Facts-July

CogX:

CogX is one of the world’s largest events on AI, held annually in London with over 15,000 participants in attendance from the highest levels of business, government, industry, and research.

The Cogx Awards are given out to the best-of-the-best in AI and emerging technologies across the world.

Why in News?

AI enabled MyGov Corona Helpdesk bagged two awards under categories (1) “Best Innovation for Covid-19 – Society” and (2) “People’s Choice Covid-19 Overall Winner”,at the recently held CogX 2020.

Globba andersonii:

• It is a rare and critically endangered plant species.
• It is commonly as ‘dancing ladies’ or ‘swan flowers’.
• They are characterised by white flowers, non-appendaged anthers (the part of a stamen that contains the pollen) and a “yellowish lip”. 
• The species is restricted mainly to Teesta River Valley region which includes the Sikkim Himalays and Darjeeling hill ranges.
• The plant usually grows in a dense colony as a lithophyte (plant growing on a bare rock or stone).

Why in News?

Researchers have “rediscovered” this plant species from the Sikkim Himalayas near the Teesta river valley region after a gap of nearly 136 years.

It was thought to have been extinct until its “re-collection”, for the first time since 1875.

Biosafety levels:

Often mentioned in news.

International Asteroid Day:

Celebrated on 30^th June.

• It is observed each year to mark the anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia, Russian Federation, on 30 June 1908, and to raise public awareness about the asteroid impact hazard.
• The Tunguska asteroid event in Siberia, Russian Federation, on 30 June 1908, was the Earth’s largest asteroid impact in recorded history.

 New butterfly species from Arunachal:

Lepidopterists have discovered two species of butterflies in Arunachal Pradesh.

They are:

1. The Striped Hairstreak (Yamamotozephyrus kwangtugenesis)was located in Vijaynagar bordering Myanmar. It was first recorded by Japanese entomologists in Hainan province of China.
2. The Elusive Prince (Rohana tonkiniana)was found in Miao on the periphery of the Namdapha National Park. It has a Vietnamese connection and was thought to be the more familiar Black Prince found in the Eastern Himalayas.

World’s first ever online B.Sc. degree in Programming and Data Science:

• The programme has been prepared and offered by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).
• The program will have videos from the faculty, weekly assignments and in-person invigilated exams just like any other regular course.

Eligibility:

• This programme is open to anyone who has passed Class 12th, with English and Maths at the Class 10th level, and enrolled in any on-campus UG course. The current batch of students who are completing their Class 12th in 2020 are eligible to apply.
• Graduates and working professionals can also take up this programme.

Hul Divas:

Hul Divas is observed annually on June 30 in memory of tribals — Sidho and Kanhu Murmu — who led the Santhal hul (rebellion) on June 30, 1855, at Bhognadih in Sahebganj district.

This was believed to be the first people’s action against the British.

National Doctor’s Day 2020:

Celebrated on July 1 every year to honour eminent physician Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.

Doctor’s Day was established by the Government of India in 1991👀.

• It is traditionally organised in the country by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
• The theme this year is “lessen the mortality of COVID-19”.

Globally, the first Doctor’s Day was observed on March 28, 1933, in Winder, Georgia.

About Dr Roy:

• He was the second chief minister of West Bengal.
• He was also Mahatma Gandhi’s friend and doctor.
• He was honoured with Bharat Ratna on February 4,1961.

‘Accelerate Vigyan’ Scheme:

Launched by Scientific and Engineering Research Board (SERB).

• It seeks to provide a single platform for capacity building programs, research internships, and workshops across the country.
• The primary objective of this scheme is to give more thrust on encouraging high-end scientific research and preparing scientific manpower, which can lead to research careers and knowledge-based economy.

Components:

ABHYAAS: To boost research and development in the country by enabling and grooming potential PG/PhD students by means of developing their research skills in selected areas across different disciplines or fields.

• It has two components: High-End Workshops (‘KARYASHALA’) and Research Internships (‘VRITIKA’).

