Notes:
The African Union Summit 2022 recently began in the AU Headquarters Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The summit was held amidst a range of military coups and the coronavirus pandemic in the continent.
The two-day summit will address six coups or attempted coups over the past 18 months and low vaccination rates. The 55-member AU also faces pressure to push for a ceasefire in host country Ethiopia, where a 15-month war has killed thousands of people and starved many more.

Notes:
Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) has been approved for continuation from 2021-22 with an outlay of ₹1,700 crore, as per the Ministry of Commerce.
‘Development of design studios’ (proposed outlay ₹100 crore) is a new sub-scheme under the scheme.  IFLDP aims to develop infrastructure for leather sector, address environmental concerns, facilitate investments, employment generation and increase in production.

Notes:
The U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program, which includes the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), is led by the US and in partnership with Australia, Brazil, and South Korea, with Chile as the host country.
The USD 1 billion project was ranked ‘Mission Critical’ by the 2020 Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics.  The report ranked the US-ELTP as the top frontier project for ground-based observatories. It recommended federal support for final construction stages of GMT.

Notes:
A team of researchers has identified a new gecko species from the hills of Attappady, in the Western Ghats, Kerala.
The new species, named Hemidactylus easai, belongs to the genus Hemidactylus goldfuss. The gecko measures 105 mm and is a light brown to grey in colour. India has 48 species of geckos of genus Hemidactylus goldfuss.

Notes:
Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in Rajasthan’s Alwar district. Several measures for habitat management for tigers were launched about six months ago at the Reserve.
As a result, the tiger population in the wildlife sanctuary has gone up to 25. Grassland habitats were developed in dry patches of land, which will help animals feed and breed, thus enhancing the tiger’s feed. The forest administration created new water sources at 10 diverse habitats within the forest.