Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 16th September 2024

National news 

1. IFFI 2024 to introduce new segment, ‘Best Debut Indian Film Section’ 

• Information and Broadcasting Ministry has instituted a new section as part of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2024 for young filmmakers called the ‘Best Debut Indian Film Section 2024.’ 
• The55thIFFI is slated to be held in Goa from November 20th to 28th. 
• Through this section, IFFI will also focus on Indian debut films, showcasing a diverse range of narratives and cinematic styles from across the country. 
• These selections will highlight the creative vision and unique storytelling approaches of young filmmakers, providing a platform for new talent and showcasing the work of emerging directors. 
• A maximum of five debut feature films will be selected and shown in the Best Debut Indian Film Section. Entries for the ‘Best Debut Indian Film Section’ are open now, with September 23rd as the deadline for submission. 

International news 

2. Operation Sadbhav launched by India to provide humanitarian assistance to the countries affected by Typhoon Yagi. 

• Operation Sadbhav will provide humanitarian assistance to typhoon Yagi-affected countries– Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. 
• An urgent relief material sent by India to Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam to assist them in dealing with the impact of the major typhoon. 
• These three countries are facing severe floods after Asia's most powerful storm this year hit these countries. 
• 10 tonnes of aid including dry rations, clothes and medicines was sent to Myanmar on board Indian Naval ship INS Satpura.
• Similarly, a military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force is carrying 35 tons of relief material for Vietnam and 10 tons for Laos. 
• These include gensets, water purification materials, hygiene materials, mosquito nets, blankets and sleeping bags. 
• Operation Sadbhav is part of a broader effort to contribute to HADR in the ASEAN region, in line with India's 'Act East Policy'. 

3. Switzerland topped in the ‘Best Countries Ranking 2024’. 

• Switzerland has secured first position in the Best Countries Ranking 2024 for the third consecutive year. 
• This survey has assessed 89 countries based on 10 differentially weighted sub-rankings such as adventure, agility, heritage, entrepreneurship, quality of life, cultural purpose and more. 
• These sub-rankings are made up of 73 different attributes. 
• India has secured 33rd position in this ‘Best Countries Ranking 2024’. Its position has declined three spots as compared to the previous year.
• India's highest ranking was in the field of 'movers’ (number 7) and heritage (number 10). ‘
• Switzerland has been ranked higher on the parameters of quality of life and openness to business, its lowest ranking was in the field of heritage. 
• Switzerland is followed by Japan, the United States of America, Canada and Australia. 
• The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are the only two Middle Eastern countries in the top 25. 
• Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea are the only countries in the top 25 from Asia. 
• The Best Countries Ranking 2024 has been released by the US News & World Report. 

4. India and Argentina hold the 7th round of Foreign Office Consultations in Buenos Aires. 

• These venthround of Foreign Office Consultations (FOCs) between India and Argentina was held in Buenos Aires. 
• The Indian delegation was led by Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs, while Argentina was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Leopoldo Francisco Sahores. 
• Both sides reviewed their relationship and focused on political, trade, and economic ties. 
• Bothsides’ delegations also reviewed other key areas of cooperation, including Healthcare and Pharma, Energy, Mining, defense, Railways, etc. 
• India-Argentina bilateral trade has doubled to USD 6.4 billion from 2019 to 2022. 
• In,2021and2022, India was Argentina's 4th largest trading partner. 

Defence news 

5. Indian Navy commissions Submarine Escape Training Facility Vinetra 

• The Indian Navy commissioned its indigenously designed and developed Kalvari Submarine Escape Training Facility at its premier submarine training base, INS Satavahana, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. 
• The INS Satavahana is under the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. L&T Defence has constructed the Kalvari Submarine Escape Training Facility, Vinetra (meaning Trainer). 
• TheKalvari Submarine Escape Training Facility will train the submarine crews of the Kalvari class of conventional submarines operated by the Indian Navy. It will train the crew to save their lives and escape from the submarine when it is in distress due to an accident or under attack. 
• The facility is equipped with a five-meter escape tower integrated with an adjacent diving basin. 
• The Vinetra facility was developed under the government’s Make in India facility and Atma Nirbhar Bharat campaign to make India self-reliant in critical defence technology and facilities. 

