1. US grounds Chinook chopper fleet over engine fires
Tags: Defence International News
The US military has stopped its fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters from flying due to the threat of a helicopter engine fire.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The US military operates approximately 400 Chinook helicopters which are medium-lift, multi-role helicopters manufactured by Boeing.
They perform a variety of tasks in military operations.
The Chinook fleet has been halted by the US military because it is suspected that some of its engines may catch fire.
India's concern :
The Indian Air Force (IAF) too operates a fleet of Chinook helicopters.
The IAF operates a fleet of 15 Chinook helicopters and it has not grounded them so far.
Chinook was inducted into IAF in 2019.
One helicopter of Chinook unit is based in Chandigarh whereas the other is based at Mohanbari airbase in Assam.
The Indian Air Force has sought details from US defence manufacturer Boeing on the reasons for shutting down its entire fleet of Chinook helicopters.
About Chinook Helicopters :
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engined, heavy-lift helicopter.
It is developed by the American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol (later known as Boeing Rotorcraft Systems).
Each helicopter can carry goods and cargo up to 9.6 tonnes.
It can provide assistance during disaster relief, medical, search and rescue missions, aircraft recovery and parachute drops.
2. Arvind Kejriwal Launches Country’s First Virtual School for Classes 9 to 12
Tags: National National News
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced the launch of the country's first virtual school in Delhi.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The name of this school will be 'Delhi Model Virtual School'.
The classes in this virtual school will be completely online and the students will be able to complete the classes from their home.
There will be no option of physical classes in the school. All classes will be online only which will also be recorded so that students can view the recorded classes later.
In the initial phase, classes from class 9 to 12 will be held in it.
Children from any state across the country will be able to take admission in this virtual school.
This school with online classes will also have a digital library for the students.
Happiness Classes, Patriotic Courses, Sports University, Skill University, Army Preparatory etc. have also been established by the Delhi Government.
Education Ministry refutes Delhi Government's claim :
The Centre-run National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has refuted Kejriwal's claim that his government is starting the first virtual school in the country.
NIOS, which functions as an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Education, said that India's first virtual school was started by it in August 2021.
About Delhi :
After independence in 1947, Delhi was accepted as the capital of the Union of India.
It got the status of a Union Territory in 1956.
Under the 69th Constitutional Amendment, 1991, the Union Territory of Delhi was declared as the 'National Capital Territory of Delhi', giving special status.
A 70-member assembly and a 7-member council of ministers were also arranged for Delhi.
NCR includes the districts of Uttar Pradesh (8), Haryana (14) and Rajasthan (2) adjoining Delhi.
Lieutenant Governor- Vinay Kumar Saxena
Chief Minister- Shri Arvind Kejriwal
3. India’s first indigenously developed vaccine for cervical cancer launched
Tags: Science and Technology National News
India’s first indigenously developed quadrivalent Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer launched by Union Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh in Delhi on 1 September.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The name of the vaccine is CERVAVAC.
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given market authorization to Serum Institute of India (SII) to manufacture indigenously developed vaccine against cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer in women in the age group of 15 to 44 years in India.
About CERVAVAC :
Vaccine CERVAVAC has demonstrated robust antibody response that is approximately 1,000-fold higher based on all targeted HPV types and age groups.
This vaccine protects women from cervical cancer.
It has been developed by the Serum Institute of India (SII).
This vaccine will ensure the prevention of cancer caused by human papillomavirus (types 6, 11, 16 and 18).
About Cervical Cancer :
It is a sexually transmitted infection.
It occurs in the cells of the cervix (the lower part of the uterus) that connects to the vagina.
It is mostly caused by long-term infection with HPV.
It is the second most prevalent cancer form and the second leading cause of cancer death among women aged 15–44.
Women who have HIV are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer than normal women.
Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) :
It comes under the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
It is responsible for approval of licences of specified categories of drugs like blood and blood products, vaccines, IV fluids and sera in India.
It sets the standards and quality of the manufacture, sale, import and distribution of drugs in India.
4. Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy”
Tags: National National News
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, Government of India in collaboration with the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) of Singapore successfully designed and conducted a cyber security exercise “Synergy” for 13 countries on 31 August.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- It is a part of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative- Resilience Working Group.
The group is led by India under the leadership of the National Security Council Secretariat.
