VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html 2026 TIME100 AI: How Arvind Raman is shaping AI testing, standards and safety in the US ‘Hi’ Twitter review: Fans call Kavin-Nayanthara’s rom-com refreshing and feel-good entertainer Neelam Kothari Morning Routine: Neelam Kothari shares her healthy morning routine at 56: Protein-rich meal, detox shots, and a skincare-friendly drink that she drinks every morning’ ‘She didn’t approve entry’: How a 2.30am food delivery triggered ugly clash at Greater Noida society In 2013, Nasa sent 20 giant balloons drifting over Antarctica to track particles falling from space and uncover what happened when they reached Earth Palbociclib is a generic breast cancer drug NEW DELHI: Contradicting the government claim that generic breast cancer drug palbociclib can be used as an alternative to patented drugs in the same group, noted oncologist and Magsaysay award winner Dr R Ravi Kannan has opined that these drugs are not interchangeable. He explained that ribociclib benefits early-stage breast cancer and can reduce recurrence and improve overall survival, while palbociclib trials have shown that it has no role in early breast cancer treatment.Dr Kannan, the director of Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Silchar, a nonprofit hospital that provides free cancer treatment, gave his opinion in a case before the Kerala High Court filed by a patient seeking access to expensive patented breast cancer drugs. After the patient’s death, the court took it up suo moto in public interest. It concerned the most common breast cancer subtype, hormone receptor positive and HER2-negative tumors.The petition sought a government use licence under section 100 of the Patent Act, to enable access to ribociclib, a patented drug, at affordable prices. However, government refused to issue a government use licence stating that breast cancer did not constitute a matter of national emergency and that the National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar, and Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata had said that generic palbociclib could be used as an alternative to ribociclib.Dr Kannan’s letter stated that despite palbociclib, abemaciclib and ribociclib being CDK4/6 inhibitors, they “cannot be interchanged in the early breast cancer (adjuvant) setting”. He cited the trial which showed that adding abemaciclib to endocrine therapy significantly reduced recurrence, and extended follow up of seven years showed significant invasive disease-free survival and improved overall survival. He also cited trials that found that giving ribociclib for three years along with non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor, a type of hormone therapy drug used to treat hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, significantly improved the outcomes. The trial showed significant improvement in invasive disease-free survival and reduction in recurrence of the cancer in parts of the body far from the original breast tumor. He added that two large trials had shown that palbociclib in early breast cancer did not show similar advantages.Citing the trial results, Dr Kannan stated that the approval of generic palbociclib in India should not be seen as providing an equivalent adjuvant option. “Clinicians must use the evidence-based drugs–abemaciclib or ribociclib–when indicated for high risk early-stage patients, since palbociclib’s adjuvant trials showed no benefit,” stated the letter.He pointed out that the high cost of abemaciclib and ribociclib meant that vast numbers of high-risk patients who could benefit from these drugs simply could not obtain them. Ribociclib is over Rs 78,400 per month and Abemaciclib Rs 47,700 to 95,500 per month.“Generic entry has historically been the single most reliable lever for expanding access to targeted cancer therapies in resource-limited settings, and there is no clinical reason to expect abemaciclib and ribociclib to be an exception,” stated Dr Kannan adding that only by substantially lowering prices can the lifesaving benefits of these drugs reach the broad population of high-risk patients in India.The latest affidavit submitted on August 14 by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the apex regulator for pharmaceuticals in India, includes tables that show that both palbociclib and ribociclib are approved for HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer. But the affidavit also records a separate January 2026 approval for ribociclib for early-stage breast cancer in patients at high risk of recurrence. “CDSCO’s own data shows an additional early-stage breast cancer indication for ribociclib that is not shown for palbociclib. Yet the affidavit then says the two medicines have been approved for the same indications. This is a serious contradiction. A drug regulator has a responsibility to place clear and accurate information before the court, particularly when women’s access to life-saving treatment is at stake,” said Gargeya Telakapalli, co-ordinator, Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatments.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines“Nearly one lakh women are dying of breast cancer every year. If that is not a public health emergency, what is? This case has been going on since 2022. The woman who first approached the Court died before she could get the medicine she needed. Many more women have died while this case has continued. The government cannot keep treating access to breast cancer medicines as an ordinary pricing dispute. Women need the best available treatment when it can still save their lives,” said Jyotsna Singh, co-convener of the Working Group.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.Here are more Raksha Bandhan wishes, Bhadra kaal and Shubh Muhurat from The Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos469 Dead In Nepal Floods; 3 Bodies Found In Uttar Pradesh; Kathmandu Declines Foreign Rescue TeamsCongress Alleges ₹36,000 Crore ‘Sugar Scam’, Slams Modi Govt Over Festive Price RisePM Modi’s Central Asia Visit: SCO Summit, Uzbekistan Ties, Putin Meet In FocusCM Suvendu Adhikari Urges Skilled Bengalis Abroad To Return, Promises Jobs Under Double-Engine Govt’Blind Pakistan Activated Spies To Locate India’s S-400′ During Op Sindoor, Ex-Air Marshal RevealsCamac Street Showdown: TMC Blocks Police During Billboard Removal, Banerjee Announces Court MoveNepal Floods: 288 Indians Uncontactable, 21 Rescued So Far, MEA Shares Key Updates | WatchFour Killed, One Missing In Manipur Ambush As Naga-Kuki Tensions Erupt Again, Probe Launch | WatchFake IAS Officer Tripti Rajput Under Probe, Police Recover CBI Cards And Government DocumentsWhy A Supreme Court Judge Wants The Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Transferred?123Photostories5 reasons people pull away even when they have feelings7 signs you like the idea of a romantic relationship more than your partnerCuff too tight, legs crossed or talking? Cardiologist reveals 5 home BP mistakes that can alter readings5 habits that can quietly damage a marriageNepal flash flood: 7 glacial hotspots around the world facing rising climate risksChettinad to Molakalmuru: Underrated South Indian sarees rich in heritageFriday OTT releases (August 28 2026): ‘Babita Singh Reporting’, ‘Chumbak’, ‘Part-Timers’, ‘Dark Matter Season 2’, Graveyard Season 3 amd moreFrom battling alcohol addiction and depression to drastic weight loss transformation; Ram Kapoor says, ‘Was 140 Kilos During Niyat, Couldn’t Walk 20 Steps…’Madras checks to kimono sleeves: Fashion trends the world rediscovered from AsiaFlying soon? 5 things you should never do on a flight123Hot PicksNepal floodUPTET Result 2026Sunny LeoneKerala name changeRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingAnkit Balyan MurderChandigarh MurderSamay RainaUdaipur HotelFlorida Car CrashUS Green Card HolderBengal HospitalTamil Nadu Son MurderElon MuskKanpur Aircraft Crash Apaar Id: UP Board asks schools to create APAAR IDs for Classes 9 to 12 students, link academic records Celina Jaitly pens emotional Raksha Bandhan note for brother Vikrant, detained in UAE since 2024 Quote of the day by Nelson Mandela on finding strength after failure: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and over 100 other tech companies write letter to energy, healthcare and other industries: ‘Prepare for AI-enabled hacking’ Scientists are turning discarded wood into foam to replace plastic in packaging and construction industries; it can decompose in soil within months Sanajy Raut on one-year extension for drivers to learn Marathi NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday alleged that the BJP-led Maharashtra government extended by a year the deadline for auto and taxi drivers to learn Marathi as it was “under pressure from Delhi,” referring to the BJP’s central leadership.