6. Two Navy officers to embark on gruelling blue-water global voyage 

• After three years of preparations, two women officers of the Indian Navy are set to embark soon on an arduous blue-water voyage around the world. 
• Lt. Commanders A. Roopa and K. Dilna will be undertaking the expedition of circumnavigating the globe onboard INSV Tarini, Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said on Sunday. Lt. Commander Dilna, who hails from Kozhikode, was commissioned into the 
• Navy in June 2014. Her father, the late Devadasan, served the Indian Army. Lt. Commander Roopa, a native of Puducherry, joined the Navy in June 2017. Her father, G.P. Alagirisamy, was in the Indian Air Force. The two officers have been preparing for the Sagar Parikrama expedition for the past three years, Commander Madhwal said. "Sagar Parikrama would be a grueling voyage requiring extreme skills, physical fitness and mental alertness. The officers have been training rigorously and gained thousands of miles of experience under their belt," Commander Madhwal said. 
• Theofficers are undergoing training under the mentorship of ace circumnavigator and Golden. Globe Race hero, retired Commander Abhilash To my. The officers, as part of a six-member crew, had participated in transoceanic expedition from Goa to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, via Cape Town in South Africa, and back last year. 
• Thereafter, they undertook a sailing expedition. from Goa to Port Blair and back in double-handed mode. Further, the duo successfully undertook a sortie from Goa to Port Louis, Mauritius again in the same mode early this year. 
• "TheIndian Navy has made significant efforts to revitalise the sailing tradition, emphasising its commitment to preserve maritime heritage and promote seamanship skills," the Navy spokesperson said. He said the Indian Navy has taken a centre stage in ocean sailing expeditions through the pioneering efforts of sail training ships INS Tarangini and INS Sudarshini, and circumnavigating aboard INSV Mhadei and INSV Tarini. 

State News 

7. Medical education in Hindi medium started by the Rajasthan Government. 

• The state medical colleges in Rajasthan will now offer the medical education curriculum in Hindi as well. 
• The Medical Education Department announced the launch of medical education in Hindi, on the occasion of Hindi Diwas on September 14. 
• Inthefirst phase, this facility has been started at Dr. Sampurnanand Medical College, Jodhpur, and Barmer Medical College affiliated with Marwar Medical University. 
• Students taking admission in these two medical colleges in the academic session 2024–25 will get the option to pursue education in English or Hindi medium depending on their preference. 
• Students coming from rural background or studying in Hindi medium faced difficulties in studying medical courses offered in English medium. 
• Keeping this in mind, it has been announced in the budget to start these courses in Hindi medium. 
• Soon this facility will be started in other medical colleges as well 

Economy news 

8. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will launch BHASKAR. 

• Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) is a digital platform aimed at strengthening India’s startup ecosystem. 
• BHASKAR initiative is designed to centralize, streamline, and enhance collaboration among stakeholders of entrepreneurial ecosystem. 
• BHASKAR will bridge the gap between investors, startups, mentors, and other stakeholders. 
• The Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) is an initiative under the Startup India program. 
• BHASKAR provides aone-stop digital platform to address the challenges of entrepreneurs and investors. 
• BHASKAR’s primary goal is to build the world’s largest digital registry for stakeholders within the startup ecosystem. 

The key features of BHASKAR are given below. 

• Networking and Collaboration 
• Providing Centralized Access to Resources 
• Creating Personalized Identification 
• Enhancing Discoverability 
• Supporting India’s Global Brand 

9. Piyush Goyal launched Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry Commerce and Industry Minister 

• Piyush Goyal has launched the Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) initiative which will serve as a central hub where startups, investors, service providers, and government bodies can come together to collaborate, exchange ideas, and accelerate growth. 
• It will also enhance collaboration among key stakeholders within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including startups, investors, mentors, service providers, and government bodies. 
• The primary goal of BHASKAR is to build the world’s largest digital registry for stakeholders within the startup ecosystem. 

Appointment News 

10. Ravindra appointed as India’s next Ambassador to Iceland 

• Ravindra, currently the Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in New York, has been appointed as the country’s next envoy to Iceland. 
• Ravindran was an Indian foreign service officer of batch 1999 and is currently serving as India’s Deputy permanent representative at the United Nations. 

