Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the online Summit of Non Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group held on the evening of May 4, 2020 to discuss response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

The online NAM Contact Group Summit on the theme of "United against COVID-19”. was hosted by the current Chairman of NAM, President of Republic of Azerbaijan HE Ilham Aliyev. The objective of the Summit was to promote international solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and to mobilise efforts of States and international organisations to address the pandemic. The event also commemorated the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.

PM Modi’s participation underlined India’s longstanding commitment to the principles and values of NAM as one of its leading founding-member. In his intervention, Prime Minister emphasized the importance of a coordinated, inclusive and equitable response by the world to this crisis, outlining the steps India had taken domestically and internationally, while reaffirming India’s readiness to offer assistance in solidarity with the Movement, to the extent possible. PM also emphasized the importance of a continued effort by the world against other viruses, in particular terrorism and fake news.

PM Modi was joined by over 30 other Heads of State and Government and other leaders, including from member States in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe. The Summit was also addressed by the President of the UN General Assembly Prof Tijjani Muhammed Bande, UN Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres, African Union Chairperson Musa Faki Mahamat, EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, as well as Director General of the World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus.

Per Day 10 lakh persons are visiting PM Jan Audhadhi Kendras to buy quality medicines at affordable prices Posted On: 04 MAY 2020 5:44PM by PIB Delhi

Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State (IC) for Shipping and Chemicals & Fertilisers has said that Jan Aushadi Kendras are playing a vital role in COVID-19 situation as around 10 lakh persons per day are visiting 6000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras to source quality medicines at affordable prices. These Kendras are also selling Hydroxy Chloroquine.

He said Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaaushadi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is a noble initiative by Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India and Jan Aushadi Kendras are opened under this Scheme to fulfil the cherished dream of the Prime Minister to make available quality generic medicine at affordable price.

Since assuming office, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been giving impetus on opening of Jan Aushadi Kendras. In these 5.5 years of governance, about 6000 Jan Aushadi Kendras started operating across the country where at par quality medicines are sold at cheaper price by 50% to 90% of Average Market Price.

He added that apart from selling affordable and quality generic medicines, many Jan Aushadi Kendras have distributed ration kit, cooked food, free medicines, etc., to the needy people during the lockdown period.

In a special situation like COVID-19, the role of Jan Aushadi Kendras has become very important. The 6000 Jan Aushadi Kendras are operating day and night tirelessly to serve the poor and the needy. In April, 2020, around Rs.52 crore worth of medicines have been supplied throughout the country. Jan Aushadi Kendras are also selling Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), N95 masks, three-ply masks, hand sanitizers, etc., at cheaper price.

The theme of this week ARTIST BY ARTISTS is dedicated to Shri Rabindranath Tagore Posted On: 04 MAY 2020 5:19PM by PIB Delhi

National Gallery of Modern Art is closed temporarily due to COVID 19 but COVID19 failed to bring down the enthusiasm to display EXHIBITION OUTREACH DURING LOCK- DOWN. National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi proudly presents the virtual program "NGMA KE SANGRAH SE". This virtual program will showcase the rarely seen or maybe unseen jewels from its repository. This program is based on various weekly/ daily themes from NGMA’s prestigious collections.

The theme for this week is ARTIST BY ARTISTS and is dedicated to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. This week’s program coincides with the maestro's 159th birth anniversary on 7th May 2020, a date we would like to celebrate. Many more exciting and thought-provoking themes have to come in the coming days. These virtual programs and exhibitions will give the opportunity to art lovers, artists, art connoisseurs, students, teachers, etc. to see the rarely presented artworks from their homes.

National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi has earlier presented various virtual exhibitions such as Jamini Roy and Raja Ravi Vermaetc. and has also shared permanent collections virtually to commemorate International Days such as International Women’s Day, International Dance Day and International Workers Day. These exhibitions are available on NGMA’s website and social media platforms.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Ultra Violet (UV) Disinfection Tower for rapid and chemical free disinfection of high infection prone areas.

The equipment named UV blaster is a UV based area sanitiser designed and developed by Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC), the Delhi based premier laboratory of DRDO with the help of M/s New Age Instruments and Materials Private Limited, Gurugram.

