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● The government run Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Odisha’s Berhampur has prepared low cost ‘aerosol box’ and ‘face shields’ for the medical staff involved in the treatment of COVID19 patients.

● At the request of the Ganjam district administration, ITI Berhampur successfully created cost effective ‘aerosol box’ and ‘face shields’.

● The market price of an ‘aerosol box’ is ₹10,000, whereas the ITI Berhampur has made it at a cost of ₹3,000. Each ‘face shield’ is sold for ₹200, while its production cost at ITI Berhampur is just ₹11. ● An ‘aerosol box’ is a transparent box with holes to enter gloved hands, which is put over the head of a COVID19 patient placed on ventilator in ICU during the intubation process.

● The ‘aerosol box’ serves as a barrier to check possible transmission of COVID19 droplets from the patient to the treating doctors during intubation.

● The ‘aerosol box’ is made of 4 mm transparent acrylic sheets cut by a laser cutting machine to make the joints completely airtight. ● These are reusable after sanitisation.

● The ‘face shields’ are A4 transparent shield with foam lined elastic bands to keep them attached to the head of the user. Saudi Arabia terminates death penalty for minors

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has abolished the death penalty for crimes committed by minors.

The new order states that any individual who has received a death sentence for crimes committed while he or she is a minor will no longer face execution.

Instead of the death sentence, the individual will undergo a prison sentence of no longer than 10 years in a juvenile detention facility.

The new rule was announced by the president of the Saudi government’s Human Rights Commission, Awwad Alawwad. IIITM-K creates “Vilokana” search engine for COVID-19 research

The Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala (IIITM-K) has developed an AI Semantic search engine called ‘Vilokana’, which in Sanskrit means ‘finding out’. BFI loses hosting rights of 2021 Worlds

India lost the hosting rights of the 2021 men’s boxing World Championship to Serbia after the International Boxing association (AIBA) alleged non payment of host fee by the National federation. Boxing Federation of India (BFI) blamed it on “procedural complications” arising out of AIBA’s failure to resolve “issues” with regards to the account to which the money was to be transferred. The payment was due on Dec. 1 last year. Animal poaching registers a sharp increase during lockdown

The instances of poaching of wild animals and birds, including the endangered chinkara or Indian gazelle, have registered a sharp increase across Rajasthan during the COVID19 lockdown

Besides killing chinkaras and blackbucks, the poachers have targeted peacocks, grey francolins and other birds covered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, as endangered species.

Several of the cases were detected and reported to the forest authorities by the members of the Bishnoi community, which is known for its beliefs associated with nature worship and wildlife conservation. The chinkaras are usually poached in Rajasthan, allegedly by the Bawaria community, whose traditional occupation is hunting Govt. starts planning for Haridwar Kumbh Mela

The government has begun planning for the Maha Kumbh Mela in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, in January 2021. The gathering has a long history and draws large crowds from the world over, who come to take a ritualistic dip in the Ganga. The Maha Kumbh Mela is organised once in 12 years, and the last time the event was held in 2010, about 10 million reportedly congregated in the city. KUMBH MELA

Kumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred Pitcher) is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth, during which participants bathe or take a dip in a sacred river. Devotees believe that by bathing in the Ganges one is freed from sins liberating her/him from the cycle of birth and death.

The Kumbh Mela is held every three years, and switches between four different locations –

· Haridwar (river Ganga)

· Prayag (Triveni sangam of Yamuna, Ganga and Saraswati)

· Ujjain (river Kshipra)and

· Nasik (river Godavari). The mela returns to each location after a span of 12 years. Apart from this, there are three other types of Kumbh. · The Ardha Kumbh Mela: This is held in Haridwar and Prayagraj once in 6 years.

The Purna Kumbh Mela: This is held only at Prayagraj once in every 12 years.

· The Maha Kumbh Mela: This is held only in Prayagraj once in every 144 years. “Pitch Black 2020” exercise cancelled by Australia due to COVID-19

“Pitch Black 2020”, a premier multilateral air combat training exercise between India and Australia has been cancelled by Australia due to the current and anticipated impacts of the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. “Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator” launched by G-20

● G-20 has launched a new initiative “Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator” under the presidency of Saudi Arabia.

• The new initiative “Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator” will act as global platform for action to improve connections as well as to leverage interdependencies for collective partnership, mobilizing, problem-solving, and guiding investments for new COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics as well as vaccines.

It also aims to provide equitable access of all the tools to all the members. GI tag to Manipur black rice, Gorakhpur terracotta

ChakHao, which is a black rice variety of Manipur, and Gorakhpur terracotta have bagged the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. ChakHao, a scented glutinous rice which has been in cultivation in Manipur over centuries, is characterised by its special aroma. It is normally eaten during community feasts and is served as ChakHao kheer. ChakHao has also been used by traditional medical practitioners as part of traditional medicine. This rice takes the longest cooking time of 40-45 minutes due to the presence of a fibrous bran layer and higher crude fibre content. At present, the traditional system of ChakHao cultivation is practised in some pockets of Manipur. The terracotta work of Gorakhpur is a centuries old traditional art form, where the potters make various animal figures like, horses, elephants, camel, goat and ox with hand applied ornamentation. Some of the major products of craftsmanship include the Hauda elephants, Mahawatdar horse, deer, camel, five faced Ganesha, singled faced Ganesha, elephant table, chandeliers and hanging bells. Railways run ‘Shramik Specials’ to ferry stranded

● The five ‘Shramik Special’ trains planned are: Nasik (Maharashtra) to Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Aluva (Kerala) to Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Nasik (Maharashtra) to Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Jaipur (Rajasthan) to Patna (Bihar) and Kota (Rajasthan) to Hatia ( Jharkhand).

● A Railways official stressed that these were special trains planned for people identified and registered by the State governments, and that the Railways would not issue any tickets to any individual or group.

● The passengers would have to be screened by the sending States and only those found asymptomatic would be allowed to travel.

● In addition, the sending State governments would have to arrange to bring these people in batches in sanitized buses, following social distancing norms and other precautions. Kashmir saffron gets GI tag

● Kashmir saffron, which is cultivated and harvested in the Karewa (highlands) of Jammu and Kashmir, has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry. ● The spice is grown in some regions of Kashmir, including Pulwama, Budgam, Kishtwar and Srinagar ● Kashmir saffron is renowned globally as a spice. ● It rejuvenates health and is used in cosmetics and for medicinal purposes. ● It has been associated with traditional Kashmiri cuisine and represents the rich cultural heritage of the region. ● The unique characteristics of Kashmir saffron are its longer and thicker stigmas, natural deepred colour, high aroma, bitter flavour, chemical free processing, and high quantity of crocin (colouring strength), safranal (flavour) and picrocrocin (bitterness). ● It is the only saffron in the world grown at an altitude of 1,600 m to 1,800 m AMSL (above mean sea level).

● The saffron available in Kashmir is of three types — Lachha Saffron’, with stigmas just separated from the flowers and dried without further processing .

● ‘Mongra Saffron’, in which stigmas are detached from the flower, dried in the sun and processed traditionally . ● ‘Guchhi Saffron’, which is the same as Lachha, except that the latter’s dried stigmas are packed loosely in airtight containers while the former has stigmas joined together in a bundle tied with a cloth thread. “Kisan Sabha App” developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute

● “Kisan Sabha App” has been developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) to connect farmers to supply chain and freight transportation management system.

● The portal will be a single stop for every entity related to agriculture such as farmer who needs good price for the crops, mandi dealer who needs to connect to more farmers, and truckers who repeatedly go empty from the mandis.

● The prime objective of Kisan Sabha app is to provide the most economical as well as timely logistics help to the farmers. Microwave steriliser “ATULYA” developed to disintegrate COVID-19

● A microwave steriliser has been developed by the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune and named as “ATULYA”.

● The microwave steriliser will disintegrate the COVID-19 virus with the help of differential heating in the range of 56 degree to 60 degree Celsius temperatures.

● Weighing 3 kilogrammes, it can be used to sterilise non-metallic objects only within a time frame of 30 seconds to one minute. India slips two places on global press freedom index

In the latest report compiled by global body Reporters Without Borders India had dropped two places on the global press freedom index — from 140 to 142, in a list of 180 countries. ● Norway is ranked first in the index while China is at 177. ● North Korea is at 180.

World Press Freedom Index ● Published every year since 2002 by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the World Press Freedom Index is an important advocacy tool based on the principle of emulation between states.

● The Index ranks 180 countries and regions according to the level of freedom available to journalists.

It is a snapshot of the media freedom situation based on an evaluation of pluralism, independence of the media, quality of legislative framework and safety of journalists in each country and region. Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF)

● Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) was established with public contributions to assist displaced persons from Pakistan. ● The resources of the PMNRF are now utilized primarily to render immediate relief to families of those killed in natural calamities like floods, cyclones and earthquakes, etc. and to the victims of the major accidents and riots. ● Assistance from PMNRF is also rendered, to partially defray the expenses for medical treatment like heart surgeries, kidney transplantation, cancer treatment and acid attack etc. ● The fund consists entirely of public contributions and does not get any budgetary support. ● The corpus of the fund is invested in various forms with scheduled commercial banks and other agencies.

. ● Disbursements are made with the approval of the Prime Minister.

