World Portuguese Language Day is on 5th May:

Every year on May 5th, World Portuguese Day celebrates the significance of the language in the preservation of human society and culture.

 

Highlights:

 

♦ Portuguese is one of the most commonly spoken languages all over the world. In the southern hemisphere, Portuguese has become the most commonly spoken language. The first wave of globalisation was also demonstrated by Portuguese speakers. As a result, Portuguese has inspired the development of other languages.

♦ Approximately 229 million people speak Portuguese around the world today. This places it as the world`s ninth most spoken language. Lusophones are people who speak this language.

♦ Brazil is home to the majority of Portuguese-speaking cell phones. Eight other nations, in addition to Brazil, speak Portuguese as their official language. Portuguese is a romantic language that is derived from Latin.

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Asiatic Lions Tested Positive for COVID

At Hyderabad Nehru Zoological Park, about eight Asiatic lions were tested for COVID-19. This is the first time that virus transmission to animals has been discovered in India.

 

Highlights:

 

♦ The Asiatic Lion is one of five Pantherine cats native to India. Indian Snow Leopard, Bengal Tiger, Clouded Leopard, and Indian Leopard are the four different species.

♦ A male Asiatic lion`s range ranges between 100 and 44 kilometres and 230 kilometres. Gir National Park is the world`s only recognised sanctuary for Asiatic lions.

♦ The most serious threat to Asiatic lions is their susceptibility to natural disasters and unexpected events like plague. However, since 2010, the number of these lions has been steadily increasing.

♦ The Gujarat Forest Department recorded in June 2020 that the population of Asiatic lions in the Gir wooded area had increased to 674 from 523 in 2015.

♦ An outbreak of Canine Distemper Virus killed several lions in 2015. (CDV). Babesiosis claimed the lives of many lions in 2018. In addition, a babesiosis outbreak occurred in 2020.

♦ In 1936, the Nawab of Junagadh was used to administer the first census of Asiatic lions. Once every five years, the Asiatic Lion census is conducted. In 2015, the final census was conducted. The next census was supposed to take place in 2020, but it was delayed due to COVID-19.

♦ CITES: Appendix I; IUCN: Endangered Status of Asiatic Lions - Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1971: Schedule I; CITES: Appendix I; IUCN: Endangered Status of Asiatic Lions - Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1971: Schedule I; CITES: Appendix I; IUC

♦ The Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project was started to protect the remaining population of Asiatic Lions. The aim of the project was to reintroduce Asiatic lions into the Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary. It has, however, been put on hold for the time being.

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has joined the NGFS (Network for Greening Financial Systems):

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently joined the Network for Greening the Financial System (Network for Greening the Financial System) (NGFS). The Reserve Bank of India will learn from the financial sector and contribute to global climate risk management by entering the scheme. Finally, Apex Bank will collaborate with its international partners to aid the transition to a more sustainable economy.

 

Highlights:

 

♦ There are 83 separate central banks that make up the scheme. There are 75 participants in total, with 13 observers.

♦ The primary aim of the scheme is to increase and accelerate green finance.

♦ It was announced at the One Planet Summit in Paris in 2017.

♦ The campaign was led by the Banque de France and included eight central banks.

♦ Its aim is to help members develop design policies and climate risk resiliency in the financial sector.

 

Current Functions of NGFS:

 

♦ NGFS is currently operating under the following conditions:

♦ Microprudential or supervision: Singapore is in charge of this.

♦ Bank of England`s Macrofinancial works

♦ Green Finance Scaling Up: Deutsche Bundesbank (Germany)

♦ The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is bridging data gaps.

♦ Research: China

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Japan has bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun on a Bengaluru teacher:

Shyamala Ganesh, a Bengaluru-based Japanese teacher, was recently honoured by the Japanese government with the “Order of the Rising Sun.”

 

Highlights:

 

♦ Shyamala teaches Japanese at both the septuagenarian institution and the Ohara School of Ikebana in RT Nagar, Bengaluru. She has tutored hundreds of students since the school`s inception 38 years ago. Ikebana is a flower arrangement technique from Japan.

♦ In Bengaluru, Shyamala and her husband Ganesh established a Japanese language school in 1983.

 

Order of Rising Sun:

 

♦ The award, which was founded in 1875, is bestowed by the Emperor of Japan.

♦ The award honours those who have made significant contributions to the advancement of Japanese culture, foreign relations, technical advancement, and environmental conservation.

♦ Prior to World War II, it was also awarded for excellent military service.

♦ It is the third highest honour bestowed by the Japanese government.

♦ The tradition of presenting the award to non-Japanese recipients started in 1981.

♦ Women have received the award since 2003.

♦ Anyone who has passed away may still receive the award.

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India and Russia 2+2 Dialogue:

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to create a "2 + 2 Ministerial Dialogue." The Minister of Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs held a "2 + 2 ministerial" dialogue.

 

Highlights:

 

♦ India has similar conversations with the US, Australia, and Japan. India will hold its first dialogue with a non-quartet member, Russia.

♦ President Putin will visit India in 2021 and hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi. The meeting may also take place in India or Russia.

♦ Russia is now India`s largest defence supplier. In addition, Russia provided India with main protection systems (such as the S-400).

