09 July 2017 Current Affairs
Prez launches 3 digital initiatives over e-education
President Pranab Mukherjee has launched digital initiatives – Swayam, Swayam Prabha and National Academic Depository – in New Delhi to push e-education in the country. The aim of the initiatives is to raise the Gross Enrollment Ratio in the higher education from 24.5 to 30 by 2020.
- Swayam will host courses taught in classrooms from Class 9th to post-graduation, which can be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any time. It will target those students who could not complete their studies and professionals who wish to upgrade their knowledge.
- Swayam Prabha is the platform of 32 DTH channels devoted to telecasting high-quality educational programmes 24X7 using GSAT-15 satellite.
- National Academic Depository will facilitate online verification of certificates. All the courses are interactive and available free of cost. Students from various recognised institutes in India will be able to earn credits on clearing these online courses.
He also launched the National Digital Library which containing 6.5 million books.
Ahmedabad declared world heritage city by UNESCO
More than 600 year old Walled City of Ahmedabad founded by Ahmed Shah has been declared India’s first World Heritage City, recognising heritage value of the walled city’s unique heritage at the 41st session of UNESCO’s world heritage committee being held at Krakow in Poland. Nomination of Ahmedabad was supported by close to 20 countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Tunisia, Portugal, Peru and Kazakhstan. The walled city has 26 ASI-protected structures, hundreds of ‘polls’ that capture the essence of community living and numerous sites associated with Mahatma Gandhi who lived here from 1915 to 1930. Now, Ahmedabad will join the world heritage cities like Paris, Cairo and Edinburgh. Out of total 287 world heritage cities across the globe, there were only two cities in the Indian subcontinent- Bhaktpur in Nepal and Galle in Sri Lanka. The UNESCO tag will add immense value to Ahmedabad city which will also boost tourism.
Britain’s first pregnant man gives birth to girl
Britain’s first pregnant man has given birth to a girl. Hyden Cross, 21, made headlines around the world earlier in 2017 when he announced that he was pregnant by a spem donor. Three years ago, Cross had legally become male through gender assignment. Reports suggest that his daughter, Trinity-Leigh, was born on 16 June 2017 by caesarian at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. With her birth, Cross became the first transgender man to give birth in the United Kingdom.
Brazil’s Archaeological Site added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List
The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO added Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site in the World Heritage List. The committee, during its meeting in Krakow, Poland, stated that Valongo is the most important physical trace of the arrival of African slaves on the American continent. It is located in central Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and encompasses the whole of Jornal do Comercio Square.
14-year-old amateur becomes youngest LET winner
Thai amateur Atthaya Thitikul became the youngest winner on the Ladies European Tour. She defeated Ana Menendez of Mexico. She broke the previous record of the formerly top-ranked Lydia Ko, who at 14 years and eight months won her first professional event at the New South Wales Open in 2012. The Thai player finished five under after a level-par 72, two shots clear of Ana Menendez who carded a 75.