● PMNRF has not been constituted by the Parliament. ● The fund is recognized as a Trust under the Income Tax Act and the same is managed by Prime Minister or multiple delegates for national causes.

● PMNRF is exempt under Income Tax Act, 1961 under Section 10 and 139 for return purposes. Contributions towards PMNRF are notified for 100% deduction from taxable income under section 80(G) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

● Prime Minister is the Chairman of PMNRF GoI increases MSP for Minor Forest Produce ranging from 16% to 66%

● The Government of India has raised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) of 49 items.

● The increase in MSP across various items of minor forest produce varies from 16% to 66%.

● The Pricing Cell set up under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India revises the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) once in every 3 years. India flays nod for GilgitBaltistan polls

Ministry issued a “strong protest” on Monday over an order by the Pakistan Supreme Court allowing the Imran Khan government to hold elections in the region of Gilgit Baltistan of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

India said it had issued a demarche to protest what it called Pakistan’s attempt to make “material changes” to the disputed area, by bringing federal authority to GilgitBaltistan (GB), which has functioned as a “provincial autonomous region” since 2009.

On April 30, a seven judge Bench of the Supreme Court in Islamabad, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed, had allowed the government to organise general elections in GB, and to set up a caretaker government there before that. As a result of the coronavirus lockdown, the demarche was issued via email to the Minister (Political) in Pakistan’s High Commission in Delhi.

Supporting regulation

● A resolution unanimously adopted by Parliament on February 22, 1994 affirmed that “the State of Jammu & Kashmir has been, is and shall be an integral part of India.

● It demanded that Pakistan must vacate the areas of the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, which they have occupied through aggression.

● PoK and GB are both part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India by virtue of its accession to India in 1947. National e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket’ to be launched by CAIT

● Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is going to launch a National e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket’. ● It would be launched for all retail traders nationwide and aims to integrate 95% of retail traders onboard the national platform. It will integrate capabilities of various technology companies in order to provide end-to-end services in the logistics as well as supply chains from manufacturers to end consumers. ● CAIT is expecting to enrol around one crore retailers on the national platform in year 2020, hence making it the world’s largest and most-unique e-marketplace ever. Russia to launch first satellite to monitor Arctic climate in 2020

● Russia is planning to launch a satellite called Arktika-M at the end of the year to monitor the Arctic climate and environment. ● The satellite was initially scheduled to launch in 2019 but was delayed to 2020. ● Russia’s Arktika-M remote-sensing and emergency communications satellites aim to gather meteorological data in the polar regions, which will allow for improved weather forecasts and enable scientists to study climate change better. ● According to sources, the satellite will be launched using a Soyuz- 2.1b carrier rocket with the Fregat booster. Rural Development Minister launches Saras collection on GeM portal

● The Saras Collection is a unique initiative of GeM and the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY- NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development. ● The Saras collection showcases daily utility products made by rural self-help groups. ● It aims to provide market in rural areas with access to Central and State Government buyers. ● Under the initiative, sellers from Self Help Group will be able to list their products in five product categories. ● These five categories are handicrafts, handloom and textiles, office accessories, grocery and pantry and personal care and hygiene. ● In the first phase, 913 Self Help Groups from 11 States have already registered as sellers and 442 products have been listed. ● GeM will provide dashboards for functionaries at the national, state, district and block level to provide them real time information about the product, value and volume of the orders.

● The platform will reduce human interventions in procurement and enables transparency, cost savings, inclusiveness and efficiency.

● In order to facilitate the Self Help Groups in uploading of their products, GeM portal assist the sellers in product catalogue management, order fulfilment and bid participation. Putin honours Kim with war medal

● Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Kim Jong un a commemorative war medal marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.

● The medal was awarded to Mr. Kim for his role in preserving the memory of Soviet soldiers who died on North Korean territory. Tamil Nadu's own peanut candy, Kovilpatti kadalai mittai, gets coveted GI tag

In the 1940s, Ponnambala Nadar, a grocery store owner in the town, decided to use sugarcane jaggery and peanuts to make the kadalai mittai. He also introduced the cutting of the candy into rectangular shapes instead of the traditional balls. The association filed the petition in 2014 submitting that Kovilpatti is synonymous with kadalai mittai.

● The candy is produced from groundnuts and organic jaggery obtained from specific locations. Water from the Thamirabarani is used to enhance its taste. ● It gets its unique flavour from the use of the special Theni jaggery. While regular jaggery is brown, hardened and sold in round lumps, this is fresh, pale and in soft triangular blocks. A GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess origin-based qualities and reputation in the region. Indian Navy launches Operation Samudra Setu to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas

● Indian Navy has launched Operation Samudra Setu - meaning Sea Bridge, as a part of national effort to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas. ● Indian Naval Ships Jalashwa and Magar are presently enroute to Malè in Maldives to commence evacuation operations from Friday as part of Phase-1. ● Indian Mission in Maldives is preparing a list of Indian nationals to be evacuated by Naval ships and will facilitate their embarkation after requisite medical screening. ● A total of one thousand persons are planned to be evacuated during the first trip, catering for COVID- related social distancing norms vis-a-vis the carrying capacity and medical facilities available onboard. This operation is being progressed in close coordination with Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs, Health and various other agencies of the Government of India and State governments. IIT Delhi startup comes out with washable mask

● IIT Delhi startup ‘Nanosafe Solutions’ has launched an antimicrobial and washable face mask ‘NSafe’. ● The mask is reusable up to 50 launderings, thus greatly cutting down the cost of use. ● ‘NSafe’ mask is a triplelayered product consisting of inner hydrophilic layer for comfort, middle layer having antimicrobial activity and outer most layer having water and oil repellent behaviour. ● NSafe mask has 99.2% bacterial filtration efficiency [ at 3 microns ] along with breathability and splash resistance. Prime Minister to participate in the Virtual Vesak Global Celebrations on Buddha Purnima, 7th May 2020 Ministry of Culture, Government of India in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), a global Buddhist umbrella organization is holding a Virtual Prayer Event with the participation of all the supreme heads of the Buddhist Sanghas from around the world.

VESAK ● Vesak is the most sacred day for Buddhists around the world. ● Vesak , also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima and Buddha Day. ● Vesak- Buddha Poornima, is considered the Triple Blessed Day as Tathagata Gautam Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Maha Parnirvana. ● In 1999, the UN recognized internationally Vesak Day to acknowledge the contribution that Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has made for over 2500 years. ● This day is commemorated annually at the UN Headquarters and other UN offices and missions. ● Vesak, falls on the full moon day (Purnima) of the month Vaishakha (May), hence the occasion is referred to as Buddha Purnima in India. Iran's currency is set to get a new name — and lose four zeros

• The head of Iran's Central Bank announced Monday that the nation's currency was set to be re-named and re-valued.

Iran's money will soon likely be called the Toman, and an impressive four zeros will be shaved off all denominations.

What was previously 10,000 rials will become one Toman under the plans, which were approved Monday by the Iranian parliament.

Iran has seen the value of its national currency decline steadily since the Islamic Revolution brought the religious government to power in 1979. That drop has accelerated in recent years as harsh US sanctions battered the country's economy.

‘Vande Bharat Mission’ begins, first batch of evacuees arrives

The ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ to bring stranded Non Resident Keralites back home , with two flights from the Gulf carrying 363 passengers touching down at the Cochin and Karipur airports.

The first flight carrying those stranded in Gulf countries, as part of the ‘Vande Bharat Misssion’, in the wake of a global lockdown following the COVIDpandemic landed at the Cochin International Airport from Abu Dhabi at 10.08 p.m. on Thursday.

It brought 177 adult passengers and four children home. The passengers included 48 pregnant women . What is Shekatkar report

The Shekatkar Committee was set up by former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, and submitted its report in December 2016. The report, which is now the guiding principle for ongoing defence reforms, has never been made public, because it covers operational aspects of the armed forces, and its disclosure is not in the interests of national security. The key recommendations made by the report. ● Committee, headed by Lt Gen. D.B. Shekatkar (retd), which studied how to make the armed forces much leaner, cohesive and modern. ● According to a 2017 report, the Shekatkar Committee had recommended that India’s defence budget should be in the range of 2.5 to 3 per cent of the GDP, keeping in mind possible future threats. ● It had also suggested the establishment of a Joint Services War College for training for middle-level officers, even through the three separate war colleges — Mhow, Secunderabad and Goa — could continue to train younger officers for their respective services. ● It had also recommended that the Military Intelligence School at Pune be converted to a tri-service intelligence training establishment.

● The report also focuses on optimisation of Signals establishments to include radio monitoring companies, corps air support signal regiments, air formation signal regiments, composite signal regiments, and merger of corps operating and engineering signal regiments.

● It included restructuring of repair echelons in the Army to include base workshops, advance base workshops and static/station workshops in the field Army.

● It also called for the closure of military farms and army postal establishments in peace locations, which is among the recommendations already implemented. Visakhapatnam gas leak: Situation normal, people return to homes around factory

The incident of Styrene gas leakage occurred in a chemical plant in the early hours today at 3 am in RR Venkatapuram village, Gopalapatnam Mandal in Visakhpatnam District. It affected the surrounding villages namely Narava, B.C Colony, Bapuji Nagar, Kampalapalem and Krishna Nagar. Styrene gas, which is toxic in nature, may cause irritation to the skin, eyes and causes respiratory problems and other medical conditions.

