Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 9th November 2024

1. Israeli researchers have developed software that enables computers to process data directly in memory. 

• This software has bypassed the need for the central processing unit (CPU) for processing data directly in memory. 
• This innovation resolves the issue of energy- and time-intensive data transfers between memory and the CPU, which is the main constraints in modern computing. 
• This approach will reduce dependence on the CPU, which will lead to significant time and energy savings. 
• The researcher’s aim is to tackle the “memory wall” problem. It will increase processor speeds and memory capacity outpace data transfer rates. 
• The researchers have developed a platform called PyPIM to support in-memory computing. 
• It is a combination of the Python programming language with digital processing-in-memory (PIM) technology.
• It allows developers to write software for PIM computers using familiar programming languages like Python. 

2. PV Sindhu Badminton Centre foundation stone has been laid in Visakhapatnam. 

• The groundbreaking event of PV Sindhu Centre for Badminton and Sports Excellence was held on November 7. 
• 2 acres of land in Visakhapatnam were allocated by the state government in June 2021 for this center. 
• This initiative has been started through a partnership with Greenko.
• This center will stands as a testament to her vision of guiding future champions. 

3. 1967 decision on the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University struck down by the Supreme Court. 

• On November 8, the Supreme Court by a 4:3 majority overturned its 1967 verdict in S. Azeez Basha vs Union of India. 
• It had held that Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), being a central university, cannot be classified as a minority institution. 
• The verdict was delivered by a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud. 
• The view taken in the 1967 case of Aziz Basha is that if an educational institution acquires its legal character through a statute then it is not established by a minority. 
• The key factor in determining the minority status of an institution is to identify who founded the institution, and also that administration by non-minority members does not eliminate the minority character of the institution. 
• The decision has been taken in reference to the 2006 verdict of the Allahabad High Court, which said that AMU is not a minority institution. 
• Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in 1875 as the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College. 

4. 'AUSTRAHIND', a joint military exercise between India and Australia, started in Pune on 8 November. 

• The aim of the exercise is to promote cooperation by enhancing interoperability in conduct of joint sub-conventional operations in semi-urban environments in semi-desert terrain under relevant chapter of the United Nations mandate. 
• The third edition of 'Exercise AUSTRAHIND' will be conducted in two phases: combat preparation and tactical training, and validation. 
• The exercises or aspects that will be rehearsed during the exercise will include occupying a designated area in response to a terrorist act, establishing a joint operations centre, conducting joint counter-terrorism operations such as raid, search and destroy, etc." 
• During the exercise, which will continue till November 21, both sides will also share their best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of tactical operations at the overseas training node. 
• 'Exercise AUSTRAHIND' is an annual event held alternately in India and Australia. 
• In December 2023, the last edition was held in Australia. 

5. Proposals for Green Hydrogen Research Centres sought by the government. 

• The proposals have been sought by the Government of India to set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) focused on green hydrogen research and development. 
• The step is part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which aims to make India a leader in sustainable energy. 
• MNRE invited institutes and industry partners to submit proposals under the R&D scheme of the mission. 
• These Centres of Excellence are envisaged as centres for integrated research across various segments of the green hydrogen value chain, including production, storage and applications. 
• These Centres of Excellence will serve as platforms for high-end research, skill building 
• and knowledge sharing and promote collaboration between government, academia and industry. 
• The government has allocated Rs 100 crore for setting up these centres to support this initiative under the Green Hydrogen Mission. 
• Launched on January 4, 2023, the mission is part of a larger investment of Rs 19,744 crore by FY 2029-30. 
• It aims to help India reduce carbon emissions, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and build a self-reliant (atmanirbhar) clean energy infrastructure. 

6. Third Rohini Nayyar Prize awarded to 28-year-old Odisha engineer Anil Pradhan. 

• He has been awarded for outstanding contribution to Rural Development for his work in promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education among students in rural India. 
• Pradhan, the co-founder of Young Tinker Foundation, introduced the concept of "Tinker-on-Wheels," a mobile learning laboratory. 
• It provides practical experience in areas such as robotics and 3D printing to school students from rural areas of Odisha, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. 
• His work in STEM education and innovation has impacted over 2.5 lakh students so far. 
• Pradhan said many schools lack the infrastructure for such demonstrations and training, so his 'Tinker-on-Wheels' goes to these schools and sets up mobile laboratories in playgrounds. 