Theme - “Building Network Resiliency to Counter Ransomware Attacks”.
Exercise 'Synergy' was hosted by CERT-In on its exercise simulation platform.
Each state participated as a National Crisis Management Team composed of different government agencies.
Aims of the Exercise :
To exchange best practices among member-states to make the network resilient against attacks such as ransomware and cyber extortion.
About CERT- In :
It is a government-mandated information technology (IT) security organisation.
Its purpose is to respond to computer security incidents, report on vulnerabilities and promote effective IT security practices throughout the country.
It was created by the Indian Department of Information Technology in 2004.
Functions of CERT-In :
Collection, analysis and dissemination of information on cyber attacks.
Cyber Security Incident Forecasting and Alerts
Emergency measures to deal with cyber attacks
Coordinating cyber incident response activities
5. G20 Digital Innovation Network event organised at Bali, Indonesia
Tags: Summits International News
The G20 Digital Innovation Network event will be held from September 2-4 at the Bali International Convention Centre, Bali, Indonesia.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Startups based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) will participate in this program.
Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM) has announced that four startups from Telangana AI Mission have been selected by MeitY to represent India in the G20 Digital Innovation Network (DIN).
T-AIM is a state government initiative supported by NASSCOM.
The four startups representing India in the G20 Digital Innovation Network are Aarficus, EduBooks, Unimart and MayaMD.
All these are supported by the Revv Up program of Telangana Government.
Goal of the G20 Digital Innovation Network :
The forum aims to find 100 most promising startups in 5 priority areas (Healthcare, Renewable Energy, Smart Society, Financial Inclusion and Supply Chain).
Theme of G20 Digital Innovation Network 2022 :
The theme of this year's event is 'The Rise of Digital Economy: Post-Pandemic Recovery and Beyond'.
G20 Digital Innovation Network program launched :
This forum was started by Italy in the year 2021 by selecting the ten best startups in the name of G20 Digital Innovation League.
This year it has been renamed the G20 Digital Innovation Network.
About Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM) :
Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM) Mission is an AI mission run by the Government of Telangana, which is operated by NASSCOM.
Under T-AIM, a program called "Revv Up" is also run to enable AI startup. Which helps in providing a global platform to these startup groups for emerging technologies.
Revv Up is a free-of-equity-or-cost acceleration program by T-AIM specifically designed for early-stage AI startups.
6. Approval of MoU between India and Nepal in the field of Biodiversity Conservation
Tags: National National News
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Biodiversity Conservation with the Government of Nepal.
Objective of the MoU :
The objective of the MoU is to promote cooperation between the two countries in the field of forests, wildlife, environment, and climate change.
To increase and strengthen cooperation and coordination in the field of climate change.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- India is one of the 17 mega-diverse countries in the world and is taking several steps to conserve wildlife population and biodiversity.
It will help in restoration of corridors and interlinking areas and sharing of knowledge and best practices.
The Government of India has adopted several laws, policy initiatives for the conservation of vast flora and fauna in the country and across the borders of neighboring countries.
Biodiversity Hotspots in India :
The Himalayas - entire Himalayan region covering India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Pakistan, Myanmar
Indo-Burma Region - entire North East Region (excluding Assam), it also covers the region of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, South of China.
The Western Ghats - entire region of Western Ghats
Sundaland - Nicobar group of islands in India and also covers the other Southeast Asian Countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines.
7. 'PARAKH' - A new regulator to bring uniformity between the state and central boards in India
Tags: National National News
The Center is planning to create 'PARAKH', a benchmark framework for assessing students at secondary and higher secondary levels, to bring about "uniformity" across state and central boards.
What is PARAKH?
PARAKH full name is -Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development.
It will act as a constituent unit of the NCERT.
It will also be tasked with conducting periodic learning outcome tests like National Achievement Survey (NAS) and State Achievement Survey.
This framework will seek to curb the emphasis on rote learning as envisaged by the National Policy on Education (NEP) 2020.
It will be the proposed implementing agency and also will be part of the NEP proposal.
Its team will consist of leading assessment experts with a deep understanding of the education system in India and internationally.
Response of the States :
Most states supported the proposal to conduct board exams twice a year, including one test to help students improve their scores.
The states have also agreed to the proposal to introduce two types of papers on mathematics - a standard exam, and an exam of higher level aptitude.