Recent Appointment in Foreign 

• Arun Goel has been appointed as the ambassador of Republic of Croatia 
• Mridu Pawan Das appointed as next High Commissioner of India to Rwanda 
• Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed as next Indian ambassador to US 
• Vijay Khanduja appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to Cameroon. 
• Bramha Kumar appointed as India’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe 
• Sita Ram Meena appointed as India’s Ambassador to Niger 
• Abhay Thakur appointed as India’s Envoy to Myanmar 
• SoumenduBagchi appointed as India’s Ambassador to Iraq
• Abhilasha Joshi appointed as India’s Ambassador to Chile 
• Vinay Kumar appointed as India’s Ambassador to Russia

Important day news 

11. National Engineer's Day: 15 September 

• National Engineer's Day is observed to mark the anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya.
• He played akey role in shaping modern India through his innovative projects and vision for infrastructure development. 
• Visvesvaraya was an eminent engineer, scholar and statesman. 
• He is also considered the 'Father of Indian Engineering' for his achievements. 
•  Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya served as the 19th Diwan of Mysore. 
• Heisalsoarecipient of India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.
• The first National Engineers Day was celebrated in 1968. 

12. The most auspicious day of Onam, Thiruonam was celebrated by Keralites on September 15. 

• Thiruonam is the 10th and the most auspicious day of Onam, the biggest cultural festival of the State. 
• Keralites all over the world, irrespective of their religious beliefs, celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm. 
• The festival marks the homecoming of the great ruler of the kingdom, King Mahabali, and showcases the unique customs, traditions and cuisine of the kingdom. 
• Kerala's harvest festival Onam is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingam (August to September). 
• The kingdom is believed to have had its golden age during the reign of King Mahabali, and his annual visit to meet his subjects marks the Onam festival. 
• Onam is associated with the famous Onasadya, Onakodi, Ujjayattam, Pulikalli, Vallamkalli etc. 

13. 16 September– World Ozone Day 

• World Ozone Day is celebrated every year on September 16. 
• Objective– To raise awareness about the importance of the ozone layer in protecting life on Earth. It also spreads awareness about the steps that have been taken to preserve the ozone layer. 
• Theme 2024–Montreal Protocol: Advancing Climate Action 
• The United Nations General Assembly established World Ozone Day in 1994 to celebrate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. 
• The Montreal Protocol, agreed on September 16, 1987, is an international pact designed to phase out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). 

Awards news 

14. RINL received the prestigious CII-GBC National Energy Leader Award for the Sixth Consecutive time. 

• Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) has bagged the prestigious National Energy Leader Award from the Confederation of Indian Industry– Green Business Centre (CII-GBC). 
• The prestigious awards were received by Sri K Sudhakaron on the behalf of RINL from Sri Milind Deora.
• RINL has also achieved the “Excellent Energy Efficient Unit Award for an impressive eighth consecutive year.” 
• RINL has made consistent efforts toward energy conservation, including initiatives such as Harnessing waste heat recovery systems, Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI) in blast furnaces, and Waste recycling and Energy benchmarking. 
• RINL focuses on enhancing energy efficiency, reducing carbon footprints, and embracing innovative technologies for sustainable growth. 
• Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL) is a Navratna PSU. It runs the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. 

15. National Florence Nightingale Awards 2024 

• The president Droupadi Murmu gave the National Florence Nightingale Awards 2024 to the 15 nursing professionals 
• This award was instituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in the year 1973 
• It aims to mark of recognition for the meritorious services rendered by the nurses and nursing professionals to the society. 
• The award is given to outstanding nursing personnel employed in central, states and Union territories and voluntary organisations. 

16. 76th Emmy Awards ceremony took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. 

• Shogun bagged the Outstanding Drama Series award while Hacks was named ‘Outstanding Comedy Series’. 
• The award ceremony wash osted by Eugene Levy and Dan Levy. 
• Four awards in the limited series or TV movie category were awarded to “BabyReindeer.” 
• Christopher Storer won the award for Best Directing in comedy. 
• Jodie Foster won the Emmy award for Lead Actress in Limited Series. 
• Richard Gadd won his first Emmy for writing Baby Reindeer. 
• Hiroyuki Sanada won the Outstanding Lead Actor award in a Drama Series. 

Science and technology news 

17. The agreement for the Zika vaccine was signed by Indian Immunologicals and ICMR. 

• A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) has been signed by vaccine manufacturer Indian Immunologicals (IIL) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for the clinical development of the country's first codon de-optimised live-attenuated Zika vaccine. 
• Under the agreement, ICMR will fund the costs of Phase-I clinical trials, including costs related to the conduct, investigation, and monitoring of the clinical trials. 
• The trial will be conducted at ICMR network sites in India. 
• ICMR's Phase trial network, to be launched in 2023, facilitates f irst-in-human safety studies for innovative and affordable frontier medical technologies, including small molecules, biologics, and vaccines. 
• With four Phase-I sites—ACTREC-Mumbai, KEM Hospital-Mumbai, SRM-Chennai, and PGIMER-Chandigarh—becoming fully operational, Indian investigators no longer need to go abroad for Phase-I trials. 
• Zikaisaviral infection, primarily spread by mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine available against Zika. 

