Published on: July 29, 2024
Snippets : 29 JULY 2024
Snippets : 29 JULY 2024
- The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has partnered with the UK’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Innovation Fund to advance solutions for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment. The UK’s Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF) will provide up to £5.1 million (approximately ₹500 million) over three years. This funding aims to support innovative approaches to combat AMR, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with high drug resistance rates. The GRAM Report (2019) predicts AMR-related deaths could reach 10 million annually by 2050, surpassing malaria and cancer. C-CAMP’s decade-long expertise will be leveraged to address environmental AMR issues, often neglected in these regions.
- Shalini Rajneesh to succeed Rajaneesh Goel as Chief Secretary of Karnataka
- The Cabinet approved a ₹2,663 crore Disneyland-type amusement park near Krishna Raja Sagar in Mandya, proposed by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. The project, estimated to be completed in four and a half years, will feature a range of attractions on 198 acres, including a water park, roller coaster, and various museums. Expected to attract 20,000 visitors daily with a 7% annual growth rate, the development will be executed in three phases and managed through a public-private partnership. A 125-ft statue of Cauvery is also planned, with costs dependent on the tender process.
- Rashtrapati Bhavan will auction selected gift items, presented to the President and former Presidents on various occasions, through an online portal called E-Upahaar. The portal was launched by the President of India
- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) recently unveiled the country’s new air-to-surface missile dubbed “Wind Demon”
- The Indian Army contingent departed for the Exercise KHAAN QUEST which is scheduled to be conducted from 27th July to 9th August 2024 at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- After three monsoons in the Andaman forests, an Indo-US biologist team uncovered the unique reproductive behavior of Charles Darwin’s frogs (Minervarya charlesdarwini). These frogs lay eggs in a vertical, upside-down position inside tree cavities to protect them from rival males. This behavior, the only known instance of such egg-laying among frogs, was documented during a 55-day study from 2019 to 2021. Male frogs exhibit complex mating calls and engage in physical fights to secure mates. The upside-down spawning likely evolved to prevent displacement by aggressive males. Habitat loss and competition for breeding sites are threatening their survival.
- The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) hosted “Youth Udyami,” an event organized by EPGP and PGPEM students, to empower school students aspiring to become entrepreneurs. Over 300 students registered, with 50 shortlisted to present their ideas. The event included mentorship from IIMB students and guidance on business planning. Results will be announced in August, with a grand finale on “Prayaas Day” in February 2025, where finalists will be judged by IIMB professors and industry leaders.
- The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has urged southern States to focus on energy efficiency and ‘Mission LiFE’ to attract global investments in sectors like industry and urban development. BEE officers highlighted that energy efficiency programs are vital for the development of Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh’s new capital, and can provide substantial economic and environmental benefits across India. Mission LiFe is a global initiative by India to help the world in its fight against climate change and lead to a sustainable way of life to achieve the sustainable development goals set by the U.N.
- The World Heritage Committee (WHC) decided to include the Palestinian site of Tell Umm Amer in both the UNESCO World Heritage Site List and the Lost of World Heritage in Danger during its 46th session in New Delhi.
- The 15th Finance Commission has decided not to include heatwaves on the notified disaster list, which currently includes 12 types of disasters such as cyclones and floods eligible for National and State Disaster Response Funds. Heatwaves are declared by the IMD when temperatures exceed 40°C in plains, 37°C in coastal areas, and 30°C in hills. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) formulates policies and guidelines to manage and mitigate the impact of both natural and man-made disasters.
- Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) 2.0 Portal – The Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries recently launched SIMS 2.0, an upgraded portal featuring API integration with government platforms for enhanced quality control and efficiency. The portal ensures consistent, transparent data, improving risk management by allowing Customs to better analyze and regulate steel imports. SIMS, introduced in 2019, has been revamped based on industry feedback to better support domestic steel industry growth and inform policy-making.
- Recently, India and the USA signed their first ‘Cultural Property Agreement’ at the 46th World Heritage Committee meeting in New Delhi. This agreement aims to prevent illicit trafficking of antiquities from India to the USA and aligns with the 1970 UNESCO Convention. It restricts the import of certain archaeological and ethnological materials into the USA, including items from as far back as 1.7 million years ago to 1770 CE, and manuscripts from 2nd century BCE to 1947 CE. The USA will offer to return any forfeited objects from a Designated List to India. This agreement is part of a broader effort, with similar agreements already in place between the USA and several other countries. It will facilitate the quick seizure and repatriation of Indian antiquities from the USA.
- Australia took steps to ban mining at an Indigenous site surrounded by Kakadu National Park, which is home to one of the world’s largest deposits of high-grade uranium.
- CITES has relaxed export regulations for agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis), which will no longer be included in the Review of Significant Trade (RST). Starting April 2024, new quotas allow for the export of 151,080 kg of agarwood chips, powder, and sawdust, and 7,050 kg of agarwood oil annually. Agarwood, listed in Appendix II since 1995, has faced issues with illegal trade due to past export bans. Recent studies by the Botanical Survey of India and MoEFCC recommend harvesting from plantations rather than wild populations. Agarwood, used in perfumes and traditional medicine, is critically endangered with significant population decline.
- At the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) in Azerbaijan, the ‘Climate Finance Action Fund’ was introduced. This fund, capitalized by contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies, aims to mobilize private sector investments and de-risk them. It is part of a larger package of initiatives at COP29 and will provide concessional and grant-based support for disaster response and climate projects in developing countries. The fund targets $1 billion in capital and commitments from 10 countries, with 50% allocated to climate projects and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and 20% into a Rapid Response Funding Facility (2R2F). The headquarters will be in Baku, Azerbaijan.
- Bolivia has recently become a full member of MERCOSUR, an economic and political bloc in Latin America established in 1991 to enhance trade and economic integration among its members, which include Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and formerly Venezuela. MERCOSUR aims to promote free trade and facilitate the movement of goods, services, and people, with its headquarters in Montevideo, Uruguay. The bloc operates with Spanish and Portuguese as its official languages and has a Preferential Trade Agreement with India.
- India has assumed the Chair of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) for 2024-25. ADPC, founded in 1986, is an autonomous international organization focused on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific. Its vision is to promote safer communities and sustainable development. The organization includes founding members from nine countries, operates independently under a Board of Trustees, and is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand
