VISION

1)  International Day of Sign Languages observed on 23 September

•The International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) is celebrated annually across the world on 23 September. The day is a unique opportunity to support and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of all deaf people and other sign language users. Sign language gives people, who are hard of hearing, a medium to converse. As the name suggests, this day aims to spread awareness regarding the importance of sign language in the realisation of the human rights of people who are deaf.

International Day of Sign Languages: Theme

•The theme for the 2022 International Day of Sign languages is “Sign Languages Unite Us!”. Deaf communities, governments and civil society organisations maintain their collective efforts in fostering, promoting and recognising national sign languages as part of their countries’ vibrant and diverse linguistic landscapes. 

2)  PM Modi receives copy of the Assamese Dictionary Hemkosh in braille

•Assamese Dictionary Hemkosh in Braille: In New Delhi, Jayanta Baruah gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi a copy of the Assamese Dictionary Hemkosh in Braille. Jayanta Baruah and his colleagues received praise from Mr. Modi for their efforts. Assamese Dictionary Hemkosh was one of the first Assamese dictionaries, published in the nineteenth century. Sarbananda Sonowal, the minister for ports, shipping, and waterways, as well as other officials, were present on this occasion.

3)  Nation gets its first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Tamil Nadu

•Tamil Nadu has notified the country’s first ‘Dugong Conservation Reserve’ in Palk Bay covering the coastal waters of Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts with an area of 448 square kilometres. In September 2021 Government of Tamil Nadu (GoTN) initiated the idea of the ‘Dugong Conservation Reserve’ to be established in the Palk Bay region, in order to protect the endangered Dugong species and its marine habitats in Tamil Nadu. At present, there are around 240 Dugongs in India and a majority of them are found in the Tamil Nadu Coast (Palk Bay region).

•Tamil Nadu has rich marine biodiversity with a long coastline of 1076 km and 14 coastal districts and is home to several rare and endangered fishes and turtle species. Conserving dugongs will help to protect and improve seagrass beds and sequestering more atmospheric carbon. Seagrass beds are also the breeding and feeding grounds for many commercially valuable fishes and marine fauna. Hence, thousands of fisher families directly depend on dugong habitats for their income.

4)  GoI named Bharat Lal as new DG of National Centre for Good Governance

•Retired Gujarat cadre officer, Bharat Lal has been appointed as the Director General, National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG). Bharat Lal, a 1988-batch Indian Forest officer of Gujarat cadre, had served as Gujarat government’s resident commissioner in Delhi and has been known to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the then chief minister of the state. Earlier, during December 2021, Lal was appointed as the Secretary to the Lokpal.

5)  India Inc Expects 35-50 bps RBI Rate Hike, After US Fed

•The global economy has been rattled by scorching inflation and geo-political tensions, forcing more central banks to join the US Federal Reserve in raising interest rates. The Fed set the pace with a 0.75% rate hike to a range of 3% to 3.25%. That is the fifth rate hike this year and up from zero at the start of the year. According to market experts, India could see an aggressive rate hike by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in coming week. The RBI’s policy decision is due on 30 September, with most market participants expecting it to hike rates by 35-50 basis points.

6)  NCC and UNEP sign an agreement in presence of defence minister

•NCC and UNEP sign an agreement: Rajnath Singh, the defence minister, saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). A Memorandum of Understanding was inked to use the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge programme and the Puneet Sagar Abhiyan to combat plastic pollution and achieve the objective of clean water bodies. It aims to coordinate initiatives to involve young people in promoting clean water bodies.

7)  Chinese Scientists create world’s first cloned wild Arctic wolf ‘Maya’

•A wild Arctic wolf was successfully cloned for the first time in the world by a Beijing-based gene firm. The cloning of the Arctic wolf, also known as the white wolf or polar wolf, which is native to the High Arctic tundra of Canada’s Queen Elizabeth Islands, is considered a milestone achievement in conserving rare and endangered species through cloning technology.

•According to the company, the wolf named “Maya” is in good health. The donor cell of the wolf came from the skin sample of a wild female Arctic wolf and its oocyte was taken from a female dog. According to the Global Times report, Maya’s surrogate mother was a beagle, a dog breed. The dog was selected as the surrogate as it shares genetic ancestry with ancient wolves and hence, ensures success in cloning.

8)  Veteran swimmer Elvis Ali becomes the oldest Indian to cross North Channel

•Veteran Assamese swimmer, Elvis Ali Hazarika has become the first from the North East to cross the North Channel. The North Channel is the strait between north-eastern Northern Ireland and south-western Scotland. Elvis and his team clocked a timing of 14 hours 38 minutes to achieve this feat. With this, Elvis has become the oldest Indian swimmer to cross the North Channel.

