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

International News 

1. Taliban’s new “Morality Law” 

• Taliban supreme leader has directed officials to enact Afghanistan’s “morality law”. 
• It is formalising and codifying the restrictions on women and other groups in the country. 
• They published the 114-page code, the first formal enactment of such laws since the Taliban took power in August 2021. 
• The code makes it mandatory for a woman to veil her entire body at all times in public, and deems a face covering. 
• Women should not be heard singing or reading aloud even inside their homes. 
• Women and men are forbidden from even looking at each other if they are not related by blood or marriage. 
• Earlier the Taliban banned education for girls beyond Class 6. 

2. Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2024 

• China-hosted the Ninth edition of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing. 
• Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $51 billion of funding to African countries. 
• The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was established in 2000. 
• It aims to formalise the strategic partnership between China and African nations. 
• FOCAC Summit is conducted every three years, with the host alternating between China and an African member. 
• The FOCAC counts 53 African nations as its members– the entire continent except Eswatini. 
• Eswatini has diplomatic ties with Taiwan against Beijing’s “One China” Policy. 

Defence news 

3. Indian Navy’s P8I aircraft reaches Australia’s Darwin to participate in Exercise Kakadu 

• The Indian Navy’s P8I aircraft, led by Commanding Officer Captain Ajay Kanwar, has reached Australia’s Darwin to participate in the 16th edition of Exercise Kakadu 2024. 
• The Indian Navy will participate in the exercise alongside more than 30 nations with the theme of ‘Regional Cooperation through Trusted and Proven Partnerships.’ 
• Australia’s biggest warfare exercise- Kakadu, incorporates warships, helicopters, and maritime patrol aircraft from attending countries. 
• Kakadu is an important exercise hosted by RAN as it deepens relationships and interoperability between participating armed forces. Australia is a maritime nation that like its neighbours, derives prosperity from access to the sea-backed. 

4. VL-SRSAM missile successfully test-fired by DRDO & Indian Navy 

• The Indian Navy, in partnership with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has successfully tested the Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM). 
• The test was carried out at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur island off the coast of Odisha. 
• This is the second successful missile test by the DRDO in the past week. On 6 September 2024, the DRDO successfully conducted the user trial of it nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM Agni-4). 
• During the test, the missile equipped with an advanced radio frequency seeker was launched from a land-based vertical launcher, which successfully intercepted a high-speed aerial target flying at a low altitude. 
• DRDOisdeveloping the VL-SRAM, which will be manufactured by the central government-owned Bharat Dynamic Limited. 
• TheDRDO-developed missile is likely to replace the Israeli Barak-1 missile currently deployed by the Indian Navy. 

5. Oman hosts Indo-Oman Eastern Bridge VII & Al Najah V Exercise 

• The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force contingent have arrived in Oman to participate in the AL NAJAH-V and Exercise Eastern Bridge-VII, respectively. 

6. Exercise Eastern Bridge VII 

• The seventh edition of the bilateral military exercise Exercise Eastern Bridge between the Indian Air Force and the Royal Oman Air Force commenced at the Air Force Base Masirah, Oman. 
• TheIndian Air Force has sent a contingent of MiG-29s, Jaguar fighter planes, and C-17 Globemaster III transport planes. 

7. Exercise AL NAJAH 2024 

• The5thedition of the bilateral military exercise Al NAJAH between the Indian Army and the Royal Army of Oman will be held at the Rabkoot Training Area in Salalah, Oman. 
• The60-member Indian Army contingent consists of a Battalion of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment. 
• The military exercise will focus on executing counterterrorism operations as per the United Nations Charter. It will be undertaken in desert conditions, which is expected to increase the desert warfare capabilities of both armies. 

Recent Exercise 

• Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield between South Korea and USA Exercise Udara Shakti 2024 between Indian Air Force and Malaysia Air Force– Kuantan, Malaysia 
• Ex Pitch Black 2024 between India and Australia– Darwin, Australia 

8. 28th edition of Malabar Exercise between India, USA, Japan, Australia– Bay of Bengal (October 2024) 

• 16th edition of Joint Military Exercise Nomadic Elephant between India and Mongolia– Umroi, Meghalaya 
• 13th edition of Joint military Exercise MAITREE between India and Thailand– Fort Vachiraprakan in Tak Province of Thailand. 