“The Marathi proficiency initiative was not for the Marathi language but for non-Marathi people, including drivers. Delhi pressured the government to roll it back. We had been watching this move and anticipated pressure from Delhi for the rollback, which happened yesterday,” Raut told the media in Mumbai, according to PTI.The Rajya Sabha member described the decision as a “message” from the BJP to its allies, including deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, that they would have to “listen” to whoever succeeds chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.“By extending the deadline for drivers to learn the language by a year, the chief minister has shown that he is the boss. The announcement was an arrangement to remind the allies and send a message that they have to listen to the person who succeeds the incumbent CM,” Raut said, referring to speculation about a possible central government role for Fadnavis.He also addressed speculation that the rollback was linked to the crucial assembly elections in BJP-led Uttar Pradesh, which are due early next year. Uttar Pradesh accounts for a sizeable number of migrant and non-Marathi-speaking drivers settled in Maharashtra, including Mumbai.”Elections may have dictated the decision, but the issue was of Marathi language,” Raut stated.On Thursday, Fadnavis announced that autorickshaw and taxi drivers would be given one year to acquire functional knowledge of Marathi, following demands from representatives of migrant, non-native drivers.“The state government has accepted their demand and is giving them one year. No action will be taken during this period,” the chief minister said.Autorickshaw and taxi unions on Friday welcomed the decision, saying the extension removed the immediate threat to drivers’ livelihoods.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe move came a week after the Transport Department, headed by Shiv Sena minister Pratap Sarnaik, issued notices to drivers who failed Marathi “working knowledge” tests conducted by RTO officials on the roads.The BJP-led Maharashtra government had announced in April that drivers of commercial vehicles must have functional knowledge of Marathi. It said those failing the test would be given one month to acquire working knowledge of the language, failing which their badges would be suspended for three months.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.Here are more Raksha Bandhan wishes, Bhadra kaal and Shubh Muhurat from The Times of India.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos469 Dead In Nepal Floods; 3 Bodies Found In Uttar Pradesh; Kathmandu Declines Foreign Rescue TeamsCongress Alleges ₹36,000 Crore ‘Sugar Scam’, Slams Modi Govt Over Festive Price RisePM Modi’s Central Asia Visit: SCO Summit, Uzbekistan Ties, Putin Meet In FocusCM Suvendu Adhikari Urges Skilled Bengalis Abroad To Return, Promises Jobs Under Double-Engine Govt’Blind Pakistan Activated Spies To Locate India’s S-400′ During Op Sindoor, Ex-Air Marshal RevealsCamac Street Showdown: TMC Blocks Police During Billboard Removal, Banerjee Announces Court MoveNepal Floods: 288 Indians Uncontactable, 21 Rescued So Far, MEA Shares Key Updates | WatchFour Killed, One Missing In Manipur Ambush As Naga-Kuki Tensions Erupt Again, Probe Launch | WatchFake IAS Officer Tripti Rajput Under Probe, Police Recover CBI Cards And Government DocumentsWhy A Supreme Court Judge Wants The Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Transferred?123Photostories5 reasons people pull away even when they have feelings7 signs you like the idea of a romantic relationship more than your partnerCuff too tight, legs crossed or talking? Cardiologist reveals 5 home BP mistakes that can alter readings5 habits that can quietly damage a marriageNepal flash flood: 7 glacial hotspots around the world facing rising climate risksChettinad to Molakalmuru: Underrated South Indian sarees rich in heritageFriday OTT releases (August 28 2026): ‘Babita Singh Reporting’, ‘Chumbak’, ‘Part-Timers’, ‘Dark Matter Season 2’, Graveyard Season 3 amd moreFrom battling alcohol addiction and depression to drastic weight loss transformation; Ram Kapoor says, ‘Was 140 Kilos During Niyat, Couldn’t Walk 20 Steps…’Madras checks to kimono sleeves: Fashion trends the world rediscovered from AsiaFlying soon? 5 things you should never do on a flight123Hot PicksNepal floodUPTET Result 2026Sunny LeoneKerala name changeRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingAnkit Balyan MurderChandigarh MurderSamay RainaUdaipur HotelFlorida Car CrashUS