Current Context : The World Health Organization (WHO) launched its first-ever Investment Round as part of a broader plan to transform the way the Organization into an era of climate change, mass migration, pandemic threats, an ageing world population and turbulent geopolitics.

• The theme of the Assembly is All for Health, Health for All.
• Investment Round has been launched at the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA).
• Objective : to save 40 million lives and improve the health of 6 billion people.
• Focusing on health emergencies, AMR, maternal and child health, infectious diseases, noncommunicable diseases, vaccination.
• Aim : to mobilize resources for WHO’s core work for the next 4 years (2025-2028).

Under it 7 Bn $ will be mobilized to support the countries so that they can respond to health challenges.

Current Context : Jetha Ahir has been elected as the chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).

• Ahir was elected unopposed by the board comprising 21 directors.
• He is also the chairman of Panchmahal’s Pancharmrut Dairy as well as the Panchmahal District Cooperative (PDC) Bank.
• He has also served as the deputy speaker of the Gujarat Assembly.

ABOUT NAFED :

Established on 02 October 1958 registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002.

Works under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Objective : to promote co-operative marketing of produce which would benefit farmers.

• To distribute agricultural machinery, implements and other inputs, undertake inter-state, import and export trade, wholesale or retail.
• It is now one of the largest procurement as well as marketing agencies for agricultural products in India.

Celebrated on 31st May

Objective :  to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use.

Theme : Protecting children from tobacco industry interference.

Current Context : Major Radhika Sen has won the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

• The award recognises the efforts of a military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of the 2000 Security Council resolution that calls for protecting women and girls from conflict-related sexual violence and sets gender-related responsibilities for the UN.
• This award was given to recognizing her advocacy for women and girls while serving as a peacekeeper.
• Radhika Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive the honour after Major Suman Gawani, who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan and received the award in 2019.

ABOUT RADHIKA SEN :

• Major Sen is from Himachal Pradesh, graduated as a biotech engineer and was pursuing her Master’s degree from IIT Bombay.
• She served in eastern DRC with the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, from March 2023 to April 2024 as the Commander of the Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion.

Current Context : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the Centre for Carbon Fiber and Prepregs in Bengaluru.

ABOUT CARBON FIBER :

• Carbon fiber is a material consisting of thin, strong crystalline filaments of carbon, essentially carbon atoms bonded together in long chains.
• Properties: Extremely stiff, strong, and light, high in chemical resistance; temperature tolerant to excessive heat; and have low thermal expansion. Also, they can be recycled.
• Use : Manufacturing of components for automobiles, aircrafts, etc.

ABOUT PREPREGS :

• Prepregs are laminate composites of fiber sheets that are impregnated with polymer resins (plastics).

Current Context : A group of phycologists from the Department of Botany at Catholicate College in Pathanamthitta has discovered a new algal species  in the natural forests of Kumbhavurutty region in Kollam in Western Ghats.

• This discovery has been published in Taiwania, an International Journal of Biodiversity.
• This is the first time a species in the Oedocladium category has been recorded in

ABOUT :

• The name ‘sahyadricum’ refers to the Western Ghats, also known as Sahyadri, which is rich in plant diversity.
• Features : dioecious and terrestrial, having a superior operculum, and possessing ellipsoid oogonium and oospore.
• The alga was found as a thin mat of elongated strands on damp soil. The species, which looks like moss protonema, is velvety green but turns yellowish-green as it matures.
• Rainy weather is likely needed for its abundant growth.

Algae play a significant role in ecosystems and have enormous economic importance in the world market, from high-value products to wastewater treatment.

Current Context : Kerala government allow the Kerala Forest Development Corporation to plant eucalyptus trees for its financial sustenance in 2024-2025.

ABOUT

• It is a large genus of more than 660 species of shrubs and tall trees of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae).
• It is one of the tallest trees in the world.
• It is native to Australia, Tasmania and nearby islands and commonly known as gum trees or stringybark trees.
• In India these are widely grown in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujrat, Haryana, Mysore, Kerala, and in the Nilgiri Hill.
• It grows well in deep, fertile, well-drained loamy soil with adequate moisture.
• It is widely used for its medicinal properties.

Current Context : Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has launched a new gold-backed currency called the ZiG.

• It will replace the Zimbabwean dollar.
• Objective : to provide stability and restore confidence in the country’s financial system after years of crippling hyperinflation and exchange rate volatility.
• To promote simplicity, certainty, and predictability in monetary and financial matters.

ABOUT ZIG :

• The ZiG stands out as a new currency backed by gold reserves, ensuring its value is supported by the physical gold held by the government.
• ZiG notes and coins will be available and issued in denominations: 1ZiG, 2ZiG, 5ZiG, 10ZiG, 20Zig, 50ZiG, 100ZiG, and 200ZiG.
• Gold backed currency has fixed value directly linked to gold, and is convertible into gold.

Current Context : Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has Launched Sanchar Saathi Initiative to Combat SMS Fraud.

• The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the MHA provided critical information regarding the misuse of eight SMS headers for sending fraudulent communications, which were used to commit cyber-crime.
• Dot has blocked and blacklisted the 73 SMS Headers and 1522 SMS content templates owned by these eight entities.

ABOUT

• The Sanchar Saathi Initiative was launched by the Union Communication Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on 16 May 2023 in New Delhi.
• The Sanchar Saathi portal has been developed by the Department of Telecommunication to empower mobile subscribers, increase awareness about citizen-centric initiatives of the Government and strengthen their security.

Current Context : Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd (REC) has been honored with the ‘Sustainability Champion – Editor’s Choice Award’ at the ‘Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards 2024’.

• The Award ceremony was organised by Outlook Group in collaboration with IIT Goa.
• The Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards is a prominent platform that brings together industry leaders, policymakers, and sustainability advocates to celebrate and promote excellence in sustainable practices.
• This year’s summit featured insightful discussions, innovative ideas and recognized the remarkable achievements of organizations dedicated to sustainability.

ABOUT REC LIMITED

• REC is a ‘Maharatna’ company under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
• It is registered with RBI as Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC), Public Financial Institution (PFI) and Infrastructure Financing Company (IFC).
• REC is financing the entire Power-Infrastructure sector comprising Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Renewable Energy and new technologies like Electric Vehicles, Battery Storage, Pump Storage projects, Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia projects.