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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 25 May 2021

::NATIONAL::

Recently, a start-up funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has developed first of its kind, semi-quantitative Electrochemical ELISA test that would help rapid & accurate estimation of total antibody concentration of COVID-19.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay Test (ELSA)is a labeled immunoassay that is considered the gold standard of immunoassays.
This immunological test is very sensitive and is used to detect and quantify substances, including antibodies,antigens, proteins, glycoproteins, and hormones in the blood sample.

According to a new study from scientists at Scripps Research and others, several of the mutations in theSARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are clustered at the “receptor binding site” (where the virus attaches to host cells),on the spike protein of the virus.
Hence, antibodies that target the general area in and around the receptor binding site lose their ability to effectively bind and neutralise the virus when the mutations are present.
Other sites on the ‘receptor binding domain’ are unaffected.

Recently, India has decided to facilitate WHO and EU European Medicine Agency approval for Covaxin.

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It will help Indians in avoiding travel restrictions in the present and post-covid world based on vaccination-based travel e.g., the 27 EU member countries recently approved proposal to allow fully vaccinated”tourists from countries outside Europe under certain criteria.
It will also help in pushing for more export orders for the indigenous vaccine in the future and getting it listed in the WHO Emergency Use List.
It will also benefit in scientific research and collaboration between the Indian and foreignvaccine producers.

BRICS AstronomyWorking Group (BAWG)provides a platform for BRICS member countries to collaborate in the field of astronomy.
Recently, BAWG has recommended networking of telescopes in member countries and creating a regional data network.
Earlier in 2019, it proposed the BRICS Intelligent Telescope and Data Network (BITDN) to take lead in widefield imaging sky surveys and study the dynamically changing universe, helping to meet big data challenges of forefront astronomical facilities.

The Supreme Court upheld the government’s 2019 notification under the Indian Bankruptcy andInsolvency Code (IBC).

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The notification allowed lenders to initiate insolvency proceedings against personal guarantors, who are usually promoters of big business houses, along with the stressed corporate entities for whom they gave guarantee.
Now, guarantor would “arrange” for the payment of the debt to the creditor bank in order to obtain a quick discharge.
This would boost banks’ recovery effort involving large bad loans as well as maximise the value of assets.

It is NASA’s first mobile robot to be sent to the Moon in late 2023 in search of ice and other resources on and below the lunar surface.

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It is part of NASA’s Artemis programme.
VIPER runs on solar power. It will collect data that would help NASA map resources at the lunar South Pole that could one day be harvested for long-term human exploration at the Moon.
This is yet another example of how robotic science missions and human exploration go hand in hand.