अभ्‍यास संप्रीति-2019 का समापन
भारत और बांग्‍लादेश का संयुक्‍त सैन्‍य अभ्‍यास संप्रीति VIII, 14 मार्च, 2019 को तंगेल, बांग्‍लादेश में संपन्‍न हुआ। भारत-बांग्‍लादेश सयुक्‍त सैन्‍य अभ्‍यास में भारतीय सेना की ओर से राजपूताना राइफल्‍स की 9वीं बटालियन का कंपनी ग्रुप तथा 36 ईस्‍ट बंगाल बटालियन बांग्‍लादेश की कंपनी ने भाग लिया। समापन समारोह में मुख्‍य अतिथि भारतीय उच्‍चायुक्‍त महामहिम श्रीमती रीवा गांगुली दास ने दोनों देशों के बीच विशेष संबंधों पर प्रकाश डाला।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/19292-2019-22
#military #India #Bangladesh #IndianArmy #Indianforces

भारत ऊर्जा प्रारूपण फोरम की पहली कार्यशाला
नीति आयोग और संयुक्‍त राज्‍य अंतर्राष्‍ट्रीय विकास एजेंसी (यूएसएआईडी) ने भारत ऊर्जा प्रारूपण फोरम (आईईएमएफ) की पहली कार्यशाला आयोजित की। यह फोरम भारत के ऊर्जा भविष्‍य के संबंध में विचारों के आदान-प्रदान, परिदृश्‍य परिचर्चा व योजना निर्माण के लिए एक मंच उपलब्‍ध करता है। पैसिफिक नॉर्थ वेस्‍ट नेशनल लैबोरेटरी (पीएनएनएल) के सहयोग से इस दो दिवसीय कार्यशाला का आयोजन किया गया था। कार्यशाला के उद्घाटन सत्र की अध्‍यक्षता नीति आयोग के उपाध्‍यक्ष डॉ. राजीव कुमार तथा यूएसएआईडी इंडिया के मिशन डायरेक्‍टर श्री मार्क ए व्‍हाइट ने संयुक्‍त रूप से की।
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants-hindi/19291-2019-03-16-03-15-59
#India #Workshop #USAID #IEMF #PNNL #RajivKumar #NITIAayog

New policy for highway projects
The government has unveiled a policy for resolving stalled highway projects worth nearly Rs 30,000 crore, including those where proceedings have been initiated against the companies before the bankruptcy tribunal. The move is aimed at unlocking money of both lenders and private players, including crisis-hit IL&FS, which is caught in about 28-30 projects as work has come to a standstill due to shortage of funds. According to a road transport ministry circular issued on March 9, agencies such as NHAI can foreclose the contract by signing a supplementary agreement. It said the authority will a make full and final payment to the private player for the “value of work done” or 90% of the debt due, whichever is lower.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/19297-new-policy-for-highway-projects
#highwayproject #bankruptcy #NCLT #ILFS #NHAI

First Workshop on IEMF Held
The NITI Aayog and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized the first workshop on development of the India Energy Modelling Forum (IEMF), which has been envisaged as a pan-stakeholder platform for debating ideas, scenario-planning & discussing the India's energy future. The two-day workshop, being held with the support of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), was organized under the Sustainable Growth Pillar of the India-U.S. Strategic Energy Partnership. The inaugural session of the workshop was chaired by Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog and Mr Mark A. White, Mission Director, USAID India.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/19296-first-workshop-on-iemf-held
#IEMF #NITIAayog #Workshop #USAID #India #PNNL

MoU sign for STC
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has signed an MoU with The Indian Space Research Organisation of the Department of Space, Government of India, Bengaluru to set up an ISRO-IITR Space Technology Cell (STC) at IIT Roorkee, recognising the need to strengthen their institutional interactions and thereby enhance the scope of the activities pursued under STC commensurate with the programmatic goals of ISRO.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/19295-mou-sign-for-stc
#MoU #STC #IIT #ISRO #Bengaluru #IITRoorkee #India

Astronauts successfully reach ISS
A Russian cosmonaut and two US astronauts arrived 15 March 2019 at the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, five months after the failed launch of a rocket carrying two of the passengers. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and his Russian colleague Alexey Ovchinin, who both survived a dramatically aborted Soyuz launch last

UNCCD COP 14 in India
A UN convention to combat desertification kicked off on 2 September 2019 at Greater Noida in which countries are expected to announce their targets for land restoration and agree on measures to address emerging threats including sand and dust storms and droughts.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21369-unccd-cop-14-in-india
#UNCCD #COP14 #India #LDN #GreaterNoida #COP

