India-Norway conducts sixth session of Joint Commission Meeting

NATIONAL NEWS

India contributes 1 million dollars to UNRWA for Palestine Refugees

• India has contributed one million dollars to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in Near East.
• The support is to meet the UNRWA’s activities of providing services in healthcare, relief and the necessary humanitarian aids to the refugees.

Fact: UNRWA Headquarters - Amman, Jordan

          Commissioner-General - Philippe Lazzarini

Ministry of AYUSH launches Jan Andolan Campaign on COVID-19

• The Ministry of AYUSH has launched a new campaign on COVID-19 called “Jan Andolan”.
• The Andolan, which is inaugurated by PM Modi is regarding “Public Health Response to COVID-19: Campaign for COVID-Appropriate Behaviour”.
• The campaign highlights on “unlock with Precautions”.

Fact: Union Minister of State of AYUSH - Shripad Yesso Naik

Cabinet approves Rs. 5718 crore World Bank aided project STARS

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the PM Narendra Modi has approved the World Bank sponsored STARS project.
• STARS - Strengthening Teaching Learning and Results for States, project seeks to support in developing, implementing, evaluating and improving education outcomes.
• The total project cost is of Rs 5718 crore with the financial support of World Bank amounting to US $ 500 million (approximately Rs. 3700 crore).
• STARS project would be implemented as a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.

Fact: Union Minister of Education - Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India-Norway conducts sixth session of Joint Commission Meeting

• The sixth-session of the India-Norway Joint Commission Meeting was held virtually with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar representing India and his Norwegian counterpart Ine Eriksen Soreide.
• The talks were mainly on the cooperation between the countries in combating COVID-19, bilateral relations and Dialogue on Trade and Investment (DTI).

Fact: Norway Capital – Oslo

          Prime Minister of Norway - Erna Solberg

NASA to launch nano-satellite made by three Tamil Nadu students

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is to launch an experimental satellite by Tamil Nadu students into the Sub orbit by June.
• The students began their research in class 11 and began to design the world’s smallest and lightest technology demonstrator satellite.
• The satellite is called as India Sat, world’s smallest and lightest satellite, made with reinforced graphene polymer is 3 cm in size and weighs 64 gm.

Fact: Headquarters of NASA – Washington DC, US

ECONOMIC NEWS

EarlySalary Launches ''Salary Card'' Powered by RuPay in collaboration with NPCI

• The lending platform EarlySalary has launched a 'Salary Card' powered by RuPay in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to establish the digital payments system.
• The 'Salary Card' is a zero-touch digital card that will provide instant access for salaried professionals.
• EarlySalary is a mobile app that allows salaried individuals to avail of financial assistance.

Fact: NPCI CEO - Dilip Asbe

          CEO & co-founder of EarlySalary - Akshay Mehrotra

APPOINTMENTS

India is re-elected as President of International Solar Alliance

• India has been re-elected as the President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and France as the Co- President for a term of two years.
• The decision came after the virtual meeting of third assembly of the International Solar Alliance.
• The assembly also approved the initiatives of the ISA Secretariat in institutionalizing ISA’s engagement with the private and public corporate sector through the Coalition for Sustainable Climate Action.

Fact: Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy – R K Singh.