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By admin: April 19, 2023

World Liver Day: 19 April

Tags: Important Days

World Liver Day is observed every year on 19 April to raise awareness about liver health and related diseases.

An Overview of the News

• World Liver Day aims to educate people about the importance of early detection, prevention and treatment of liver diseases.

• The theme of World Liver Day 2023 is "Be alert, do regular liver check-ups, fatty liver can affect anyone,"

• The day is celebrated in partnership with various local and international organisations that focus on promoting liver health.

• Liver is the second largest and most important organ in the human body, responsible for functions such as metabolism, digestion, immunity, toxin filtration, and nutrient storage.

• Recent studies in India have shown that 75% of cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are seen in patients who consume little or no alcohol and have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/sq. less than a metre.

• According to the World Health Organisation, liver disease is the 10th leading cause of death in India.

About World Health Organization (WHO)

It is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

Formation - 7 April 1948

Headquarters - Geneva, Switzerland

Head - Tedros Adhanom (Director General)

Parent Organization - United Nations Economic and Social Council

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launches SATHI Portal & Mobile App

Tags: Economy/Finance National News

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on 19th April launched the SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic Inventory) Portal and Mobile App to deal with the challenges of seed production, quality seed identification, and seed certification.

An overview of the news

• It has been created by NIC in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on the theme of 'Best Seeds - Prosperous Farmer'.

• The Government of India is constantly trying to overcome the challenges and difficulties faced by agriculture through various schemes and programmes.

• SATHI portal is also an important step in this direction. When its use starts till the bottom, it will prove to be a revolutionary step in the field of agriculture.

• There will be a QR code under this system, through which the seeds can be traced.

• Training in this regard is being imparted through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Krishi Vigyan Kendras, State Governments.

• All the states will be connected with the Seed Traceability System.

• Sathi portal will ensure quality assurance system, identify the source of seed in the seed production chain.

Integrated 7 verticals of seed chain in the system

• Research 0rganization

• Seed Certification

• Seed Licensing, Seed Catalog

• Sale from dealer to farmer

• Farmer registration

• Seed DBT

• About Indian Council of Agricultural Research

  • It is an autonomous body formerly known as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.

  • Headquarters - New Delhi

  • Established - 1929

  • The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as its president. Presently its president is Narendra Singh Tomar.

  • ICAR is the largest network of agricultural research and education institutes in the world.

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Union Cabinet Approves National Quantum Mission

Tags: Government Schemes National News

 Union Cabineton 19th April approved the National Quantum Mission to nurture and scale up scientific and industrial research and development in quantum technology.

An overview of the news

• The Union Cabinet approved Rs 6,003.65 crore for the mission from 2023-24 to 2030-31.

• The Mission will accelerate quantum technology-led economic growth and nurture the ecosystem in the country.

• The Mission will be implemented by the Department of Science and Technology in partnership with other departments.

• India will be the sixth country to have a dedicated quantum mission after the US, Austria, Finland, France and China.

• The mission will help develop high-sensitivity magnetometers in nuclear systems and atomic clocks for precise timing, communication and navigation.

• The mission envisages developing an intermediate-scale quantum computer with a capacity of 50-1000 physical qubits in eight years on various platforms such as superconducting and photonic techniques.

What is Quantum Technology?

• Quantum technology is based on quantum theory, which explains the nature of energy and matter at the atomic and sub-atomic level.

• With the help of this technology, data and information can be processed in minimum time.

India overtakes China to become the world's most populous country

Tags: Reports

India has overtaken China as the world's most populous country, according to United Nations data released on April 19.

An overview of the news

• According to UN data India's population is 142.86 crore while China's population is 142.57 crores.

• According to a new report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 25 per cent of India's population is between the age group of 0-14 years.

• The population between the age group of 10-19 years is 18 percent

• The population in the age group of 10-24 years is 26 percent.

• The population in the age group of 15-64 years is 68 percent and the population above 65 years is 7 percent.

• According to experts, the demographics of India differ from state to state.

• Kerala and Punjab have a large elderly population, while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have a large youth population.

• According to several studies conducted by various agencies, India's population is expected to grow for about three decades before reaching a peak of 165 crores. After that it will start declining.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

• A subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly and works as a sexual and reproductive health agency.

• Established - in 1967.

• In 1987, it was officially renamed the United Nations Population Fund.

• The original abbreviation, ‘UNFPA’ for the United Nations Fund for Population Activities was retained.

• Report - State of World Population Report.

Efforts to revive the India-Brazil-South Africa Forum

Tags: International News

Diplomatic focus is likely to increase on the long-dormant trilateral India-Brazil-South Africa forum.

About India-Brazil-South Africa forum (IBSA)

• It is a trilateral dialogue forum ofIndia, Brazil and South Africa which was created in the year 2003.