Mission SAMOOHAN: Marks the beginning of Accelerate Vigyan.

It aims to encourage, aggregate and consolidate all scientific interactions in the country under one common roof.

It has been sub-divided into:

1. SAYONJIKA is an open-ended program to catalogue the capacity building activities in science and technology supported by all government funding agencies in the country.
2. SANGOSHTI is a pre-existing program of SERB.

Places in News- Botswana:

Why in News?

Hundreds of elephants have died mysteriously in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The cause is yet to be established.

Key facts:

• Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa.
• Botswana is topographically flat, with up to 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert.
• Neighbours: It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north,Zimbabwe to the northeast and Zambia to the north.
• Botswana is currently home to more elephants than any other African country, and southern Africa remains a stronghold for 293,000, or 70%, of the estimated remaining African elephants.
• The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014.

Central Zoo Authority (CZA):

The Environment Ministry has reconstituted the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).

• The CZA would now include an expert from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and a molecular biologist.

About CZA:

• CZA is a statutory body chaired by the Environment Minister.
• It is tasked with regulating zoos across the country.
• Every zoo in the country must obtain recognition from CZA for its operation.
• The authority lays down guidelines and prescribes rules under which animals may be transferred among zoos nationally and internationally.

Composition:

Apart from the chairman, it consists of 10 members and a member-secretary.

Almost all of them are officials in the Environment Ministry and non-government experts are those who are wildlife conservationists or retired forest officers.

Dhamma Chakra Day:

The Ministry of Culture in partnership with International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) will celebrate the Asadha Poornima on 4th July, 2020 as Dharma Chakra Day.

 Significance of the day:

It marks Buddha’s first teaching after attaining Enlightenment to the first five ascetic disciples (pañcavargika) on the full-moon day of Asadha at ‘Deer Park’, Rishipatana in modern-day Sarnath, near Varanasi.

• This teaching of Dhamma Cakka Pavattana Sutta (Pali) or Dharma Chakra Pravartana Sutra (Sanskrit) is also known as the First Turning of Wheels of Dharma and comprised the Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path.
• The day is also known as Esala Poya in Sri Lanka and Asanha Bucha in Thailand.
• It is the second most sacred day for Buddhists after the Buddha Poornima or Vesak.

The day is also observed as Guru Poornima by both Buddhists and Hindus as a day to mark reverence to their Gurus.

Prerak Dauur Samman:

It is a new category of awards announced as part of Swachh Survekshan 2021.

It has a total of five additional subcategories – Divya (Platinum), Anupam (Gold), Ujjwal (Silver), Udit (Bronze), Aarohi (Aspiring) – with top three cities being recognized in each.

Implications:

In a departure from the present criteria of evaluating cities on ‘population category’, this new category will categorize cities on the basis of six select indicator-wise performance criteria which are as follows:

1. Segregation of waste into Wet, Dry and Hazard categories
2. Processing capacity against wet waste generated
3. Processing and recycling of wet and dry waste
4. Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste processing
5. Percentage of waste going to landfills
6. Sanitation status of cities

Nimu/Nimoo:

Why in News.

Recently Prime Minister travelled to Nimu in Ladakh to interact with Indian troops.

• Nimu is the reserve brigade headquarter of the Indian Army.
• Its significance can also be ascertained from the fact that the Border Road Organisation (BRO) is constructing a road from Padum in the Zanskar Valley to Nimu.

Key facts:

Nimu is a village located in the south-eastern part of Ladakh region.

It is surrounded by the Zanskar range.

It is famous for offering view of the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers.

Magnet Hill is a gravity defying road 7.5 km southeast of Nimoo.

• Due to the surrounding geographical features, it has an optical illusion where vehicles seem to roll uphill in defiance of gravity when they are, in fact, rolling downhill.

ICAR and NICRA:

Indian Council of agricultural research (ICAR) is an autonomous body Responsible for coordinating agricultural education and research in India.

