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The team of researchers from Purdue University have created an ultra-white paint. The newer paint is whiter and keeps the surface areas it is painted on cooler and thus can act as a breakthrough in combating the woes of global warming. Important points: The new ultrawhite white paint reflects 99% …

Recently, the UK’s Home Department has approved the extradition of Nirav Modi, a diamond merchant to India in connection with the Rs. 13,758-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud. India and the UK entered into an extradition treaty in 1992. Important points: Extradition is the process by which one state, upon …

Recently, the Union government told the Bombay High Court that making FASTag mandatory for all vehicles does not breach a citizen’s fundamental right to freedom of movement in any way. A Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Court challenging the government’s decision to make FASTag, the electronic toll collection …

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed to enable, in a phased manner, payment system operators to take direct membership in RTGS and NEFT. Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) and National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) are the Centralised Payment Systems (CPSs) of the RBI. Non-bank payment system …

Recently, the United States (US) placed 11 countries, including India in the Currency Practices Monitoring List (Currency Manipulators Watch List). India was on the list in the December 2020 report as well. In 2019, the US Treasury Department had removed India from its currency manipulator watch list of major trading …

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has restored electronic visa (e-visa) facility for foreigners from 156 countries, who intend to visit India for the purposes of business, conferences, and for medical reasons, including in the case of medical attendants. E-visa for tourists is yet to be restored. Important points: Launch: …

The Government has launched ‘Aahaar Kranti’, a mission dedicated to spread awareness about nutrition. Important points: The initiative ‘Aahaar Kranti’ will focus on addressing the problem of hunger and diseases in abundance across India and the world. The initiative will shine a light on the richness and value of India’s …

Recently, Odisha has released the final data on the dolphin census, indicating a spectacular growth in numbers. Important points: The population of dolphins in Chilika, India’s largest brackish water lake, and along the Odisha coast has doubled this year (2021) compared with last year. Three species were recorded during the …

The new pterosaur fossil was discovered in the Tiaojishan Formation of Liaoning, China, and is thought to be 160 million years old. It has been named Kunpengopterus antipollicatus, also dubbed “Monkeydactyl”. Tiaojishan Formation Geographically, the Tiaojishan Formation is widely distributed in western Liaoning Province and the neighboring northern Hebei Province …

Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has inaugurated three new initiatives/services of National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI). IP Guru, NIXI Academy, NIXI-IP-INDEX have been launched to facilitate adoption of IPv6 and create an environment to ensure smooth transition from IPv4 to IPv6. Important points: NIXI is …

Recently, alumni meets were organized across the country under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) to commemorate 75 years of Independence. Important points: The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced it on Antyodaya Diwas in 2014. It is a demand-driven placement linked skill training initiative working under the National Rural …

Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the EatSmart Cities Challenge and Transport 4 All Challenge. The challenges aim at creating an environment of right food practices and habits and to make public transport safe, affordable, comfortable, and reliable. Important points: EatSmart Cities Challenge: The EatSmart Cities Challenge …

Recently, Singapore’s Foreign Minister while addressing the 6th edition of the Raisina Dialogue suggested India to reassess its stand on Regional Trading Agreements (RTA) such as Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The Raisina Dialogue is India’s premier conference on geopolitics and …

Recently, the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) flagship State of World Population Report 2021 titled ‘My Body is My Own’ was launched. This is the first time a United Nations report has focused on bodily autonomy, defined as the power and agency to make choices about your body without fear …

Sputnik V, the vaccine against Covid-19 developed by Russia, has been cleared for emergency use by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). It is now the third coronavirus vaccine to get emergency use approval, after Covishield (Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin (Bharat Biotech). Important Points About the Sputnik …

The nation celebrated the 130th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar on 14th April 2021. Dr. Ambedkar was a social reformer, jurist, economist, author, polyglot (knowing or using several languages) orator, a scholar and thinker of comparative religions. Important Points Birth: Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was born in 1891 in …

Researchers from IIT Guwahati have developed a technique to improve the performance of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which power most of the portable devices used today. Important Points The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was jointly awarded to Stanley Whittingham, John Goodenough and Akira Yoshino for work that led to the …

Recently, Astronomers have discovered a new active galaxy called Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) which has been identified as the farthest gamma-ray emitting galaxy. Important Points Scientists from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in collaboration with researchers from other institutions, studied around 25,000 luminous Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) from …

The Government launched the “Online Grievance Management Portal of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)” on the occasion of 130th birth anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar. The portal would make it easier for the SC population to register their complaints. Important Points: It has been designed in collaboration with …

Recently, the government of India launched a mobile app, MANAS (Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System) to promote mental wellbeing across age groups. MANAS was endorsed as a national program by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). PM-STIAC: It is an overarching Council that facilitates the …