1.Achieving Zero Hunger by 2030 in doubt, UN report warns
News: The report titled “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World” has been released.
Facts:
- The report is jointly produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF), UN World Food Programme(WFP) and World Health Organization(WHO).
- Aim: To produce most authoritative global study on the progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition.
Key Takeaways:
- Undernourishment: The number of undernourishment people in India declined from 21.7% in 2004-06 to 14% in 2017-19,
- Asia remains home to the greatest number of undernourished people followed by Africa, Latin America and Caribbean.
- Stunting: The prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years of age in India declined from 47.8% in 2012 to 34.7% in 2019.
- Obesity: The number of adults (18 years and older) who are obese grew from 3.1% in 2012 to 3.9% in 2016.
- Anaemia among women: The number of women of reproductive age (15–49) affected by anaemia grew from 165.6 million in 2012 to 175.6 million in 2016.
- SDG 2: The world is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ‘Zero Hunger’ by 2030.
Note: Stunting- low height for age, Wasting- low weight compared to height, Underweight- low weight for age, Malnutrition includes both under and over nutrition and Anaemia-Lack of Healthy Red blood cells.
News: Prime Minister will deliver an address to mark World Youth Skills Day.
Facts:
- World Youth Skills Day: It has been celebrated every year on 15th July since 2014.
- Aim:To acknowledge and celebrate the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
- Theme: Skills for a Resilient Youth.
Additional Facts:
- Global Employment Trends for Youth 2020: Technology and the future of jobs: The report has been released by the International Labour Organization(ILO).It focuses on shifts in job characteristics, sectors and skills as well as examining the impact of technological change on inequalities in youth labour markets.
- Incheon declaration: It is a declaration on education adopted at the World Education Forum in Incheon, South Korea in 2015.
3.Explained: Why Armenia and Azerbaijan are at loggerheads over Nagorno-Karabakh
News: The territorial dispute and ethnic conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh region have erupted again.
Facts:
- Nagorno-karabakh(Artsakh): It is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus within the mountainous range of Karabakh.
- Dispute: Nagorno-Karabakh is a disputed territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but mostly governed by the Republic of Artsakh, de facto independent state with an Armenian ethnic majority backed by neighbouring Armenia.
4.Two new Israeli assault rifles Arad and Carmel now set to be manufactured in India
News: The two latest Israeli assault rifles — the Arad and the Carmel are set to be manufactured in India.
Facts:
- Carmel: It is a multi-purpose, modular, caliber assault rifle for modern warfare.
- Arad: It is an M4-type Assault Rifle intended for all kinds of combat scenarios with its ability to change calibers.
- These assault rifles are to be produced under the ‘Make in India’ initiative in Madhya Pradesh where a plant had been set up in 2017 by Israel Weapons System(IWI) in a joint venture.
5.Chhattisgarh becomes first state to start e-Lok Adalats
News: Chhattisgarh has become the first state to organise e-Lok Adalats in the country.
Facts:
- Lok Adalat: It is one of the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms, it is a forum where disputes/cases pending in the court of law or at the pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised amicably.
- Statutory status: Lok Adalats have been given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
- Under the Act, the award (decision) made by the Lok Adalats is deemed to be a decree of a civil court and is final and binding on all parties and no appeal against such an award lies before any court of law.
6.IIT Kanpur develops UV sanitizing device ‘SHUDDH’
Facts: Smartphone operated Handy Ultraviolet Disinfection Helper(SHUDH) is an Ultraviolet(UV) sanitizing device developed by IIT Kanpur.It can assist in killing the spread of coronavirus at the highly prone places such as hospitals, hotels, malls, offices and schools.
7.Atal Innovation Mission teams up with ministries to support startups with COVID-19 solutions
News: NITI Aayog’s flagship Atal Innovation Mission(AIM) has completed the series of virtual “Demo Days Initiative”.
Facts:
- The initiative was launched in partnership with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council(BIRAC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science and Technology(DST), Startup India and other Ministries.
- Aim: To identify promising start-ups with potential COVID-19 innovations to further help them deploy and scale-up their solutions nationwide.
- Features: Under the initiative, 9 Demo Days were held on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), medical devices, technology solutions where around 70 startups were shortlisted who will receive support in the form of funding, supply chain and logistics.
Additional Facts:
- Atal innovation mission(AIM): It was set up by NITI Aayog in 2016 to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship by creating institutions and programs that enhance innovation in schools, colleges, and entrepreneurs in general.
