PT Facts

PT Facts

1. Nobel Peace Prize 2018

• The Nobel Peace Prize 2018 was awarded jointly to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad “for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.”
• Denis Mukwege, a  gynaecologist,  has treated thousands of rape victims, in decades in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Nadia Murad, an Iraqi Yazidi, who was sold into sex slavery by ISIS,  after escaping became an activist, campaigning to help put an end to human trafficking and calling on the world to take a tougher line on rape as a weapon of war.
• Both have “helped to give greater visibility to wartime sexual violence”.

2. Exercise KAZIND 2018:

• It was held between Indian Army and Kazakhstan Army recently in Otar Military area, Kazakhstan.
• This is the third joint military exercise.
• The primary focus of the exercise was to undertake joint counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations in urban and rural environment under mandate of United Nations.

3. Delhi Declaration on Renewable Energy:

• 21 countries in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) adopted the Delhi Declaration on Renewable Energy at the 2^nd Global Re-Invest India-ISA Partnership Renewable Energy Investor’s Meet & Expo in Delhi.
• As per the declaration adopted, IORA member nations will collaborate with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) member nations to exchange knowledge regarding renewable energy with a focus on joint capacity-building programs, research & development activities in solar energy and exchange of best practices.
• Additionally, IORA member nations and IRENA will undertake the expansion of the Global Renewable Energy Atlas, the world’s largest-ever joint renewable resource data project, thereby creating the Indian Ocean region’s first and most comprehensive map and database which can then be used to tap the sizable renewable energy potential of the region.

4. Astra BVR-AAM : Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVR-AAM) has been developed by DRDO with IAF’s active participation. The missile is integrated on Sukhoi Su-30 (a twin-engine, two-seat supermaneuverable fighter aircraft) and other air platforms.
5. Udyam Abhilasha

• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), has launched a National Level Entrepreneurship Awareness Campaign, Udyam Abhilasha in 115 Aspirational Districts identified by NITI Aayog in 28 States.
• The campaign would create and strengthen cadre of more than 800 trainers to provide entrepreneurship training to the aspiring youths across these districts thus encouraging them to enter the admired segment of entrepreneurs.

6. IBSAMAR-VI

• IBSAMAR is a joint Multi–National Maritime Exercise between the Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies. It is being held at Simons Town, South Africa from 01 – 13 Oct 18.
• The last edition of IBSAMAR (IBSAMAR V) was conducted off Goa in 2016.
• Aim of the exercise- to undertake collective training for participating navies, building interoperability and mutual understanding as well as sharing of best practices.

7. Exercise Aviaindra 2018

• Exercise Aviaindra is an Air Force level bi-annual exercise between India and the Russian Federation.
• First Aviaindra exercise was conducted in 2014.
• It is being conducted at Lipetsk, Russia in September 18 and will be conducted in Jodhpur, India in December 18.
• Aim of the exercise- is focused towards anti-terrorist operations in a bi-lateral scenario.

8. New 840 Higher Educational Institutes enrolled in Unnat Bharat Abhiyan

• It is an initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj to link all Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) with rural development processes.
• 840 Institutions have been selected and will be part of UBA 2.0.
• Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 envisages students from colleges and universities to go to nearby villages to get acquainted with the life of the village people and the problems faced by them in day to day life.
• This includes field visits, house to house survey, identifying the felt needs of the rural masses, developing technology or process to improve their lives.

9. MoU between India’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and the Russian Federation’s SIRIUS Educational Foundation

Objectives:

• To promote a spirit of collaborative innovation among young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs and SIRIUS Educational Foundation, Russia.
• To remove cultural and language barriers between students of Russia and India
• To share the best practices in the promotion of educational, scientific, innovative achievements
• Promote innovative cooperation

About Atal Innovation Mission

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is NITI Aayog’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India.

The Atal Innovation Mission has thus two core functions:

• Innovation promotion: To provide a platform where innovative ideas are generated through various initiatives at school, university and industry levels
• Entrepreneurship promotion: Wherein innovators would be supported and mentored to become successful entrepreneurs at Incubation Centers.

About SIRIUS Educational Foundation, Russia

• Fund “Talent and success” is a unitary, non-profit, non-standard educational organization.
• It aims to identify and support children and young people who have shown outstanding abilities.
• Providing assistance in obtaining general and additional education for such personalities, including education in the fields of arts, natural sciences, physical culture and sports.

2. GI Tag for Alphonso

• Alphonso from Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Palghar, Thane and Raigad districts of Maharashtra, is registered as Geographical Indication (GI).

What is Geographical Indication or a GI – It is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

• Such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to its origin in that defined geographical locality.
• The first product to get a GI tag in India was the Darjeeling tea in 2004. There are a total of 325 products from India that carry this indication.

3. Launch of Methanol Cooking Fuel Program of India

• Northeast and Assam Petrochemicals, a state-owned company is launching Asia’s first canisters based and India’s first “Methanol Cooking Fuel Program”.
• 500 households inside the Assam Petro Complex will be the first pilot project,
• In future, scaling it to 40,000 households in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Goa and Karnataka.
• Methanol demand is growing at a robust 6 to 8 % annually. World has installed capacity of 120 MT of Methanol and will be about 200 MT by 2025.
• Currently Methanol accounts for almost 9% of transport fuel in China.

Why Methanol?

• Methanol burns efficiently in all internal combustion engines, produces no particulate matter, no soot, almost nil SOX and NOX emissions (NEAR ZERO POLLUTION).
• The gaseous version of Methanol – DME can blended with LPG and can be excellent substitute for diesel in Large buses and trucks.

4. India International Science Festival (IISF-2018).

• Being organised in Lucknow with huge participation of scientists, students and experts from across the country and abroad
• Theme is “Science for Transformation”
• IISF is conceivably the biggest platform in India that brings together students, researchers, artists and general public to celebrate our nation’s achievements in science and technology
• All stakeholders have assembled to collectively work towards “Vigyan se Vikas”- contributing to the Making of a New India.
• Major attention in coming days are two World record attempts in IISF 2018, one of which is a World Record attempt to “isolate DNA” by 500 students from class 8th to 10th standard