1. A UN panel has recommended that Australia's Great Barrier Reef be listed as a World Heritage Site
Tags: Environment International News
A United Nations panel recommended on November 29, 2022 that Australia's Great Barrier Reef should be listed as a World Heritage Site that is "in danger".
Important facts
The world's largest coral reef ecosystem has been greatly affected by climate change and ocean warming.
Frequent bleaching events and La Nina are threatening the reef.
Bleaching occurs when water gets too warm, causing corals to expel the colourful algae living in their tissues and turn white.
Australia's recently elected government has pledged to spend A$1.2 billion ($800 million) over the coming years to protect the reef.
What are Coral reefs?
Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems on Earth.
They play an important role in marine ecosystems and support habitats for flora and fauna in the ocean.
Each coral is called a polyp and thousands of such polyps live together to form a colony.
About Great Barrier Reef
It extends for 1400 miles along the north-east coast of Queensland, Australia and is the world's most extensive and rich coral reef ecosystem.
It is made up of more than 2,900 reefs and more than 900 islands.
It is the largest single structure in the world made by living organisms.
This reef was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
2. Government of India allows the Enforcement Directorate to share information with 15 more government agencies
Tags: National Economy/Finance
The Ministry of Finance on 22 November 2022 issued a notification which amended the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to share information about economic offenders with 15 more agencies. Earlier the ED shared information with only 10 government agencies. Now it has to share information with 25 agencies.
This has been done by the government to expedite the cases involving cases related to economic offence and better coordination between agencies.
The ED investigates the case relating to economics offence under the Prevention of Money of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2022, the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act 2018 and the sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999.
New agencies with which ED has to share information
These 15 agencies with which now ED has to share information are National Investigation Agency (NIA), Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), State Police Department, regulators under various Acts, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of External Affairs, and Competition Commission of India (CCI), National Intelligence Grid, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), Defence Intelligence Agency, National Technical Research Organisation, Military Intelligence, inquiry authority under Central Civil Services Rules and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau..
Other 10 agencies with which ED shares information are;
The ED earlier used to share its information with Director (Financial Intelligence Unit, India, under the Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue), Cabinet Secretariat (Research and Analysis Wing), Ministry of Home Affairs or National Security Council Secretariat or Intelligence Bureau, Economic Offenses Wing of Central Bureau of Investigation, Chief Secretaries of State Governments, Reserve Bank of India, Department of Company Affairs, Securities and Exchange Board of India.
The Enforcement Directorate was set up in 1956 under the Union Finance Ministry.
Director of Enforcement Directorate Sanjay Kumar Mishra
3. Coal Ministry to conduct Investor Conclave in Mumbai
Tags: Summits National News
In order to promote the participation of bidders in the commercial auction of coal mines, the Ministry of Coal will organise an Investors Meet on December 1, 2022 in Mumbai.
Important facts
Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi will preside over it and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be the chief guest.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be the Special Guest and Minister of State for Coal, Mines and Railways, Raosaheb Patil Danve and Minister of Mining for Maharashtra, Dadaji Bhuse will be the Guest of Honour of the function.
Amrit Lal Meena, Secretary, Ministry of Coal and Vivek Bhardwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Mines will also participate in the Conclave.
4. Merriam-Webster announces 'Gaslighting' as its Word of the Year for 2022
Tags: Popular International News
The world's renowned publisher 'Merriam Webster' has declared the word 'Gaslighting' as the Word of the Year for 2022.
Meaning of Gaslighting
The dictionary defines the term as: "The act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage."
Gaslighting refers to playing with someone on a psychological level for a long period of time, so that the victim begins to doubt the validity of their own thoughts and true sense of self.
Gaslighting can also be a corporate ploy to mislead the public.
Gaslighting, in simple language, is cheating psychologically with someone.
Psychological gaslighting is the questioning of reality while manipulating or dominating a person.
Talking to someone in a psychological way, questioning his existence, his truth, his decisions or his memories comes under the ambit of gaslighting.
This word is an emotional abuse. Such behaviour in love or in married life breaks a person completely. He feels himself mentally tortured.
This word came into existence in 1938
The term itself came into existence 80 years ago in 1938 through gas light, Gas Light is a play written by Patrick Hamilton. Two films were made on this play in the 1940s.
Top 5 words of the year 2022
Oligarch: A term derived from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It means high noble. It is also used for the officers of authoritarian regimes.
Omicron: This is a variant of the coronavirus. This letter is mentioned in the Greek alphabet. Alpha, Beta, Gamma etc are part of this alphabet. Areas in Greater Noida were also named on this basis.
Codify: Converting abortion rights into federal law.
Queen Consort: Camilla, wife of Maharaja Charles, is known by this name.
Raid: The search at Mar-a-Lago home of former President Donald Trump was in the news.