• It reports to the Department of agricultural research and education, Ministry of agriculture.
• The union minister of agriculture serves as its president.
• It is the largest network of agricultural research and education institutes in the world.
• National innovations of climate resilient agriculture (NICRA) has been launched by ICAR in 2011.

Krishi Vigyan Kendra:

The name means “farm science Centre”.

The Centre serves as the ultimate link between the Indian Council of agricultural research and farmers.

• The Centre is usually associated with a local agricultural University.
• It aims to apply agricultural research and practical localised setting.
• As of January 2020, there were approximately 716 KVKs throughout India.

Karan- 4:

It is a sugar cane variety that has enhanced sugar recovery and has replaced traditional grown varieties in Uttar Pradesh.

Kisanrath:

• It is an app launched by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare.
• Developed by the National Informatics Centre.
• It will facilitate farmers and traders to identify suitable transport facilities for the movement of farm produce during coronavirus lock down.
• The App will allow transportation of farm produce from farm gate to mandi and from one to another mandi.
• It will ensure seamless supply linkages between farmers, FPOs, APMC mandis and intra-state and inter-state buyers.

Atmanirbhar Bharat app innovation challenge:

This initiative is created by MeitY in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission – Niti Aayog.

The challenge is for techies around India and the start-up community for creating world class ‘Made in India’ apps.

The challenge will run in two tracks:

1. Promotion of existing apps.
2. Development of new apps.

The outcome of this challenge will be to give better visibility and clarity to existing apps to achieve their goals, and to create tech products to find solutions to tech conundrums with the help of mentorship, tech support and guidance during the entire life-cycle.

To recognise good apps, there will be “various cash awards and incentives”.

• The prize money for apps is between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 2 lakh depending on the category.

The app will be evaluated on the basis of: ease of use, robustness, security features and scalability.

Stevioside:

It is a natural plant-based glycoside found in leaves of Honey yerba.

It is widely used as the non-caloric natural sweeteners.

Why in News?

Researchers recently found that Stevioside when coated on nanoparticles can increase the efficiency of Magnetic hyperthermia-mediated cancer therapy (MHCT).

Winter grade diesel for Ladakh:

Winter diesel is a specialised fuel that was introduced by IOCL last year specifically for high altitude regions and low-temperature regions such as Ladakh, where ordinary diesel can become unusable.

• It contains additives to maintain lower viscosity. It has higher cetane rating — an indicator is the combustion speed of diesel and compression needed for ignition— and lower sulphur content, which would lead to lower deposits in engines and better performance.

Significance: The new fuel has a pour point of – 33oC and does not lose its fluidity function even in the extreme winter weather of the region unlike the normal grade of diesel which becomes exceedingly difficult to utilise.

Need: Using the normal grade of diesel fuel becomes an arduous task for the people in the winter months where temperatures fall to sub zero temperatures of nearly –30 degree Celsius.

Elyments:

It is being hailed as the country’s first indigenously developed ‘social media super app’.

The app has been developed by over 1,000 IT professionals who volunteer at Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living foundation.

• It will compete with the likes of Facebook and Instagram, comes with hosts of features that enable users to connect with friends and family in a creative way.
• The app also has messaging and group chatting capabilities.
• It is available in eight Indian languages.
• It comes with features such as end-to-end encryption, which ensures that users’ data ‘remains safe from prying eyes’.

Dhanvantri Rath:

It is a mobile van providing non-COVID essential healthcare services to the doorsteps of the people in the city of Ahmedabad.

• These vans have an Ayush Doctor, paramedic and nursing staff along with local Medical Officer from Urban Health Centre.

Vaartavali:

On 4th July 2020, DD News has completed the 5 years of the continuous broadcast of Sanskrit News Magazine ‘Vaartavali’.

Sanskrit Saptahiki:

All India Radio (AIR) FM news channel has started its first-ever news programme in Sanksrit language for 20 minutes duration. It has named the news programme ‘Sanskrit Saptahiki’.

Haryana Drafts Ordinance To Reserve 75% Private Sector Jobs For Locals:

As per the ordinance, 75 percent of the jobs with a salary of less than Rs 50,000 per month will be reserved for the locals of Haryana in the state.

Under the upcoming law, employment providers with more than 10 employees in its premises would be covered.

These rules would apply to recruitment after the date of notification of this ordinance.

Domicile certificate would be mandatory for a candidate to get the benefits under this scheme.

• If private companies inform the state government that they are not being able to find suitable candidates, they will be issued permits to hire from other states.

Fourth highest opium seizure in 2018 reported from India: World Drug Report:

Findings of the latest World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):

• The fourth highest seizure of opium in 2018 was reported from India, after Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• The maximum of 644 tonnes of opium was seized in Iran, followed by 27 tonnes in Afghanistan and 19 tonnes in Pakistan.
• In terms of heroin seizure (1.3 tonnes), India was at the 12th position in the world.
• Global area under opium poppy cultivation declined for the second year in a row in 2019. It went down by 17% in 2018 and by 30% in 2019.
• The main opiate trafficking flows originate from three key production areas: Afghanistan, Myanmar-Laos and Mexico-Colombia-Guatemala.

Zardozi art:

Zari work or Zardozi, an art which is considered quite popular amongst embroiders and designers, survives in the narrow alleys of the Old Town of Bhopal.

Zardozi was introduced in India by the Mughal invaders in the 17th century. It came to India from Persia.

Its literal translation, ‘Zar’ means gold and ‘dozi’ meaning embroidery. Thus, Zardozi come from the Persian term meaning ’embroidering with gold threads.’

• In this embroidery, gold coils and beads are tucked onto fabric using a needle and thread.
• Metals like gold and silver are transformed into a zari (thin thread) that is used to adorn motifs onto rich fabrics like silk, velvet, organza, chiffon, etc.

In 2013 the Geographical Indication Registry (GIR) accorded the Geographical Indication (GI) registration to the Lucknow Zardozi.

Places in News- Natanz:

Recently, a fire broke out at Natanz, an Underground Nuclear Facility of Iran used for enriching uranium.

• Located in Iran’s central Isfahan province in Tehran, Natanz hosts the country’s main uranium enrichment facility. It is known as the first Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant of Iran.
• It is among the sites monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal.

National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO):

NATMO publishes 4th updated version of its COVID-19 Dashboard.

About NATMO:

• Established in 1956 as the National Atlas Organisation.
• Professor S.P. Chatterjee, the doyen of Indian Geography was the Founder-Director of this institute.
• It was renamed in 1978 to give it a broad-based responsibility in the field of thematic cartography and geographical research.
• It is under the administrative control of the Department of Science &Technology of the Government of India.
• It is headquartered in Kolkata.

Important functions:

1. Compilation of the National Atlas of India.
2. Preparation of the National Atlas maps in regional languages.
3. Preparation of thematic maps based on research studies on environmental and associated aspects and their impact on social and economic development.

What is the name of butterfly recently recorded as the largest in India?

A Himalayan butterfly named Golden Birdwing is now India’s largest.

• While the female Golden Birdwing was recorded from Didihat in Uttarakhand, the largest male was from the Wankhar Butterfly Museum in Meghalaya capital Shillong.

So far, the record was held by the Southern Birdwing, recorded in 1932.

The only measurement used in the study of Lepidoptera is wingspan — a simple concept with various interpretations of the term.

• The wingspan of female Golden Birdwing is 194 mm, marginally larger than the Southern Birdwing (190 mm).

The smallest is the Quaker (Neopithecops zalmora) with a wingspan of 18 mm and forewing length of 8 mm.

Is DUAC a statutory body?

DUAC is a statutory body formed by an Act of Parliament in 1973.

DUAC is meant to advise the Centre on matters of preservation, development and maintenance of the aesthetic quality of the capital’s urban and environmental design.

It also provides advice and guidance to any local body.

DUAC plays a three fold role – a policy advisor to the Government of India, a regulatory body and a think tank.

Places in News- Idlib:

Syrian and Russian planes have carried out deadly aerial strikes on schools, hospitals and markets in Idlib province. UN investigators have termed these attacks as war crimes.

Where is Idlib?

Idlib is a city in northwestern Syria, 59 kilometers southwest of Aleppo, which is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly 500 meters above sea level.

Bhashan Char island:

• It is also known as Char Piya.
• It is an island in Bangladesh.
• It is located in the Bay of Bengal.
• The island was formed with Himalayan silt in 2006.
• It spans 40 km².

Why in News?

Rohingya refugees on this island will not be allowed to leave unless they agree to return home, Bangladesh authorities said recently.

Samadhan se Vikas:

It is a one-time settlement scheme introduced by Haryana government for the recovery of long-pending dues on account of External Development Charges (EDC)and Infrastructural Development Charges (IDC).

• The scheme is modeled on the central scheme of ‘Vivad se Vishwas-2020’.

INDIA GLOBAL WEEK 2020:

It is an annual flagship event organised by India Inc., a London based media house to re-energise and ignite optimism at global level.

It brings about an action-oriented focus by giving a forum to global deliberations from geopolitics to business, arts & culture to emerging technologies, banking and finance, pharma, defence and security, social impact and the diaspora dividend.

• Theme: Be The Revival: India and a Better New World.

Objective: Explore business, strategic and cultural opportunities, understand the challenges and make informed decisions as the world looks ahead to a better, brighter future beyond Covid-19.

National Fish Farmers Day 2020:

Observed on 10th July every year in honour of scientists Dr. K. H. Alikunhi and Dr. H.L. Chaudhury.

These two scientists had successfully demonstrated the technology of induced breeding (Hypophysation) in Indian Major Carps.

• In India, the major carps, Catla (Catla catla), Rohu (Labeo rohita) and Mrigal(Cirrhinus mrigala) are the mainstay of freshwater aquaculture. The major carps are the most preferred farm fishes because of their fast growth and higher acceptability to consumers.

India Cycles4Change Challenge:

It is an initiative of the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to inspire and support Indian cities to quickly implement cycling-friendly initiatives in response to COVID-19.

The Challenge aims to help cities connect with their citizens as well as experts to develop a unified vision to promote cycling.

Who can apply?

• Cities with a population of more than 5 lakh.
• Capital cities of states/UTs.
• Cities under the Smart Cities Mission.

Hagia Sophia:

• It was first constructed as a cathedral in the Christian Byzantine Empire but was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
• It is a historic house of worship located in Istanbul.
• It is revered by Christians and Muslims alike.
• In 1935, in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it became a museum.
• It is a UNESO world heritage site.

Why in News?

Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship after a top court ruled that the building’s conversion to a museum by modern Turkey’s founding statesman was illegal.

ASEEM portal:

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has launched ‘Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping’ (ASEEM) portal to help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities.

• The Artificial Intelligence-based ASEEM will provide employers a platform to assess the availability of skilled workforce and formulate their hiring plans.

Chushul:

• It is a village in the Leh district of Ladakh, India.
• It is located in the Durbuk tehsil, in the area known as “Chushul valley”.
• It is close to Rezang La and Panggong Lake at a height of 4,360 metres.
• Chushul is one of the five officially agreed Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China for regular consultations and interactions between the two armies to improve relations.

This place is famous for the Indian Army who fought to the ‘last man, last round’ at Rezang La (Chushul) on November 18, 1962. Without this crucial victory, the territory might have been captured by China.

Why in News?

India and China are scheduled to hold the fourth round of Corps Commanders talks at Chushul.

Arad and Carmel:

These are two new Israeli assault rifles now set to be manufactured in India.

The assault rifles will be manufactured under Make in India initiative in Madhya Pradesh by joint venture PLR Systems, which is already producing arms like Tavor.

World’s longest subsea power cable:

Construction work has begun in Lincolnshire on the world’s longest subsea power cable (767km), which will run between Britain and Denmark to share renewable energy between the two countries.

Tangams:

Recently, Arunachal Pradesh chief Minister released a book titled “Tangams: an Ethnolinguistic study of the critically endangered group of Arunachal Pradesh”.

• Tangams are a little-known community within the larger Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Tangams are now concentrated in only one village (Kugging), with 253 reported speakers.
• As per the UNESCO World Atlas of Endangered Languages (2009), Tangam — an oral language that belongs to the Tani group, under the greater Tibeto-Burman language family — is marked ‘critically endangered’. 

Bhanu Jayanti:

13th July 2020 marks the 206th Birth Anniversary of Bhanubhakta Acharya.

Bhanu Jayanti is also celebrated across the state of Nepal on 13th July every year.

Bhanubhakta Acharya was the first writer to translate the Great Epic of Ancient India- Ramayana from Sanskrit to Nepali. He was born in Nepal.

What is Itolizumab that was recently in News?

Itolizumab (rDNA origin), a monoclonal antibody which was already approved for severe chronic plaque psoriasis, has now been granted Restricted Emergency Use authorisation for COVID 19 patients by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) based on clinical trials data.

ATL App Development Module:

NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has launched the ‘ATL App Development Module’ for school children all across the country.

Launched in collaboration with Indian homegrown startup Plezmo

It is an online course and is completely Free. 

Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC):

TIFAC is an autonomous organization set up in 1988 under the Department of Science & Technology.

• Its mandate is to look ahead in technology domain, assess the technology trajectories, and support innovation by networked actions in select areas of national importance.
• It was conferred with Rani Lakshmibai Award (Nari Shakti Puraskar 2015) for its scheme KIRAN-IPR that is empowering women in R&D through training on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

Ophiocordyceps sinensis:

Also known as Himalayan Viagra, it is the world’s costliest fungus.

It has entered the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

IUCN has placed the fungus, known for its aphrodisiac and rejuvenation properties, in the ‘vulnerable’ category.

The fungus, also known as keeda jadi in Uttarakhand because of its caterpillar-like appearance, is endemic to the Himalayan and Tibetan plateau and is found in China, Bhutan, Nepal and India.

• In India, it is primarily found in Uttarakhand in the higher reaches of districts like Pithoragarh and Chamoli.

Special parcel train to Bangladesh:

In a first ever cross-border movement for Indian Railways, a special parcel train was sent to Benapole, Bangladesh carrying dry chillies from Reddipalem in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. 

• The Guntur Sannam Chilli is a variety which has the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag.

Tiger Orchids:

• Tiger orchids (Grammatophyllum speciosum) are called so for their large and resplendent flowers which resemble the tiger skin.
• They flower in alternate years.
• These epiphytic plants are not native to India. They, in fact, are endemic to southeast Asia. 

The tiger orchid has an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records due to its massive size. Mature plant in its natural habitat weighs up to 2 tonnes.

Ground Orchid:

Eulophia obtusa, a rare orchid species, also known as ‘ground orchid’, has been rediscovered after 118 years in the forests of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.

In India, this species was last sighted in Pilibhit in 1902 and there is a documented record in Kew Herbarium in England.

• It is listed as “critically endangered” as per IUCN Red List of endangered species.
• CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora) has also included this plan as a rare species and kept it in Tier-2 list and its trade is prohibited.

Swarna Sub1:

Farmers in flood-prone areas of Assam have been harvesting the water-resistant Swarna Sub1 rice variety, developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute, since 2009.

Nagorno-Karabakh region:

Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh, is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, within the mountainous range of Karabakh.

It is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
What is the dispute?