Green Card HolderBengal HospitalTamil Nadu Son MurderElon MuskKanpur Aircraft Crash 2026 TIME100 AI: Meet Sunny Gandhi, the advocate pushing for stronger safeguards as AI enters critical systems Udit Narayan Jha REACTS to Nepal floods; singer wants to help relief efforts: ‘Seeing this level of destruction just makes me feel like crying’: Family Support In Sports: Her father repaired bicycles for Rs 300 a day and she grew up in a mud house; years later, Asmita Dey became the first Indian judoka to win Commonwealth Games gold ToxIc Full Movie Collection: ‘Toxic’ box office collection Day 3 [LIVE]: Yash and Kiara Advani film aims at crossing Rs 150 crore India net amid mixed reviews and global haul of Rs 190 crore | Hindi Movie News MHT CET Pharmacy provisional merit list 2026 released at ph2026.mahacet.org; check rank, details and next steps Shefali Shah reflects on playing Ria in Mira Nair’s ‘Monsoon Wedding’ clocks 25 years: ‘Women going through what she did isn’t unheard of but it’s never spoken about or shown as honestly’ Once a hunter, now a protector: The dying animal that changed Anil Mistry’s life and led him to save 70 tigers India to buy Javelin anti-tank missiles: Why this US weapon matters PNB LBO Admit Card 2026 released for 545 posts, check direct link here Vinod Khanna reportedly took a pay cut at age 41 for an intimate scene with 21-year old Madhuri Dixit in ‘Dayavan’, lost control and kept kissing her, Feroz Khan paid Rs 1 crore to retain that scene Farooq Ahmad Death News: Who was Farooq Ahmad? PUBG mobile creator’s reported death leaves gaming community in shock Who is King Haakon VIII? Norway’s new king who once wanted to escape royal life Updated: Aug 28, 2026, 13:10 IST 2026 TIME100 AI: Arvind Krishna, Anima Anandkumar, Vivek Raghavan among 9 Indian names shaping AI ‘Sab bhool-chook maaf’: Kangana Ranaut calls Baba Ramdev ‘BADE BHAI’, accepts his gift on Raksha Bandhan 5 reasons people pull away even when they have feelings In 2017, a wildfire advanced toward Roslyn, Washington; nine years later the town has deliberately burned 500+ acres of forest to build a protective shield against future fires A Belgian farmer says he has not irrigated outdoor crops for 26 years; dig just 5 to 10 cm below the dry-looking surface and the soil is still moist Harvard Business Schools professor Rohit Deshpande says Indian B-schools need more local case studies and AI-ready MBA graduates Kalyani Priyadarshan gives ‘Pralay’ update with Ranveer Singh: ‘Fully locked in’ Coco Chanel: Fashion quote of the day by Coco Chanel: ‘Fashion changes, but style endures’ Norway’s King Harald dies aged 89 after more than three decades on throne Scuffle broke out over police’s attempt to remove a TMC banner from the party office NEW DELHI: Kolkata Police have filed three FIRs against three Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee, and arrested 13 people following a confrontation with police and civic body officials at his Camac Street office a day ago, an officer said on Friday.The cases were registered based on complaints alleging obstruction of Kolkata Police personnel and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials, as well as threats.“TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O’Brien, and Humayun Kabir have been booked. One FIR was registered on a complaint by a KMC advertisement department official, while another was filed on the basis of a civic body requisition,” the officer told PTI.”The third FIR was registered on a complaint by a police sergeant, who alleged that unidentified persons obstructed police personnel and snatched his government-issued walkie-talkie,” he added.The identities of those arrested have not been disclosed.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesOn Thursday, private guards at Abhishek Banerjee’s office, along with his supporters and some TMC leaders, scuffled with police and KMC officials who were trying to enter the Camac Street building to remove an “unauthorised” billboard.The billboard, featuring TMC signage and mounted on an iron structure on the top floor facing the road, was eventually dismantled by KMC personnel after police forced their way into the building.According to sources, the joint operation followed a suo motu complaint by Kolkata Police to the civic body, stating that the billboard had been installed illegally.KMC officials from the advertising department, accompanied by local police, initially left the premises after Abhishek Banerjee and his supporters questioned the validity of the order they were carrying. The joint team returned with a fresh order and a larger police contingent, which entered the building and reached the roof to remove the hoarding.However, TMC workers later reinstalled the billboard at the office.