NATIONAL:
1. Plant Fungus
Why in news - A man based in Kolkata became the first case of a potentially deadly fungal infection caused by plants.
Key Points –
• It demonstrates a crossover of plant pathogen into humans when working in close contact with plant fungi.
• Fungus name - Chondrostereum purpureum.
About the Fungus –
• Belongs to the family of Corticiaceae.
• Commonly known as “violet fungus”.
• Causes silver leaf disease in plants, particularly in the rose family.
• Can cause infections in humans through cuts, abrasions or inhalation of spores.
2. Resolution on Hinduphobia
Why in news - The US state of Georgia passed a resolution condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry.
Key Points –
• Georgia - First American state to bring forth such a measure.
• Resolution introduced by - Representatives Lauren McDonald and Todd Jones.
• Hinduphobia - Prejudice, fear or hatred towards Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus.
3. Cloned Calf named Ganga
Why in news - The National Dairy Research Institute (Karnal, Haryana) has produced the first-ever clone of a calf belonging to the indigenous Gir cow breed.
Key Points –
• Scientists used 3 animals for producing this calf –
(a) Oocyte from the Sahiwal breed.
(b) Somatic cell from the Gir breed.
(c) Surrogate animal was a crossbreed.
• Reproductive cloning – It is a process by which an exact genetic replica, or clone, of an existing organism, is created through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).
• SCNT – It involves removing the nucleus of an egg cell and replacing it with the nucleus of a somatic cell (a non-reproductive cell) from the organism to be cloned.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Ban on ChatGPT
Why in news - Italy temporarily blocked ChatGPT over data privacy concerns.
Key Points –
• Banned by - Italian Data Protection Authority.
• Concern - Whether the chatbot breaches the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• Italy - First western country to ban ChatGPT.
• Elon Musk joined with other tech elites to sign a letter calling for a 6-month moratorium on the further development of natural language systems more powerful than GPT-4.
• The letter spoke of risks to society and civilisation by “human-competitive” AI systems.
• US firm OpenAI made ChatGPT.
2. Malaria-Free Milestone
Why in news - The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Azerbaijan and Tajikistan as malaria-free on March 29, 2023.
Key Points –
• With this, WHO officially declared 41 countries and one territory as malaria-free.
• WHO European Region - Two steps closer to becoming the first region in the world to be fully malaria-free.
• WHO certifies a nation as malaria-free when it can provide proof that the malaria transmission cycle has been interrupted for at least the last 3 years.
• Gambusia Affinis Fish – It is called mosquito fish that are important in the Mosquito Control Program.
About Malaria –
• Caused by - Plasmodium parasites.
• Transmitted by – Infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• Most dangerous parasites - Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.
• Parasites proliferate within the liver cells before attacking and rupturing the Red Blood Cells (RBCs).
Global Initiative –
• 'E-2025 Initiative' - WHO has also selected 25 nations with the ability to eliminate malaria by 2025.
• WHO's Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 - It seeks to decrease malaria case incidence and fatality rates by at least 40% by 2020, 75% by 2025, and 90% by 2030 compared to a 2015 baseline.
3. Oil Production Cuts
Why in news - OPEC+ members announced to further reduce oil production amounting to around 1.16 million barrels per day (bpd).
Key Points –
• Crude oil grade - West Texas Intermediate and Brent Crude Oil.
About OPEC (September 1960, Baghdad, Iraq) -
• Group of the world’s largest oil-producing countries.
• Founding members - Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
• Currently - 13 member states.
• OPEC+ - 11 allied major oil-producing countries including Russia.
• Account for roughly 40% of the world’s crude oil and 80% of the globe’s oil reserves.
ECONOMY:
1. International Investment Position (IIP)
Why in news - Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the India's IIP for the October-December 2022.
Key Points –
• Overseas financial assets of Indian residents rose by USD 28.7 billion due to an increase in reserve assets.
• Reserve assets accounted for 64.3% of India's IIP.
• Net claims of Non-Resident Indians in India declined by $12 billion during (October-December) 2022 and stood at $374.5 billion.
ENVIRONMENT:
1. World Tree City 2022 list
Why in news - Mumbai has been included in the World Tree City 2022 list, for the second consecutive year.
Key Points –
• Mumbai was honoured by TCW (Tree Cities World) certificate.
• The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) conduct the TCW program.
• ADF targets to plant 50 crore trees by 2027.
SCIENCE – TECHNOLOGY:
1. Closest Black Hole to Earth
Why in news - The European Space Agency (ESA) has discovered a new family of black holes.
Key Points –
• Names - Gaia BH1 and Gaia BH2.
• Gaia BH1 - 1560 light-years away in the direction of the constellation Ophiuchus.
• Gaia BH2 - 3800 light-years away in the constellation Centaurus.
• The two black holes were picked up by the wobbles created in the movement of their companion stars.
• Wobble - It means that the stars are not alone and they are orbiting a very massive object, nearly ten times more massive than our Sun.
• Gaia mission (by ESA, 2013) - A global space astrometry mission to build the largest and most precise 3-D map of our Galaxy by surveying nearly two billion objects.
POINTERS:
• Which country has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Paris in July as the guest of honor for the annual Bastille Day parade – France.
• Which country imposed a fine up to $108,705 for the use of English words in official work – Italy.
• Who has taken over as the Director General Naval Operations (DGNO) - Vice ADM Atul Anand.
• With which organization ISRO has successfully conducted the landing experiment of Reusable Launch Vehicle - DRDO.
• PV Sindhu won which medal in the Madrid Spain Masters Badminton Tournament - Silver Medal.
• In which state the world's third and India's second largest cricket stadium will be built - Jaipur (Rajasthan).
• Aditya Birla Health Insurance has partnered with which bank - UCO Bank.
• Which state's police stood first in the implementation of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) – Haryana.
• Who was appointed as the new Ambassador of India to the country of Greece - Rudrendra Tandon.
• Where was the bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX 2023 held – Colombo.