•According to the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association, the distance of the route recognised as a North Channel swim is 34.5 km (21.4 miles). It is known for fickle weather, rough seas, tough currents and an abundance of jellyfish. As it is, over the past four years especially, the ace Assam swimmer has been pushing his limits, persevering and raising the bar from time to time to create significant records, also making Assam and the country proud.

📰 Analysing the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan conflict

Vision IAS Weekly Focus Magazine 2022 India 75 and Beyond PDF

Vision IAS Weekly Focus Magazine 2022 Nuclear Disarmament PDF

1)  World Rhino Day 2022 observed on 22 September

•World Rhino Day is observed on 22nd September to spread awareness about the different Rhinoceros species and the dangers they face. This day also celebrates all five rhino species namely the Sumatran, Black, Greater One-horned, Javan, and White rhino species. The day offers NGOs, zoos, and the general public a chance to honour rhinos in their own special ways. This day aims to spread the importance of protecting these animals, as Rhinoceros have become critically endangered in the wild due to ongoing poaching and habitat loss over many years.

World Rhino Day 2022: Theme

•This year’s World Rhino Day will be observed under the theme “Five Rhino Species Forever”. The goals of this day are to promote the noble cause of raising awareness about the need to save rhinos from danger to their lives. The rhinos are constantly under severe threat.

2)  World Rose Day (Welfare of Cancer Patients) 2022

•World Rose Day for the welfare of cancer patients worldwide is celebrated annually on the 22nd of September. This day aims to encourage and support those people who are fighting their battle against cancer. The day aims to bring happiness and hope into the lives of such patients and reminds them that they can emerge victorious in their battle against cancer through determination and positivity.

3)  Cabinet Approves An Additional PLI Plan For Solar Cells

•The Union cabinet approved the second tranche of the Performance Linked incentive (PLI) scheme on ‘National programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules’ for achieving manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt (GW) scale to boost manufacturing of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in India, Union minister Anurag Thakur announced in a press briefing.

4)  ISRO tests hybrid motors successfully, plans to develop new rocket propulsion technology

•ISRO tests hybrid motors successfully: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully tested a hybrid motor. This may lead to the development of a new propulsion system for next launch vehicles. The Bengaluru-based space agency claimed that the 30 kN hybrid motor tested at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu is stackable and scalable.

5)  Delhi Lt General V K Saxena launched ‘We Care’ community policing initiative

•Lt General V K Saxena inaugurated ‘We Care’ a community policing initiative here aimed at spreading awareness about various schemes of the Delhi Police among people. This initiative is inaugurated at an event organised at Kartvaya Path at India Gate on the occasion of ‘Sewa Divas, which is being celebrated to mark the 72nd birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  The aim of this initiative is to spread awareness among people about different schemes of the Delhi Police to maintain coordination and establish a police-public interface.

6)  Nagaland Prison Department introduced mobile attendance application

•Nagaland Prison Department goes digital by introducing the mobile attendance application for Prison staff. Advisor for Prisons, Printing & Stationery, H. Haiying launched the Prison staff Attendance App at the District Jail Kohima. The mobile app was initiated by the State Prison Department in collaboration with Excellogics Technology Solution Private Limited.

7)  Abhyas drill: India & U.S coast guards showcase maritime ties

•Abhyas drill: The Coast Guards of India and the United States participated Off the coast of Chennai in the massive Abhyas drill or the Abhyas joint drill. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Midgett’s four-day visit came to an end. The USCG ship and the Indian Coast Guard discussed best practices for search and rescue operations while they were in port.

8)  Recession Unlikely To Hit India: S&P

•Global rating agency S&P said even though the US and the Euro zone are headed to recession, India is unlikely to face the impact given the “not so coupled” nature of its economy with the global economy. The US and European recession depends on the central banks ignoring slowing growth and opting to fight inflation instead.

9)  RBI Governor Launches 3 key Digital Payment Initiatives at Global Fintech Fest 2022

•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, Shaktikanta Das, launched three key digital payment initiatives at the Global Fintech Fest 2022. The three digital payment initiatives that were launched by the RBI are RuPay Credit Card on Unified Payments Interface (UPI), UPI Lite, and Bharat BillPay Cross-Border Bill Payments.

📰 Bihar free of Naxal presence; the fight is in the last stages in Jharkhand, says CRPF chief

Vision IAS Current Affairs Monthly Magazine August 2022 PDF