NewsBytes
Centre notifies 24 per cent salary hike for MPs
The Central Government has notified a 24 per cent increase in the salaries of Members of Parliament (MPs), effective from April 1, raising their monthly salary from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.24 lakh. The notification, issued by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, also increased daily allowances of the sitting MPs from Rs 2000 per month to Rs 2,500 per month and the pension and additional pension for every year of service in excess of five years of ex-MPs.
The pension for former MPs has been raised from Rs 25,000 per month to Rs 31,000, while the additional pension for each year of service beyond five years has been increased from Rs 2,000 per month to Rs 2,500.
This revision has been made under the powers granted by the Salary, Allowances, and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, and is linked to the Cost Inflation Index as specified in the Income-tax Act, 1961.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the state government has approved a 100 per cent salary hike for the Chief Minister, Ministers, and MLAs, sparking widespread debate. The approval was granted for two amendment bills--the Karnataka Ministers' Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Karnataka Legislature Members' Salaries, Pensions, and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025.
Sources indicate that these bills are likely to be tabled in the Assembly on Thursday.
Study links all alcohol to cancer risk
A new meta-analysis published in Nutrients has shattered the popular belief that red wine is a healthier alcoholic option. After analysing data from 42 studies, researchers found no significant difference in overall cancer risk between red and white wine — and no type of wine was shown to be “safe” when it comes to cancer prevention. When focusing on more reliable cohort studies, the link between white wine and increased cancer risk was stronger, but no significant risk increase was seen with red wine. Still, each daily glass of red wine was linked to a 5 per cent increase in cancer risk, though this wasn't statistically significant in deeper analyses.
Insomnia can lead to heart issues
About 10% of Americans say they have chronic insomnia, and millions of others report poor sleep quality. Ongoing research has found that bad sleep could lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease. Dr Julio Fernandez-Mendoza is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral health, neuroscience and public health sciences at Penn State College of Medicine. He discusses the need for sleep, why teenagers require more sleep than adults, and how you can get a good night's sleep without medications. Julio Fernandez-Mendoza says adults who report getting about seven to eight hours of sleep per night generally have the best health, in terms of both physical and mental health, and longevity. But that recommendation changes with age. Adults over age 65 may need just six to seven hours of sleep per night. So older people, if otherwise healthy, should not feel anxious if they're getting just six hours. Young people need the most – at least nine hours – and some younger children may need more.
