Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 15th April 2024

National News 

1.Swiggy launches ‘Swiggy Pawlice’ initiative for finding missing pets 

• Swiggy has launched a new initiative ‘Swiggy Pawlice’ for finding missing pet. 
• This feature empowers pet parents to report a missing pet directly on the Swiggy app, harnessing the network of Swiggy’s delivery partners as compassionate allies in the search efforts. 
• Pet parents can report their missing pets directly through the Swiggy app, providing all necessary details and pictures. 
• Swiggy’s vast network of over 3.5 lakh delivery partners plays a crucial role in this initiative. If a delivery partner spots a missing pet, they simply need to inform a dedicated team at Swiggy, providing details and location. 

2. Election Commission introduces Home Voting for elderly and Persons with Disabilities 

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced home voting for the first time in a Lok Sabha Election. 
• This initiative aims to make voting easier for elderly citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 
• Now, voters above 85 years of age and PwDs with 40% benchmark disability can choose to vote from home. 
• Over 81 lakh voters are aged 85 or above, and there are more than 90 lakh registered PwD voters across the country. 
• The process to avail this facility is simple. Eligible voters must complete Form 12D within five days of the election notification and submit it to the returning officer. PwD voters need to include a baseline disability certificate with their applications. 
• A dedicated team, including polling officials and security personnel, visits the voter’s residence to collect their votes. Voters are informed in advance about the visit, ensuring a smooth voting experience. The entire process is recorded for transparency. 
• This initiative showcases the ECI’s commitment to using technology to improve the electoral process. With digital notifications and videography, voting becomes more transparent and accessible. 

About Election Commissioner of India (ECI) 

• It is a constitutional body to conduct and regulate elections in the country. 
• It consists of a chief election commissioner (CEC) and two election commissioners (usually retired IAS or IRS officers) 
• Founded – 25 January 1950 
• 25 January – Voter’s Day 
• HQ – New Delhi 
• 1st Chief – Sukumar Sen 
• 1st Women Chief – V.S. Ramadevi 
• 25th Chief – Rajiv Kumar 
• Commissioner – Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar 
• Tenure – 6/65yrs 

3. Coal production target set at 170 million tonnes for 2024-25 

• The government has set the target of producing 170 million tonnes of coal from captive and commercial coal blocks in the country during the 2024-25 financial year. 
• In FY24, captive and commercial coal blocks produced 147.12 million tonnes (MT) of dry fuel, 26 per cent higher from 116 MT produced in FY23. 
• Out of the total output of 147.2 MT in FY24, power sector captive mines produced around 121.3 MT, captive mines of the non-power sector produced 8.4 MT while commercial mines generated 17.5 MT of fuel. 
• The country’s coal import rose to 244.27 MT in the April-February period of FY24 from 227.93 MT in the year-ago period, according to data compiled by B2B e-commerce company junction. 

4. Probe ordered into foreigners receiving organs in India 

• The Union government has ordered an investigation into organ transplants involving foreign nationals in India.
• Worried over the surge in the number of organ transplants linked to foreigners in the country, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare called for close monitoring of such transplants by authorities of States and Union Territories concerned and action on the hospitals found to be violating the rules. 
• Sources in the Tamil Nadu Health Department told The Hindu on Sunday that the Centre had expressed concern over reports of "commercial dealings'' in organs being transplanted on foreigners. Data in the registry of the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) revealed the substantial increase in foreign nationals getting organs through private hospitals. 
• Taking into account the seriousness of the issue, the Director-General of Health Services (DGHS) Atul Goel wrote to Director of Medical Education/Director of Health Services of all States/Union Territories to direct the appropriate authority appointed under the Transplantation of Human Organs & Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, to investigate transplants in respect of foreign nationals in the State. He also called for action on complaints or any breach of any provision of the Act or any of the rules made thereunder. 
• Dr. Goel urged the health authorities to ensure that a unique NOTTO- ID for both the donor and recipient of organs is generated by the hospital concerned in all cases of organ transplants. 
• Requesting prompt action on the issue, he also called for action taken report from the States and U.T.s within a fortnight. 

5. Fleeting relief Food Food prices still bite even as fresh pressures could weigh on inflation 

• For the first time in five months, India's retail inflation slid below the 5% mark in March, to 4.85%. While it constituted only a marginal easing from the 5.1% recorded in February, this was the lowest pace of price rise recorded since May 2023. The average inflation of 5% clocked in the final quarter of 2023-24 is not just in line with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) projections but also the slowest in three years. For the full year gone by, consumer price rise averaged 5.4%, as the RBI had forecast a four-year low. 
• Core inflation, excluding energy and food prices, has been under the 4% mark for four straight months. QuantEco Research estimates that overall fuel inflation in India hit a four-year low of 2.7% in March, which was the seventh straight month of disinflation in the segment. No doubt, the 12 per liter cuts in petrol and diesel prices and the ₹100 drop in cylinder prices have helped, though the full impact of these pre-poll steps will be seen this month. Amid these pleasant portents, two critical problems persist: food bills remain problematically high, even as overall inflation is rising for rural consumers, already hit by a weak monsoon. 
• Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Food Price Index, has averaged an alarming 8% through 2023-24, and 8.5% in the January to March quarter. And while some government interventions have helped check a few items' prices and hopes of a normal monsoon this year could lift some pressure points, perhaps from July onwards, the ongoing heat waves across large parts of the country remain a threat to perishable supplies.
• Moreover, some key items are seeing deeply entrenched inflation trends: double-digit inflation has now been seen for five months in vegetables, 10 months in pulses and a whopping 22 months in spices. Cereals inflation picked up pace in March, breaking a seven-month moderating streak, while eggs, meat and fish are also seeing spikes. While the RBI expects inflation to cool to 4.5% this year, it is projected at 4.9% for the first quarter. 
• A durable descent to its 4% target that has now been elusive for 54 months, remains tricky. For urban consumers, inflation eased tan-talisingly close to the target in March at 4.14%, but it rose in rural India to 5.45% from 5.34% in Janu- ary and February. While a prolonged phase of high prices is already hurting consumption, the resurgence in crude oil prices to a seven-month high of $90 a barrel this month, faltering hopes of interest rate cuts in the United States and the European Union, and strife-fuelled shipping cost spikes, pose fresh worries on the inflation front in the months to come. 

6. India 'seriously concerned over Iran-Israel hostilities 

• India on Sunday said it was "seriously concerned" by the escalation of hostilities in the Gulf region, and called for "Immediate de-escalation" and diplomatic measures g between Iran and Israel. 
• In a statement issued hours after Iran launched drone and missile strikes against Israel, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Indian embassies in the region are in contact with Indian communities living there. Indian officials had already been in touch with the Iranian government about the safety of 17 Indians on board an Israel-linked ship MSC Aries, which was seized by Iranian forces on Saturday. 
• Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv issued a second advisory on Sunday, asking all Indians in the country to follow safety protocols, in light of the new tensions and the fears of more retaliatory strikes between Israel and Iran. 
• "We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region. We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy," the MEA said. "It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region." It added that Indian embassies are in "close touch" with Indian citizens in the region, and that the government is monitoring developments closely. 
• Significantly, the MEA statement did not refer directly to the Iranian missile strikes in the region, which the Iranian government said were a reprisal for Is rael's April 1 attack on Iran's embassy in Damascus, when seven Iranian military advisers, including three commanders, were killed. The Indian statement was distinctly different from statements by the United States and its allies, which pledged to defend Israel, and the UN Secretary-General, who pointedly condemned the Iranian strikes. 
• The more restrained statement from New Delhi indicates its need for balance, given the Modi government's attempts to deal equally with both Tehran and Jerusalem in the past few months. In particular, New Delhi's attention has been diverted to the issue of the 17 Indian sailors on board the MSC Aries, who have been taken into Iranian custody. 
• "We are focused on ensuring the security of Indians, including those on the ship that was detained," an official said on Sunday. 
• India has been focused on the issue of Indian expatriates across the region, as worries grow about a full-fledged conflict. While there are relatively fewer Indians in Iran (about 10,000) and Israel (about 18,000) at the moment, more than eight million Indians live and work across the Gulf region, and any escalation of tensions could affect all of them. With India issuing a travel advisory against any travel to Iran or Israel, as well as air-space closures, Air India canceled its flight to Tel Aviv on Sunday. 