Styrene gas

Properties of the Compound

● Styrene is a colourless, flammable liquid which is used to prepare polystyrene plastics, rubber and fibre glass. ● It is used in pipes, insulation, automobile parts etc. Impact and Symptoms

● The exposure of styrene is through ingestion, inhalation or contact (skin). ● Common symptoms of styrene exposure include irritation to eyes, nose and skin; gastrointestinal and respiratory effects. ● Its long term exposure may cause central nervous system and kidney related problems, depression, headache etc.

Hazards related to Environment When released into the soil or water, styrene is expected to readily biodegrade and evaporate quickly. While released into the air, styrene is expected to be readily degraded by reaction with photo-chemically produced hydroxyl radicals and is expected to have a half-life of less than 1 day. World Migratory Bird Day 2020

● World Migratory Bird Day observed globally on 9 May with the theme “Birds Connect Our World”. ● The UN-led campaign aims to raise awareness of migratory birds and the importance of international cooperation to conserve them. ● It is organized by a collaborative partnership among two UN treaties - the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) - and the Colorado-based non-profit organization, Environment for the Americas (EFTA) STRINGENCY INDEX

A Stringency Index created by Oxford University shows how strict a country’s measures were, and at what stage of the spread it enforced these. What is Stringency index? ● It is among the metrics being used by the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker. ● The Tracker involves a team of 100 Oxford community members who have continuously updated a database of 17 indicators of government response. ● These indicators examine containment policies such as school and workplace closings, public events, public transport, stay-at- home policies. ● The Stringency Index is a number from 0 to 100 that reflects these indicators. A higher index score indicates a higher level of stringency.

● It provides a picture of the stage at which any country enforced its strongest measures.

● Oxford provides an overlay of countries’ death curve and their stringency score.

● Some countries saw their deaths just begin to flatten as they reached their highest stringency, such as Italy, Spain, or France. As China pulled stronger measures, its death curve plateaued. Army confirms India-China face-off, minor injuries to both sides

The army on Sunday confirmed that a heated confrontation took place between Indian and Chinese soldiers in north Sikkim on Saturday, resulting in injuries to troops on both sides.

The Asian giants have a long-standing border dispute that led to a war in 1962. The festering feud causes around 400 face-offs every year along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Important Passes in India ● Zoji La (Pass)-It is in the Zaskar range of Jammu & Kashmir. The road route from Srinagar to Leh goes through this pass. It has been created by the Indus River. ● Banihal Pass-It is in Jammu & Kashmir. The National Highway NO.1 A that links Srinagar to Jammu goes through it. It has been created by the Indus River. ● Shipki La (Pass)-It is in Himachal Pradesh. The road from Shimla to Tibet goes through this pass. The Satluj River flows through this pass. ● Bara-Lacha Pass-It is also in Himachal Pradesh. It links Mandi and Leh by road. ● Rohtang Pass-It is also in Himachal Pradesh. It cuts through the Pir Panjal range. It links Manali and Leh by road. ● Mana Pass-It is in Uttarakhand. The land route to the Kailash and the Manasarovar passes through it. ● Niti Pass-It is also in Uttarakhand. The road to the Kailash and the Manasarovar passes through it. ● Nathu La (Pass)-It is in Sikkim. It gives way to Tibet from Darjeeling and Chumbi valley. ● Jalep La (Pass)-It is also in Sikkim and gives way to Bhutan. The Tista River has created this pass. Experience Civil Service Exam Register now for Race2IAS Model Civil Service Exam Edition 4

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Call/ Whatsapp 6238427443 | 7594875084 National infant mortality rate at 32, Madhya Pradesh worst performer

● Madhya Pradesh has the worst infant mortality rate in the country while Nagaland has the best. Chhattisgarh has the highest death rate, while Delhi has the lowest.

● Bihar continues to remain at the top of list in birth rate while Andaman and Nicobar is at the bottom.

● These details were released by the Centre recently in its Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin based on data collected for 2018.

● According to the data released by the Registrar General of India, the national birth rate in 2018 stood at 20, and death and infant mortality rates stood at 6.2 and 32, respectively. The rates are calculated per one thousand of the population. National Technology day marking 22nd anniversary of Pokhran nuclear tests

National Technology Day is being observed on 12th May to signify the glorious achievements of Indian science and technology. On 12th May 1998, India successfully carried out nuclear tests in Rajasthan's Pokhran.

On the same day India also performed successful test firing of the Trishul Missile and had test flown the first indigenous aircraft - ‘Hansa - 3’. Mission Sagar: India Sends INS Kesari With Medical Teams, Food To Indian Ocean Countries

● INS Kesari, carrying on board two medical assistance teams, medicines and essential food items, to countries in the southern Indian Ocean as part of the government's "Mission Sagar" initiative. ● The countries including Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles had requested India for assistance in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. ● The ship will deliver consignments of COVID related essential medicines to Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles and about 600 tonnes of food items to the Maldives. In addition, in the case of Mauritius, a special consignment of Ayurvedic medicines is also being sent . ● The consignments meant for Madagascar and Comoros also includes Hydroxychloroquine tablets, which have already been sent earlier to Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles. ● The operation is being progressed in close coordination with the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, and other agencies of the govt. ● The deployment is in consonance with the Prime Ministers vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region ‘SAGAR.’

SAGAR Programme (Security and Growth for All in the Region)

● SAGAR is a term coined by PM Modi in 2015 during his Mauritius visit with a focus on the blue economy. ● It is a maritime initiative which gives priority to the Indian Ocean region for ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of India in the Indian Ocean region. ● The goal is to seek a climate of trust and transparency; respect for international maritime rules and norms by all countries; sensitivity to each other` s interests; peaceful resolution of maritime issues; and increase in maritime cooperation. ● It is in line with the principles of the Indian Ocean Rim Association. Indian, Chinese soldiers engage in face-off briefly in Ladakh . Helicopters of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) came close to the border during the faceoff with the Indian Army near Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladakh .

● The confrontation began on northern bank of 134-km-long Pangong Tso, two- thirds (nearly 66%) of which is controlled by China as it extends into Tibet.

● As per existing agreements between India and China, operation of fighter aircraft and armed helicopters is restricted to a distance from the LAC.

● According to the ‘Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along the LAC in India China Border Area’ of 1996, “combat aircraft (to include fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, military trainer, armed helicopter and other armed aircraft) shall not fly within 10km of the LAC. Pangong Tso

● Pangong Tso or Pangong Lake is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,350 m (14,270 ft). ● It is 134 km (83 mi) long and extends from India to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, China. ● The lake is 5 km (3.1 mi) wide at its broadest point. ● During winter the lake freezes completely, despite being saline water. ● It is not a part of the Indus river basin area and geographically a separate landlocked river basin. ● The lake is in the process of being identified under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. ● This will be the first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia under the convention. India may miss nutrition targets

● India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025, according to the Global Nutrition Report 2020 .

It also identified the country as one with the highest rates of domestic inequalities in malnutrition.

According to the Global Nutrition Report 2020, India will miss targets for all four nutritional indicators for which there is data available — stunting among under five children, anaemia among women of reproductive age, childhood overweight and exclusive breastfeeding.

India is identified as among the three worst countries, along with Nigeria and Indonesia, for steep within country disparities on stunting, where the levels varied fourfold across communities. Global Nutrition Report

● The Global Nutrition Report was conceived following the first Nutrition for Growth Initiative Summit (N4G) in 2013 as a mechanism for tracking the commitments made by 100 stakeholders spanning governments, aid donors, civil society, the UN and businesses.

● This report has been produced by the Independent Expert Group of the Global Nutrition Report, supported by the Global Nutrition Report Stakeholder Group.

● The World Health Organization (WHO) is a Global Nutrition Report Partner. GI tag for Sohrai Khovar painting, Telia Rumal Jharkhand’s Sohrai Khovar painting and Telangana’s Telia Rumal were given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag .

Sohrai Khovar painting ● The Sohrai Khovar painting is a traditional and ritualistic mural art being practiced by local tribal women during local harvest and marriage seasons using local, naturally available soils of different colours in the area of Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand. ● The Sohrai Khovar painting is primarily being practiced only in the district of Hazaribagh. ● In recent years, for promotional purposes, it has been seen in other parts of Jharkhand. ● Traditionally painted on the walls of mud houses, they are now seen on other surfaces, too. ● The style features a profusion of lines, dots, animal figures and plants, often representing religious iconography. ● In recent years, the walls of important public places in Jharkhand, such as the Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi, and the Hazaribagh and Tatanagar Railway Stations, among others, have been decorated with Sohrai Khovar paintings.

Telia Rumal

● Telia Rumal cloth involves intricate handmade work with cotton loom displaying a variety of designs and motifs in three particular colours — red, black and white .

● Telia Rumal can only be created using the traditional handloom process and not by any other mechanical means as otherwise, the very quality of the Rumal would be lost.

● During the Nizam’s dynasty, Puttapaka, a small, backward village of the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh had about 20 families engaged in handloom weaving, who were patronised by rich Muslim families and the Nizam rulers.

