2feb

SAARC programming committee meeting held in Kathmandu

The two-day meeting of SAARC Programming Committee was held in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. All eight members participated in the meeting. This was the first senior level meeting of Association since postponement of 19th SAARC Summit in November 2016 after four nations Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and India had requested for it following escalation of tension between India and Pakistan over the issue of terrorism. Key Facts The Programming Committee is the lowest level mechanism in SAARC after the SAARC Standing Committee, which is held at the foreign secretary level, and SAARC Council of Ministers held at foreign minister level. This meeting was originally scheduled ahead of the November 2016 Islamabad SAARC summit which could not be convened following its postponement. In Kathmandu meeting, the committee had discussed various administrative and financial issues related to SAARC Secretariat and its bodies. It also had discussed issues related to budget of the SAARC Secretariat and five regional centres of SAARC, among others. About the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) SAARC is regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union in South Asia. It promotes development of economical and regional integration. As of 2015, SAARC member countries compromise of 3% of the world’s area, 21% of the world’s population and 9.12% of the global economy. SAARC Secretariat: Kathmandu (Nepal) Member Countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (joined in 2007). Nine observer states: Australia, China, European Union, Japan, Iran, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, and United States. Formation History: The idea for the SAARC was proposed by Ziaur Rahman, the then President of Bangladesh on May 2, 1980. The seven founding countries had met for first time in April 1981 and then in 1985, they created SAARC Charter. The first SAARC summit was held in Dhaka (Bangladesh) in December 1985.

3 feb

China successfully tests DF-5C missile with 10 nuclear warheads

China has successfully tested a new version of a DF-5C missile that can carry up to 10 nuclear warheads in January 2017. The flight test of the missile was carried using 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles, (MIRVs), from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province and to an impact range in the western Taklamakan desert. Key Facts The Dongfeng 5 (DF-5) is a three stage Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It has a length of 32.6 m and a diameter of 3.35 m. It weighs in at 183,000 kilograms. It has an estimated range of 12,000 to 15,000 kilometers. It is primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery. The DF-5’s first flight was conduected in 1971 and was in operational service 10 years later. This missile’s development is considered as response to development of US’s ballistic missile defence system. Comment This development indicates shift in China’s nuclear deterrence policy to modify older its arsenal of rockets with new MIRV busses. It means that China intends to increase the number of nuclear warheads it possesses. It is currently estimated to have about 250.

4 feb

February 4: World Cancer Day

The World Cancer Day (WCD) is observed every year on 4 February across the world to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. The theme (tagline) between 2016 and 2018 WCD is “We can. I can”. It reflects on what everyone can do to raise awareness of cancer and asks to take pledge and action in fight against cancer. Special three-year campaign for the World Cancer Day 2016-2018 seeks to explore how everyone- as individuals or as a collective – can do their part to reduce the burden of cancer globally. About World Cancer Day The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) had instituted World Cancer Day (WCD in 2008 by formally writing the goals of the World Cancer Declaration. The primary goal of observing the day is to reduce illness and death caused by it by 2020. The origin of the day can be traced to 2000 at the first World Summit Against Cancer, which was held in Paris, France. UICC: It is Geneva based leading international non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 1933. Its purpose is to help the global health community to accelerate the fight against cancer. It has a membership of over 800 organisations spread across 155 countries.

NASA’s Juno spacecraft completes fourth flyby of Jupiter

NASA’s solar-powered Juno spacecraft completed closest flyby of Jupiter mysterious cloud tops for the fourth time. All eight of Juno’s science instruments were switched on during the flyby. During its closest approach it was roughly 4,300 km above Jupiter’s cloud tops and travelled at a speed of about 208,000 kmph. Currently, Juno is locked in a 53-day orbit around Jupiter. It is expected to perform three dozen flybys over the next one and a half years. During its flybys, Juno probes beneath the cloud cover of Jupiter and studies Jupiter’s auroras to learn more about its origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere About Juno spacecraft Juno was launched in August 2011 to study Jupiter’s composition and evolution. It’s the first solar power spacecraft to orbit Jupiter and second after Galileo. The unmanned spacecraft had successfully entered Jupiter’s orbit in July 2016 after a five year journey and traversing distance of nearly 2 billion miles. The primary goals of the mission are to find out whether Jupiter has a solid core, how its atmosphere and magnetosphere formed, and whether there is water in the gas cloud shrouding the planet. The information gathered from it will provide vital clues to how the planet formed and evolved, but also to how the solar system we live in came into existence. The spacecraft has been named after the Roman goddess Juno, the wife of Jupiter who is considered as the god of the sky in ancient Greco-Roman mythology.