♦ Both countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization`s BRIC countries. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Russia backs India.

♦ The two countries previously set a trade target of 30 billion dollars in trade by 2025. The conversation will assist them in achieving this aim.

♦ Russian training has been given to all astronauts shortlisted for India`s "Human Space Flight Program." A nuclear power plant in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu, was built with Russian assistance.

♦ India has given its approval to Russia`s V-type satellite. After COVAXIN and COVISHIELD, this is the country`s third approved vaccine.

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Net Zero Producers Forum Saudi Arabia:

Saudi Arabia will form a "Net Zero Producer Forum" with Norway, the United States, Canada, and Qatar to explore how oil and gas companies can help enforce the Paris Climate Agreement.

 

Highlights: 

 

♦ Saudi Arabia is the world`s largest exporter of crude oil.

♦ The forum will explore how to reach the target of zero carbon net emissions in order to keep global warming to a minimum.

♦ Saudi Arabia has also announced that by 2030, it intends to produce 50% of the country`s electricity from renewable sources, reducing carbon emissions.

♦ The President of the United States recently unveiled a proposal to reduce 2005 emissions by 50% to 52%.

 

Medical Equipment by Taiwan to India:

 

Taiwan has sent medical equipment to India, including oxygen concentrators and cylinders, with more on the way.

 

Highlights: 

 

♦ Taiwan is officially called as the Republic of China (ROC).

♦ It is an East Asian nation bordered by China on the west, Japan on the east, and the Philippines on the south.

♦ The East China Sea is to the north, the Philippine Sea is to the east, the Luzon Strait is to the south, and the South China Sea is to the southwest.

♦ The Taiwan Strait separates Taiwan from mainland China.

♦ Taipei is the country`s capital.

♦ Taiwan is no longer a United Nations member, having been replaced by China in 1971.

♦ China asserts its sovereignty over Taiwan and refuses to develop diplomatic relations with countries that recognise the Republic of China.

♦ Taiwan maintains official relations with 14 of the United Nations` 193 member states, as well as the Holy See.

♦ Despite the fact that India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations, the two countries` bilateral ties have grown stronger since the 1990s.

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The Oxygen Crisis has an easy and fast solution:

By converting a Nitrogen Generator into an Oxygen Generator, IIT Mumbai demonstrated how to solve the widespread oxygen shortage crisis.

 

Highlights:

 

♦ The pilot project at IIT-Bombay to convert a PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) Nitrogen Unit to a PSA Oxygen Unit was a success.

♦ At 3.5 atm pressure, oxygen can be provided with a purity of 93 percent to 96 percent.

♦ This gaseous oxygen can be used for COVID-related needs in current hospitals and future COVID-19 dedicated facilities by ensuring a continuous supply of oxygen.

 

How to convert a nitrogen unit to an oxygen unit?

 

♦ The current nitrogen processing equipment was fine-tuned, and the molecular sieve was changed from "carbon" to "zeolite."

♦ The pilot project is a collaboration between Tata Consulting Engineers IIT Mumbai and Spantech engineers in Mumbai, who are in charge of PSA`s nitrogen and oxygen plants development.

 

About Pressure Swing Adsorption:

 

♦ Pressure Swing Adsorption is a method for isolating individual gas species from pressure mixtures.

♦ PSA works at a temperature similar to ambient (temperature relative to the surrounding environment), which is somewhat different from cryogenic distillation for gas separation.

♦ Cryogenic separation is a business procedure that takes place at extremely low temperatures.

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Vaccine Finder Tool Introduced in India by Facebook:

Facebook has collaborated with the Indian government to introduce a vaccine finder tool in its Indian mobile app, which will help people find places in their neighbourhood where they need to be vaccinated.

 

Highlights:

♦ The social media behemoth announced this week that it would contribute $10 million to a COVID-19 emergency response in the region.

♦ Facebook will collaborate with the Indian government to begin rolling out its Vaccine Finder tool on the Facebook mobile app in India, which will be available in 17 languages and will help people find nearby vaccine clinics.

♦ This method was used by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to provide the location of the vaccine centre as well as its operating hours.

♦ The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses given in the country has surpassed 1522 million.

♦ Similarly, before the COVID-19 vaccine phase 3 vaccination began on May 1, more than 2.45 million people had registered on the Co-WIN digital portal.

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Parker Solar Probe - NASA:

 

A natural radio signal was observed by NASA`s Parker Solar Probe, suggesting that it had passed through the planet`s upper atmosphere. This was the first direct assessment of Venus`s atmosphere in nearly 30 years.

 

Highlights:

 

♦ NASA`s historic Parker Solar Probe mission will change how we think about the sun, where shifting conditions will spread through the solar system, affecting Earth and other planets.

♦ The Parker Solar Probe will travel through the sun`s atmosphere, moving closer to the surface than any previous spacecraft, experiencing intense heat and radiation, and providing humanity with the closest-ever observations of a star.

♦ Parker Solar Probe has three distinct scientific goals:

♦ Follow the flow of energy that heats and accelerates the solar wind and corona.

♦ Investigate the structure and dynamics of solar wind plasma and magnetic fields.

♦ Investigate the acceleration and transport of energetic particles.