Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 17th July 2024

 National News 

1. Uttarakhand govt portal eSwasthya Dham integrates with Ayushman Bharat Digital

•   The Uttarakhand Government’s Department of Health and Family Welfare has launched a portal called eSwasthya Dham. 
• eSwasthya Dham portal helps in monitoring the Char Dham Yatra pilgrim’s health parameters. It ensures the smooth journey of pilgrims visiting Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath together called as the Char Dham Yatra. 
• The eSwasthya Dham portal provides a range of benefits to the pilgrims and one of them is the generation of ABHA. Pilgrims can easily create their ABHA 14-digit number at the eSwasthya Dham portal in a couple of minutes. 
• Till date, over 65 crore ABHA have already been created. ABHA comes with several benefits for citizens including storing and managing their health records safely. It also allows them to share their health records securely with a doctor anytime and anywhere with their consent. 
• Through ABHA citizens can avail several digital health benefits from avoiding the long queues at healthcare facilities for registration to facilitating doctor appointments. 

About Uttarakhand 

• Capital – Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer) 
• Chief Minister – Pushkar Singh Dhami 
• Governor – Gurmit Singh 

2.Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary launches ‘Skilling India Digital Hub- SIDH’ portal 

• RLD MP and Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary said that the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has created the SIDH (Skilling India Digital Hub) portal, through which beneficiaries will get complete information about all the schemes running for them. 
• Registration has been made mandatory in the online portal and through that medium the beneficiaries also get complete information about all the schemes running for them. 
• He further said, "People have to be vigilant to know about government schemes. Such schemes run well when the beneficiaries are aware of it." To ensure that every Indian gets access to quality skill development, relevant opportunities and entrepreneurship support.
•  Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on September 13, 2023 launched Skill India Digital (SID), a comprehensive digital platform that aims to coordinate and transform India’s skills, education, employment and entrepreneurship landscape. e-Health Dham Portal for Chardham Pilgrimage 
• e-Health Dham Portal is now integrated with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). The Health and Family Welfare Department of the Uttarakhand Government has launched a portal called e-Health Dham. 
• e-Health Dham Portal is a portal that helps in monitoring the health parameters of Char Dham Yatra pilgrims. e-Health Dham Portal offers a variety of benefits to the pilgrims and one of them is the creation of ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account). Pilgrims can easily create their ABHA 14- digit number in just 1-2 minutes on the eSwasthya Dham portal. This platform ensures that their health is given top priority for a safe and smooth journey, especially for senior citizens. 

3. Coca-Cola India and Gram Unnati collaborate to revolutionize mango cultivation in Karnataka 

• Coca-Cola India, in collaboration with agri solutions provider Gram Unnati has announced the launch of “Project Mango Unnati.” 
• The initiative aims to revolutionise sustainable mango cultivation in Karnataka, focusing on the Alphonso and Totapuri varieties. 
• Project Unnati will collaborate closely with state horticulture agencies such as Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), the Mango Board, the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), and various horticulture departments across different districts. 
• With Project Mango Unnati, we aim to elevate the livelihoods of farmers with adv. horticulture solutions, empowering them to significantly increase their incomes. 

4. Asia’s First Pre-Clinical Network Facility inaugurated in Faridabad 

• Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh has inaugurated Asia’s first health research-related “Pre-clinical Network facility” at the Translational Health Science & Technology Institute” (THSTI), Faridabad.
• The facility will be the 9th such network laboratory across the globe and the first such laboratory in the whole of Asia. 
• The facility includes a large experimental Animal Facility accommodating 75,000 mice and other species. 

About THSTI 

• THSTI, part of BRIC under the Department of Biotechnology, fosters collaborations for vaccine development and research in diseases like Nipah and Influenza.
•  It supports fundamental and translational research, biomarker identification, and research collaborations across sectors. 

International News 

5. President Paul Kagame wins Rwanda's presidential elections for the fourth time 

• Rwandan President Paul Kagame has won the country's presidential election for the fourth time by securing 99 per cent of the votes. Of which about 79% of the votes have been counted. 
• Paul Kagame, who has ruled the country as president since 2000, won the presidential election held in 2017 with 99 percent of the votes. Elections for the new president were held in Rwanda on 15 July 2024. About 9.5 million Rwandans were registered to vote out of the country's population of 14 million. 
• Three candidates, Paul Kagame, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana, were in the fray. According to the National Election Commission, Habineza got 0.53% of the votes, while Mpayimana got 0.32% of the votes counted. 
• In 1994, Paul Kagame seized power in the country as the head of a rebel group and took control of the government. He was the country's vice president and many considered him the de facto ruler of the country until 2000. 
• Paul Kagame is credited with ending the civil war in the country in which Hutu extremists killed more than 800,000 Tutsi tribal people and moderate Hutus. Paul Kagame is also considered a dictator who has brutally silenced opposition leaders. 
• He has extended his rule in the country by repeatedly amending the constitution. In 2015, the constitution was amended to give the president a third term of seven years. After that, the president's term will be five years for a maximum of two terms. 

