Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 26th October 2024

1. ISRO and DBT inked a pact to conduct biotechnology experiments in the space station. 

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have signed an agreement to design and conduct experiments at the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). 
• This agreement will promote innovation and developments in human health research, novel pharmaceuticals, biotherapeutics, and regenerative medicine. 
• Experiments including how weightlessness can influence muscle loss in those in space, what kind of algae may be suitable as nutrients or to preserve food for longer, etc. will be conducted. 
• The Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) is a proposed indigenous space station to take shape from 2028-2035. 
• The ISRO-DBT also collaborated for another initiative called the BIOE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment). 
• China launched the base module of its space station, Tiangong, in 2021 and has completed the tri-modular station as of November 2022. 

2. NTPC and Indian Army will establish solar hydrogen microgrid in Ladakh for sustainable power supply. 

• NTPC and Indian Army have partnered to set up a solar hydrogen-based microgrid at Chusul, Ladakh. 
• This will ensure a stable power supply using green hydrogen in off-grid Army locations. 
• Foundation stone of this unique project has been laid by the defence minister Rajnath Singh through video conferencing on 25 October 2024. 
• This solar hydrogen-based micogrid system has been designed by NTPC to operate independently using hydrogen as an energy storage medium. 
• This system will take place of existing diesel generators at off-grid Army locations. 
• This will provide a sustainable power supply despite harsh winter conditions. 

3. Rohini Godbole passes away at the age of 72. 

• She was a renowned physicist and gender equity proponent. 
• She was a Padma Shri recipient. She received Padma Shri award in 2019. 
• The French government awarded her the National Medal of Merit in 2021. 
• She was professor at the Centre for High Energy Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. 
• She researched elementary particle physics field theory. 
• She was among the members who submitted the report titled ‘INSA Report: Access of Indian Women to Careers in Science’. 
• Along with Ram Ramaswamy, she edited the book Lilavati’s Daughters, a collection of biographical essays on women scientists from India. 

4. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) announced a tie-up with HCLSoftware. 

• The two bodies have announced the tie up to support manufacturing startups in the country. 
• The partnership comes under DPIIT’s initiative to encourage corporates to incubate manufacturing startups. 
• So far, DPIIT had signed more than 80 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with industry stakeholders under the initiative. 
• Startups will have access to the HCL SYNC program to showcase their products and services globally. 
• The commerce ministry said the objective of the initiative is to develop Indian intellectual property by promoting startups to create unique products tailored to India. 
• HCLSoftware is a division of HCLTechnologies. 

5. The official selection of 21 feature films and 8 web series from 7 countries announced by the 18th NFDC Film Bazaar. 

• The 18th edition of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) Film Bazaar has announced its official selection for the Co-Production Market, which includes 21 feature films and eight web series from seven countries. 
• Goa hosts a film bazaar along with the International Film Festival of India every year. 
• This year, the Film Bazaar will be held from the 20th to the 24th of November. 
• The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held in Goa from November 20 to 28, 2024. 
• This year's official selection includes various languages including Hindi, English, Assamese, Tamil, Marwari, Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, Nepali, Marathi, Pahari and Cantonese. 
• Filmmakers from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Australia, UK, Germany and Hong Kong will present their projects before various industry professionals. 
• Film Bazaar has been dedicated to discovering, supporting and showcasing South Asian films and talent in filmmaking, production and distribution since its inception in 2007. 
• Established in 1952, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is one of the premier film festivals in Asia. 

6. New non-toxic molecules developed by scientists at the Pune-based Agharkar Research Institute to treat Alzheimer's disease. 

• Recently, a rapid one-pot, three-component reaction with high synthetic yield to generate new molecules has been developed by Institute scientists Dr. Prasad Kulkarni and Dr. Vinod Ugale (SERB TARE Fellow). 
• Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology. 
• The team used a combination of synthetic, computational and in vitro studies to uncover new gene that may be effective in treating neurodegenerative diseases. 
• The newly developed molecules were found to effectively target cholinesterase enzymes, increasing the availability of acetylcholine, which is critical for memory and learning. 
• Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and accounts for about 75% of all dementia cases. 
• Of the approximately 55 million people with dementia worldwide, 60% to 70% are at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. 
• The disease most commonly affects people over the age of 65. 
• Its causes mainly include age-related brain changes and genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors.

Alzheimer: 

• Neurons are specialized cells in the brain that make up the nervous system. 
• The nervous system communicates between the brain and the rest of the body. 
• Alzheimer's disease (AD) disrupts this communication, leading to problems with learning and memory and changes in adaptive behavior. 
• Alzheimer's disease is caused by an imbalance in certain hormones. 

7. In wrestling, India won two medals at U-23 World Championship. 

• India won one silver and one Bronze at Under 23 Wrestling World Championship 2024 in Tirana, Albania. 
• India’s Anjli won Silver in the women’s 59kg category. 
• After losing to Ukrainian Solimiia Vynnyk in the final, she took second place. 
• Monika defeated Xinze Du, a Chinese competitor, 5-3 in the 68 kg category to win a bronze medal. 
• In the men's 55 kg Greco-Roman category, Vishvajit Ramchandra More of India defeated Adam Ulbashev to win the bronze medal. 
• This was India’s first medal at the Under-23 Wrestling World Championships 2024 in Tirana, Albania. 

