. Asked to pay up Mr. Trump’s decision to dispatch Vice President Mike Pence, Defence Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson...

We need a legal mechanism to ensure that all generics are of the same standard as the innovator product The Prime Minister’s recent announcement on making it mandatory for doctors to prescribe only the generic name, and not brand name of a drug, has led to a flutter. If enacted, the move will make it illegal for Indian doctors to write out a prescription for the trademark of the drug, forcing them to mention the chemical name instead. If implemented properly, the hope is that pharmacists will fill the prescription with the cheapest generic drug in the market rather than being forced to dispense a more expensive brand as prescribed. Whether pharmacists will play by the book is anybody’s guess. Are all generic drugs equal? A more pressing question at this stage is whether all generic medicines in India are of equal quality. The U.S. and the European Union have ensured that generic drugs are therapeutically equal to the innovator drug by making bioequivalence (BE) testing compulsory...

Bhutan’s exit from the ‘BBIN’ agreement should not hold up the road-sharing pact Bhutan’s announcement that it is unable to proceed with the Motor Vehicles Agreement with Bangladesh, India and Nepal is a road block, and not a dead end, for the regional sub-grouping India had planned for ease of access among the four countries. The sub-grouping, BBIN as it is referred to, was an alternative mooted by the government after Pakistan rejected the MVA at the SAARC summit in Kathmandu in 2014. It seeks to allow trucks and other commercial vehicles to ply on one another’s highways to facilitate trade. Of the other SAARC members, Sri Lanka and the Maldives are not connected by land, and Afghanistan could only be connected if Pakistan was on board. Down to just three countries now after Thimphu’s decision, India, Nepal and Bangladesh will have to decide whether to wait for Bhutan to reconsider or to press ahead with a truncated ‘BIN’ arrangement. The first option will not be easy. The main co...

Stringent visa rules around the world pose the stiffest challenge for Indian IT companies A globalising world enabled the spectacular rise of India’s information technology industry over the last couple of decades. The IT sector not only pulled up the GDP but also came to symbolise young India’s aspirations. With the world now bending towards protectionism, it faces a challenge to its talent-centric, software export model. In recent weeks, a slew of countries, which are estimated to account for three-fourths of the industry’s revenues, have placed stricter rules on their companies getting talent from overseas. Whether the challenge of protectionism fades out or deepens over a longer time horizon will depend on the global economic outlook. The visa rule changes for Indian tech personnel weren’t wholly unexpected, especially after Brexit and Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. on the back of, among other things, promises to put the brakes on outsourcing. Only, now governments are actin...