Mu Variant’ of the coronavirus was first identified in Colombia in January 2021. Now, the World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring this variant of interest.

• Mu variant is scientifically known as B.1.621 and has been classified as a “variant of interest”.
• According to WHO, variant has constellation of mutations indicating a risk of resistance to vaccines.
• Mu has been reported in other South American countries and in Europe, besides Columbia.
• As per WHO, global prevalence of the Mu Variant has declined to 0.1 percent. In Colombia, its prevalence stands at 39 percent.

Concerns are raising over the emergence of new virus mutations because infection rates are increasing globally again due to highly transmissible Delta variant. Cases are rising especially among the unvaccinated regions and the regions where covid-19 measures have been relaxed.

All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, mutate over time. Most of the mutation has little or no effect on properties of the virus. However, there are certain mutations which can impact the properties of virus, how easily it spreads, severity of the disease, and its resistance to vaccines & drugs.

WHO has currently designated four Covid-19 variants of concerns. It includes Alpha variant, which is present in 193 countries, as well as Delta variant, which is present in 170 countries. Now, Mu variant was added to the list which is currently being monitored along with four others.

Mu variant is also known as lineage B.1.621 or VUI-21JUL-1. It was first detected in January 2021 in Colombia. WHO designated it as ‘Variant of interest’ on August 30, 2021. Cases of the Mu variant were reported in South America and Europe. Mu Variant’ of the coronavirus was first identified in Colombia in January 2021. Now, the World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring this variant of interest.

Recently, a mystery fever was reported from parts of Uttar Pradesh. It claimed about 40 lives, mostly children in one week. This viral fever was identified as Scrub typhus.

• Scrub typhus was reported mainly from Firozabad, Agra, Mainpuri, Etah and Kasganj districts of Uttar Pradesh.
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the affected region and said a team of experts from King George’s Medical University of Lucknow would probe the deaths of children.
• A team from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was also called to look after the situation.

Scrub typhus is a re-emerging Rickettsial infection. This vector-borne disease has been earlier reported in India and other South Asian countries. This disease is marked by fever and rashes. It also affects the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, renal system and gastrointestinal systems. In complicated cases, it could lead to pneumonia, meningo-encephalitis, gastro-intestinal bleeding, acute renal failure, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

This disease has been named “scrub” after the type of vegetation that harbours the vector. Typhus is a Greek word with meaning “fever with stupor” or smoke. This disease took the form of an epidemic during World War II in some countries while during the Second World War, it emerged as the most dreaded disease among soldiers of the Far East. In India, this fever out in an epidemic form during Second World War in Assam and West Bengal.

Scrub typhus fever is caused by a bacterium called Orientia tsutsugamushi. The name of the bacterium is of Japanese origin. The word “tsutsuga” means illness and “mushi” means insect. This disease spreads through bites of infected chiggers or larval mites. Bite marks are found on the armpit, genitalia or neck.

Singapore has introduced a “Vaccinated Travel Lanes”, for the fully vaccinated travellers.

Highlights

Reopening of international travel in the backdrop of Covid-19 is not going to be a straightforward affair. Countries have been experimenting several concepts in order to allow the movement of passengers between nations such as air bubbles, travel corridors, vaccine passports, and traffic light system. Vaccinated Travel Lane is the new addition to the list.

These lanes are basically an extension of travel corridors. However, these are meant only for fully vaccinated travellers.

Vaccinated Travel Lanes are introduced by Singapore. As of now, Singapore has established it with two jurisdictions viz., Germany and Brunei Darussalam. Thus, Singapore is allowing fully vaccinated passengers from these two countries to arrive for any travel purpose without any quarantine requirements.

Singapore will designate specific flights for these lanes to work. Window to apply for Vaccinated Travel lanes opened from September 1 and such flights will run from September 8 onwards. Citizens and permanent residents of Singapore do not need to apply for it in order to travel back home under this mechanism.

In order to apply, travellers are required to be fully vaccinated. Persons will be considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving the full dose of vaccine authorised by WHO for emergency use. It include Covishield vaccine by Serum Institute of India.

China developed a prototype miniature helicopter for the purpose of surveillance work on future Mars missions.

New Development Bank (NDB) by BRICS group of nations has added United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and Bangladesh as the new members on September 2, 2021.

This first batch of new members were added to the bank as part of its expansion drive.

New Development Bank was Launched in 2015 by the BRICS Members- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It was formerly referred as “BRICS development bank”. It is headquartered in Shanghai. The first regional office of the NDB was set up in Johannesburg, South Africa while second regional office was established in 2019 in Brazil, followed by in Russia.