8. After the age of 80, central government pensioners will get an additional compassionate pension. 

• Central government pensioners 80 years of age and older would be eligible for an additional income known as the compassionate allowance, according to a recent announcement by the Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW). 
• Retirees of the central government civil service who become 80 years old can now obtain these additional payments according to new guidelines. 

The following is how the additional compassionate allowance will be paid: 

1. 20% of the basic pension or compassionate allowance will be paid to people aged 80 to 85. 
2. Between the ages of 85 and 90, 30% of the basic pension or compassionate allowance will be paid. 
3. Between the ages of 90 and 95, 40% of the basic pension or compassionate allowance will be paid. 
4. 50% of the basic pension or compassionate allowance will be paid to people aged 95 to 100. 

• One hundred years or more: 100% of the compassionate allowance or basic pension. 
• The first day of the month that the pensioner achieves the specified age will mark the start of the supplementary pension or compassionate allowance. 

9. Venezuelan opposition leaders received Europe's Sakharov Prize. 

• The European Parliament gave its annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Venezuelan opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez. 
• The award was given for representing the people of Venezuela in fighting to restore freedom and democracy. 
• Edmundo and Maria fought for the free, fair, and peaceful transition of power. 
• The Sakharov Prize was started in 1988 and is awarded to individuals and organisations defending human rights and democracy. 
• In 2023, this award was given to Mahsa Amini and the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in Iran. 
• The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been named after Soviet physicist Andrei Sakharov. 

10. Mormugao became India’s first port to be listed on the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) platform. 

• Mormugao Port Authority has become the first Indian port to be listed as an incentive provider on the Environment Ship Index (ESI) portal. 
• Mormugao Port’s effort to incentivise green shipping has received international recognition. 
• Mormugao Port is India’s first port to introduce Green Ship Incentives through the ESI. 
• Mormugao Port’s ‘Harit Shrey’ incentive program was launched in October 2023. 
• This initiative supports the broader goal of achieving long-term emission reductions in maritime operations. 
• It offers discounts on port charges based on ESI scores and rewards ships with higher environmental performance. 

11. Indian football team jumped to 125th spot in latest FIFA world rankings. 

• The Indian men's football team moved up one place to 125th in the latest FIFA rankings released on October 24. 
• The team achieved this position due to its 1-1 draw against Vietnam in an international friendly match earlier this month. 
• India are yet to win a match under new coach Manolo Marquez. 
• The Marquez-led side has lost one match and drawn twice, earning +0.26 points, taking their total to 1133.78. 
• India also moved up one place to 22nd in the AFC standings. 
• However, world champions Argentina continue to dominate at No.1 with 1883.5 points, while France, European champions Spain and England and Brazil complete the top five. 

12. Justice Sanjiv Khanna appointed as the next Chief Justice of India. 

• President Draupadi Murmu appointed Justice Khanna as the Chief Justice from November 11 after consultation with Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. 
• Currently, Justice Khanna is the second most senior judge of the Supreme Court. He will be the 51st Chief Justice of India. 
• Justice Khanna will retire on May 13, 2025. 
• On 18 January 2019, Justice Sanjiv Khanna was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court. 
• In this capacity, he has authored many landmark judgments and served on several Constitution Benches in the Supreme Court. 
• His judgments have consistently underlined the primacy of individual liberty, strong democratic participation and individual autonomy. 
• Incumbent CJI DY Chandrachud, who was appointed on November 9, 2022, will retire on November 10, 2024. 

13. Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh will launch the 21st Livestock Census Operation. 

• The 21st Livestock Census Operation will be launched on 25th October at Hotel Leela Ambience Convention, Shahdara. 
• Since 1919, the Livestock Census (LC) is a crucial exercise that is conducted on every five years. 
• The Census involves a comprehensive door-to-door survey that captures detailed data on domesticated animals and birds. 
• The 21st Livestock Census operation will be conducted during October 2024 - February 2025. 
• Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun, Yak, Sheep, Goat, Pig, Camel, Horse, Mule, Donkey, Dog, Rabbit and Elephant are covered in this census. 
• It will be the first Livestock in which data on livestock holding by pastoralists will be available independently. 
• This livestock will also provide information on the “Gender of the person majorly involved in livestock rearing”. 

14. Prime Minister Mudra loan limit has been increased. The loan limit under the Prime Minister Mudra loan scheme has been increased from 10 lakhs rupees to 20 lakhs rupees.

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the decision as part of the Union Budget for 2024-2025 in July. 
• The Department of Financial Services (DFS) said that the new Tarun Plus category has been created under the Scheme. 
• For entrepreneurs who have paid back their prior Tarun loans, this category will provide loans between 10 lakh and 20 lakh rupees. 
• The Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units (CGFMU) would now cover loans up to 20 lakh rupees, DFS stated, making it easier for small firms to obtain credit. 
• Mudra loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) offer up to ₹20 lakhs in loans without collateral or third-party guarantees. 
• Under PMMY, the schematic interventions have been named "Shishu," "Kishor," "Tarun," and, more recently, "Tarun Plus." 
• These indicate the beneficiary micro unit's or entrepreneur's stage of growth and development as well as their financial requirements. 
• They also serve as a reference point for the next phase of development.