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By admin: July 20, 2024

New Plant Species Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

Tags: Environment State News

Researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have identified a new plant species named Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii in the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Papum Pare district, Arunachal Pradesh.

An Overview of the News

• The species is named in honor of Dr. Sudhansu Sekhar Dash, a BSI Scientist, to acknowledge his significant contributions to plant and ecological research in the Indian Himalayan region.

• The research findings were detailed by authors Samrat Goswami and Rohan Maity in the Indian Journal of Forestry.

Characteristics of Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii

• Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii belongs to the family Acanthaceae and the genus Phlogacanthus.

• It is closely related to Phlogacanthus Guttatus (Wall) Nees, but can be distinguished by differences in the calyx form and size, staminodes, and corona color.

• In India, the Phlogacanthus genus comprises 13 species, predominantly found in the northeastern and eastern Himalayan states.

About Arunachal Pradesh

• It is a state located in the northeastern region of India. It shares its borders with the countries of Bhutan, China and Myanmar.

• Establishment:- 20 February 1987

• Capital:- Itanagar (Executive Branch)

• Chief Minister:- Pema Khandu

• Official flower:- Rhynchostylis retusa

• Official Animal:- Gayal

India's WPI Inflation Rate Rises to 3.36% in June 2024

Tags: Economy/Finance

India's WPI inflation rate rose to 3.36% in June 2024, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI).

An Overview of the News

• This rate is provisional and represents an increase over June 2023.

• The positive inflation rate is mainly due to rising prices in food articles, crude petroleum, natural gas, mineral oils, and other manufacturing sectors.

• This marks the third consecutive month of significant sequential increases.

• Consecutive Monthly Increases:

  • March 2024: 0.3%

  • April 2024: 1.2%

  • May 2024: 2.6%

  • June 2024: 3.36%

• The WPI for June 2024 was compiled at a weighted response rate of 87.8%.

• The WPI Food Index increased to 190.3 in June 2024, up from 185.7 in May 2024.

• The annual rate of inflation (year-over-year) for the Food Index rose to 8.68% from 7.40%.

• The month-over-month change in WPI for all commodities increased by 0.39% in June 2024 compared to May 2024.

Wholesale Price Index (WPI)

• WPI tracks wholesale goods prices and reflects inflation.

• India now uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for inflation measurement.

• The U.S. reports the Producer Price Index (PPI) instead of WPI.

• WPI affects stock and fixed price markets.

• WPI is published by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry and focuses on prices in industry and manufacturing.

TechFini Receives NPCI Certification to Operate as UPI Provider

Tags: Economy/Finance

Mumbai-based fintech startup TechFini has been certified by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

An Overview of the News

• This certification allows TechFini to operate as a Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based payment infrastructure provider for banks and fintech companies.

• Validates TechFini's commitment to innovation in payments technology.

• Provides authentication to customers and partners for secure, reliable, and trustworthy solutions.

Operational Capabilities Enabled:

• UPI Issuer 2.0

• UPI Acquirer 2.0

• Issuer of Credit Line on UPI

• Acquirer of Credit Line on UPI

• Enabler of RuPay Credit Card on UPI

• Enabler of Recurring Mandate on UPI

Unified Dispute and Issue Resolution (UDIR):

• TechFini has been certified for UPI Unified Dispute and Issue Resolution (UDIR).

• This certification positions TechFini as a key player in addressing dispute resolution complexities.

Collaborative Efforts:

• With these certifications, TechFini will collaborate with financial institutions.

• Aims to accelerate payments capabilities, product journey, and digital growth.

UPI Transaction Growth:

• In June 2024, UPI-based transactions reached over Rs 20 lakh crore.

• This represents a 49% year-on-year increase.

• The transaction volume stood at 13,885.1 million.

Prime Minister Modi Endorses Dr. R Balasubramaniam's New Book "Power Within"

Tags: Books and Authors

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met Dr. R Balasubramaniam and signed a copy of his latest book, "Power Within: The Leadership Legacy of Narendra Modi."

An Overview of the News

• The book is significant as it captures Modi's leadership journey in detail.

• "Power Within" provides a comprehensive analysis of Modi's leadership.

• The analysis combines Western leadership theories, which focus on traits, and Indic leadership perspectives, which emphasize the exercise of leadership.

• This combination offers a nuanced understanding of Modi's governance style.

• The book represents a significant intersection of politics and literature.

• Prime Minister Modi's personal endorsement adds a unique touch to the book.

• The endorsement underlines the importance of the work in documenting and analyzing Modi's leadership legacy.

2024: New book releases:

• 'Venkaiah Naidu: Life in Service'  -  S. Nagesh Kumar

• 'Celebrating Bharat' - I.V. Subba Rao

• 'Mahaneta' -  Sanjay Kishore

• 'The Idea of Democracy' -  Sam Pitroda (2024)

• '2024: India in Free Fall' - Sanjay Jha

• 'The Cooking of Books: A Literary Memoir' - Ramachandra Guha

• 'Thread by Thread: The S.Kumar's Story' - Sathya Saran

• 'Just a Mercenary? Notes from My Life and Career' - D. Subbarao

• June 22, 2024: Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais launched "Gateways to the Sea: Historic Ports and Docks of Mumbai Region" at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.

