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While underlining the significance of the labour force in India’s development on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the future would require flexible workplaces, a work-from-home ecosystem, and flexible work hours. In a video address to the National Conference of the Labour Ministers of all States and Union Territories, Prime Minister Modi stated that “India’s labour force has a huge role to play in realising India’s dreams and aspirations to build a developed nation in the Amrit Kaal.” With this kind of thinking, the nation is consistently working for millions of employees in both the organised and unorganised sectors, he continued. The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan Yojana have all offered some kind of social security protection to the workers, and the PM reaffirmed a number of government efforts. The workers now have the assurance that their labour and contribution will be valued due to these programmes. According to a study, the Emergency Credit Guarantee Scheme prevented the loss of 1.5 crore employment during the pandemic. We can see that the workers have devoted all of their effort to overcoming this epidemic, just as the country did when its citizens needed it most, he said. The prime minister stated that one of the main initiatives to include the labour force in the purview of social security is the e-Shram portal. In just one year, around 28 crore workers from 400 areas have registered on the web. The people who have benefited the most from this are domestic workers, migrant labourers, and construction workers. He requested that the state portals and the e-Shram portal be linked. He continued by saying that over the previous eight years, the government had taken steps to abolish laws from the time of slavery that still adhered to the previous way of thinking. Currently, the country is updating, simplifying, and changing such labour legislation. As a result, 29 labour laws were combined to establish four simple labour codes. Through minimum wages, job security, social security, and health security, this will ensure the empowerment of employees, he continued. Given the worldwide situation, the prime minister emphasised the need for reform. He emphasised the need for quick decisions and swift action in order to effectively capitalise on the fourth industrial revolution. In light of platform, gig, and online services, Modi emphasised the need to be conscious of how the nature of work is evolving. He asserted that “appropriate policies and initiatives in this field can help India become a worldwide leader.” Flexible work environments, a work-from-home ecosystem, and flexible hours are necessary for the future. We may use policies like flexible work arrangements as ways to encourage women to enter the workforce, he said. In his address to the nation on August 15 from the Red Fort ramparts, the Prime Minister recalled his call for the full participation of the women’s power in the nation. He claimed that by effectively utilising women’s influence, India might achieve its objectives more quickly. The need to think about how to support women in the nation’s developing sectors was another point Modi emphasised. He brought up India’s demographic dividend and said that the country’s success in the twenty-first century will depend on how well it is used. We can benefit from global opportunities by building a highly qualified workforce, he added. Modi also emphasised the fact that India and many other countries across the world are entering into cooperative agreements regarding migration and mobility, and he urged all the states in the nation to take advantage of these opportunities. We must put in more effort and impart our knowledge to one another, he said. The Prime Minister reminded everyone present that our building and construction workers are an integral part of our workforce and urged them to make the most of the “cess” that had been planned for them. “I have been informed that the states have not yet used nearly Rs 38,000 crore of this cess,” he said. He urged everyone to think about how the Ayushman Bharat programme and ESIC might benefit more and more workers. The two-day conference was organised by the Union ministry of labour and employment on August 25 and 26 in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, in the cooperative federalist spirit to talk about significant labor-related issues.

