Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 and 26 August 2024

Topic: Space and IT

1. IIA astronomers found a new way to find out more of the sun’s secrets.

• Astronomers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have found new ways to go deeper into the sun’s secrets by studying the magnetic field of the solar atmosphere.
• The astronomers used data from IIA’s Kodaikanal Tower Tunnel Telescope.
• The solar atmosphere is composed of various layers interconnected through magnetic fields.
• The magnetic field acts as a conduit to transfer energy and mass from the inner layers to the outer layers. It is known as the coronal heating problem.
• Measurements of magnetic fields at different heights of the solar atmosphere are important to understand the physical mechanism of the solar atmosphere.

Topic: State News/Telangana

2. Telangana government will establish a sports university next academic year.

• Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced this recently.
• The aim of the sports university will be to produce sports people who can win Olympic medals.
• Telangana CM announced Sports University would bring in international coaches to provide training to the athletes.
• The CM was addressing concluding function of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 10 kilometre and 5 kilometre run at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.
• He said Young India Sports University was planned on the lines of Young India Skills University.
• Young India Skills University was set up recently to provide skills to youth in various sectors. 
• He said he visited the Korean National Sports University in Seoul during his recent visit to South Korea.
• Korean National Sports University produced Olympic medal-winning athletes.
• A deal was made with South Korean Sports University to establish a sports university in Hyderabad.

Topic: Sports

3. India secured a silver medal at the Maruhaba Cup at Asian Surfing Championships 2024 at Thulusdhoo, Maldives.

• Japan won the gold medal in the final at the Maruhaba Cup at Asian Surfing Championships 2024.
• Taipei and China came at third and fourth place, respectively.
• Earlier, the Indian team secured first place in the Heat 2 semi-final with a total score of 32.16.
• This team consisted of Kamali P, Ajeesh Ali, Srikanth D and Sanjay Selvamani.
• Taipei followed in second place while the Republic of Korea finished third in the same semi-final.
• India won silver medal a day after winning their first-ever quota in surfing for the Asian Games.
• The third edition of the Asian Surfing Championships, held in Thulusdhoo, is a qualifying event for the 2026 Asian Games.
• Indian men’s and women’s surfing teams will now compete at the Asian Games 2026.
• Asian Games 2026 is to be hosted in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan.
• At the Asian Surfing Championships, Harish Muthu had a significant impact as well.
• He made history by being the first Indian to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Asian Surfing Championships 2024 in the men’s open event. He could not make the semi-finals.

Topic: National News

4. Sapno Ki Udaan has been released by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

• Sapno Ki Udaan is an e-magazine that has been released on the occasion of National Space Day (23 August).
• Sapno Ki Udaan is a mix of poetry, essays, stories, anecdotes, and riddles.
• These have been contributed by students, teachers, and parents from around India. The current theme of the magazine is space.
• This e-magazine has been released by the Department of School Education and Literacy, in collaboration with NCERT.
• This has been released to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar South Pole.

Topic: Summit/Conference/Meeting

5. On August 26, the 2^nd India-Singapore Ministerial Round Table Conference held in Singapore.

• The 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Round Table Conference (ISMR) aims to further strengthen trade and economic relations between the two countries.
• Four Union ministers, including Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, S. Jaishankar, and Ashwini Vaishnaw, attended the meeting.
• During their visit, the Minister held interactions with Singaporean counterparts and leadership.
• ISMR is a unique mechanism established to set a new agenda for India-Singapore bilateral relations.
• In September 2022, its inaugural meeting was held in New Delhi.
• This second meeting enabled the two sides to review various aspects of their strategic partnership and identify new opportunities to further expand and broaden it.
• In 2023-24, Singapore was the largest source of these flows, investing $11.77 billion in Indian markets.
• The cumulative inflow of FDI from Singapore from April 2000 to March 2024 stood at $159.94 billion.
• In bilateral trade, Singapore was India's sixth largest global trading partner in 2023-24.
• During this, the total trade was $35.61 billion, accounting for about 29% of India's total trade with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. The scheme ‘Vigyan Dhara’ of the Department of Science and Technology was approved by the Union Cabinet.

• On August 24, the Union Cabinet approved the continuation of three major schemes.
• They have been merged into the integrated Central Sector Scheme ‘Vigyan Dhara’ of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• The scheme has three broad components:
  • Science and Technology (S&T) Institutional and Human Capacity Building,
  • Research and Development and
  • Innovation, Technology Development and Deployment.
• The proposed outlay for implementation of the integrated scheme ‘Vigyan Dhara’ during the 15th Finance Commission period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 is ₹ 10,579.84 crore.
• Merging of the three schemes into a single scheme will improve efficiency regarding fund utilization and coordination between various sub-schemes/programs.
• The 'Vigyan Dhara' scheme aims to enhance research, innovation, and technology development while building capacity in the S&T sector to strengthen the country's science and technology ecosystem.
• It focuses on basic research through international mega facilities, applied research in sustainable fields, and collaborative research through global partnerships.
• All the programs proposed under the ‘Vigyan Dhara’ scheme will be in line with the 5-year goals of the Department of Science and Technology towards realizing the vision of Developed India 2047.
• The Department of Science and Technology acts as the nodal department for organising, coordinating and promoting science and technology related activities in the country.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

