1.National Affairs
Goa has becomes first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ State across the nation
According to the data provided by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Goa becomes the first “Har Ghar Jal” State in the country.
The state has been successful in providing tap water connection to every rural household.
According to the data, the state provided tap water connection to 2 lakh 30 thousand rural households in all the 191 Gram Panchayats of the state.
Goa’s achievement sets an example for other States to implement and ensure every rural home gets tap connection and especially in these times of Covid-19 pandemic.
Quick Fact: The Chief Minister of Goa is Pramod Sawant.
2.Sports
Los Angeles Lakers win NBA Championship
The Los Angeles Lakers won the National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship 2020.
The Lakers defeated Miami Heat to bag the championship.
This is the 17th NBA win for Los Angeles Lakers.
The NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) was LeBron James of the Lakers’
Quick Fact: The venue for the NBA Championship 2020 was ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
3.International Affairs
Earthshot Prize launched to boost climate innovation
The Earthshot Prize has been launched to boost climate innovation.
The prize was launched by Britain’s Prince William and Naturalist David Attenborough.
The Earth shot Prize’s objective is to “incentivize change and help to repair our planet over the next 10 years,” and to “turn pessimism to optimism” by rewarding innovative solutions to environmental problems.
The first five Earthshots are to be awarded to projects that focus on protecting and restoring nature and clean air, reviving oceans, fixing the climate and reducing waste.
Quick Fact: The prize is supported by philanthropic bodies of billionaires like Bloomberg Philanthropies, Jack Ma Foundation(Alibaba), Paul G.Allen Family Foundation(Microsoft).
4.National Affairs
Kerala becomes the First Digital State in Public Education
Kerala becomes the first state in the country to have made public education completely digital.
The milestone has been achieved by the state within two years of the launch of the initiative.
The total expenditure on the project was Rs 42.36 crores.
The initiative was implemented by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education.
Quick Fact: The Chief Minister of Kerala is Pinarayi Vijayan.
5.Miscellaneous
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction: 13th October
The United Nations observe the International Day for Disaster Reduction on October 13 every year.
The day is also known as the World Calamity Control Day.
The aim of the day is to spread awareness about how people and communities across the world are reducing their exposure to disasters.
This year the theme of the day is Disaster Risk Governance.
Quick Fact: The United Nations had started observing the day in 1989.
6.International Affairs
Bangladesh approves capital punishment for rape
Bangladesh Cabinet has approved a draft law to include death penalty as the highest punishment for rape.
The step has been taken by amending the Prevention of Women and Children Repression Act-2000.
As of now, the highest punishment for rape in Bangladesh is life imprisonment. Although capital punishment is allowed if the rape victim dies.
Capital punishment is also called as death penalty. It involves the execution of an offender sentenced to death after the court of law convicts a criminal offense.
Quick Fact: The Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of Bangladesh is Anisul Haq.
7.National Affairs
Intel and Telangana Government plan to Launch Applied Artificial Intelligence Research Center
Intel India has announced the launch of an applied artificial intelligence (AI) research (INAI) center in Hyderabad.
The announcement was made during the inaugural session of “all.ai 2020 Virtual Summit”.
The research center would be launched in collaboration with the Telangana government, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-H) and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) who is the founding healthcare partner in the initiative.
INAI will mainly focus on identifying and solving the challenges in the healthcare and smart mobility segments.
Quick Fact: The all.ai 2020 Virtual Summit was being held from October 12 to 16, 2020.
8.National Affairs
ZSI and BSI release Animal and Plant Discoveries 2019
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have released their Animal discoveries 2019 and Plant discoveries 2019.
As of 2019, 364 new species of animals and 180 species of plants were discovered.
Some notable animal and plant discoveries of last year include:
Rock-dwelling gecko, Cnemaspis anandani which is endemic to Western Ghats,A frog species named Sphaerotheca magadha of Jharkhand. Wild fern named Pteris subiriana found in Kerala.
The plant species in India accounts for 12% of all plant species of the world.
Quick Fact: The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) was founded on February 13, 1890.