The UV Blaster is useful for high tech surfaces like electronic equipment, computers and other gadgets in laboratories and offices that are not suitable for disinfection with chemical methods. The product is also effective for areas with large flow of people such as airports, shopping malls, metros, hotels, factories, offices, etc.

The UV based area sanitiser may be used by remote operation through laptop/mobile phone using wifi link. The equipment has six lamps each with 43 watts of UV-C power at 254 nm wavelength for 360 degree illumination. For a room of about 12 x 12 feet dimension, the disinfection time is about 10 minutes and 30 minutes for 400 square feet area by positioning the equipment at different places within the room.

Government of India has instituted Sardar Patel National Unity Award as the highest civilian award in the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, for contribution in promoting unity and integrity of India.

The award seeks to recognize the notable and inspiring contribution made by individuals or institutions or organizations in this field and reinforces the value of strong and united India.

The Saras Collection showcases daily utility products made by rural self-help groups (SHGs) and aims to provide SHGs in rural areas with market access to Government buyers

In the first phase, 913 SHGs from 11 States have already registered as sellers and 442 products have been on-boarded Posted On: 04 MAY 2020 2:57PM by PIB Delhi

The Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, launched “The Saras Collection” on the Government e Marketplace (GeM) portalat Krishi Bhavan in New Delhitoday. A unique initiative of GeM and the DeenDayalAntyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development, the Saras Collection showcases daily utility products made by rural self-help groups (SHGs) and aims to provide SHGs in rural areas with market access to Central and State Government buyers.

Under this initiative, the SHG sellers will be able to list their products in 5 product categories, namely (i) handicrafts, (ii) handloom and textiles, (iii) office accessories, (iv) grocery and pantry, and (v) personal care and hygiene. In the first phase, 913 SHGs from 11 States have already registered as sellers and 442 products have been on-boarded. In order to develop a scalable model capable of onboarding a large number of SHGs across the country in a short time frame, GeM has developed an API based integration mechanism with the NRLM database.

GeM will provide dashboards for functionaries at the national, state, district and block level to provide them real time information about the number of products uploaded by SHGs, and value and volume of orders received and fulfilled.In addition, Government buyers shall be sensitized through system generated messages/ alerts in the Marketplace about availability of SHG products on the portal. Potential buyers shall be able to search, view, cart and procure such products through the stipulated modes of procurement.

The on-boarding of the SHGs under the initiative has been initially piloted in the States of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The coverage shall be rapidly extended to enable a large number of SHGs from all the states/ Union Territories to sell their products to Government buyers.

In order to handhold and facilitate the SHGs in uploading their products, GeM, along with the State and National Rural Livelihoods Missions,are assisting the sellers with product catalogue management, order fulfilment and bid participation. GeM shall also collaborate with State functionaries to address the capacity building and training needs of SHGs, and build up their competencies required for order packaging, catalogue management and logistics.

With inputs and assistance from NRLM and SRLMs, GeM will develop online learning resources in vernacular content for SHGs and SRLM staff to meet user specific needs. Further, GeM will conduct online webinars for SHGs and functionaries at State Livelihoods Missions and develop videos, eBooks, Manual and repository of FAQs fora seamless learning experience.

By providing SHGs with direct access to Government buyers, the Saras Collection will do away with intermediaries in the supply chain, thus ensuring better prices for SHGs andspurring employment opportunities at the local level.This is just the beginning and GeM is delighted at this opportunity to partner the SHGs in their growth story.

The SHGs deserve to be specially commended for the manner in which they, like the entire country, are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic valiantly at this time of national health emergency of unprecedented and historic scale.

About DAY-NRLM: DAY-NLRM aims to reduce poverty through promotion of diversified and gainful self-employment while creating skilled wage employment opportunities. The scheme supports building social capital and ensuring financial linkages to alleviate poverty and enhance the quality of the life of rural poor women. It has ambitious plans on innovations for alternate channels of financial inclusion like digital finance, creating value chains around rural products and improving market access, rural enterprise and strengthening community institutions.

