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.