18. India has reached Tier 1 in the Global Cyber Security Index 2024. 

• India has jumped to Tier 1 in the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), for its exemplary role-modeling in cybersecurity commitments and impacts. 
• The ‘GCI2024’ used a newfive-level analysis, a change that allows for a greater focus on each country’s progress with cybersecurity commitments. 
• According to the report, 46 nations are ranked in Tier 1, the highest of the f ive categories, which is reserved for "role modelling" nations that exhibit a strong commitment to each of the five cybersecurity pillars. 
• India ranked highest in adopting measures such as legal, technical, capacity development, and cooperation as relative strong areas. 
• Organisational measures were listed as areas of potential development for the country. 
• ITU cybersecurity projects and programmes are supporting national efforts to manage cyber threats more effectively. 

19. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launches ‘Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav’ website 

• Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon’ble Minister for Communications and Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER), has officially launched the website for the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav. 
• The launch, held at Sanchar Bhawan in New Delhi, highlights the government’s dedication to showcasing Northeast India’s cultural and economic richness on both national and international platforms. 
• The Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav, to be held from December 6th to 8th, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, is set to be a landmark celebration. 
• The festival draws inspiration from the eight Northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura—collectively known as the “Ashtalakshmi,” representing eight forms of prosperity. 
• The website, ashtalakshmimahotsav.com, will serve as a one-stop resource for event updates, schedules, and participation details, ensuring seamless engagement for attendees from across the country. 

20. SpaceX's private astronaut mission returns home safely 

• The SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission, which made history when its crew conducted the first spacewalk by non-government astronauts, splashed down off the coast of Florida early on Sunday. 
• The Dragon spacecraft landed in the ocean at 3:37 a.m., with a recovery team deploying in the predawn darkness to retrieve the capsule and crew. 
• After brief medical checks, a smiling and waving SpaceX engineer Anna Menon was the first of the crew to exit, followed by engineer Sarah Gillis, pilot 
• Scott Poteet and commander Jared Isaacman. A helicopter was due to transport them to land. 
• The four-member team led by fintech billionaire Mr. Isaacman launched on Tuesday from the Kennedy Space Center, quickly journeying deeper into the cosmos than any humans in the past half century as they ventured into the dangerous Van Allen radiation belt. 
• They hit a peak altitude of 1,400 km more than three times higher than the International Space Station and the furthest humans had ever travelled from Earth since the Apollo missions to the Moon. 

21. I&B Ministry to use Al tool to predict media trends 

• The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry is planning to introduce an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)-powered integrated dashboard with the capability to analyse recent news reports for forecasting emerging trends. The tool is expected to enhance the Ministry's ability to swiftly respond to such trends. An AIML-based platform for multilingual translation and voice localisation will also be developed to facilitate efficient public dissemination of information about government initiatives. 
• The Ministry has requested for an Expression of Interest (Eol) by interested parties for design, development, implementation, and maintenance of the integrated dashboard. 
• "In today's media landscape, staying ahead of emerging news trends is essential for effective communication. By leveraging AI and ML technologies, the Ministry aims to deploy a cutting-edge tool to accurately predict future media trends based on patterns identified in historical data," said the Eol request.

Infrastructure and energy news 

22. The fourth RE-INVEST inaugurated by PM Modi at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. 

• Heal so flagged off the 2nd phase of the Ahmedabad Metro linking Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar and GIFT City.
• PM interacted with the beneficiaries of the PM Suryaghar Muft Bijali Yojana. 
• He inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth more than 8,000 crore rupees. 
• These projects include India’s first Vande Bharat Metro train between Ahmedabad and Bhuj. 
• Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is organising the 4th edition of the Global Renewable Energy Investors Meet and Expo (4th RE-INVEST) from 16th to 18th September, 2024. 
• The meet will highlight India’s progress in renewable energy manufacturing and deployment. 
• Germany, Australia, Denmark and Norway are taking part in the event as partner countries. 
• The vale dictory session of the meet will be on September 18. 
• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will be the Chief Guest for this session. 
• The first RE-INVEST India was held in 2015. The second and third RE-INVEST India were held in 2018 and in 2020 

23. PM Modi inaugurated 4th Global Renewable Energy Investor’s Meet 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the fourth RE Invest Global Industrial Meet at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. 
• Modi also flaged off the second phase of the Ahmedabad Metro connecting Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar and GIFT City. 
• Modi is scheduled inaugurated and lay the foundation stone for various projects worth over 8 thousand crore rupees, which include the country’s first Vande Bharat Metro train between Ahmedabad and Bhuj. 
• The 4th RE-INVEST Global Renewable Energy Meet & Expo has been organized by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The meet will highlight India’s impressive progress in renewable energy manufacturing and deployment. 

