Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 August 2022

Topic: Space and IT

1. NASA’s James Webb telescope has captured incredible images of Jupiter.

• The images have been taken with the observatory's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam).
• The new infrared images show Jupiter in a new blueish hue, with giant storms, auroras, and regions of extreme temperature.
• The rings, tiny satellites, and moons of Jupiter can be seen in the images.
• The James Webb telescope collects information in form of bits with the help of light detectors, and these bits are then processed and compiled to form images.
• Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. The mass of Jupiter is about 318 times that of our Earth, and it has a large number of satellites and rings around it.
• James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s largest and most powerful. It was launched by NASA from French Guiana from the European Ariane rocket.

Topic: Defense

2. DRDO and the Indian Navy successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed VL-SRSAM off the coast of Odisha.

• The indigenously developed Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) has been launched from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
• The flight test was carried out from an Indian Naval ship against a high-speed unmanned aerial vehicle.
• The VL-SRSAM equipped with indigenous radio frequency intercepted the target with high accuracy.
• The launch has been monitored by senior scientists from various DRDO labs, such as Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), and Research Centre Imarat (RCI).
• VL-SRSAM will strengthen the capability of the Indian Navy to neutralize various aerial threats.

Topic: National News

3. Government to launch the E-Passport by the end of this year or early next year.

• Electronic passports embedded with a chip will be rolled out by the end of 2022 or early next year.
• The chip will carry the details of the passport holder in electronic form.
• It will follow the norms of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
• It will upgrade the security of Indian passports and enable machine reading.
• The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and embedded antenna will help officials in verifying details quickly.
• The main purpose of issuing E-Passport is to reduce the circulation of fake passports by enhancing security.
• More than 100 countries are issuing e-passports.

Topic: Books and Author

4. The book 'New India' has been released by Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

• The book, titled "New India," is a compilation of selected articles of former Union Minister and Padma Vibhushan Arun Jaitley, released on his death anniversary in New Delhi. 
• Mr. Naidu said Shri Jaitley had dreamed of a New India, a strong, stable, prosperous, peaceful, and forward-looking India.
• He said, Shri Jaitley had a dream of making India a progressive nation, where there is no poverty, no urban-rural divide and no gender and social discrimination.

(Source: News on Air)

Topic: Summit/ Conference/Meeting

5. India Clean Air Summit 2022 started on 23rd August in Bengaluru.

• The 4th edition of the India Clean Air Summit (ICAS) kicked off in Bengaluru with global experts to discuss resolving air pollution and climate change issues.
• The summit will continue until August 26 at the city's Radisson Blu Atria on Palace Road.
• Think-tanks Centre for Air Pollution Studies (CAPS), and the Centre for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy (CSTEP have organized the summit.
• At the four-day event, policymakers, scientists, technologists, and those impacted by climate change will share their experiences and statistics and, hopefully, come up with solutions.
• During this four-day conference, India's shift to renewable energy sources, efforts to improve the National Clean Air Programme, and building partnerships with different communities to implement on-ground solutions to be discussed.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

6. Pulitzer Prize 2022 for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category will be awarded to Fahmida Azim.

• Bangladesh-born Fahmida is a journalist who works for the online magazine Insider in the United States.
• Fahmida Azeem, and four Insider magazine journalists—Anthony Dale Col, Josh Adams, and Walt Hickey were selected to work on the persecution of Uyghurs in China.
• Fahmida Azim has illustrated the work 'I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp.'
• Her work focuses on themes of identity, culture, and autonomy.
• Her works have been published in many international magazines like NPR, Glamour, Scientific American, The Intercept, Vice, and The New York Times.
• Pulitzer Prizes were started by Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian-American journalist. They were first awarded in 1917. 

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. Tripartite Agreement signed under Bharatmala Pariyojna for Development of Modern Multi Modal Logistics Parks.

• In the presence of the Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, and Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V K Singh signed a tripartite agreement.
• The agreement has been signed for the rapid development of modern Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) under the Bharatmala project across the country.
• It aims to centralize freight consolidation and bring down the cost of logistics from 14 percent to 10 percent of GDP at par with international standards.
• National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) signed the tripartite agreement.
• The MMLP will be a freight transport facility with access by rail and road, consisting of container terminals, cargo terminals (bulk, break-bulk), warehouses, cold storage, and other associated facilities.
• In addition, value-added services like customs clearance, quarantine zones, testing facilities and warehousing management services, etc. are included.
• The MMLP will integrate multiple modes of freight transport via highways, railways, and inland waterways, developed under the 'Hub & Spoke' model.
• NHLML is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, while IWAI is a Statutory Authority under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
• RVNL is a wholly owned Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Railways.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

8. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the National Health Authority sign an MoU.

• The MoU was signed to provide a comprehensive medical package to transgender people under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• Secretary Shri R. Subrahmanyam, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, and Dr. R.S. Sharma Chief executive officer of the National Health Authority signed the MoU.
• Under this medical health package linking the Smile scheme with the "Ayushman Bharat Yojana", a special "Ayushman Bharat TG Plus" card is being provided to the transgender society, under which more than 50 health facilities are being provided.
• All the Benefits will be provided free of cost.
• Each transgender person would receive 5 lakh rupees in medical coverage every year under this initiative.
• Existing AB PM-JAY packages and transgender-specific packages (Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) and treatment) have been compiled into a comprehensive package master for the transgender category.

Topic: State News/ Uttar Pradesh

9. UP government is planning to build India’s first education township.

• The Uttar Pradesh government has directed authorities to prepare a comprehensive action plan for setting up five education townships.
• The education township will be developed on the idea of 'Single Entry, Multiple Exit'.
• It will help provide high-quality education to the youth and teach them professional skills.
• It will also provide accommodation and many other facilities to students and teachers.
• The education township will cater to the needs of not only students from India but also students from African, Latin American and Central Asian countries.
• Skill development universities will be a unique feature of the education township. It will help in imparting different types of skills and training to youths.
• Prestigious government and private universities will also open their campus in the township.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

10. Government approved the amalgamation of Bharat Gas with BPCL.

• Bharat Gas Resources Ltd (BGRL) has been amalgamated with its parent company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL).
• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued a notification regarding it. The amalgamation became effective on 16 August.
• BGRL was incorporated in June 2018. Its main business is gas sourcing and retailing.
• It was set up to implement city gas distribution networks in different geographical areas.
• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) is a Maharatna oil refining and marketing company. Its headquarters are located in Mumbai.

Topic: Committees/ Commissions/Taskforces

11. Government’s committee on MSP discussed natural farming and crop diversification in its first meeting.

• Former Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal is heading the government’s committee on MSP. It has 26 members, including three members from Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM).
• During the meeting, members of the committee decided to form internal informal groups on three agendas.
• Members of the committee proposed programmes and plans for expanding the Indian natural farming system through value-chain development and research for future needs.
• They also recommended a systematic implementation of farmer-friendly alternative certification and marketing systems for natural farming processes and products.
• The committee also suggested the development of laboratories for international coordination on methods and organic certification of products for the development of natural farming.
• The government formed a committee on July 18, 2022, to give suggestions on Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and the autonomy of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
• It will also make recommendations for strengthening the agricultural marketing system as per the requirements.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

12. India signed headquarters agreement with Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

• The agreement has been signed by Amit Prothi, Director General, CDRI, and Noor Rahman Sheikh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs.
• This will allow CDRI to function internationally with all rights, immunities, and privileges as per the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947.
• It is a significant step for CDRI to become an international organization.
• In the last two years, CDRI has been recognized as an independent international organization by 31 countries and 8 international organizations.
• It will enable CDRI to fulfill its commitments and engagements on the resilience of infrastructure.
• It will help CDRI in working more closely with member Countries to resolve the challenges posed by climate change and to boost disaster-resilient infrastructure worldwide.
• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI):
  • It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23 September 2019 at the UN Climate Change Summit.
  • It is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks, financing mechanisms, the private sector, etc.
  • It is a voluntary organization that aims to promote disaster risk and climate-resilient new and existing infrastructure systems.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

13. India signed MoU with Iran for the smooth movement of seafarers.

• Union Minister of Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal and Iran’s Urban Development Minister Rostam Ghasemi signed the MoU during a bilateral meeting.
• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is on a three-day visit to Iran.
• The MoU will help in the movement of seafarers from both countries as per the provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers (STWC), 1978. The convention was the first to establish basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers on an international level.
• The Union Minister highlighted the role of the Chabahar Port for trade and commerce. He also commissioned six mobile harbour cranes in the Indian Ports Global Chabahar Free Trade Zone.
• The cooperation between India’s India Ports Global Private Limited and Iranian stakeholders will act as a catalyst to use the huge trade potential of the region.
• India and Iran are focusing on improving connectivity between South East Asia and Central Asia. Iran is a key country for India in the Gulf region.
• Iran:
  • It is located in western Asia.
  • Its capital and largest city is Tehran.
  • It shares land borders with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan.
  • Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei is the current supreme leader of Iran.
  • Ebrahim Raisi is the current President.

Topic: Personality in News

14. Lok Speaker Om Birla unveiled statues of Pandurang Khankhoje and Swami Vivekananda during his visit to Mexico.

• Lok Speaker Om Birla also attended the 65^th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Halifax, Canada.
• Pandurang Khankhoje:
  • He was a Maharashtra-born freedom fighter and agricultural scientist.
  • He was one of the founding members of the Ghadar Party.
  • He had a close connection with Mexico, where he sought asylum because of his association with the Indian Independence Ghadar Party.
  • He was a great admirer of the French Revolution and the American War of Independence.
  • He was appointed as a professor at the National School of Agriculture in Chapingo, Mexico.
  • He developed frost and drought-resistant varieties of crops.