Uranium Contamination
New study by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) scientists has concluded that concentration of uranium up to 60 micrograms per litre (µg/l) in drinking water was entirely safe.
- Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element.
- Contaminates water due to geogenic processes, overexploitation of groundwater and its decline and nitrate pollution
- Impacts – Nephritis (kidney damage), Cancer.
PM Colleges of Excellence
Union Home Minister inaugurated PM Colleges of Excellence in Madhya Pradesh (MP).
- Colleges are upgraded according to the parameters fixed in line with National Education Policy.
- Flexibility in subject selection based on one’s interests in multiple disciplines without barriers of streams, this approach is referred as No compartmental education.
- Focus on diverse subjects like Biotechnology, Computer Science, Arts and Data Analytics etc
Chagos island
India assured Mauritius of continued support in Chagos islands territorial dispute with United Kingdom (UK).
- Comprises around 58 small, very low-lying islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
- Key Islands – Salomon Islands, Diego Garcia, Nelsons Island, etc.
- Diego Garcia – Home to a US naval support facility.
- Currently controlled by UK as British Indian Ocean Territory.
- In 2019, International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its advisory opinion directed United Kingdom to unconditionally withdraw from Island
Makhana
Recently, Bihar government demanded Minimum Support Price for makhana, the popped kernel of foxnut or gorgon nut.
- Tropical and subtropical aquatic crop
- Grown in stagnant perennial water bodies like ponds, land depressions, oxbow lakes, etc.
- Its seed is also called as Black Diamond.
- Region – Native of South-East Asia and China
- India is largest producer in the world (largest producing state is Bihar)
Indian Newspaper Society
Prime Minister inaugurates INS Towers in Mumbai.
- Genesis – Origin can be traced back to 1927.
- Established as Indian & Eastern Newspaper Society (IENS) in 1939.
- Key objective – To act as a central organization of the Press of India and of any other country in Asia, which desires to associate itself with the Society.
- Members – Owners, proprietors and publishers of print media