This will help in reducing the fear of maths among the students and encourage learning.
8. Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev dies at the age of 91
Tags: Person in news International News
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev died on 30 August at the age of 91.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- In June, he was taken to the hospital after suffering from a serious kidney ailment.
He played an important role in ending the Cold War.
About Mikhail Gorbachev :
He was born in 1931 in southern Russia.
Gorbachev was the last leader of the former Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, he pushed for stronger Soviet-India ties.
During his tenure, he visited India twice in 1986 and 1988.
He became general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party in 1985.
He wanted to reform the communist regime on the lines of democratic principles by giving freedom to the citizens.
Gorbachev's policies helped to open up the Soviet economy and liberalize society in the late 1980s.
He played a major role in the withdrawal of Soviet troops from a nearly decade-long military operation in Afghanistan.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 "for his role in the radical change in East-West relations".
Cold War :
The Cold War was an ongoing political rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union and its allies that developed after World War II.
This enmity between the two superpowers was first named the Cold War by George Orwell in an article published in 1945.
Its period is considered to be between 1945 to 1991.
The term "cold" is used because there was no direct large-scale war between the two sides.
9. ICAT Signs MoU with the NorthCap University for Emerging Technologies
Tags: National National News
The International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Northcap University (NCU), Gurugram on August 30.
About the MoU :
This MoU has been signed to enhance industry-academic partnership to conduct short-term and medium-term courses and research in the field of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and related emerging technologies as per industry requirement.
The MoU was signed by ICAT Acting Director Pamela Tikku and NCU Vice Chancellor Prof Nupur Prakash.
The expertise of ICAT coupled with NCU's outstanding proficiency in developing content in the field of automotive technology will help aspiring candidates to take admission in flexible curricula.
The entrants will be able to prepare for the diverse segments of the automotive sector in India.
International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) :
It has been located at Manesar since 1996 as a division of NATRIP (NAB) Implication Society (NAITS) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
It undertakes the testing and certification of automotive and their critical safety components.
It is one of the independent investigative agencies under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) notified by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India.
NorthCap University (NCU) :
It was established in 1996 in Gurugram.
This NCU is an 'A' grade recognized university by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
It has been ranked among the top 100 in the engineering category under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
It has also been awarded as the top 30 universities of India in the Atal Ranking, 2021 and the best performing university in the Deemed Universities category.
10. Delhi Police becomes first police force to make collection of forensic evidence mandatory
Tags: National National News
Delhi Police has become the first police force in the country to make the collection of forensic evidence mandatory for offences punishable with more than six years.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The order was issued on August 30 during the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the police headquarters.
Delhi being a Union Territory, its police force is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The purpose of the initiative is to increase the conviction rate and to integrate the criminal justice system with forensic science investigation.
The Home Minister said that in serious cases, the police should file the charge sheet only after legal investigation.
A detailed action plan has been prepared to crack down on narcotics in Delhi.
A strategy has also been chalked out to crack down on multi-state criminal gangs operating in Delhi and NCR (National Capital Region) and adjoining states.
The Home Minister directed the police to expedite the efforts to provide them a safe environment with a more professional and sensitive approach on the safety of women, children and senior citizens.
The recently released NCRB report showed a 40% increase in crimes against women in Delhi, which is the highest among all metropolitan cities in the country.
Forensic mobile vans :
As per the guidelines, in addition to Delhi Police's own mobile vehicles in all districts, one forensic mobile vehicle will be allotted to each district.
This vehicle will provide on the spot scientific and forensic assistance to the investigating officers, if required.
These vehicles will be equipped with scientific instruments.
Forensic Mobile Vehicles will no longer be under the administrative control of the city police, but will act as an independent body and answerable to the court.
What is Forensic Science?
Forensic science is the application of scientific methods or expertise to investigate crimes or to examine evidence to be presented in court.
It is an important part of the criminal justice system.
Document examination, DNA analysis, Electronic/digital media, Fingerprinting, Autopsy techniques, Engineering, Linguistics, Anthropology etc are the field of forensic science.
India's first Central Fingerprint Bureau was established in the year 1897 in Kolkata, which started functioning in the year 1904.
The Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) has been set up in Hyderabad under the Department of Biotechnology.
The National Forensic Science University was established by the Government of India in the year 2000 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
