1. C40 World Mayors’ Summit

Why in News?

• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called off his visit to Copenhagen to attend the C40 World Mayors’ Summit after he failed to receive the mandatory clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).Kejriwal was scheduled to address the conference, where he was to speak about Delhi’s anti-pollution measures.

About:

• The C40 World Mayors’ Summit is a three-day conference where city leaders from around the world share ideas on green urban development and on ways to get national governments to act on climate issues.
• C40 connects more than 96 of the world’s largest cities to deliver urgent and essential climate action needed to secure a sustainable future for urban citizens worldwide.
• The group is committed to delivering on climate targets set under the 2016 Paris Agreement, and sets the bar for cities to develop and implement local level plans that comply with those targets.
• The C40 group was started in 2005 by the then Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, and got its name in 2006, since it had 40 members that year.
• It has 96 members at present, representing over 70 crore people, and one-quarter of the global economy.
• Cities, according to the C40 website, have the potential to deliver 40 per cent of the emissions reductions to meet the Paris targets.
• The host city of this year’s conference is Copenhagen in Denmark.
• The cities from India that are part of the C40 are Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Jaipur, and Kolkata.

2. SARAS Aajeevika Mela

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Rural Development is organising SARAS Aajeevika Mela at India Gate Lawns from 10th October to 23rd October, 2019.

About:

• SARAS Aajeevika Mela is an initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).
• Objective:to bring the rural women Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed with support of DAY-NRLM, under one platform to show-case their skills, sell their products and help them build linkages with bulk buyers.
• Through participation in SARAS Aajeevika Mela, these rural SHG women get vital national level exposure to understand the demand and taste of urban customers.
• The Mela is organised by the marketing arm of the Ministry, Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART).

3. Army Aviation Corps

Why in News?

• In his capacity as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, President of India, presented colours to the Army Aviation Corps in a ceremonial parade, held at Army Aviation Base, Nasik Road.Presentation of the President’s Colours is an acknowledgment of the meritorious service rendered by the Army Aviation Corps over the years.

About:

• The Army Aviation Corps is a component of the Indian Army, formed on 1 November 1986.
• Army Aviation Corps is the youngest corps of the Indian Army.
• Immediately after its raising in 1986, the Army Aviation Corps proved its impeccable combat credentials during ‘Operation Pawan’ in Sri Lanka.
• The Siachen Glacier has been the ultimate operational frontier for the Corps since 1984. Routinely operating at 20000 feet and above in extremely challenging conditions, the highly skilled and motivated pilots of the Corps have been supporting ‘Operation Meghdoot’ with skill and dedication.

4. Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) Scheme

Why in News?

• Union health minister launched SUMAN scheme which assures free medicines for pregnant women.

About:

• Under the scheme, the beneficiaries visiting public health facilities are entitled to several free services.These include at least four ante natal check-ups that also includes one check-up during the 1st trimester, at least one check-up under Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, Iron Folic Acid supplementation, Tetanus diptheria injection and other components of comprehensive ANC package and six home-based newborn care visits.
• Under the scheme there will be zero expense access to identification and management of complications during and after the pregnancy. The government will also provide free transport from home to health institutions.
• According to government, India’s maternal mortality rate has declined from 254 per 1,00,000 live births in 2004-06 to 130 in 2014-16. Between 2001 and 2016, the infant mortality rate came down from 66 per 1,000 live births to 34.

5. Coral Rejuvenescence

Why in News?

• Recently scientists have found that corals that were thought to have been killed by heat stress have recovered, a glimmer of hope for the world’s climate change-threatened reefs.

What Are Corals?

• Coral are made up of hundreds to thousands of tiny creatures called polyps that secrete a hard-outer skeleton of calcium carbonate(limestone) and attach themselves to the ocean floor.
• Marine algae called zooxanthellae, which live inside their tissues provides the corals with an easy food supply, thanks to photosynthesis, which gives the corals energy, allowing them to grow and reproduce.

Impact of heat waves on corals:

• Heat waves kill these animals by either essentially roasting them alive or causing them to eject the symbiotic algae that live within them and provide them nutrients, thus leading to coral bleaching.

Coral Rejuvenescence:

• The scientists have found that in about 38% of impacted colonies, the polyps had devised a survival strategy- by shrinking their dimensions, partly abandoning their original skeleton, and gradually, over a period of several years, growing back and starting a new skeleton.
• They were then able to gradually recolonise dead areas through budding. This process is called Coral Rejuvenescence.