Guidelines for Utilization and Processing of Steel Slag in Road Construction, released by Central Road Research Institute (CRRI). 

About Steel slag

• It is a solid waste generated in the process of steel making. 
• It is composed of oxides of calcium, iron, silicon, magnesium, etc.
• Key Applications: Road base course material (Steel Slag Road Technology (SSRT)), Blending material for Portland cement, Fertilizer and soil improvement etc. 
• Benefits of SSRT
  • Technical: Improved durability of road; Improved skid resistance; Economical than bituminous etc. 
  • Environmental: Utilization of 19 million tons of steel slag waste, generated annually; Reduction of carbon footprint in road construction.

India chaired its first meeting as Chair of the Colombo Process. 

About Colombo Process

• Regional Consultative Process that provides platform for consultations on the management of overseas employment and contractual labour.
• Comprises of 12 Member States of Asia such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc.
  • India is one of the founding members.
• Thematic priority areas are: Skills and Qualification Recognition Processes; Fostering Ethical Recruitment Practices, etc.
• UN’s International Organization for Migration provides technical and administrative support to the Colombo Process. 

Finland is supporting Least-developed countries (LDCs) through projects funded by the EIF.

About EIF

• It is the only multilateral partnership dedicated to assisting LDCs to use trade as an engine for growth, sustainable development and poverty reduction.
• In it, 51 countries are partners. 
• It is also supported by International organisations like the World Bank, World Trade Organisation (WTO), etc. 
• EIF Trust Fund Manager: United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

Researchers have discovered that legumes use zinc as a secondary signal to regulate nitrogen fixation efficiency. 

• Nitrogen fixation converts molecular nitrogen in atmosphere into nitrogen compounds that can be used by other biochemical processes. 

Role of Zinc in farming

• It exists naturally in rocks and is an essential micronutrient for plant life.
• Discovery sheds light on its character as a signal for nitrogen fixation in leguminous plants. 
• Fixation Under Nitrate (FUN), a zinc sensor which regulates nitrogen fixation, can transform legume farming by enhancing crop efficiency and decreasing the dependence on synthetic fertilizers by adapting to environmental and soil conditions.

Archaeologists discovered world’s oldest known 41,000-year-old ostrich nest in Andhra Pradesh.

• It could provide key information about the extinction of megafauna in the Indian subcontinent.

About Megafauna

• The term megafauna describes animals above a certain weight threshold (generally above 50 kg).
• Megafauna may be classified based on their dietary type as megaherbivores (plant-eaters), megacarnivores (meat-eaters), and megaomnivores (who eat both plants and meat).
• Anthropogenic pressures on megafauna since the Late Pleistocene have resulted in dramatic losses, especially in the megaherbivores and megacarnivores.
• Some extinct megafaunal species include woolly mammoths, sabre-toothed tigers, giant sloths etc. 

Araku coffee found mention in Prime Minister’s  'Mann ki Baat'

About Araku Arabica Coffee

• Grows in the hilly tracks of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
• Accredited with Geographical Indication (GI) Tag in 2019.
• Takes its name from Araku Valley, situated in the Eastern Ghats (Andhra Pradesh).
  • Weather of the valley with its hot days and cold nights along with the iron-rich soil allows the coffee to ripen slowly and gives it aromatic richness and taste.
• Produced by the tribals with emphasis on organic approach with use of organic manures, green manuring and organic pest management practices.

A new malware called ‘Snowblind' is targeting Android phones.

About Snowblind Malware

• It is a malware that targets Android devices to steal banking and other sensitive information. 
  • Malware, or malicious software, is any program or file that's intentionally harmful to a computer, network or server.
• People usually get this virus by downloading a malicious app that looks legitimate.
• It repackages an app to avoid detection and misuses accessibility features to steal sensitive information and control the app remotely. 

T Coronae Borealis (T CrB) or the "Blaze Star," is on the precipice of a Nova explosion.

• T CrB is a binary star system some 3,000 light-years away that consists of a white dwarf and a red giant. 

About Nova explosion

• It is the instance of a star exploding as it interacts with another, nearby star. 
• The hydrogen from red giant accretes on the surface of white dwarf, causing a buildup of pressure and heat, eventually triggering a big thermonuclear explosion. 
• For T CrB, this happens roughly every 80 years.