The landlocked mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh is the subject of an unresolved dispute between Azerbaijan, in which it lies, and its ethnic Armenian majority, backed by neighbouring Armenia.

Places in News- Dal lake:

• It is the second largest in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is named the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s Jewel”.
• The lake is part of a natural wetland, including its floating gardens. The floating gardens, known as “Rad” in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers during July and August.
• The lake is located in the Zabarwan mountain valley, in the foothills of the Shankracharya hills, which surrounds it on three sides.

Places in News- Kaziranga National Park:

Located in the State of Assam.

It is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.

• It was declared as a National Park in 1974. It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007.
• It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
• It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.

Much of the focus of conservation efforts in Kaziranga are focused on the ‘big four’ species— rhino, elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.

• Kaziranga is also home to 9 of the 14 species of primates found in the Indian subcontinent.

World Youth Skills Day:

15th July is marked as World Youth Skills Day.

It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2014.

Theme for 2020: “Skills for a Resilient Youth”.

The day also marks the 5th anniversary of the launch of Skill India Mission.

Azad Pattan hydel power project:

Location: The 700MW power project is on the Jhelum river in Sudhoti district of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Why in News? Pakistan and China have signed an agreement on this under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Other projects in the region:

• 1,100 MW Kohala project- on Jhelum near Muzaffarabad.
• Karot Hydropower station– on the Jhelum is on the boundaries of Kotli district in PoK and Rawalpindi district in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
• Two hydel projects are planned in Gilgit Baltistan – Phandar Hydro Power, and Gilgit KIU. 

Places in News- Mont Blanc mountain range:

Why in News?

A melting glacier at Europe’s Mont Blanc mountain range recently disentombed Indian newspapers buried there for 54 years –- some of them carrying headlines such as “India’s First Woman Prime Minister”, referring to Indira Gandhi’s election win in 1966.

The newspapers are among the remains of Air India Flight 101, a Boeing 707 plane that on January 24, 1966, crashed into Mont Blanc.

• Among the 177 dead was Homi Bhabha, the founding leader of India’s nuclear programme.

Location:

1. Mont Blanc is the second-highest mountain in Europe after Mount Elbrus.
2. It is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe.
3. The mountain stands in a range called the Graian Alps, between the regions of Aosta Valley, Italy, and Savoie and Haute-Savoie, France.
4. Its epithet the “Roof of Europe”.
5. It is also known as White Mountain in French.
6. The border between Italy and France passes through the summit of Mont Blanc, making it both French and Italian.

India’s first trans-shipment hub – Vallarpadam Terminal of Cochin Port,Kerala:

Vallarpadam Terminal of Cochin Port is envisaged as first trans-shipment port of India.

Trans-shipment Hub is the terminal at the port which handles containers, stores them temporarily and transfers them to other ships for the onward destination.

What is milk tea alliance?

It is a term used to describe an online democratic solidarity movement made up of netizens from Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

It arose in response to the increased presence of Chinese trolls and nationalist commentators on social media.

• The ‘Milk Tea Alliance’ is an informal term coined by social media users because in the region, tea is consumed in many nations with milk, with the exception of China.

Chiang Mai initiative (CMI):

• It is a multilateral currency swap arrangement among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong), Japan and South Korea.
• Launched in 2010 to manage regional short-term liquidity problems and to avoid relying on the IMF.

Melghat tiger reserve:

• Located in the Amaravati district of Maharashtra.
• It is on the southern offshoot of the Satpura Hill Range in Central India, called Gavilgarh Hill.
• The Tapti River and the Gawilgadh ridge of the  Satpura Range form the boundaries of the reserve.
• It was declared a tiger reserve in 1974. It was among the first nine tiger reserves notified in 1973-74 under Project Tiger.
• It was the first tiger reserve of Maharashtra.
• The name ‘Melghat’ means the confluence of various ‘ghats’ or valleys as is typical from the landscape of this tiger Reserve.