Important day news 

9. 12 September– International Day of South-South Cooperation 

• The United Nations International Day of South-South Cooperation is celebrated every year on 12 September. 
• Theme2024–A better tomorrow through South-South Cooperation 
• The South-South cooperation is a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

10. Telangana government has decided to celebrate September 17 as Praja Palan Day 

• The Telangana State government has decided to celebrate September 17th, the day on which Hyderabad State was integrated into the Indian Union in 1948, as the Telangana Praja Palana Day, the Day of People’s Governance. 
• On that day in 1948, the then-Hyderabad state merged with the Indian Union. 
• In 2023, the then-BRS government decided to celebrate September 17 as National Integration Day. The Union government, on the other hand, decided to celebrate it as Hyderabad Liberation Day, and the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a gazette notification to this effect.
• Hyderabad merged with the Indian Union on September 17, 1948, following a “police action” under Operation Polo. While some describe it as liberation from Nizam rule, others call it a merger with the Indian Union. About Telangana Established– 2 June 2014 Capital– Hyderabad Chief Minister– Revanth Reddy (replace K. Chandrashekar Rao) Deputy CM– Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka Governor– P. Radhakrishnan 

11. 14 September– Hindi Diwas. 

• Hindi Diwas is observed every year on 14 September. 
• In 2024, the country is celebrating the 75th year (diamond jubilee) of the adoption of Hindi as India’s official language. 
• On 14 September 1946, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted Hindi in Devnagari script as the official language (Raj Bhasha) of the Indian government, based on the K, M Munshi-N.G Iyenger formula. 
• However, the first Hindi Diwas was observed on 14 September 1953 by the government of India. Since then, every year, 14 September has been observed as Hindi Diwas. 
• On this occasion, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs organised the 4th Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhasha Sammelan and launched Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag to promote the Hindi language. 
• WorldHindi Diwas is observed on 10 January every year to promote the Hindi language in the world. The first World Hindi Diwas was observed on 10 January 2006. 

Awards news 

12. Swachh Vayu Survekshan Award 2024 

• It was presented to the best performing National Clean Air Campaign (NCAP) cities in three categories based on population. 
• The winning cities are:o Category-1 (population over 10 Lakhs): Surat, Jabalpur, and Agra.o Category-2 (population between 3-10 Lakhs): Firozabad, Amravati, and Jhansi Category-3(population under 3 Lakhs): Raebareli, Nalgonda, and Nalagarh. 

Science and technology news 

13. Europa Clipper Mission 

• Nasa is all set to launch the Europa Clipper mission next month to explore Jupiter's moon Europa 
• The Europa Clipper mission is costing $5 billion. 
• It aims to determine whether the ocean believed to exist beneath Europa’s icy surface could support life. 

14. New species of genus Curcuma 

• Researchers have identified a new ‘cousin’ of the turmeric, Curcuma ungmensisin Nagaland. 
• It belongs to the genus Curcuma (the ginger family Zingiberaceae). 
• The family Zingiberaceae has 21 genera and about 200 taxa in India. 
• Curcumaisone of the most important and largest genera of this plant family. 
• Curcumalonga, black turmeric (Curcuma caesia) and mango ginger (Curcuma amada) are the well-known being turmeric. 
• In India, the genus Curcuma is represented by about 40 species. 
• They found mainly in northeast and southern States and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands 

15. Rajiv Ranjan Singh launches ‘Rangeen Machhli’ App. 

• UnionMinister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh Alias Lalan Singh, launched the “Rangeen Machhli” mobile app at ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar. 
• Developed by ICAR-CIFA with support from the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the app is designed to meet the growing needs of the ornamental fisheries sector, providing crucial knowledge resources for hobbyists, aquarium shop owners, and fish farmers. 
• The “Rangeen Machhli” app provides multilingual information on popular ornamental fish species in eight Indian languages, making it accessible to a wide audience. Whether hobbyists are seeking guidance on fish care or farmers looking to diversify their breeds, the app offers comprehensive details on care, breeding, and maintenance practices. 
• One of its key features is the “Find Aquarium Shops” tool, which allows users to locate nearby aquarium shops through a dynamic directory updated by shop owners, promoting local businesses and connecting users with reliable sources for ornamental fish and aquarium-related products. 

16. Adani Airports launches ‘aviio’ to give passengers real-time access data 

• Adani Airports Holdings Ltd, the Adani group firm that operates seven airports in the country, has launched ‘aviio’ digital platform to provide passengers with real-time data on a variety of airport accesses– from wait times to gate change and bags on belts. 
• Aviio aspires to bring the aviation community together to collaborate and serve passengers better. 
• By enabling airport stakeholders to access real-time data, passengers can expect easier access to airport information in the form of updates related to security checks, wait times, gate change, and bags on belts, among other aspects. 
• AAHL’ svision for aviio’ encompasses the development of a cutting-edge Smart Airport Operations System, conceived as a replicable model of an ‘Airport-in-a-Box’. This next-generation Airport Planning and Operation Centre (APOC) has 10x more features that help in arriving at data-driven decisions. 

