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  How do new variants arise? A virus needs to evolve in order to evade the defences of its host. A virus evolves, replicates and spreads, by hijacking the reproductive system of a cell (of the host organism). It makes copies of itself, so that it can spread to other cells and other hosts. While making copies of itself, sometimes there are mistakes- like types known as mutations. Most of these mutations are useless for the virus.However , sometimes a mutation makes a virus better/stronger. One or more mutations give rise to new variants of a particular virus. Variants of Concern (VOC) are mutated types of coronavirus, which can cause one among : Increased transmission, A reduction in neutralising antibodies or Severe disease. How was the new variant detected? The Indian-origin double mutant strain of the coronavirus-the B. 1.167 was first detected on 5th October last year through genome sequencing of a virus sample. Its genome sequencing exercise slowed down between N...

  WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LAHORE? Police in Pakistan said a right-wing group has taken 6 security personnel hostage at its headquarters in Lahore on Sunday after a week of violent clashes following the arrest of the group's leader. Pakistan's government banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) Pakistan earlier this week, After supporters took to the streets to protest against the arrest of their leader, Muslim scholar Saad Rizvi. WHAT NOW? Police said they have launched a security operation against the group in response to the attack. Pakistani news channels have been barred from providing coverage of the group since it was banned, and on Sunday mobile and internet services were down in the area where clashes were taking place. Supporters of the TLP have been sharing videos on social media of what they said were clashes on Sunday with police, and hashtags supporting the group were trending in Pakistan on Sunday. Videos showed thousands of protesters clashing with police. TEHREEK-E-LABBAI...

  Why in NEWS? A nuclear facility in Iran was hit by "sabotage" a day after it unveiled new uranium enrichment equipment, the country's top nuclear official says. Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi did not say who was to blame for the "terrorist act", which caused a power failure at the Natanz complex south of Tehran on Sunday. Israeli public media, however, cited intelligence sources who said it was the result of an Israeli cyber-attack. Israel has not commented on the incident directly. The BLACKOUT at Iran's Natanz facility came just after the country announced it had started up new advanced centrifuges capable of enriching uranium faster.The timing has raised suspicions that it could have been a cyber attack that caused the blackout, with experts saying this may have been done to send a message that Iran's nuclear programme will be curbed in different ways even if western powers ease pressure on Tehran by lifting sanctions a...

  A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. They are a reusable transport and storage unit for moving products and raw materials between locations or countries. Their invention made a major contribution to the globalization of commerce in the second half of the 20th century, Dramatically reducing the cost of transporting goods and hence of long-distance trade. WHAT HAS HAPPENED? India is moving into the business of manufacturing cargo containers, a segment dominated by China, as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Last year, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways formed a committee to examine the feasibility of making containers at Bhavnagar in Gujarat and developing it into a manufacturing hub for the steel boxes, That have become the global standard for shipping a variety of goods across ships, rail and road. At Bhavnagar, the centre has set up pilot projects for its manufacturing. The initiative aimed a...

  LITHIUM: THE FUEL FOR A GREEN FUTURE WHAT IS LITHIUM? RESERVES OF LITHIUM LI-HON BATTERIES ELECTRIC VEHICLES CHINA DOMINANCE Lithium Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3. It isa soft, silvery-white metal. Lithium is the lightest known metal and is the least dense solid element. Lithium is extracted from minerals found in igneous rocks spodumene or in water with high concentration of lithium carbonate (lithium brine). Both processes contribute equally to lithium production today. Lithium carbonate is the main source for lithium. Lithium carbonate is a stable salt that is refined to produce the nutrons. Lithium hydroxide is an alternative to lithium carbonate and demand for it is increasing. Lithium hydroxide is seen as a better performer than carbonate in batteries, increasing their performance and lifespan. World Reserves and Production In 2018 , Australia was the biggest producer of lithium, with 51,000 metric ton of the mineral mined. The coun...

 WHAT HAS HAPPENED? The Indian rupee has turned into Asia's worst-performing currency from being the best in the previous quarter. It's poised for more losses as a resurgence in coronavirusb cases to a record threatens to hamstring the economy. The rupee weakened past 75 per dollar for the first time in eight months this week. RUPEE FALL From trading at a level of 72.38 USD on March 22, the Rupee slipped to levels of 75-42 on Tuesday (afternoon trading hours) thereby witnessing a decline of 4.2% in a matter of three weeks. On Tuesday, it lost 43 paisa to a dollar, hitting a nine-month low. Data shows the Rupee has been one of the biggest losers over the last three weeks as concerns are growing over rising Covid cases and its impact on economic activity across the country. COMPARISON WITH OTHER COUNTRIES The Rupee has been one of the weakest emerging market currencies over the last 3 weeks as has lost 4.2% since March 22 against dollar. In the same period, only the Turkish...

  WHAT'S HAPPENING? The India-China standoff in Ladakh, which began in April 2020  with People's Liberation Army (PLA) incursions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has nearly completed a year. The Ladakh winter has receded, bringing curtains down on the first-ever instance of forward deployment by India and China through the region's bitter cold season, and disengagement has been achieved at two friction points, including Pangong Tso. Differences seem to have emerged between India and China over the next steps their armies need to take to further ease tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. FLIP FLOP The recent round of military talks between India and China saw the Chinese side switching track, Taking a rigid position on de-escalation in the Gogra-Hot Springs area, In contrast to its earlier posture when it was more fixated on the Finger area near Pangong lake. The change from the more "flexible" discussions that preceded the 1ith ...