6. Asian elephant Tess gets world's first vaccine for herpes virus

 

• Until now, there was no vaccine for elephant herpes virus, which is affecting Asian elephants and causing many deaths. Now, a zoo in Texas, US has administered the first ever elephant vaccine for herpes virus to Asian elephant Tess. 
• Elephant herpes virus is a fatal disease that affects elephants in many zoos apart from India, Nepal and Thailand. 
• The mRNA vaccine was created by Baylor College of Medicine. It was developed by Dr Paul Ling at Baylor College of Medicine. 
• "The vaccine's effectiveness will be measured by evaluating the level of antibodies in her blood, while monitoring for specific side effects or adverse reactions such as swelling or allergy of the injection site," the Houston Zoo statement said. 
• The tests, conducted mainly on horses, have shown that the mRNA vaccine can generate antibodies against the virus without any adverse side effects. 
• Elephant endotheliotropic herpes virus or EEHV 1A is a deadly viral disease that is killing Asian elephants worldwide, both in captivity and in the wild. 
• The virus can cause a lifethreatening haemorrhagic disease in Asian elephants, similar to the effect that Ebola has on humans. Researchers believe it is transmitted to Asian elephants through their trunks. 
• First discovered in 1990 and scientifically described in 1999, the virus is a major cause of deaths of Asian elephants in captivity. 

7. USA announces to deploy long-range missiles in Germany from the year 2026 

• For the first time since the 1990s, the United States has announced to deploy long-range weapons in Germany from the year 2026. This was agreed upon at the most recent NATO summit in Washington.
•  Weapons planned for deployment by 2026 include Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have proven their effectiveness over the past 30 years - most recently against Houthi rebels in Yemen. 
• "We know that Russia has an incredible arms build-up, including weapons that could threaten European territory," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in Washington. 
• Ground-based missiles with a range of more than 500 kilometres were banned by 2019 under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, signed in 1987 by Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev and former US President Ronald Reagan.
• It was the first time the two superpowers had agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenals and eliminate an entire class of weapons. But, since Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022, old animosities have returned.
•  In line with signatories, Germany, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic destroyed their missiles in the 1990s, followed by Slovakia and Bulgaria. 
• The United States withdrew from the INF Treaty in 2019, saying Moscow was violating the agreement, citing Russia's development of the 9M729 groundlaunched cruise missile, known in NATO as the SSC-8. 
• In late June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow should resume production of medium- and short-range nuclear-capable missiles after the United States rolled out similar missiles in Europe and Asia. 
• The Tomahawk US missiles are capable of traveling several times the speed of sound and a range of more than 2,750 kilometers (1,709 miles). Germany's own powerful Taurus cruise missiles can travel only about 500 kilometers (311 miles).
•  Tomahawks, on the other hand, can be launched from land or ships and have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles). For comparison, the distance from Berlin to Moscow is about 1,600 kilometers (944 miles). 

State News 

8. Karnataka Bill mandates 50% quota for locals in management positions 

• The Karnataka Cabinet has cleared a Bill mandating that industries, factories and other establishments appoint local candidates in 50% of management posi- tions and 75% in non-man- agement positions. The Karnataka State Employment of Local Can- didates in the Industries, Factories and Other Esta- blishments Bill, 2024, was cleared in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on July 15. 
• It is expected to be tabled in the ongoing legislature session. Legislative route: The Bill cleared by the Siddaramaiah Cabinet is expected to be tabled in the Assembly in the ongoing session. PTI The Act defines a local candidate as a person "who is born in the State of Karnataka and who is domiciled in the State for a period of 15 years and who is capable of speaking, read ing and writing Kannada in a legible way and has passed a required test conducted by the nodal agency". 
• Under the Act, candi- dates must have a secon- dary school certificate with Kannada as a language. If not, they should pass a Kannada proficiency test, as specified by the nodal agency notified by the government. If qualified or suitable local candidates are not available, the industries and establishments, in col- laboration with the govern ment, should take steps to train local candidates with- in three years. 
• "If sufficient number of local candidates are not available, then an industry or factory or other es- tablishments may apply for relaxation from the provisions of this Act to the government, and after due enquiry, the government may pass appro- priate orders and such orders passed by the go- vernment shall be final," the Bill reads. 
• Nevertheless, the percentage of local candidates should not go below 25% in management positions and 50% in non-management categories. Failure to comply may attract penalties ranging from ₹10,000 to 25,000. Long-pending demand The Bill has been passed against the backdrop of voices calling for 100% job reservation for Kannadigas. 
• Earlier in July, Kannada organisations had or- ganised rallies in parts of the State demanding im- mediate implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi report that recommended a quota for locals in go- vernment and private sector jobs. Mahishi, former Union Minister and the first woman MP from Karnataka, who headed the committee, submitted the report in 1984. 
• It had 58 re- commendations, including 100% reservation for locals in Group C and D jobs in Central depart- ments and PSUs operating in Karnataka. 

