-Newsclick.in The recent agreements between Medicine Patent Pool and Big Pharma are being projected as benevolent gestures from pharma companies in sharing their patented technologies with other countries. The fact is it is working towards cementing its monopoly power further. The development of anti-viral oral pills to combat COVID-19 will, hopefully, make the fight against the pandemic more promising. While Merck has developed the anti-viral pill Molnupiravir, Pfizer has come up with...

-PTI/ NDTV.com The court directed the Centre and the state to file their reply affidavits before the next date of hearing Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday sought the Centre and state government's response to a plea seeking removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph from the COVID-19 vaccination certificate. "Admitted," Justice N Nagaresh said and issued notice to the Centre and the Kerala government seeking their stand on the petition by...

-TheWire.in The apex court had insisted that an RT-PCR test report and death certificate showing that the death has occurred within 30 days are the only requirements to receive compensation. New Delhi: The Supreme Court has lashed out at the Gujarat government for constituting a “scrutiny” committee for the disbursal of ex-gratia compensation for COVID-19 deaths, overreaching the court’s direction, therefore making the process “cumbersome”. According to LiveLaw, the state government had issued...

-Newsclick.in The cheer and celebrations all around following the PM's announcement, however, do not improve the farmers’ situation or ease their struggles. On the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, Prime Minister Modi announced his government’s decision to repeal the three farm laws that were to impact the lives and livelihoods of people -- especially the very small and marginal farmers and the common people i.e. the consumers of farm produce.  This is...

-Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) and Child Rights and You (CRY) The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the lives of vulnerable children towards deep uncertainty resulting from household financial setbacks and school closures. Children who have lost parents or guardians too stare at a bleak present and future. Addressing concerns of their protection necessitates child-sensitive policy measures supported by adequate budgetary allocations. This policy brief maps the crises they have been...