Daily Current Affairs and GK | 18 April 2024

Topic: Personality in News

1. Gopi Thotakura to become the first Indian space tourist.

• Entrepreneur and pilot Gopi Thotakura is set to become first Indian to venture into space as a tourist.
• He will be part of the NS-25 mission of Blue Origin — a company founded by Jeff Bezos.
• He has been selected as one of the six crew members for the mission.
• Thotakura would be the second Indian to go into space. Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to go into space in 1984.
• As per media reports, in 2023, the space tourism market was valued at $848.28 million. It is likely to grow to $27,861.99 million by 2032.
• Gopi Thotakura is a graduate of the US-based Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
• Space tourism is an important section of the aviation sector. The NS-25 mission is a sub-orbital mission.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

2. In FY24, CBDT signed a record number of 125 Advance Pricing Agreements.

• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has signed a record 125 Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) with Indian taxpayers in 2023-24.
• The 125 Advance Pricing Agreements includes 86 Unilateral APAs (UAPAs) and 39 Bilateral APAs (BAPAs).
• The number of APAs signed in 2023-24 has increased by 31% as compared to previous year. 95 APAs were signed during the preceding financial year.
• In 2023-24, CBDT also signed the maximum number of BAPAs in any financial year.
• The BAPAs were signed as a consequence of entering into mutual agreements with India's treaty partners namely Australia, Canada, Denmark, Japan, Singapore, the UK and the US.
• The signing of bilateral APAs additionally provides the taxpayers with protection from any anticipated or actual double taxation.

Topic: Defence

3. A state-of-the-art IT lab inaugurated by General Manoj Pandey to boost India-Uzbekistan defense cooperation.

• In an important step towards strengthening bilateral relations between India and Uzbekistan, a high-tech IT laboratory was inaugurated at the Uzbek Armed Forces Academy by Army Chief General Manoj Pandey.
• The Army Chief was on a visit to Uzbekistan from 15-18 April.
• After the commitment made during the Defense Ministers' meeting in September 2018, this development marks a milestone in defense cooperation between the two countries.
• The request to set up an IT Lab was initially made during this high-level discussion, and thereafter, the project, funded through the 'C' initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs, gained momentum with approval in 2019.
• It was revealed that the bids were more than the envisaged budget of Rs 6.5 crore. Therefore, a sum of Rs 8.5 crore was allocated for the project.
• An Indian firm won the contract, making the laboratory fully operational on time.
• The IT laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, consisting of nine rooms, which include two lecture halls, and a state-of-the-art cyber security lab.
• It also includes a hardware programming lab, an object-oriented programming lab, a web programming lab, a server room, a multimedia room, and a virtual reality room.
• With the establishment of the IT Lab, it is expected to enrich the training resources available to the Uzbek Armed Forces in the coming years and promote a deeper understanding and cooperation between India and Uzbekistan.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

4. Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award will be presented to Amitabh Bachchan.

• The prestigious third Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award will be given to Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan for his remarkable dedication towards the nation, its people, and society.
• Previous recipients of this prestigious award include Prime Minister Narendra Modi and popular singer Asha Bhosle.
• Mohan Wagh Award will be awarded to Marathi play Ghalib for Best Play.
• On February 6, 2022, the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award was instituted by the Deenanath Mangeshkar Smriti Pratisthan in the memory of late Bharat Ratna winner and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar.
• Deepstambh Foundation's Manobal Project, which provides residential training to disabled persons, orphans, and economically disadvantaged students, will be recognized for its excellent social service.
• On April 24, the award recipients will be honored at Dinanath Mangeshkar Natyagruha in Vile Parle.