Award News 

9. Britain's Prince Harry honoured with 'Pat Tillman Award'

 

• Britain's Prince Harry received the 'Pat Tillman Honour' for service at the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards (ESPY) in Los Angeles, USA. The Duke of Sussex received the award for the Invictus Games 2014. 
• Harry served in the British Army for 10 years, including two tours in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot. He started the Invictus Games in 2014, which serves as a multi-sport, Paralympic-style games for wounded or injured soldiers and veterans. 
• The ESPYs also honoured other athletes, including A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, who won Best Female Sports Athlete, and JuJu Watkins, who won Best Breakthrough Athlete. 
• Pat Tillman was playing in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals when, inspired by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he quit the sport and joined the US Army. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan, but was killed in crossfire in Afghanistan in 2004 in a tragedy that was initially covered up by the Army. He was 27. 
• Indian sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik wins gold medal at International Sand Sculpture Championship Renowned sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik won the Golden Sand Master award at an international championship held in Russia on 12 July 2024. 
• The International Sand Sculpture Championship was held at the iconic Peter and Paul Fortress in St Petersburg from July 4-12. 21 master sculptors from across the world participated in the event. 
• Patnaik created a 12-foot depiction of a sand rath (chariot) carrying Lord Jagannath and his devotee Balarama Das, a 14th-century poet. The theme of the championship was based on history, mythology and fairy tales. 
• Sudarshan Patnaik (born 15 April 1977) is an Indian sand artist from Puri, Odisha. In 2014, the Government of India awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award. 
• Also won the People's Choice Award at the Sand Sculpting World Cup 2014 in Atlantic City, USA. He is the first Indian to win the Italian Sand Art Award, 2019 at the International Scorrano Sand Nativity event held in Lecce, Italy from 13 to 17 November. 

Appointment 

10. Manoj Saunik Chairman of as MahaRERA 

• Former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Manoj Saunik has been appointed as the Chairman of the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA).
• He will succeed Ajoy Mehta, whose term ends in September 2024.
• Saunik, an IAS officer of the 1987 batch, retired as Chief Secretary in December 2023 and currently serves as the Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister. 

Recent Appointment 

• CMD of BSNL – Robert Jerard Ravi (replace PK Purwar) 
• COO of Bajaj Electricals Ltd – Vishal Chadha 
• President of News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) – Rajat Sharma (replace Avinash Pandey) 
• Principal Advisor to Union Health Ministry – Dr. Soumya Swaminathan 
• CMD of Indian Energy Exchange – Satya Narayan Goel 

11. President Paul Kagame wins Rwanda's presidential elections for the fourth time 

• Rwandan President Paul Kagame has won the country's presidential election for the fourth time by securing 99 per cent of the votes. Of which about 79% of the votes have been counted. 
• Paul Kagame, who has ruled the country as president since 2000, won the presidential election held in 2017 with 99 percent of the votes. Elections for the new president were held in Rwanda on 15 July 2024. About 9.5 million Rwandans were registered to vote out of the country's population of 14 million. 
• Three candidates, Paul Kagame, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana, were in the fray. According to the National Election Commission, Habineza got 0.53% of the votes, while Mpayimana got 0.32% of the votes counted. 
• In 1994, Paul Kagame seized power in the country as the head of a rebel group and took control of the government. He was the country's vice president and many considered him the de facto ruler of the country until 2000. 
• Paul Kagame is credited with ending the civil war in the country in which Hutu extremists killed more than 800,000 Tutsi tribal people and moderate Hutus. Paul Kagame is also considered a dictator who has brutally silenced opposition leaders
•  He has extended his rule in the country by repeatedly amending the constitution. In 2015, the constitution was amended to give the president a third term of seven years. After that, the president's term will be five years for a maximum of two terms. 

