National news
LVM3
The Indian space agency, ISRO, has announced that it will launch its largest rocket, LVM3, on March 26th for its second commercial mission. This is the shortest duration in which ISRO has carried out two missions of the LVM3 rocket, as it aims to meet the timelines of the customer whose satellites are being launched. This is the 6th mission to be carried out with the rocket.
ICMR’s Ethical Guidelines for AI in Healthcare and Biomedical Research
Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many sectors, including healthcare. With the recognition of this potential, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently released ethical guidelines for AI in healthcare and biomedical research. These guidelines aim to guide the effective and safe development, deployment, and adoption of AI-based technologies in healthcare.
Civil-20 India 2023 Inception Conference
The Civil-20 India 2023 Inception Conference kicked off its first plenary session in Nagpur, Maharashtra, with the theme of “Balancing Development with Environment”. The session covered four working groups of C20 India 2023, including Integrated Holistic Health, Sustainable and Resilient Communities, LiFE, and Revival of Rivers and Water Management. The session was chaired by former Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra and included speakers from various fields who addressed the pressing need for a sustainable and environment-centric approach to development.
Important days
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
March 21 is marked as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This day holds great significance as it marks the tragedy that took place in Sharpeville, South Africa, on March 21, 1960. During a peaceful protest against apartheid “pass laws,” police opened fire and killed 69 people. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Day in 1966, urging the international community to work towards eradicating all forms of racial discrimination.
International Day of Forests
According to the UN, forests are home to about 80% of terrestrial biodiversity across the world, with more than 60,000 tree species. Approximately 1.6 billion people depend directly on forests for food, shelter, energy, medicine, and income.
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD)
The General Assembly declared March 21st as World Down Syndrome Day in December 2011. The day spread awareness and support for those living with the disease Down Syndrome. It is an initiative taken around the world. Down Syndrome International linked up with several national charities across the world to generate activities and events to spread awareness and provide support to patients suffering from Down syndrome. It also helps people understand the reason behind the disease, its symptoms, and treatment.