About GeM: Government e Marketplace (GeM) is a 100 percent Government owned Section 8 Company set up as the National Public Procurement Portal for procurement of goods and services required by Central and State Government organizations. GeM provides an online, end to end solution for procurement of goods and services for all Central Government and State Government Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), local bodies and autonomous organisations. The platform reduces human interventions in procurement and enables transparency, cost savings, inclusiveness and efficiency of faceless standardized public procurement.

Around 77.40 % of total Kapas produced in Maharashtra had already arrived in the markets and been sold till 25th March, 2020; Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) procured 91.90 lakh quintals of Kapas equivalent to 18.66 lakh bales of cotton valuing Rs.4995 crores from cotton farmers

Steps have been taken to clear the outstanding payment to the farmers for the procured Kapas; Out of total procurement value, a sum of Rs.4987 crores has already reached the farmers Posted On: 04 MAY 2020 12:59PM by PIB Delhi

There have been media reports regarding problems being faced by farmers in selling Kapas in APMCs in Maharashtra.

The Ministry of Textiles reassures the farmers that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) along with its agent the Maharashtra State Cotton Growers’ Marketing Federation Ltd. is well geared and ready to implement the MSP operations of the Government of India in the State of Maharashtra.

MSP procurement is on in Maharashtra since October, 2019. As on 25th March,2020 Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) had already procured 91.90 lakh quintals of Kapas equivalent to 18.66 lakh bales of cotton valuing Rs.4995 crores from cotton farmers in Maharashtra through 83 centres.

Till 25th March, 2020 around 77.40 % of total Kapas produced in Maharashtra had arrived in the markets and sold to CCI and private traders. At the time of lockdown around 22.60 % of cotton was yet to arrive. Out of this outstanding Kapas, it is estimated that around 40 to 50 % of Kapas valuing approx. Rs. 2100 crore may be of FAQ grade and growers may wish to avail of MSP rates due to traders not offering better price in view of the pandemic situation.

The MSP operations are continuing and CCI’s procurement is on at 34 centres currently and a total of 36,500 quintals of Kapas equivalent to 6900 bales have been procured in Maharashtra during lockdown period.

The procurement is regulated by the state APMCs and 27 centres are coming under red zones as identified by the District administration wherein procurement is expected to pick up after 3rd May,2020. In remaining 22 centresthe State Government has been approached by the CCI for issue of passes/tokens to farmers to bring Kapas and the matter is being constantly monitored by the Ministry of Textiles through daily status reports on arrival of farmers &Kapas procurement in the APMCs.

The necessary coordination of the CCI with the officials of Government of Maharashtra is being done through frequent Conferences for trouble shooting of emerging issues.The Textiles Ministry has also issued Advisory to the Government of Maharashtra to make appropriate arrangements in APMCs for facilitating access to the cotton farmers to avoid distress selling.

Steps have been taken by the CCI to clear the outstanding payment to the farmers for the procured Kapas. Out of total procurement value of Rs.4995 crores, a sum of Rs.4987 crores has already reached the farmers.

Chakshu Roy, Indian Express, April 29, 2020 MPLAD is a central government scheme, under which MPs can recommend development programmes involving spending of Rs 5 crore every year in their respective constituencies.

Earlier this month, the government suspended the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme so that these funds would be available for its COVID-19 management efforts.

Following the Centre’s announcement, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath suspended the state’s MLALAD scheme for a year, a move that will allow the state to spend Rs 1,500 crore on COVID-related efforts.

A look at the scheme, and the implications of the move: What is the MPLAD Scheme? MPLAD is a central government scheme, under which MPs can recommend development programmes involving spending of Rs 5 crore every year in their respective constituencies. MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including nominated ones, can do so.

States have their version of this scheme with varying amounts per MLA. Delhi has the highest allocation under MLALAD; each MLA can recommend works for up to Rs 10 crore each year. In Punjab and Kerala, the amount is Rs 5 crore per MLA per year; in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, it is Rs 2 crore; in Uttar Pradesh, it was recently increased from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore.

How much will the suspension contribute to the Centre’s efforts to manage the pandemic? Suspension of the MPLAD Scheme will make Rs 7,800 crore available to the government. For comparison, this is only 4.5% of the Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief package for the poor announced under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.