International News 

7. British jets countered Iranian attack drones, says Sunak 

• The U.K's Royal Air Force (RAF) participated in taking down drones launched at Israel by Iran, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Sunday. Ahead of a meeting with the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies, Mr. Sunak called for calm. Israel said that it had countered 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles fired towards it by Iran and its allies. 
• "I can confirm that our planes did shoot down a number of Iranian attack drones," Mr. Sunak said. Additional RAF jets were sent to join existing planes deployed in the region to counter the Islamic State, as part of the U.K.'s operation Shader in Iraq and Syria, according to the U.K. government. 
• U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement on Saturday in which he confirmed the U.S.'s participation in taking down the projectiles fired at Israel from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Jordanian jets were also part of the counter-response to Iran. 
• Mr. Sunak, who issued a statement on Saturday condemning Iran's "reckless" attack, said that if Teheran's attack had been successful, "the fallout for regional stability would be hard to overstate". Committing to the region's and Israel's security, Mr. Sunak called for "calm heads to prevail" adding that the U.K. would work with allies to de-escalate the situation. The G-7 and UN Security Council are scheduled to meet on Sunday to discuss the issue. 
• Earlier on Saturday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that he spoke to his British counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Cameron, after the IRGC seized a Portugese-flagged ship near the Strait of Hormuz. The ship MSC Aries is managed by Zodiac Maritime, a company owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. Seventeen Indians were on board the vessel. 

8. Russia successfully launches 'Angara-A5 rocket' 

• Russia has successfully tested its Angara-A5 space rocket for the first time on 11 April 2024. The launch test was conducted from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Far East. However, this is Russia's third test which was successful. 
• Russia celebrated its Cosmonaut Day ahead of the test. In fact, 63 years ago in 1961, Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union became the first person to go into outer space. This day is called Cosmonaut Day. 
• Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, said the rocket had reached an altitude of more than 25,000 kilometers (15,500 miles) per hour within minutes as it blasted off into space, according to mission control that launched the rocket. 
• The Angara rocket is a 54.5 meter (178.81 ft) long three-stage rocket. Its weight is about 773 tons, about 24.5 tons of which can be carried into space. Russia initiated the Angara project for a Russian-built launch vehicle in 1991, a few years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. 
• The first Angara-A5 test flight took place in 2014 and the second in 2020 from Plesetsk in northern Russia. A partial test was conducted in 2021 which was unsuccessful. Iran attacked Israel with hundreds of aerial drones and missiles 
• Iran has launched hundreds of aerial drones and missiles at Israel, marking a widely anticipated retaliatory attack. This is the first such direct clash between the two enemies, who have been engaged in a shadow war for years, with Iran using proxy forces.
• The Israeli military said Israel and other countries had intercepted more than 300 cruise missiles and drones, most of them outside Israeli airspace. Israel said there was little damage but warned people to remain vigilant. 
• US President Joe Biden said that "we helped Israel take down almost all of the missiles and drones" and expressed strong condemnation for the attack. "Iran and its proxies operating from Yemen, Syria and Iraq launched an unprecedented airstrike against military facilities in Israel," he said. 
• Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said the attack was aimed at "specific targets". Iran vowed to avenge the April 1 attack on its consulate in Syria that killed seven IRGC officers, including a top commander. 
• The shortest distance from Iran to Israel is about 1,000 km (620 mi) through Iraq, Syria and Jordan. Responding to a surprise attack by Hamas in October 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched Operation 'Iron Swords'. 

