Notes:
The National Assembly of France has recently approved the creation of an “ecocide” offence, which seeks to punish acts of environmental damage.
The bill will be applied to the most serious cases of environmental damage at national level, such as the pollution of a river. An offence of endangering the environment is punishable on the lines of endangering life.

Notes:
Scientists have recently found that the Indian jumping ant can shrink its brain by nearly 20 per cent to prepare its body for reproduction.
As per the study, the ant can again increase its brain size over the following weeks. The Indian jumping ant is the first insect known to be capable of both increasing and decreasing its brain size. There are other insects including the honey bee which can increase their brain size.

Notes:
Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually launched world’s first affordable and long-lasting hygiene product in the name of “DuroKea Series”.
The hygiene product has been launched by IIT Hyderabad researchers. This innovative and long-lasting technologies was developed to combat COVID-19 virus spreading.

Notes:
Russia is set to deliver the first regimental set of S-400 Triumf ‘SA-21 Growler’ air defence systems to India.
India and Russia have inked a USD 5.43 billion contract, for the S-400 Triumf ‘SA-21Growler’, which is long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. This system is for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and will help in further enhancing the air defence (AD).

Notes:
The Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that 110 crore rupees ROPAX Jetty project is to come up on the river Dhamra in Odisha.
Centre has approved over 50 crore rupees for developing the Roll-on/Roll-off Passenger (ROPAX) Jetty and allied infrastructure, under the Sagarmala initiative.