5. World's largest active volcano Mauna Loa erupts in Hawaii
Tags: Environment place in news International News
The world’s largest active volcano, Hawaii's Mauna Loa, has erupted after 40 years. The US Geological Service (USGS) has upgraded the situation from advisory to “warning” which is the highest classification for a volcanic eruption. At present the lava flow is mostly contained within the summit, but residents have been placed on alert.
Mauna Loa is located inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which covers half of the US state's Big Island. The volcano rises 13,679ft (4,169m) above sea level and spans an area of more than 2,000 sq miles (5,179 sq km).
The eruption began on 27 November 2022 night at Moku'āweoweo, the volcano's summit caldera. Calderas are hollows that form beneath the summit at the end of an eruption.
According to the USGS, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since its first documented eruption in 1843. The previous eruption in 1984 sent lava flows within 5 miles of the city of Hilo, the island's most populous town.
6. KVIC Chairman Manoj Kumar inaugurates the ambitious RE-HAB Project in Nainital
Tags: Environment place in news National Person in news State News
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Manoj Kumar inaugurated the ambitious RE-HAB, Project (Reducing Human Attacks using Honey Bees) of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission at village Chausla, in Forest Range Fatehpur, Haldwani, District Nainital, and Uttarakhand on 28 November 2022. He also distributed 330 Bee-boxes, bee-colonies and toolkits along with the honey extractors to the rural beneficiaries in Chausla village.
Project RE-HAB,
Government is promoting the use of bees to discourage attacks of wild elephants on human settlements. KVIC has launched a project RE-HAB, in the states of Assam, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Orissa.
How it works
- Under Project RE-HAB, “Bee-fences' ' are created by setting up bee boxes in the passageways of elephants to block their entrance to human territories.
- The boxes are connected with a string so that when elephants attempt to pass through, a tug or pull causes the bees to swarm the elephant herds and dissuade them from progressing further.
- It is a cost-effective way of reducing human-wild conflicts without causing any harm to the animals.
- It is scientifically recorded that elephants are annoyed by the honey bees. Elephants also fear that the bee swarms can bite their sensitive inner side of the trunk and eyes. The collective buzz of the bees is annoying to elephants that force them to return.
- Project RE-HAB is a sub-mission of KVIC’s National Honey Mission.
- While the Honey Mission is a programme to increase the bee population, honey production and beekeepers’ income by setting up apiaries, Project RE-HAB uses bee boxes as a fence to prevent the elephant attacks.
- As a new initiative, the RE-HAB project will be run by KVIC at selected locations for a period of one year.
The Khadi Village and Industries Commission (KVIC)
- The Khadi Village and Industries Commission (KVIC) was set up in 1957 under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956.
- It is under the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises.
- It is responsible for planning, promotion, organisation, and implementation of programs for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas along with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
Chairperson of KVIC: Manoj Kumar
7. Spanish film ‘I Have Electric Dreams’ wins the Golden Peacock for the Best Film award at the 53rd IFFI
Tags: National Awards Person in news
The 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) came to an end at a ceremony held at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium near Panaji on 28 November 2022. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and a host of film personalities including Akshay Kumar, Asha Parekh, Ayushman Khurana, Manushi Chhillar, Rana Duggubati, Sharman Joshi, and Khushbu Sundar were present.
The 53rd IFFI being held in Panaji from 20-28 November 2022 was organised by National Film Development Corporation and Entertainment Society of Goa.
Main Highlights of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
Opening and closing film of the Festival
The opening film of the festival was Austrian Director Dieter Berner's film Alma and Oskar and the closing film was the Polish film ‘Perfect Number’, directed by Krzysztof Zanussi.
Awards
Celebrated Spanish film Director Carlos Saura was honoured with the prestigious Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement award.
Actor Producer Chiranjeevi Konidela was conferred with the IFFI Indian Film Personality of the Year Award for 2022.
Golden Peacock for the Best Film:
Spanish film Tengo sueños eléctricos / I HAVE ELECTRIC DREAMS. The film has been directed by Costa Rican film maker Valentina Maurel.
Silver Peacock for Best Director:
Iranian writer and director Nader Saeivar was awarded Silver Peacock for Best Director for his Turkish film No End/ Bi Payan.
Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Male)
Vahid Mobasseri, lead actor of No End, was honoured with Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Male).
Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Female)
Daniela Marín Navarro, lead Actress of the Film ‘I Have Electric Dreams’ was honoured with Silver Peacock for Best Actor (Female).
Special Jury Award
Lav Diaz of Philippines was chosen for the Special Jury Award for When the Waves are Gone / Kapag wala nang mga alon.
Best Debut Feature Film of a Director
Asimina Proedrou of Greece was chosen for the Best Debut Feature Film of a Director. She got the award for her film Behind the Haystacks.
