Science and Technology
IIT Madras develops online marketplace ‘e-Source’ to tackle e-waste
IIT Madras is in process of developing an online platform called ‘e-Source’ that will be used to tackle electronic waste.
E-source will be used to tackle e-waste by linking stakeholders of the formal and informal economy as an online marketplace for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).
The initiative is being headed by Indo-German Centre for Sustainability (IGCSS).
Quick Fact: In India, only 5 percent of e-waste is recycled responsibly.
Sports
India bags 6 gold medals in the Asian Youth Championships
Indian boxers won six gold medals along with nine silver and five bronze medals in the Asian Youth Championship.
Preeti Dahiya, Sneha Kumari, Khushi, and Neha won the gold medals in the women’s draw while Bishwamitra Chongtham and Vishal won the gold in the men’s competition.
Asian Youth Athletics Championships is a biennial, continental athletics competition held for Asian athletes and is organized by the Asian Athletics Association.
Quick Fact: The first Asian Youth Championship was held in 2015.
Defense
Indian Navy conducts first exercise with the Algerian Navy
The Indian and Algerian Navies conducted their first-ever naval exercise off the coast of Algeria recently.
Stealth ship INS Tabar represented India while Algeria was represented by its naval ship ANS Ezager.
As part of the exercise, activities like communication procedures, coordinated maneuvers, and past steam were carried out between Indian and Algerian warships.
Quick Fact: ISRO launched the Satellite Alsat 2A of Algeria into orbit in July 2010.
Environment
Odisha’s Kendrapara district becomes the only place to house all 3 crocodile species
Kendrapara district of Odisha that is crisscrossed by rivers, creeks, and water inlets has become the only district in India where all the three species of crocodiles viz. salt-water, gharial, and mugger are found.
The district has also claimed its successful conservation program launched for salt-water or estuarine crocodiles at the Bhitarkanika National Park.
The Bhitarkanika National Park is located in the northeast Kendrapara district of Odisha and has obtained the status of a Ramsar site in 2002.
International Affairs
US ends 20-year war in Afghanistan
The United States has announced the formal end of its 20-year-old war in Afghanistan before the anniversary of September 9/11 in which Al Qaeda terrorists hit the twin towers in New York.
The announcement was made after the last American military flight flew out of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
The US-backed Afghan rule was overthrown by the Taliban agent on August 15 when President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the US-trained 3,00,000 Afghan armed forces surrendered without any fight.
Quick Fact: Pashto and Dari are the official languages of Afghanistan.
State Affairs
Toy-train safari launched on Darjeeling Himalayan Route
The Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) has launched a regular Jungle Tea Toy Train Safari on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Route.
The toy-train safari will run from Siliguri junction to Rongtong station in West Bengal.
The toy trains are expected to boost the tourism sector in the region and allow locals to participate in the weekend tours regularly.
Science and Technology
IIT Roorkee- NDMA develops app to predict natural disasters
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and IIT Roorkee have developed an app in a joint venture that can predict natural disasters.
The app will use the Doppler Radar technology to alert about possible natural calamities in advance.
The development of the app is in line with the proposal by the Central Government to simplify the disaster parameters of 2011.
Quick Fact: The full form of Radar is ‘Radio Detection and Ranging’.
Person in News
Renowned cricket coach Vasoo Paranjape passes away
Former Indian cricketer and coach, Vasoo Paranjape has passed away at the age of 82.
Vasoo was considered a mentor of stalwarts like Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rohit Sharma.
Born in Gujarat, Vasoo was a former Ranji trophy player and coach at the National Cricket Academy.
Quick Fact: The National Cricket Academy is located in Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
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