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South Korea plans to revive the 2018 September 19 Military Agreement to reduce border tensions and rebuild trust with North Korea, President Lee Jae-myung said. He stressed that Seoul will take gradual steps to prevent clashes and will not pursue hostile actions or forced unification, according to Al Jazeera.

The agreement was partially suspended in 2023 after North Korea’s satellite launch and subsequent military deployments near the Demilitarized Zone. Since taking office, Lee has halted cross-border propaganda broadcasts. North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong rejected Seoul’s gestures, saying the North has not removed any border loudspeakers.

Article 94 of our Constitution states: Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, no question or resolution shall be presented for decision in a meeting of either House of the Federal Parliament unless one-fourth of the total number of its members are present. For the members of our House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the bicameral Parliament, Aug 13 was just another day, so most of them chose to not attend the day’s meeting.

Subsequently, heeding to a request from a member of the HoR, the Speaker opted for a headcount and found only 66 members present in the 275-member chamber, short of the one-fourth of the total strength mentioned in the charter by three heads. If a request for a headcount had not come his way, would the Speaker have gone ahead with his proposal on deliberations over the Information Technology and Cybersecurity Bill?

Also, is it not the duty of the Speaker to scan the chamber, with or without a request, and see whether the required number of heads are present for discussions on matters at hand? What happened in the HoR on August 13 is nothing new, though. In the past, some big names have made their presence felt in national politics by remaining absent from HoR meetings for a record number of days. When even the stalwarts leading the nation a record number of times do not bother to ‘grace’  the parliament with their presence, there may not be much motivation for other ‘lawmakers’ to show up at the ‘talk shop’.

Also, even if the ‘lawmakers’ are physically present in the chamber, their minds appear elsewhere. A tampered Civil Service Bill making it through the chamber and reports about government plans to amend the law to legalize polygamy raise serious questions about the ‘lawmaking’ capabilities of our lawmakers.  

Besides, how many of our ‘lawmakers’ actually read draft laws, ponder over their short and long-term consequences for the country and the people, and suggest changes? How many of them opt for a vote of conscience rather than yielding to party whips? And how many even dare obstruct the House proceedings in the interest of the nation, rather than standing for powerful vested interests?

Arun Jaitley states: Parliament's job is to conduct discussions. But many a time, Parliament is used to ignoring issues, and in such situations, obstruction of Parliament is in the favour of democracy. Therefore, parliamentary obstruction is not undemocratic.

In the words of BR Ambedkar: However good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad. However bad a Constitution may be, if those implementing it are good, it will prove to be good. Wrapping up, the vivid image of a President paying his utmost respect to the Constitution during its promulgation in a very hard time comes to mind. Let this image frozen in time inspire our ‘lawmakers’ to take their duties as people’s representatives—and not as some overlords—more seriously. 

New Delhi is gearing up for India’s 79th Independence Day on Friday, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag and deliver his 12th consecutive address from the historic Red Fort. This year’s celebrations follow the theme ‘Naya Bharat’, reflecting the government’s vision of a developed India by 2047, Firstpost reported.

The Prime Minister will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Sanjay Seth, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. Flying Officer Rashika Sharma will assist in the flag hoisting, after which flower petals will be showered from two Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters, one carrying the national flag and the other the flag of Operation Sindoor, whose success is expected to be celebrated.

Around 5,000 guests, including winners of international sports events, the Special Olympics 2025 contingent, and Khelo India Para Games gold medalists, will attend the event. According to Firstpost, ahead of Independence Day, the Ministry of Culture also launched the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, encouraging citizens to bring the national flag into their homes as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Thousands of users report being wrongly banned from Instagram and Facebook for alleged child sexual abuse violations, causing personal distress, lost photos, and disrupted businesses. Over 36,000 have signed a petition, while many share experiences online, claiming Meta’s AI unfairly flags accounts and handles appeals. Speaking to a human reviewer often requires Meta Verified, frustrating users further, BBC reported.

Meta acknowledged issues with Facebook Groups in June but denies broader problems. It says AI and human oversight enforce policies and has overturned some bans when cases were highlighted. In July, Meta removed 635,000 accounts for sexualized content involving children. Policy changes since December may affect affected users, but impacts remain unclear.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has praised US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Brazil and hinted at further sanctions. Speaking from Washington, where he has been lobbying since March, he framed the measures as a response to Brazil’s “institutional crisis” and defended them despite potential economic harm, BBC reported.

Trump criticized Brazil’s treatment of Jair Bolsonaro, calling the legal case against him a “witch hunt.” The former president faces trial over alleged attempts to block Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office, which he denies.

According to BBC, Eduardo targeted Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and supported US sanctions, describing his stay in the US as “exile” due to fear of arrest. While condemning the January 2023 attacks on government buildings, he insists his efforts aim to defend freedom in Brazil, not personal revenge.

MIT researchers have used AI to design two new antibiotics targeting drug-resistant gonorrhoea and MRSA, a “superbug” that can cause serious infections if it enters the body. The compounds, built atom-by-atom, were effective in lab and mouse tests, according to BBC.

The drugs need one to two years of refinement before clinical trials, but scientists say the breakthrough could spark a “second golden age” in antibiotic discovery. Experts note challenges remain, including safety testing, complex manufacturing, and limited commercial incentives due to the need to use new antibiotics sparingly.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Israel to halt plans for settlement construction in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, warning it would violate international law and threaten the viability of a two-state solution, Xinhua reported.

His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said such settlements entrench the occupation, heighten tensions, and undermine prospects for a contiguous Palestinian state.

The E1 zone, east of Jerusalem between the city and Ma’ale Adumim, is seen as highly contentious as development there could cut East Jerusalem off from the northern West Bank, according to Xinhua.

Kenya on Thursday launched a five-year Digital Health Agency Strategic Plan and a Certification Framework for Digitization to fast-track nationwide digital health adoption, Xinhua reported.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the initiative, supported by strong laws and political goodwill, will expand access, enhance transparency, and promote equity, particularly for persons with disabilities. He noted that digitization is bridging healthcare gaps and improving citizen engagement.

Health Director-General Patrick Amoth said 50 percent of facilities are already digitized, with full coverage targeted by year-end. Digital Health Agency CEO Anthony Lenaiyara added that around 50,000 Kenyans now register for health services daily from their homes.