The bank mobilises resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the member countries as well as in other developing nations. It complements the existing efforts made by multilateral and regional financial institutions towards global growth and development.

NDB started it membership expansion and started formal negotiations with prospective members in 2020. Admission of the UAE, Uruguay and Bangladesh as Bank’s first new member countries, was approved after a round of successful negotiations.

The Bank has an authorised capital of USD 100 billion. It is open for subscription by members of the United Nations NDB has approved about 80 projects in all of its member countries which amount to portfolio of USD 30 billion. Projects in areas of transport, water & sanitation, digital infrastructure, clean energy, social infrastructure and urban development are within the scope of NDB.

The Shikshak Parv-2021 will be observed from September 5, 2021. PM Modi to address teachers, students on September 7 during Shiksha Parv

Modi will also launch five initiatives on the occasion, including an Indian sign language dictionary of 10,000 words, talking books (audiobooks for visually impaired), school quality assessment and accreditation framework (SQAAF) of CBSE.

• During the Shikshak Parv-2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address teachers, students and other stakeholders of the education sector on September 7.
• This event will be celebrated to honour the contribution of teachers.
• On the occasion, PM will launch five initiatives:

1. Indian sign language dictionary of 10,000 words
2. Talking books (audio books for visually impaired)
3. School quality assessment and accreditation framework (SQAAF) of CBSE
4. NISTHA teachers’ training programme for NIPUN Bharat, and
5. Vidyanjali portal to facilitate education volunteers, donors and CSR contributors in development of school.

Shikshak Parv-2021 will be celebrated by Ministry of Education (MoE) from September 5 to 17, 2021. It will be organised to recognise the valuable contributions of teachers and to take National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 ahead.

President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the National Award to Teachers through a webinar on September 5. For the award this year, an online self-nomination process was followed through a three-tier selection process at district, state and national level. During the event, a documentary film on each of the 44 awardee teachers will also be shown.

National Awards to Teachers were first established in 1958 in order to recognise excellence and commitment of teachers towards shaping the minds and future of the youth. From the mid-60s onwards, September 5 was selected as a fixed date for the function to commemorate the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (former President of India).

The theme of webinars has been divided into nine sub-themes such as

1. Technology in Education: NDEAR,
2. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: A Prerequisite to Learning

Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, chaired the 24th meeting of Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

FSDC is an apex-level body that was set by the government of India in order to create a super regulatory body. Its establishment was first recommended by the Raghuram Rajan Committee in 2008. Finally in 2010, Pranab Mukherjee (the then Finance Minister of India) decided to set up this autonomous body to deal with macro prudential and financial regularities of entire financial sector in India. It is not a statutory body. No funds are allocated separately to the council to undertake its activities.

In order to strengthen and institutionalize the mechanism of maintaining financial stability, to enhance inter-regulatory coordination and to promote financial sector development, FSDC was set up as the apex level forum in December 2010.

This council is considered as India’s initiative to be better conditioned in preventing any economic crisis in future.

• Chairperson: Union Finance Minister of India
• Other Members:

1. Governor of Reserve Bank of India
2. Finance Secretary and/ or Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs
3. Secretary of Department of Financial Services
4. Secretary of Ministry of Corporate Affairs
5. Secretary of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
6. Chief Economic Advisor to Ministry of Finance
7. Chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India
8. Chairman of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority
9. Chairman of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
10. Chairman of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
11. Additional Secretary to Ministry of Finance

The Egyptian Armed Forces announced the start of Operation Bright Star 2021 on Thursday. According to a video published by Egyptian army spokesman, Col. Arkan Harb Gharib Abdel Hafez, the joint drills are taking place with the participation of 21 other countries from Sept. 2-17.

• Operation Bright Star is the largest set of multinational army maneuvers in the Middle East, which began in 1981 between Egypt and the US. 
• The exercises are usually held in Egypt every two years, but were postponed last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• The first such exercises were held in the year 1980 after signing of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. The last Bright Star exercise was conducted in 2018, with 16 participating nations.