12. Malta’s Metsola to head EU Parliament for 2nd term 

• Roberta Metsola secured broad backing for a new term as president of the European Parliament, becoming the first woman to win a second term as head of the EU assembly. 
• Metsola, a Maltese lawmaker who in 2022 became the first woman in 20 years to head the European Union assembly, is only the second president, after Germany’s Martin Schulz, to win another term since the EU Parliament became a directly elected institution in 1979.
• Metsola was approved by a large majority of EU lawmakers to lead the EU assembly for a further two and a half years, with 562 backing her reappointment, out of the 623 that voted. 
• She was the first leader of an EU institution to visit Kyiv following Russia’s February 2022 invasion, and has consistently backed Ukraine’s bid to join the EU. .

 About European Union (EU)

•  Founded: 1 November 1993 
• Founders: Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg
• Headquarters – Brussels, Belgium 
• Members Country – 27 
• President of European Council – Antonion Costa
• President of Commission – Ursula von der Leyen
• President of European Parliament – Roebrt Metsola 

13. CSIR DG N Kalaiselvi gets two-year extension 

• Nallathamby Kalaiselvi, the first woman Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), was granted a two-year extension in service
• . She was appointed to the post in August 2022 following the superannuation of Shekhar Mande in April that year. 
• She will also hold the charge of Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 
• Kalaiselvi’s research work of more than 25 years is primarily focused on electrochemical power systems and in particular, development of electrode materials, and electrochemical evaluation of in-house prepared electrode materials for their suitability in energy storage device assembly. 

14. President Murmu appoints Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, R. Mahadevan as Judges of SC 

• President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan as Judges of the Supreme Court. 
• Justice N. Kotiswar Singh is currently Chief Justice of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while Justice R. Mahadevan as Judge of Madras High Court. 
• A five-member Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud had recommended their names in a resolution on July 11. 
• The Centre notified the two appointments which would return the top court to its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges. 
• The two judges would replace Justices Aniruddha Bose and A.S. Bopanna, who had retired in April and May, respectively, this year. 

Important day 

15. 17 July – World Day for International Justice

•  World Day for International Justice is observed every year on 17 July. 
•  It is a day dedicated to promoting international criminal justice and honouring the fight against impunity for the most serious crimes that affect the international community.
• The origin of the World Day for International Justice dates back to July 17, 1998, when the Rome Statute was adopted, establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC). 
• The ICC is the first permanent international court capable of prosecuting individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression when national courts are unable or unwilling to do so. 

16. 17 July – World Emoji Day 

• World Emoji Day is observed every year on 17 July. 
• The main objective of World Emoji Day is to promote and celebrate the widespread use of emojis, which have become an integral part of modern communication. 
• The evolution of emojis has transformed simple text-based messages into expressive exchanges. 
• The journey began in the 1980s with basic text-based emoticons like “:-)” and “:-(.” In 1999, a Japanese designer created the first set of emojis for a mobile company, leading to their global adoption. 

Science and Technology News 

17. NASA developed Mars simulation mission under 'CHAPEA Project' 1

• NASA has developed the Mars simulation mission at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA under the 'Crew Health and Performance Exploration AnalogCHAPEEA Project'. NASA's Mars simulation mission CHAPEA Crew 1 consisted of four volunteers who lived in a Mars-like habitat for more than a year.
•  It was aimed at studying human adaptability for future Mars missions. Dr. Kelly Heston, Dr. Anca Celariu, Ross Brockwell and Dr. Nathan Jones entered the Mars Dune Alpha Habitat on June 25 last year. 
• A 3D printed airlocked habitat of 1,700 square feet was built at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, named "Mars Dune Alpha". It included four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a work area, a robot station, a gym, common sandy areas with various equipment and a vertical farm. 
• NASA has three missions aimed at evaluating how humans respond to the difficulties of living on Mars, of which this one will last 378 days. The next will be the CHAPEA mission in the spring of 2025, then another mission in 2027. 

18. NASA intends to send humans to Mars in the 2030s. 

•  A backdrop of simulated Martian soil and red, rocky cliffs was provided for an immersive experience. The crew members simulated Marswalks, maintained equipment and grew their own vegetables while there
• . Johnson Space Center Deputy Director Steve Koerner called the project an important step for America's space exploration, especially Mars. 
• In the year 2014, India tasted success with its Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan, becoming the first country to reach Mars orbit in its first attempt. Mars 
• The temperature on Mars ranges between 20°C and -153°C. The planet's surface is rocky, with valleys, volcanoes, dry lakes and craters, all covered in red dust. 
• Winds can create dust storms, including small ones resembling tornadoes and sometimes large ones encircling the entire planet. Its gravity is about one-third that of Earth's and the atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's, containing more than 95% carbon dioxide and less than 1% oxygen.
•  The planet rotates more slowly on its axis than Earth, and being farther from the Sun, takes longer to revolve around the Sun. A day on Mars is 24.6 hours and a year is equivalent to 687 Earth days. 

