Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 12 September 2023 | Download PDF

• Research findings of the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) on India’s marine ecosystems were showcased at UN Meet.
• United Nations meeting was held at Seoul, South Korea to discuss the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Key points

• India emphasized its commitment to marine ecosystem conservation, particularly mangroves and coral reefs, the identification of marine protected areas, and the promotion of sustainable marine fishing.
• India emphasized about the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) workshop, which is aimed to accelerate the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). 
• The report highlighted CMFRI’s research in developing a deep learning-enabled image recognition model for classifying underwater coral images as part of efforts to restore ocean ecosystems.
• It also mentioned CMFRI’s attempts to map the spatial distribution of aquatic invasive species in the northern Indian Ocean region.

Did you know?

• SOI is a global platform that seeks to build partnerships and enhance capacity to achieve global goals and targets related to marine and coastal biodiversity.

• In December 2022, the CBD Conference of the Parties, at its 15th meeting (COP 15), adopted a historic agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss to put nature on the path of recovery and ensure that people live in harmony with nature by 2050. 
• The GBF includes 4 outcome-oriented goals and 23 action-oriented targets, with the majority being highly relevant for the ocean.

• Scientists now have access to the whole genome sequences of multiple mosquito species, allowing us to genetically manipulate them. 
• Gene-drive technology is one such approach, which has been used in outdoor trials in India, Brazil, and Panama

Key points

• The fundamental idea behind genetic manipulation of mosquitoes is to systematically control their populations by interfering with their reproduction. 
• Scientists worldwide have developed various genetic modification approaches. A major one in this endeavour is gene-drive technology.

Gene-drive technology

• This technology was conceived by Austin Burt, professor at Imperial College London, in a 2003 paper published in Royal Society Proceedings.
• In 2020 a genetically modified mosquito called OX5034 was released in counties in Florida and Texas. 
• Genetically modified male OX5034 mosquitoes mated with female mosquitoes but the self-limiting gene prevented female offspring from surviving. Male mosquitoes would then disappear from the environment after around a dozen generations.

• Jignesh Raval is one of the best tennis coaches in the country. 
• The last two national women’s champions Zeel Desai and Vaidehi Chaudhari have come from his stable in Ahmedabad. 
• Jignesh has had a rich experience grooming a lot of players with missionary zeal.

Did you know?

• Among the best tennis coaches in the country, Jignesh Raval gave up on a promising and rewarding career in the UK, USA and Canada and chose to be back home after fruitful stints in all those nations; he has used the experience to put a system in place in India. 

• Beijing ‘welcomed’ India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor initiative but says it ‘should not become a geopolitical tool’.

India-Middle East-Europe mega economic corridor

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the plan to build a rail and shipping corridor linking India with the Middle East and Europe.
• The project aims to foster economic growth and political cooperation. It would help to boost trade, transport energy resources and improve digital connectivity.
• The rail and shipping corridor is part of the Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII)
• PGII is a collaborative effort by G7 nations to fund infrastructure projects in developing nations.
• This project is also called as a green and digital bridge across continents and civilizations.

• Australian batter David Warner went past legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar to become the opener with the most number of centuries in international cricket. 
• The 36-year-old batter accomplished this milestone against South Africa in the second ODI, scoring his 46th hundred.

A Constitution Bench held that a Supreme Court judgment of 2014 which declared invalid a legal provision mandating the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take prior permission before investigating corruption cases against senior government officials has a retrospective effect.

Key points

• A five-judge Bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said the provision in question, Section 6A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, the statute that governs the CBI, was void from the very day of its insertion on September 11, 2003.
• The 106-page judgment held that Section 6A violated fundamental rights, and once a law is declared to be unconstitutional, being violative of Part-III (fundamental rights) of the Constitution, then it would be held to be void ab initio, still born, unenforceable and non est
• This means that senior government officials involved in corruption cases even before the date of the Supreme Court judgment invalidating the need for prior sanction would no longer be able to avail the protection of prior approval.

• Outcome of visit of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia 

Key points

• They agreed to set up a joint task force to fast-track the West Coast refinery project.
• The corridor will help in the increase of economic growth, energy sector and digitisation
• Narendra Modi described Saudi Arabia as “one of the mostimportant strategic partners of India”.

• ‘One Week One Lab’ programme kicked off at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) Bhubaneswar.

Key points

• The program will allow each of the 37 CSIR labs spread across the country to showcase their work to get benefits and for stakeholders to learn about it.
• The objective of the program is to create awareness about the available technologies, in the area of minerals, materials and environmental sustainability and services present at CSIR-IMMT among potential stakeholders.

Odisha State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society Limited(Boyanika) to organize the 20th National level Handloom Expo at Unit-III IDCO Exhibition Ground.

Key points

• The National level Handloom expo is organised with an aim to give opportunities handloom artisans of the state to sell their handloom products.
• It will also enable our state weavers to interact and exchange their skills and techniques.
• It will improve their cost effectiveness
• It will help them study the colour and design patterns prevailing in contemporary markets in different states.

4,000 saplings planted at Bachhera Hill in Jatni, a major suburban area of Bhubaneswar to mark launch of ‘Sabuja Pahada’(Greening Hillocks) project.

Key points

• The event was jointly organised by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Bhubaneswar Development Authourity (BDA) and Khurda district administration.
• The aim is to restore, rejuvenate and increase the green cover in the Capital and its outskirts.

• Sudeep Kumar Sahu was awarded a gold medal at the passing out ceremony at the Officers Training Academy(OTA)
• He is awarded this on the completion of rigorous 11-month training.

• Odia Scientist Dr Jyotirmayee Dash, working at the School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, has been awarded the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for her outstanding contribution to the field of Chemical Sciences.
• She is the first ever woman from Odisha to receive the prestigious award. 
• Having done her post graduation in chemistry from Revenshaw College Cuttack, Jyotirmayee received her doctorate degree from IIT Kanpur.
•  She is one of the 14 young scientists being awarded the prestigious award this year.

Did you know?

• The Shantiswaroop Bhatnagar Award is announced every year on 26th September, the foundation day of CSIR.
• An exception for the first time happened last year.
• The Award is for the year 2022.