The officers working in the court of the Nizam would wear the Chituki Telia Rumal as a symbolic representation of status. PM Modi announces special economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore to kick-start economy

Total package equivalent to 10% of India’s GDP

PM gives a call for self-reliant India; lays down five pillars of Atmanirbhar Bharat Five pillars of a self-reliant India

Self-reliant India will stand on five pillars viz.

● Economy, which brings in quantum jump and not incremental change ● Infrastructure, which should become the identity of India ● System, based on 21st century technology driven arrangements ● Vibrant Demography, which is our source of energy for a self-reliant India ● Demand, whereby the strength of our demand and supply chain should be utilized to full capacity. Atmanirbhar Bharat

● The package, together with earlier announcements by the government during COVID crisis and decisions taken by RBI, is to the tune of 20 lakh crore rupees. This is equivalent to almost 10 percent of India’s GDP.

● The package will also focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws. It will cater to various sections including cottage industry, MSMEs, labourers, middle class, industries, among others .

● It include supply chain reforms for agriculture, rational tax system, simple and clear laws, capable human resource and a strong financial system. These reforms will promote business, attract investment, and further strengthen Make in India. Integrated Battle Groups will soon be operational

● The Army’s new concept of agile Integrated Battle Groups (IBG) as part of the overall force transformation will be operationalised very soon. ● The IBGs are brigade sized agile self sufficient combat formations which, can swiftly launch strikes against adversary. ● Each IBG would be tailor made based on Threat, Terrain and Task and resources will be allotted based on the three Ts. ● They will be able to mobilise within 12-48 hours based on the location. ● The Army has extensively “test bedded” the IBGs to fine tune the concept. Ministry of MSME Launches CHAMPIONS Portal

● In a major initiative Union Ministry of MSME has launched CHAMPIONS portal www.Champions.gov.in, a Technology driven Control Room-Cum-Management Information System.

● The system utilising modern ICT tools is aimed at assisting Indian MSMEs march into big league as National and Global CHAMPIONS.

● The CHAMPIONS stands here for Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing the Output and National Strength. Finance Minister Nirmala sitharaman announced the features for the first part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

For small businesses ● Rs 3,00,000 crore emergency credit for Micro,Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ● Only domestic firm can bid for govt. procurements up to Rs 200 crore For employees/tax payers ● EPF deductions slashed for 3 months to 20% from 24% of salary;IT returns deadline extended ● This will enhance take home pay if employers pass it on, but dent retirement savings For infrastructure sector ● Power PSUs to lend Rs 90,000 crore to stressed state distribution companies ● Deadlines for realty projects and public infrastructure contracts extended For financial sector ● Fresh Rs 45,000 crore partial credit guarantees for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) ● Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity for microfinance/housing finance firms and NBFCs NIT Kurukshetra Implements Enterprises Resource Planning (ERP), SAMARTH Department of Higher Education, M/o Human Resource Development, has mission to provide quality education to students across all Universities & HEIs. For this, M/o HRD has developed an e-Governance platform, SAMARTH

● SAMARTH(Enterprises Resource Planning) ERP, under National Mission of Education in Information and Communication Technology Scheme (NMEICT). ERP, SAMARTH, is an Open Standard Open Source Architecture, Secure, Scalable and Evolutionary Process Automation Engine for Universities and Higher Educational Institutions. ● It caters to faculty, students and staff at a University/Higher Educational Institutions. ● The ERP, SAMARTH, has been implemented at National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, a participating unit under the World Bank supported Technical Education Quality Improvement Program (TEQIP). The objective of this initiative is to automate the processes of the Institute. ● This initiative will enhance the productivity through better information management in the institute by seamless access to information, and its utilization for various purposes. ● The software was provided by the SAMARTH team free of cost to NIT, Kurukshetra; the rollout by done through an in-house team at no additional cost through a collaboration between NMEICT and TEQIP teams inMHRD. Indian Army mulls to recruit civilians for 3-year 'Tour of Duty‘ ● The 'Tour of Duty (ToD) for three years is being mulled in the wake of "resurgence of nationalism and patriotism" in the country.

● The proposal is stated to be an attempt to tap the feeling of the youths who do not want to join the Army as a profession but wish to experience military life for a temporary duration. The "game-changing" proposal is being examined by top commanders of the Army.

● If approved it will be a voluntary engagement and there will be no dilution in selection criteria. Initially, 100 officers and 1,000 men are being considered for recruitment as part of test-bedding of the project .

● Under the new proposal, people to be recruited under the ToD for 3 years, however, will be eligible to be deployed as combatants in key forward locations and there will be no restrictions in their roles.

● After completing one year of training and three years of ToD is expected to help an officer or soldier display visible improvement in self-confidence, teamwork, responsibility, initiative, stress management, innovation, and social skills. Defence minister Shri Rajnath Singh approves Rs 400 crore Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme

In order to give a boost to domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has approved the launch of Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) with an outlay of Rs 400 crore for creating state of the art testing infrastructure for this sector. ● The Scheme would run for the duration of five years and envisages to setup six to eight new test facilities in partnership with private industry.

● This will facilitate indigenous defence production, consequently reduce imports of military equipment and help make the country self-reliant.

● The projects under the Scheme will be provided with up to 75 percent government funding in the form of ‘Grant-in-Aid’. The remaining 25 per cent of the project cost will have to be borne by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) whose constituents will be Indian private entities and State Governments. AATHMANIRBHAR BHARATH PACKAGE-2 Empowering The Poor, Migrant Workers And Farmers 1)For migrant workers Nearly 8 crore non-ration card holders to receive 5kg rice/wheat per person and 1kg chana per family for next two months

Under 'One nation, one ration card' scheme, 67 crore beneficiaries(83%) of ration cards in 23 states can now use their PDS cards in any state in India, 100% coverage by march 2021

Development of affordable rental housing complexes in PPP model, will help in incentivizing manufacturing units 2)Interest subvention for Mudra-Shishu loans Interest subvention of 2% prompt payees for 12 months after loan moratorium is completed for Mudra-Shishu loans;relief of almost Rs1500 crores to MUDRA-Shishu loanees 3)Street vendors

Rs10000 capital to be provided to nearly 50lakhs street vendors;to provide liquidity of Rs5000 crore Tribal Affairs Minister launches 'GOAL' programme

● Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda has launched the “GOAL - Going Online As Leaders - programme of his Ministry in partnership with Facebook at a Webinar in New Delhi today. ● The GOAL programme is designed to provide mentorship to tribal youth through digital mode. ● The digitally enabled programme envisages to act as a catalyst to explore hidden talents of the tribal youth, which will help in their personal development as well as contribute to all-round upliftment of their society. ● The programme intends to upskill and empower 5,000 tribal youths in the current phase to harness the full potential of digital platforms and tools to learn new ways of doing business, explore and connect with domestic and international markets. Health Ministry lists measures to prevent Dengue on National Dengue Day

On the occasion of National Dengue Day , Health Ministry has listed a series of simple measures through which Dengue can be prevented.

● Surroundings must be kept clean to protect oneself from mosquito bites. ● Stagnation of water in containers must be avoided to prevent mosquito breeding. Coolers must be checked and cleaned on weekly basis. ● Water tanks and containers must be covered with tight lids. ● People should use mosquito nets or repellents and long sleeved clothes. ● The water in flower vases, aquariums and bird baths must be changed every week. Dengue

● Dengue is a viral disease, transmitted by the infective bite of a particular mosquito known as Aedes Aegypti. ● It is very common after rainy season. ● It is highly contagious and spreads from one person to another through mosquito bites. ● It is widespread in tropical and sub-tropical regions. ● It is a very common disease in India since last two decades. ● Dengue can affect everybody, irrespective of their age and gender. Scientists discover ‘rare’ Super-Earth planet in centre of galaxy

● Scientists from the University of Canterbury (UC) have discovered a rare new Super-Earth planet that lies towards the centre of the galaxy, also called the Galactic Bulge. ● According to the researchers, the planet’s host star is about 10% the mass of our Sun. ● The Super Earth planet’s mass would be somewhere between that of Earth and Neptune, and would orbit at a location between Venus and Earth from the parent star. ● The planet’s ‘year’ would be of approximately 617 days.

The planet was discovered using a technique called ‘Gravitational Microlensing’ where the combined gravity of the planet and its host star causes light from a more distant background star to be magnified in a particular manner. Extra solar planets or Exoplanets

All of the planets in our solar system orbit around the Sun. Those planets that orbit around other stars are called extra solar planets or exoplanets, according to NASA.

They are very hard to see directly with telescopes as they are hidden by the bright glare of the stars they orbit.

So, astronomers use other ways to detect and study these distant planets. They search for exoplanets by looking at the effects these planets have on the stars they orbit. J&K notifies amended domicile certificate rules

The J&K administration notified the J&K grant of domicile certificate procedure rules 2020 and set a fast track process in motion to issue the certificates within a stipulated time of 15 days.