17. Iran launches new research satellite 

• Iran on Saturday blasted a new research satellite into orbit, state media said, in the latest such development for an aerospace programme that has long faced Western criticism. 
• "TheChamran-1 research satellite was successfully launched and put into orbit by the Ghaem-100 carrier," state television said. 
• Thesatellite, which weighs around 60 kg, is designed to test hardware and software systems for orbital maneuver technology, the TV report said. 
• The device was de- signed and built by Iranian Electronics Industries affiliated with the Defence Ministry, state TV said. 
• Western governments including the United States have repeatedly warned Iran against such launches, saying the same technology can be used for ballistic missiles, including ones designed to deliver a nuclear warhead. 

18. Post-glacial ecosystems could help to slow down climate change, says decade long study 

• There treat of glaciers may be one of the most evident signs of climate change, but it will leave behind new ecosystems that can help. mitigate climate change, says a global study titled "The development of terrestrial ecosystems emerging after glacier retreat" 
• The study, published in the multidisciplinary science journal Nature, suggests that deglaciation may accelerate climate change by reducing surface reflectivity and releasing stored carbon, but the post-glacial ecosystems than 1,200 soil samples from could help slow it down, The study, led by professor Gentile Francesco Ficetola from the University of Milan and Silvio Marta from Italy's Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, is the result of a decade long investigation into how ecosystems develop in glacial retreat areas. Their findings show how ecosystems develop in these areas and suggest that proper management could boost biogeochemical processes, aiding in climate change mitigation. 
• 1,200 samples analyzed The study involved collecting more than 1,200 soil samples from nearly fifty glaciers worldwide. Dr. Pritam Chand of Central University, Punjab, along with Professor Milap Chand Sharma of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, contributed to this study by analyzing samples from the Gangotri and Bara Shigri glaciers in the Indian Himalayas. 
• Pointing out that immediately after glacier retreat, microorganisms such as bacteria, protists and algae are the first to colonize the barren landscape, making minerals available for other species, Mr. Pritam. Chand said that within a decade, hardy plants such as lichens, mosses and grass begin to establish, enriching the soil and paving the way for more complex plant life and larger animals. "With proper management, these areas can develop rapidly, providing temporary habitats for species threatened by climate change," he told The Hindu.

Sports news

19. Tayyab Ikram to continue as FIH chief for second consecutive term Incumbent International Hockey 

• Federation (FIH) president Tayyab Ikram is set to be elected unopposed as the head of the world body at its 49th Congress in Muscat, Oman. 
• The nominations for FIH elections were received by the August 31 deadline for the positions to be elected by the National Associations that are members of the FIH at its Statutory Congress. 
• The former Pakistan and China hockey coach is a member of the IOC Olympic Solidarity Commission and has been an Executive Board member of the FIH since 2016. On 5 November 2022, he was elected as the 13th President of FIH. 

Recent Appointment 

• Chairperson of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)– RS Sharma 
• Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Official Language-Amit Shah 
• Chairperson of Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR– Rajesh Verma 
• State Mission Director of National Health Mission (NHM)– Vinay Goyal (replace K. Jeevan Babu) 
• Chairman of Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) for 2024-25– Partha Sinha. 

Report and Ranking News 

20. Health Dynamics Report 2022-23 

• There is nearly 80 percent shortage of specialist doctors at community health centres (CHCs) across rural India. 
• The country has more than 1 lakh 69 thousand Sub-Centres, approximately 32,000 Primary Health Centres, and 6,359 Community Health Centres. 
• Additionally, there are 1,340 Sub-Divisional and District Hospitals, 714 District Hospitals, and 362 Medical Colleges. 
• Only 4,413 specialist doctors of the requisite 21,964 needed in CHCs in March 2023 were available- a shortfall of 17,551 or 79.9 percent. 
• Thereare5,491 rural CHCs in 757 districts of the country. 
• The availability of specialists at 868 CHCs in urban areas was slightly better at 56 percent. 
• There are 27,304 doctors and specialists employed across 714 district hospitals in the country, against a sanctioned strength of 33,964. 
• It means that nearly 20 percent of these seats are vacant. 
• India’s doctor-population ratio now is 1:836—higher than the WHO prescribed ratio of 1 doctor per 1000 population. 

21. Air Quality and Climate Bulletin 2024 

• United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently released its 4th annual Air Quality and Climate Bulletin.
• Europe and China show lower PM2.5 pollution. 
• North America and India see increased emissions from anthropogenic activities. 
• Global Particulate Matter hotspots include agricultural areas in Central Africa, Pakistan, India, China and South-East Asia. 
• PMR educescropyields by 15% as it reduces sunlight reaching leaf surfaces. .