The world’s first-ever malaria treatment suitable for babies and very young children has been approved for use. Drug manufacturer Novartis has received approval from Swiss authorities for its new malaria drug named Coartem. The development of the drug is very significant, as the overwhelming majority of malaria-related deaths occur in the under-five age group. Following this development, production and distribution of the drug are expected to start in the next few weeks in Africa. Most malaria-related deaths are recorded on the African continent. Malaria accounted for more than half a million deaths worldwide in 2023. Until now, babies were treated with an experimental dosage of the drug meant for older children, putting them at several risks, including overdose and more.

Retired IPS officer and columnist V.S. Ravi launched his book Confessions of a Shakespeare Addict at a gathering marked by intellectual warmth and camaraderie. The event, held in Hyderabad on Monday, July 7 and moderated by former IPS officer B. Krishna Rao, brought together an audience of former bureaucrats, scholars, and literature enthusiasts who share Ravi’s reverence for the Bard.

The book, a culmination of Mr. Ravi’s lifelong engagement with William Shakespeare’s works, was praised as both erudite and deeply personal. Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary S. Chakravarthy offered a memorable tribute, stating, “Ravi breathes, inhales and exhales Shakespeare. He has pierced through Shakespeare to get the real essence. He is not just a reader, he is an addict.”

In his address, the author, Mr. Ravi recounted memories from visits to Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare and recitations at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Mr. Ravi narrated incidents such as stunning a group of tourists with verses from Hamlet and quoting Shakespeare during a car ride with Nobel laureate C.F. Powell. “I have recited Shakespeare in places where nobody ever did. Every word he wrote shines with incandescent luminosity,” he said.

World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen reacted to his SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz win in Croatia on Sunday, July 6. After the final standings of the tournament were made official, Carlsen said on social media that his “B-game was enough” on days when others did not do something exceptional.

Magnus, who lost the Rapid title in the competition to India's D. Gukesh, came back strongly in the Blitz section of the tournament, helping him win the combined title. He took a dig at his critics with a meme before deleting the post.

“When nobody else has a great performance, my B-game is usually enough. Always striving for more though!” Magnus tweeted out for the second time after his win.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen a sharp increase in its business and brand value this year, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) emerging as the most valuable franchise.

A report released by investment bank Houlihan Lokey said the IPL’s business value rose by 13% in 2025 to $18.5 billion, which is nearly Rs 1.6 lakh crore. At the same time, the brand value of the league increased by 14% to nearly $4 billion, or about Rs 33,000 crore.

For the first time in its 18-year history, RCB lifted the IPL trophy this season. That win, along with strong off-field performance, helped the team become the most valued franchise in terms of brand value. RCB is now worth $269 million, according to the report.

The UAE's updated golden visa program, offering lifetime residency to Indians for Rs 23 lakh from the previous requirement of Rs 4 crore, has generated a massive buzz on social media. But, why would the UAE, one of the richest nations globally, make such a move?

Initially started in 2019, the UAE golden visa scheme was mostly aimed towards attracting investors and entrepreneurs. The policy requires individuals to invest at least Rs 4.67 crore in business or real estate in the country.

As per the earlier policy, the visa had to be renewed after 5-10 years. Moreover, if the said property is sold, the individual's visa will be revoked. That's no longer a concern with the new golden visa, which offers lifetime residency in the UAE.

The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday approved the Amaravati Quantum Valley Declaration, which will guide the State’s efforts to advance quantum technologies and build a vibrant innovation ecosystem, including attracting USD 1 billion in investments by January 1, 2029.

The declaration follows deliberations held during the recent Quantum Valley Workshop in Vijayawada. “The Government hereby approves the Amaravati Quantum Valley Declaration. This shall serve as a guiding framework for the State’s efforts to advance quantum technologies and nurture a vibrant innovation ecosystem,” said Bhaskar Katamneni, Secretary to the Government, in a GO.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal announced five thousands crore rupees initiatives to boost the waterways and maritime sector in Northeast region. Addressing the media persons in Guwahati, he highlighted major port expansions, rising cruise tourism, and plans to train 50,000 youth for maritime jobs. New tourism and cargo jetties will be built in Silghat, Neamati, Biswanath Ghat, and Guijan with 300 crore rupees investment. Water Metro projects are planned in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh. Lighthouses with IMD centres will aid regional navigation and weather forecasting.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced several important initiatives for Bihar during his state visit, which will improve facilities for passengers, rail connectivity, and boost infrastructure growth. After the day-long visit to Bihar yesterday, Mr. Vaishnaw addressed the media persons in Patna. On the line of vision of development of Bihar through investment and new initiatives, the Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced rolling out four new Amrit Bharat trains to Bihar. He said that after several Vande Bharat and a Namo Bharat Express trains, it will be an additional gift from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people of Bihar.

Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the new Amrit Bharat trains will run on the Patna to Delhi, Darbhanga to Lucknow, Malda to Lucknow, and Saharsa to Amritsar rail routes. Mr. Vaishnaw announced that a regular train will also be started from Jogbani to improve connectivity of Seemanchal Bihar to Southern India. He said the 53-kilometre Bhagalpur-Jamalpur third line will get nod soon, and a budget outlay of 1,156 crore rupees will be sanctioned. Mr. Vaishnaw said that a budget outlay of more than 2000 crore rupees for the doubling of the 104 km long Bakhtiyarpur- Rajgir-Tilaiya rail section will also get approval.

In a landmark step towards strengthening healthcare cooperation in South and Southeast Asia, the Government of India has launched a Specialized Training Program in Cancer Care for BIMSTEC Countries at the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai.

The initiative, first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, is being implemented by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The program aims to address the growing burden of cancer and tackle disparities in oncology services across the region.

The inaugural session, held on July 7, was attended by senior officials including Dr. A.K. Mohanty, Secretary of the DAE and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, C.S.R. Ram, Joint Secretary (BIMSTEC & SAARC), MEA, Dr. Sudeep Gupta, Director of Tata Memorial Centre, and Dr. Umesh Mahantshetty, Director of Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Visakhapatnam.

The second edition of the North Eastern Region (NER) District Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index Report (2023-24) was released today by NITI Aayog. The Index is developed by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER), with technical support from UNDP. The Index, which builds upon the momentum of the first edition released on 26 August 2021, measures the performance of districts across eight North Eastern States on the SDGs.

The (2023-24) Index is a major milestone in improving monitoring at the regional level. The index reflects the commitment to address development challenges across social, economic, and environmental dimensions while ensuring that no one is left behind in the NER. Based on NITI Aayog's SDG India Index methodology, it serves as a key tool for monitoring development related progress at the district level in the region to inform decision making.

Shri Suman Bery, Hon'ble Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog; Shri Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region; and Dr. Angela Lusigi, UNDP Resident Representative, India; launched the report in the presence of Shri Rajib Kumar Sen, Programme Director (SDGs), NITI Aayog, and other senior officials.