European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- India is to become the 69th member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
- The London-headquartered EBRD is a multilateral development bank set up in 1991.
- It was set up after the fall of the Berlin wall to promote private and entrepreneurial initiative in emerging Europe.
- In 2017, the EBRD signed an accord to strengthen ties with the International Solar Alliance.
- The EBRD works closely with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
- Click here to know more about EBRD.
Albania’s City of Ruins
- The ruins of Butrint are situated in Albania, Southern Europe.
- It was called as Buthrotum in ancient time.
- It was inhabited since pre historic times.
- The site has been under the control of Greeks, Romans and a bishopric (a district under a bishop’s control).
- It is a UNESCO world heritage site
- The city of ruins is a part of the Butrint National Park.
Safe and Nutritious Food Initiative
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has undertaken several initiatives under ‘Safe and Nutritious Food’ (SNF) for citizen guidance and behavioral change viz:
i) SNF@Home
ii) SNF@School
iii) SNF@Workplace
iv) SNF@Eatout
- The SNF portal serves as an online resource centre containing information pertaining to this initiative.
- Resource materials, interactive guides on understanding food safety and nutrition are developed by FSSAI.
- For the campaign it has published resource book regarding the steps to be taken,
| SNF@Home | Pink book |
| SNF@School | Yellow Book |
| SNF@Workplace | Orange Book |
Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica)
- India’s endangered Asiatic lion population rose to 600, following the conservation efforts.
- The species, which was found in the South West Asian region, is now restricted to the Gir Sanctuary in India.
- Five protected areas currently exist to protect the Asian lion:
- Gir Sanctuary,
- Gir National Park
- Pania Sanctuary
- Mitiyala
- Girnar
- The lions face the usual threats of poaching and habitat fragmentation.
- Conservationists have suggested selective relocation of big cats to another sanctuary, to reduce human-animal conflict and avoid the risk of getting wiped out by disease or natural disaster.
- It is an endangered species according to the IUCN Red list.
- It is listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and also in Appendix I of CITES.
CBRN emergencies
- National Disaster Management Authority conducted training program for CBRN emergencies at Mumbai airport recently.
- CBRN emergencies pertain to threats emanating due to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear material.
- It is aimed at enhancing the preparedness of Airport Emergency Handlers (AEHs) to respond to CBRN emergencies at the airports.
- The training program is being conducted in collaboration with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS).
Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030
- The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015.
- It provides a comprehensive framework to guide countries in their efforts to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
- The strategy sets the target of reducing global malaria incidence and mortality rates by at least 90% by 2030.
- It emphasizes the need for universal coverage of core malaria interventions for all populations at risk.
- It highlights the importance of using high-quality surveillance data for decision-making.
- The WHO strategy was developed in close alignment with the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership’s Action and Investment to defeat Malaria 2016-2030.
Map of the Day
South America
Source: PIB, The Hindu, Business Standard