• The delivery is the company’s 23rd for NASA in just under a decade.
• A SpaceX shipment of ants, avocados and a human-sized robotic arm rocketed toward the International Space Station on Sunday.
• The delivery — due to arrive Monday — is the company’s 23rd for NASA in just under a decade.
• A recycled Falcon rocket blasted into the predawn sky from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. After hoisting the Dragon capsule, the first-stage booster landed upright on SpaceX’s newest ocean platform, named “A Shortfall of Gravitas.” SpaceX founder Elon Musk continued his tradition of naming the booster-recovery vessels in tribute to the late science fiction writer Iain Banks and his Culture series.
• The Dragon is carrying more than 4,800 pounds (2,170 kilograms) of supplies and experiments, and fresh food including avocados, lemons and even ice cream for the space station’s seven astronauts.
• The Girl Scouts are sending up ants, brine shrimp and plants as test subjects, while University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists are flying up seeds from mouse-ear cress, a small flowering weed used in genetic research. Samples of concrete, solar cells and other materials also will be subjected to weightlessness.
• A Japanese start-up company’s experimental robotic arm, meanwhile, will attempt to screw items together in its orbital debut and perform other mundane chores normally done by astronauts. The first tests will be done inside the space station. Future models of Gitai Inc.'s robot will venture out into the vacuum of space to practice satellite and other repair jobs, said chief technology officer Toyotaka Kozuki.
• As early as 2025, a squad of these arms could help build lunar bases and mine the moon for precious resources, he added.
• SpaceX had to leave some experiments behind because of delays resulting from COVID-19.
• It was the second launch attempt; Saturday’s try was foiled by stormy weather.
• NASA turned to SpaceX and other U.S. companies to deliver cargo and crews to the space station, once the space shuttle program ended in 2011.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is an American aerospace manufacturer, space transportation services and communications company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. 

Founder: Elon Musk
Founded: 6 May 2002
CEO: Elon Musk (2002)
Headquarters: Hawthorne, California, United States
Subsidiary: Swarm Technologies

• Axis Bank Ltd. said it had ‘successfully’ priced its $600-million issuance of Sustainable Additional Tier 1 (AT1) notes in the overseas markets at 4.1%, ie, 30 basis points lower than the initial price guidance.
• The dollar-denominated, Basel III compliant AT1 notes offering was subscribed 3.8 times ahead of the final pricing guidance announcement, it said. It is the first dollar-denominated AT1 bond ever by an Indian issuer in a Sustainable format, the bank said in a press statement.
• “This successful transaction, which is also the largest single-tranche USD bond issuance ever for Axis Bank, reflects the faith and confidence that international investors have reposed in the bank’s franchise and robust credit and business model,” said Neeraj Gambhir, group executive & head, Treasury, Markets & Wholesale Banking Products, Axis Bank.
• Axis Bank Limited is an Indian banking and financial services company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It sells financial services to large and mid-size companies, SMEs and retail businesses. As of 30 June 2016, 30.81% shares are owned by the promoters and the promoter group. 
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry (1 Jan 2019–)
• Founded: 3 December 1993, Ahmedabad
• Subsidiaries: Freecharge, Axis Finance Limited etc.

• Directs TN Govt to ensure use of only native breeds
• The Madras High Court has directed the State government to ensure that only native breed of bulls are allowed to participate in Jallikattu. Henceforth, there should be a prohibition on participation of foreign breeds such as Bos Taurus or cross / hybrid breed bulls (Bos Taurus x Bos Indicus).
• Justices N. Kirubakaran (since retired) and P. Velmurugan passed the order while allowing a writ petition filed by E. Seshan (71) of Chennai. He had insisted on participation of native bulls alone in events such as Jallikattu, Manjuvirattu, Oormadu, Vadamadu, Vadamanjivirattu and Eruduthu Viduthal.
• Agreeing with the concerns expressed by the petitioner who lamented loss of native species, the judges directed the government to encourage bull owners and farmers to groom native breeds by providing subsidy or incentives to farmers or bull owners who do so. Veterinarians must certify the bulls before participation in Jallikattu, they ordered.
• The court also warned veterinarians of contempt of court proceedings if they falsely certify an imported or cross/hybrid breed as a native breed and if such illegality was brought to the notice of the court. Such veterinarians would also be subjected to departmental proceedings, the court said.
• The Bench also ordered that the government should, as far as possible, avoid artificial insemination of animals since it would deny mating rights of animals and thereby amount to cruelty under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960.
• Recalling that hundreds of bulls would get paraded to the Mandaiveli (yards) in each village during Pongal festival, the judges rued that the number had thinned now, and the native bulls were fast disappearing from villages forcing the latter to lose their originality.
• The Bench pointed out that the State government had enacted a legislation in 2017 for conduct of Jallikattu and the primary objective of that legislation was to preserve native breeds such as Pulikulam, Umbalachery, Nattumadu, Malaimadu and Kangeyam.
• Historic high court of Madras, built in 1892, featuring monumental Indo-Saracenic architecture.
• Address: High Ct Rd, Parry's Corner, George Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600108
• Founded: 15 August 1862, India
• Established: 1862

