09 July 2016 Current Affairs
India, South Africa sign MoUs in four areas of co-operation
India and South Africa have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in four areas of co-operation. The MoUs have been signed after a delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Narendara Modi and South African President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, South Africa. The first MoU is on cooperation in the area of information and communication technology. Another MoU calls for cooperation in the tourism sector and is being seen as an important bid to improve people-to-people ties. A third MoU calls for cooperation in grassroot innovation in the science and technology sector. While the fourth agreement has been signed for a programme of cooperation in arts and culture. The two countries have also agreed to cooperate in combating terrorism, regionally and globally.
Union Govt constitutes cyber cell to check online abuse and harassment of women
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has constituted a cyber-cell to check the online abuse and harassment of women and children on social media platforms. Announcement in this regard was made by Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi.
Radhika Menon: First woman to receive Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea
Captain Radhika Menon became the first woman in the world to receive the Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for the year 2016 from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). She will be bestowed with this award for saving the lives of seven fishermen, whose hopes of survival were all over. The award will be presented to her at the ceremony set to take place at IMO Headquarters in London on 21 November 2016. She was chosen by 116th session of IMO Council meeting held in London. Five year ago, she became the first woman captain of the Indian Merchant Navy. A native of Kodungallur in Kerala, Menon was at the helm of oil tanker ‘Sampurna Swarajya’ of Shipping Corporation of India.
IUCN declares Bornean orangutan critically endangered
Bornean orangutan, a primate species has been declared critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). The declaration was based on the assessment for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species was carried out earlier. IUCN assessment has found that population of Bornean orangutans has dropped by nearly two-third since the early 1970s. It has projected that their population will further decline to 47,000 animals by 2025 representing population loss of 86%. Bornean orangutan is a primate species native to the island of Borneo. Orangutans share approximately 97% of their DNA with humans. They are highly intelligent and display advanced tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild.