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Amid the spread of the Omicron Variant of coronavirus, the discovery of a new strain named ‘IHU (Instituts Hospitalo-Universitaires)’ that emerged in France raises fears across the world. Important points: Its discovery was announced by researchers from Méditerranée Infection in Marseille, part of France’s Instituts hospitalo-universitaires (IHU, or University Hospital …

A new study has found that converting annual crops to perennial bioenergy crops can induce a cooling effect on the areas where they are cultivated. The researchers simulated the biophysical climate impact of a range of future bioenergy crop cultivation scenarios. Eucalyptus, poplar, willow, miscanthus and switchgrass were the bioenergy …

Recently, the Nobel Peace Prize winner Anglican archbishop and anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu died. He was very passionate about protecting the environment and taking necessary actions. In concurrence of his passion to save the environment, his body underwent aquamation, a green alternative to traditional cremation methods. The process of aquamation …

Recently, a Judge of the Madras High Court has said that a recent order passed by another judge of the same court, mandating the installation of CCTV cameras inside spas [massage and therapy centres], appears to run counter to the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement in K.S. Puttaswamy case (2017). In …

Recently, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has celebrated the 64th Foundation Day on 1st January, 2022. Important points: DRDO is the R&D (Research and Development) wing of the Ministry of Defence with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies. Its pursuit of self-reliance and successful indigenous development …

With a view to make a common tariff structure for hospitals, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has proposed a separate regulator for the healthcare segment or it must be allowed to regulate hospitals. It has been noticed that the rate of inflation of hospital charges at …

Recently, the Github, an open-source software repository service was used to create and share an offensively named app that sexually harassed a women in India. The app used pictures of the women stolen from their social media handles and invited “users” to bid for them. GitHub has blocked the user, …

Recently, the Five permanent United Nations Security Council members (China, France, Russia, the U.K. and US) pledged to prevent atomic weapons spreading and to avoid nuclear conflict. The pledge was made in a rare joint statement ahead of a review of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) 1970. The statement comes as …

The Konyak Civil Society Organizations, the guardian umbrella of organizations of the Konyaks, has slammed the extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 (AFSPA). The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 has been extended in Nagaland for six months from 30th December 2021. Important points: A …

Recently, the Ministry of Education has launched a 100 days reading campaign ‘Padhe Bharat’ (1st January to 10th April 2022). 21st February, which is celebrated as International Mother Tongue Day, has also been integrated with this campaign in a view to promote the local language and culture of our society. …

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has released a draft National Air Sports Policy (NASP) that will require entities providing these services and their equipment to be registered, as well as be liable for penalties. Important points: The policy proposes a two-tier governance structure for air sports in the country, which …

Car manufacturer Volkswagen plans to have production running for solid-state batteries by 2025 via the partnership with QuantumScape. QuantumScape’s solid-state battery — lithium metal with a solid electrolyte separating the two electrodes — is seen as an exceptionally bright prospect in an increasingly crowded space. Important points: A solid-state battery …

Recently, India and Pakistan have exchanged a list of their nuclear installations. The exchange was in accordance with the Article-II of Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India. The two countries also exchanged lists of prisoners held in each other’s prisons under the …

Recently, the last surviving member of a small troop of Indian soldiers who escorted the Dalai Lama as he fled from Tibet in 1959 has died. Important points: The Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, which is the largest and most influential tradition in Tibet. There …

On the eve of Good Governance Day (25th December), the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the ‘Star Rating Protocol of Garbage Free Cities- Toolkit 2022. It is the most important governance tool of waste management – the Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free Cities. In the revised …

Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched 14 Honey Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) of TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) along with various other initiatives such as The TRIFED Van Dhan Chronicle, The MIS Portal for Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces etc. The TRIFED Van …

Recently, the Government has advised the Automobile Manufacturers in India, to start manufacturing Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) and Flex Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FFV-SHEV) complying with BS-6 Norms in a time bound manner. Important points: They have engines that can run on flexible fuel — a combination of petrol …

Recently, the Centre has notified Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules, 2021 for the direct selling industry. It prohibits promotion of pyramid schemes and participation in money circulation schemes. It has been notified in exercise of the powers conferred by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Earlier, the government notified and made …

Recently, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari has reached the Port of Maputo, Mozambique to deliver 500 tonnes of food aid to support the efforts of Government of Mozambique to cope with ongoing drought and concurrent challenges of pandemic. India has also delivered two fast interceptor craft and self-defence military equipment …

Recently, the Prime Minister of India COP26 climate summit announced that India will attain net zero emissions by 2070. In order to meet these climate targets, countries like India will need approximately USD 1 trillion in additional financing over the next ten years. Important points: Green financing is to increase …