Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved India’s first self-use Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for Covid-19 named as CoviSelf. It is developed by MyLab Discovery Solutions, a Pune-based molecular company. ICMR is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, and is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world. Important …

An enormous iceberg ‘A-76’ has calved from the western side of the Ronne Ice Shelf, lying in the Weddell Sea, in Antarctica It measures around 4320 sq km in size – currently making it the largest berg in the world. Important points: The newly calved berg ‘A-76’ was spotted in recent satellite images captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission. Sentinel-1 …

Recently, India and Oman renewed the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on military cooperation as well as on maritime security. Important points: The Sultanate of Oman is a strategic partner of India and an important speaker at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Arab League and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) fora. India is a member of IORA but not a member of GCC and Arab …

Recently, China has completed construction of a strategically significant highway enabling greater access to remote areas along the disputed border with Arunachal Pradesh in India. Important points: The construction began in 2014 and is part of a wider infrastructure push in border areas in Tibet. The highway passes through the Grand Canyon of the Brahmaputra river (Yarlung Zangbo in …

The Union Government has integrated the E-Way Bill (EWB) system with FasTag and RFID. Important points: E-Way Bill is usually a unique bill number generated for the specific consignment involving the movement of goods. Under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, EWBs are mandatory for inter-state transportation of goods valued over Rs. 50,000 from …

Recently, China’s spacecraft Tianwen-1 landed on Mars carrying its first Mars rover named Zhurong. It became the third country to land on Mars after the US and Soviet Union. China’s previous ‘Yinghuo-1’ Mars mission, which was supported by a Russian spacecraft, had failed after it did not leave the earth’s orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean in 2012. Important points: The Tianwen-1 …

Setting up of 22 new regional AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) has been approved under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) so far. Important points: PMSSY was announced in 2003 with objectives of correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable/reliable tertiary healthcare services and also to augment facilities for quality medical education in …

The Finance Ministry has granted ‘Infrastructure’ status for exhibition and convention centres. In 2020, the government had added affordable rental housing projects to the list of sectors recognised as infrastructure. Important points: Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre has been included in the Harmonised Master List of Infrastructure sub-sectors by insertion of a new item in the category of Social and …

Recently, the Punjab government has announced the formation of Malerkotla as the 23rd district of the state. Section 5 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 says the “State government may, by notification, vary the limits and alter the numbers of tehsils, districts and divisions into which the State is divided.” History of Malerkotla: The Malerkoltla …

Recently, a report was published which gave details of who makes single-use plastic, 130 million tons a year at last count, and who makes money from it. The report was published by Minderoo, a nonprofit organization based in Australia along with academics at the University of Oxford and the Stockholm Environment Institute. Important points: Half of the …