7. On 24 August 2024, Union Cabinet approved the Unified Pension Scheme for government employees.

• For a minimum qualifying service of 25 years, the scheme guarantees 50% of average basic pay drawn over the final twelve months prior to superannuation.
• The scheme ensures that, in the case of the employee's death, their family will get 60% of their pension.
• After at least ten years of service, a basic pension of at least 10,000 rupees per month will be guaranteed upon superannuation.
• Assured pensions, guaranteed family pensions, and guaranteed minimum pensions are all subject to inflation indexation.
• As in case of serving personnel, there will be dearness relief based on the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers.
• In addition to the gratuity, there will be a lump sum payment at superannuation.
• The scheme will be effective from 1st April 2025. Additionally, the state governments will have the option to use the Unified Pension Scheme.
• Employees of the central government would be able to select between UPS and the National Pension Scheme (NPS).
• Current NPS subscribers of the central government will also have the choice to move to UPS.
• Employees of the government hired on or after April 1, 2004, are covered by the NPS.
• The NPS is based on a contribution model as opposed to the defined benefit plan that is accessible to workers hired prior to this date.
• A committee was formed led by Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan to address the issues around new pension scheme.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

8. Union Cabinet approved BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy.

• The BioE3    Policy is a proposal of the Department of Biotechnology.
• The BioE3    Policy is a policy for fostering high performance biomanufacturing.
• Its salient features include innovation-driven support to R&D and entrepreneurship across thematic sectors.
• This will accelerate technology commercialization and development by setting up Biomanufacturing & Bio-AI hubs and Biofoundry.
• This policy will prioritize regenerative bioeconomy models of green growth and facilitate expansion of India’s skilled workforce.
• Government’s initiatives like ‘Net Zero’ carbon economy & ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ will be strengthened by this policy.
• The BioE3 Policy will foster and advance sustainable future.
• High performance biomanufacturing refers to the ability to make products from medicine to materials.
• The BioE3 Policy would focus on the following thematic sectors.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

9. MedTech Zone has launched India’s first indigenously developed monkeypox RT-PCR kit.

• Andhra Pradesh-based MedTech Zone (AMTZ) has launched India’s first indigenously developed ‘ErbaMDx MonkeyPox RT-PCR Kit’.
• It was developed in partnership with Transasia Diagnostics Private Limited.
• This kit has received validation from the Indian Council for Medical Research and received emergency authorization from Central Drugs Standard Control Organization.
• The Transasia-Erba monkeypox RT-PCR kit is very sensitive.
• This kit would help in early detection and better management of the infection.
• Monkeypox (MPX) is a viral zoonotic disease whose symptoms are similar to smallpox.
• This disease is called monkeypox as it was first found in colonies of monkeys in 1958 and was later found in humans in 1970.
• The disease can transfer from animal to human through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animals.

Topic: Indian Economy

10. Goldman Sachs Group has lowered India’s growth forecast by 20 basis points.

• Goldman Sachs Group projected that the Indian economy will expand at 6.7% in 2024 and 6.4% in 2025.
• India’s growth will get hampered by India’s commitment to bring down the fiscal deficit below 4.5% of GDP.
• Expansion will also face difficulty from slower real consumption growth.
• Household credit will slow due to the Reserve Bank of India’s stricter rules to control unsecured lending by banks.

Topic: International News

11. Australia's 'right to disconnect' law is about to come into force.

• From August 26, Australian workers will have the right to ignore their bosses outside of work hours, as a new law includes a “right to disconnect”.
• The law, passed in February, protects employees who refuse to monitor, read or respond to their employers' communications outside of work hours.
• Similar laws giving employees the right to turn off their mobile devices are already in place in France, Germany and other EU countries.
• When the law was passed by Parliament earlier this year, it was criticised by employers' groups, who said it was hastily drafted and had flaws.
• The law allows for certain circumstances where an employee’s right to refuse is unreasonable, depending on factors such as their role, the reason for the contact and how it was made.

Topic: Sports

12. Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement.

• Shikhar Dhawan, one of India's finest white-ball batsmen, has announced his retirement from all forms of international and domestic cricket.
• The left-handed batsman has played 37 Tests, 167 ODIs and 68 T20Is for Team India.
• Dhawan was also popularly known as Mr. ICC for his impressive batting figures in the ODI tournament.
• He has scored a total of 10,867 runs in international cricket, including 6793 runs in ODIs.
• Dhawan has scored 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries in ODIs.
• In his 222-match IPL career, Dhawan has amassed 6,769 runs and is a once-time championship winner with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016.
• In December 2022, he last played for India in the ODI series against Bangladesh.

Topic: State News/Odisha

13. Odisha government Subhadra Yojana to empower over 1 crore women.

• Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved Subhadra Yojana for women's empowerment.
• Women aged between 21 and 60 will be eligible for the Subhadra Yojana.
• A total of Rs 10,000 per annum will be paid in two instalments of Rs 5000 each on Rakhi Purnima Day and International Women's Day (March 8).
• An eligible woman beneficiary will get Rs 50,000 in total in five years.
• The payment will be made directly to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-enabled single-holder (DBT) bank account.
• A Subhadra Debit Card will also be issued to the beneficiaries.
• 100 beneficiaries with maximum digital transactions will be identified in each Gram Panchayat and Urban Local Body.
• Rs 500 will be given as an additional incentive to each of them.

Topic: Books and Author

14. Soumya Swaminathan released the autobiography of activist Kalpana Sankar.

• Soumya Swaminathan released a book titled ‘The Scientist Entrepreneur: Empowering Millions of Women’.
• It is an autobiography written by Kalpana Sankar.
• Swaady Martin, Chairperson and CEO of Yswara, received the first copy of this book.
• Dr. Soumya spoke about the significant role of NGOs in bridging the gap between the government and the community.