# Test positivity rate

• India recorded 2,27,709 new covid-19 cases and 3392 deaths on saturday.

• As many as 20,66,285 samples were tested on friday, which is highest number of tests till now in the country.

• India’s average daily test positivity rate continues to decline.

• It was 22.7% on may 9 and reduced to 14.2% as on may 21.

# Nepal parliament dissolved

• Nepal plunged into fresh political turnmoil on saturday as President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved parliament and fixed general election in november.

• The surprise announcement comes after a presidential statement said neither caretaker Prime minister KP Sharma oli nor opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba was able to demonstrate a majority to form government.

# Cow protection bill

• Assam governor Jagdish mukhi said the state government would introduce a cow protection bill in the next assembly session.

• The proposed bill envisages imposition of complete ban on transport of cattle outside the state.

• Government also underlined the government’s commitment to recover the lands of the satras (Vaishnav monasteries) and places of worship from illegal encroachments.

# Indian variant controversy

• The government has asked social media companies to immediately remove any content on their platforms which mentions or refers to the term “Indian variant” of coronavirus.

• Indian government has done this to curb spread of misinformation around covid-19.

• IT ministry wrote to all social media platforms emphasining that the WHO has not associated the term “Indian variant” with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in any of its reports.

# BRICS

• The BRICS astronomy working group has recommended networking of telescopes in member countries and creating a regional data network.

• Under the science, technology and innovation track of the BRICS 2021 calendar, India hosted the seventh meeting of BRICS Astronomy working group (BAWS).