Ten relevant news updates from across the world, useful for examinations
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Headlines - 26 - 06 - 2021
- Healthcare and Medicine - WHO warning on Delta variant - The WHO's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the Delta variant of COVID-19, identified in at least 85 countries, is the "most transmissible" of the variants identified so far. He stated that it's spreading rapidly among unvaccinated populations, and it was imperative for nations to vaccinate at faster rates. The lack of enough vaccines is making new waves emerge all over the world, making it difficult for many nations to resume normal social functioning. The US President Biden recently tweeted a video of Dr Fauci, explaining the threat of the Delta variant, and urged Americans to help crush it.
- Governance and Institutions - Special Purpose Vehicle for Mission Karmayogi - A three-member task force was formed to help the government in bringing major bureaucratic reforms through its ambitious “Mission Karmayogi”. The Centre approved the ‘National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building – Mission Karmayogi’ to effect a transformational shift from rule based training to role-based capacity development of all civil services in the country. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), namely ‘Karmayogi Bharat’, would be set up as a not-for-profit company, under section 8 of Companies Act, 2013 as a 100% government-owned entity. The SPV will be responsible: to deliver and manage design, implement, enhance and manage a digital platform / manage and deliver competency assessment services / manage governance of telemetry data and ensure provision of monitoring and evaluation.
- Energy - "Renewable power generation costs in 2020" report - The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released the ‘Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2020’ report. 38% of the total global energy capacity now has higher operating costs than new utility-scale photovoltaics and onshore wind energy. Replacing this expensive coal power with renewables will save operators USD 32 billion a year and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by around three billion tonnes. The year 2020 was a record year for renewables deployment despite the Covid-19- pandemic, with 261 GW installed. Around 162 GW or 62% of total renewable power capacity added in 2020 had lower costs than the cheapest new fossil fuel option. The growth was due to (a) advancements in technologies, (b) consistent fall in component costs, (c) cost-competitive supply distribution channels, and (d) learning by using commercial-scale availability.
- Science and Technology - World’s first genetically modified rubber - The world’s first Genetically Modified (GM) rubber plant developed by Rubber Research Institute was planted in Assam. Genetic modification (GM) technology allows the transfer of genes for specific traits between species using laboratory techniques. The GM rubber has additional copies of the gene MnSOD, or manganese-containing superoxide dismutase, inserted in the plant, which is expected to tide over the severe cold conditions during winter in the northeast. Natural rubber is a native of warm humid Amazon forests and is not naturally suited for the colder conditions in the Northeast, which is one of the largest producers of rubber in India. Growth of young rubber plants remains suspended during the winter months. This is the reason for the long immaturity period of this crop in the region. Rubber is made from the latex of a tree called Hevea Brasiliensis. It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions, and is also grown in tropical and sub-tropical areas. (Temperature: Above 25°C with moist and humid climate. Rainfall: More than 200 cm. Soil Type: Rich well drained alluvial soil.) Cheap and adequate supply of skilled labour is needed for this plantation crop. India is currently the sixth largest producer of NR in the world. Top rubber producing states are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
- Science and Technology - New electrocatalyst for Metal-Air batteries - The International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) has developed a non-precious metal-based bi-functional electro-catalyst (that can catalyze two types of reactions). It developed the cost-effective electrocatalyst by anchoring transition metal ions into the sulphur-doped carbon framework via carbonization of a polymer called sPEEK (sulphonated polyether ether ketone). This catalyst synthesis method can also be used to recycle used ionomers (polymer composed of both neutral repeating units and ionized units). An ion-exchange strategy is used to position the metal ions in the carbon framework homogeneously. This will limit the particle size and offers control on composition and size at a very low loading of transition metal. A bi-functional catalyst works for oxygen reduction while discharging the battery and the same catalyst helps in oxygen evolution reaction during the charging cycle. [ARCI is an autonomous R&D Centre of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India]
- Indian Economy - Draft Code on social security (Employee's compensation) (Central) Rules, 2021 - Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the draft rules relating to Employee’s Compensation under the Code on Social Security, 2020 for suggestions. The Code on Social Security, 2020 amends and consolidates the laws relating to social security to extend social security to employees and workers in the organised as well as unorganised sectors. Chapter VII (Employee’s Compensation) of the Social Security Code, 2020 envisages, inter-alia, provisions relating to employer’s liability for compensation in case of fatal accidents, serious bodily injuries or occupational diseases. The draft Employee’s Compensation rules notified by the Central Government provide for the provisions relating to manner of application for claim or settlement, rate of interest for delayed payment of compensation, venue of proceedings and transfer of matters, notice and manner of transmitting money from one competent authority to another and arrangements with other countries for the transfer of money paid as compensation.
- Defence and Military - Pinaka rocket tested - The DRDO successfully test fired extended range version of indigenously developed Pinaka rocket from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) on 24th and 25th June 2021 at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The enhanced range version of Pinaka Rocket System can destroy targets at distances up to 45 kms. The rocket system has been developed jointly by Pune based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) with manufacturing support from M/s Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur. The Pinaka is a multi-barrel rocket launch system that can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds. The weapon system, mounted on a Tatra truck, is equipped with state-of-the-art guidance kit comprising an advanced navigation and control system. The Navigation system of the missile is also aided by the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
- Defence and Military - Project Seabird - Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh visited the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka on June 24, 2021 to review the progress of ongoing infrastructure development under ‘Project Seabird’. RM says it will be Asia’s largest Naval Base and further strengthen the operational readiness of the Armed Forces. INS Kadamba is an Indian Navy base located near Karwar in Karnataka. The first phase of construction of the base, code-named Project Seabird, was completed in 2005 and the base was commissioned on 31 May 2005. Development of Phase II commenced in 2011. INS Kadamba is currently the third largest Indian naval base, and is expected to become the largest naval base in the eastern hemisphere after completion of expansion Phase IIB.
- Constitution and Law - Twitter versus Law Minister on a point of Law - After India's IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Twitter barred him from accessing his account for nearly an hour, the American company confirmed it had temporarily restricted him. It was due to a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice (DMCA) and the referenced tweet has been withheld. The IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had earlier said Twitter denied him access to his account for almost an hour on the alleged ground that there was violation of Digital Millennium Copyright Act of USA. "Subsequently they allowed me to access the account," he added. "No matter what any platform does they'll have to abide by...new IT rules fully," wrote Prasad.
- Indian Politics - Covid Update - (a) India reported 48,698 new COVID-19 cases and 1,183 deaths in the last 24 hours; the total number of active cases in the country was 5.95 lakh, while 64,818 people recovered from the virus. (b) Experts from the ICMR have said that "Third wave of Covid won't be as severe as second wave. More vaccination and Covid appropriate behaviour could play an important role in mitigating these waves. Study on vaccine effect on Delta plus variant of Covid is underway". (c) Vaccine major Serum Institute of India (SII) is all set to start phase 2 and 3 paediatric trials of Covovax on 920 children — 460 each in the 12-17 and 2-11 age groups — from next month. The recombinant nanoparticle protein-based vaccine —NVX-CoV2373 — developed by American biotechnology firm Novavax has been branded as Covovax in India. It will be the fourth Covid-19 vaccine to undergo clinical trials for children in India.
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