1 march
WHO wants new drugs against 12 antibiotics-resistant super-germs
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged governments, scientists and pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs to tackle 12 antibiotics-resistant super-germs threatening an explosion of incurable diseases. This is for the first time, WHO has published a list of bacteria threatening to turn once easily-treatable infections into incurable diseases. It held that antibiotics may not be ready in time if it is left on market forces alone. Key Facts WHO described these antibiotics-resistant super-germs as “priority pathogens” as they are greatest threats to human health. They are no longer respond to an ever-growing list of ineffective antibiotics. They were targeted based on the severity of disease they cause how many drugs still work against them, how easily they spread and how many new ones are already being developed. WHO divided these 12 “priority pathogens” into three categories of new medicine priority: critical, high and medium. The high and medium priority categories include drug-resistant bacteria that cause more common diseases such as gonorrhea and salmonella-induced food poisoning which hit poor countries particularly hard. These 12 germs cause ailments including blood, lung, brain, and urinary tract infections, food poisoning from salmonella and gonorrhoea. The most urgent section contained three bacteria families resistant to carbapenem antibiotics which are last-resort treatment for many life-threatening infections. About World Health Organization (WHO) WHO is a specialized agency of the UN that is concerned with international public health. It was established in April 1948. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is member of the United Nations Development Group. It is responsible for the World Health Report, a leading international publication on health, the worldwide World Health Survey.
8 march
Commonwealth launches Peace in the Home programme to stamp out domestic violence
The Commonwealth of Nations has launched “Peace in the home” programme to help member states tackle domestic violence which still remains a “stubborn stain” on communities, disproportionately impacting women. The programme was launched on Women’s Day (March 8) and will continue through till 2018 when there is expected to be an accord on ending domestic violence in the Commonwealth. Key features of the home programme It will build a coalition of governments, businesses, human rights institutions, civil society and individual citizens to choral our efforts to address domestic violence. It will include toolkits to help governments across Commonwealth involve multiple agencies such as schools, hospitals and doctors as well as government and law enforcement agencies to work together effectively It will help countries highlight and share details of initiatives that had been particularly successful at dealing with domestic violence. It will also be a mentoring programme for women and an initiative to address the issue of violence around elections and politics. About Commonwealth of Nations It is an international intergovernmental organisation of countries that were mostly former territories of the British Empire and dependencies. It was established by the London Declaration in 1949. Many countries from Africa, Asia, Americas, Europe and the Pacific have joined the Commonwealth. Current membership includes 52 counties (including India). Membership is based on free and equal voluntary co-operation. Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the Commonwealth. She is also the monarch of 16 members of the Commonwealth, known as Commonwealth realms.
10 march
IORA Leaders Summit held in Jakarta
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Leaders’ Summit was recently held in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia from March 5 to 7, 2017. The theme of the summit was ‘Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indian Ocean’. It was attended by leaders from 21 member states of IORA. From India, Vice President Hamid Ansari attended the two-day summit. Key Highlights of IORA 2017 It drew attention on issues of regional interest such as maritime security, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, fisheries management, people-to-people exchanges, trade and investment and tourism. 21 member states issued a strategic vision document known as the Jakarta Concord. It sets out a vision strengthening the regional architecture to face its challenges. It also issued Joint Declaration of the IORA business Community to build partnership for a sustainable and equitable economic growth. It also adopted IORA Action Plan, a document containing the implementation actions of the Jakarta Concord to strengthen the implementation of priority areas and cross-sectorial commitments. The Declaration on Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism was also adopted, stating importance of countering terrorism. The member nations stressed on the need to work together in order to eliminate the growth and spread of terrorism and violent extremism. About Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) IORA is an international organisation consisting of coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean, established in 1997 to promote cooperation in the IOR. It is a regional forum, tripartite in nature, bringing together representatives of Government, Academia and Business for promoting co-operation and closer interaction among them. It is based on the principles of Open Regionalism for strengthening Economic Cooperation particularly on Trade Facilitation and Investment, Promotion as well as Social Development of the region. IORA comprises 21 member states (including India) and 7 dialogue partners. Besides, Indian Ocean Research Group and the Indian Ocean Tourism Organisation have observer status.
11 march
Mass coral bleaching occurring in Great Barrier Reef for second year
Great Barrier Reef in Australia’s eastern coast is experiencing an unprecedented second straight year of mass coral bleaching. This is for the first time Great Barrier Reef has bleached two years in sequence. Earlier in March and April 2016, 2,300-km reef suffered had its most severe bleaching on record due to warming sea temperatures. Key Facts Coral Bleaching occurs when abnormal environmental conditions, such as warmer sea temperatures, cause corals to expel tiny photosynthetic algae, draining them of their colour. The 2016 bleaching was more severe in the northern areas of the bio-diverse site. But now more bleaching was being observed in the central part of the reef, which earlier had escaped widespread severe bleaching. The back-to-back occurrence of widespread bleaching is resulting in decrease in stress tolerance of these corals, which means that they may not fully recover. About the Great Barrier Reef It is the biggest coral reef system in the world composed of over 2,900 individual reefs. It was recorded as a World Heritage site in 1981. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, north east of Australia and covers an area of approximately 348,000 sq km. It is credited as the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms and is visible from the outer space.
