Trial Run of Blood Bag Delivery under the iDrone Initiative of Indian Council of Medical Research successfully conducted The project ‘i-DRONE’(ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach for North East) assessed the feasibility of using drone to deliver vaccines and medical supply. This was carried out in difficult geographical terrains including land, island, foothills and across the …

The 35th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Royal Thai Navy was conducted recently. Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari and Thai Ship (HTMS) Saiburi participated in the CORPAT in the Andaman Sea. Keeping the Indian Ocean safe and secure for international trade. The Indian Navy and the Royal …

Nature walk organised along the Palak Lake , Aizawl, Mizoram. Palak lake is also known as Palak Dil or Palak Tipo. It is the largest and biggest lake in Mizoram. It is located within the Mara Autonomous District Council. It falls under the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, and is therefore rich in animal and plant species. The lake is …

The global warming trends over the Indian region are very different. An assessment of climate change over the Indian subcontinent, published by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2020, said annual mean temperatures had risen by 0.7 degree Celsius from 1900. This is significantly lower than the 1.59 degree Celsius rise for land temperatures across the world. Why is warming over India lower? The increase in …

Most countries in Asia and the Pacific are inadequately prepared to manage the rising challenges of extreme weather events and natural disasters, according to a new study by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Countries in the region lack the necessary data as well as means to support adaptation …

India developed the concept of farmer producer organisations (FPO) in early 2000s to help small farmers gain economies of scale and improve their market standing by negotiating collectively. What are FPOs? It is a collective of farmers (and non-farmers) who are the primary producers of a product (an agricultural produce or a …

The SC reserved its judgment on a batch of petitions challenging the third extension given to Director of Enforcement. The Directorate of Enforcement is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated with investigation of offence of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws. The statutory functions of the Directorate include enforcement of following Acts: The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA): It is …

A decision has been taken at the recent Army Commanders Conference that all officers of the rank of Brigadier and above — Major Generals, Lieutenant Generals, and General — will wear common uniform items irrespective of their regimental or corps affiliation. All officers of the rank of Brigadier, Maj General, Lt General, and General will …

India leads a list of 10 countries that together account for 60 per cent of global maternal deaths, stillbirths and newborn deaths, and 51 per cent of live births globally, a report released by the United Nations has said. The latest published estimate in the progress tracking report by the …

MyGov, in collaboration with Ministry of Culture, launches ‘YUVA PRATIBHA – Singing Talent Hunt. To promote Indian music at the grassroots level on a national scale by identifying and recognising the new and young talent in various singing genres. Genres:  Folk Songs Patriotic Songs Contemporary Songs Eligibility: The contest is open to all Indian citizens. …

Prime Minister of India alleged that the Congress was “openly advocating” Karnataka’s secession from the Indian Union, by using the phrase ‘sovereignty of Karnataka’. Sovereignty is simply the idea of having supreme authority over a defined territory. From the 17th century onwards, Western philosophers used the concept to describe the supremacy of the state over …

Newly synthesised biocompatible drug delivery system combined with anti-inflammatory drugs brings potential solution for rheumatoid arthritis Scientists explored the potential of the anti-inflammatory FDA-approved drug 9-aminoacridine (9AA) and the natural compound caffeic acid (CA), generally found in coffee or wine conjugated to nano micelles, an amphiphilic molecule that forms spherical structure when immersed in water, for …

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Ministry of Railways jointly signed an MoU with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for ‘Station Area Development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail’ (Project-SMART). Project-SMART envisages to develop surrounding areas of Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Railway (MAHSR) Stations. Aim: To enhance accessibility and convenience of commuters & …

We have never witnessed domestic or foreign pharmaceutical companies recall substandard or mislabelled drugs in India. India has been mulling the creation of a mandatory recall law for substandard drugs since 1976, and yet no law exists that mandates such medicine be removed from the market to this day. The issue has come up repeatedly in regulatory meetings in …

Recently, the Advertisement Monitoring Committee at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) flagged 32 fresh cases of food business operators (FBOs) making misleading claims and advertisements. What are the regulations? FSSAI uses the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising & Claims) Regulations, 2018 which specifically deals with food (and related products). The Central Consumer …

Three civilians were killed after an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21 fighter jet crashed into a house in Rajasthan. About MiG-21: The MiG-21s are among the six fighter jets presently flown by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The MiG-21s are single engine, single-seater multi-role fighter/ground attack aircraft. It was inducted into the IAF in the early 1960s. …

The United States is getting ready to lift COVID-19 restrictions that have blocked migrants caught at the U.S.-Mexico border from seeking asylum since 2020, a major policy shift with humanitarian and political implications. What is Title 42? The COVID restrictions, known as Title 42, were first implemented in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. Title 42 allowed …

In unanimous decision, Arab League readmits Syria after 11-year absence What is Arab League? The Arab League is a regional organization in the Arab world. The Arab League was formed in Cairo in 1945. Initially it had six members: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria Currently, the League has 22 members. Syria’s participation was suspended from 2011 till recently. Each …

The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) is working on technical and scientific terminology in 10 Indian languages that are under-represented in the learning landscape. Key details: The CSTT will bring out what it calls fundamental (basic) dictionaries with 5,000 words per language. These will be in digital, searchable format, and free of cost. Which …

Credit Suisse has announced buying Ecuadorian bonds worth $1.6 billion (€1.45 billion) in a debt-for-nature swap that cost the Swiss bank just $644 million and in return, Ecuador’s government had pledged to spend about $18 million annually for two decades on conservation in the Galapagos Islands. The Galápagos Islands are …