CURRENT AFFAIRS

Scientists at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, have discovered 14 previously unknown bacterial species and nearly 200 undocumented microbial strains while studying the gut microbiomes of India's tribal communities.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) dedicated India’s first indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine for pigs. Developed by scientists at the ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD) in Bhopal, this MA-104 Cell Line-Based Live Attenuated Vaccine represents a landmark breakthrough in veterinary science and animal biosecurity.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has released a draft notification proposing the mandatory adoption of Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems in newly manufactured motor vehicles from 1 October 2028. 

A multi-institutional study led by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has concluded that introducing the Hexavalent Vaccine into India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) can improve operational efficiency and reduce the logistical burden of childhood immunisation. 

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) held a high-level technical review meeting at the UR Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru, to assess the progress of Chandrayaan-5, also known as the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX).

India has celebrated 25 years of successful operations of the 2-metre Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) at Hanle, Ladakh. A three-day conference organized by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) highlighted the telescope's achievements, scientific contributions, and future expansion plans.

India's drug regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), has approved Novo Nordisk's Wegovy (Semaglutide 2.4 mg injection) for the treatment of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), a serious form of fatty liver disease.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI) to manufacture M72/AS01E, a promising tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidate currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials.

The Government of India has launched Phase-III of the Biomedical Research Career Programme (BRCP) with an investment of ₹1,500 crore.

The United Nations (UN) has released the Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI), marking the first-ever scientific assessment of AI commissioned by the UN.