1.International Family Day: 15th May
.PNG)
International Family Day observed globally on 15th May every year.The day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 with the aim to highlight the importance attached to families by the international community.
This day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.
2.UN forecasts pandemic to shrink world economy by 3.2 percent
.PNG)
The United Nations is forecasting that the coronavirus pandemic will shrink the world economy by 3.2 percent this year.It is the sharpest contraction since the Great Depression in the 1930s.
COVID-19 is expected to slash global economic output by nearly $8.5 trillion over the next two years, wiping out nearly all gains of the last four years.
In January, the U.N. forecast a modest growth of 2.5 percent in 2020.
The United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects report said the pandemic is also “exacerbating poverty and inequality,” with an estimated 34.3 million people likely to fall below the extreme poverty line in 2020 – 56 percent of them in Africa.
An additional 130 million people may join the ranks of people living in extreme poverty by 2030, dealing a “huge blow” to global efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by the end of the decade.
3.ICMR to participate in Global Solidarity Trial by WHO for COVID-19 treatment
.PNG)
Indian Council for Medical Research, ICMR has fast tracked the roll out of the Global Solidarity Trial launched by the World Health Organization, WHO to help in finding an effective treatment for COVID-19.The ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute, NARI is the national coordination site for the trial in India.
Four potential antiviral agents, Remdesivir, Chloroquine-Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir-Ritonavir and Lopinavir-Ritonavir with interferon are to be evaluated in the trial.
Global Solidarity Trial is an international clinical trial to compare four treatment options to assess their effectiveness against COVID-19.
The trial aims to discover whether any of the drugs slow down the disease progression and improve survival rate.
4.India to Begin Clinical Trial for 4 Ayurvedic Drugs to Treat Covid-19
.PNG)
The Government of India is working on four ayurvedic medicine formulations to treat COVID-19.The Ministry’s announcement came two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of India to be “vocal for local”, implying more support for India’s indigenous businesses.
These formulations will be tried as an add-on therapy and standard care for COVID-19 patients.
The four formulations which will be used as a potential treatment for coronavirus include Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu (Mulethi), Guduchi +Pippali (Giloy) and AYUSH-64.
5.Defence Ministry patents low-cost PPE developed by Navy to move towards its mass production
.PNG)
A low cost personal protective equipment (PPE) developed by Indian Navy has been successfully patented by the Defence Ministry in a step towards its rapid mass production amid the coronavirus pandemic.The low-cost PPE has been developed by a doctor of Indian Navy, posted at the recently created Innovation Cell at Institute of Naval Medicine (INM), Mumbai.
A pilot batch of PPEs has already been produced at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
India has been reeling with the PPE shortage since the beginning of the pandemic.
6.Dr Harsh Vardhan dedicates COBAS-6800 testing machine to the nation
.PNG)
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan dedicated to the nation the COBAS-6800 Testing Machine for COVID-19 cases.This is the first such testing machine that has been procured by the government for testing of COVID-19 cases and is installed at the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC.
COBAS-6800 is a sophisticated machine enabled with robotics that minimizes the chance of contamination as well as the risk of infection to the health care workers.
COBAS-6800 will provide quality, high-volume testing with around 1,200 samples in 24 hours. It will largely increase the testing capacity with reduction in pendency.
7.Dr Harsh Vardhan participates in 32nd Commonwealth Health Ministers’ meeting through video conference
.PNG)
Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan participated in the 32nd Commonwealth Health Ministers’ Meeting through Video conference.He highlighted the timely, graded and proactive measures taken by India towards COVID-19 management.
India has been the first country to urge consolidated global action to fight the challenge of COVID-19.
Dr Harsh Vardhan said, India has provided essential medicines such as Hydroxychloroquine to almost 100 needy countries, extending solidarity and support during this time of crisis.
The Commonwealth of Nations, generally known simply as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 54 member states, nearly all former territories of the British Empire.
8.NIT Kurukshetra implements Enterprises Resource Planning (ERP), SAMARTH
.PNG)
National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra, will implement e-Governance platform, SAMARTH (Enterprises Resource Planning) ERP, to automate the processes of the Institute.This initiative will enhance productivity through better information management in the institute by seamless access to information, and its utilisation for various purposes.
ERP, SAMARTH, is an Open Standard Open Source Architecture, Secure, Scalable and Evolutionary Process Automation Engine for Universities and Higher Educational Institutions.
It caters to faculty, students and staff at a University/Higher Educational Institutions. Now, the ERP, SAMARTH, has been implemented at National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, a participating unit under the World Bank-supported Technical Education Quality Improvement Program (TEQIP).
9.Gujarat CM announces Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana
.PNG)
In Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana.The scheme is for small shopkeepers and self-employed those who were hit by the lockdown.
Under the scheme, one lakh rupees collateral free loan will be given at two per cent for the beneficiaries for three years.
The beneficiaries will have to make only one application to avail the loan from state and District Cooperative Banks and credit agencies.
They won’t have to pay any installment during the moratorium period for the first six months.
The State Government will pay the remaining six per cent interest to the banks.
There won’t be any processing fees for the loans.
Over 10 lakh self-employed people, small traders, shopkeepers will be benefited from the scheme.
10.West Bengal govt launches scheme to utilise 50,000-acre barren land in six districts
.PNG)
The West Bengal government launched ‘Matir Smristi’ scheme to utilise 50,000 acres of barren land in six districts for income-generating activities like horticulture and pisciculture.The scheme which will benefit around 2.5 lakh people in rural Bengal.
There is at least 50,000 acre of barren land which cannot produce anything naturally nor can the farmers cultivate on the strip.
The state government has decided to use this for horticulture and pisciculture involving the locals.
Farmers will be involved in constituting cooperative societies, which will get financial support from the cooperative banks.
11.WTO Chief Roberto Azevedo decides to resign a year before his term expires
.PNG)
In an unprecedented move, the Head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Roberto Azevedo has decided to resign, a year before his term expires.Mr Azevedo, a former diplomat from Brazil, said he will step down on August 31st, cutting short a seven-year tenure marked in recent years by intense pressure from US President Donald Trump.
Trump had accused the Geneva-based trade body of an anti-US bias and other complaints.
12.Actor Sai Gundewar, 42, passes away after prolonged battle with brain cancer
.PNG)
Bollywood actor Sai Gundewar, who has worked in a couple of movies including Aamir Khan-starrer PK, Saif Ali Khan’s Bazaar and Rock On, passed away.The actor breathed his last in the US after a prolonged battle with brain cancer.
Sai was seen in many TV shows before the popular film PK.
In 2010, he participated in MTV Splitsvilla. Then he was seen in the Indian version of American reality show, Survivor in 2011.
