Impacting Research Innovation And Technology (IMPRINT) is the first of its kind, Pan IIT and IISC joint initiative supported by Ministry of HRD.
It aims to develop a roadmap for research to solve major engineering and technology challenges in technology domains relevant to India.
The focus will be in direct research in the premier institutions into areas of social relevance.
There are 142 research projects in implementation stage under IMPRINT-1.
The government has recently approved 122 new research projects under IMPRINT-2.
The proposals for new research projects is open for higher education institutions including private institutions.
The various areas covered under this research projects are Energy, Security, Healthcare, Advanced Materials, ICT and Security/Defence domains.
Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR)
The IACHR is an independent, multinational court that handles the human rights cases of people affected by the laws of countries that are members of the Organisation of American States (OAS).
It has recently given its advisory opinion on the issue of institution of asylum and its recognition as a Human Right.
It has ruled that all nations have an obligation to ensure safe passage for asylum seekers to their final territory of asylum.
This assumes significance in the light of asylum of Julian Assange, Editor-in-chief of Wiki Leaks, in Eucadorian embassy in U.K.
He has been granted political asylum and citizenship by Eucador in 2012.
But he is unable to come out of the embassy in U.K because of the arrest warrant issued by U.K court in the charges of sexual assault and rape allegations.
In this scenario, the advisory opinion by IACHR gives him the moral victory.
The ruling would meant that, U.K. has an obligation to allow safe passage for Mr. Assange to Ecuador, where he has been granted political asylum as well as citizenship.
Organisation of American States (OAS)
OAS is the world’s oldest regional organization, which came into being in 1948.
OAS brings together all 35 independent states of the Americas.
It constitutes the main political, juridical, and social governmental forum in the Hemisphere.
In addition, it has granted permanent observer status to 69 states, as well as to the European Union (EU).
The Organization’s four main pillars are democracy, human rights, security, and development.
World Breastfeeding Week
August 1-7 is celebrated every year as World Breastfeeding week to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world.
It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by government policymakers, WHO, UNICEF and other organisations.
This year, WHO is working with UNICEF and partners to promote the importance of helping mothers breastfeed their babies within that crucial first hour of life.
As per UNICEF, Ireland, France and USA ranked lowest among all countries in the breastfeeding rates.
Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Peru have the highest breastfeeding rates.
Man - Animal Conflict
In a first of its kind, the UP government has given its in-principle approval to bring man-animal conflict under listed disasters in State Disaster Response Fund.
It is to ensure better coordination and relief during such incidents.
This move will give proper guidelines to handle situations when wild animals venture in human in-habitation.
Relaxation in Cabotage Law
Cabotage in shipping refers to the transport of goods or passengers between two ports within the same country by a foreign shipping operator.
The shipping ministry has recently lifted the restrictions on foreign registered vessels on transportation of loaded or empty containers between Indian ports.
Earlier, it was the prerogative of Indian registered shipping lines that paid taxes and were governed by Indian laws.
It is expected that this move will lead to cargo growth in India.
It will also improve the competitiveness of the Indian traders by reducing transhipment cost at a foreign port.
For instance, Colombo port thrives on Indian cargo containers that passes through it and it is one of the major container transshipment hubs in the region.
After the relaxation of rules, Colombo has cut the transshipment rates by 9.5 per cent, allowing foreign ships to operate on local routes.