Under the amended rules, eligible non-locals can also apply for the certificate. ● These rules provide a simple time-bound and transparent procedure for issuance of domicile certificates in such a manner that no category of person is put to any inconvenience. ● There is a timeline of 15 days for issuance of certificates ● Domicile certificates have now been made a basic eligibility condition for appointment to any post under the Union Territory of J&K following the amendments in the previous Act ● To make the process transparent and time-bound, any officer not able to issue the certificate would be pensalised ₹50,000. The amount would be recovered from his salary . ● All Permanent Resident Certificate holders and their children living outside J&K can apply for the certificates. ● Kashmiri migrants living in or outside J&K can get domicile certificates by simply producing their Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC), ration card copy, voter card or any other valid document. ● A special window is also provided to migrants who have not registered with the Relief and Rehabilitation department. Bonafide migrants can apply with the Relief and Rehabilitation department by providing documents like electoral rolls of 1988, proof of registration as a migrant in any State in the country or any other valid document. ● The new process will allow West Pakistan refugees, safai karamcharis and children of women who married non-locals to apply for jobs here. Government implements Shekatkar Committee recommendations related to creating border infrastructure

Government has accepted and implemented three important recommendations of Committee of Experts (CoE) under the Chairmanship of Lt General D B Shekatkar (Retd) relating to border Infrastructure. These were related to

● speeding up road construction ● leading to socio economic development in the border areas. On the matter related to creating border infrastructure, the Government has implemented recommendation of CoE to outsource road construction work beyond optimal capacity of Border Roads Organisation (BRO). It has been made mandatory to adopt Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) mode for execution of all works costing more than Rs 100 crore. ● The other recommendation relating to introduction of modern construction plants, equipment and machinery has been implemented by delegating enhanced procurement powers from Rs 7.5 crore to Rs 100 crore to BRO, for domestic and foreign procurements. ● Border Roads has recently inducted Hot-Mix Plant 20/30 TPH for speedier laying of roads, remote operated hydraulic Rock Drills DC-400 R for hard rock cutting, a range of F-90 series of self-propelled snow-cutters/blowers for speedier snow clearance. ● New Technology like blasting technology for precision blasting, use of Geo-Textiles for soil stabilisation, cementitious base for pavements, plastic coated aggregates for surfacing, is also being used to enhance the pace of construction. ● The land acquisition and all statutory clearances like forest and environmental clearance are also made part of approval of Detailed Project Report (DPR). Further, with the adoption of EPC mode of execution, it is mandatory to award work only when 90 per cent of the statutory clearances have been obtained, implementing the recommendation of CoE regarding obtaining prior clearances before the commencement of the project. New technique for lung treatment of newborns launched in Jaipur

A recent medical technique, known as less invasive surfactant administration (LISA), has been started at J.K. Lon Government Children’s Hospital Jaipur for treatment of lung disease or respiratory distress syndrome among premature babies. The procedure, started initially for newborn children with the birth weight of less than 1,500 grams, has yielded encouraging results.

Most of the premature babies admitted to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit had the problem of less mature lungs, resulting in difficulty in breathing at the time of birth.

Less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) LISA has been developed as a lung protective strategy for respiratory management and ventilation in view of the mechanical ventilation causing damage to the preterm lungs of newborns.

Infants considered suitable for LISA are those being managed with primary CPAP or high flow with the evidence of increasing respiratory distress and with a rising oxygen requirement. Prime Minister reviews “Project Arth Ganga” : Correcting imbalances; connecting people

Project Arth Ganga ● ‘Project Arth Ganga’ envisages to re-engineer the JMVP by involving the local community with a focus on economic activities in and around the Ganga river.

● Small jetties along the Ganga to boost the economic activities at the community level would be set up as part of the “Project Arth Ganga” to energise economic activity along river banks in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

● About 40 floating jetties and 10 pairs of Ro-Ro terminals are being planned on River Ganga in the four states in the Gangetic belt, which will bring down the logistics cost for farmers in the movement of local produce.

● Apart from providing benefits in terms of trade and access to markets, local community’s economic enhancement and passenger facilitation, the ‘Arth Ganga’ project will also ensure large scale skills enhancement and public/private sector capability development. ● “Project Arth Ganga” would catalyse economic develoment in the Ganga basin to generate economic benefit of more than Rs 1000 crores over the next 5 years.

• Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) • The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) aimed to develop river Ganges as a safe mode of navigation and is being implemented with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank. Sun reportedly entering 'Solar Minimum': What's the phenomenon and why is it happening now?

What is solar minimum and why is it happening now? The sun is said to have gone into a state called the 'solar minimum' and is about to enter the deepest period of 'sunshine recession' as sunspots are virtually not visibly at all.

Some reports suggest that it has been almost 100 days this year when the sun has shown zero sunspots. ● Sun has a cycle that lasts on average 11 years, and right now we are at the peak of that cycle. ● Every 11 years or so, sunspots fade away, bringing a period of relative calm. This is called the solar minimum. ● While intense activity such as sunspots and solar flares subside during solar minimum, that doesn’t mean the sun becomes dull. ● Solar activity simply changes form , during solar minimum we can see the development of long-lived coronal holes. National Test Abhyas

● The App has been developed by NTA to enable candidates to take mock tests for upcoming exams such as JEE Main, NEET under the NTA’s purview. ● The app has been launched to facilitate candidates’ access to high quality mock tests in the safety and comfort of their homes since there was a demand for making up the loss to students due to closure of educational institutions and NTA’s Test-Practice Centers (TPCs) due to the continuing lockdown. ● With this facility for the students, India has taken the lead in restoring a semblance of normalcy in one more crucial area –test preparations – even as we tackle these unprecedented times that have led to significant changes in life around the world. ● Students across the country can use the App to access high quality tests, free of cost, in a bid to be fully prepared for the upcoming JEE, NEET and other competitive exams. ● The tests can be easily downloaded; they can be completed off-line, thus economising on internet availability too. ● The tests can be easily downloaded; they can be completed off-line, thus economising on internet availability too. ● NTA plans to release one new mock test on the app everyday, which students can then download and attempt offline. Once the test is completed, students can go online again to submit the test and view their test report. ● It’s evident that one of the app’s major benefits is that once student downloads the test, it works perfectly even without internet connectivity, which will prove advantageous for students even in areas with low bandwidth and remove obstacles in the way of large-scale online test preparation. ● In addition to that NTA has developed extensive support system at http://nta.ac.in/abhyas/help. ● The NTA has also instituted live support from 10 AM to midnight for the first seven days of the release to ensure that any issues experienced by student are proactively addressed. Nepal Cabinet Approves New Map Showing Land Disputed With India as Nepali Territory

● The Nepal government has decided it will release a new, updated political map which will include the disputed areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as part of Nepali territory. ● India’s map have long shown these areas within India, though Kathmandu insists this is a violation of the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli. ● Kathmandu has stepped up its protests on the border issue after the Indian defence ministry recently inaugurated a link road to the China border that passes through Lipulekh. The Kalapani territory is an area under Indian administration as part of Pithoragarh district in the Uttarakhand state. ● Following the road inauguration, the Nepal government released a press note stating that the eastern area from Mahakali River belongs to Nepal as per the Sugauli Treaty, 1816.

Subscribe Race2IAS Telegram channel @race2ias Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana for boosting fisheries sector

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana - A scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India” with highest ever investment of Rs. 20050 crores in fisheries sector comprising of Central share of Rs. 9407 crore, State share of Rs 4880 crore and Beneficiaries contribution of Rs. 5763 crore. PMMSY will be implemented over a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories.

Aims and objectives of PMMSY

● Harnessing of fisheries potential in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive and equitable manner ● Enhancing of fish production and productivity through expansion, intensification, diversification and productive utilization of land and water What is the SpaceX Demo-2 mission

NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight will lift off for International Space Station (ISS), becoming the first crewed flight to launch from American soil since the conclusion of the space shuttle era in 2011. What is the mission? ● The Demo-2 mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, and will see astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. The craft will lift off from a Falcon 9 rocket, from Florida.

● The main objective of this program is to make access to space easier in terms of its cost, so that cargo and crew can be easily transported to and from the ISS, enabling greater scientific research.

● Secondly, by encouraging private companies such as Boeing and SpaceX to provide crew transportation services to and from low- Earth orbit, NASA can focus on building spacecraft and rockets meant for deep space exploration missions. ● Essentially, the lift-off on May 27 is a flight test to certify if SpaceX’s crew transportation system can be used to ferry crew to and from the space station regularly.

● This is the final flight test for the system and intends to validate its different components, including the spacecraft (Crew Dragon), the launch vehicle (Falcon 9), the launch pad (LC-39A) and the operations capabilities.