• The grouping was formalized under the name of theIBSA Dialogue Forum under the Brasilia Declaration.

• On June 6, 2003, at a meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries in Brasilia (Brazil), the Brasilia Declaration was issued and the grouping was formalized and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum.

• It brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents, facing similar challenges.

• IBSA Fund was established in 2004 which facilitates the execution of human development projects to advance the fight against poverty and hunger in developing countries.

• IBSAMAR is a joint multinational maritime exercise, among the Indian, Brazilian and South African navies.

Forum Meetings

• Between 2011 and 2022, the forum has held only four trilateral ministerial commission meetings.

• The latest is in September 2022, when senior ministers from the three countries meet in New York.

• However, there has not been a meeting of their heads of state or government since 2011.

• The meetings have become inactive in recent years.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Suryakumar Yadav included in Wisden Cricketers 2022 list

Tags: Sports Sports News

Wisden Cricketers Almanack has released the list of top-5 cricketers of the year 2022. It also includes India's women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Suryakumar Yadav of the men's team.

An overview of the news

• Apart from Kaur, the list also includes the names of Tom Blundell (New Zealand), Ben Foakes (England), Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) and Matthew Potts (England).

• Suryakumar Yadav has been selected as the T20 Cricketer of the Year.

• Harmanpreet Kaur created history by becoming the first Indian woman to be named in Wisden Cricketers of the Year.

• Apart from this, Ben Stokes of England has been selected as the best cricketer in the world for the year 2022-23 among male players.

• At the same time, Beth Mooney (Australia) has received this award among women cricketers. Suryakumar Yadav has been selected as the T20 Cricketer of the Year.

Harmanpreet Kaur's performance

• Harmanpreet has received this honor for her excellent performance last year.

• Harmanpreet scored an unbeaten 143 off 111 balls in the ODI against England in the year 2022.

• With this, Team India won an ODI series in England for the first time since 1999.

• Under the captaincy of Harmanpreet, the team also won the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games. At the same time, the team also became the winner of the Asia Cup.

• In the year 2022, Harmanpreet played 17 ODIs and managed to score 754 runs at an average of 58.00. His best score was 142 not out.

Suryakumar Yadav's performance in 2022

• Suryakumar Yadav is currently the world's number-1 batsman in T20 cricket.

• He played 31 matches in the year 2022 and scored 1,164 runs at an impressive strike rate of 187.43. Which is the second most runs ever in a calendar year. During this, he had scored 2 centuries and 9 half-centuries.

• Suryakumar is doing better in the year 2023 as well. He has played 6 matches this year and scored 267 runs at an average of 66.75.

• So far in 2023, he has scored 1 century and 1 half-century.

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

• It is known as the Bible of Cricket. 

• Wisden was founded in 1864 by the English cricketer John Wisden. 

• It is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom. 

• The description "bible of cricket" was first used in the 1930s by Alec Waugh in a review for the London Mercury.

Thawe Festival organised in Bihar

Tags: Festivals State News

The Thawe Festival took place on 15th and 16th April in Gopalganj, Biharand the festival was jointly organised by the Department of Tourism and the Department of Art and Culture.

An Overview of the News

• The objective of the festival is to promote tourism in Gopalganj and invite visitors to Thawe Durga Temple.

• Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav inaugurated the festival.

• Bollywood singer Himesh Reshammiyaparticipated in the second day of the festival.

• This year the 11th Annual Thave Festival was celebrated.

• The festival has been organised since 2012 at the Home Guard Ground near Thawe Durga Temple.

List of famous fairs and festivals of Bihar-

Chhath Puja: It is one of the most important festivals in Bihar and is celebrated to worship the Sun God.

Makar-Sankranti: It is celebrated every year on January 14, and marks the beginning of the harvest season.

Buddha Jayanti: Celebrated on the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, considered the founder of Buddhism.

Sonepur Pashu Fair: It is one of the biggest cattle fairs in Asia and is organised every year in the month of November.

Rajgir Festival: It is celebrated every year in the month of October and is a three-day festival which showcases the cultural heritage of Bihar.

Sama-Chakeva Bihula: This is one such festival which is celebrated every year in the month of November.

Madhushravani: It is a festival celebrated every year in the month of August, and is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Ganga.

Pitru Paksha Mela: It is held every year in the month of September, and is dedicated to ancestor worship.

Malmas Fair: It is held every three years in Bihar, and is considered to be one of the biggest fairs in the state.

China launched Fengyun-3 satellite

Tags: Science and Technology International News

On 16th April 2023, China successfully launched the Fengyun-3 meteorological satellite using Chang Zheng-4B carrier rocket from Jiuquan Cosmodrome in Gansu Province.

