The Daily Brief – 8th October 2019

The Ministry of Science and Technology launched a new set of crackers called eco-friendly crackers, developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), on 6^th October, 2019. Theses crackers help in reducing the particulate emissions by 30% by producing the same light and sound effect of the regular crackers. In 2018, the Supreme Court directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to monitor the levels of metals in the atmosphere before and after Diwali.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in France on 7^th October, 2019 for a two-day visit. He will receive the Rafale Fighter Jets that were manufactured for India and will also meet the French President Emmanuel Macron. He will also hold an annual defense dialogue with his French counterpart.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is on a three-day visit to China from 8^th October, 2019. Both the countries will participate in high-level talks regarding the 60 billion USD China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which includes projects in hydropower, steel mills and oil refinery.

The Wildlife Week is celebrated across India every year from 2^nd October to 8^th October to preserve animal life in India. The theme for this year is ‘Life Below Water: For People and Planet’. The event is organized by the National Board of Wildlife since its establishment in 1972.

The World Teachers Day is observed every year on 5^th October to mark the progress and reflect the ways to counter the challenges in the teaching profession. The theme for this year is ‘ Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession’. The day is being observed since 1994 by UNESCO. The day commemorates the adoption of the :Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers” in 1966.

National Security Advisor of India Ajit Kumar Doval inaugurated the Goa Maritime Conclave with the theme ‘Common Maritime Priorities in IOR and need for Regional Maritime Strategy’. It focused on capacity building of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) Navies to encounter emerging maritime threats. 80% of the world’s sea-borne trade transits through the Indian Ocean Region.

The ‘Trans Fat Free’ logo of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was launched at the 8^th International Chefs’ Conference held in New Delhi by the Union Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan. Food establishments that use trans-fat free fats as well as those that do not have industrial trans-fat over 0.2g per 100g of food, in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018 are eligible to display the logo.