Other prominent animals are Sloth Bear, Indian Gaur, Sambar deer, Leopard, Nilgais, etc. The endangered and ‘back from extinction’ Forest Owlet is also found in various areas of Melghat.

What is a super capacitor?

It is a type of capacitor that can store many times as much energy as older capacitors. They were developed in the late 20th century.

It has high power density, long durability, and ultrafast charging characteristics.

Which state in India recently decided to give preference to plasma donors in government jobs?

Assam government has decided to Give Preference To Plasma Donors In Government Jobs.

Other benefits announced:

1. They can entail extra marks in interviews.
2. They will get a certificate.
3. Government is also considering giving preference to them in government schemes.
4. People of other States who donate plasma would be provided with State guest house facilities if they visit Assam and the State government would bear the cost of their return air ticket.

What is APT29 that was in news recently?

APT29 (also known as ‘the Dukes’ or ‘Cozy Bear’) is a cyber espionage group, almost certainly part of the Russian intelligence services.

• The group uses a variety of tools and techniques to predominantly target governmental, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets for intelligence gain.
• APT29 is using custom malware known as ‘WellMess’ and ‘WellMail’ to target a number of organisations globally.
• Now, it is accused of trying to steal vaccine data.

Places in News- Chattogram Port:

Context: first trial container ship flagged off from Kolkata to Agartala through Chattogram Port of Bangladesh.

The ship has been launched under the Agreement on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for the movement of India’s transit cargo through Bangladesh.

India-Bhutan Open New Trade Route:

India and Bhutan have opened a new trade route between Jaigaon in West Bengal and Pasakha in Bhutan.

• This new land route for movement of industrial raw materials and goods destined for Pasakha Industrial Estate will boost bilateral trade and commerce and lead to decongestion of vehicular traffic along the Jaigaon-Phuentsholing route.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL):

It provides accreditation to Conformity Assessment Bodies (Laboratories).

It has Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC),International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation(ILAC).

It is a constituent board of Quality Council of India which is an autonomous body setup under Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

It provides accreditation in all major fields of Science and Engineering such as Biological, Chemical, Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Fluid-Flow, Non-Destructive etc.

• The services are offered in a non-discriminatory manner and are accessible to all testing and calibration laboratories in India and abroad, regardless of their ownership, legal status, size and degree of independence.

Case Fatality Rate (CFR):

It is the proportion of people who die from a specified disease among all individuals diagnosed with the disease over a certain period of time. 

Godhan Nyay Yojana:

To be launched by Chhattisgarh government.

Key features:

• Govt to procure cow dung at Rs 2/- per kg from livestock owners.
• Repurposing procured cow dung into Vermicompost and other eco-friendly items.
• Selling vermicompost at Rs 8/- per kg to the farmers to promote organic farming.

What is a vertically transmitted infection?

A vertically transmitted infection is an infection caused by pathogens (such as bacteria and viruses) that use mother-to-child transmission, that is, transmission directly from the mother to an embryo, fetus, or baby during pregnancy or childbirth.

Places in News- Maguri Motapung Wetland:

Maguri Motapung Beel is less than 10 km south of the more famous Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and part of the Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve.

• The wetland derives its name from ‘Magur’, local word for the catfish Clarius batrachus, once found here in abundance. Motapung is a village nearby, and Beel is the Assamese word for wetland.

Significance:

• It was declared an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) in 1996.
• Important species: Golden Mahaseer, vulnerable species (like the Swamp Francolin and the Marsh Babbler), two endangered (Greater Adjutant and Pallas’s Fish-eagle) and six critically endangered (like Baer’s Pochard, Red-headed Vulture and White-bellied Heron).

Location:

• This reserve connects the national park in Assam to Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, creating a big wildlife corridor of immense importance in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. 
• The reserve is located within the Brahmaputra’s floodplains, and is limited by the Lohit river in the north and the Dibru in the south.

Why in News?

This wetland is 500m away from the oil well that exploded on June 9.