1.Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)

Why in News:

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) joined hands with the US Consulate in establishing India’s first National Antimicrobial Resistance Hub in Kolkata

About AMR:

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others.
• Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”.

Anti-Biotics and India:

• India is the largest consumer of antibiotics in the world — consumption increased by 103 per cent from 2000 to 2015, the highest in low and middle-income countries.

2.Maiden IN-RSN-RTN Trilateral Exercise

Why in News:

• A maiden trilateral exercise, involving Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN) has commenced at Port Blair on 16 Sep 19.

About the Exercise:

• RSN Tenacious, a Formidable-class guided missile stealth frigate and His Majesty’s Thailand Ship (HTMS) Kraburi, a Guided Missile Frigate would be exercising with Indian Naval Ships Ranvir, a Guided Missile Destroyer, Kora, a missile corvette and Sukanya, an Offshore Patrol Vessel along with P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft.

3.India Cooling Action Plan

Why in News:

• At an event to mark the World Ozone Day 2019 in New Delhi, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, highlighted the fact that India became one of the first countries in the world to launch a comprehensive Cooling Action plan in March, 2019.

About ICAP:

• The India Cooling Action seeks to

1. 1.Reduce cooling demand across sectors by 20% to 25% by 2037-38,
2. 2.Reduce refrigerant demand by 25% to 30% by 2037-38,
3. 3.Reduce cooling energy requirements by 25% to 40% by 2037-38,
4. 4.Recognize “cooling and related areas” as a thrust area of research under national S&T Programme,
5. 5.Training and certification of 100,000 servicing sector technicians by 2022-23, synergizing with Skill India Mission.

4.Exercise Him Vijay

Why in News:

• India to deploy latest American weapon systems for Ex-HimVijay along China border

About the Exercise:

• Indian Armed Forces are planning to deploy their latest American weapons systems including M777 ultra-light howitzers and Chinook heavy-lift helicopters in the war games to be carried out in Arunachal Pradesh, close to borders with China.
• This exercise planned by India in the northeast will mainly test the war fighting abilities of the newly-raised 17 Mountain Strike Corps in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The M777 ultra-light howitzers were inducted into the Indian Army along with the K-9 Vajra and Dhanush howitzers at Deolali near Nashik. The Indian Army will induct a total of 145 M777 howitzers in service.

 5.‘Jaldoot’ Exhibition

Why in News:

• The Regional Outreach Bureau of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in association with MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) is launching the Jaldoot campaign.

About the Exhibition:

• The ROB has redesigned the bus, to create the Jaldoot : Travelling Exhibition on Jalshakti Abhiyan. The exhibition consists of various information display panels and Audio-Visual components. The Song &Drama Division cultural troupes and artists travelling along the bus would create awareness about the Government’s initiative.

About Jal Shakthi Abhiyan:

• Focus areas of Jal Shakthi Abhiyan include
• Water Conservation and Rain Water Harvesting
• Renovation of Traditional and other Water Bodies
• Reuse of Water and Recharging of structures
• Watershed Development
• Intensive Afforestation

6.Amrabad Tiger Reserve forest

Why in News:

• Asserting that the Telangana government is against uranium mining in Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR), Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that an appropriate resolution would be passed in the Assembly and Council, expressing the opinions of both houses.

About the Uranium Mining:

• It is alleged that the proposed exploration might contaminate Krishna river on which Hyderabad depends for drinking water.
• There are also fears that it will also effect Chenchu tribals, who live in the Amrabad forests spread over Telangana’s Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda district.

7.YANK

• Context : It’s a proposed new term for changes in force over time, so that scientists can study muscle behaviour better

About Yank:

• The objective is to quantify something that our muscles and nerves can feel and respond to. Scientists who study sports often use the term “rate of force development”, a measure of explosive strength.
• Also, scientists who study gait and balance in animals and humans often analyse how quickly forces on the body change. “Yank” could be useful in understanding spasticity, a common muscle impairment in multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, stroke and cerebral palsy.

8.Exercise Samudra Laksamana

Why in News?

• The Indian Navy and Malaysian Navy had recently participated in the bilateral exercise ‘Samudra Laksamana’.

Exercise Samudra Laksamana:

• The exercise includes two phases: A harbour phase wherein professional interactions social engagements, visits by the local populace and various sports events would be conducted.
• The Sea Phase of the exercise would enable the two navies to further sharpen their skills in order to enhance interoperability between the navies to ensure peaceful and secure seas for all.
• From the Indian side, Indian Navy Ships Sahyadri and Kiltan will participate in the exercise.
• The visit of the IN ships would further bolster the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries and contribute to the security and stability in the region.

9.Commodities and Development Report 2019

• The 2019 edition of the Commodities and Development Report is titled “Commodity Dependence, Climate Change and the Paris Agreement”.
• It seeks to further the understanding of the interactions between climate change and the commodity sectors.
• The report highlights the challenges that commodity dependent developing countries (CDDCs) face as they manage their natural resource sectors in the context of the Paris Agreement.
• It also explores some potential benefits that might arise from climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• This report is published by UNCTAD.

About UNCTAD:

• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964.
• It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and part of the UN Secretariat.
• It is a part of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG).
• It was formed specifically to handle the problems of developing countries dealing with trade, investment and development issues.

Reports published by UNCTAD:

• World Economic Situation and Prospects Report, Trade and Development Report, World Investment Report, The Least Developed Countries Report, Information and Economy Report, Technology and Innovation Report and Commodities and Development Report.

10.Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI)

Context: The Madras High Court on Monday sought the response of the State government to a public interest litigation petition which sought to restrain the forest department officials from capturing deer from Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) campus and other places in Chennai for the purpose of relocating them.

About CLRI:

• Central Leather Research Institute or CLRI is the world’s largest leather research institute in terms of research papers and patents.
• The institute is located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu was founded on 24 April 1948 as a constituent laboratory under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (abbreviated as CSIR) was established by the Government of India in September of 1942 as an autonomous body that has emerged as the largest research and development organisation in India.

11.National Dairy Research Institute

Context: An online complaint against the NDRI director on charges of criminal conspiracy and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption and Cow Slaughter Acts has been filed recently.

About NDRI:

• The National Dairy Research Institute is country’s premier Dairy Research institution.
• It has developed considerable expertise over the last five decades in different areas of Dairy Production, Processing, Management and Human Resource Development.
• It undertakes research, teaching and extension activities towards dairy development in the country. Being the National Institute, it conducts basic and applied research with the objective to enhance animal productivity and also to develop cost effective technologies for the benefit of the teeming millions.
• Further, the Institute provides high quality manpower to meet the human resource requirements for the overall dairy development in the country.
• The Institute also undertakes extension programmes for transferring the know-how from the laboratory to the farmers’ fields.The National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal was established at Bangalore in 1923 as Imperial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. In 1936 it was renamed as Imperial Dairy Institute.
• After the independence of India, in 1947 it was renamed to its current name. In 1955 the institute’s headquarters was moved to Karnal. The status of deemed to be university was conferred to the institute in 1989.

12.Solomon Islands

Why in News:

• The Solomon Islands’ government has voted to sever its longstanding ties with Taiwan and take up diplomatic relations with Beijing.

About Solomon Islands:

• Solomon Islands, a country of about 600,000 people in the south Pacific is a sovereign state consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania lying to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu.
• It is the latest country to switch allegiance to China since 2016, following Burkina Faso, the Dominican Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Panama and El Salvador.