A clean environment is essential for human health and well-being. At the same time, the surrounding environment can be a source of stressors that have a negative impact on health, such as air pollution, noise, and hazardous chemicals. Climate change has a negative impact on our health, resulting in heat waves, floods, and changes in the distribution of vector-borne diseases. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation can all have an influence on human well-being by jeopardizing ecosystem services such as access to freshwater and food production. Human health and well-being are directly affected by the quality of the environment. Clean air and water, fertile land for food production, and energy and material inputs for production are all provided by good natural surroundings. Green infrastructure also aids in temperature control and flood prevention. Green and blue landscapes also provide vital recreational possibilities and promote well-being. Impact of pollution on our environment It is critical to protect our environment since our health and survival on the planet are intimately linked to environmental health. Dirt and pollution can be found in many regions around the world, and a huge portion of the world’s population lives in these unpleasant and squalid conditions. People are drinking contaminated water and breathing polluted air, resulting in a wide range of health concerns for many people. We can live a healthy life if we live in a clean environment, which we may attain by knowing the importance of a clean environment. Unfortunately, we see very little being done to address this issue, and we are gradually polluting more areas of the planet. Finding clean environments is extremely challenging in many places of the world nowadays. Governments around the world are increasingly becoming more aware of the issue. Everyone on the planet must recognise the value of a healthy environment for everyone’s health. Any pollution that has a negative impact on the environment has a negative impact on humanity as a whole. Alarming health hazards Various types of significant health problems, such as cancer, are on the rise around the world today, and the main cause of these health problems is increased pollution in our environment. Pollution is bad in which ever form, whether it is caused by humans or industry. There are numerous examples of industries around the world that have contaminated the water supply in the areas where they operate. Today, there is a general awareness of rising pollution levels, and as a result, we are seeing some efforts from all walks of life; however, there is still much work to be done by all of us in order to have a clean and healthy environment. As environmental factors continue to have a negative impact on individual and population health, environmental health advocacy is a primary issue in the public medical domain. Take, for example, the impending threat of climate change. Climate change, according to environmental health specialists, may modify disease patterns, making communities more vulnerable to various illnesses. Climate change has also been linked to more floods, wildfires, and superstorms, all of which can have major health repercussions. Climate change is estimated to kill roughly 250,000 people every year between 2030 and 2050, according to the WHO. The United Nations Fundamental Rights Council declared in the 1990s that enjoying a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a human right. Leading civil society figures explained why this is so important for everyone’s health. How can the environment be kept clean and green? Increasing the amount of green space and planting more trees is a big step in keeping the environment clean and green. Proper garbage disposal of all kinds should be promoted and, if necessary, rewarded. Vehicle emissions should be monitored, and environmentally friendly fuel alternatives should be promoted. Deforestation must be discouraged and punished. If forestation is deemed necessary, a new area must be cultivated for forestation. Non-biodegradable materials, such as plastic, should be removed from circulation. People must be taught the value of maintaining a clean and green environment. Awareness campaigns are helpful in this regard, and they should begin in schools and community centres. Outdoor fire crackers and open fires must be inspected. Conclusion Given the preceding, it is reasonable to conclude that a clean and green environment is a basic prerequisite of modern society. Pollution of the environment, such as air, water, and land, has had a tremendous impact on human life. The air quality is poor, the water is hazardous to drink, and the soil is poisoned, all of which contribute to a variety of illnesses. As a result, in order to improve survivorship, pollution must be addressed and reversed. It is only possible to live a healthy life if the basic demand of clean air and land is provided. A clean and green environment implies less pollution and a higher quality of life. Green, on the other hand, has a proven link to better health. A green atmosphere literally means a lot of trees and foliage. Trees play an important role in air purification by absorbing harmful pollutants and releasing oxygen. Greenery also has a calming and calming influence on humans. The natural environment relies significantly on trees and plants to provide refuge and food to smaller insects, animals, and birds. Maintaining a healthy evolution of life in your local city as well as in the country as a whole necessitates keeping the environment clean and green.

