1) World Oceans Day 2020: 8th June
•World Ocean Day is observed globally on 8th June every year. This day is observed to raise global awareness about the importance of the ocean in our lives and the ways through which we can protect it.
•The theme of UN World Oceans Day 2020 is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean.” Innovation—relating to the introduction of the latest methods, ideas, or products—is a dynamic term and one that is fundamentally filled with hope.
•The purpose of the Day is to tell the general public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world’s oceans. They are a major source of food and medicine and a critical part of the biosphere. In the end, it’s each day to celebrate together the sweetness, the wealth and therefore the promise of the ocean.
2) World Food Safety Day 2020: 7th June
•The second World Food Safety Day (WFSD) is observed on 7 June 2020. The aim of the day is to raise awareness about different foodborne risks and the measures of how to prevent it. The campaigns will also spread awareness that how food safety is very much important and related to different other important factors of life such as human health, economic growth, and many others. Also, the day will surely ensure in building up a connection between food safety and other elements such as agriculture, sustainable development, and market access.
•According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this year theme is ‘Food safety, everyone’s business’.
3) GoI constitutes task force headed by Jaya Jaitly
•A task force has been constituted by the Government of India to evaluate issues related to Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate, Total Fertility Rate, Sex Ratio at Birth, Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and any other issue that pertains to health as well as nutrition. It will also review the correlation of age of marriage and motherhood along with health, medical well being and nutritional status of mother and child, during pregnancy & birth. The task force has been set up by the Women and Child Development Ministry and will be headed by Jaya Jaitly.
•Jaya Jaitly headed 10 member task force will propose appropriate legislations and amendments in the present laws. It will also chalk out a comprehensive roll-out plan with timelines to implement these recommendations. The task force would also be responsible for promoting higher education among women.
4) G20 group pledges over $21 billion to fight Covid-19 pandemic
•Member countries of the Group of 20 (G20) has pledged more than $21 billion to fight COVID-19 pandemic. The group has coordinated the global efforts by pledging more than $21 billion to improve the global health and hence supporting the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
•G20 leaders also appealed to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to facilitate their support to countries in need using all instruments to the fullest extent.
5) CSIR & Atal Innovation Mission to promote Innovation in India
•Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has partnered with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to promote innovation in India. AIM is a Government of India flagship initiative that promotes a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. Both organizations have signed a letter of intent to boost innovation ecosystem of the country.
Major areas of mutual interest are:
•The partnership will support world class start-ups through CSIR Incubators under the Atal Innovation mission initiatives.
•They will jointly work on new models of innovation and will also set-up CSIR Innovation Parks.
•With the collaboration of CSIR with ARISE, an initiative of AIM, they will together stimulate innovation and research in the MSME industry.
•It will also create problem solving mind-set across schools in India via close cooperation between Atal Tinkering Labs and Jigyasa. JIGYASA is CSIRs Student-Scientist connect program where in more than 3 lakhs students across the country have been exposed to science and technology.
6) Rahul Shrivastava appointed India’s next Ambassador to Romania
•Rahul Shrivastava has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Romania. He is presently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He is an IFS officer of 1999 batch.
•Rahul Shrivastava will replace Thanglura Darlong as the next Ambassador of India to Romania.
7) M Nethra appoints as ‘Goodwill Ambassador for the Poor’ by UNADAP
•In Tamil Nadu, 13-year old girl, M Nethra has been appointed as the ‘Goodwill Ambassador for the Poor’ by the United Nations Association for Development and Peace (UNADAP). The UNADAP recognition brings to the girl the opportunity to address the upcoming Civil Society forums at the UN conferences in New York and Geneva. The Dixon Scholarship has awarded Nethra a scholarship amount of Rs 1,00,000.
•The 13-year old girl convinced her father C. Mohan to spend their savings of Rs 5 lakh and donate essential items to the poor during the lockdown. The money had been saved for Nethra’s education and for her to pursue her goal of entering the civil service.
8) ISRO & ARIES signs MoU for cooperation in SSA & Astrophysics
•The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has signed an agreement with Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) for cooperation in the field of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Astrophysics. This MoU will make the way for future collaborations between ISRO and ARIES in setting up optical telescope observational facilities for space object tracking, R&D studies in space weather, astrophysics and Near-Earth Object (NEO).
•The main objective of the MoU is to shield the Indian Space assets from the space debris’s conjunction threats and R&D of Astrophysics, solar sciences and space environment are the base for future space exploration projects and the key to progress in the Indian Space sector.
9) ARCI develops Magnetocaloric material for cancer treatment
•Magnetocaloric material, a rare-earth-based material that can be effectively used for cancer treatment, has been developed by scientists at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI). In the magnetocaloric materials, the application and removal of a magnetic field causes the materials to become warmer or cooler and hence, it provides controlled heating. Rare-earth-based alloy has been chosen by the team of ARCI to study as some of the rare earth materials are human body compatible.
•On the application and removal of the magnetic field on the Magnetocaloric material, it heats up or cools down respectively. Hence, as soon as the magnetic field is removed, cooling effect is generated unlike in magnetic nanoparticles where overheating persists, even after removal of the magnetic field. So, it will led to reduction in the side effects of treatment and also reduces the damage caused to the human body. It will also reduce the treatment time of cancer tumours.
10) UVC-based disinfection cabinet developed by ARCI & Mekins
•A UVC-based Cabinet has been co-developed by the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) and the MEKINS Industries. The UVC-based Cabinet will disinfect non-critical hospital items, laboratory wear, and PPEs in order to prevent surface contamination of COVID 19. The cabinet will also have the capability to disinfect items that have been exhibited to customers in commercial establishments and several domestic items.
•With relaxation of the lockdown, there is a chance of transmission through surface contamination and hence the common utilities will play a key role in such situation. Therefore, the best way to tackle this transmission is by using a dry and chemical-free rapid disinfection through exposure to UVC light.
11) Monika Mohta appointed India’s next Ambassador to Switzerland
•Monika Kapil Mohta has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Switzerland. She is presently serving as the Ambassador of India to Sweden. She is an IFS officer of 1985 batch.
•Monika Kapil Mohta will replace Sibi George as the next Ambassador of India to Switzerland. Sibi George has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Kuwait.
12) NABARD extends Rs 270 crore to Assam Gramin Vikash Bank
•National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has extended a Special Liquidity Facility (SLF) of Rs 270 crore to Assam Gramin Vikash Bank. The Special Liquidity Facility of Rs 270 crore has been provided to support the agricultural activities of the farmers amid COVID-19 pandemic. This line of credit would enable the farmers in enhancing their crop production and hence this amount would prove to be a boon to the agriculture credit of the state at this difficult hour.
•Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, NABARD is facilitating a liquidity support of Rs 25,000 crore nationwide to Cooperative Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) during 2020-21 in order to ensure continued flow of credit to farmers and hence enable them in carrying out their agricultural operations smoothly even during COVID-19 pandemic period.
