1.Environment
Uttarakhand opens Biodiversity Park in Haldwani
The park has been established to protect the rich biodiversity of the State
The park contains 40 thematic sections including fruits, edible, medicinal, commercially important plants.
It also includes local foods like wild berries.
Quick Fact: Uttarakhand’s winter capital is Dehradun, and summer capital is Gairsain.
2.Geography
GoI to boost Saffron and Heeng Production
The measure is being taken to meet the high domestic demand and decrease the need for imports.
Only 7% of saffron demand is fulfilled domestically. Now production will be introduced in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in addition to JnK.
Heeng is not produced in India and is imported from Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan
Institute of Himalyan Bioresource Technology with Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh will work jointly for boosting domestic production of both.
Quick Fact: Heeng is the oleo-gum resin secreted from the roots of the perennial Heeng plant
3.Environment
Asiatic Lion population increases by 29% in 5 years
The lions are currently in protected areas of agro-pastoral landscape of Saurashtra, Gujarat
The population has increased due to community participation, use of technology, good habitat management, healthcare for wildlife and minimization of human-lion conflicts.
Quick Fact: The Asiatic Lion comes under the Endangered category in the IUCN Red List
4.Miscellaneous
Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2020
IIT-B, IIT-D and IISc have featured in top 200 of the rankings at ranks 172, 185 and 193, respectively.
The rankings have rated the world’s top 1000 universities
MIT from the USA has topped the list followed by Stanford and Harvard.
5.Person in News
Renjith Kumar receives NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal
The honour was for his administration to NASA through executive leadership, engineering contribution, technical excellence and consumer loyalty.
He has worked with NASA for more than 30 years.
He has contributed to the updation of International Space Station
Quick Fact: Headquarters of NASA are located in Washington D.C, US
6.
Renjith Kumar receives NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal
The honour was for his administration to NASA through executive leadership, engineering contribution, technical excellence and consumer loyalty.
He has worked with NASA for more than 30 years.
He has contributed to the updation of International Space Station
Quick Fact: Headquarters of NASA are located in Washington D.C, US
6.India and the World
India signs MOU on Energy Cooperation with Denmark
The MoU was signed between the Ministry of Power, GoI and the Ministry for Energy, Denmark.
It will aim for long-term cooperation in the power sector between India and Denmark
Quick Fact: Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and its currency is the Danish krone
7.Person In News
Anil Valluri appointed senior director of Google Cloud India
Anil Valluri has over 30 years of experience in sales and marketing in tech industry
He was earlier working with NetApp as President of India & SAARC operations