Rohini Nayar Award: 

• Established in memory of one of India's eminent economists, Rohini Nayar, the award is awarded annually for outstanding contribution to rural development. 
• The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a citation and a trophy. 
• The award is given annually by the Nayyar Foundation for Social and Economic Purposes to individuals under the age of 40. 

7. World’s first CO₂-to-methanol conversion plant has been inaugurated by NTPC at its Vindhyachal facility. 

• This coincides with the company’s 50th raising day celebration. 
• NTPC Chairman Gurdeep Singh highlighted the company’s ongoing initiatives in green technologies. 
• These initiatives include work on Gen-4 ethanol, green urea, and sustainable aviation fuel.
• NTPC has also developed and tested first indigenous catalyst for Methanol Synthesis. 
• During the event, NTPC also launched hydrogen-fueled buses in Leh. 

8. State Bank of India has launched innovation hub at Singapore Fintech Festival. 

• The State Bank of India (SBI) Innovation Hub was launched in partnership with APIX. 
• It is to provide dedicated space for fintechs and startups globally to design next-generation financial solutions to meet the digital needs of diverse customer base of SBI. 
• APIX is a leading global collaborative innovation platform for fintechs and financial institutions at the festival. It is a Singapore-based platform. 
• Singapore Fintech Festival was held from 6-8 November. 

9. Shiv Nadar topped the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2024. 

• According to the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2024, HCL Technologies founder Shiv Nadar and family with ₹2,153 crore donation are the leading philanthropists in India. 
• Mukesh Ambani and his family are on the second spot with a philanthropic contribution of ₹407 crore. 
• The Bajaj family, with a donation of ₹352 crore, secured third position on the list. 
• Krishna Chivukula became the most generous person to feature in the list this time with a donation of ₹228 crore. 
• Adani Group, with a philanthropic contribution of ₹330 crore, secured the fifth position. 
• Among the top 10 most generous women, Rohini Nilekani occupied the top spot with ₹154 crore donation. 
• Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath is the youngest philanthropist on the list with ₹120 crore contribution to the Rainmatter Foundation. 

10. First digital population clock of Bengaluru has been inaugurated at the Institute for Social Economic Change (ISEC). 

• Bengaluru’s first digital population clock has been inaugurated at the Institute for Social Economic Change (ISEC). 
• It will provide real-time estimates of Karnataka’s population of the country. 
• This project was jointly completed by ISEC, and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). 
• It would update state’s population for every 1.10 minute (one minute, 10 seconds) and the country’s population at every two seconds. 
• The clock will play a key role in enhancing our understanding of population trends. 
• The new census data research workstation would further strengthen academic research, policy analysis, and capacity building in population studies. 

11. Gujarat has become India’s 1 st state to implement a dedicated semiconductor policy. 

• ‘Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-2027’ has been introduced by Gujarat government. 
• The policy aims to solidify position of Gujarat as a leader in semiconductor self-reliance. 
• Recently, foundation stone for Micron’s advanced semiconductor assembly, test, mark, and pack (ATMP) plant was laid by Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel in Sanand. 
• India’s first AI-enabled semiconductor fabrication facility is being established by Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) and Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) in Dholera’s emerging ‘Semicon City’. 
• The policy offers a 100% one-time refund on stamp duty and registration fees, a Rs 2 per unit electricity subsidy, and a Rs 12 per cubic metre rate for water. 
• It also includes up to 75% land acquisition subsidy for semiconductor units in Dholera. 
• Dholera is being developed as India’s first Greenfield Smart City. 

12. National Legal Services Day: 9 November 

• National Legal Services Day is observed each year on 9 November. 
• National Legal Services Day serves as a platform to promote legal awareness. 
• It also serves as a platform to ensure access to justice for all citizens, especially those from marginalised communities. 
• This day is an attempt to empower individuals with knowledge about their legal rights. 
• This day also seeks to promote mechanisms for conflict resolution to foster a more equitable society. 
• National Legal Services Day was started in 1995 by the Supreme Court of India. 
• The 9th of November is celebrated annually by all Legal Services Authorities as “Legal Services Day”. 
• This is in accordance with the call made by Chief Justice A.S. Anand in the First Annual Meet. 
• The first Annual Meeting of the State Legal Services Authorities (NALSA) took place on September 12, 1998, in New Delhi. 

13. 83 rd Indian Road Congress annual session started in Raipur. 

• Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the conference. 
• During these four-days, several technical sessions will be conducted. 
• New technologies related to road construction will be discussed during the convention. 
• More than 2000 experts from the country and abroad participated in this conference. 
• The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) is the highest body of highway engineers in the country. 
• It was set up in December 1934 on the recommendations of the Jayakar Committee set up by the Govt. of India with the objective of Road Development in India. 

14. Rahul Bhave name has been recommended by FSIB for MD, CEO post of IFCI Ltd. 

• Palash Srivastava has been recommended by FSIB for the position of Deputy Managing Director in IIFCL. 
• At present, Srivastava is the Chief Executive Officer of IIFCL Projects Limited, a subsidiary of IIFCL. 
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a final decision on both recommendations of FSIB. 
• The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) is headed by the former secretary, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Bhanu Pratap Sharma. 
• Its other members are Animesh Chauhan, former chairman and MD of erstwhile Oriental Bank of Commerce, RBI's ex-executive director Deepak Singhal, and Shailendra Bhandari, former MD of erstwhile ING Vysya Bank. 

15. Centre announces successful trial run of new pension system

• The pilot run of the proposed Centralised Pension Payments System (CPPS) under the employees' pension scheme (EPS) of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is successful, the Union Labour Ministry said on Friday. Pension worth more than 11 crore was disbursed to 49,000 EPS pensioners of Jammu, Srinagar and Karnal Regions for October, 2024, under the new system. 
• Announcing the success of the trial of CPPS, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the pilot run was completed on Oc- tober 29 and 30. The new system, to be implemented nationwide by January 2025, will help more than 78 lakh EPS pensioners to receive their pension from any bank, any branch, anywhere in the country.
• Mr. Mandaviya had earlier said that the initiative addresses long-standing challenges faced by pen- sioners and ensures a seamless disbursement mechanism. "This is a crucial step in our ongoing efforts to transform the EPFO into a more robust, responsive, and tech-enabled organization, commit- ted to serving the needs of its members and pensioners better," he had said. 
• "The CPPS system would ensure disbursement of pension throughout India without any need for transfer of Pension Payment Orders from one office to another even when the pensioner moves from one location to another or changes his bank or branch. This would be a great relief to pensioners who move to their hometown after retirement," the Labour Ministry said. 

16. Drones to emerge as a game changer in the fisheries sector, says Union Minister 

• Drones will emerge as a game changer in the fisheries sector, addressing several critical challenges with precision and efficiency, Union Minister of State for Fisheries and Minority Affairs George Kurian said here on Friday. 
• He was inaugurating an awareness workshop and demonstration of drone applications in the fisheries sector at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. 
• "Drones play a pivotal role in managing aquaculture farms, monitoring fish markets, and assessing damage to fisheries infrastructure, particularly during natural disasters, when rescue operations are essential. On their part, underwater drones help closely monitor fish behavior in natural habitats, to detect signs of distress like erratic swimming patterns and also provide real-time data that strengthen sustainable fisheries management," he said. The event saw live demonstration of drone applications in fisheries, including transportation of fish from the farm, Centre to develop 100 climate-resilient coastal fishermen villages acrOSS the country dispensing aquafeeds and rescue operations. 
• The Minister said the Centre would develop 100 climate-resilient coastal fishermen villages across the country, to help fisher communities who encounter climate-change challenges, by allocating *2 crore per village under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. This would help ready common facilities like fish-drying yards, processing centers, fish markets, and emergency rescue facilities, while promoting climate-resilient practices like seaweed cultivation, artificial reefs, and green fuel initiatives. 
• The Union Department of Fisheries would install transponders in about one lakh marine fishing vessels this year at an estimate of 2364 crore. This would provide a two-way communication system enabling real-time tracking of fishing vessels and help fishermen to send short messages using Android mobile phones while fishing up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. The system would also provide weather alerts to the fishermen, including cyclone warning. The Indian Space Research Organisation developed this technology indigenously using the GSAT 6 satellite. Information related to potential fishing zones too would be made available to the fisherfolk on their cell phones in regional languages, he said. 

17. Trump names his campaign head Susie as chief of staff 

• U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff, the first woman to hold the influential role. 
• Ms. Wiles is widely credited within and outside Mr. Trump's inner circle for running what was, by far, his most disciplined and well-executed campaign, and was seen as the leading contender for the position. She largely avoided the spotlight, even after Mr. Trump's victory.