● After its launch, the Crew Dragon will perform a series of phasing manoeuvres to gradually approach and autonomously dock with the ISS on May 28. After docking, the two astronauts will go aboard the ISS. Agappe Chitra Magna

● Agappe Chitra Magna, a magnetic nanoparticle-based RNA extraction kit, the technology for which was developed by the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) and manufactured by Kochi-based Agappe Diagnostics Ltd. ● The commercial launch of the kit is a major step to make India self- reliant in detecting COVID-19 and can help increase the rate of testing and bring down its costs, a crucial step for combating the pandemic. ● Promotion of indigenous medical technologies is the primary mandate of the institute and invitro diagnostics and development of point-of-care devices is a segment that we recently forayed into. The RNA isolation kit will reduce the dependence on imported kits and make COVID testing more cost-effective. International Day to End Obstetric Fistula 2020 will be observed on 23 May under the theme "End gender inequality! End health inequities! End Fistula now! Obstetric fistula is an abnormal opening between a woman’s genital tract and her urinary tract, or rectum caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without treatment. ● Between 50,000 to 100,000 new cases develop worldwide each year. ● Most fistulas occur among women living in poverty, in cultures where a woman’s status and self-esteem may depend almost entirely on her marriage and ability to bear children. Yet fistula is almost entirely preventable. ● Its persistence is a sign that health systems are failing to meet women’s essential needs. ● Obstetric fistula symptoms generally manifest in the early post- partum period. Other, equally severe symptoms, such as psychological trauma, deteriorating health, increasing poverty, and social stigmatization by family and friends can and often do occur. International Day for Biological Diversity celebrated on 22 May The United Nations celebrates International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May every year to raise awareness about the issue of significant reduction in biological diversity due to certain human activities. Theme for International Day for Biological Diversity 2020 is “Our solutions are in nature”.

In a virtual celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2020, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar today launched five key initiatives towards conservation of biodiversity.

The Union Environment Minister launched the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ‘Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ‘Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme which proposes to engage 20 students with postgraduate degrees for a period of one year through an open, transparent, online competitive process. The programme wishes to engage dynamic and creative students, who are willing to learn about natural resource management and biodiversity conservation and to support the projects of NBA in various State and Union Territories and to technically assist the State Biodiversity Boards/UTs Biodiversity Council in discharge of their mandates. an open, transparent, online competitive process.

UNEP Campaign on Illegal Trafficking of Endangered Species: ‘Not all Animals Migrate by Choice’. Illegal trade in wildlife carries the risk of spreading dangerous pandemics. The campaign Not all Animals Migrate by Choice, launched by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, with UNEP, seeks to address these environmental challenges, to raise awareness, and to advocate solutions. UN praises LGBTQI initiative

● The United Nations SecretaryGeneral’s Envoy on Youth has listed Manipur’s ‘khudol’ (gift) among the top 10 global initiatives for an inclusive fight against the COVID19 pandemic. ● Khudol is a crowdfunded initiative of Ya_All, an Imphal based NGO. ● The initiative entails ensuring food supplies and health services for the LGBTQI+ community, people living with HIV, dailywage earners, children and adolescents. Health minister Harsh Vardhan takes charge as WHO Executive Board chairman Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan took took charge as chairman of the 34-member World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board amid the outbreak of novel coronavirus across the world. WHO’s Executive Board ● WHO’s Executive Board comprises of 34 members elected for three-year terms. ● The Chair of the Executive Board is elected by its members on being nominated by the Regional Committees of the six WHO Regions, by rotation. ● The chairman's post is held by rotation for one year among regional groups. ● The main functions of the Board are to implement the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly and advise and facilitate its work. Dr Harsh Vardhan would chair the 148th session of the Executive Board in January 2021. At the Executive Board meeting in May 2021, he will hand over to the next Chair from another WHO Region. However, he will continue to be a member of the Executive Board till 2023. RBI announces nine additional measures for strengthening the Economy

The Governor has announced a reduction in major policy rates, in order to revive growth and mitigate the impact of COVID-19, while ensuring that inflation remains within the target.

● The repo rate has been reduced by 40 basis points from 4.4% to 4.0%. ● The Marginal Standing Facility rate and the Bank rate have been reduced from 4.65% to 4.25%. ● The reverse repo rate has been reduced from 3.75% to 3.35%.

Measures to Improve the Functioning of Markets

● Refinance Facility to SIDBI extended for another 90 days ● Relaxation of Rules for Foreign Portfolio Investment under Voluntary Retention Route The VRR is an investment window provided by RBI to Foreign Portfolio Investors, which provides easier rules in return for a commitment to make higher investments. The rules stipulate that at least 75% of the allotted investment limit be invested within three months; considering the difficulties being faced by investors and their custodians, the time limit has now been revised to six months.) Measures to Support Exports and Imports

● Exporters can now Avail Bank Loans for Higher Period ● Loan facility to EXIM Bank ● More time for Importers to Pay for Imports

Measures to Ease Financial Stress ● Extension of Regulatory Measures by another 3 Months ● Provision to convert Interest on Working Capital into Interest Term Loan ● Increase of Group Exposure Limit to Increase Fund Flow to Corporates Centre's debt drops marginally by 0.1% in FY19: Finance Ministry

The central government has been publishing an annual Status Paper on Government Debt that provides a detailed account of the overall debt position of the country. HIGHLIGHTS 0F 9th EDITION OF THE STATUS PAPER

● The central government’s debt as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) dropped marginally by 0.1% from 45.8% in fiscal 2017- 18 to 45.7% or Rs 86.73 lakh crore in FY19, according to the Status Paper on Government Debt for 2018-19, compiled by the finance ministry. ● The general government debt to GDP ratio, which includes the combined debt of the Centre and states, declined by the same percentage from 68.7% in March 2018 to 68.6% or Rs 1.3 crore crore (Rs 130 trillion) in March 2019.

● The government’s finances were largely protected from currency risks as external debt stood at 2.7% of GDP or Rs 5.12 lakh crore in FY19.

● 94.1% of the Centre’s liabilities consisted of domestic debt in FY19, of which 84.4% or Rs 59.68 lakh crore was made up of marketable securities.

● The holding pattern of these securities in March 2019 showed that 40.3% was held by commercial banks, 24.3% by insurance companies and 5.5% by provident funds.

● The tenure of the longest security was 37 years.

● The average interest cost (AIC) for the Centre remained unchanged over FY18 to FY19 at 7.1%. Thus nominal GDP growth net of AIC was 3.9% in FY19, however, this was within the limits of sustainable debt parameters. Experiment in Antarctica hinting at parallel universe to be taken with a grain of salt: Experts Researchers using NASA's ANITA have succeeded in finding "a fountain of high-energy particles erupting from the ice" in Antarctica which according to the researchers could be proof of a parallel universe. The experiment was done to identify high energy particles using NASA’s Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA), a balloon that can carry delicate electronic antennas above the frozen wastes of Antarctica. ● The ANITA instrument is a radio telescope to detect ultra-high energy cosmic-ray neutrinos from a scientific balloon flying over the continent of Antarctica. ● ANITA is the first NASA observatory for neutrinos of any kind. Neutrinos are of great interest to astrophysicist as they are the only particle that can reach earth unattenuated at all energies. ● The ANITA instrument detects these ultra-high energy neutrinos by use of the Askaryan effect. This effect predicts the production of a coherent radio emission from the cascade of particles produced in a high-energy particle interaction. ● ANITA-I was launched in 2006–07 and ANITA-IV was launched in 2016. New plant species found in Western Ghats A team of scientists of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have reported the discovery of three new plant species in the evergreen forest patches of the southern end of the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The three species — Eugenia sphaerocarpa of the Myrtaceae or Rose apple family, Goniothalamus sericeus of the Annonaceae family of custard apple and Memecylon nervosum of the Melastomataceae (Kayamboo or Kaasavu in local parlance) family — were discovered during a recent exploration led by BSI

Eugenia sphaerocarpa ● A good population of Eugenia sphaerocarpa is growing in the Kakkayam area of the Malabar wildlife sanctuary in Kerala above 800m. ● The epithet ‘sphaerocarpa’ denotes to the large, showy lemonyellow spherical fruits. ● The fruits of Eugenia species are known for their palatability. Goniothalamus sericeus

● A small number of Goniothalamus sericeus plants has been found in the Kanyakumari wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu at an altitude of 1400m. ● Mature flowers with characteristic greenish yellow to beige petals are fragrant while the fruits are very showy and an attractive golden yellow in colour. ● Sericeus refers to the presence of dense silky hair on petals. Memecylon nervosum ● A small population of nervosum was also found at the same sanctuary at an altitude between 700-900m with more than 10 subpopulations located along the banks of a perennial rivulet. ● The species has showy purplishblue flowers and mauve to purplish red fruits. ● Nervosum refers to the presence of prominently raised lateral and intramarginal veins on the lower surface of the lamina. Second Addendum on Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade between India and Bangladesh, 2020

● The Protocol, which was first signed in 1972 (immediately after independence of Bangladesh), is a reflection of shared history and friendship between the two countries. ● It was last renewed in 2015 for five years with a provision for its automatic renewal for a further period of five years giving long term assurance to various stakeholders. ● The 2nd Addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade was signed at Dhaka on 20th May, 2020 ● Under this Protocol, Inland vessels of both the countries can ply on the designated protocol route and dock at Ports of Call in each country, notified for loading/unloading of cargo. ● There has been significant improvement in the movement of cargo vessels in an organized manner on the Protocol route carrying both the transit cargo to North East(NE) region of India and vice-versa and export- cargo to Bangladesh. ● The Indian transit cargo is mainly coal, fly-ash, POL and ODC for power projects in NE region.

● The other potential cargo for movement is fertilizers, cement, food grains, agricultural products, containerized cargo etc.

● The export cargo from India to Bangladesh is mainly fly-ash which is to the tune of 30 lakhs MT per annum. Around 638 inland vessels (including 600 Bangladeshi flag vessels) completed with approximately 4000 loaded voyages annually. Kangra Tea could lower coronavirus activity better than HIV drugs ● The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is likely to replace hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with anti-HIV drugs to improve immunity and possibly reduce viral replication, in the revised protocol. ● The chemicals in Kangra tea could also be effective in boosting immunity as they can block coronavirus activity better than anti-HIV drugs . ● These chemicals might block the activity of the viral protein that helps the virus to thrive inside human cells . Kangra tea

● Kangra tea is a tea from the Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. ● Although Kangra cultivates both black tea and green tea, black tea constitutes around 90 percent of the production. ● Kangra tea was given the Geographical Indication status in 2005. Kangra tea is known for its unique color and flavor. Chhattisgarh launches Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay scheme; farmers to get direct cash benefits

● The Chhattisgarh government launched the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojna, by transferring Rs 1,500 crore into the accounts of more than 18,000 farmers. ● This was the first installment of a Rs 5,750-crore scheme, meant to benefit farmers sowing 14 types of crops. ● The scheme was inaugurated through video conferencing on the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . ● The assistance shall be provided in a proportionate manner from Kharif 2019 season, depending on the quantity acquired through the cooperative society. ● The scheme would cover rice, maize and sugarcane farmers to begin with, and would expand to other crops later. Rice and maize farmers would get ₹10,000 an acre, while sugarcane farmers would get ₹13,000. The money would be distributed in four installments. Rajesh Bhushan Committee to reform drug regulatory system in India

● The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has constituted a committee to reform the Drug Regulatory System. ● The committee comprises of 11 members including the senior health officials, scientists and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry. ● The committee is being headed by Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty to the Union health minister. ● The committee will submit its report within a period of one month from the date of its formation. ● The Ministry of Health & Joint Drug Controller of India Eswara Reddy will assist the committee to adopt global standards for drug and medical device regulation amid COVID-19 pandemic. Mizoram Cabinet grants “Industry” status to “Sports”

● The Mizoram Cabinet has granted “industry” status to “sports” to invest more in sports in order to generate employment and increase value.

● Giving the industry status to sports would also ensure sustainability, proper registration as well as management of sports.

● With this move, the sports and its infrastructure will be eligible to avail the facility of subsidy, loan and assistance from the private and government sources. Indian hockey legend Balbir Singh Dosanjh passes away

● Former Indian hockey player Balbir Singh Dosanjh who was a part of three-time Olympic gold medal-winning Indian hockey team, i.e. in London Olympics (1948), Helsinki Olympics (1952), and Melbourne Olympics (1956), passed away. ● Balbir Singh Dosanjh was the only Indian among 16 legends who were chosen by the International Olympic Committee across modern Olympic history. ● He has also an unbeaten record of scoring most goals by an individual in the men’s hockey final of the Olympics, under his name. What is Tianwen-1, China’s Mars mission?

The Tianwen-1 mission ● The Tianwen-1 mission will lift off on a Long March 5 rocket, a launch system developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), from the Wenchang launch centre, and will carry 13 payloads (seven orbiters and six rovers) that will explore the planet. ● The ‘Tianwen-1’, which is expected to land on the Red Planet’s surface in the first quarter of 2021. The success of the mission will make China the third country to achieve a Mars landing after the USSR and the United States. ● Tianwen-1, an all-in-one orbiter, lander and rover will search the Martian surface for water, ice, investigate soil characteristics, and study the atmosphere, among completing other objectives. ● As per a report in the Air and Space Magazine, the Chinese mission will be the first to place a ground-penetrating radar on the Martian surface, which will be able to study local geology, as well as rock, ice, and dirt distribution. ● The Chinese mission is expected to take off in late July, around the same time when NASA is launching its own Mars mission– the ambitious ‘Perseverance’ which aims to collect Martian samples and bring them back to Earth in a two-part campaign. China’s previous ‘Yinghuo-1’ Mars mission, which had piggybacked on a Russian spacecraft, had failed after it could not leave the Earth’s orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean in 2012.

Previous Mars missions The USSR in 1971 became the first country to carry out a Mars landing– its ‘Mars 3’ lander being able to transmit data for 20 seconds from the Martian surface before failing. The country made its second and Mars landing two years later in 1973. The second country to reach Mars’s surface, the US, holds the record for the most number of Mars landings. Since 1976, it has achieved 8 successful Mars landings, the latest being the ‘InSight’ in 2019 (launched in 2018). India and the European Space Agency have been able to place their spacecraft in Mars’s orbit. India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or ‘Mangalyaan’ was able to do so in September 2014, almost a year after its launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. Why locusts are being sighted in urban areas, what it can mean for crops

What are locusts and when are they are sighted in India? ● The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a short-horned grasshopper. Innocuous when solitary, locusts undergo a behavioural change when their population builds up rapidly. ● They enter the ‘gregarious phase’ by forming huge swarms that can travel up to 150 km per day, eating up every bit of greenery on their way. ● These insects feed on a large variety of crops. ● If not controlled, locust swarms can threaten the food security of a country. ● At present countries in the Horn of Africa such as Ethiopia and Somalia are witnessing one of the worst locusts attacks in the last 25 years. In India, locusts are normally sighted during July- October along the Pakistan border. Last year, parts of Western Rajasthan and Northern Gujarat reported swarms that caused damage to growing rabi crops. These were the first swarms reported in India since 1997. This year, the first sightings of small groups were reported early — on April 11

What led to their early arrival? ● This can be traced back to the cyclonic storms Mekunu and Luban that had struck Oman and Yemen respectively in 2018. ● These turned large deserts tracts into lakes, facilitating locust breeding that continued through 2019. Swarms attacking crops in East Africa reached peak populations from November, and built up in southern Iran and Pakistan since the beginning of 2020, with heavy rains in East Africa in March-April enabling further breeding. What can it mean to crops in India?

● At present, chances of crop damage are low given that farmers have already harvested their rabi crop. ● The bigger problem will come once the present swarms breed. ● An adult female locust lays 80-90 eggs thrice in her three-month life cycle. ● If left uncontrolled, a swarm can grow exponentially to 40-80 million locusts per square kilometre, Gurjar and others estimatee. ● The locusts will start laying eggs after the monsoon starts and continue breeding for two more months, with newer generations rising during the growth phase of the kharif crop. EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD WEAKENS As per the reports, the magnetic field around the earth, on an average, has lost almost 10% of its strength over the last two centuries. The magnetic field of the earth protects us from the solar radiation. South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA): ● However, a rapid shrink has been observed in the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), a stretch between Africa and South America. It is an area where the Earth's inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to the Earth's surface, dipping down to an altitude of 200 kilometres. ● This leads to an increased flux of energetic particles in this region and exposes orbiting satellites to higher-than-usual levels of radiation. ● The effect is caused by the non-concentricity of the Earth and its magnetic dipole. The SAA is the near-Earth region where the Earth's magnetic field is weakest relative to an idealized Earth-centered dipole field. Pole reversal: ● One most speculated reason behind this is that there is a chance that the time for Earth's pole reversal is coming near. ● Pole reversal is when the north and south magnetic poles flip. While this flip will not occur immediately or suddenly, and will happen over centuries, there would be multiple north and south magnetic poles during this period, all around the planet. ● This is definitely not the first time that pole reversal will be happening on the Earth. This event has occurred few times in the history of our planet, as per the scientists and we are long overdue by the average rate at which these reversals take place (roughly every 250,000 years). Impact: ● This is not going to affect or alarm the general public to a huge extent. ● But it is causing technical difficulties for various satellites and spacecrafts, as the magnetic field getting weaker, charged particles from the cosmos can penetrate through to the altitudes that low-Earth orbiting satellites fly at. TEJAS FOC AIRCRAFT HANDED OVER TO THE IAF

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday inducted Tejas Mk-1 FOC aircraft into the recently resurrected No 18 Sqn, the “Flying Bullets” at Air Force Station Sulur, marking yet another important step towards enhancing the operational capability of the Air Force. The Squadron is the first in the IAF to induct this platform. This is also an important milestone in the country’s indigenous fighter aircraft program and a significant boost to the ‘Make In India’ initiative. Tejas Mk-1 FOC ● Tejas Mk-1 FOC is a single engine, light weight, highly agile, all weather multi role fighter aircraft capable of air-to-air refueling thus making it a truly versatile platform. ● The IAF’s first LCA Tejas squadron, Number 45 the Flying Daggers, was raised in 2016. ● The fourth-generation Tejas has been indigenously designed by the Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Russia starts building its first stealth bomber: TASS

● Russia has begun building a prototype of its first stealth bomber which should be completed next year, the state-controlled TASS news agency reported ● When completed and operational, the new plane will be able to carry an array of advanced missiles and bombs, including hypersonic weapons . ● The aircraft, known as the PAK DA, will compete with the U.S. B-2 strategic stealth bomber which entered service in 1997. China is also developing its own stealth bomber - the Xian H-20. ● Russia has already developed its own stealth fighter, the Sukhoi-57. It first flew in 2010 but has yet to be manufactured in large numbers. Montenegro is the first country in Europe to declare itself coronavirus-free

● Montenegro is a country of South and Southeast Europe on the coast of the Balkans. ● It borders Bosnia-Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Kosovo to the east, Albania to the southeast, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, and Croatia to the west. ● Its capital is Podgorica. ● Montenegro is a founding member of the Union for the Mediterranean. It is also in the process of joining the European Union. ● The largest lake in Montenegro and the Balkans is Lake Scutari. International Day of UN Peacekeepers 29 May

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, 29 May, offers a chance to pay tribute to the uniformed and civilian personnel’s invaluable contribution to the work of the Organization and to honour more than 3,900 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948, including 102 last year.