Opposition MPs have reacted sharply. Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Lok Sabha, termed the move a gross injustice towards people’s representatives. RJD MP Manoj Jha said the diversion of MPLAD funds would centralise their administration and decrease the efficiency of their disbursal.

How does the scheme work? MPs and MLAs do not receive any money under these schemes. The government transfers it directly to the respective local authorities. The legislators can only recommend works in their constituencies based on a set of guidelines. For the MPLAD Scheme, the guidelines focus on the creation of durable community assets like roads, school buildings etc. Recommendations for non-durable assets can be made only under limited circumstances. For example, last month, the government allowed use of MPLAD funds for the purchase of personal protection equipment, coronavirus testing kits etc.

The guidelines for use of MLALAD funds differ across states. For example, Delhi MLAs can recommend the operation of fogging machines (to contain dengue mosquitoes), installation of CCTV cameras etc. After the legislators give the list of developmental works, they are executed by the district authorities as per the governments financial, technical and administrative rules.

When did the scheme start? Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao announced the scheme on December 23, 1993 in Lok Sabha. He mentioned that it was being started at the request of MPs across parties. Opposition to the proposal came from CPI(M) MPs Nirmal Kanti Chatterjee and Somnath Chatterjee.

This happened during a tumultuous year for Rao’s minority government. Earlier that month, Parliament was agitated that the government was trying to clip Election Commissioner T N Seshan’s wings by converting the EC into a multi-member body. Months earlier, the government had survived a controversial trust vote in Lok Sabha. And in May that year, Lok Sabha witnessed the first impeachment proceedings in India’s history, against High Court Judge Justice V Ramaswami. These events led some commentators to suggest that the scheme was an attempt by the minority government to appease MPs. Over the years, the scheme was adopted and adapted by state governments.

How long are the schemes supposed to continue? The central scheme has continued uninterrupted for 27 years. It is budgeted through the government’s finances and continues as long as the government is agreeable. In 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the scheme until the term of the 14th Finance Commission, that is March 31, 2020.

In the recent past, there has been one example of discontinuation of a Local Area Development scheme. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar discontinued the state’s scheme in 2010, only to revive it before the 2014 general elections.

What has been the impact of the MPLAD scheme? In 2018, when continuation of the scheme was approved, the government noted that “the entire population across the country stands to benefit through the creation of durable assets of locally felt needs, namely drinking water, education, public health, sanitation and roads etc, under MPLAD Scheme”.

Until 2017, nearly 19 lakh projects worth Rs 45,000 crore had been sanctioned under the MPLAD Scheme. Third-party evaluators appointed by the government reported that the creation of good quality assets had a “positive impact on the local economy, social fabric and feasible environment”. Further, 82% of the projects have been in rural areas and the remaining in urban/semi-urban areas.

Why has the scheme been sometimes criticised? The criticism has been on two broad grounds. First, that it is inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution as it co-opts legislators into executive functioning. The most vocal critic was a DMK ex-MP and a former Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Era Sezhiyan. He said the workload on MPs created by the scheme diverted their attention from holding the government accountable and other legislative work.

The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2000) and the Second Administrative Reforms Commission, headed by Veerappa Moily (2007), recommended discontinuation of the scheme. In 2010, the Supreme Court held that the scheme was constitutional.

The second criticism stems from allegations of corruption associated with allocation of works. The Comptroller and Auditor General has on many occasions highlighted gaps in implementation.

Chakshu Roy is Head of Outreach, PRS Legislative Research

In a new study, researchers were able to describe five major clinical patterns:

Asymmetrical pseudo-chilblain lesions affecting the hands and feet. Over 19 per cent of the cases showed such a manifestation.

Nine per cent of the cases presented with vesicular eruptions on the trunk and limbs.

19 per cent presented with urticarial lesions, which can be characterised by itchy, swollen patches of different sizes on the skin. 47 per cent presented with maculopapular rashes, which comprises flat skin lesions and raised bumps.

Six per cent of the cases presented with livedo or necrosis, which is characterised by the discolouration of the skin and may be caused due to disturbance in blood flow and reduced oxygen tension to the skin.