19. Testing of world's first 3D printed electric abra begins in Dubai 

• The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has started test operations of the world's first electric abra built using 3D printing technology in collaboration with the private sector. 
•  The abra was built by Al Seer Marine Company in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with several global companies, including Mitsubishi of Japan.
• Siemens of Germany, which oversaw the programming and calibration of the printer, and Torqeedo of Germany, which supplied the electric motors. The TASNEEF company oversaw the manufacturing process to ensure compliance with safety standards. 
• The newly built abra has many technical features, including the longest monocoque structure made using 3D printing technology, measuring 11 meters in length and 3.1 meters in width. 
• It has an electric propulsion system powered by two 10-kilowatt motors and lithium batteries. The abra will be operated at the Sheikh Zayed Road Marine Transport Station on the TR6 line on a trial basis. 
• The initiative supports the government's efforts to achieve Dubai's 3D printing strategy. It aims to reduce abra manufacturing time by 90 percent, reduce manufacturing costs by 30 percent, and reduce operation and maintenance expenditure by 30 percent. 
• The project involves the improvement of four conventional abra stations. In February 2023, the RTA completed the improvement of the Bur Dubai Marine Transport Station and last February, it completed the upgrade of Deira Old Souq Station. The improvement of Dubai Old Souq Station and Al Sabkha Station will be completed by August 2025. 

Schemes and Committees 

20. Indian Council of Agricultural Research launches 'One Scientist, One Product' scheme

•  The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has launched the 'One Scientist-One Product' program on 16 July 2024 to revolutionize the 
• as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, it was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture. The headquarters of ICAR is in New Delhi.

 21. The 45th Global Conference of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) started for the first time in South Korea

• The 45th Global Conference of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) has started in Busan city of South Korea on 13 July 2024 to promote international scientific research in space. The event will run till 21 July. 
• According to the Korea Aero Space Administration (KASA), about 3,000 space scientists and industry officials from 60 countries attended the 45th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research. 
• This year is the first time Korea is hosting the COSPAR General Assembly, which is held every two years. The last event was held in Athens, Greece in 2022, and the next will be held in Florence, Italy in 2026.
•  The International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU), now called the International Council of Sciences (ISC), established its Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) in 1958 during an international meeting in London. COSPAR’s first Space Science Symposium was held in Nice, France, in January 1960. Philippines – Host of Board of Loss and Damage Fund 
• The Philippines has been chosen to host the board of the “Loss and Damage” Fund created by the UN negotiations, another step towards providing financial assistance to countries to recover and rebuild from the effects of global warming. 
• The World Bank’s board approved a plan for the bank to act as interim host of the fund for four years. Who will pay for ‘Loss and Damage’ has been one of the most difficult issues in the U.N. climate negotiations. 
• The COP27, held in Egypt in 2022, succeeded in establishing a U.N. “Loss and Damage” Fund to address irreparable climateinduced damage from drought, floods and rising sea levels.

 Miscellaneous News 

22. Zoological Survey of India discovers new species of dogfish shark Squalus hima in Arabian Sea 

• Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of deep-water dogfish shark Squalus hima off the Shakthikulangara fishing harbour in Kerala along the Arabian Sea. 
• Squalus is a species of dogfish shark in the Squalidae family. Commonly known as spurdogs, and is characterized by smooth dorsal fin spines. 
• The discovery has been made by a team of scientists led by scientist Binesh at ZSI’s Regional Centre for Marine Biology and the discovery has been published recently in the journal Records of ZSI. 
• Squalus hima sp.nov differs from other species in terms of number of precaudal vertebrae, total vertebrae, number of teeth, height of trunk and head, fin structure and fin colour.
•  On the Indian coast, two species of Squalus are found off the southwestern coast of India and the new species, Squalus hima n.sp. Squalus lalennei is similar to but differs in several characteristics. 
• Shark species belonging to the Squalus and Centrophorus genus are exploited for their liver oil which contains high quantities of squalene (or squalene when it is processed for products). It is in high demand in pharmaceutical industries especially for making high-end cosmetic products and anti-cancer products.