Today in History
On March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated in Paris to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. The tower is made of wrought iron which was designed by Gustave Eiffel, and was designated as UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991.
Customs Duty relief for rare diseases drugs
The Union Government has declared a waiver on basic customs duty on all drugs and food imported for personal use for the treatment of all rare diseases. These drugs are listed under the National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021. Pembrolizumab, used for the treatment of cancer, was also fully exempted from the basic customs duty.
Guidelines for foreign universities
The draft University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations aims to internationalise the higher education system in India and to foster academic collaboration between universities of India and abroad. Foreign universities with a global ranking within the top 500 are eligible to set up offshore campuses in India.
Spouses of H1-B visa holders can work in the U.S.
The U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has ruled that spouse of H1-B visa holders can work in the U.S. H1-B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows skilled foreign workers to work in U.S. companies in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.
Evan Gershkovich arrested in Russia on espionage charges
Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist working for the Wall Street Journal, was detained in Yekaterinburg in Russia on espionage charges. He is believed to be the first foreign journalist arrested for suspicion of spying in post-Soviet Russia.
Piezoelectric effect
In the Piezoelectric effect, a body develops an electric current when subject to mechanical stress. It was discovered by Jacques Curie and Perrie Curie in 1880. Quartz is a piezoelectric crystal which is used in wristwatches and clocks. Scientists have found piezoelectric effect in ionic liquids which are made of ions instead of molecules. These liquids are 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis and 1-hexyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis.
Yangli festival
Yangli is a post-harvest festival celebrated by Tiwa Tribe in Moraigaon district of Assam. It is an important festival of the Tiwas as agriculture is the backbone o their economy.
