Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 29 September 2021

::NATIONAL::

Judima, a home-made rice wine of Assam’s Dimasa tribe has become the first traditional brew in all of northeast to bag a geographical indication (GI) tag.
Made from sticky rice, which is steamed and mixed with traditional herbs, the wine has a distinct sweet taste and takes around one week to prepare. However, it can be stored for years.
It is a speciality of the Dimasa tribe of the state’s Dima Hasao district.
A GI tag is awarded to products associated with a specific geographical origin.
To produce Judima, Dimasa tribe uses a glutinous rice called Bora (indigenous to the region) andbark of a plant called Thembra (Acacia pennata) collected from forests surrounding the region.
Some other registered GI tagged products from Assam: Muga Silk, Joha Rice,Tezpur Litchi.

On the occasion of World Rabies Day, Union Minister for Health and Union Minister of Animal Husbandry unveiled the National Action Plan for dog Mediated Rabies Elimination by 2030 (NAPRE).

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The Ministers urged all the States and UTs to make Rabies a notifiable Disease. They also launched “Joint Inter-Ministerial Declaration Support Statement” for Elimination of Dog mediated Rabies from India by 2030 through One Health Approach.
Villagers in India refer to the disease as ‘Hadakwa’ unfamiliar with the English name. The mere mention of ‘Hadakwa’ induces terror in rural areas. They advised the senior officials present to use the more familiar term ‘Hadakwa’ in popularizing the activities to be taken up under the Plan.
Rabies is 100% fatal but 100% vaccine preventable. 33% of global rabies deaths are recorded in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington on September 22 on an official visit to the U.S. during which he held the first face-to-face meeting with President Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris.

Key highlights of statement

Promote shared interest in Indo-Pacific by increasing cooperation with regional groupings, including ASEAN and Quad members.
Developing a trade and investment partnership by reconvening India-U.S.Trade Policy Forum to enhance the bilateral trade relationship by addressing trade concerns and identifying specific areas.
Clean Energy Cooperation through Strategic Clean Energy Partnership andthe Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue under the U.S.-IndiaClimate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership.
Fight against global terrorism by taking concerted action against allterrorist groups, including groups proscribed by the UNSCR 1267 SanctionsCommittee.
Expanding partnership in new domains and many areas of critical and emerging technology- space, cyber, health security, semiconductors, AI, 5G,6G etc.

Coral reefs have declined by over half since the 1950s as they suffer from the effects of climate change and overfishing.
Across the world, the area that coral reefs occupy has fallen by 50% in the half century from 1957. Their ability to carry out key roles, such as food provision and locking away carbon, has fallen too.

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Coral reefs are large colonies of invertebrate, tiny soft-bodied animals called Coral polyps, that lives in symbiotic relationship (mutually beneficial)with small algae like organism called zooxanthellae.
Coral polyps provide protection to zooxanthellae in return of nutrient.Zooxanthellae also provide them the colourful hues.
Coral reefs are some of the most bio diverse and productive ecosystems.They act as natural barriers to shorelines, protecting them from damage and flooding from storms, hurricanes, and cyclones.
Major threats to coral reefs:
Natural: Environmental-Temperature, Sediment Deposition, Salinity etc.
Anthropogenic: Mining, Bottom Fishing, pollution, etc.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 250 million loan to Bangladesh for economic recovery following the COVID 19 pandemic in the country.
This is the first installment of the USD 500 million Sustainable Economic Recovery Programme for Bangladesh.
The Sustainable Economic Recovery Programme aims to generate employment and expand economic activities for micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses.
The loan will support the government’s planned investment in education, health, social protection and infrastructure to help stimulate economic activities and recovery.
It is also aligned with Bangladesh’s aspiration to become an upper middle-income country by 2031.

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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) was formed in 1966. The headquarter is located in Manila, Philippines.
Currently. ADB comprises 68 members (including India)- of which 49 are from within Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside.
US and Japan are the two largest shareholders of the bank.
ADB is an official United Nations Observer.

The CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) here won laurels on Sunday at the 80th Foundation Day celebrations of the CSIR held in New Delhi.
NIIST bagged the coveted CSIR Award for Science and Technology Innovations for Rural Development (CAIRD) for developing biodegradable plates and cutlery from agro-residues such as rice husk and wheat bran.

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NIIST had developed 100% biodegradable tableware from agricultural residues as a viable alternative to single-use plastics.
NIIST scientists showed that plates, cutlery and cups can be produced from agro-waste and byproducts such as wheat bran, rice husk, corn husk, sugarcane bagasse, fruit peel, banana stem and pineapple leaves.
These environment-friendly products are affordable, possess a long shelf life and are resistant to fungus and bacteria.

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu has received a wild card into the BNP Paribas Open next month.
The combined men’s and women’s tournament will be played Oct. 4-17 in the Southern California desert, a move from its usual March date because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 18-year-old Brit stunned the tennis world earlier this month by becoming the first qualifier in the professional era to win a Grand Slam singles title. Raducanu made her WTA Tour debut in June and soon reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
World No. 1 Ash Barty has withdrawn from the tournament, joining Naomi Osaka and Roger Federer among those on the sidelines.