JHARKHAND

About 90% arable land, meant for paddy sowing, is still lying fallow in Jharkhand. Spectre of early season drought is looming large in 18 districts out of 24 where sowing is yet to begin.

In Jharkhand, ideal season for paddy sowing is considered between June 15 and July 15. However, farmers had gone till August 15 for sowing in recent years due to delayed and scanty rainfall in early monsoon period.

The state has so far achieved only 10% of the total paddy sowing target. The state has set a target to sow paddy on 18 lakh hectares of land. However, the sowing coverage is still 1.80 lakh hectares, according to coverage data of state agriculture department.

This is not just paddy, other kharif crops, including maize, pulses and oilseeds are facing similar fate with sowing coverage reaching 30%, 11% and 20% respectively in the state.

Jharkhand had witnessed record sowing with 97% coverage during previous kharif season.

The parameters include total 50% rainfall deficit in June and July, crop sowing coverage less than 50 per cent in both the months, normalized difference water index is 0.1 and normalized difference vegetation index is 0.4.

INTERNATIONAL

· Krill fishing poses serious threat to Antarctic ecosystem

A new report says thatIndustrial fishing for krill in the pristine waters around Antarctica is threatening the future of one of the world’s last great wildernesses.
A study by Greenpeace found industrial fishing taking place in the feeding grounds of whales and penguins, with vessels involved in oil spills and accidents. It also highlights incidents of fishing boats being involved in groundings, oil spills and accidents pose a serious threat to the Antarctic ecosystem.
A global campaign has been launched to create a network of ocean sanctuaries to protect the seas in the region. The commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resourceswho manages the seas around Antarctica will decide on the sanctuary proposal at a conference in Australia in October.

India becomes Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific Region of World Customs Organisation

India has become the Vice-Chair (Regional Head) of the Asia Pacific Region of World Customs Organisation (WCO) for a period of two years, from July, 2018 to June, 2020.

The WCO has divided its Membership into six Regions. Each of the six Regions is represented by a regionally elected Vice-Chairperson to the WCO Council.

Being the Vice Chair of AP Region of WCO will enable India to take on leadership role.

WCO represents 182 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade.

France overwhelmed Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final at Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium to lift the trophy for the second time in 20 years.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup.

It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018.

Golden Boot: Henry Kane

Best player: Luka Modric

Best goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois

Fairplay Award: Spain

· HSV1 virus linked to Alzheimers disease

Scientists have found evidence of a linkbetween herpes infection and Alzheimer’s disease as well as the potential of antivirals in reducing the risk of the neurodegenerative disease.
A study by Taiwanese epidemiologists shows that Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV1) which infects most humans in their youth or later and remains in the body for life in dormant form within the peripheral nervous system leads to an increased risk of developing the disease.
Scientists believe that these safe and easily available antivirals may have a strong part to play in combating the disease in these patients.

NATIONAL

In a departure from the norm, the Mission Olympic Cell included the entire Indian hockey teamin the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme, rewarding the players for their silver medal-winning performance at the Champions Trophy.
Athletes from different sports have been included in TOP Scheme individually but it is the first instance that an entire team has been made beneficiary of the financial assistance scheme. Each of the 18 members of the hockey team will now get a monthly allowance of Rs 50,000.

The Ministry of Minesorganized the 4th National Conclave on Mines & Minerals at Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan was the chief guest of the conclave.
For the first time, the conclave had an exhibition in which States put up stalls to showcase their more than 100 mineral blocks which have been prepared to be put up on auctions during 2018-19. An app of NALCO–NAMASYAwas also launched by the Ministers.
Mines ministers also held a roundtable conference with the industry leaders, in which several key issues related to statutory clearances were discussed.

Haryana is also the fourth highest generator of e-way bills in the country. About 1.12 crore e-way bills were generated in Haryana between April 1, 2018 and June 30, 2018.
Haryana has widened the tax base by 82.22 per cent and logged 19 per cent hike in revenue collections.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) joined hands with J&K’s Directorate of Health Services-Kashmir(DHS-K) to set up atelemedicine center at an altitude of 12,700 feet to provide service to pilgrims en route to the Amarnath shrine.
The Panjtarni Base Camp Hospital on the Pahalgam cave shrine route will provide real-time treatment for high-altitude and other ailments that pilgrims frequently face in the region. An Intensive Care Unit will be set up to handle critically ill patients.
The country‘s top hospitals like Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, (PGIMER), Chandigarh; the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi; the Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, etc. will be available through the telemedicine facility.