The BCCI has garnered Rs 48,390 crore from a three-day e-auction of media rights for the IPL’s 2023-2027 cycle, with Disney-Star securing TV rights for the Indian subcontinent and Viacom18/Reliance sweeping the digital segment. The bidding was done per-game, which means that the rights holders will pay the cricket board Rs 118.02 crore per match for the next five-year cycle. Every IPL season currently has 74 matches, and that number is expected to rise. Over the course of five years, the total number will be 410. Package A – TV rights for the Indian subcontinent – was acquired by Disney-Star for Rs 23,575 crore. Packages B and C were picked by Viacom18/Reliance, which would pay the board Rs 23,758 crore. Package B covers digital rights for the Indian subcontinent, while Package C is a special bouquet of 18 matches per season with non-exclusive digital rights for the same territory. Package D — world rights for TV and digital — was shared by Viacom18 and Times for Rs 1,057 crore. To put these figures in context, Star India won the IPL media rights for the 2018-2022 cycle with a composite bid of Rs 16,347.5 crore, which included both TV and digital, with a per-match payment of Rs 54.5 crore. This time, the value of IPL media rights increased threefold, with digital proving to be the most important factor. The BCCI predicted a gain of more than Rs 45,000 crore after setting the combined base price at Rs 32,890 crore — and it wasn’t far off. The elimination of composite bids in favour of higher bids in the digital market was the pinnacle of its business strategy. “India has seen a digital revolution & the sector has endless potential. The digital landscape has changed the way cricket is watched. It has been a big factor in the growth of the game & the Digital India vision,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah tweeted after the e-auction. The fourth edition of MICA Ahmedabad’s Indian Over-the-Top (OTT) Platforms Report 2021 (post-pandemic consumption) revealed that digital subscriptions increased by 49%. Viewership was highest among those aged 15 to 34, a demographic that caters to the IPL’s ardent fans. However, Disney-digital Star’s platform Hotstar played a key role in the transformation, bringing the game to consumers’ smartphones. Uday Shankar, the former chairman-turned-CEO of Star India, orchestrated the move after pulling off a Packer-like coup in cricket broadcasting in 2017. Shankar was on Viacom18/Reliance’s side five years later when the company fought off Star’s aggressive bidding, according to sources. “The BCCI will utilise the revenue generated from IPL to strengthen our domestic cricket structure starting from grassroots, to boost infrastructure and spruce up facilities across India and enrich the overall cricket-watching experience,” Shah wrote. “Now, it’s time for state associations, IPL franchises to work together with the IPL to enhance the fan experience and ensure that our biggest stakeholder — ‘the cricket fan’ is well looked after and enjoys high quality cricket in world-class facilities, he added. With effect from June 1, the BCCI has already announced a significant increase in monthly pensions for retired cricketers and umpires, benefiting about 900 people. The IPL easily surpassed the Premier League, where broadcasters pay roughly $11 million per match, with $15.1 million each match (converted to US dollars). It was a “red-letter day for Indian cricket,” according to Shah. But, with just approximately ten countries taking cricket seriously as a commercial proposition, the main question is whether recouping the money will be a problem. In cricket, an exponential increase in media rights revenue, according to an IPL franchise executive, is anticipated to raise the team purse as well. For the following two years, the budget has been fixed at Rs 95 crore and Rs 100 crore.

The Times Higher Education (THE), the publisher of the globally recognised THE World University Rankings, has unveiled the Impact Rankings for 2022. In a record year, 1,524 universities from 110 countries/regions were ranked on their progress toward the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 18 tables — one for each of the 17 SDGs. India moves into the top 50 in the world, with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham claiming 41st place overall and eighth place for SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDG 5 (gender equality). Lovely Professional University is ranked sixth for SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and is ranked joint 74th in the overall table. India is the joint fourth most-represented country in the rankings, with a total of 64 universities (the same number as Turkey). Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2022 have ranked Calcutta University first among all central and state-aided public universities in the country. In the sub-category of ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth,’ the university is placed 14th globally. India was represented in the rankings by at least 64 universities, making it the fourth most well-represented country. India has eight universities among the top 300 universities in the world. OP Jindal Global University (JGU) has also featured in the 600-800 band. The university received a 60.3 out of 100 score. Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences is ranked second in the world for SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), sixth for SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), and eighth for SDG 10 (reduced inequalities). Chitkara University has ranked fourth in the country in Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and is among the top five in almost all United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The university ranks between 201 to 300 among 1,400 universities from over 100 countries across the world. THE Impact Rankings claim to be the “world’s only rankings evaluating universities’ contributions to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” and they evaluate institutions’ commitment to sustainability in four areas: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching. Progress is tracked for each of the 17 SDGs as well as for the entire set of goals. This year, a total of 1,524 institutions from 110 countries/regions participated in the rankings, up 23% from previous year, demonstrating the growing prominence of the SDGs inside higher education institutions around the world. Western Sydney University in Australia takes first place in the overall rating, which comprises 1,406 institutions, after topping the table for SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and coming in second for SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production). “It is inspiring to see such a large, diverse, and rapidly-growing community of universities from all continents committed to subjecting themselves to scrutiny, to measure and demonstrate their impact and to showcasing the best practise in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Phil Baty, Chief Knowledge Officer, THE. Students, as well as governments, are increasingly demanding such commitments and these demands will strengthen. ” “It is particularly exciting to see that universities outside the traditional Western elites are shining out as beacons in this fresh approach to university rankings, giving an exciting new perspective on a diverse sector and broadening student choice,” he added.