World’s smallest pacemaker unveiled in US

Scientists for the first time have successfully implanted world’s smallest pacemaker dubbed as Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS) in a patient in United States. The pacemaker about size of large vitamin capsule is for patients with bradycardia, a condition characterised by a slow heart rate, usually fewer than 60 beats per minute. Key Facts TPS provides the most advanced pacing technology. It was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker and is the only leadless (wireless) pacemaker approved for use in the US. It can be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart Unlike traditional pacemakers, it does not require cardiac wires (leads) or a surgical pocket under the skin to deliver a pacing therapy. It also allows us to automatically adjust pacing therapy based on a patient’s activity levels and another positive is the battery can last up to 10 years. It has unique feature that enables it to be permanently turned off so it can remain in the body and a new device can be implanted without risk of electrical interaction.  What is Bradycardia? Patients with bradycardia have lower heart rate and their heart is unable to pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body during normal activity or exercise, causing dizziness, shortness, fatigue of breath or fainting spells. Pacemakers are the most common way to treat bradycardia to help restore the heart’s normal rhythm and relieve symptoms by sending electrical impulses to the heart to increase the heart rate.

Nepal to host 4th BIMSTEC Summit 2017

The fourth edition of BIMSTEC Summit-2017 will be held in Nepal. It was announced in the 17th session of BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) held in Kathmandu, capital Nepal. In this meeting, delegates of seven member countries reviewed the progress made by BIMSTEC and recommended future course of action to strengthen regional cooperation among the group. The importance of BIMSTEC was highlighted during the BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit held at Goa in October 2016. In this summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his desire to promote BIMSTEC and assured full cooperation it needs to move on. About BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative on Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) The BIMSTEC is the sub-regional group of seven countries in South Asia and South East Asia lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. They are India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka from South Asia and Myanmar, Thailand from South East Asia. Established: 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. Headquarters: Dhaka, Bangladesh. Objectives: Technological and economical cooperation among south Asian and south East Asian countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It also covers cooperation in commerce, technology, investment, agriculture, tourism, human resource development, fisheries, transport and communication, textiles, leather etc.

13 feb

February 13: World Radio Day 

The World Radio Day is observed every year on 13th February to celebrate radio as the medium for entertainment, information and the mode for communication. 2017 Theme: “Radio is You”. It is a call for greater participation of audiences and communities in the policy and planning of radio broadcasting. Significance of Day: It marks global celebration of radio as a forum for information and entertainment that helps to bridge communication gap for remote communities and empowering people. It also provides an opportunity to honour radio’s importance to bring communities together and promote positive dialogue for change. To mark this day, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organizes different activities with broadcasters, organizations and communities around the world. About World Radio Day The UNESCO at its 36th General Assembly in 2011 had proclaimed 13th February as World Radio Day. It was subsequently adopted as an International Day by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). On this day in 1946, United Nations Radio had transmitted (broadcasted) its first call sign. The first WRD was officially celebrated in 2012.

20 feb

February 20: World Day of Social Justice

The World Day of Social Justice is observed every year on February 20 to recognize the need to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment. To mark this occasion, UN and International Labour Office had organised several organisations to spread importance of social justice for people. 2017 Theme: “Preventing conflict and sustaining peace through decent work” Key Facts According to UN, social justice means removal of barriers that people face in the name of ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability and culture. It is an underlying principle for prosperous and peaceful coexistence within and among nations. Observance of this day must support efforts of the international community in poverty eradication by promoting full employment and decent work, access to social well-being, justice for all and gender equity. Background The World Day of Social Justice was instituted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2007 in accordance with the goals and objectives of the World Summit for Social Development and 24th session of UNGA.

Scientists claim discovery of Zealandia a submerged continent in Pacific Ocean

Geologists have claimed discovery of new geological continent named Zealandia submerged beneath the south-west Pacific Ocean. Zealandia is around 4.5-million square km land mass and is 94% under water. Only its highest points — New Zealand and New Caledonia are visible.  Key Facts Zealandia is two-thirds the size of Australia and spreads out over 4.9-million-square kilometres of continental crust. It was once a part of Australia. It is believed that it had broken off from Antarctica about 100 million years ago, and then from Australia about 80 million years ago as part of the breakup of super-continent Gondwanaland and sank beneath sea. Sea-floor samples show that Zealandia consists of light continental crust and not the dark volcanic rocks that make up nearby underwater plateaus.