WHO Notified that Only 1% of R&D funds for HIV,TB, malaria
WHO Notified that only 1% of the total funding on health R&D was allocated towards neglected diseases like HIV , tuberculosis and malaria which account for over 12.5% of the global disease.
According to the Global TB Report-2016, India accounts for 24% of global TB cases.
India also accounts for the highest malaria burden outside Africa.
US Launches Missile-Warning Satellite
- The US military has launched the SBIRS Geo-3 satellite using Atlas V rocket from Florida to monitor possible missile attacks.
- Space-Based Infrared System, or SBIRS, is a system of satellite-mounted sensors, designed to detect missile launches in order to provide an advance warning of any imminent threat.
NASA approved mission to explore 16 Psyche
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 18 January 2017 approved a mission to explore 16 Psyche, an iron-rich asteroid that is located in the large asteroid belt between the planets Mars and Jupiter.
- Under the mission, NASA craft will be launched in the year 2023 and will arrive at asteroid Psyche in 2030.
Former U.S. military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning commuted
- President Barack Obama before leaving to president office on 17th January 2017 commuted the prison sentence of former U.S. military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning.
- Manning has been a focus of a worldwide debate on government secrecy since she provided more than 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts to WikiLeaks.
- For this she was sentenced to serve 35 years in prison.
Last Man on the Moon Dies
- Eugene Cernan,an American astronaut has passed away on 16 January 2017 was one of only 12 people to walk on the Moon and the only person to have descended toward the Moon in the lunar lander twice.
- He traveled into space three times: as Pilot of Gemini 9A in 1966, Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo in 1969 and as Commander of Apollo 17 in 1972 and got retired from NASA and the Navy in 1976.
Father of Pinyin passed away
- Chinese linguist Zhou Youguang, known as the father of Pinyin for creating the system of Romanized Chinese writing, passed away at the age of 111 on 14 January 2017 in Beijing, China.
- Zhou Youguang was a Chinese economist, linguist, sinologist, publisher, banker, and supercentenarian (someone who has lived to or passed their 110th birthday).
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- Pinyin is the writing method that coverts Chinese characters into words using letters from the Roman alphabet.
- It changed the way the language was taught. In 1958, it was officially adopted by the Chinese Government. In 1982, Pinyin became the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 7098 after a vote.
- The United Nations adopted it in 1986.
US lifts 20-year economic embargo on Sudan
- The United States on 13 January 2017 has announced the end of a 20-year economic embargo on Sudan, lifting trade and financial sanctions in an effort to foster ties with the Sudanese government.
- The announcement made by outgoing President Barack Obama’s administration that comes after an executive order to permanently repeal a range of sanctions as a result of Sudan’s efforts to improve security in the region.
Japan signs 1 trillion yen aid package to the Philippines
- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has signed a 1-trillion yen, about 8.7 billion dollars, aid package over the next five years to the Philippines.
- The package is focused on infrastructure and energy.
Joe Biden (Vice President) conferred with United States’ highest civil honour
- U.S. President Barack Obama on 12 January 2017 bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Joe Biden, the man he called “the finest vice president we have ever seen.”
- The Presidential Medal of Freedom is country’s highest civil honour and award of this medal to Biden was the last time President Obama presented the honour.
Morocco Bans Production, Sale of Burqa
- Morocco, a majority-Muslim country, has banned the sale and production of burqas (full-body veils).
- It said the measure appeared to be motivated by security concerns however it is unclear if Morocco is now intending to ban the garment outright.