Ranks & Reports News 

9. Russia gets top position in World Cyber Crime Index 

• According to the World Cyber Crime Index recently published in PLoS One journal and prepared under the leadership of Oxford University, Russia and Ukraine have been ranked first and second respectively with respect to cyber crime. 
• China and the United States stood third and fourth respectively. These were followed by Nigeria, Romania, North Korea, UK and Brazil respectively. India has secured 10th position, scoring particularly well in impact, professionalism and technical skills. 
• The results highlight the concentration of cybercriminal activity in selected countries, with China, Russia, Ukraine, the United States, Romania and Nigeria consistently in the top 10 across all categories. 
• The researchers also found that certain types of cyber crimes were linked to particular countries. For example, the United States was associated with data and identity theft, while products related to technology products or services often appeared to originate from China. 
• The cost of cybercrime worldwide is estimated to be approximately $9.22 trillion in 2024, and this is expected to increase to $13.82 trillion in 2028. 

World Cyber Crime Index 

• Compiled by a team of researchers including Miranda Bruce (University of Oxford/University of New South Wales), 
• Jonathan Lusthaus (University of Oxford), Ridhi Kashyap (University of Oxford), Nigel Fair (Monash University), and Federico Varese (Sciences PO), the Index World Draws insights from surveys conducted among leading cybercrime experts from across the world. 
• The survey was then completed by 92 top cybercrime experts from around the world. They named the countries they said were the biggest hubs of five categories of cybercrime – technology products or services, attacks and extortion, data or identity theft, scams, and cash extortion or money laundering. 

10. WTO releases ‘Global Trade Outlook and Statistics Report’, 2023 

• According to the recent Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report of the World Trade Organization (WTO), India's exports of digitally delivered services are set to reach $257 billion in 2023, a growth of 17% over the previous year. 
• This growth left Germany and China behind, which each recorded only 4 percent. In digitally delivered services, India's share to increase from 4.4% in 2019 to 6% in 2023. 
• Globally, exports of digitally delivered services are expected to grow to $4.25 trillion in 2023, representing a 9% year-on-year growth, the report said. It accounts for 13.8% of world exports of goods and services. 
• India's merchandise exports for 2023 were $432 billion, down 5% from the previous year, while imports fell 7% to $673 billion. India exported goods worth $451 billion in FY23 and $394.99 billion in AprilFebruary FY24. 

India 

• In global trade, where exports are concerned, India ranks 17th globally with 1.8 per cent share in world trade. India's country rank has increased from 18 in 2022 to 17 in 2023. India ranked 8th with 2.8 per cent share in imports, valued at US$673 billion, 7 per cent lower than last year. India's ranking increased from 9 in 2022 to 8 in 2023. 
• In the area of commercial services trade, India ranked 7th globally in exports, achieving 4.4 per cent share in the USD 344 billion global market, an increase of 11 per cent. 
• Imports of commercial services ranked 9th globally, capturing 3.4 per cent share of global imports worth USD 247 billion, with the country's rank falling from 8 in 2022 to 9 in 2023. 

Other Facts 

• World merchandise trade volume is projected to grow by 2.6% in 2024 and 3.3% in 2025, after a largerthan-expected decline of -1.2% in 2023. Real import demand was weak in 2023 in most regions, especially in Europe, but also in North America and Asia. 
• The main exceptions were the Middle East and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region, where imports increased. World real GDP growth slows from 3.1% in 2022 to 2.7% in 2023. However, it is expected to remain stable over the next two years at 2.6% in 2024 and 2.7% in 2025. 
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade between nations. It came into force in 1995, following the Marrakesh Agreement of 1994. It replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), established in 1948. 

