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Drug makers Serum Institute of India and Panacea Biotec are moving closer to develop the country’s first vaccine against dengue. They have applied to the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) call for ‘Expression of Interest’ for collaborative Phase-III clinical trials for indigenous manufacturers. Phase-III clinical trial is being done for evaluation of efficacy, along with …

Ukraine claims it shot down Russia’s next generation hypersonic missile ‘Barrage’. A hypersonic missile is a weapon system which flies at least at the speed of Mach 5 i.e., five times the speed of sound and is maneuverable. The maneuverability of the hypersonic missile is what sets it apart from a ballistic missile as the …

The new Alzheimer’s drug Donanemab was found to slow down cognitive decline by 35% in people with early Alzheimer’s. Key Details: The new drug has been developed by the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. It was observed that the new Drug named ‘Donanemab’, does not only slow down cognitive decline by 355 but …

India’s goods exports have fell the steepest in three years in April, 2023 because of the weakening global demand and declining commodity prices. According to the commerce ministry data, the Exports have declined by nearly 13% i.e., from $39.70 billion to $34.66 billion in the year-ago period. The Merchandise imports have also fell by 14% to $49.90 billion from …

A baby was born using three persons DNA in the UK. The Baby technically, has three parents, deriving the mitochondria from a donor apart from the genetic material (DNA) from biological parents. The need for using this pioneering technology was aimed to prevent the child inheriting the mother’s mitochondrial disease. In this particular …

The United Kingdom had decided to provide long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine. Significance Since Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb, 2022, Ukraine has so far received a wide variety of weapons and ammunition, including anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft systems and artillery from its Western Allies. The storm Shadow is the latest …

The Allahabad High Court ordered a “scientific survey”, including carbon dating, of a “Shivling” said to have been found at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi. What is carbon dating? Carbon dating is a widely-used method to establish the age of organic materials, things that were once living. Living things have carbon in …

The Archeological Survey of India has reportedly found the remains of a lost civilisation, a “modern society” that existed in Bandhavgarh National in Madhya Pradesh. The discovery includes man-made water bodies and paintings that are said to be thousands of years old. The archaeologists found the painting in a rock-cut cave and not in a natural …

The United Kingdom will provide long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine. Storm Shadow is a long-ranged, air-launched, conventionally armed, deep-strike missile, which is manufactured by the France-based MBDA Missile Systems. It was first produced in 1997. Range: More than 250 km. Weight: Storm Shadow weighs 1,300 kg and is 5.10m long. Purpose: It’s capable of being operated day and night in all …

The government has decided to lower the threshold for businesses to generate e-invoice for business-to-business (B2B) transactions, from Rs 10 crore to Rs 5 crore, and has rolled out the automated return scrutiny module for GST returns in a backend application for central tax officers. The automated return scrutiny module …

National Technology Day is celebrated in India on May 11 every year. This term was coined by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to recognise the contributions of Indian scientists. On May 11, 1998, three very special technological advances were showcased by India’s scientists and engineers: Operation Shakti, also known widely as Pokhran-II nuclear tests; the successful test firing …

On May 11, 1998, India conducted three nuclear bomb test explosions at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range. Codenamed Operation Shakti, these tests would display India’s capability to build fission and thermonuclear weapons with yields up to 200 kilotons. It helped India enter the highly guarded club of countries with capability to deploy nuclear weapons. History Setting of research …

Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has launched ‘Harit Sagar’ the Green Port Guidelines. Harit Sagar Guidelines – 2023 envisages ecosystem dynamics in port development, operation and maintenance while aligning with ’Working with Nature’ concept and minimizing impact on biotic components of harbor ecosystem. It lays emphasis on: use of Clean / Green energy in Port operation, developing Port capabilities for storage, handling and bunkering Greener …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 & …

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. …