What are ‘covid toe’ and chilblains? It is a kind of rash being reported as a manifestation in some Covid-19 patients’ toes. The researchers have likened it to pseudo-chilblain lesions.

Chilblains are small, itchy, red patches that appear on the toes and fingers after a person has been exposed to the cold. A person with chilblains may see their toes and fingers swell up and become red.

The conditionoccurs due to inflammation in the small blood vessels in the skin, a response to repeated exposure to cold air. Chilblains usually clear up within one-three weeks on their own.

About BharatMarket: The marketplace will integrate capabilities of various technology companies to provide end-to-end services in the logistics and supply chains from manufacturers to end consumers, including deliveries at home.

The e-commerce portal will include a nationwide participation by retailers. This endeavour aims to bring 95 per cent of retail traders onboard the platform, who will be the shareholders and the portal will be run exclusively by the traders.

About BOBBLE: BoBBLE is a joint India-UK project. It seeks to examine the impact of ocean processes in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) on the monsoon system.

It is is a project funded by Union Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Natural Environment Research Council of UK.

The Bay of Bengal (BoB) plays a fundamental role in controlling the weather systems that make up the South Asian summer monsoon system.

Key processes in the southern BoB: The saline Southwest Monsoon Current (SMC), a major control on the salt and SST distribution of the BoB, is shown to be controlled by both local (wind stress curl) and remote (equatorial wave propagation) factors, strongly linked to subseasonal variability over the wider Indian Ocean basin.

The high salinity core (HSC) of the SMC is shown to have its origins in the western equatorial Indian Ocean, reaching the BoB via the Somali Current, the Equatorial Undercurrent and the SMC.

Seasonal reversals that occur at the Somali Current and SMC junctions act as ‘railroad switches’ diverting water masses to different basins in the northern Indian Ocean.

Barrier layer formation and erosion in the southern BoB are found to be largely controlled by differential advection and resulting mixing driven by shear stress.

Chlorophyll in the southern BoB is strongly influenced by mixed layer processes and barrier layer strength.

What are monsoons? Monsoons are seasonal winds which reverse their direction with the change of season. The monsoon is a double system of seasonal winds. They flow from sea to land during the summer and from land to sea during winter.

Monsoons are peculiar to Indian Subcontinent, South East Asia, parts of Central Western Africa etc.

Indian Monsoons are Convection cells on a very large scale. They are periodic or secondary winds which seasonal reversal in wind direction. Monsoons are also often associated with conditions like ‘El Nino’ (Spanish for ‘Little Boy’) that occurs every 2 to 7 years and La Nina.

Significance for India: Monsoon is the lifeline of Indian economy as 2/3rd of it depends on farm income and rain is the only source of irrigation for over 40% of the country’s cropped area. Over 70% of India’s annual rainfall occurs in July-September monsoon season. A good monsoon increases crop productivity, raises farm income and drives the economy while, a weak monsoon inflates food prices and harms the economy.

Significance: This is the first time PM Modi is taking part in a NAM meeting since taking 2014 when he first became the Prime Minister. The last time any Indian PM participated at Tehran NAM meet was 2012 with the then PM Manmohan Singh was present.

Both in 2016, 2018 summits of NAM, India was represented at Vice President level. The last NAM Summit happened in 2019 in Azerbaijan, before that it was 2016 in Venezuela.

Background: Azerbaijan is the president of the grouping from 2019-2022 and the meet is being organised under the leadership of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The title of the summit is “We stand together against COVID-19”.

What is non- aligned movement? Non-Aligned Movement is an idea that emerged in 1950. NAM is the second-largest platform globally in terms of country membership after the UN. It currently has more than 120 members.

The evolution of NAM: During 1950s, the world was emerging out of the long, dark period of colonialism.

Newly independent nations dreamed they could make their way in this new world without hewing to either of the big powers, the United States and the Soviet Union, eschewing the icy hostilities of the Cold War and bask in the warmth of Third World (as it was then known) cooperation.

The co-founders were India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, Indonesia’s Sukarno, Egypt’s Gemal Abdel Nasser, Yugoslavia’s Josep Broz Tito, and Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah were all figures of international consequence, and their collective charisma attracted lesser lights from around the world.