Miscellaneous news 

24. Elongated Tortoise 

• A critically endangered species, the elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), was spotted in Haryana. 
• The tortoise is found in the Sal deciduous and hilly evergreen forests. 
• It is distributed across Southeast Asia from northern India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and all of Indochina. 
• It also inhabits lowlands and foothills of up to 1,000 m above sea level. 

25. India’s second-largest butterfly species has been discovered in Madurai. 

• Southern Birdwing, India’s second largest butterfly species, has been discovered between Chathirapatti and Kadavur on New Natham Highway in Madurai district. 
• Southern Birdwing was India’s largest butterfly species from 1932 to 2020. 
• This is mainly found in the Western and Eastern Ghats regions. It has a wingspan of 190mm. 
• It moved to second position after a British Brigadier William Harry Evans recorded a butterfly species named Golden Birdwing with a wingspan of 194mm. 
• Golden Birdwing is widely found in the Himalayan region. 
• September is the migratory season for butterflies, the species travels for the purpose of breeding. 

Sports news 

26. In the Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra finished second, lagging behind by just 1 cm. 

• On September 14, javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra missed out on reclaiming the Diamond League trophy, finishing just one centimetre behind the champion at the Diamond League Final in Brussels. 
• In the third attempt, Chopra's best throw of 87.86 m came, falling behind Grenada's Anderson Peters, who clinched the title with an 87.87 m throw in his first attempt. 
• Julian Weber of Germany finished third with his best throw of 85.97m. 
• Neeraj finished runner-up at the Diamond League for the second consecutive year, having earlier lost to Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic in 2023 when he threw 83.80m while Vadlejch's winning throw was 84.24m. 
• NeerajChopra had wonthe Zurich Diamond League Final 2022 in Switzerland. 
• Recently, Neeraj Chopra had also won the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

27. Anmol Kharb clinches Belgian International Title 

• India’s 17-year-old shuttler, Anmol Kharb secured her first senior international title by winning the women’s singles event at the Belgian International 2024 in Leuven. 
• Inaremarkable display of skill and determination, the 17-year-old, overcame Denmark’s Amalie Schulz 24-22, 12-21, 21-10 in the final. 

Indian polity News

28. 'One nation, one election will be implemented in the current term of Modi govt. 

• Theconcept of simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, referred to as "one nation, one election", will be implemented within the current term of the Narendra Modi government, sources said, hoping for support from political parties across the board, especially allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Census exercise, not undertaken since 2011, will also begin soon, senior government sources said. 
• The issue of simultaneous elections was highlighted by the Prime Minister within a few months of coming to power in 2014, and a committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind also looked into it in the previous term of the Modi government. It recommended simultaneous elections to Parliament and the Assemblies, followed by local body elections within 100 days. 
• TheCensusexercise, not undertaken since 2011, will also begin soon, say senior government sources 
• Mr.Modi had reiterated his government's commitment to the move in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, appealing to all political parties to contribute to this decision. 
• Referring to the Assembly election in Jammu & Kashmir, officials said the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami "cannot be confused and conflated". The proscribed outfit, which has backed several Independent candidates in the fray, had called for the ban to be revoked as it wanted to participate in electoral politics. "The outfit was banned because of its activities. The ban has nothing to do with its desire to enter the electoral fray," said the source. 
• Sources said as the "Modi 3.0 government" completes 100 days next week, it is sticking "to the resolve that it had in 2014", when Mr. Modi was first voted into power, despite the current iteration being a coalition government, more dependent on allies than before. "The government is strong and will last the full term," said the source, adding that there was adequate communication and coordination between the NDA partners. 
• TheMinistries are planning to showcase the achievements of the third Modi government, but more as a continuum of the work of the government in the last 10 years. "Even when political parties were busy preparing for the election, Mr. Modi had set up task forces to oversee various aspects of departmental work, including infrastructure and future priorities of any government that would come to power," said the source. .