Published on: June 19, 2024
Snippets : 19 JUNE 2024
Snippets : 19 JUNE 2024
- Justice (retired) K Chandru’s panel has made key recommendations to the Tamil Nadu government to curb caste-based violence in educational institutions. Recommendations include the removal of caste prefixes from school names, a Code of Conduct for school and university staff, keeping caste names off attendance registers, and appointing School Welfare Officers and counsellors. The panel, formed after a violent incident involving Dalit students, also suggests prohibiting students from displaying caste markers and promoting legislation for social inclusion and caste discrimination eradication
- Karnataka was ranked second in commissioning of new wind power projects in the country and received an honour for the same during the ‘Global Wind Day’ celebrations by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
- Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise same-sex marriage
- Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan plans to invest a total of ₹1,400 crore in phases to establish a beverages (soft drinks) and confectionery unit in Badanaguppe, Chamarajanagar district
- Scientists from India, China, and the U.K. have developed a water-repellent catalyst to significantly reduce the cost of producing biodiesel, with the process detailed in the Advanced Functional Materials journal. The team, including Dr. Samuel Lalthazuala Rokhum and his colleagues from NIT Silchar, NIT Rourkela, University of Cambridge, and Guizhou University, created a superhydrophobic activated carbon catalyst that mimics natural water-repelling surfaces. This innovation prevents active site poisoning by water, enhancing the efficiency and reusability of the catalyst, which is derived from biomass and eco-friendly. The breakthrough could cut biodiesel production costs from $1.2 to 37 cents per litre, making sustainable energy more affordable and promoting broader adoption of biodiesel
- India’s Neeraj Chopra snared his maiden gold medal at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland
- The Indian Air Force will host an air exercise, Tarang Shakti-2024 in August. It is a first multinational air exercise to be hosted by the Indian Air force.
- Ministry of External Affairs and the SBI have signed an MoU to provide an additional digital payment service of the bank through its payment gateway SBIePay to users of the eMigrate portal.
- Recently, researchers have discovered a rare species of bioluminescent mushrooms in the forests of Kasaragod which are scientifically known as Filoboletus manipularis
- The Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) of the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) has recently approved seven startup proposals under the GREAT scheme, which aims to support young innovators, scientists, technologists, and startups in Technical Textiles. The scheme, Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT), provides grants up to Rs 50 lakh for up to 18 months for the development and commercialization of technologies in this field. The National Technical Textiles Mission, launched to enhance India’s global leadership in Technical Textiles, focuses on research, market development, export promotion, and skill development, with a four-year implementation period from FY 2020-21 to FY 2023-24 under the Ministry of Textiles
- The Post Office Act 2023 has come into effect from 18 June 2024, bringing significant changes to India’s postal services. The Act grants the Director General of Postal Services the power to make regulations for additional services and charges without parliamentary approval. It also allows interception of shipments for state security and public order reasons. The Act introduces standards for address identifiers and postcodes, replaces physical addresses with digital codes, removes penalties for theft or misappropriation, and establishes charges for postal service users.
- An amount of $736.4 million will be allocated towards environment protection at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) council meeting being convened in Washington, DC. The GEF was established during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to tackle pressing environmental problems. It focuses on biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and strains on land and ocean health, providing financial assistance for five major international environmental conventions. The GEF comprises 184 member countries, governed by a council of 32 members representing different constituencies. Its secretariat is based in Washington, D.C., and it operates a trust fund aimed at helping developing countries and economies in transition.
- NHAI aims to increase green cover along National Highways through Miyawaki plantations on adjacent land. Over 53 acres around Delhi-NCR have been identified, including sites on Haryana’s Dwarka Expressway and Delhi-Vadodara Expressway. Ground preparation is ongoing, with plantation scheduled for the upcoming monsoon to be completed by August 2024. The Miyawaki method, developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1980s, focuses on dense, native, and biodiverse forests that grow quickly and offer ecological benefits. These plantations will enhance the environment, improve air and soil quality, and support biodiversity conservation.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH) as a WHO-Collaborating Centre for “Fundamental and Literary Research in Traditional Medicine.” NIIMH, previously known as the National Center of Indian Medical Heritage, operates under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) and was established on September 26, 1956. Located in Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad, it is the only institute of its kind in Southeast Asia. The institute’s mandate includes the revival and documentation of ancient medical texts, the establishment of a museum on the History of Medicine, and the development of international terminologies for traditional Indian medicine systems.
- The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released a report on global investments in nuclear arsenals, highlighting continued modernization efforts and an increase in operational nuclear warheads globally. Key findings include rising global nuclear spending, particularly by the US, and the modernization efforts of nine nuclear-armed nations. Recent developments include Russia and Belarus conducting exercises for deploying tactical nuclear weapons, while global nuclear spending reached $91.4 billion in 2023. Operational warheads are primarily held by Russia and the US, with China showing signs of joining in high operational alert warheads. Transparency in nuclear forces has declined post-Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, affecting global diplomatic discussions.