An Overview of the News

• The primary objective of the Fengyun-3 satellite is to monitor and provide information on severe weather conditions, especially heavy rainfall, which can cause natural disasters such as floods and landslides.

• This was the 471st mission for the Chang Zheng rocket family.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

• It is a state-owned organisation that serves as the primary contractor for China's space program.

• CASC has several subsidiaries that specialise in the design, development and manufacture of a variety of space-related technology, including spacecraft, launch vehicles, missile systems and ground equipment.

• The organisation is responsible for overseeing all aspects of China's space program, from research and development to mission planning and execution.

Establishment - 1 July 1999

Headquarters - Beijing, China

President - Zhang Zhongyang

About China

Government - Unitary Marxist-Leninist One Party Socialist Republic

President -Xi Jinping

Capital -Beijing

Official language - Standard Chinese

Currency - Renminbi

Kenya Launched Its First Operational Earth Observation Satellite "Taifa-1"

Tags: Science and Technology International News

Kenya launched its first operational Earth observation satellite "Taifa-1" on a rocket of Elon Musk's rocket company ‘SpaceX’ from Vandenberg Base in California on 15 April 2023.

An Overview of the News

• The launch rocket carried 50 payloads from various countries, including Turkey, under SpaceX's 'rideshare programme'.

• Taifa-1 was designed and developed by SayariLabs and EnduroSat and the satellite was built over two years at a cost of 50 million Kenyan shillings ($372,000).

• The satellite's primary purpose is to collect agricultural and environmental data, including floods, droughts and wildfires, to help Kenya deal with disaster management and food insecurity.

Taifa-1

• It is an optical camera that can take pictures in both multispectral and panchromatic modes.

• The satellite can operate in and out of the visible light spectrum, allowing it to capture images even in low light conditions.

• Taifa-1 is capable of capturing images in five different multispectral bands.

• The Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) of Taifa-1 is 32 m for the multispectral band and 16 m for the panchromatic band.

About Kenya

Republic -12 December 1964

Capital -Nairobi

Official languages - Swahili, English

Currency - Kenyan shilling (Kesia)

Government -Unitary presidential republic

President - William Ruto

Deputy President - Rigathi Gachagua

Senate President - Amason Kingi

Assembly Speaker - Moses Wetangula

Chief Justice - Martha Koome

Central Government notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023

Tags: National News

On April 18, thecentral government notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 and the rules aim to address the Supreme Court guidelines in a writ petition by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and People for Elimination of Stray Troubles.

An Overview of the News

• The Supreme Court has specifically mentioned that transfer of dogs cannot be allowed.

• Under the new rules, local bodies including municipalities, municipal corporations and panchayats are responsible for carrying out the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.

• The ABC program aims to sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs, reduce their population, and address animal welfare issues.

• The rules provide guidelines on how to handle conflicts between humans and stray dogs without relocating the dogs.

• ABC programs should be conducted by AWBI accredited organisations specifically recognized for this purpose.

• The list of such organisations will be available on the website of AWBI and will be updated regularly.

About Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)

• It is a statutory advisory body that provides guidance to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.

• AWBI is headquartered in Ballabgarh, Haryana, and was earlier located in Chennai.

• As an advisory body, AWBI plays an important role in shaping policies related to animal welfare in India.

• AWBI was established under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 with the objective of preventing cruelty to animals and promoting their welfare.

• The Board consists of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and a number of other members who are appointed by the Government of India.

• Some of the major functions of the AWBI include conducting research on animal welfare, creating awareness about animal rights, and monitoring the use of animals in animal-related activities such as transportation, slaughter, and entertainment.

Founder -Rukmini Devi Arundale

Established - 1962

FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam Receives Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award

Tags: Awards

On 15 April, FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, India's highest civilian honour for persons of Indian origin and the diaspora.

An Overview of the News

• Due to travel restrictions, Subramaniam was presented the award by India's ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, at a ceremony held at India House.

• Subramaniam is a prominent Indian-American business leader.

About Pravasi Bhartiya Samman

• It is an award given by the Government of India to persons of Indian origin and diaspora who have made significant contributions in their respective fields.

• The award was instituted on 9 January 2003 coinciding with the celebrations ofPravasi Bharatiya Divas,also known as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

• Recipients of this award are selected on the basis of their achievements in various fields including science, business, arts and philanthropy.

• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is considered to be the highest civilian award given by India to persons of Indian origin living outside the country.

• The objective of the award is to recognize and honour the contribution made by the Indian diaspora in enhancing the image of India in the international community.

About FedEx

Founded - 5 May 1971 United States

Founder - Frederick W. Smith

Headquarters - Memphis, Tennessee, United States

President - Raj Subramaniam