India develops its own Mpox RT-PCR testing kit, 19.3% drop in air pollution in 2022, Amazon launches AI-Powered shopping assistant chatbot 'Rufus' in India, and more. Find out what's happening in the country with this India News Roundup.

Amazon is set to introduce its generative AI chatbot, Rufus, to India-based customers. The AI assistant will soon be answering user queries related to shopping, offering personalized recommendations, and facilitating product discovery on the online marketplace as the e-commerce giant integrates this new technology into its operations.

Snow disappeared entirely from Uttarakhand's Om Parvat last week, a phenomenon that has left visitors and experts concerned. The occurrence is being linked to scanty rain, scattered snowfall in the upper Himalayan region over the past five years, increased vehicular pollution, and global warming.

According to a report by ANI, Siemens Healthineers' IMDX Monkeypox Detection RT-PCR Assay has received manufacturing approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). This marks a significant development as India has successfully created its own home-grown RT-PCR testing kit to combat Mpox.

India recorded a significant 19.3% reduction in particulate pollution in 2022, the second-highest drop globally, just after Bangladesh. This improvement, attributed to favourable weather conditions and fewer thermal inversions, has reportedly added a year to the life expectancy of every citizen.

Satish Kumar, an officer of the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS), has been appointed as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Railway Board. This historic appointment makes him the first person from the Scheduled Castes to hold this esteemed position in the board's history, according to senior officials.

Kumar's tenure is set to begin on September 1, following the retirement of the current chairperson and CEO, Jaya Varma Sinha, on August 31.