Other recipients of the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award:

Topic: National News

5. The studies show that only 13.5% of India's STEM faculty are women.

• Indian women have an influential presence in science from botanist Janaki Ammal developing sugarcane hybrids in the 1930s to Tessie Thomas, leading the first test launch of the Agni-IV missile in 2011.
• However, according to a study by BiasWatchIndia, only 13.5 percent of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) faculty members across 98 universities and institutes in the country are women.
• BiasWatchIndia tracks women’s representation in science.
• On March 30, researchers published the study in the peer-reviewed journal Communications Biology: Nature.
• The study said that countries like America and Britain have also seen a trend of under-representation of women in STEM, but this number is not as low as India.
• The paper notes that not only are women under-represented in STEM streams, but the percentage of women in top-ranked institutes such as the IITs, the IISc, and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research has dropped even further.
• For the study, the authors collected faculty data between June 2020 and December 2021 from the websites of 98 universities and institutes.
• Women's representation in engineering faculties was lowest, at 9.2%, according to the authors' survey. The faculty of biology had the largest representation (25.5%).
• After engineering, the proportion of women in chemistry, computer science, and physics faculties is extremely low, at 11.5%, 12.2% and 13% respectively.
• In comparison, the Earth Sciences and Mathematics faculty have more women, at 14.4% and 15.8% respectively.
• According to the study, women in the US are "16% in physics, 16.5% in engineering, and 25% in mathematics, while biology and chemistry saw better female representation at 46% and 40%, respectively."

Topic: Important Days

6. World Heritage Day 2024: 18 April

• Every year on 18 April, World Heritage Day is celebrated
• It is celebrated to spread awareness about the protection and conservation of rich cultural heritage.
• It is also celebrated to mark the efforts of organizations involved in the conservation of heritage.
• The theme of World Heritage Day 2024 is "Discover and experience diversity."
• World Heritage Day was suggested by the International Council of Mountains and Sights in 1982 and it was adopted at the 22nd session of the UNESCO Conference in 1983.
• World Heritage Sites are the places/monuments/areas that are included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO.
• Until April 18, 2024, there are a total of 1,199 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world and 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

Topic: Indian Economy

7. According to a UNCTAD report, India’s economy will grow at 6.5% in 2024.

• This projection comes after India’s growth of 6.7% in 2023.
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report highlights India as the fastest-growing major economy globally.
• Multinational corporations are growing their manufacturing operations in India in order to improve the diversification of their supply chains, as per the UNCTAD report.
• It is anticipated that this action will increase Indian exports and promote economic expansion.
• The rise of the service sector and significant public capital investment were credited for the growth seen in 2023.
• RBI has projected 7% growth rate for the current financial year 2024-25.
• ‘2024 Financing for Sustainable Development Report: Financing for Development at a Crossroads’ was launched last week.
• Global growth is projected to be 2.6% in 2024. This is projected to be slightly slower than the 2.7% in 2023.

Topic: International News

8. The United Arab Emirates has had the highest rainfall on record, exceeding all data collected since 1949.

• Over the previous 24 hours, the rain fell in a number of areas of the United Arab Emirates.
• The extraordinary character of this weather occurrence was confirmed by the National Centre of Meteorology.
• It is predicted to rain more in the upcoming hours.
• The Khatm Al Shakla region of Al Ain has received the most rainfall to date, with 254 millimetres (almost 10 inches) falling in less than a day.
• This rainfall has caused major disruptions as well as is predicted increases in the UAE's annual average and groundwater reserves.
• Passengers are advised by Dubai International Airport to avoid visiting the airport unless absolutely necessary.
• One death has been reported so far from the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

Topic: Defence News

9. Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation (SPACE) has been inaugurated in Kerala.

• Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation (SPACE) is a premier testing & evaluation hub for sonar systems for the Indian Navy, has been set up by DRDO.
• It was inaugurated at Underwater Acoustic Research Facility, Kulamavu in Idukki, Kerala on April 17, 2024.
• It has been designed as a premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems onboarding various platforms including ships, submarines and helicopters.
• It will be used for survey, sampling, and data collection of air, surface, mid-water, and reservoir floor parameters.
• It will fulfil the needs of data processing and sample analyses in modern and equipped scientific laboratories for Anti-Submarine Warfare research capabilities.
• The space consist of two different combinations – a platform that floats on the surface of the water, and a submersible platform that can be lowered to any depth up to 100 meters using a winch system.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Personality in News

10. World Economic Forum names Nykaa's Adwaita Nayar as a 2024 Young Global Leader.

• Adwaita Nayar, the co-founder of Nykaa and CEO of Nykaa Fashion, has been included in the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders Community.
• Nayar joined a group of 90 individuals from across the world for her work as a change-maker and entrepreneur.
• She is one of the world’s most powerful political and business leaders.
• She played a pivotal role in the inception of the company and in shaping it into a business.
• She led at Nykaa in dealing with the complexities of fundraising, marketing and operations.
• The World Economic Forum’s Forum of Young Global Leaders aims to celebrate change-makers under 40 years old and help to devise solutions to the world’s problems.

Topic: Banking System

11. Bank of Baroda World App has been banned by RBI.

• Strict measures have reportedly been proposed by the Finance Ministry to protect citizens from cyber fraud.
• These measures came after a rise in incidents including the recent Bank of Baroda World App scam.
• These measures are considered part of a broader national effort to combat cybercrime.
• Only in 2023, more than 1.1 million cyber fraud cases amounting to Rs 7,488.63 crore ($8.9 billion) were recorded by India's National Crime Records Bureau.
• To deal with this growing threat, the Home Ministry established the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C).
• To combat all types of cybercrime, this central agency coordinates efforts across the country.
• The ministry has called for stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) processes and more thorough due diligence by banks and financial institutions while onboarding new merchants.
• The proposal emphasizes the need for better data security and data protection practices at the merchant and BC levels.
• In October 2023, state-owned Bank of Baroda was barred from onboarding new customers on its mobile app 'BoB World' following material supervisory concerns by the RBI.

Topic: Important Days

12. World Hemophilia Day 2024: 17 April

• Every year on 17 April, World Hemophilia Day is observed.
• World Hemophilia Day was started by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WHF) and.
• The day was first celebrated in 1989 and 17th April was selected to mark the birth anniversary of Frank Schnabel, the founder of WHF.
• The day aims at raising awareness about hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.
• The theme of World Hemophilia Day 2024 is 'Equitable access for all: recognizing all bleeding disorders'.
• Hemophilia:
  • It is a genetic bleeding disorder in which clotting of blood does not occur properly which can lead to spontaneous bleeding.
  • The gene for hemophilia is carried on the X chromosome.
  • There are two main types of Hemophilia- Hemophilia A (occurs due to low amounts of clotting factor VIII) and Hemophilia B (occurs due to low levels of clotting factor IX).

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

13. Nigeria has rolled out the world's first vaccine against meningitis.

• Nigeria has become the first country to introduce a novel vaccine, Men5CV. It is endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• This vaccine will provide protection against five strains (A, C, W, Y, and X) of meningococcus bacteria.
• Meningitis is caused due to the meningococcus bacteria. It is a significant threat in Africa.
• Meningitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. It can impact brain and can cause hearing loss and learning disabilities.
• Fever, Headache, Neck stiffness, and Sensitivity to light are the Symptoms of meningitis.
• As per the World Health Organization (WHO), reported cases of meningitis across Africa increased by 50 percent last year.
• Nigeria encountered a meningitis outbreak between October 1, 2023, and March 11, 2024.

Topic: Space and IT

14. India aims to achieve debris-free space missions by 2030.

• ISRO chairman S Somanath announced that the country aims to achieve debris-free space missions by 2030.
• ISRO has a clearly laid-out plan for space exploration. The main aim of the initiative is to achieve debris-free space missions by 2030.
• Presently, India has 54 spacecraft in orbit, and many non-functional objects.
• Isro had brought several old satellites and fourth stage of PSLV rockets back to the Earth through the deorbiting process as part of its zero orbital debris mission.
• India is also planning to set up its own space station 'Bharatiya Antriksh Station' by 2035.