Amidst the second wave of COVID-19, the Diving School of the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy has conceptualised and designed an ‘Oxygen Recycling System’ (ORS) to alleviate the existing Oxygen (O2) shortages. The Diving School has expertise in this area as the basic concept is used in some …

Every year 1st May is observed as May Day and is also known as International Labour Day worldwide. The day is observed as an occasion to commemorate the contributions of labourers and the working class. The International Labour Organization, a United Nations agency, works towards setting international labour standards. Important points: Labour Day has its …

Sri Akhand Path was inaugurated at Gurdwara Guru Ke Mahal, the birthplace of the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, to mark the 400th Prakash Purab (birth centenary) of the Guru. Important points: Guru Teg Bahadur (1621-1675): Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Sikh Guru, often venerated as the ‘Protector of Humanity’ (Srisht-di-Chadar) by the Sikhs. Known as a great teacher, …

Researchers from the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, have resolved the mystery of the antimatter counterpart of the electrons called Positron and Positron Excess Phenomenon. RRI is an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology. Antimatter is the opposite of normal matter. More specifically, the sub-atomic particles of antimatter have properties opposite those of …

Recently, according to the SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) system, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated from ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’. Important points: Delhi’s air typically worsens in October-November and improves by March-April. Current weather conditions are not unfavourable, unlike in winter. During winter, cool and calm weather traps …

The Vande Bharat Mission (VBM), which started repatriating Indians stranded abroad due to Covid-19 and the resultant lockdowns since May 2020, has become one of the largest evacuations of civilians by a country. Important points: It is the biggest civilian evacuation exercise to bring back Indian citizens stranded abroad amidst the coronavirus-induced travel restrictions. It …

Recently, a ceasefire on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan appeared to be holding after a day of intense fighting between the two countries that has killed about 40 people and wounded about 175. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan belong to the central asia region. Other countries of the region are Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Important points: Both nations …

Recently, India’s Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas has added capability of firing Israeli-origin Python-5 air-to-air missile (AAM) after concluding successful tests. The same set of tests were also aimed to validate the enhanced capability of the already integrated Israeli-origin Derby beyond visual range AAM on Tejas. The tests were conducted …

 Recently, Indian Scientists have developed a high-yielding and pest-resistant variety of soybean, called MACS 1407.  Scientists from MACS- Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi have developed it. Important points: Using the conventional cross breeding technique, scientists developed MACS 1407 which gives 39 …

Experts are calling on the government to ease CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) regulations to allow corporate expenditure on vaccinations for employees and treatment of employees suffering from Covid to be covered under spending for CSR. Under current CSR norms, companies are not permitted to count expenditure incurred exclusively for the …