• To revive the vulture population in the state of Madhya Pradesh, 20 white-rumped vultures were recently brought to Vulture Conservation Centre in Kerwa from Pinjore in Haryana.

ABOUT WHITE-RUMPED VULTURE (GYPS BENGALENSIS)

• It is a medium-sized Old-World vulture.
• It is also known as Indian White-backed Vulture or Oriental White-backed Vulture.
• Global Distribution: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam.
• In the 1980s, the global population was estimated at several million individuals, and it was thought to be “the most abundant large bird of prey in the world”.
  • As recent as 2021, the global population was estimated at less than 6,000 mature individuals.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN red list : Critically Endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule-1

• Recently, Larsen & Toubro and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) signed a contract for the realisation of two Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System Modules for Kalvari (Scorpene) Class of submarines of the Indian Navy.

ABOUT AIR INDEPENDENT PROPULSION (AIP) SYSTEM

• AIP is a marine propulsion technology that allows non-nuclear submarines to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen.
• AIP is mostly implemented as an auxiliary source, with the traditional diesel engine handling surface propulsion.

• It allows the submarines to stay for longer hours in water. The submarines need to come to the surface of the water to charge their batteries.
  • This is reduced by AIP System.
• It decreases the noise levels made by the submarines. This makes it hard to detect the submarines.
• Types of AIP: Open-cycle systems, Closed-cycle diesel engines, Closed-cycle steam turbines Stirling cycle engines and Fuel cells.
• Indigenous AIP propulsion system by DRDO is a modular system that can be easily configured for any conventional submarine platform.
• It relies on the innovative Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell technology.

• PM gifted a first edition print of book “The Ten Principal Upanishads” (from 1937) to US President.
• The book is translated from Sanskrit by Shri Purohit Swami and Irish poet WB Yeats (won Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923).
• Upanishads are one of the four texts that together compile each of the Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva).
• Upanishad is derived from upa (near), ni (down) and sad (to sit). Hence, the term implies the pupils, intent on learning, sitting near the teacher to acquire knowledge and truth.
• They serve to explore the fundamental principles of the religion.
• Dated to roughly 800-500 BC, Upanishads discuss concepts such as transmigration.
• There are over 200 Upanishads, of these, only 10 are the principal Upanishads: Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashan, Mundaka, Mandukya, Tattiriya, Aitareya, Chhandogya and Brihadaranyaka.
• The Upanishads are the most sacred late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts which are considered to contain the ultimate truth and the knowledge that leads to spiritual emancipation.

• The Titan submersible has imploded in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Titan is a submersible, or an underwater vehicle operated by the privately owned U.S. company OceanGate that organises underwater expeditions for both research and tourism.
• Titan tragedy offers lessons for proposed Indian submersible dive because India is in the process of designing the submersible,‘MATSYA 6000’

ABOUT ‘MATSYA 6000’

• ‘MATSYA 6000’ vehicle is being designed and developed by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai under Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• It will carry three persons to a depth of 6000 metres for exploration of deep-sea resources like minerals into the Indian Ocean, at a point about 1,500 km away from Kanyakumari.
• It has an endurance of 12 hours under normal operation and 96 hours in case of emergency for human safety.

ABOUT DEEP OCEAN MISSION

• The Centre had approved the Deep Ocean Mission at a total budget of Rs. 4,077 crore for five years.
• It is a multi-ministerial, multi-disciplinary programme with emphasis on development of deep-sea technology that includes development of Manned Submersible rated for 6000 metre water depth.
• Also technologies for deep sea mining, exploration of deep-sea minerals resources and marine biodiversity, development of ocean climate change advisory services, deep sea surveys and exploration, and capacity building in Marine Biology to be developed.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OCEAN TECHNOLOGY (NIOT)

• Established in November 1993 as an autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• It is managed by a Governing Council and the Director is the head of the Institute.
• Aims to develop reliable indigenous technologies to solve the various engineering problems associated with harvesting of non-living and living resources in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

