1. The US approves dengue vaccine Dengvaxia
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first vaccine for dengue, Dengvaxia.FDA has also placed significant restrictions on its use because the vaccine has been shown to put some people at heightened risk.It can be only given to the people aged 9 to 16 who live in areas where dengue is endemic and who are shown by lab testing already to have been infected with the disease.The Philippines, which became the first country to approve it in 2016, was also the first to ban it in February this year over safety concerns.Dengvaxia is produced by the French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur.
2. Mother’s Day: 2 May 2019
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Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of every May to honour motherhood and pay homage to mothers who have and continue to inspire us all.It is believed that the bond between a mother and her child is the strongest, and Mother’s Day appreciates the same.This year, the occasion falls on May 12.
3. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos reveals mock-up of new lunar lander spacecraft
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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos showcased a mock-up of a new lunar lander spacecraft.He said that the spacecraft will be able to take equipment and humans to the moon by 2024.The spacecraft was built by his Blue Origin rocket company and is called Blue Moon.Blue Moon is planned to be capable of delivering 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) to the surface of the Moon and can also be used as a cargo vehicle to support NASA’s outer space activities.
4. ISRO to launch RISAT-2B from Sriharikota on May 22
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Indian Space Research Organization ISRO is scheduled to launch the nation’s latest radar imaging satellite RISAT-2B on 22nd May.It will be lifted off by the workhorse rocket PSLV-C46 in its 48th flight.It will zoom into space from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, 90 km north of Chennai.RISAT-2B is a modern radar imaging earth observation satellite. It will be placed in an orbit of 555 km from the earth.
5. Indian Air Force gets first Apache Helicopter from the US
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The first Apache Helicopter AH-64E(I) was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force, IAF at Boeing production facility in Mesa, Arizona, USA.The IAF had signed a contract with the US Government and Boeing Company in September 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters.The first batch of the helicopters is scheduled to be shipped to India by July this year.These helicopters will provide a significant edge in any future joint operations in support.
6. World’s 1st parent-wise genome for buffaloes developed
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The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has developed the world’s first complete parent-wise genome assembly called “NDDB_ABRO_Murrah” of riverine buffaloes.This comes after the successful launch of INDUSCHIP, a customized genotyping chip for indigenous cattle and their crosses.Buffaloes contribute more than 50% to the total milk production in India which is the world’s largest milk producer.The development of genome assembly will help in improving genetics of the buffaloes and enhancing their productivity further.
7. Kiki Bertens beats Simona Halep to win Madrid Open
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Kiki Bertens beat two-time Madrid Open champion Simona Halep 6-4, 6-4 to take the women’s title.The seventh-ranked Dutch became the first woman to win the Madrid title without dropping a set.In the men’s competition, Novak Djokovic will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in men’s final.Barbara Strycova and Hsieh Su-Wei won the women’s doubles title, beating Dabrowski and Xu Yifan 6-3, 6-1 in the final.
8. Sahitya Akademi awardee Thoppil Mohamed Meeran passed away
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Noted novelist and Sahitya Akademi awardee Thoppil Mohamed Meeran passed away.Saaivu Naarkkaali (The Reclining Chair), released in 1995, bagged him the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1997.In recognition, he received 8 awards including the Sahitya Akademi Award and Tamil Nadu Kalai Ilakkiya Perumantram Award in 1992.
