Published on: June 14, 2024
Snippets : 13-14 JUNE 2024
Snippets : 13-14 JUNE 2024
- Veteran Shruti Vora has become the first Indian rider to win a three-star Grand Prix event, the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI)
- Divya Deshmukh of India clinched the winning title in the World Junior Girls’ chess championship
- Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has called on citizens, organizations, and citizen groups to adopt parks, road medians, and circles for maintenance and development. This initiative is part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and adoption policy.
- K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, was retained for a second term and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval for a rare third term, while two advisers, Amit Khare and Tarun Kapoor, have been reappointed for a tenure of two years each
- Paleontologists recently discovered a new species of pterosaur after analysing 100-million-year-old fossilised bones uncovered in western Queensland, Australia
- The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) have made their real-time transit data available to the public. This initiative, aimed at enhancing accessibility and mobility in Bengaluru, is part of the ‘Enroute: A Mobility-As-A-Service Challenge’ announced by Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI). Key stakeholders include BMTC, BMRCL, MBRDI, WRI India, and the NGO Villgro. The challenge features a hackathon organized by WRI India, Villgro, and MBRDI, inviting startups to develop innovative Mobility as a Service (MaaS) applications using the open data. The goals are to create a seamless, user-friendly platform integrating various transport modes, provide real-time transit updates, enhance journey planning, and implement a unified payment system. The overarching vision is to improve mobility and address commuting issues in Bengaluru
- The Tourism Department of Karnataka is set to promote water sports at 18 major reservoirs across 16 districts to boost tourism. Additionally, 388 acres will be allocated for business development at tourist sites using a PPP model, focusing on areas like Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal, Belur-Halebid, and Shravanabelagola. The state also has a monument adoption scheme with 12 monuments available for adoption. A ropeway project is underway at Nandi Hills. The upcoming Dakshin Bharat Utsav 2024 aims to attract investments and promote networking, with expectations of ₹500 crore investments from SMEs
- The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) is spearheading an initiative to boost electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Karnataka by setting up 1,190 EV charging stations across the state, with a focus on high-traffic public areas and Agricultural Produce & Market Committees (APMC) premises. This project, following Ministry of Power guidelines, will operate under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, ensuring a revenue-sharing arrangement between investors and government agencies. Special attention is given to rural areas to improve EV penetration, particularly focusing on affordable two-wheelers and electric autorickshaws in regions like Kalaburagi, Raichur, and Yadgir.
- The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), along with IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, and IISc Bengaluru, has been selected and funded by the Wadhwani Foundation with an annual grant of $1 million to establish Centres of Excellence (CoE). This initiative aims to transform academic research into scalable, real-world solutions that provide economic and societal benefits. The C-CAMP WIN-COE initiative focuses on accelerating home-grown research and developing inclusive solutions using technologies like Synthetic Biology and Bioengineering. Aligned with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation’s vision, this initiative seeks to address socio-economic issues through collaboration between industry, academia, and government, supported by a national jury of experts that will provide funding, incubation, mentorship, and commercialization support.
- At the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the rapid molecular test for pulmonary, extrapulmonary, and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (TB), TRUENAT – developed by Goa-based Molbio, was praised for its significant impact on TB detection and its potential as a global healthcare solution. Launched in 2017, this portable, battery-operated real-time quantitative micro-PCR system delivers results in under an hour and can test for over 40 diseases. India’s National TB Elimination Programme, which extensively uses the Truenat system, was highlighted for its innovative approaches, leading to substantial improvements in TB case detection and global acknowledgment.
- Italy is hosting the G7 Summit, a forum that originated in 1973 to address economic challenges and has since evolved to cover a broad range of global issues. Initially composed of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, and Japan, it expanded to include Canada and the European Union. The G7, despite its declining share of global GDP and competition from the G20, continues to influence global governance. The 2024 agenda focuses on economic stabilization, climate change, global health, and geopolitical tensions, with leaders from the G7 and the European Union attending, along with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a guest.
- The World Economic Forum (WEF) released the Global Gender Gap Report 2024, highlighting improvements in political participation, economic participation, and the technological sector. Political participation shows notable progress, but top-level positions remain largely inaccessible for women. Economic parity in the labor force has increased to 65.7%. The number of women in AI engineering roles has doubled since 2016, though underrepresentation in STEM and AI persists. India ranked 129th, lower than most South Asian countries except Pakistan. Iceland remains the top performer, while Sudan is the lowest-ranked. With over 60 national elections in 2024, there is potential for increased women’s political representation. Despite modest improvements, substantial efforts are needed to achieve full gender parity.
- The Kavli Prize 2024 has been announced, recognizing outstanding contributions in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience. The prize, comparable to the Nobel Prize in structure and prestige but more expansive in its focus, awards $1 million per field along with a scroll and medal. This year’s winners include David Charbonneau and Sara Seager for astrophysics, Robert Langer, Armand Paul Alivisatos, and Chad Mirkin for nanoscience, and Nancy Kanwisher, Winrich Freiwald, and Doris Tsao for neuroscience. The award ceremony, which is more flamboyant than the Nobel’s, is co-presented by the Kavli Foundation, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.
