Green Hushing
World Economic Forum discussed the issue of Green Hushing.
- Occurs when firms under report or strategically withhold information about their environmental goals and achievements.
- Can happen for different reasons. For example, some firms don’t advertise their sustainable products because consumers associate “green” with more expensive than their conventional counterparts.
Minimum Import Price
MIP extension to boost local textile industry capacity
- A temporary measure to provide protection to domestic farmers from predatory pricing of imports.
- Below this price, import of the commodity is not allowed.
- Rules framed by – Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), an arm of the commerce ministry
C 10 Group
Indian External Affairs Minister participated in the first-ever Joint Ministerial Meeting of the C-10 and L.69 groupings.
- Genesis – Committee of 10 African Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors (C-10) created in 2008.
- Members -Algeria, Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, the Central Bank of West African States (CBWAS), and the Central Bank of Central African States (CBCAS).
- Mandate – Advocating enhanced African participation in governance of international institutions
- L69 – A grouping that includes countries from Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, Pacific Island states and Asia (India is also member)
Thermobaric Weapons
Recently, reports suggest use of a thermobaric weapon (ODAB-1500 bomb) by Russia in Ukraine.
- Releases a fuel cloud on striking, which, when ignited, causes a high-temperature explosion.
- Uses atmospheric oxygen to ignite the fuel as opposed to use of a oxidiser in conventional explosives.
- Creates a vacuum effect after the high-pressure blast as the oxygen is consumed.
- Has high destruction capacity that can destroy structures, damage human body by rupturing organs with the dual impact of extreme heat and pressure
Augmented Reality
Meta unveils Orion, a prototype of Augmented Reality (AR) Glasses.
- Real-time integration of digital information into a user’s environment.
- In AR, images generated from a computer are projected onto real-life objects or surroundings.
- In Virtual Reality (VR), a simulated environment is created and the physical world is completely shut out.