Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 27th August 2024

1. Maharashtra became the first state to adopt the Unified Pension Scheme for its employees. 

• The Maharashtra government has decided to implement the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). It will become effective from March 2025. 
• UPS willoffer 50% of an employee's average salary for the last 12 months as a pension. 
• The Maharashtra Cabinet also approved several other initiatives, including a ₹7,000 crore Nar-Par-Girna river linking project. 
• The river linking project will benefit agricultural land in Nashik and Jalgaon districts by providing irrigation to around 50,000 hectares. 
• The state government will also raise ₹5,000 crore through equity and bonds for the Thane project. 
• Cabinet also approved projects like a medicity, mangrove park, chemical hub, and digital university, requiring a combined expenditure of ₹10,000 crore. 

2. Mithun is officially recorded for the first time in Assam. 

• The Mithun (Bosfrontalis) have been recorded for the first time in Assam. 
• As per the last livestock census conducted in 2019, there were 386,311 Mithuns in the country. 
• Mithun is the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. It is also found in some parts of Mizoram and Manipur. 
• Arunachal Pradesh has the largest population of Mithun, followed by Nagaland with 23,123, Manipur with 9,059, and Mizoram with 3,975. 
• During earlier livestock censuses, the enumerators recorded it as an animal in the column of "others.” 
• A team of scientists had spotted the animal during a visit to the three remote villages of Laisong, Langting, and Thaijuwari in Dima Hasao, Assam. 
• Assam mithun appears not similar to Nagaland mithun. 
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has recognized Mithun as a meat animal. 

3. Unified Lending Interface will be launched by RBI to provide 'frictionless credit'. 

• The Reserve Bank is testing an application called Unified Lending Interface (ULI) for hassle-free lending. 
• Governor Shaktikanta Das said that it will soon be launched across the country and that it will become UPI in terms of loans. 
• The aim of this new technology is to reduce the time taken for assessment, especially for small borrowers in rural areas. 
• ULI facilitates a seamless and consent-based flow of digital information, including land records, from various data providers to lenders. 
• Its in frastructure is designed for a plug-and-play approach to enable quick access. 
• ULI improves digital access for lenders from diverse sources. 
• Thisecosystem is based on the consent of potential borrowers, and data privacy is protected. 

4.Crisis in Kursk region 

• The Ukrainian army launched a brave attack into the Kursk region of the Russian Federation . 
• Ukraine established a military administration for the territory under its control on 15 August 2024. 
• The Kursk region, located in the western Russia and bordering Ukraine, has a population of about 1.2 million. 
• It is located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym rivers. 
• It lies along the upper Seym River, about 280 miles (450 km) south of Moscow. 

5. India and Singapore focused on new pillars of cooperation to elevate Strategic Partnership. 

• On August 26,2024, the 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable Conference (ISMR) was held in Singapore. 
• It focused on reviewing the progress made under their strategic partnership and exploring new avenues of cooperation. 
• This ISMR was a significant moment in the bilateral relations between the two countries. 
• During the discussions, the two sides reviewed the progress made since inauguration of ISMR in New Delhi in September 2022. 
• They evaluated developments in key sectors such as digitalization, skill development, sustainability and healthcare and medicine. 
• These pillars have helped guide cooperation between India and Singapore and advance initiatives that benefit both countries. 
• An important outcome of this roundtable was the decision to expand the partnership by adding two new pillars: Advanced Manufacturing and Connectivity. 
• The inclusion of Advanced Manufacturing reflects growing industrial cooperation between the two countries, aimed at enhancing technological innovation and production efficiency. 
• The focus on Connectivity aims to improve infrastructure connectivity and facilitate trade, investment, and movement of people between India and Singapore. 

6.Hypervirulent superbug 

• Dangerous new strains of a "hypervirulent" superbug have been found in 16 countries, including the United States. 
• The superbug, known as hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp), is a type of drug-resistant bacteria. 
• It can cause rapidly progressing, deadly infections, even in people with healthy immune systems.
• It can be found in the environment as well as in the upper throat and gastrointestinal tract of various animals, including humans. 

7. Global Education Monitoring Report 2024 

• Ever the past 20 years, schools were closed in at least 75% of the extreme weather events, impacting 5 million people or more. 
• In sub-Saharan Africa, the gender parity has not been achieved at any level of education. More girls are out of school than boys. 
• In reading, globally, for every 100 boys, there are 115 girls proficient at the end of lower secondary education. 
• 81% of men and 75% of women owned a mobile phone in 2023. 
• In 2018–23, the share of STEM graduates who were female was 35%. 

8. Department of Posts has signed a MoU with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC). 

• This MoU has been signed to establish a standardized, geo-coded addressing system in India. 
• This MoU was signed before the maiden National Space Day on August 23, 2024. 
• Under this partnership, a standardised, geo-coded addressing system will be developed in India to simplify the citizen-centric delivery of public and private services. 
• The Department of Posts and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) will transform the addressing system in India. 
• The geo-coded addressing system will make tracking easier, streamline delivery services and optimize delivery routes. 
• This initiative is a significant milestone in India’s journey towards digital transformation and geospatial excellence.

9. Arun Agarwal appointed as the chairman of TEDC board of directors. 

• Dallas-based Indian-American entrepreneur Arun Agarwal as the chairman of the Texas Economic Development Corporation's (TEDC) board of directors. 
• TEDC is responsible for marketing Texas as the top US state for business, both domestically and globally. 
• Arun Agarwal has extensive experience in business, philanthropy, and international relations. 
• He is also the chairman of the National Cricket League (NCL), USA. 
• Additionally, he serves as co-chair of the Indian American CEO Council. 
• He is also aboard member of several prestigious organizations, including the US-India Friendship Council. 

10. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unveiled new 'suicide drone.' 

• Suicide drones are unmanned drones carrying explosives that are designed to be deliberately dropped on enemy targets, effectively functioning as guided missiles. 
• According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report, Mr Kim said that "in addition to strategic reconnaissance and multi-role attack drones, it is necessary to develop and produce more suicide drones." 
• North Korea's growing drone fleet, armed with nuclear weapons, will be used "at various strike ranges to strike any enemy targets on land and at sea." 
• OnAugust24,all of the drones tested by North Korea “accurately identified and destroyed the designated targets after flying different pre-determined routes.” 
• This suicide drone can fly a distance of more than 1,000 km (600 miles). 
• It resembles the Israeli-made “Harop” suicide drone, the Russian-made “Lancet-3” and the Israeli-made “Hero 30”. 

11. Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira arrived in India on 25 August. 

• On August 27, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira will co-chair the 9th India-Brazil Joint Commission meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. 
• The Foreign Minister of Brazil is on an official visit to India from 25-28 August. 
• Foreign Minister Vieira's visit will further boost the strategic partnership between India and Brazil. 
• Foreign Minister Vieira's upcoming visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the strategic partnership established in 2006. 
• It will explore new avenues of cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral arenas in diverse areas. 
• Notably, Brazil holds the G20 presidency until November 2024. 
• The G20 Troika during Brazil’s G20 presidency in 2024 will consist of India, Brazil and South Africa. 
• On November 18-19, Brazil will host the G-20 leaders summit in Rio de Janeiro.