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.Here are more Raksha Bandhan wishes, Bhadra kaal and Shubh Muhurat from The Times of India.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCongress Alleges ₹36,000 Crore ‘Sugar Scam’, Slams Modi Govt Over Festive Price RisePM Modi’s Central Asia Visit: SCO Summit, Uzbekistan Ties, Putin Meet In FocusCM Suvendu Adhikari Urges Skilled Bengalis Abroad To Return, Promises Jobs Under Double-Engine Govt’Blind Pakistan Activated Spies To Locate India’s S-400′ During Op Sindoor, Ex-Air Marshal RevealsCamac Street Showdown: TMC Blocks Police During Billboard Removal, Banerjee Announces Court MoveNepal Floods: 288 Indians Uncontactable, 21 Rescued So Far, MEA Shares Key Updates | WatchFour Killed, One Missing In Manipur Ambush As Naga-Kuki Tensions Erupt Again, Probe Launch | WatchFake IAS Officer Tripti Rajput Under Probe, Police Recover CBI Cards And Government DocumentsWhy A Supreme Court Judge Wants The Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Transferred?18 Rounds, Point-Blank: How Haryanvi Singer Ankit Balyan Was Gunned Down Outside Gym In UP123Photostories7 signs you like the idea of a romantic relationship more than your partnerCuff too tight, legs crossed or talking? Cardiologist reveals 5 home BP mistakes that can alter readings5 habits that can quietly damage a marriageNepal flash flood: 7 glacial hotspots around the world facing rising climate risksChettinad to Molakalmuru: Underrated South Indian sarees rich in heritageFriday OTT releases (August 28 2026): ‘Babita Singh Reporting’, ‘Chumbak’, ‘Part-Timers’, ‘Dark Matter Season 2’, Graveyard Season 3 amd moreFrom battling alcohol addiction and depression to drastic weight loss transformation; Ram Kapoor says, ‘Was 140 Kilos During Niyat, Couldn’t Walk 20 Steps…’Madras checks to kimono sleeves: Fashion trends the world rediscovered from AsiaFlying soon? 5 things you should never do on a flight4 countries where YouTube is blocked; here’s why123Hot PicksNepal floodUPTET Result 2026Sunny LeoneKerala name changeRRB NTPC UG CBT 2 examAnkit Baliyan murderSridhar VembuDelhi murderNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingAnkit Balyan MurderChandigarh MurderSamay RainaUdaipur HotelFlorida Car CrashUS Green Card HolderBengal HospitalTamil Nadu Son MurderElon MuskKanpur Aircraft Crash BSEB 2027 dummy registration card: Correction window extended for Class 10, 12 board exams; check details here Kangana Ranaut celebrates Raksha Bandhan in a saree with teeka, aarti thali and traditional rituals after criticising Kriti Sanon’s ad and her outfit: PICS Why 20,000 women across UP tie Bareilly Mayor Dr Umesh Gautam a Rakhi every year? World’s first patient to undergo live AI-assisted surgery gets his brain tumour removed; here’s how it happened Scientists watched wild capuchin monkeys for 45 months and recorded around 280 vertebrate-eating events; when fruit became scarce, the monkeys increasingly turned to lizards, snakes and other animals for food Groundsman who clashed with Gautam Gambhir placed on leave after fresh controversy 2026 TIME100 AI: Meet Indian-origin lawyer Meetali Jain, who is challenging AI companies over chatbot harms Kunickaa Sadanand takes dig at Kangana Ranaut over old rakhi ad amid Kriti Sanon row: ‘Tera kutta tommy?’ Here’s the month the movie could drop In 2022, MIT researchers built a 4-inch, 3-layer cooler using evaporation and insulation to keep food fresh without electricity In 1850, a California rancher brought 45 sheep to San Miguel Island; by 1862 there were 6,000, and after grazing denuded the island the last 148 were eliminated in 1966 Scientists searched for threatened Australian rainforest frogs without seeing or hearing them; DNA in creek water collected up to 22 km downstream revealed populations in places where the frogs had disappeared JKBOSE 11th result 2026 declared: 64.76% students pass bi-annual exam, girls outperform boys Rajkumar Periasamy wanted Mammootty first for ‘OM’; ‘The very first pick was Mammootty Sir for the character of Karthikeyan’ In 2010, he left his job in the US and returned to India to make farming a career; today his company makes ₹700 crore a year