Daily Current Affairs :  09-12-2020

1. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)

• Recently, 3 Centres of Excellence were inaugurated under NMSHE at Central Universities of Kashmir, Sikkim andTezpur.
• NMSHE was launched under National Action Plan on Climate Change. It is aimed at evolving management measures for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan glaciers and mountain ecosystem.
• NMSHE includes enhanced monitoring of the Himalayan ecosystem, promoting community-based management, human resource development and strengthening regional cooperation.
• Department of Science and Technology coordinates its implementation.

Source: The Hindu

2. Eco-ducts or eco-bridges 

• Ramnagar Forest Division (Uttarakhand) recently built its first eco-bridge for reptiles and smaller mammals.
• Eco-ducts or eco-bridges aim to enhance wildlife connectivity that can be disrupted because of highways or logging. 
• These include canopy bridges (usually for monkeys, squirrels and other arboreal species); concrete underpasses or overpass tunnels or viaducts (usually for larger animals); and amphibian tunnels or culverts. 
• Usually these bridges are overlaid with planting from the area to give it a contiguous look with the landscape.

Source: Indian Express

3. Light Detection and Ranging Survey (LiDAR) technique 

• National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited will be adopting LiDAR technique to conduct ground survey for the proposed Delhi-Varanasi High Speed Rail corridor.
• LiDAR is a remote sensing technology that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges (distances) to a target.
• These light pulses-combined with other data recorded by the airborne system- generate precise, three-dimensional information about the shape of the Earth and its surface characteristics.
• It is similar to radar and sonar (that use radio and sound waves, respectively)

Source: The Hindu

4. Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI} guidelines on online gaming and fantasy sports 

• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued an advisory for private television broadcasters to follow ASCI guidelines for advertisements relating to on line gaming, fantasy sports etc.

ASCI guidelines require:

• Every such gaming advertisement must carry a disclaimer that game involves an element of financial risk and may be addictive.
• Disclaimer should occupy at least 20% of the advertisement space.
• Advertisements should neither suggest that online gaming presents an income generating opportunity as an alternative to employment nor depict a person playing such games is more successful than others.

Source: The Hindu

5. UNCTAD Investment Promotion Awards 

• UNCTAD has declared Invest India- National Investment Promotion Agency of India as a winner of the 2020 United Nations Investment Promotion Award. 
• Invest India is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.
• UNCTAD award recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the world's best-practice investment promotion agencies.

Source: Indian Express

6. Lebanon Reform, Recovery & Reconstruction Framework (3RF)

• It is part of a comprehensive people-centered response to the massive explosion on the Port of Beirut in August 2020. 
• It has been launched by the European Union, UN and the World Bank for a period of 18-month.

The 3RF aims to help Lebanon achieve three central goals in response to the Beirut port explosion.

1. A people-centered recovery
2. Construction of critical assets, services, and infrastructure
3. Restore people's trust in governmental institutions by improving governance

7. GAGANYAAN PROJECT IS LIKELY TO BE DELAYED: ISRO

As per the mandate of Gaganyaan, two uncrewed missions were slated for launch in December 2020 and July 2021, before the launch of the first manned mission was scheduled in December 2021.

8. LAKSHADWEEP FIRST UNION TERRITORY TO BECOME 100% ORGANIC

• It would help Lakshadweep to give an impetus to the coconut industry and boost women SHGs involved in organic farming to scale up their production.
• Organic farming is a technique, which involves the cultivation of plants and rearing of animals in natural ways.
• It involves use of biological materials, avoiding synthetic substances to maintain soil fertility and ecological balance thereby minimizing pollution and wastage. 
• Sikkim was the first state in the world that is 100% organic. All of its farmland is certified organic.

Source: Indian Express

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