Dugong Conservation Reserve

• The country's first 'Dugong Conservation Reserve' has been notified in Tamil Nadu.
• The move was aimed at conserving the endangered species as it would help protect and improve marine fauna. The reserve has been notified in Palk Bay.
• According to an official release, Dugongs are the largest herbivorous marine mammals which primarily thrive on seagrass beds.
• Conservation of these Dugongs would help protect and improve the seagrass beds which are also the breeding and feeding grounds for many fishes and marine fauna.
• Dugongs are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 as their population was on the decline due to habitat loss.

The Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD)

• The Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD), established in 1977 under the auspices of UNESCO.
• It is a unique regional inter-governmental organisation servicing countries of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in the field of electronic media development.
• The AIBD currently has 26 countries as full members represented  by 43 organizations, and 52 affiliate members.
• The 47th AIBD Annual Gathering / 20th AIBD General Conference and Associated Meetings held in New Delhi.
• A five year plan for co-operative activities and exchange programmes was also finalised.
• All the participating countries and member broadcasters pledged to work together for a sustainable broadcasting environment, latest technology know-how, finest content creation, various co-operative activities.

Millets

• United Nations General Assembly has recently declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
•  India is the largest producer of millet in the world, accounting for 20 % of global production and 80 % of Asia’s production.
• According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the aim for 2023 is to increase awareness about millet in food security and nutrition.
• The crop does not require much water and gets ready in a short time. Millets are called the super grain because of their high nutritional value.
• Specifically, millet contains 7-12 % protein, 2-5 % fat, 65-75% carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre.
• Due to their high density of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and dietary fibre, millets are also excellent grains to alleviate malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency.
• A mean temperature range of 26-29°c during the growth is best for proper development and good crop yield.
• It is grown where rainfall ranges from 500-900mm.
• Millet has wide adaptability to different soil from very poor to very fertile and can tolerate a certain degree of alkalinity.

• Britain’s longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest at St George’s Chapel in her beloved Windsor Castle royal residence located at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire.
• The 22nd annual SCO summit was held recently in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI)

• India won a UN award for its Hypertension Control Initiative. The initiave is a large-scale intervention under the National Health Mission (NHM).
• The award comes at a time when the WHO has estimated that one in every four adults in India suffers from hypertension and only 12 per cent of these adults have hypertension under control.
• Under the initiative, 3.4 million hypertensive people were identified and put on treatment at various government health facilities. 
• IHCI is a multi-partner initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), WHO Country Office for India and Resolve to Save Lives (Technical partner).