Awards News

11.Avantika Vandanapu named South Asian Person of the Year by Harvard 

• Indian-American actress Avantika Vandanapu, who is best known for playing Karen Shetty in the musical comedy Mean Girls (2024), has been honoured with the “South Asian Person of the Year” award and title by Harvard University. 
• The 19-year-old actress was recognised for her outstanding achievements and contributions to the arts and society. 
• As one of the key leads in the new adaptation of Mean Girls, Avantika proved her acting prowess. She also recently made her OTT debut with the Indian series Big Girls Don’t Cry. 
• In 2014, Avantika won second place in Dance India Dance L’il Masters (North America Edition). The subsequent year she entered the Telugu film industry. She officially debuted as a child artist in Brahmotsavam, starring Mahesh Babu, Kajal Aggarwal, Samantha and Pranitha Subhash. 
• In 2021, Avantika played the lead role of Rhea Kumar in Disney’s Spin, which also featured Meera Syal, Abhay Deol and Aryan Simhadri. 

Recent Awards 

• American President’s Volunteer Award 2024 – Lokesh Muni 
• John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award 2024 -Dr Gagandeep Kang 
• John L “Jack” Swigert, Jr Award 2024 – ISRO (for Chandrayaan -3) 
• Best Scientific Poster Award’ 2024 – Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital 
• “Medal of Honour” at Consular Day 2024 – Neeraj A Sharma 

Appointment News 

12.Justice Aniruddha Bose appointed as head of National Judicial Academy 

• Supreme Court Justice Aniruddha Bose has been appointed as the new director of the National Judicial Academy (NJC) Bhopal. 
• Supreme Court Chief Justice DY Chandrachud announced the decision to appoint him during a ceremonial bench held in honour of the retired judge. 

About National Judicial Academy (NJA) 

• The National Judicial Academy (NJA) in Bhopal was established in 1993 as an independent society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. 
• NJA is a fully funded by the Government of India. 
• The NJA works under the instructions of the Supreme Court of India. 
• The mandate of the NJA is to conduct training to assist judges in their adjudicative role and in the performance of court administration work. 
• A Governing Council (GC) and General Body (GB) are established to control the functioning of the NJA. 
• The Chief Justice of India is the Chairman of both the GC and GB of the NJA. 

Recent Appointment 

• As a Member of University Grants Commission (UGC) –Sachidananda Mohanty 
• As member of 16th Finance Commission – Manoj Panda
• National women’s hockey coach – Harendra Singh (replace Janneke Schopman) 
• Head of committee to protect Delhi’s forests – Justice Najmi Waziri 
• CEO of Wipro – Srinivas Pallia (replace Thierry Delaporte 

Books and Authors News

13.Vice President releases the book “The Law and Spirituality” 

• Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar has released the book titled “The Law and Spirituality: Reconnecting the Bond”. 
• The book was written by Prof. Raman Mittal and Dr. Seema Singh. 
• Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Vice Chancellor of Delhi University Prof. Yogesh Singh have also launched this book. 

Recent Books 

• I Can Coach – Siddharth Rajsekar 
• The Idea of Democracy – Sam Pitroda 
• From A Car Shed To The Corner Room & Beyond – S Raman 
• The Man Who Lot India – Meghna Pant 
• Conspiracy to oust me from the Presidency – Gotabaya Rajapaksa 
• The Gems of Indian Art – Harish Khullar 

Important day 

14. 13 April – International Turban Day

• International Turban Day is celebrated every year on 13 April. 
• 13 April is dedicated to honoring Sikh heritage and values. The day acknowledges the importance of the turban in Sikh culture and promotes religious harmony and inter-cultural understanding. 
• On this day on 13 April 1699, the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa Panth at Anandpur Sahib which made it a meaningful date for Sikhs around the world. 
• International Turban Day has been celebrated on 13 April since 2004 in Sikh culture to bring awareness about the need to wear a turban as an essential part of their religion. 
• 2024 Turban Day marks the 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and the festival of Baisakhi. 
• A turban, also referred to as a “dastar” or “pag,” is a traditional headwear worn in various cultures, especially in South Asia and the Middle East. It is considered a gift from Guru Gobind Singh. 

