World Unani Day 2025

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India celebrated World Unani Day 2025 on 11th February.

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• This year's theme: - International conference on innovation in Unani Medicine for Integrative Health Solutions – A Way Forward in New Delhi on Unani Day.
• World Unani Day is observed every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of social reformer and renowned Unani scholar Hakim Ajmal Khan.
• India has been celebrating Unani Day since 2016 in honour of Hakim Ajmal Khan (Father of Unani in India).
• Hakim Ajmal Khan (1868-1927) from the Sharifi family (served the Mughal court and after their decline those of regional princes) was an outstanding physician and scholar of Unani medicine.

The Unani System of Medicine

• It is one of the oldest systems of medicine that aims at the preservation of health, management of diseases and restoration of a healthy lifestyle. 
• The fundamental framework of this system is based on scientific principles including Hippocratic theory of four Akhlat (Humours) – Dam (Blood), Balgham (Phlegm), Safra (Yellow Bile) and Sawda (Black Bile).

63^rd session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD)

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Recently, India took part in the 63rd session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) which was held in New York. 

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• The session, chaired by Poland, aimed to encourage discussions and collaborations on pressing social development challenges.
• The priority theme of the session: "Strengthening Solidarity and Social Cohesion."
• The session witnessed the participation of 49 Countries including Ministers from 16 countries like France, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, etc.

About the Commission for Social Development (CSocD)

• The CSocD is a Commission within the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Its main responsibility is to provide advice to the UN on social development issues. 
• It was established in 1946 as the Social Commission but was later renamed as CSocD in 1966.
• The Commission plays a vital role in promoting social policies that support the overall development goals of the UN, particularly in relation to eradicating poverty, advancing social integration, and ensuring full employment and decent work for everyone.
• Since the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, the Commission has been the key United Nations body in charge of the follow-up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. 

India's first Indigenous Automated Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Plant

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Union Minister of Science & Technology launched India's first Indigenous Automated Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Plant at AIIMS New Delhi.

About the Plant 

• The Automated Biomedical Waste Treatment Rig, named “Sṛjanam,” and has been developed by CSIR NIIST Thiruvananthapuram.
• It is an environmentally friendly technology that offers a significant advancement in the sustainable management of biomedical waste.
• It can disinfect pathogenic biomedical waste such as blood, urine, sputum, and laboratory disposables, without the use of costly and energy-intensive incinerators. 
• Additionally, the rig imparts a pleasant fragrance to the otherwise foul-smelling toxic waste. 
• The “Sṛjanam” technology has undergone third-party validation for its antimicrobial effectiveness.
• Srjanam rig has a daily capacity of 400 kg, the equipment is capable of handling 10 kg of degradable medical waste per day in the initial phase.

South Coast Railway zone

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The Union Cabinet recently approved the creation of a new railway zone under Indian Railways – South Coast Railway which will be headquartered at Visakhapatnam.

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The new South Coast Railway Zone will be the 18th zone of the Indian Railways.

• As of now, there are 17 railway zones and 70 divisions in India. 

It will consist of a part of the Waltair division (colonial legacy), to be renamed as the Visakhapatnam division.

• The Waltair division is an important source of revenue for the railways, primarily because its freight traffic is linked to the mining and steel industries of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

It has been created as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 and is expected to improve efficiency in railway operations.

Its jurisdiction has been carved out from parts of the East Coast Railway (headquartered at Bhubaneswar) and South Central Railway zones (headquartered at Secunderabad). 

Inaugural Olympic Esports Games in Riyadh in 2027

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The first edition of the Olympic Esports Games, a landmark event both in the world of esports and within the Olympic Movement, will be held in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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• The International Olympic Committee (IOC, a non-profit non-governmental organization) made history in July last year when the 142nd IOC Session decided to create the Olympic Esports Games.
• For the organisation of these games, the IOC is partnering with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC).
• As part of this cooperation, the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF, a non-profit organization) will become the Founding Partner of the Olympic Esports Games. 
• The IOC-EWCF partnership seeks to bridge the gap between traditional and electronic sports, enhancing opportunities for teams from around the world.