According to a new study from Cedars-Smidt Sinai’s Heart Institute, vesicles secreted by human heart cells may repair damaged tissue and prevent lethal heart rhythm disorders. The study, published in the European Heart Journal, could pave the way for a new approach to treating ventricular arrhythmia, a leading cause of sudden cardiac death. Experts describe the research as “poised to turn this entire field on its head” in an accompanying editorial. Ventricular arrhythmias can develop after a heart attack damages tissue, resulting in chaotic electrical patterns in the lower chambers of the heart. The heart eventually becomes so fast that it cannot support the circulation, resulting in a lack of blood flow and, if left untreated, death. The current options for treating ventricular arrhythmias caused by heart attacks are far from ideal. These include medications with severe side effects, implanted devices that deliver an electric shock, and radiofrequency ablation, a procedure in which parts of the heart are purposefully destroyed to disrupt disruptive electrical signals. Unfortunately, all of these have high recurrence rates. “An ablation is a counterintuitive approach because you are destroying heart muscle in an already weakened heart,” said Eugenio Cingolani, MD, senior author of the study and director of the Cardiogenetics-Familial Arrhythmia Program at Cedars-Sinai. “We thought, ‘What if, instead of destroying damaged tissue, we tried to repair it?’” With this in mind, the team set out to test a new approach in laboratory pigs that had suffered a heart attack. They injected some of the laboratory pigs with exosomes, which are tiny, balloon-like vesicles produced by cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs), which are progenitor cells derived from human heart tissue. Exosomes are tough particles that contain molecules as well as the molecular instructions to make various proteins, making them easier to handle and transfer than parent cells or CDCs. Eduardo Marban, MD, PhD, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai and the Mark S. Siegel Family Foundation Distinguished Professor, was the first to develop and characterise CDCs. They’ve been used in a number of clinical trials for a wide range of diseases, most recently Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In one group of pigs, CDC-derived exosomes were injected into their hearts, while the other received a placebo. “The exosomes reduced the amount of scar tissue formed in the injured regions of the heart, normalising the rhythm without weakening the heart,” said co-author Dr. Marban. MRIs and tests to assess the electrical stability of the heart were performed on the animals. The laboratory pigs that had received the exosome therapy showed significantly improved heart rhythms and less scarring in their hearts four to six weeks after injection. Marine Cacheux, PhD, and Fadi G. Akar, PhD, both of Yale University, summarise the pros and cons of various experimental gene and cell-based approaches being studied for cardiac arrhythmias in an editorial published in the same issue of the European Heart Journal. According to Cacheux and Akar, Cedars-Sinai researchers “appear to have successfully combined the best features of cell and gene therapies to address a major unmet clinical need.” The authors note that Cedars-approach Sinai’s to repairing scarring in the heart is novel, and they describe the study as “a paradigm-shifting body of work.” Source: With inputs from ANI