The World Health Organisation has issued an alert against a falsified batch of the liver medication DEFITELIO being sold in India and Turkiye. DEFITELIO is used to treat severe veno-occlusive disease in stem cell transplants. The fake drug was detected in India in April 2023 and in Turkiye in July 2023, supplied outside regulated channels. The genuine manufacturer confirmed the medicine is falsified, as DEFITELIO does not have approval in India and Turkiye. The fake product has incorrect packaging, expiry dates and batch numbers. WHO had previously alerted about this drug in 2020, when found in several countries. Use of the falsified DEFITELIO could lead to ineffective treatment and serious health risks. WHO advised against using the fake drug and to seek urgent medical help if taken.

Following reports that the government may change India's name to 'Bharat', former cricketer Virender Sehwag suggested referring to the national team as 'Team Bharat' instead of 'Team India'. After the BCCI announced India's squad for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, Sehwag tweeted that it should be '#TeamBharat' and players should wear 'Bharat' jerseys. With the proposed country name change gaining traction after 'Republic of Bharat' appeared on a President House invite, Sehwag recommended embracing 'Bharat' wholeheartedly as India heads into the World Cup on home soil. His tweet indicates growing public sentiment to officially establish 'Bharat' over 'India'.

Ahead of Teachers' Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with 75 teachers who won the National Teachers' Award 2023 for their exceptional contributions to education. The meeting was held with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before an awards ceremony where President Droupadi Murmu will confer the honors on September 5. PM Modi praised the "exemplary educators" for their dedication to shaping young minds and commitment to excellence. The awardees include 50 school teachers, 13 college teachers and 12 from the Skill Development Ministry. Their work scripts a brighter future for India's youth, said the Prime Minister.

The Modi government is reportedly considering a proposal to officially rename the country from 'India' to 'Bharat'. A 'President of Bharat' invite from President House for a G20 dinner fueled speculation about the name change plan. Sources say the renaming could be introduced through a parliament resolution during the special session. The BJP has long pushed for the move, claiming 'India' represents colonial slavery, as per reports. MP Mitesh Patel recently raised the issue in Lok Sabha, noting 'Bharat' was preferred by the Constituent Assembly. As the government stresses freeing India from a 'slave mentality', it may remove 'India' from the constitution per reports. Congress criticised the potential move, saying it jeopardizes India's 'Union of States'.

Former Solicitor General Harish Salve married bride Trina in a private ceremony in London on Sunday. Industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita attended the wedding along with business leaders like Sunil Mittal, LN Mittal, SP Lohia, and Gopi Hinduja. Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and his girlfriend model Ujjwala Raut were also present. The 68-year-old Salve, who divorced his first wife Meenakshi in 2020, has handled high-profile cases including the trial of Kulbhushan Jadhav, and represents clients like Tata and Reliance. This marks the senior advocate's third marriage after previously wedding British artist Caroline Brossard.

Valarmathi, an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist who was the voice behind rocket launch countdowns in Sriharikota, has died of cardiac arrest. Her last countdown was for the July launch of Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar mission. The Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover successfully touched down on the moon's south pole in August, making India the fourth country to accomplish this feat. Valarmathi's iconic voice narrated many historic ISRO missions. Her passing is a loss for India's space programme. She helped inspire the nation during her decades-long career calling out countdowns for rocket launches.

A young boy has gifted a handmade model of the Vikram lander to the head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), S. Somanath. The boy, a neighbour of the ISRO chief, presented the model on behalf of all the neighbours, according to a social media post by ISRO scientist P.V. Venkitakrishnan. The gesture comes as ISRO receives widespread public support following recent successful missions like the Chandrayaan-3 moon landing and launch of Aditya-L1 solar observatory. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO scientists on the Aditya-1 launch. The gift highlights grassroots admiration for ISRO after high-profile Indian space achievements. (Image courtesy: @DrPVVenkitakri1 on X)

US President Joe Biden is set to make an early arrival in India, touching down two days ahead of the G20 summit. The White House has confirmed his visit, scheduled for September 7, with the G20 summit, hosted by India as its president, taking place on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi. President Biden's early arrival signals his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. During his extended stay, he will hold a bilateral meeting with PM Narendra Modi on September 8, paving the way for discussions on critical global issues at the G20 summit.

Ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi, life-sized langur monkey cutouts have appeared across the city to deter rhesus monkeys from causing disruptions. Rhesus monkeys have been a persistent problem, darting into traffic and attacking pedestrians. The larger langur monkeys, identifiable by their black faces, are used by authorities to intimidate the smaller monkeys. Alongside the cutouts, workers mimic langur calls, creating the illusion of their presence. Food is provided to monkeys in forested areas to keep them within boundaries, with positive results reported. This isn't the first time New Delhi has used langurs to address monkey issues during major events, such as the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

ISRO chief S Somanath visited the Sri Chengalamma temple in Andhra Pradesh on Friday, a day before the Aditya-L1 solar mission launch, to offer prayers for its success. Somanath also spoke about ISRO's upcoming missions including Gaganyaan, GSLV, SSLV-D3 and PSLV. A team of ISRO scientists had earlier visited Tirupati temple with a model of the Aditya-L1 spacecraft seeking blessings. ISRO is making last-minute preparations for the launch of India's first solar observatory mission from Sriharikota on Saturday. The countdown is underway amidst anticipation for the launch of Aditya-L1 on the PSLV rocket to study the Sun's corona. (Video courtesy: ANI)