- VSSC, ISRO DEVELOP MULTI-PURPOSE APP SAKHI TO ASSIST GAGANYAAN CREW
- ISRO Develops “SAKHI” App for Gaganyaan Astronauts
- The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), a part of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has created a new app called “SAKHI” to assist astronauts on the upcoming Gaganyaan mission.
- What is SAKHI? Stands for Space-borne Assistant and Knowledge Hub for Crew Interaction
- Functions as a multi-purpose tool for astronauts onboard the spacecraft
- Functions as a digital assistant, knowledge hub, and health monitor
- What can SAKHI do? Provide astronauts with easy access to crucial technical information and training manuals during the mission Help astronauts communicate with each other and ground control
- Monitor astronaut health vitals like blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation
- Remind astronauts about hydration, meals, and sleep schedules
- Allow astronauts to maintain a mission log with voice recordings, text entries, and images
- Benefits of SAKHI – Saves space by replacing bulky physical manuals with digital access to information
- Ensures crew health and well-being through constant monitoring
- Facilitates seamless communication between astronauts and mission control
- Helps astronauts stay organised and track their mission progress
- Current Stage – VSSC has successfully tested an engineering model of the SAKHI app on a custom-built handheld device
- SAKHI represents a significant development for the Gaganyaan mission. This app highlights ISRO’s commitment to astronaut safety, mission success, and crew well-being during India’s first human spaceflight
2. ON FTAs WITH EUROPEANS COUNTRIES
- India-EFTA Trade Agreement (TEPA)
- What is it? – A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein)
- This is India’s first FTA with any European country.
- Benefits for Trading Partners
- Reduced tariffs: EFTA countries gain greater access to the large Indian market by surpassing India’s high import tariffs on many goods.
- Potential for increased investment: The agreement sets a target of $100 billion investment from EFTA countries in India over 15 years.
- Key Features – Investment: Ambitious target with potential withdrawal of tariff concessions by India if investment goals aren’t met.
- Trade in Goods: Mostly benefits EFTA exporters with tariff reductions for various products like seafood, fruits, chocolates, machinery, and diamonds. India’s exports see minimal gains due to existing low tariffs for EFTA countries.
- Trade in Services: Liberalisation across various sectors. India gains access for yoga instructors and some professionals in Norway and Switzerland. Provisions for easier recognition of qualifications for service providers.
- Sustainable Development: A first for India in FTAs, this chapter addresses environmental and labor aspects but is not subject to dispute resolution.
- Intellectual Property Rights: India agrees to some stricter enforcement measures on patents exceeding WTO’s TRIPS Agreement.
- Challenges – Uncertain Investment Goals: Achieving the targeted investment figures may be difficult
- Free Riders: Benefits of the trade in services chapter could extend to companies incorporated in EFTA but operating elsewhere, potentially allowing companies from non-EFTA countries to benefit
- Intellectual Property: Stricter IPR enforcement might limit access to affordable medicines in India
3. CENTRE NOTIFIES RULES ALLOWING TRANSFER OF CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS
- New Rules for Transferring Captive Elephants in India The Ministry of Environment has issued new rules called the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024
- These rules aim to regulate the transfer of captive elephants within and between states in India
- Conditions for Transfer – An owner can no longer maintain the elephant
- The elephant will have better upkeep at the new location
- The Chief Wildlife Warden deems it necessary for improved elephant care Approval Process
- Within State Transfer
- Veterinarian’s health certificate required
- Deputy Conservator of Forests verifies suitability of both habitats
- Chief Wildlife Warden has final approval authority
- Transfer Between States – Similar conditions as above
- Elephant’s genetic profile must be registered with the Environment Ministry Additional Requirements
- A mahout and elephant assistant must accompany the animal during transfer
- A health certificate is mandatory
- The elephant must undergo a quarantine period before transfer Background
- Until August 2022, trading in captive elephants was prohibited
- Amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act allowed movement of captive elephants with an exemption clause
- A Parliamentary Committee recommended removing the exemption, but it remains in the Act
4. VACCINE FOR DENGUE MAY BE OUT IN MARKETS BY MID – 2026 SAYS IIL
- A potential new vaccine for Dengue is being developed by Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL)
- Target Disease: Dengue virus
- Stage of Development: Completed Phase 1 clinical trials (focusing on safety). Phase 2 and 3 trials (evaluating efficacy) are expected to begin soon
- Manufacturer: Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL)
- Technology: The article doesn’t explicitly mention the specific technology used in the vaccine General Types of Dengue Vaccines
- There are several approaches to developing Dengue vaccines. Here are two common types:
- Live attenuated vaccines: A weakened version of the virus that stimulates the immune system to develop antibodies without causing the disease § Subunit vaccines: These vaccines target specific proteins of the virus, prompting the immune system to create antibodies against those proteins
- IIL is also developing vaccines for Zika virus and Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD)
5. SPRING SEASON DISAPPEARING IN MANY STATES, SHOWS STUDY
- A 50-year analysis of meteorological records suggests that Indian states have been experiencing a gradual disappearance of spring, the period of relatively benign weather between winter and summer
- Key Findings – Every region analysed in India has shown a net warming during winter
- Winter is the fastest warming season in 12 out of the 34 regions studied
- The southern part of India has experienced stronger warming in December and January compared to the northern part
- Northern India has observed a sharp increase in temperatures in February, despite cooler or slightly warmer temperatures in January
- This suggests that these regions are now more likely to experience abrupt transitions from cool winter-like temperatures to hot summer conditions
- These findings support reports that spring has vanished in many parts of India
- The disappearance of spring can be attributed to aberrations in the patterns of Western Disturbances and the jet stream, which bring winter rains to North India
- Impact of Climate Change Climate change is disrupting the traditional seasonal patterns in India:
- Warmer Winters: Winters are experiencing rising temperatures, particularly in southern India
- Erratic Monsoons: Monsoons are becoming more unpredictable, with some regions facing floods and others facing droughts
- Shrinking Spring: Rising temperatures are leading to a shorter or even disappearing spring season in many parts of the country
ONE LINER
MARCH 18 – 7th GLOBAL RECYCLING DAY
The theme of Global Recycling Day 2024 is RECYCLINGHEROES