• 407 new species, 150 new records documented from the world’s 8th highest ‘mega biodiverse’ country
• India has added 557 new species to its fauna, which includes 407 new species and 150 new records, reveals Animal Discoveries 2020, a document published recently by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). The number of faunal species in India has climbed to 1,02,718 species with the discovery of the news species.
• Among the new species, some interesting species discovered in 2020 are Trimeresurus salazar, a new species of green pit viper discovered from Arunachal Pradesh; Lycodon deccanensis, the Deccan wolf snake discovered from Karnataka; and Sphaerotheca Bengaluru, a new species of burrowing frog named after the city of Bengaluru. The list also includes Xyrias anjaalai, a new deep water species of snake eel from Kerala; Glyptothorax giudikyensis, a new species of catfish from Manipur; and Clyster galateansis, a new species of scarab beetles from the Great Nicobar Biosphere.
• Among the new records, Myotis cf. frater, a bat species earlier known from China, Taiwan and Russia, has been reported for the first time from Uttarakhand in India; and Zoothera citrina gibsonhilli, an orange-headed thrush earlier known from southern Myanmar to south Thailand (central Malay peninsula), which was reported for the first time from India based on a collection made from the Narcondam island in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
• Of these 557 species, invertebrates constitute the majority with 486 species, while 71 species belong to vertebrates. Among invertebrates, insects dominated, with 344 species, whereas pisces and reptiles dominated among vertebrates.
• Among the States, the highest number of new species were discovered from Karnataka (66 species), followed by Kerala (51 species). Also in 2020, 46 new species were discovered from Rajasthan and 30 from West Bengal.
• In terms of new records or species recorded in the country for the first time, Arunachal Pradesh had the highest (20 new records). In the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, 25 new species were discovered and 16 new records documented in 2020.
• Of the 557 new species discovered, scientists and researchers from the ZSI contributed 121 new species and 86 new records in 2020.
• Data analysis of the 2010-2020 decade reveals that a total of 4,112 species — 2,800 new species and 1,312 new records — were added to Indian fauna. It’s also interesting that scientists of the ZSI contributed to 34% (948 species) of the newly described and 68% (898) of the newly recorded species in the last 10 years. The ZSI, which was set up by British zoologist Thomas Nelson Annandale, in 1916, has been publishing Animal Discoveries since 2007.
• Commenting on the publication, Dhriti Banerjee, Director, Zoological Survey of India, said that the discovery and description of a species is a long-drawn process and can take years, from the collection of a specimen to identifying and matching the specimen with other records in repositories, and finally publishing the details in a journal.

Lekhara had become the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold by claiming the top honours in the 10 m air rifle standing SH1 event.

Trailblazing shooter Avani Lekhara on September 3 became the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals by claiming the 50 m rifle 3 Position SH1 bronze to add to an unprecedented gold she had won earlier in the ongoing Games here.

The 19-year-old Lekhara qualified second for the event with a score of 1176, including 51 inner 10s.

In the fiercely contested finals, Lekhara totalled 445.9 to finish ahead of Ukraine’s Iryna Shchetnik, who let slip her grip on the medal spot with a poor third shot of 9.9 in the elimination.

The Jaipur-based shooter, who sustained spinal cord injuries in a car accident in 2012, had fired a world record equalling total of 249.6, which was also a new Paralympic record.

Joginder Singh Sodhi is the only other Indian to win multiple medals in the same edition of the Games. Sodhi won a silver and two bronze medals in the 1984 Paralympics. His silver came in shot put, while the two bronze medals were won in discus and javelin throw events.

• On Thursday, the rupee had settled at 73.06 against the US dollar.
• The Indian rupee inched higher by 2 paise to 73.03 against the US dollar in opening trade on Friday, despite a sustained rally in domestic equities.
• Forex traders said the local unit is trading in a narrow range as strengthening crude oil prices and dollar demand is offsetting the impact of upbeat domestic equities.
• At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 73.05 against the dollar, then surged higher to 73.03, up 3 paise over its previous close.
• Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was down 0.01 per cent at 92.21.
• Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the capital market on Thursday as they purchased shares worth Rs 348.52 crore, as per exchange data.
• On the domestic equity market front, BSE Sensex was trading 251.67 points or 0.44 per cent higher at 58,104.21, while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 70.65 points or 0.41 per cent to 17,304.80.
• Meanwhile, global oil benchmark Brent crude futures rose 0.01 per cent to USD 73.04 per barrel.
• On the macroeconomic front, India's exports jumped 45.17 per cent to USD 33.14 billion in August on account of healthy growth in segments like engineering, petroleum products, gems and jewellery and chemicals, even as the trade deficit widened to USD 13.87 billion.
• Imports in August rose 51.47 per cent to USD 47.01 billion, as against USD 31.03 billion in the corresponding month of 2020, according to the commerce ministry's provisional data.

