13 October 2016 Current Affairs
International Day for Disaster Reduction: October 13
The United Nations General Assembly declared October 13 as the International Day for Disaster Reduction which is also a part of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. In the year 2002, the United Nations General Assembly declared the day to encourage the global culture of natural disaster reduction, promoting prevention, mitigation and preparedness. In 2009, October 13 was designated as the official date and the name of the day was changed to International Day for Disaster Reduction. International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction was observed in 1990s. This was done with an objective to decrease the loss of life, property, destruction and any kind of disruption caused by natural disasters. The day is celebrated to spread awareness and encourage citizens and the government about disaster risk reduction and building disaster-resilient nations. This year, the theme for the day is ‘Live To Tell: Raising Awareness, Reducing Mortality’.
India, Russia sign agreement to set up agro irradiation centres
India and Russia have signed an agreement for cooperation in the development of a network of 25 integrated infrastructure Agro irradiation centres. The agreement was signed between Indian Agricultural Association, Hindustan Agro Co-Op Ltd (HACL) and United Innovation Corporation (UIC), a subsidiary of ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation of Russia. As part of the agreement, India-Russia joint venture (JV) will be formed in which HACL will have the majority 51% stakeholding. UIC will be a technology partner and will help set up the irradiation centres. In first phase 7 centers will be set up in Maharashtra in Sindhurg, Satara, Solapur, JNPT, Jalana, Napur and Pune. For the first time paves the way for establishment of network of integrated infrastructure irradiation centres in India to reduce agricultural losses. These irradiation centres will help in treatment of perishable food items to improve shelf life and cut post-harvest losses.
India to eliminate use of HFC-23 by 2030
India has decided to eliminate use of HFC-23, a greenhouse gas (GHG) that harms the ozone layer by 2030. With this, India, is taking the lead on tackling climate change. It was announced during the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol at Kigali in Rwanda. In this meeting, final negotiations are taking place to substantially reduce the use of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) by 2030. The elimination will potentially check emissions of HFC-23 equivalent to 100 million tonnes of CO2 over the next 15 years. Indian companies will not be compensated for the costs involved in ensuring that these gases are not released. This move is considered as a major break away from the concept of financial assistance for every action on environment in which India earlier had shown the lead. HFC-23 is a by-product of HCFC-22 (Hydrochloroflurocarbon-22), which is used in industrial refrigeration. It is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) with global warming potential of 14,800 times more than that of CO2.
Bob Dylan wins 2016 Nobel prize in literature
The 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”. Dylan, 75, has won numerous awards, including twelve Grammys and one Academy Award.
Antonio Guterres appointed UN Secretary-General
Portugal’s former Prime Minister Antonio Guterres was on 13 October appointed as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations by the General Assembly. The 193 member states of the General Assembly adopted the resolution by acclamation, appointing 67-year-old Mr. Guterres as the ninth U.N. Secretary-General to take over from Ban Ki-moon, whose tenure will end on December 31, 2016. Mr. Guterres, who was Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002, and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015, will assume his new role on January 1, 2017 for a five-year term that can be renewed by member states for an additional five years. Mr. Guterres had emerged as the frontrunner in all the six informal polls conducted in the Security Council to select the Secretary-General amid a heightened call by several U.N. member states and civil society organisations to elect a woman chief for the world body, which has had a man at its helm for all the 71 years of its existence.
British Olympics icon Jessica Ennis-Hill announces retirement from athletics
Jessica Ennis-Hill has announced her retirement from athletics. Ennis-Hill, 30, who won a gold medal for heptathlon at London 2012, hinted after winning silver at Rio 2016 that she could leave the sport, and confirmed her decision on 13 October. Ennis-Hill became the poster girl for London 2012 after her gold medal success in the heptathlon event on “Super Saturday”. She returned to defend her title in Rio this summer but fell just short, finishing in second place behind Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium. The Sheffield-born heptathlete leaves her sport having also won gold medals in two world championships, one world indoor championship and a European championship.