1.   PM Modi’s visit to USA.

MAJOR OUTCOMES

• India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS X):
  • The S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) launched the IndiaU.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X).
  • It aims to expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries.
• Jet engine tech transfer
  • Engine manufacturer GE Aerospace announced signing a MoU with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) to produce fighter jet engines for the indigenous Light combat aircraft (LCA).
  • It includes the joint production of F414 engines in India for the IAF as part of the LCA Mk2 programme.
• Semiconductor testing and assembly facility
  • S. semiconductor and chip maker Micron Technology Inc’s announced that it would invest up to $825 million in a new chip assembly and test facility in Gujarat.
• Easing Visa renewable protocols:
  • S.A is announcing a pilot programme to renew visas domestically — which means that applicants do not have to travel outside the U.S. to get their renewal stamps — for certain petition-based temporary workers.
  • This programme could expand to cover H1B and L-1 skilled visas by 2024 and to other categories eventually.
• Space cooperation
  • India signed on to the Artemis Accords, a US-led alliance seeking to facilitate international collaboration in planetary exploration and research.
  • The Artemis Accords, established by the US and seven partner countries in 2020, are a set of 13 principles that seek to promote peaceful and cooperative exploration of space.
  • ISRO will partner with the NASA in sending a joint mission to the International Space Station, a permanent laboratory in space, in 2024.
• Purchase of Predator UAV
  • A mega deal on the purchase of MQ-9 “Reaper” armed drones by India was welcomed.
• Critical Minerals supply chains
  • India to join Mineral Security Partnership (MSP), a US-led collaboration of 14 countries that aims to catalyse public and private investment in critical mineral supply chains globally.
• Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific
  • US will join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), a regional initiative to promote a safe, secure, and stable maritime domain.
    • IPOI was launched in 2019 by India’s PM at the East Asia Summit held in Bangkok.

• Himachal Pradesh will establish Rs 250 Crore Milk Processing Plant in collaboration with National Dairy Development Board in Dagwar in Kangra district.
• The capacity of Dagwar plant would range from one lakh to three lakh litres, in which high-quality products of milk would also be prepared.

• Surat in Gujarat, India, witnessed a historic event on International Yoga Day as it broke the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people participating in a yoga session at a single location.
• With over 1.25 lakh attendees, the event showcased commitment to promoting health and well-being through yoga.
• The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated across the world annually on June 21 since 2015.

• The International Day of Women in Diplomacy (IDWID) is observed annually on June 24 to honor and recognize remarkable women in the fields of diplomacy and decision-making across the globe.
• Diana Abgar, an Armenian ambassador, is credited as the first female diplomat of the 20th century.
• Theme for this year is “Breaking Barriers, Shaping the Future: Women in Diplomacy for Sustainable Development.”

• Pink bollworm – responsible for damaging nearly 4 lakh acre of cotton in 2021 – has been observed in certain fields within Bathinda and Mansa districts of Punjab .

ABOUT PINK BOLLWORM (PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELLA)

• It is one of the most destructive pests of cotton.
• Originally native to India, it is now recorded in nearly all the cotton-growing countries of the world.
• Adults only last for 2 weeks, but females will lay 200 or more eggs.
• Adults lay eggs on cotton bolls; once hatched, the larvae eat the seeds and damage the fibres of the cotton, reducing the yield and quality.
• It has also been observed to attack hibiscus, okra, and hollyhock plants.

• It was released by Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU). Index ranked 173 cities based on their liveability or living conditions.
• It was given considering five metrics: healthcare, culture, environment, education, and stability.
  • Most weightage is given to culture and environment, and stability.
• The index quantifies the challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle in 173 cities worldwide.
• Major highlights:
  • Top cities to live: Vienna (Austria), Copenhagen (Denmark), Melbourne and Sydney (Australia)
  • Bottom 3 Liveable cities: Algiers (Algeria), Tripoli (Libya) and Damascus (Syria)
  • From Asia, Japan’s Osaka was ranked number 10 in the rankings.
  • From India, New Delhi and Mumbai are at 141st position.