16 march
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
The World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is celebrated every year on March 15 to pay solidarity with the international consumer movement and give more attention to promote basic rights of consumers. Significance of Day: It provides (i) an opportunity to promote the basic rights of all consumers (ii) demand those rights that must be respected and protected and (ii) for those protesting against the market abuses and social injustices. 2017 Theme: ‘Building a Digital World Consumers can Trust’. Background The WCRD commemorate the historic address given by the then US President John F Kennedy to the US congress on this day in 1962. In his historic address he had outlined the definition of consumer rights for the first time. He was the first world leader to formally define ‘consumer rights’. The first WCRD was observed on 15 March 1983 and has since become an important occasion for mobilizing citizen action. In 2016, WCRD was observed with the theme “Antibiotics off the menu”. Note: In India, 24th December is observed as National Consumer Day. On this day in 1986, Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the President.
17 march
India ranks 148 in 2017 UN Women in Politics Map
In recently released 2017 Women in Politics Map report, India was ranked low at 148th position in representation of women in executive government. It was released by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women. The report was launched on sidelines of 61st Commission on Status of Women, the largest inter-governmental forum on women’s rights and gender equality. The theme for this year event is on women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work. Key highlights of the report Globally, the number of women in executive government and in Parliament has stagnated, with only marginal improvements since 2015. Top 10 countries with highest women in parliament: Rwanda, Bolivia, Cuba, Iceland, Nicaragua, Sweden, Senegal, Mexico, Finland and South Africa. Region wise facts: In Europe, the total percentage stood at 22.5%. In Nordic countries the number of female ministers fell by more than six per cent to 43.5%. Women’s representation in the Americas made the most significant gains. Women’s participation in parliaments rose to 25% from 22.4% in 2015. But the region saw a drop in Heads of State. In Africa, female ministers saw a decline in numbers, after years of steady growth. About 19.7% of the region’s ministerial posts are held by women. In Asia, women hold 11% of ministerial posts. Indonesia tops in the region with 25.7% women representatives in the government. Among the Arab States, 9.7% of senior executive posts are held by women. Tunisia and United Arab Emirates top in region with 23.1% and 26.7%, respectively. India related facts: Women make up 11.8% of the Lok Sabha i.e. 64 were elected to the 542-member house and 11% of the Rajya Sabha with 27 of the 245 members. India ranked 88 in the number of women ministers with five or 18.5% in the cabinet. Comment This report shows that progress in gender equality remains slow in all structures of power and types of decision-making. Power is still firmly in men’s hands. Equal representation for women in par with men in positions of power is a fundamental precondition for truly effective and accountable democracy.
22 march
India ranks 131 in 2016 Human Development Index
India was ranked 131 in the 2016 Human Development Index (HDI) among the 188 countries. India scored 0.624 and was placed in medium human development category. The index was unveiled recently as part of the Human Development Report (HDR) 2016 titled Human Development for Everyone published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Key Highlights of 2016 HDR Top three countries: Norway (0.949 score), Australia (0.939) and Switzerland (0.939). SAARC countries: Sri Lanka (73) and Maldives (105) were placed in “high human development” category, followed by India (131), Bhutan (132), Bangladesh (139), Nepal (144), Pakistan (147) and Afghanistan (169). BRICS Countries: India ranks lowest among BRICS nations. Russia (49), Brazil (79), China (90), South Africa (119) and India (131). India related facts: India’s HDI value increased from 0.428 in 1990 to 0.624 in 2015. However, its average annual growth in HDI (1990-2015) was higher than that of other medium HDI countries. In 2015 HDI, India ranked 130 with score of 0.609 and was placed in the medium human development category. Life expectancy at birth: In India, it has increased from 68 years to an average of 68.3 years — 69.9 years for women and 66.9 years for men. Access to knowledge: India’s expected years of schooling remains at 11.7 years, while mean years of schooling increased from 5.4 to 6.3 years. India’s Gross National Income (GNI) based on per capita purchasing power parity (PPP): It has risen from $5,497 to $5,663. Gender Inequality Index (GII): India ranked 125 among 159 countries. Only 12.2% of Parliament seats are held by women. 8% of women above the age of 15 years are part of India’s labour force — compared to 79.1% men. The ratio of maternal mortality is 174 against every 100,000 live births. Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI): It is difference between the HDI and IHDI, expressed as a percentage of the HDI, indicating the loss in human development due to inequality. India’s HDI was pegged at 0.624, but its value falls 27.2% after being adjusted for inequalities, resulting in a HDI value of 0.455. Life expectancy adjusted with inequalities between 2010 and 2015 fell 24%, resulting in a value of 0.565. The percentage of inequality in education in 2015 was 39.4% or 0.324 and inequality in income 16.1% or 0.512. About HDI The HDI is a measure for assessing countries progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life (life expectancy), access to knowledge and access to a decent standard of living. Countries are ranked based on scale ranging between 0 (low) to 1 (high).