15. 14 April – World Quantum Day 

• India celebrates World Quantum Day 2024 on 14 April with aspirations to become a global leader in various fields of Quantum Science and Technology. 
• Quantum Mechanics, the study of atoms and sub-atomic particles, has now advanced to such an extent that it has now moved to the engineering domain and is leading to novel and varied applications. 
• Researchers worldwide have utilized its principles to develop technologies such as LEDs, lasers, and ultra-precise atomic clocks used in the Global Positioning System. 
• To advance the awareness and appreciation of quantum science and technology among the public worldwide, an international initiative was taken in 2022, commemorated annually as the World Quantum Day on April 14th. 

16. Baba Saheb Ambedkar's birth anniversary celebrated on 14 April 

• Baba Saheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar was born on 14 April 1891, he was the 14th and last child of his parents. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was the son of Subedar Ramji Maloji Sakpal. 
• He was a Subedar in the British Army. Babasaheb's father was a follower of Saint Kabir and was also an educated person. Right from his school days, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was deeply shocked by what it meant to be untouchable in India. He was receiving scholarship from His Excellency Sayajirao Gaekwad of Baroda. 
• He received his MA and PhD degrees from Columbia University in 1915 and 1916, respectively. After this he went to London for further studies and a law degree. 
• In 1916 he read an essay on 'Castes in India – Their System, Origin and Development'. The newspaper Bahishkrit Bharat was started on April 3, 1927 to address the issues of the depressed classes in the wake of the new reform. 
• On August 15, 1936, he formed the Independent Labor Party to protect the interests of the depressed classes. In 1938, Congress introduced a bill to change the name of the untouchables. Dr. Ambedkar criticized it. In their view, changing the name is not the solution to the problem. In 1942, he was appointed to the Executive Council of the Governor General of India as a Labor member. After independence, in 1947, he was appointed as the Minister of Law and Justice in Nehru's first cabinet. 

Baba Saheb Ambedkar 

• But he resigned in 1951, expressing his differences over Nehru's policy towards the Kashmir issue, India's foreign policy and the Hindu Code Bill. 
• In 1952, Columbia University awarded him the degree of LLD. In 1955, he published the book Thoughts on Linguistic States. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was awarded the doctorate degree from Osmania University on 12 January 1953. 
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was honored with the title of "Bodhisattva" by the Buddhist monks at the "Jagatik Buddhism Council" in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1954. 
• Apart from this, Baba Saheb also played an important role in the formation of the Reserve Bank of India, the Central Bank was formed on the concept presented by Baba Saheb to the Hilton Young Commission. 
• On 14 October 1956 he converted to Buddhism in a historic ceremony in Nagpur and died on 6 December 1956. The death anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar is celebrated as Mahaparinirvan Day throughout the country. 

Sports News 

17. Nepal's batsman Deependra Singh Ari became the third player in the world to hit six sixes in an over in International T20. 

• Nepal's all-rounder Deependra Singh Airi became the third batsman to achieve this feat in T20 International by hitting six sixes in an over. 
• The 24-year-old joins India's Yuvraj Singh and West Indies' Kieron Pollard after his explosive innings against Qatar in the ACC Men's Premier Cup match in the Al Emirates. 
• Airey hit six sixes and also took two wickets in the final over during his unbeaten 64 off 21 balls off medium pace bowler Kamran Khan, as Nepal defeated Qatar by 32 runs. 
• This is the second time that 24- year-old Ari has hit six sixes in a row. Ari had earlier hit six sixes in a row in the Asian Games match against Mongolia last year, but that was spread over two overs. 
• Yuvraj hit six sixes in an over off England's Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup match, while Pollard did the same to Sri Lanka's Akila Dananjaya in 2021. 
• Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa and Jaskaran Malhotra of USA have achieved this feat in One Day International cricket, whereas no one has been able to do so in Test cricket.