• Union Minister of AYUSH Sarbanand Sonowal while launching the mobile application said it has been developed to give solace to employees experiencing physical issues due to their jobs. Union Minister of Ayush Sarbanand Sonowal on Wednesday launched the ‘Yoga-Break’ application for working professionals to de-stress, refresh and re-focus at their workplace to increase their productivity. 
• The event was attended by Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Law and Justice, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State Science and Technology and Earth Science, Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture and Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai, Minister of State for Ayushand Women and Child Development. Talking about the recognition of Yoga worldwide, Sonowal said, Yoga is now popular world-wide. It has reached almost every part of the globe.
• The launch was a part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, a series of events organised by the Union government to celebrate 75th year of India’s Independence. The ministry of Ayush has been allotted one week from August 30 to September 5 for promotion of several activities of Ayush, including the launch of Y-Break app, organising camps for school for Ayush systems, launch of Ashwagandha as prophylactic medicine, and distribution of medicinal plants for farmers and public.
• The Yoga protocol in the application comprises of a few simple yogic practices including Tadasana, Skandha chakra, Ardhachakrasana, Nadishodhana Pranayama and Bhramari Pranayama- Dhyana, the statement said This module was launched in January last year as a pilot project in six major metro cities in coordination with different stakeholders, it said. A total of 15 day’s trial was conducted by Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga in collaboration with six leading yoga Institutes of the country, wherein a total 717 participants from different private and government bodies.

• Neither Lionel Messi nor Neymar had great performances for their teams.
• Leaders Brazil and second-place Argentina won their away matches in South American World Cup qualifiers on Thursday ahead of their superclasico. Neither Lionel Messi nor Neymar had great performances for their teams.
• Brazil topped Chile 1-0 in Santiago in a tense match despite the absence of nine of its England-based players, including five starters, who were not released by their clubs due to COVID-19-related quarantine restrictions.
• The only goal of the match was scored by substitute Everton Ribeiro. Brazil now has 21 points with seven wins after seven matches. Chile is seventh with six points.
• Brazil’s arch rivals Argentina defeated Venezuela 3-1 at the Olimpico Stadium in Caracas. Lautaro Martinez, Joaquin Correa and Angel Correa scored for the visitors. Jeferson Soteldo netted from the spot for the hosts seconds before the final whistle.
• Argentina is second on the table with 15 points. Venezuela is on the bottom of the 10-team round robin with four points.
• This round of South American qualifiers has seen several England-based players not travel due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the British government to countries of the region. Argentina, though, did not lose any of the four it called in.
• The first four teams will automatically qualify to play in Qatar next year. The fifth-place team will take part in an international playoff.

• Farmers from across the country, including Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and the southern states, will take part in the event.
• A "kisan mahapanchayat" on issues related to farmers, including three new agriculture laws of the Centre, has been convened in this Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district on Sunday.
• The venue for the "mahapanchayat" that would be held under the banner of "Kisan Morcha" would be the government college compound, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said on Friday, adding that farmers from across the country, including Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and the southern states, will take part in the event.
• The district administration has stepped up the security measures in view of the event, officials said.

• Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu said State-level and district-level committees have been constituted for selection of beneficiaries for the schemes.
• “The government has earmarked a subsidy amount of ?60 crore against the newly launched Atma Nirbhar Krishi Yojna (ANKY) in the agriculture sector and another ?60 crore against the Atma Nirbhar Bagwani Yojana (ANBY) in the horticulture sector under the credit linked schemes,” Agriculture and Horticulture Secretary Bidol Tayeng said.
• Under both the schemes, end-to-end holistic approach has been made, covering pre-production, production, post-harvest management, processing and marketing to assure appropriate returns to growers and producers in the State.
• The objective of the schemes is to promote credit discipline and encourage banking sector to support ground level agriculture and horticulture activities besides ensuring timely availability of funds.
• The schemes can be availed by any individual farmers as well as self help groups and Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs) and if any, individual farmer avails the scheme within ?1.6 lakh, no collateral or bank guarantee would be required and for self help groups availing the scheme within or up to ?10 lakh, no collateral or bank guarantee would be required.
• The scheme will be distributed across the State and the applicants need to apply at the concerned deputy commissioner office in their respective districts. About ?300 crore investments would be done in the sector, out of which the government subsidy component would be of ?120 crore.
• Arunachal Pradesh is an Indian state in Northeast India. It was formed from the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency region, and became a state on 20 February 1987. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south.
  National Parks in Arunachal Pradesh
  Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh. ...
  Mouling National Park. ...
  Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary. ...
  Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary. ...
  Kane Wildlife Sanctuary. ...
  Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary. ...
  Sessa Orchid Sanctuary.

