Latest News: J&J vaccine gets WHO approval, QUAD leaders pledge cooperation and more

NASA Scientists Discover Exoplanet That 'lost One Atmosphere, But Gained Another' | Watch

US space agency NASA on March 11 shared about an “exciting” rocky planet that lost one atmosphere but gained another. While taking to Twitter, NASA informed that Hubble studied an exoplanet and discovered that it might have a secondary atmosphere caused by volcanic activity. They also shared a blog link that explains the discovery of the rocky planet, GJ 1132 b. 

“Scientists using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have found evidence that a planet orbiting a distant star may have lost its atmosphere but gained a second one through volcanic activity,” NASA said. 

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WHO Gives Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 Vaccine Emergency Use Listing

After Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccine, the World Health Organization on March 12approved the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine for emergency use. In a statement, the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that every new, safe and effective tool against COVID-19 is another step closer to controlling the pandemic. The UN agency said that the J&J had been granted the “emergency use listing” which assesses the suitability of new health products during public health emergencies, and is quicker than the regular licensing system. 

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PM Modi Had 'fruitful Discussions' At QUAD Summit; Pledged Vaccines For Indo-Pacific: MEA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with leaders of the US, Japan, and Australia participated in the first Leaders’ summit of the Quadrilateral Framework on March 12. Following the summit, PM Modi said that he had “fruitful discussions” with Joe Biden, Scott Morrison and Yoshihide Suga. While taking to Twitter, PM Modi said the discussions on vaccines, climate change, and emerging technologies make the QUAD a “positive force” for global good and for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. 

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Biden Admin To Reconsider Objections To H1B Visas During Trump Regime

The Biden administration on Friday said it is willing to reconsider the objections or adverse decisions to foreign workers on visas like H-1B due to the three policy memos by the previous Trump administration which now have been rescinded. The move is expected to come to the rescue of a large number of Indian IT professionals who were having a tough time during the previous Trump administration due to various policies and memorandums on non-immigrant work visas, in particular H-1B.

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QUAD Leaders Pledge To Strengthen Cooperation & Strive For 'free, Open, Inclusive' Region

The QUAD leaders on March 12 vowed to strive for a “free, open and inclusive” region unconstrained by “coercion” - referring to China which is flexing its military muscle in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. In a joint statement issued after the Leaders’ Summit of the Quadrilateral alliance attended by US President Joe Biden, PM Narendra Modi, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga, the leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation on the “defining challenges of our time”. They also said that the four countries are committed to working together and with a range of partners.

The statement titled ‘The Spirit of the QUAD’, read, “We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific. We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion”. 

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