• Due to a downgraded corn production outlook in the United States and Argentina, the International Grains Council (IGC) has lowered its world total grains (wheat and coarse grains) production forecast to 2.248 billion tonnes, down by 8 million tonnes.

About International Grains Council (IGC)

• IGC is an intergovernmental organisation which came into existence in 1995 as a result of International Grains Agreement.
  • It is a successor of International Wheat Council (IWC), 1949.
• Headquarters– London, UK.
• Objectives: Promote expansion, openness and fairness in grains sector, contribute to grain market stability and enhance world food security.
• Members: Countries who are party to Grains Trade Convention (GTC), 1995 are members of IGC.
  • At present there are 30 members including India.
• GTC is the only international treaty covering trade in grains.

• World Government Summit 2023 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates recently.
• Its theme for 2023 is “Shaping Future Governments”.
• It is a global forum held annually in Dubai.
• It brings together leaders in government, business, technology, and civil society to discuss pressing issues facing humanity and to shape future of governments worldwide.
• The summit aims to drive positive change and promote innovation in the public sector by exploring new ideas, technologies, and best governance practices.

• All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) jointly launched KAVACH- 2023.
• KAVACH- 2023 is a national level hackathon to identify innovative ideas and technological solutions for addressing cyber security and cybercrime challenges of 21st century.
• It’ll be conducted in two phases. Youth from educational institutions and registered start-ups are expected to participate in it.
• The Kavach problem statement includes 20 unique and important matters, which are shared by BPRD and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre. These critical problems include women’s safety apps, obscenity blocker solutions, phishing detection solutions, dark web crawlers, citizen safety apps and malware analysis tools.
• Prize money worth Rs. 20 Lakh will be awarded to winning teams.

• Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched its chatbot ‘Aadhaar Mitra’.
• A Chatbot is software that simulates human-like conversations with users via chat. Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-based chatbot can answer queries related to Aadhaar.
• It can provide information about most Aadhaar services such as Aadhaar Centers, Aadhaar Enrolment/Update status, PVC i.e., plastic card order status, Complaint status etc.
• It is available in both English and Hindi languages.
• Residents can simply type their query in the chatbot and get the desired answers immediately.
• Aadhaar Mitra also offers an added feature of watching related videos and is regularly trained on latest developments and features of Aadhaar.

• Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will provide Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for engines of US’s MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft System as India is in discussions to buy 30 MQ-9B drones to enhance its surveillance capabilities along the China border and the Indian Ocean region.
• In another development , Germany based HENSOLDT and HAL announced a collaboration agreement covering design/IPR Transfer for design and manufacturing of Obstacle Avoidance System (OAS) for Indian helicopters.

MQ-9B Sea Guardian

• The MQ-9B Sea Guardian has changed the game in maritime domain awareness. It’s the first unmanned aerial system of its kind that can search the ocean surface and the depths in support of naval intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
• It is designed to fly over the horizon via SATCOM for up to 30 hours (depending on configuration) in all types of weather.
• General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) of US is the manufacturer of the MQ-9Bs.
• Indian Navy operates two MQ-9B Sea Guardians taken on lease in 2020.

• It is held in Hague, Netherlands.
• It’s the first global attempt to prevent proliferation of Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWS) and insert ethics, moral factor into rapidly developing weaponisation technology that has potential for cataclysmic damage.
• Purpose of REAIM 2023
  • Put the topic of responsible AI in military domain higher on political agenda.
  • Mobilise and activate wide group of stakeholders to contribute to concrete next steps.
  • Foster and increase knowledge by sharing experiences, best practices and solutions.
• Role of AI in military domain
  • Training and simulation to provide battlefield experience to soldiers.
  • Surveillance, specifically in difficult to reach border regions, to provide situational awareness.
  • Offensive capabilities, such as autonomous armed drones, which can execute targets.
  • Reconnaissance and tactical support in combat situations such as targeted strikes.
• Issues with use of AI in military
  • Principle of distinction between civil and military targets and population.
  • Data biases: AI is biased to certain kinds of data such as racial or gender bias. This impacts rational decision making.

• Best tourism village competition was formulated to develop and promote rural tourism.
  • Ministry Of Tourism (MoT) will select the best villages through three-level competitions—district, state and national.
• Nationally awarded village will be featured on different portals including government websites.
  • Nine-point evaluation criteria of best villages have been aligned with Sustainable Development Goals.
• MoT also launched Rural Tourism Portal, Visit India Year 2023 initiative and Global Tourism Investors’ Summit (GTIS) 2023 portal.
  • First GTIS in May 2023 will showcase investible projects and opportunities in tourism and hospitality sector in India.
• India vision to make one trillion USD tourism economy by 2047 with 100 million international visitors.
• Rural tourism has been identified as one of niche tourism areas for development by MoT.
• Initiatives for rural tourism
  • Rural Circuit has been identified as one of 15 thematic circuits under Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
  • National Strategy & Roadmap for Development of Rural Tourism (NSRDRT) in India.

• A decline in migratory bird species has been reported from Saman Bird Sanctuary.
• Spread in an area of 500 hectare, the Saman Bird Sanctuary includes many smaller wetlands.
• It is one of the 467 IBA(Important Bird and Biodiversity Area) designated by Birdlife International having rich birdlife diversity.
• It is a Ramsar site, located in Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh.
• It is a seasonal oxbow lake on the Ganges floodplain and is heavily reliant on south-westerly monsoon.
• Sanctuary regularly provides refuge to over 50,000 waterbirds and is particularly important as a wintering site for many migrants.
• Vulnerable species including sarus crane (Grus antigone) and greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga) are also found.

• Scientists from Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad (India), US and Japan have found a unique group of ancient lunar basaltic meteorites with very low abundance of KREEP.
  • This suggests that meteorites studied have come from a region different from PKT (Procellarum KREEP Terrane).
  • KREEP is acronym for a place that has deposits of potassium (K), rare earth elements (REE) and phosphorus (P).
  • Two of the samples were those that were found on Earth– first in 1988 in Antarctica, and another in 1999 in South Africa’s Kalahari Desert– while the third was collected by the Soviet Union’s Luna-24 mission in 1976.
• Study shows that these basalts are result of low-pressure melting in the Moon whereas basalts in PKT regions are a result of localized radioactive melting.
  • Further, it shows that these basalts originated from a cool, shallow, and compositionally distinct part of lunar interior.
  • PKT regions are rich in radioactive elements that provided heat to melt rocks resulting in KREEP rich basalts.
• Mare regions of Moon which is on near side of Moon consists mainly of basalt rocks.
  • Near side of moon (always visible from Earth) is divided into light areas called Lunar Highlands and darker areas called Mare.

• A nearly 300-year-old natural drinking water source situated in the heart of Palampur town in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district has been declared non-potable after its samples were found “highly contaminated” during chemical examination.
• The testing at the source, called ‘Dohroo Ki Babli’, was done after pungent smell was reported in water by the residents, around 1,000 of whom were dependant on it for drinking and other needs.
• IPH Dept officials fear sewage seepage into the water source from septic tanks of houses
• It is said the source withstood the worst of summers and even the 1905 Kangra earthquake that had claimed more than 20,000 lives.
  • Before 1960, it was the sole water source for Palampur town and the residents would earnestly maintain it.