India remains world''s top remittance recipient

• This follows an almost record recovery of 8.6 percent in 2021, according to the World Bank’s latest Migration and Development Brief released today.
• Remittances to Ukraine, which is the largest recipient in Europe and Central Asia, are expected to rise by over 20 percent in 2022.
• The top five recipient countries for remittances in 2021 were India, Mexico (replacing China), China, the Philippines, and Egypt.
• India topped the list in the world receiving USD 89 billion in remittance followed by Mexico at USD 54 billion, and China at USD 53 billion last year.
• Among economies where remittance inflows stand at very high shares of GDP are Lebanon (54 percent), Tonga (44 percent), Tajikistan (34 percent), Kyrgyz Republic (33 percent), and Samoa (32 percent).

3rd Bangladesh-India joint committee meeting on peaceful use of nuclear energy

• Both sides stated their desire for collaboration in societal applications of radiation technologies in areas such as cancer care, nuclear medicine and food preservation.
• The Bangladesh side expressed appreciation for the services being rendered by the Indian experts currently deployed at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
• Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be a 2.4 GWe nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.
• The nuclear power plant is being constructed at Rooppur on the bank of the river Padma.
• In 2018, India, Bangladesh and Russia signed an agreement to allow Indian firms in construction and installation works in the “non-critical" category for the Rooppur nuclear power plant project in northwest Bangladesh.

Indian company produces tactical battery for battlefield conditions

• The heavy-duty power bank — Pravaig Field Pack — is portable and weighs 14 kilograms.
• It is of great utility to the digitally connected modern military and special forces personnel who have to operate in high-risk zones such as Ukraine and Libya, while using gadgets that require constant power back-up.
• A powerful tactical battery can be used even to operate larger military equipment such as drones and it can even help coordinate tactical operations which involves multiple weapons systems.
• This supply marks a major shift in the defence landscape of India, from users to developers, from importers to exporters.
• As illustrated by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, digital coordination is now part of the battlefield readiness of modern soldiers and special forces personnel.
• Read more on how battery works : 

Premature release of convict has to be considered as per policy of state where crime committed: SC

• The Bench said under Section 432(7) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, there cannot be a concurrent jurisdiction of two State governments on the issue of remission.
• Section 432 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure allows state governments to grant remission to convicts. But the exercise of this power is in itself subject to judicial review.
• The President and governors of states have also been given the right to remit sentences of any person convicted of any offence under Articles 72 and 161 of the Constitution.

India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage: Strengthening Buddhist heritage & legacy

• Lumbini is the place where Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born around 623 BC. He later attained enlightenment at Bodhgaya in Bihar district and came to be known as the Buddha.
• Modi will participate in the shilanyas [foundation stone laying] ceremony for the India International Centre and offer prayers at the Mayadevi temple that is dedicated to the mother of the Buddha.
• The work on the centre will be undertaken by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), which is a “grantee body” under the Ministry of Culture.
• The International Buddhist Confederation was registered on November 2, 2012, and is aimed at propagating and preserving the teachings and heritage of the Buddha across the world, and especially in India’s immediate neighbourhood.
• The Buddhist centre would be the first “net zero emission” building in Nepal.

COVID ‘Long Haulers’: Long-Term Effects of COVID-19

• These sequelae have also been noticed in people who did not exhibit any symptoms during their infection stage.
• In the absence of a universally-accepted definition, post-COVID Syndrome, by consensus, is defined as signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with COVID-19 which continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by alternative diagnosis.
• Technically, post-COVID defines symptoms that persist four weeks after infection and Long COVID, 12 weeks past a COVID-19 infection.
• The effects range from skin rash, sleep difficulties, fatigue or muscle weakness, hair loss, joint pain, palpitations, dizziness, cough, headache, sore throat, chest pain, smell and taste disorders, anxiety disorders and mobility issues.
• The Lancet study, perhaps for the first time, described Long COVID for the longest time possible — two years.

Vaccine against 3 encephalitis viruses found safe, effective

• EEEV, WEEV and VEEV are spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
• Horses are also susceptible to infection, but horses cannot transmit the viruses directly to humans. Infections in humans are rare but can lead to flu-like symptoms and, in some cases, severe neurological damage or death.
• Researchers designed a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate that uses proteins from the outer shells of the viruses. VLPs do not contain the genetic material that the viruses need to replicate inside cells, so VLPs cannot cause infection.  
• EEEV- 

Devasahayam Pillai, first Indian layman to be declared a saint by Vatican

• Pope Francis canonised Blessed Devasahayam during the Canonisation Mass in St Peter’s Basilica.
• Devasahayam was born on April 23, 1712 in Nattalam village in Kanyakumari district, and went on to serve in the court of Marthanda Varma of Travancore.
• After meeting a Dutch naval commander at the court, Devasahayam was baptised in 1745, and assumed the name ‘Lazarus’, meaning ‘God is my help’.