Here’s a quick roundup of all the news you might have missed out during this week.
1. According to a report, the Centre is planning to set up a new channel, DD International, on the lines of BBC World to project India’s voice globally on significant domestic and global issues.
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2. A report revealed that an additional 230 million individuals fell below the national minimum wage poverty line due to the pandemic.
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3. 43 of the world’s 100 most environmentally vulnerable cities are in India.
Delhi has been ranked the second-highest risk city in the world, followed by other Indian cities like Chennai, Agra and Kanpur.
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4. Tarun Tejpal, the founder of Tehelka magazine, has been acquitted of rape charges by a court in Goa.
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5. A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas has come into effect after 11 days of violence that killed at least 240 people.
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6. Data released by Public Health England suggests that two doses of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine provide about 85% to 90% protection against symptomatic disease.
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7. The number of RT-PCR tests for the coronavirus will be reduced to 40% of the total tests by the end of June.
The government considers them to be the “gold standard” for Covid-19 screening.
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8. BCCIs annual contracts for women cricketers once again highlighted the gap in pay scale with their male counterparts.
While the highest grade for women cricketers has a retainer of Rs 50 lakh, the lowest grade for men cricketers is worth Rs 1 crore.
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9. Facebook has said that it received 40,300 requests for user data from Indian government in the 2nd half of 2020.
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10. Indian companies will reportedly import 6 lakh vials of Amphotericin B, the drug used to treat black fungus infections.
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11. World’s largest iceberg A-76 has broken off from the Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica.
A-76 is around 4,320 square km in size and is located in the Weddell Sea.
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12. The second and third phase trials of Bharat Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine, Covaxin, for the age group 2-18 will begin in 10-12 days.
COVAXIN has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), for Phase II/III clinical trials in the age group of 2 to 18 years. I have been told that trials will begin in the next 10-12 days: Dr. VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/T0ITsJsixA
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2021
Important ones, right?