News in Short

• Plasma jets may kill the novel coronavirus on surfaces such as metal, leather, and plastic in as a little as 30 seconds, according to a new study.
• The researchers used an atmospheric pressure plasma jet they built with a 3D printer to spray surfaces that were treated with SARS-CoV-2 cultures.
• A relatively new technology, cold atmospheric plasma is an ionised, near-room-temperature gas that has proven effective in cancer treatments, wound healing, dentistry, and other medical applications.

• Scientists have long suspected there might be a new species in Myanmar, based on DNA extracted from the droppings of wild monkeys.
• The researchers extracted DNA and measured physical features such as tail and ear length, which they compared with those of wild populations.
• This revealed a new species, the Popa langur, which is found only in patches of forest in the centre of the country. Most live in a wildlife sanctuary park on the slopes of the sacred pilgrimage site of Mount Popa.
• The Popa langur, named after its home on Mount Popa, is critically endangered with numbers down to about 200 individuals.

• The Union government has brought Over The Top (OTT) platforms, or video streaming service providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and others, under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• This will give the government control over OTT platforms, which were unregulated till now. From time to time, the government had indicated the necessity to monitor these platforms.
• Anticipating the government’s intervention, in January 2019, eight video streaming services had signed a self-regulatory code that laid down a set of guiding principles for content on these platforms.

• Defending champions Mumbai Indians have won the IPL 2020 trophy for the fifth time by defeating Delhi Capitals in the finals.
• This was for the first time Delhi Capitals were playing finals in IPL history. Batting first Capitals scored 156, which Mumbai Indians chased in the 19th over.
• Trent Boult was named as Player of the Match while Joffra Archer won Player of the tournament. K L Rahul won the orange cap with highest run score and Kagiso Rabada won the Purple cap with highest number of wickets.

• The National Democratic Front (NDA) composing BJP, JD(U) and smaller allies won the assembly elections in Bihar after a fierce contest.
• The ruling coalition won 125 seats in the 243-member State Assembly against 110 clinched by the Opposition Grand Alliance.
• Nitish Kumar is expected to be named the chief minister of the ruling alliance. It will be the fourth continuous term for Mr Kumar.