• New Book by Anuradha Mascarenhas: "At The Wheel of Research: An Exclusive Biography of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan".

EAM Jaishankar Inaugurates India’s First Overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Mauritius

Tags: International News

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar inaugurated India’s first overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Mauritius.

An Overview of the News

• The event marked a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties between India and Mauritius.

• Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth was also present at the inauguration.

Purpose and Goals

• The Jan Aushadhi Kendra is a health partnership project aimed at supplying cost-effective, Made-in-India medicines.

• It aims to enhance public healthcare and well-being in Mauritius.

• This initiative fulfills a promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year.

Inauguration of the Mediclinic Project

• Jaishankar also inaugurated the Mediclinic project at Grand Bois village in Mauritius.

• The project is funded by Indian assistance and will provide secondary healthcare.

• The Mediclinic project is expected to serve approximately 16,000 people living in the area.

About Mauritius

• Capital - Port Louis

• Currency - Mauritian Rupee

• Official Language - English

• Prime Minister - Pravind Jugnauth

International Moon Day - 20 July 2024

Tags: Important Days

International Moon Day is observed annually on 20 July.

An Overview of the News

• On December 9, 2021, the United Nations General Assembly recognized a resolution submitted by the Moon Village Association and other groups.

• The application was submitted to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) to celebrate International Moon Day.

• This day is celebrated to commemorate the anniversary of the first human landing on the surface of the Moon.

• Neil Armstrong was the first man to step on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission.

• The moon day of 2022 was the first lunar day celebrated by the global community.

• The 2024 theme is “Illuminating the Shadows.”

• The Moon Village Association (MVA) states that it filed the application with the U.N. to designate July 20 as International Moon Day.

• The MVA leads the management of the celebration of International Moon Day.

Important Days and Themes in July 2024

• Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July 2024): "Combating poverty and inequality is in our hands."

• World Youth Skills Day (15 July 2024): "Youth Skills for Peace and Development."

• World Population Day (11 July 2024): "Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone."

• World Kiswahili Language Day (7 July 2024): "Kiswahili: Education and Culture of Peace."

• International Day of Cooperatives (1st Saturday of July): "Cooperatives Building a Better Future for All."

• National Doctors' Day (1 July 2024): "Healing Hands, Caring Hearts."

• National Chartered Accountants Day (1 July 2024): "Innovating for a Sustainable Future."

• GST Day (1 July 2024): "Sashakt Vyapar Samagra Vikas."

Houston Zoo Administers First-Ever mRNA Vaccine to Combat Deadly EEHV in Elephants

Tags: Environment International News

Tess, a 40-year-old Asian elephant at Houston Zoo, received the first-ever dose of an mRNA vaccine to prevent elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) 1A.

An Overview of the News

• The vaccine was created by virologists at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM).

• Tess was vaccinated on Tuesday, June 18.

• Effectiveness will be measured by antibody levels in her blood and monitoring for side effects.

• The dosage for Tess was based on studies with mRNA vaccines in horses.

Collaboration and Contributions

• The vaccine is the result of a long-term collaboration between the Houston Zoo and Dr. Paul Ling at BCM’s Department of Virology and Microbiology.

• Contributors include Jessica Watts, a graduate student in Dr. Ling’s laboratory, and Dr. Jeroen Pollet at Texas Children’s Hospital and the National School of Tropical Medicine at BCM.

• Research funded by the Houston Zoo, a private foundation, International Elephant Foundation (IEF), and Colossal Biosciences.

Global Impact

• The protocol developed at the Houston Zoo and BCM is utilized globally for monitoring, diagnosing, and treating EEHV.

• The collaboration has saved elephant lives worldwide and is essential for the long-term survival of elephant populations.

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHV)

• It is also known as Elephantid betaherpesvirus 1 (ElHV-1), is a type of herpesvirus.

• EEHV can cause a highly fatal hemorrhagic disease when transmitted to young Asian elephants.

• In African elephants, related forms of these viruses are generally benign, sometimes causing small growths or lesions.

• Some types of EEHV can cause a highly fatal disease in Asian elephants, with up to 80% mortality in severely affected individuals.

• The disease can be treated with the rapid application of antiviral drugs.

• Treatment with antiviral drugs has been effective in about a third of cases.

About Houston Zoo

• Location: Houston, Texas, United States

• Date Opened: September 1922

• Size: 55 acres (22 hectares)

• Situated Within: Hermann Park

• Number of Animals: Over 6,000

• Number of Species: More than 900

• Annual Visitors: Around 2 million

• Ranking: Second most visited zoo in the United States (surpassed only by the San Diego Zoo)

• Accreditation: Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)