24 march
March 23: World Meteorological Day
The World Meteorological Day (WMD) is observed every year on 23rd March to mark establishment of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on this day in 1950. 2017 Theme: “Understanding Clouds”. It seeks to highlight the enormous importance of clouds for weather climate and water. They play a critical role in the water cycle and shaping the global distribution of water resources. Clouds are central to weather observations and forecasts. Clouds are one of the key uncertainties in the study of climate change. On this occasion, World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) launched new edition of the International Cloud Atlas. It is a treasure trove of hundreds of images of clouds, including a few newly classified cloud types and is single authoritative and most comprehensive reference for identifying clouds. It also features other meteorological phenomena such as rainbows, halos, snow devils and hailstones. This Atlas for the first time has been produced in a digital format and is accessible via both computers and mobile devices. Background On this day in 1950 the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Convention came into force that aimed at creating WMO. Later in 1951, WMO became United Nations specialized agency for meteorology, geophysical sciences and operational hydrology. About World Meteorological Organization (WMO) WMO is an intergovernmental organization whose mandate covers weather, climate and water resources. It is UN specialized agency for meteorology, operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences It is dedicated to international cooperation and coordination on state and behaviour of Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with land and oceans, the weather and climate and distribution of water resources. It has 191 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which was founded in 1873. It has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Sea ice hits record winter low at both poles: Scientists
According to US and European scientists, the extent of sea ice at both poles has hit new record lows for this time of the year. The disappearing sea ice comes as the Earth marks three consecutive years of record-breaking heat and temperature rise, raising fresh concerns about the accelerating pace of global warming. Key Findings Artic region: The ice floating in the Arctic Ocean grows and shrinks on a seasonal cycle every year, reaching its largest size in March and smallest at the end of the summer melt in September. But this year’s Arctic maximum spanned 14.42 million sq.km i.e. 95,829 sq.km below the previous record low in 2015. This year’s ice cover is 12,19,884 sq.km smaller compared to average sea ice extent for 1981-2010. The Arctic sea ice maximum has dropped by an average of 2.8% per decade since 1979. There was a lot of open ocean water and very slow ice growth because the water had a lot of accumulated. Antartic region: The ice in the Antarctic also follows a seasonal cycle but its maximum comes in September and its minimum around February (summer in Southern Hemisphere). In the Antarctic, this year’s annual sea ice was 21,10,840 sq.km, about 1,83,889 sq.km below the previous lowest minimum extent in the satellite record, which occurred in 1997. For the past two years, Antarctica saw record high sea ice extents and decades of moderate sea ice growth.
March 24: World TB Day
The World Tuberculosis Day (WTD) is observed every year on March 24 to raise public awareness about the global epidemic of Tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease. WTD is observed to commemorate discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, bacillus (bacteria) causing TB on 24th March, 1882 by German microbiologist Dr Robert Koch. This discovery had opened the way towards diagnosing and curing TB. It is one of eight official global public health campaigns observed by the World Health Organization (WHO). 2017 Theme (Campaign): “Unite to End TB”. This year it is second year of a two year “United to End TB” Campaign. WHO has placed special focus on uniting efforts to “Leave no one behind” including actions to address stigma, discrimination, marginalization and overcome barriers to access care. On this occasion, WHO also released TB Ethics guidelines to ensure that the countries while implementing the End TB strategy adhere to sound ethical standards to protect the rights of all those affected. About Tuberculosis (TB) TB is a disease caused by bacteria “Mycobacterium tuberculosis” that most often affect the lungs. The disease is spread from person to person through the air. It commonly affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is the second biggest killer disease worldwide next only to HIV/AIDS. It can be completely cured with proper and regular medication. According to WHO, in 2015, 10.4 million people fell ill with TB and 1.8 million died from the disease. Over 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
25 march
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed every year on March 25. Observance of the day honours and remembers those who suffered and died as a consequence of the transatlantic slave trade. It also aims at raising awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice Transatlantic slave trade which had taken place over the span 400 years is considered as the worst violation of human rights in history in which more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims 2017 theme: “Remember Slavery: Recognising the Legacy and Contributions of People of African Descent”. It seeks to draw attention to the consequences of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, especially the ways in which enslaved Africans and their descendants influenced and continue to shape societies across the world, including in the areas of culture and technology. Background The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade was instituted by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by adopting a resolution in 2007. It was first observed in 2008 with the theme “Breaking the Silence, Lest We Forget”. Since then it is observed annually.
