ONDC gets eight interim executive committee members until the new CEO steps in.

About ONDC

• Ministry: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Aim: To promote an open e-commerce network that connects shoppers, platforms and retailers over digital or electronic networks. 
• Concept: ONDC is to be based on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform.
• Significance: ONDC will standardize operations, promote inclusion of local suppliers, drive efficiencies in logistics and lead to enhancement of value for consumers.

Startup QNu Labs launches world’s 1st unique platform Q-Shield.

About Q-Shield

• Concept: It enables seamless cryptography management across any environment, including cloud, on-premises, or hybrid.
• Significance: 
  • It provides an end-to-end solution for securing sensitive data in transit and at rest.
  • It empowers enterprises to protect their critical infrastructure.
    • Critical Infrastructure refers to sectors whose disruption or threat could result in potentially debilitating consequences for national security, the economy, etc
    • E.g. Communications Sector, Energy Sector etc

WHO launches first-ever guidelines on meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care

• The guidelines contribute to the broader Defeating Meningitis by 2030 Global Roadmap (2020). 

About Meningitis

• It is the inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord and is a major global public health challenge.
• It can be infectious or non-infectious in origin: Infections are caused by many pathogens including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.
• Transmission: The route of transmission varies by organism. Most bacteria that cause meningitis, including meningococcus, pneumococcus and Haemophilus influenzae, are carried in the human nose and throat.
• Prevention: Vaccines against common types of bacterial meningitis, Antibiotics etc. 

Cheetah Project Steering Committee cleared the relocation of some of the cheetahs from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

About Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

• Geographical: Gandhi Sagar is a wildlife sanctuary located at eastern Madhya Pradesh. It is spread over two districts of Madhya Pradesh i.e. Mandsaur and Nimach.
  • This region is known as Nimar region.
• Type: The forest of this sanctuary is part of Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forest.
• River: River Chambal Passes through it.
• Dam: This sanctuary is spread over the area surrounding Gandhi Sagar dam backwater.
• Trees: Salai, Kardhai, Dhawda, Tendu, Palash etc.
• Wildlife: Wild Dogs (Dholes), Chinkara, Leopard, Otter, Mugger crocodile.
• Historical: It is part of the world famous Chaturbhuj Nala rock shelters.

BEE is intensifying its enforcement of the Standards & Labelling (S&L) program via cracks down on fake star ratings.

About BEE

• Established as the statutory body under Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• Ministry: Set up under Ministry of Power.
• Objective: To reduce energy intensity of Indian Economy.
• Regulatory Functions: 
  • Develop minimum energy performance standards for equipments and appliances under Standards and Labelling.
  • Develop minimum energy performance standards for Commercial Buildings.
  • Develop Energy Consumption Norms for Designated Consumers.

BatEchoMon, short for Bat Echolocation Monitoring, is India’s first automated bat monitoring system developed at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), Bengaluru.

About BatEchoMon

• It is an autonomous system capable of detecting and analysing bat calls in real-time.
• It acts as a Bat Detector, a specialised recording device that can convert the ultrasonic echolocation calls of insectivorous bats into audible sounds for humans.
  • It uses raspberry pi microprocessor and convolutional neural network algorithms to detect and identify bat species via echolocation calls.

European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch its Biomass mission.

About Biomass Mission

• It will consist of a single LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite platform carrying the SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) instrument.
• Biomass is the first satellite to carry a P-band SAR – an innovative instrument capable of penetrating forest canopies to measure the woody trunks, branches and stems where carbon is primarily stored.
• The mission will map the world’s forests to provide the very first comprehensive measurements of forest biomass and stored carbon at a global scale. 

A study shows that vocal communication between Bonobos shows compositionality, just like human language. 

• Compositionality refers to the ability to combine meaningful units into larger structures whose meaning is derived from the meaning of its units and the way they are combined.

About Bonobo 

• Bonobos and chimpanzees both share 98.7% of their DNA with humans—making these two ape species our closest living relatives.
• Physical Feature: Usually a bit smaller, leaner, and darker.
• Characteristics: Bonobo groups tend to be more peaceful and are led by females.
• Found: Only in forests of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• IUCN Red List: Status- Endangered.