The theme for this year’s Day is “Women in Peacekeeping: A Key to Peace” to help mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security Invasive mussel is spreading rapidly in Kerala’s backwaters An invasive mussel native to the South and Central American coasts is spreading quickly in the backwaters of Kerala, elbowing out other mussel and clam species and threatening the livelihoods of fishermen engaged in molluscan fisheries. Charru mussel ● The rapid spread of the Charru mussel (Mytella strigata) may have been triggered by Cyclone Ockhi which struck the region in 2017, according to a paper published in the Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries. ● Surveys show the presence of the Charru mussel in the Kadinamkulam, Paravur, EdavaNadayara, Ashtamudi, Kayamkulam, Vembanad, Chettuva and Ponnani estuaries/backwaters. Ashtamudi Lake, a Ramsar site in Kollam district, remains the worsthit. ● With a population as high as 11,384 per sq metre here, it has replaced the Asian green mussel (Perna viridis) and the edible oyster Magallana bilineata (known locally as muringa). As LAC heats up, India and China activate border mechanism talks

WORKING MECHANISM FOR CONSULTATION & COORDINATION ON INDIA-CHINA BORDER AFFAIRS (WMCC) ● The “Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India- China Border Affairs (WMCC)” was established in January 2012 after border talks between then National Security Adviser (NSA) Shivshankar Menon and his Chinese counterpart Dai Bingguo . ● It is headed by joint secretary-level officials from both sides. ● They are entrusted to help the special representative for boundary talks, a position currently held by NSA Ajit Doval. Current situation India’s assessment is that the Chinese are involved in what is known in military parlance as “holding the line”. While there is no agreed Line of Actual Control (LAC), both Chinese and Indian troops patrol up to their “claim lines” and then return. In the current situation, it appears that the Chinese have crossed their perception of LAC and are now camping at the spot in a bid to “hold the line”. What is a heat wave and when is it declared?

Heatwaves occur over India between March and June.

●Meteorologists declare a heatwave event when the maximum (day) temperature for a location in the plains crosses 40 degrees Celsius.

● Over the hills, the threshold temperature is 30 degrees Celsius.

● When the day temperature jumps by 4 to 5 degrees above the normal maximum temperature of a location, it is declared as a heat wave.

● For example, if the normal maximum temperature for a location in the plains on a given day should be 40 degrees but records 45 degrees, then that location is experiencing a heatwave. Alternatively, any location where maximum temperature crosses 45 degrees or shows a departure of over 6 degrees from normal, it is a severe heatwave condition. How long can a heatwave spell last? ● A heatwave spell generally lasts for a minimum of four days. ● On some occasions, it can extend up to seven or ten days. ● The longest recorded heatwave spell, in recent years, was between 18 – 31 May 2015. ● This spell had severely affected parts of West Bengal along with Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Does all of India experience heatwave conditions? No. Heatwaves are common over the Core Heatwave Zone (CHZ) — Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Vidarbha in Maharashtra, parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as categorised by India Meteorological Department.Several recent studies indicate that CHZ experience more than six heatwave days per year during these four months. Many places in the northwest and cities along southeastern coast report eight heatwave days per season. However, the regions in the extreme north, northeast and southwestern India are lesser prone to heatwaves. Cyclone Amphan destroys one-third of world’s largest mangrove delta, tiger habitat Around one-third of the world’s mangrove delta – the Sunderban --- has been damaged by Cyclone Amphan, according to a preliminary assessment of the West Bengal forest department. However, there is no confirmation of deaths of tigers or other animals in the delta Sundarban ● The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world, lies across India and Bangladesh on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. ● The Sunderban delta comprises 102 islands of which 54 have human settlements while the rest have forests. It has around 4200 sq km of forests crisscrossed by rivers and creeks. ● This is the only mangrove in the world where tigers live. ● There are around 100 tigers in the Indian part of the Sunderban. ● It is adjacent to the border of India’s Sundarbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987. ● The site is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt- tolerant mangrove forests, and presents an excellent example of ongoing ecological processes.

The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.

● It is home to many rare and globally threatened wildlife species such as the estuarine crocodile, Royal Bengal Tiger, Water monitor lizard, Gangetic dolphin, and olive ridley turtles. United Nations Award to Indian Army Officer Major Suman Gawani

● Major Suman Gawani, an Indian Army officer who served as a women peacekeeper with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2019 is being awarded the prestigious “United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the year Award” on 29 May 2020.

● She will receive the award from the UN Secretary General Mr Antonio Guterres during an online ceremony being organised at the UN Headquarters, New York on the occasion of International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

● Major Suman will be receiving this award alongwith a Brazilian Naval Officer Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo.Major Suman served as a Military observer in UNMISS from November 2018 to December 2019. Missile Park 'Agneeprastha' to be set up at INS Kalinga ● Foundation Stone for a Missile Park "AGNEEPRASTHA" was laid at INS Kalinga by Cmde Rajesh Debnath, Commanding Officer, in the presence of Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain . ● The Missile Park ‘AGNEEPRASTHA’ once completed will be dedicated to all the Officers, Sailors and Support Staff of INS Kalinga, who have served in this premier op-support Base of the ENC since its establishment in 1981. ● The Park also commemorates the award of the prestigious Unit Citation to INS Kalinga for the year 2018-19. ● ‘AGNEEPRASTHA’ aims to capture glimpses of Missile History of INS Kalinga since 1981 till date. The Missile Park has been set up with a replica of missiles and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) that showcase the evolution of missiles handled by the unit. ● The exhibits have been created from scrap / obsolete inventory which have been reconditioned in-house. ● The main attraction is P-70 'Ametist', an underwater launched anti-ship missile from the arsenal of the old 'Chakra' (Charlie-1 submarine) which was in service with IN during 1988-91. ● ‘AGNEEPRASTHA’ will also provide a one-stop arena for motivation and stimulation of inquisitive minds regarding the missiles and related technologies, from school children to Naval personnel and their families.

● It is also intended to encourage a feeling of ownership and pride in the role of the Unit, and highlight the necessity of contribution of all personnel irrespective of rank/trade towards the overarching objective of ordnance availability, reliability and delivery on target, each and every time. How important is Hong Kong to China as a free finance hub?

WHY DOES CHINA NEED HONG KONG AS IT IS? ● China still has extensive capital controls and often intervenes in its financial markets and banking system.

● Hong Kong is one of the world's most open economies and one of the biggest channels for equity and debt financing.

● The size of Hong Kong's economy may only be the equivalent of 2.7 percent of mainland China's, down from 18.4 percent in 1997 when it reverted to Chinese rule, but the territory punches above its weight due to world-class financial and legal systems.

● As a gateway between China and the West, Hong Kong attracts global capital for China more efficiently than its other cities. HOW IS THAT CHANGING? ● Under the 'one country, two systems' formula agreed as part of Britain's handover of the territory to China, Hong Kong is guaranteed liberties unavailable on the mainland such as freedom of expression and an independent judiciary.

● These freedoms give Hong Kong a special international status -- for instance, it does not have to pay the US tariffs currently hitting Chinese imports.

● With the US State Department recommending the removal of that status as it no longer deems Hong Kong sufficiently autonomous from Beijing, measures hitting trade, finance and investments among other areas could follow.

● Australia, Britain, Canada, the European Union and others also have expressed concerns over the legislation. WHAT IS AT STAKE? ● China uses Hong Kong's currency, equity and debt markets to attract foreign funds, while international companies use Hong Kong as a launchpad to expand into the mainland.

● While China has reformed its markets over the years, over 60 percent of foreign direct investment (FDI) into and out of China continued to be channeled through Hong Kong as of 2018, according to Morgan Stanley.

● Last year, Chinese companies raised $73.8 billion via initial public offerings (IPOs), $35 billion of which was bagged in Hong Kong, according to data from Dealogic.

● Chinese businesses tapped Hong Kong's debt market for 25 percent of their $131.8 billion in offshore US dollar funding last year, Refinitiv data shows. ● Schemes linking stock exchanges in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen provide the main gateway for foreigners to buy mainland stocks. A planned opening up of Chinese capital flows only increases the importance of these channels, and ultimately, Hong Kong, Fidelity said in a post this week.

● Chinese banks hold more assets in Hong Kong -- $1.1 trillion in 2019 -- than lenders from any other region, according to Hong Kong Monetary Authority's data compiled by Natixis. Any squeeze on the massive financing channel risks destabilising the Chinese economy.

● Among other deep linkages, Hong Kong's port continues to handle some of China's exports and imports, though it has been eclipsed by big Chinese ports in the last few decades.

● Hong Kong has also been pivotal to China's ambition to turn the Yuan into a widely-used international currency, competing with the US dollar and increasing its global influence. Experience Civil Service Exam Register now for Race2IAS Model Civil Service Exam Edition 4

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