Why in news?

• The State Bank of India (SBI) will set up an Innovation, Incubation and Acceleration Centre (IIAC) at Hyderabad, Telangana which will be operational in six to nine months of on-boarding a consultant.
• This Centre will be the bank’s in-house capability to enhance its current performance and drive higher top-line growth through innovation.
• Features of IIAC:
• It will help the bank to develop a set of technologies, knowledge, and skills for the introduction of new products and services.
• It will act as a central body to govern and drive fin-tech partnerships and implement change across the bank.
• It will explore emerging innovations, market shifts or technologies that could impact the bank’s status quo; pursue large-scale initiatives, will redefine the existing business or create a new business unit or division for the bank; and transfer innovation from prototype to project/product that can be monetised by the bank.

Why in news?

• The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have signed a new agreement to boost decent work and reinforce a humanistic-based revival from the COVID-19 pandemic in the aviation industry.
• The agreement has a five-year duration and is renewable.
• This agreement will renew the 1953 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the possible establishment of a joint aviation commission and acts as a follow-up to the request made by ILO constituents during the 2013 Global Dialogue Forum on the Effects of the Global Economic Crisis on the Civil Aviation Industry to refurbish cooperation between the two agencies.
• Significance:
• The renewed collaboration between the ILO and the ICAO focuses to guarantee a safe, strong, inclusive and sustainable COVID-19 recovery in the aviation industry.
• Given the serious challenges posed by the pandemic to workers and their rights in the aviation industry, this agreement will be a timely step toward establishing a socially sustainable recovery and decent work in the industry.
• The agreement complies with the ICAO Assembly’s Resolutions on the United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and gender equality and commits to collaborating with the UN system to enhance aviation’s contributions to sustainable development, forming a steadfast leadership and committing to advancing women’s rights.

About International Labour Organization (ILO):

• ILO is the only tripartite United Nations agency that brings together governments, employers, and workers from 187 member countries.
• India is a founder member of the International Labour Organization.
• ILO was established in 1919 and it is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

About International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

• A United Nations (UN) specialized agency established in the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention – 1944) to achieve long-term growth of the global civil aviation system.
• Established in 1947 and 193 Member States.
• Headquarters – Montreal, Canada.

Why in news?

• Recently, the world’s most advanced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) powered by Hydrogen, Toyota Mirai, was launched in India by the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in New Delhi, Delhi. It runs on fully hydrogen generated electricity.
• This launch is a pilot project taking place in Delhi by Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd (TKM) and International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT) to study and evaluate this FCEV on Indian roads and climatic conditions.
• This is also a first of its kind project in India aiming to create a Green Hydrogen based ecosystem by raising awareness about the utility of Green Hydrogen and FCEV technology.
• Green hydrogen can be generated from renewable energy and abundantly available biomass.
• FCEV is one of the best Zero Emission solutions.

About Toyota Mirai:

• Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell battery pack, it is capable of providing a range up to 650 km in a single charge, with a refuelling time of five minutes. The powertrain breaks the hydrogen into water and oxygen to generate energy from it. In Japanese, the word ‘Mirai’ means ‘future’.
• Toyota Mirai was launched in 2014 and was one of the world’s first hydrogen fuel EV.
• Now, this new launch in India is second generation (introduced globally in 2020), with a 30% increase in range, better handling and sharper styling. Its iteration will be built in TKM’s plant in Karnataka.
• The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) will be supplying Hydrogen for this vehicle.
• The launch of the EV, and adoption of green hydrogen technology will cater to India’s initiative of becoming ‘Energy Self-reliant’ by 2047 as it will promote clean energy, affordable energy and environmental protection by reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
• It is completely environment friendly with no tailpipe emissions other than water.

Why in news?

• The Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India, has announced that it has become the country’s largest coal producer. In the financial year 2021-22, the company reported it produced 157 million tonnes of coal.
• The business also generated 62 lakh tonnes of dry fuel on March 12. In a statement, the corporation stated that it was the largest production in a single day during the current fiscal year.
• MCL has delivered over 166 MT dry fuel to consumers, a 22 percent increase over the previous financial year, and has removed 195 MCuM (million cubic metres) of overburden, a 19 percent increase over the previous financial year, according to a statement.

Why in news?

• Recently information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences on achievements under National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical system
• About National Mission On Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical system
• The NM-ICPS is a comprehensive Mission which would address technology development, application development, human resource development & skill enhancement, entrepreneurship and start-up development in Cyber Physical System (CPS) and associated technologies.
• The Mission aims at establishment of 15 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIH), six Application Innovation Hubs (AIH)and four Technology Translation Research Parks (TTRP).
• These Hubs & TTRPs will connect to Academics, Industry, Central Ministries and State Government in developing solutions at reputed academic, R&D and other organizations across the country in a hub and spoke model.
• The Hubs & TTRPs have four focused areas along which the Mission implementation would proceed, namely:
• Technology Development,
• HRD & Skill Development,
• Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Start-ups Ecosystem Development, and
• International Collaborations.

Cyber-Physical Systems

• Cyber-physical systems integrate sensing, computation, control and networking into physical objects and infrastructure, connecting them to the Internet and to each other.
• Few Potential applications: Driverless carst hat communicate securely with each other on smart roads, Sensors in the home to detect changing health conditions, improving agricultural practices and enabling scientists to address issues arising out of climate change etc.
• Advances in cyber-physical systems will enable capability, adaptability, scalability, resiliency, safety, security and usability that will far exceed the simple embedded systems of today.

Why in news?

• The N. General Assembly approved a resolution to proclaim March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia every year, starting from 2022.
• The resolution, adopted by the 193-member UN General Assembly, was introduced by Pakistan’s ambassador Munir Akram on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),on March 15, 2022.
• It marks the day when a gunman entered two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 51 worshippers and wounding 40 others in the terror attack.
• The resolution, introduced by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was co-sponsored by Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
• The objective of the day: The main objective of International Day to Combat Islamophobia will be curtailing systematic hate speech and discrimination against Muslims; respect for religious symbols and practices; along with the elimination of all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief.

Why in news?

• India is set to host the 44^th World Chess Olympiad(44th Chess Olympiad) 2022 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The event will be organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE -Federation Intemationale des Echecs) at the convention centre at the Four Points by Sheraton, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.
• FIDE has approved the bid to host the 44th Chess Olympiad and FIDE Congress 2022 in India.
• The 44th World Chess Olympiad 2022 which was previously scheduled to be held in Moscow, Russia from July 26 to August 8, 2022.
• The FIDE’s Chess Olympiad is a biennial team event, in which teams from around 190 countries compete. The 43rd edition was held in 2018 in Batumi, Georgia.
• 45^th Chess Olympiad is set to be held in Budapest, Hungary in 2024.
• This is the 2nd major global Chess event to be held in India after the World Championship match in 2013.

Why in news?

• The Hungarian Parliament has elected the ruling Fidesz Party lawmaker, Katelin Novak, as Republic of Hungary’s first-ever female President.
• By winning the election, she has become Hungary’s youngest ever head of state, at the age of 44.
• She received 137 votes (a 2/3rd majority) against her opposition rival, Peter Rona, an economist, who received 52 votes.
• She will replace her predecessor, Janos Ader, who has been holding the presidency since 2012 and was also a co-founder of the Fidesz Party.
• Novak will hold the Presidency for a tenure of five years, during which she has the power to temporarily block laws and call referendums.
• Earlier, she served as the Vice President of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party and also as a Minister for Family Affairs.

Why in news?

• Western countries are sending MANPADS to Ukraine for assistance in war.

About MANPADS

• Short-range, lightweight and portable surface-to-air missiles that can be fired by individuals or small groups to destroy aircraft or helicopters.
• Can be shoulder-fired, launched from atop a ground-vehicle, fired from a tripod or stand, and from a helicopter or boat.
• Have ‘fire and forget’ guidance systems.

Why in news?

• Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is focusing on progressive growth of the seaweed sector.
• Sea-weed culture is also being promoted under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana for empowerment of fishermen.
• Seaweed is different from seagrass, as seaweed is a non-vascular, plant-like macroalga which lacks true stem, roots and leaves.
• Seaweeds are considered as superfoods because of their high concentration of vitamins and minerals.
• Seagrass is a vascular plant which has true stem, roots and leaves.