Special mention by Jury Award
Director, writer and cinematographer Praveen Kandregula received Special Mention by the Jury for his film Cinema Bandi. The film has been made in Telugu
The Feature Film Jury, comprising thirteen members, was headed by Vinod Ganatra, an illustrious Filmmaker and Editor and winner of 9 National and 36 International awards.
International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
The first International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was held in the cities of Bombay (now Mumbai), Delhi, Calcutta (now Kolkata), Madras (now Chennai) from 24 January to 1 February 1952.
The Delhi leg was inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. It was later held in different cities of the country.
Since 2004, starting from the 35th edition, Goa has become the permanent venue of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
It is held in the month of November -December every year.
8. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya wins UNESCO Award for cultural heritage conservation
Tags: Awards National News
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS). Mumbai was conferred with the ‘Award of Excellence’ at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation-2022 on 26 November.
Important facts
The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation is supported by a partnership between UNESCO and Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation since 2021.
Since 2000, the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation Program has been recognizing the efforts of private individuals and organisations in restoring, conserving and transforming heritage structures and buildings in the region.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya was established as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India in 1922.
The list of awarded projects in 2022 includes
Award of Excellence - Chhtrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum, Mumbai, India
Award of Distinction - Stepwells of Golconda, Hyderabad, India, Zarch Qanat, Yazd, Iran , Neilson Hays Library, Bangkok, Thailand
Award of Merit - Topdara Stupa, Charikar, Afghanistan, Nantian Buddhist Temple, Fujian, China , Domakonda Fort, Telangana, India, Byculla Station, Mumbai, India, Sadoughi House, Yazd, Iran , 25 Chivas in Kathmandu, Nepal
9. India's milk production registers monumental growth by 83 MT in last 8 years
Tags: National Economy/Finance National News
India has registered a significant growth in milk production in the last eight years as milk production has increased by 83 million tonnes during this period.
Important facts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed happiness over the increase in milk production, and said that a vibrant dairy sector is also a great way to strengthen our "Nari Shakti".
Indian Dairy Sector
India ranks first in milk production and contributes 23% to global milk production.
The top 5 milk-producing states are: Uttar Pradesh (14.9%), Rajasthan (14.6%), Madhya Pradesh (8.6%), Gujarat (7.6%) and Andhra Pradesh (7.0%).
Dairy is the single largest agricultural commodity contributing 5% of the national economy, witnessing 6.4% in the past 5 years.
About 80 million people are directly or indirectly employed in the dairy industry.
Some important facts related to milk and milk products
India is the largest milk producer in the world accounting for 23 per cent of the global production. Next come the United States, China, Pakistan and Brazil.
Uttar Pradesh is the largest milk producing state in India and accounts for more than 15% of the total milk production in India.
The availability of milk in India is 406 grams per person per day.
Ordinary milk consists of 85 percent water and the remaining part consists of solid elements i.e. minerals and fats.
Milk is rich in protein, calcium and riboflavin (Vitamin B-2).
Milk also contains vitamins A, D, K and E, including phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, and many minerals and fats and energy.
The purity of milk is measured by a lactometer.
National Milk Research Institute is located in Karnal (Haryana).
An organic compound called lactose is found in milk.
Fresh milk has a pH of 6, when milk turns into curd, its pH becomes less than 6.
Lactobacillus bacteria help in curdling from milk.
10. India's milk production registers monumental growth by 83 MT in last 8 years
Tags: National Economy/Finance National News
India has registered a significant growth in milk production in the last eight years as milk production has increased by 83 million tonnes during this period.
Important facts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed happiness over the increase in milk production, and said that a vibrant dairy sector is also a great way to strengthen our "Nari Shakti".
Indian Dairy Sector
India ranks first in milk production and contributes 23% to global milk production.
The top 5 milk-producing states are: Uttar Pradesh (14.9%), Rajasthan (14.6%), Madhya Pradesh (8.6%), Gujarat (7.6%) and Andhra Pradesh (7.0%).
Dairy is the single largest agricultural commodity contributing 5% of the national economy, witnessing 6.4% in the past 5 years.
About 80 million people are directly or indirectly employed in the dairy industry.
Some important facts related to milk and milk products
India is the largest milk producer in the world accounting for 23 per cent of the global production. Next come the United States, China, Pakistan and Brazil.
Uttar Pradesh is the largest milk producing state in India and accounts for more than 15% of the total milk production in India.
The availability of milk in India is 406 grams per person per day.
Ordinary milk consists of 85 percent water and the remaining part consists of solid elements i.e. minerals and fats.
Milk is rich in protein, calcium and riboflavin (Vitamin B-2).
Milk also contains vitamins A, D, K and E, including phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, and many minerals and fats and energy.
The purity of milk is measured by a lactometer.
National Milk Research Institute is located in Karnal (Haryana).
An organic compound called lactose is found in milk.
Fresh milk has a pH of 6, when milk turns into curd, its pH becomes less than 6.
Lactobacillus bacteria help in curdling from milk.
