NewsBytes

G20 summit in South Africa adopts declaration despite US boycott, opposition

Group of 20 leaders adopted a declaration addressing the climate crisis and other global challenges on Saturday over US objections, prompting the White House to accuse South Africa of weaponising its leadership of the group this year. The declaration, which was drafted without input from the United States, "can't be renegotiated," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson told reporters, reflecting strains between Pretoria and US President Donald Trump’s administration, which boycotted the event. "We had the entire year of working towards this adoption and the past week has been quite intense," spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.

Chandigarh bill not to be brought in Winter session: MHA

The Union Home Ministry Sunday said that it has no intention to bring the proposed Bill on Chandigarh that intends to "simplify the law-making" process for the Centre in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament and asserted that the proposal doesn't aim to change traditional arrangements between Chandigarh and Punjab and Haryana. This comes a day after a bulletin of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha listed the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2025 among the provisional list of 10 bills for the upcoming session beginning December 1. The Bill that proposes to bring Chandigarh under the ambit of Article 240 of the Constitution, which empowers the president to make regulations for the UT and legislate directly, sparked sharp reactions from leaders in Punjab.

Uranium found in breastmilk of lactating mothers in Bihar, infants at potential health risk

A recent study has revealed alarming levels of uranium (U238) in the breastmilk of lactating mothers across sevarl districts in Bihar, raising serious health concerns for their infants. Researchers from multiple institutions have found that uranium exposure through breastmilk could pose significant non-carcinogenic health risks to infants. Dr Ashok Sharma of AIIMS Delhi, who is a co-author of the study, said, "The study analysed breast milk from 40 lactating mothers and found uranium (U-238) in all samples. Although 70% of infants showed potential non-carcinogenic health risk, the overall uranium levels were below permissible limits and are expected to have minimal actual health impact on both mothers and infants. The highest average contamination occurred in Khagaria district and the highest individual value in Katihar district. While uranium exposure may pose risks such as impaired neurological development and reduced IQ, breastfeeding should not be discontinued and remains the most beneficial source of infant nutrition unless clinically indicated."

British Indian spy Noor Inayat Khan honoured with new postage stamp in France

Noor Inayat Khan, a descendent of the 18th-century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan, has become the only Indian-origin woman to be honoured with a commemorative postage stamp by France for her role in the French Resistance as an undercover British agent during the Second World War. The French postal service, La Poste, honoured Noor with a stamp issued to honour the “Figures of the Resistance” who fought against Nazi Germany. She is among a dozen war heroes and heroines chosen on the set of stamps issued this month to mark 80 years since the end of World War II. “I am delighted that France has honoured Noor Inayat Khan with a postage stamp, especially as it comes on this important 80th anniversary of the end of the war,” said Shrabani Basu, the London-based author of Noor's biography – ‘Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan'.