• India and China deployed tanks during last year stand-off in Eastern Ladakh
• The Army conducted an exercise with armoured elements in the Super High Altitude Area (SHAA) of Ladakh under the aegis of the Leh based 14 Corps.
• As part of the first phase of disengagement from Pangong Tso in February last, tanks and armoured elements on the South bank were withdrawn along with frontline troops and other equipment.
• After a major reorganisation in 2017, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was all mechanised, a second defence source said. “The terrain here permits use of tanks and mechanised elements as there are lots of plains in Eastern Ladakh,” the source stated, pointing to the possibility of tank battles in this area.
• Over the last decade, India has significantly augmented its infrastructure and deployments in Ladakh. For instance, since 2012, the Army began deploying troops on longer tenures along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) instead of loop batallions, which were on six-month short tenures, which meant availability of more acclimatised troops and more patrols in the claim areas. In addition, beginning 2014, India started deploying tank regiments consisting of T-72s in Eastern Ladakh. One tank regiment was deployed in 2014, the second one in 2016 and a third one later, completing the full brigade.
• This comes in the backdrop of the Army’s renewed focus on beefing up armour in high altitude terrain following the deployment of tanks by India and China during the last year stand-off in Eastern Ladakh.
• “Lt Gen PGK Menon, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Fire And Fury Corps reviewed the operational preparedness of Snow Leopard Brigade on Thursday through integrated manoeuvre and live fire exercise in SHAA of Ladakh,” the Defence PRO in Srinagar said on Twitter.
• The Snow Leopard Brigade is located at Nyoma, which is very close to the Chushul range, according to a defence source.
• During the last year stand-off, India and China deployed tanks at SHAA on the South Bank of Pangong Tso (lake) at very close proximity, just few 100 metres apart, with their barrels facing each other.

Key Points

• This new platform was developed by World-Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF India) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• It will help to promote a circular system for plastics.
• New platform was launched by British High Commissioner to India, Alexander Ellis.
• It will bring together prominent enterprises on a national level in order to make pledges for the creation of a circular plastics system.

Aim of the pact

• Commitments under the pact are aimed at keeping plastic packaging in the economy and out of natural environment.
• It mentioned 17 businesses including major FMCG brands, manufacturers, retailers and recyclers who have committed with the pact as founding members. Nine businesses have joined as supporting organisations.
• The pact provides for time-bound targets of reducing, innovating and re-imagining plastic packaging.
• It aims to define a list of unnecessary or problematic plastic packaging & items and take measures to address these problems with the help of redesign and innovation, by 2030.
• Under the pact, 100 per cent of plastic packaging will be made reusable or recyclable, 50 per cent of plastic packaging will be effectively recycled and 25 per cent average recycled content will be made across all plastic packaging.

• Union Minister of AYUSH Sarbanand Sonowal while launching the mobile application said it has been developed to give solace to employees experiencing physical issues due to their jobs. Union Minister of Ayush Sarbanand Sonowal on Wednesday launched the ‘Yoga-Break’ application for working professionals to de-stress, refresh and re-focus at their workplace to increase their productivity. 
• The event was attended by Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Law and Justice, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State Science and Technology and Earth Science, Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture and Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai, Minister of State for Ayushand Women and Child Development. Talking about the recognition of Yoga worldwide, Sonowal said, Yoga is now popular world-wide. It has reached almost every part of the globe.
• The launch was a part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, a series of events organised by the Union government to celebrate 75th year of India’s Independence. The ministry of Ayush has been allotted one week from August 30 to September 5 for promotion of several activities of Ayush, including the launch of Y-Break app, organising camps for school for Ayush systems, launch of Ashwagandha as prophylactic medicine, and distribution of medicinal plants for farmers and public.