Oct 08, 2020 - Headlines

 India & Japan

India and Japan signed agreements of cooperation in Artificial Intelligence, 5G technology. The countries also agreed to give momentum to the supply chain initiative in the Indo-Pacific region.

New Deputy Governor for RBI

Government of India appointed M Rajeshwar Rao as the new Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India. The post fell vacant in March 2020 when the previous Deputy Governor N R Vishwanathan resigned citing health issues before his term completed. [Click for More details...]

EU on reducing emissions

European Union Parliament voted updating its climate target to reduce emissions by 60% by 2030 as compared to 1990 levels. Earlier EU had set a goal of reducing 40% emission by 2030.

 TSIRKON Missile

Russia test-fired TSIRKON (Zircon) Hypersonic Cruise missile successfully in the Barents Sea. The test fire was conducted to celebrate the birthday of the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin.

STOCKHOLM CONVENTION

Union Cabinet approved the ratification of seven Chemicals that are listed under Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants.

The 7 persistent organic pollutants that are currently being ratified by the government of India are:-

1.    Chlordecone

2.    Hexabromobiphenyl

3.    Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether (Commercial octa-BDE)

4.    Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Commercial penta-BDE)

5.    Pentachlorobenzene

6.    Hexabromocyclododecane

7.    Hexachlorobutadiene

India has ratified the convention in January 2006.  Persistent Organic pollutants are also called forever chemicals. They are resistant to environmental degradation through photolytic, chemical and biological processes. Thus they accumulate in the environment causing adverse impacts on human health. With an intention to eliminate persistent organic pollutants completely from the environment, the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants was held in 2001. India is a signatory of the convention.

The Stockholm convention is a Treaty that was signed to protect environment and humans from persistent organic pollutants. These pollutants accumulate in living organisms affecting their health adversely and are of the nature of quick environmental transport.

PM SVANIDHI SCHEME

Government of India launched the API (Application Programming Integration) between State Bank of India portal and PM SVANidhi Portal.

PM SVANidhi Yojana scheme was launched in 2020 under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan to provide capital loan of Rs 10000 to the street vendors. The capital amount is to be extended to Rs 20000 for the vendors who repay the installment on time. The scheme is to be operated till March 2022.

NOBEL PRIZE 2020 - CHEMISTRY

The Nobel Prize for Chemistry, 2020 has been awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A Doudna for “Development of a method for Genome Editing”. The scientists had developed the Gene Editing Technique called “CRISPR-Cas9 Snipping Scissors”.

The researchers can change the DNA of animals using the Gene Editing Technique invented by the Nobel Laureates. The technology has had revolutionary impact on life sciences contributing to new cancer therapies. It has potentials to cure inherited diseases.