27 march
Scientists switch on the world’s largest artificial sun
Scientists from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) have switched on world’s largest artificial sun – a device developed to help shed light on new ways of making climate-friendly fuels. The artificial sun is giant honeycomb-like set-up of 149 spotlights, officially known as Synlight. It is located in Juelich. It uses xenon short-arc lamps normally found in cinemas to simulate natural sunlight. Key Facts The aim of Synlight experiment is to develop an optimal setup for concentrating natural sunlight to power a reaction to produce hydrogen fuel. Its goal is to eventually use actual sunlight rather than the artificial light produced using electricity which is costly and requires as much electricity in four hours as a four-person household would use in a year. Using the array, scientists are seeking to produce the equivalent of 10,000 times the amount of solar radiation by focusing the entire array on a single 8×8 in spot (20*20cm). When light from all the lamps is aligned to concentrate on a single spot, it can generate temperatures of around 3,500 degree Celsius i.e. temperature two to three times of a blast furnace. Significance of this experiment Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe, but on earth it is relatively rare. One way to manufacture hydrogen is to split water (H2O) into its two elemental components – Hydrogen and oxygen, using electricity in electrolysis process. Synlight experiment will bypass usage of electricity by tapping into the enormous amount of solar energy that reaches Earth from sun. Hydrogen obtained from it will be used to be used in fuel cells, a clean source of energy that does not produce carbon emissions.
Earth Hour observed across the World
The eleventh edition of the Earth Hour was observed across the world on 25 March 2017 to take a global call on climate change. To mark this day, cities worldwide turned their lights off from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm local time. This year millions of people from some 170 countries and territories had taken part in the annual event in a bid to highlight global warming caused by the burning of coal, oil and natural gas to drive cars and power plants. Environmental activists this year also have focused to raise awareness on another problem that gets far less attention: Light Pollution. About Earth Hour Earth Hour is an annual international event organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The first Earth Hour was held on March 31, 2007 in Sydney, Australia. It is held annually in end of March month to encourage everyone to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. The event encourages households and businesses to turn off their lights and electrical appliances for one hour at the appointed time to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change. Its goal is to raise awareness for sustainable energy use and create a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Since its inception, it has become annual global environmental event (movement). Now it has grown to engage more than 7,000 cities and towns across 172 countries worldwide. What is Light Pollution? Light pollution is artificial brightening of the night sky caused by man-made lightening sources, which has a disruptive effect on natural cycles and inhibits the observation of stars and planets. It is also known as photo pollution or luminous pollution and basically is the misdirected or obtrusive of natural light by excessive artificial light. More than 80% of humanity lives under skies saturated with artificial light. Components of light pollution Glare: excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort. Skyglow: brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas. Clutter: bright, excessive and confusing groupings of light sources. Light trespass: light falling where it is not intended or needed. Effects of Light Pollution Disturbs the reproductive cycles of some animals. Disturbs migration of birds that navigate using the stars and to disorient night-flying insects. In humans, it disturbs circadian rhythms that regulate hormones and other bodily functions. Excessive blue light emitted form LEDs directly affects sleep pattern in Human by suppressing the production of the hormone melatonin, which mediates the sleep-wake cycle in humans. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF): It is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) working in the field of the biodiversity conservation, and the reduction of humanity’s footprint on the environment.
29 march
US Senate votes to approve Montenegro as NATO’s 29th member
US Senate has voted overwhelmingly to approve Montenegro as 29th member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) by 97-2 vote. So far, 25 other NATO members have ratified Montenegro’s accession, a country of 620,000 people seen as a geostrategic ally. The Spain and Netherlands have yet to do so. About North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) The NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty signed in April 1949. It consists of 28 independent member countries across North America and Europe. It is based on a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. NATO’s headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium. Its headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons. The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the global defence spending.
UN appoints David Beasley to head World Food Programme
United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres has appointed David Beasley as head of the Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP). Beasley will replace Etharin Cousin, who has been the WFP executive director since 2012. He is former governor of US state of South Carolina. About World Food Programme (WFP) The WEF is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. It works to help people who cannot produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families. It was established in 1961 after the 1960 Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Conference. Its headquarter is in Rome (Italy) and has more than 80 country offices around the world. It provides food assistance to an average of 80 million people in 75 countries each year. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and part of its Executive Committee.