Digital Sansad app launched to make live proceedings accessible to citizens
Indian Parliament has launched the ‘Digital Sansad App’ to make the Parliament proceedings accessible not just to the members but also to the public at large. With this move, Parliament has expanded its digital footprint. The Digital Sansad App is an initiative of Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla who has been constantly working to make the Parliament proceedings more accessible. The launch of the ‘Digital’ Sansad App’ will also be significant ahead of the Budget Session 2022 which will be presented by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, 2022.
Bharat Biotech’s intranasal Covid booster gets DCGI nod for trials in India
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on January 28, 2022, granted its approval to Bharat Biotech for the trials of its intranasal Covid booster dose in India. The trials of nasal vaccine will be done on 900 candidates.
Earlier, the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of DCGI had given ‘in-principle’ approval to Bharat Biotech for the phase-III booster dose study for its nasal covid vaccine, a first of its kind in India. The committee had asked Bharat Biotech to submit the protocols for approval 3 weeks ago.
Notably, the Chairman of Bharat Biotech Krishna Ella and co-founder Suchitra Ella have also been honoured with the prestigious Padma Bhushan, announced on January 25, 2022, by the President of India.
India-Central Virtual Asia Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the first-ever India-Central Asia Summit virtually on January 27, 2022. The summit saw in attendance the presidents of five central Asian nations including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic. The leaders adopted a joint declaration that focused on enhancing trade and connectivity between India and central Asian nations and also agreed to set up a joint working group on Afghanistan at the senior officials' level.
Xiomara Castro first woman President of Honduras
Xiomara Castro became the first female president of Honduras on January 27, 2022. She is a former first lady of Honduras, as she is the wife of former President Manuel Zelaya who was deposed in a coup in 2009. Castro’s inauguration has brought an end to the 8-year rule of Juan Orlando Hernandez, a one-time US ally, who is currently facing charges of corruption in US courts.
NeoCoV Coronavirus: Wuhan scientists warn of deadlier COVID strain
Scientists in China's Wuhan laboratory have warned of a new strain of COVID-19, NeoCov that reportedly has a high transmission and mortality rate. The new strain of coronavirus is related to the Middle East respiratory syndrome MERS-coronavirus.
As per researchers, NeoCoV carries with it the potentially combined high mortality rate of MERS-CoV, where one in three infected people die on an average and high transmission rate of the current SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
The study has been released in preprint and has not yet been peer-reviewed. It was published on the bioRxiv website.
NeoCoV: Symptoms, Severity, MERS-CoV relation
The studies show that the current COVID-19 vaccinations are inadequate to protect humans from any eventuality of the infections caused by these viruses. The paper adds that extensive mutations in the RBD regions of the SARS-CoV-2 variants may hold a latent potential to infect humans through further adaptation.
Advanced Light Helicopter MK III formally inducted at INS Utkrosh
The indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III aircraft was formally inducted at INS Utkrosh at Port Blair on January 28, 2022. The aircraft was inducted by Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Lieutenant General Ajai Singh.
The ALH MK III aircraft has been manufactured in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The aircraft represents a tremendous leap towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing in line with PM Modi-led central government's vision to create ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
The first unit of three ALH MK III helicopters were inducted into the Indian Navy on April 19, 2021. The induction of the aircraft will provide a major boost in the capabilities of the Indian Naval Force.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to Convene all-party meeting on January 30
Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, ahead of the Union Budget 2022 session, will convene an all-party meeting on January 30, 2022, to ensure the smooth functioning of the house. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has also called an all-party meeting virtually on January 31. The Government of India has also convened a party meeting on the same day to seek cooperation from all political parties to ensure the smooth functioning of the Budget session. The Union Budget 2022 session will begin on January 31 with President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to both the Houses of Parliament. The Budget 2022 will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.
Central Government likely to issue advisory on reopening schools soon
As the COVID-19 vaccination drive for children aged 15 years and above gathers pace, the Central Government is most likely to issue an advisory to reopen the schools across the country. The Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has asked the National Expert Group to suggest ways and work on modalities to open the schools worldwide. Reportedly, the Government wants to reopen the schools in a staggered manner and under strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocols. Ever since the outbreak of the pandemic, schools have remained by and large shut. The COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the country for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years started on January 3, 2022.
Bangladesh passes bill for Election Commission formation
The Bangladesh Parliament has passed a bill for the appointment of Election Commissioners and Chief Election Commissioner for the formation of the next Election Commission. The bill which was passed by the voice vote gives a legal shield to the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners to form the EC. The tenure of the current Election Commission will end on February 14, 2022. The bill passed by the Parliament envisages a six-member search committee appointed by the President to recommend the names of the Election Commissioners and CEC. The opposition Bangladesh National Party, however, has criticized the bill for being passed in a hurry.