The Asian-African Conference of 1955 held in Bandung was the catalyst for the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement. The actual formation took place in Belgrade, where the Non-Aligned Movement was formally established by the leaders of 25 developing countries in 1961.

Why is it losing relevance today? – Criticisms: NAM today has grown into a forum where developing nations could blame all their problems on the big powers.

It has become a platform for some of the world’s most despicable leaders to preen and posture.

NAM’s reason to exist ended in 1989, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the end of the Cold War. The world was left with a single superpower, the US, but quickly became multipolar, with China and India emerging as strong magnetic forces in their own right.

Way ahead: There are now new kinds of alignments, more likely to be defined by economics and geography than by ideology. To be aligned is now a virtue, a sign of good leadership. Countries, especially small ones, can and should aim for multiple alignments of their interests. There is now no country in the world that can claim to be non-aligned.

The study will help to plan the future space missions. The study will also lead to control fusion experiments to fulfill ever-expanding energy demands of humanity.

About Magnetosphere: It is the region around a planet dominated by the planet’s magnetic field.

Other planets in our solar system have magnetospheres, but Earth has the strongest one of all the rocky planets.

Significance: The magnetosphere shields our home planet from solar and cosmic particle radiation, as well as erosion of the atmosphere by the solar wind – the constant flow of charged particles streaming off the sun.

How it is generated? Earth’s magnetosphere is part of a dynamic, interconnected system that responds to solar, planetary, and interstellar conditions.

It is generated by the convective motion of charged, molten iron, far below the surface in Earth’s outer core.

Constant bombardment by the solar wind compresses the sun-facing side of our magnetic field.

The sun-facing side, or dayside, extends a distance of about six to 10 times the radius of the Earth.

The side of the magnetosphere facing away from the sun – the nightside – stretches out into an immense magnetotail, which fluctuates in length and can measure hundreds of Earth radii, far past the moon’s orbit at 60 Earth radii.

Why study magnetosphere? To better understand its role in our space environment. It will unravel the fundamental physics of space, which is dominated by complex electromagnetic interactions unlike what we experience day-to-day on Earth. By studying this space environment close to home, we can better understand the nature of space throughout the universe.

Additionally, space weather within the magnetosphere – where many of our spacecraft reside – can sometimes have adverse effects on space technology as well as communications systems. Better understanding of the science of the magnetosphere helps improve our space weather models.

World Press Freedom Day popularly known as World Press Day is one of the calendar events planned, organised and promoted by the United Nations, is observed annually on May 3.

The day is celebrated to raise awareness regarding the importance of freedom of the press. The day is reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.

The theme of World Press Freedom Day 2020, “Journalism without Fear or Favour” and the sub-themes for this year are: Safety of Women and Men Journalists and Media Workers.

Independent and Professional Journalism free from Political and Commercial Influence. Gender Equality in All Aspect of the Media.

The day May 3 also marks the anniversary of Windhoek Declaration. The Declaration is a statement of press freedom principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991. It was a landmark document which set the stage for the development of the African media.

World Press Freedom Conference 2020: Since 1993, the Global Conference is organized annually.

The conference provides an opportunity to journalists, civil society representatives, national authorities, academics and the broader public to discuss emerging challenges to press freedom and journalists’ safety and to work together on identifying solutions.

The Netherlands is the host for 2020. Due to Covid-19 a global pandemic the conference is now scheduled for October 18 to 20 at the same venue.

The conference will be a joint celebration of World Press Freedom Day (May 3) and the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (November 2).

It is a cost-effective solution to disintegrate corona virus.

This microwave steriliser can be operated in portable or fixed installations and helps in disintegrating the virus by differential heating in the range of 56 to 60 Celsius temperatures.

Developed by Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune.

It is a biosensor that can detect the novel coronavirus in saliva samples.

It has been developed by researchers from the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad.

The device gives results within 30 seconds using just 20 microlitres of the sample.

How it works? The device consists of a carbon electrode and the coronavirus antibody. The antibody is capable of binding with the spike protein found on the outer layer of the virus. An electrical signal is generated when the antigen and antibody binds.