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ET Explains
ET Explains: HMPV a known virus, no need to panic
HMPV is not a new virus. Noted virologist Raman Gangakhedkar told ET that about 5-10% of all respiratory infections are caused by this virus during the winter season. "This virus has been circulating in India and there is no need to panic or stop air travel," he said. It is a RNA virus and it mutates rapidly. "So, it is yet not clear whether it is the same virus that has been reported in China," Gangakhedkar said.
ET Explainer: Taxing times for popcorn & used cars
The GST Council clarified the tax rates on ready-to-eat, pre-packaged, and caramelised popcorn at 5%, 12%, and 18% respectively. It also revised the tax regulations on old and used cars, making the rate uniform at 18% for all categories. GST on the sale of old cars among individuals remains non-applicable.
Explained: What is star rating system for green steel?
India defines green steel as having emissions below 2.2 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of finished steel and proposes 37% government procurement of this variant. A star-rating system categorizes green steel based on emission intensity, aiming to promote lower-carbon production amidst global pressure for greener practices.
5 things that will shape the outcome of the 2024 US Presidential Election
With the 2024 US Presidential elections approaching fast, all eyes are on the key issues and trends that will decide the next occupant of the White House. Today, we'll break down the 5 things that will decide the fate of the election.
No easy access for morning-after pill?
The government is considering a proposal requiring prescriptions for emergency contraception pills due to concerns about misuse and health risks. Experts argue that limiting access could result in more unwanted pregnancies, emphasizing the need for balanced information rather than restrictive measures.
ET Explains: Cure to Type-1 Diabetes offers hope, but exercise caution
Chinese scientists claim a potential cure for type-1 diabetes through cell transplants, allowing a patient to stop insulin injections for a year. While promising, the breakthrough requires extensive trials to confirm long-term efficacy and accessibility remains a challenge, particularly in India.
Pager Blasts: Are mobile phones vulnerable, too?
The explosion of pagers used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Syria has raised concerns about the security of smartphones. Experts explain that while such attacks on smartphones are theoretically possible, the sophisticated security measures and hardware integrity checks make it highly unlikely for a mass-scale attack to occur.
What is 'Mission Mausam' and why is it needed?
India's 'Mission Mausam' aims to enhance weather forecasting and management using advanced tools like AI, machine learning, and expanded observation networks. The mission will include cloud chambers, additional radars, satellites, and supercomputers to improve accuracy and tackle challenges posed by climate change.
ET Explains: Using blockchain to check spam is a work in progress
In the immediate term, the blockchain registration system was able to weed out unregistered spammers. The number of headers being used to send SMSes were reduced by one-third from about 900,000 in 2018 to about 600,000 in 2022. Lookalike headers of SBI, Uber, Amazon, etc. used by spammers were dropped. However, the scale of implementation was so huge that many companies didn't get it right. This led to the failure of 50% messages on March 8, 2021, when telecom companies started filtering their content templates. OTPs from banks, railways, Aadhaar authentication and even with Co-Win registrations needed for Covid vaccinations were disrupted then.
ET Explains: Why RBI may not cut rates despite a fall in retail inflation
The wait for a reduction in policy rate is likely to get longer as the fall in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in July to 3.54%, below the RBI’s 4% mandate, for the first time in nearly five years may not be durable till the time food prices ease.
Must Watch
ET Explains: High temp hits flights to Leh. Why?
IndiGo recently cancelled flights to and from Leh due to high temperatures affecting runway operations, highlighting the challenges of operating in extreme heat and high altitudes.
ET Explains: LRS for foreign currency accounts in GIFT city
That approval for expanding the scope of services potentially multiplies the business opportunity for banks in the GIFT city more than five times. ET explains what LRS is and the different permissible and non-permissible transactions under this program, and how banks and individuals stand to benefit from the new rules.
Why RBI should be concerned about climate change
Climatic factors are now increasingly playing an important role in influencing food and fuel inflation which tends to affect the overall inflation levels which is emerging as a big area of concern for monetary policy. ET explains how could climate change impact monetary policy.
Menace of 'money mules' and how not to become one
Mule accounts are bank accounts that are used to launder proceeds of crime by fraudsters. In an age when there are strict laws on holding or using large amounts of cash, transactions in the banking system cannot be avoided. At the same time, criminals cannot use bank accounts because KYC norms will enable authorities to link the money to the activity through which they receive it.
ET Explains: All about vRAN and what it means for Vi
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has completed trials using Samsung's virtualised RAN (vRAN) technology, which is expected to bring substantial cost savings to the telco compared to legacy hardware infrastructure. vRAN is a technology that allows for the complete running of baseband functions as software on commonly available hardware, reducing server or processor capacity at sites. It also allows for the centralisation of some processing functions to local nodes, reducing server or processor capacity at sites.
ET Explainer: How will Apple's RCS support for SMSes improve user experience
RCS is an interactive messaging protocol which enables features such as two-way communication, exchange of text/pictures/videos, group conversations, read receipts, lead generation and other advantages as compared to the traditional SMS.
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