Embedded Files
20 June 2025
NAKSHATRA
By the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
It is a high-performance computing facility at National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.
NAKSHATRA facility supports faster analysis of complex genomic data and accelerate AI-driven vaccine and drug development.
Sickle Cell Disease
An inherited blood disorder, leading to the production of abnormal haemoglobin (HbS), which distorts red blood cells into a sickle shape.
These sickle-shaped cells block blood flow, causing severe pain, anaemia, organ damage, increased risk of infection, and reduced life expectancy.
This disease is common among tribal populations in central and southern India.
The government has launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (2023) to address it by 2047.
There is only one drug available for the management of the disease; no option to select a drug from a range of alternatives.
Recently, the Union Government announced Rs. 10 crore prize for drug development to treat Sickle cell disease.
Doomsday Fish
It refers to the oarfish, a deep-sea species.
It can grow over 10 meters long and usually lives at depths of 200 to 1,000 meters, rarely seen near the surface.
It is believed in folklore to surface before underwater earthquakes or tsunamis, earning it a reputation as a harbinger of doom.
Recently, a Doomsday Fish was caught off the Tamil Nadu coast by fishermen.
Lakshya Zero Dumpsite
An initiative of Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (under Swachh Bharat Mission).
Under this initiative, several cities have undertaken the remediation of legacy waste sites.
Legacy waste sites mean the locations in urban areas where solid wastes are dumped piling up to thousands of tonnes.
Remediating such sites mean not only to eliminate the waste but also to transform the area into a clean, green urban forest.
Recently, Nakrawadi dumping site (Rajkot, Gujarat) turned its decades-old dumpsite into a 20-acre green urban forest.
Energy Transition Index (ETI), 2025
By World Economic Forum (WEF)
Ranks countries on their progress towards energy transition from fossil fuels to clean energy
Sweden ranked first. India’s rank dropped from rank 63 in 2024 to rank 71 in 2025.
World Investment Report 2025
By UN Conference on Trade and Development
The US remained the largest recipient of FDI while India ranked 16th
The report highlights that uncertainty is affecting global investment
Low investment may impact on developing countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for SDGs
Compromiso de Sevilla (the Seville Commitment)
It is an outcome document of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) that took place in Sevilla, Spain.
The document is a roadmap addressing critical areas like global tax reform, climate finance, and sovereign debt restructuring.
FfD4 is a cornerstone of a renewed global framework for financing sustainable development. It unites global government leaders, institutions, businesses, and civil society.
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