India to chair A-WEB
The fourth general assembly of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) is being hosted by the Election Commission of India in Bengaluru on September 3. On the same day, India will take over as the chair of A-WEB for 2019-21.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21368-india-to-chair-a-web
#India #AWEB #EMB #AAEA #Bengaluru #SunilArora #WorlDElectionBodies

Moon lander separation successful
In a key event of India's second moon mission Chandrayaan-2, lander 'Vikram' was separated from the orbiter on 2 September 2019, five days ahead of its planned lunar touchdown.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21367-moon-lander-separation-successful
#Moon #India #Chandrayaan2 #ISTRAC #IDSN #ISRO #Pragyan

Yutu-2 discovers ‘gel-like’ substance
China’s Yutu-2 rover, which landed on the far side of the Moon as part of the Chang’e 4 mission, has made an unusual find on the satellite’s surface. According to a report from Space.com, the Yutu-2 rover has found “gel-like” substance inside a crater.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21366-yutu-2-discovers-gel-like-substance
#Yutu2 #gellike #Moon #SPA #satellite #mission #China

World safest cities index
There’s a new surprise member of the world’s safest cities club. Washington, DC, has entered the top 10 in the Safe Cities index for the first time, while Hong Kong is a noticeable no-show after plummeting down the rankings.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21365-world-safest-cities-index
#World #safest #HongKong #Washington #ranking #EconomistIntelligenceUni

WTO dispute over India's tariffs on ICT goods
The US has sought establishment of a dispute panel by the World Trade Organization's (WTO) in a case against India's import duties on certain ICT products, including mobile phones.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21539-wto-dispute-over-india-s-tariffs-on-ict-goods.html
#WTO #ICTgoods #settlementmechanism #US #WTOnorms


NATGRID to be ready by early 2020
The NATGRID - a robust intelligence gathering mechanism related to immigration, banking, individual tax payers, air and train travels - is likely to be operational by January 2020, officials said on 22 September 2019.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21538-natgrid-to-be-ready-by-early-2020.html
#NATGRID #NationalIntelligenceGrid #AmitShah #traintravels


7th frigate in P17A series
The Navy has planned to name the seventh ship in the P17A frigate series as 'Mahendragiri'.The first of the seven frigates, christened 'Nilgiri', is slated to be launched in Mumbai on September 28 in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21537-7th-frigate-in-p17a-series.html
#P17Aseries #NilgiriHills #Mahendragiri #INSNilgiri


Genes implicated in bipolar disorder identified
A study by researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), in Bengaluru, identifies two specific genes which may be related to bipolar disorder, a neuropsychiatric disorder that has been studied widely.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21536-genes-implicated-in-bipolar-disorder-identified.html
#NIMHANS #JNCASR #JawaharlalNehru #Bengaluru


Rules of trade remedies
The government will soon make changes in the rules of trade remedies such as antidumping and safeguard, for making them more effective to protect the domestic industry.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21535-rules-of-trade-remedies.html
#Rules #traderemedies #WorldTradeOrganization #LDR

Target UPSC 2023
KSG Bengaluru Foundation Offline Batch
Starting from 27th June
At our Koramangala (7619166663) and Chandra Layout (7619136662)
#upsc #offline #classroom #ias #bengaluru #drkhan

Today's Headlines - 05 August 2023
WHO report on tobacco control measures
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

Bengaluru finds special mention in a World Health Organisation (WHO) report on tobacco control measures released. Hundreds of enforcement drives, putting up ‘No Smoking’ signs, and creating awareness about the effects of smoking and second-hand smoke resulted in a 27% reduction in smoking in public places in the city, the report said. Across the world, there are 300 million fewer smokers today, with the prevalence of smoking declining from 22.8% in 2007 to 17% in 2021.

Measures of the report

Fifteen years ago, WHO had developed the MPOWER measures – monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; protect people from tobacco smoke; offer help to quit tobacco; warn about dangers of tobacco; enforce bans on tobacco advertising; and raise taxes on tobacco products.
The report assesses the implementation of these measures.

What does the report say?

