1) Petroleum Minister to launch fuel conservation campaign ‘Saksham’
•Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan will be inaugurated “Saksham” campaign. “Saksham” is a fuel conservation mega campaign of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA). This campaign aims to spread the message of fuel conservation and greener environment across India.
•Petroleum Conservation Research Association has been creating awareness in the public about the need for fuel conservation and adopting tips for saving fuel. This campaign carries out various activities like ‘Saksham’ cycle Day, cyclotrons, seminars for housewives on adopting the simple fuel-saving measure.
2) 7th edition of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference 2020
•The 7th Conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region will start in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the Conference. The main theme of the conference is the ROLE OF LEGISLATORS. In the Conference, delegates will discuss the Capacity Building of Legislators for Scrutinizing Budgetary Proposals and Enhancing Focus of Legislators on Legislative Business.
3) Super Senior Citizens and PwDs now vote through Postal Ballot
•Super Senior Citizens (over 80 years of age) and PwDs now vote through Postal Ballot in Delhi Assembly Election. Till now, voting through the postal ballot was available to armed forces and those assigned in poll duties. For the first time, Delhi Metro, Northern Railway Employees and media persons covering polling can also use postal ballot facility to cast their votes. A postal ballot is a facility for those absentee voters, including those who are unable to vote due to some immobility can vote.
4) 1st ever Food Processing Summit hosted by Ladakh
•Union Territory Ladakh is hosting the 1st-ever Food Processing Summit to attract investors to the region. This summit is organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the UT Administration of Ladakh.
•Ladakh has vast scope for investment in food Processing Industries in horticulture products like Apricot, SeabuckThorn, Apple and agricultural produce like buckwheat and barley. The event is aimed at encouraging the entrepreneurs to begin a StartUp to tap the potential in the Food Processing Industries in Ladakh.
5) 5th Science Film festival starts in Goa
•The 5th edition of Science Film Festival of India (SCI-FFI 2020) was started in Goa’s capital city Panaji. The aims of the festival are instilling the knowledge of science among the youth with the help of exhibitions, masterclasses, workshops, and other activities. Films that have been selected to be screened at the event are ‘Mission Mangal’, ‘Antariksham 9000 KMPH’, ‘Everest’, ‘Aamorie’, ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’, ‘Geostorm’ and, ‘Virus’ among others.
•A special workshop titled ‘Million SoUL’ will also be conducted by IIT Bombay on training about making solar lamps. The workshop is aimed at empowering people from backward communities. The workshop will also aim at teaching participants about the health, educational and environmental benefits of solar energy.
6) Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev submits resignation to Putin
•Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has resigned. They submit their resignation to President Vladimir Putin. Medvedev would take on a new job as deputy head of Russia’s Security Council. The changes would include giving parliament the power to choose the prime minister and senior cabinet members, instead of the president as in the current system.
7) Robert Abela elected as Prime minister of Malta
•Labour Party candidate Robert Abela elected as 14th prime minister of Malta with 57.9% of the vote. He defeated his closest rival Chris Fearne. He will replace Joseph Muscat, who resigned over the murder of a journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia.
8) Indian Lawyer Harish Salve appointed as Queen’s Counsel
•Indian Lawyer Harish Salve was appointed into Queen Elizabeth II’s counsel of Senior Advocate. He has been appointed as Queen’s Counsel (QC) for the courts of England and Wales. His name featured in the list of silk appointments released by the UK Ministry of Justice on January 13. Salve and other appointees will be formally appointed as Queen’s Counsel on March 16 2020. The title of Queen’s Counsel is awarded to those who have demonstrated particular skill and expertise in the conduct of advocacy.
•Harish Salve did his LL.B. from Nagpur University and began his career with JB Dadachandji & Co. in 1980. He was designated as Senior Advocate by the Delhi High Court in 1992. Salve was called to Blackstone Chambers in 2013. He had represented India before the International Court of Justice in Kulbhushan Jadhav extradition case.
9) IUPAC elected Bipul Behari Saha as bureau member
•A noted chemist Bipul Behari Saha has been elected as a bureau member of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) for the period 2020-23. He is the second Indian after CNR Rao to be elected for this position in a century.
•IUPAC is the largest global organization of Chemistry professionals. It was founded 100 years ago. IUPAC has the responsibility of naming all new elements and compounds, declare atomic weights and physical constants, update Periodic table and carry out research projects. It is comprised of 12 Committees and 8 Divisions.
10) World Economic Forum releases “The Global Risks Report 2020”: Key takeaways from the report
•The World Economic Forum has released the “The Global Risks Report 2020“. The Global Risks Report 2020 is the 15th edition of the WEF’s Global Risks Report prepared in partnership with Marsh & McLennan and Zurich Insurance Group. The Global Risks Report 2020 is a part of the WEF’s Global Risks Initiative. The report states the major risks to be faced in the coming year by the world. It also stated the need of multistakeholder approach to address the greatest challenges of the world. The WEF report is a compilation of the risks data, Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS) being the source of all the data. GPRS harnessed the skillset of the Forum’s extensive network of business, government, civil society and thought leaders. GPRS collected the data through a survey among the World Economic Forum’s multistakeholder communities, the professional networks of its Advisory Board, and members of the Institute of Risk Management. The survey was conducted by GPRS from 5 September to 22 October 2019.