In the 15 years since the MPOWER measures were first introduced, 5.6 billion people in the world – or 71% of the entire population – remain protected by at least one of the measures. This has increased from just 5% of the population in 2008.
The number of countries implementing at least one MPOWER measure has increased from 44 countries in 2008 to 151 in 2022. At least four countries – Brazil, Turkiye, Netherlands, and Mauritius – have implemented all the measures.
WHO urges all countries to put in place all of the MPOWER measures at best-practice level to fight the tobacco epidemic, which kills 8.7 million people globally, and push back against the tobacco and nicotine industries, who lobby against these public health measures.
With a focus on second-hand smoking, the report says that almost 40% countries now have completely smoke-free indoor public spaces.

The report has some bad news as well.

There are at least 44 countries in the world that still do not implement any MPOWER measure.
There are 53 countries that do not completely ban smoking in healthcare facilities. And only half of the countries have smoke-free workplaces and restaurants.
The director general of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also flagged the dangers of e-cigarettes.
In the report, he said, “But progress so far is being undermined by the tobacco industry’s aggressive promotion of E-cigarettes as a safer alternative to cigarettes.

How does India fare?

When it comes to India, the report states that the country has the highest level of achievement when it comes to putting health warning labels on tobacco products and providing tobacco dependence treatment.
With 85% of cigarette packs carrying health warnings both on the front and back, India figures among the top 10 countries in terms of the size of health warnings. The cigarette packets in the country also carry a toll-free number for a quit-line.
India has also banned the sale of e-cigarettes, and banned smoking in healthcare facilities and educational institutions.
The report ranks the implementation of these bans an 8 out of 10 in healthcare facilities, 6 in schools, and 5 in universities.

#upsc #news #headline #WHO #report #tobacco #measures #health #diseases #bengaluru #tobaccocontrol #nosmoking #dangers #publicespaces #countries #world #DrTedrosAdhanomGhebrayesus #Ecigarettes #achievement #health #warnings #facilities #india #fare

Today's Headlines - 08 August 2023
Centre to look into ‘Havana Syndrome’
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

The Central government has told the Karnataka High Court that it will look into the matter of the ‘Havana Syndrome’ in India, in response to a Bengaluru resident’s recent petition. The petitioner had approached the court requesting a writ of mandamus for an enquiry on Havana Syndrome in India and the prevention of high-frequency microwave transmission in India.

What is Havana Syndrome?

Havana Syndrome refers to a set of mental health symptoms that are said to be experienced by United States intelligence and embassy officials in various countries.
It is worth noting that in general, the word ‘syndrome’ simply means a set of symptoms. It does not mean a unique medical condition, but rather a set of symptoms that are usually experienced together whose origins may be difficult to confirm.
What is known as the Havana Syndrome typically involves symptoms such as hearing certain sounds without any outside noise, nausea, vertigo and headaches, memory loss and balance issues.
As the name suggests, it traces its roots to Cuba in late 2016. This was about a year after the US opened its embassy in the capital city of Havana after ties between the two countries were normalised in 2015.
Some US intelligence officials and members of the staff at the embassy began experiencing sudden bursts of pressure in their brains followed by persistent headaches, feelings of disorientation and insomnia.

Where else has Havana syndrome been reported?

Since the Cuban incident, American intelligence and foreign affairs officials posted in various countries have reported symptoms of the syndrome.
In early 2018, similar accusations began to be made by US diplomats in China. The first such report was in April 2018 at the Guangzhou consulate.
An American employee reported that he had been experiencing symptoms since late 2017. Another incident had previously been reported by a USAID employee at the US Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in September 2017.
In 2019 and 2020, such incidents have been reported from within the US — particularly in Washington DC. One incident was even reported at The Ellipse, a lawn adjacent to the White House.
In India, the first such case was reported in the same year, when a US intelligence officer travelling to New Delhi with CIA director William Burns reported symptoms of Havana Syndrome.

What are the causes of Havana Syndrome?

No one is entirely sure. But initially during the Cuban experience, being in a country that had been hostile to the US for over five decades, the suspicion was on Cuban intelligence or a section within the Cuban establishment that did not want US-Cuba relations to normalise. It was then speculated to be a “sonic attack”.
However, further study by scientists in the US and medical examination of the victims began to suggest that they may have been subjected to high-powered microwaves that either damaged or interfered with the nervous system.

#upsc #news #headline #health #diseases #havana #syndrome #karnataka #highcourt #india #bengaluru #mandamus #resident #transmission #symptoms #embassy #unique #medical #cuba #roots #US #guangzhou #consulate #washington #newdelhi #sonicattack #cuban #microwaves #nervous #system