Daily Current Affairs and GK | 29 and 30 October 2023

Topic: Space and IT

1. Reliance Jio tests satellite internet service in four remotest districts of India.

• Reliance Jio demonstrated JioSpaceFiber service in four remotest districts of India.
• Reliance Jio announced its tests at the India Mobile Congress (IMC).
• Reliance Jio is one of the two companies with a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license from the Department of Telecommunications.
• The other is Bharti Airtel Ltd and the United Kingdom government’s OneWeb joint venture.
• Jio said that satellite internet service would be affordable and it will boost internet connectivity where Jio Fiber is not reachable.
• The tests were conducted in Nabarangpur district in Odisha, Gir in Gujarat, Korba in Chhattisgarh, and Jorhat in Assam.
• Jio used satellite technology from SES S.A., a Luxembourg firm.
• Satellite Internet Service:
  • Satellite Broadband service is provided through communication satellites.
  • Internet service is provided to users through geostationary satellites that can offer relatively high data speeds.
  • New satellite internet constellations are being developed in low-earth orbit to provide internet service from space.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

2. Scientists in Brazil have developed a vaccine for cocaine.

• Brazil scientists developed a new vaccine named Calixcoca for cocaine addiction.
• “Calixcoca,” the test vaccine, has shown promising results in trials on animals.
• It shows an immune response that blocks cocaine and it prevents cocaine from reaching to brain. It will help in breaking the cycle of addiction.
• Calixcoca vaccines have produced significant levels of antibodies against cocaine with few side effects.
• If the treatment gets approval then it will be the first time that cocaine addiction will be treated with a vaccine.
• The vaccine is now set to enter the final stage of trials i. e. trials on humans.
• This project has received a prize of 500,000 euros at the Euro Health Innovation Awards.
• Similar studies have been carried out in the United States but they stopped the clinical trials after didn’t get sufficient results.

Topic: Defence

3. Exercise Kazind 2023 started between India and Kazakhstan on 30 October in Ottar, Kazakhstan.

• To participate in this, a team of 120 members of the Indian Army and Air Force had left for Kazakhstan on 29 October.
• This exercise will continue till 11th November next month.
• The Indian Army squad includes 90 soldiers of the battalion of Dogra Regiment.
• Whereas Kazakhstan's squad includes soldiers from the Southern Regional Command of the Kazakh Ground Force.
• Apart from the military contingent, thirty each from the Air Force of both countries are also participating in this exercise.
• In 2016, India and Kazakhstan instituted this Joint Exercise as ‘Exercise PRABAL DOSTYK’.
• After the second edition, it was renamed 'Exercise Kazind' and the exercise was upgraded to a company-level exercise.
• This year the exercise has been upgraded to a bi-service exercise by including the Air Force component.
• This year, in the exercise, both countries will practice anti-terrorist operations as per the orders of the United Nations.
• The troops will jointly practice various tactical exercises including raids, search and destroy operations, small team entry and extraction operations.
• Apart from this, the operation of drones will also be practised.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

4. Actor Matthew Perry passed away at the age of 54.

• On 28 October, Actor Matthew Perry died by drowning in a hot tub.
• Perry was best known for his longtime role in American television "Friends" as Chandler, which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.
• He had won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for the role.
• Perry was co-creator, co-writer, and executive producer.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: International News

5. India’s Eminent technology experts have been named to the new AI advisory body announced by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

• The Indian experts have been named to a new global advisory body to support the international community’s efforts to govern artificial intelligence.
• On October 26, the UN Chief announced the High-Level Multistakeholder Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence.
• It brings together experts from the government, the private sector, the research community, civil society, and academia.
• It is focused on building a global scientific consensus on risks and challenges, helping harness AI for the Sustainable Development Goals, and strengthening international cooperation on AI governance, a statement said.
• Members of the advisory body include Amandeep Singh Gill, the Secretary-General's envoy on technology.
• It also includes Sharad Sharma, co-founder of iSPIRT Foundation, and Nazneen Rajani, lead researcher at Hugging Face, India.
• The formation of the AI Advisory Body is an important step in the UN's efforts to address issues in the international governance of artificial intelligence.
• The new initiative will promote a globally inclusive approach, leveraging the unique convening power of the United Nations as a universal and inclusive forum on critical challenges.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

6. A study said that developed countries will exceed carbon emission targets.

• Ahead of a major global climate summit, an analysis shows developed countries are responsible for three-quarters of current carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
• According to the current trajectory, they will emit 38% more carbon in 2030 than its commitment.
• In fact, according to a study published last week by the Delhi-based think tank Council for Energy Environment and Water (CEEW), 83% of this overshoot will be attributable to the United States, Russia, and the European Union.
• The 28th Conference of Parties (COP-28) will be conducted by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai in November and December.
• The countries are expected to account for their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are their commitments to the United Nations on emissions reductions.
• As per the CEEW study, developed countries' NDCs for 2030 collectively represent a 36% reduction in emissions from their 2019 levels.
• This is less than the global average of 43% that is needed to survive the 1.5°C target.
• Collectively, developed countries were to reduce emissions by 5% below their 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012, and by 18% from 2013 to 2020.
• Although these countries apparently kept their promise and cut emissions by 20%, in reality, a significant portion of the reduction was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topic: Important Days

7. Birth anniversary of Homi Jehangir Bhabha: 30 October

• Homi Jehangir Bhabha is also called the father of the Indian nuclear program.
• He was born on 30 October 1909 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, (now Mumbai, Maharashtra).
• He was awarded the Adams Prize in 1942. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1954.
• He was the founding director of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
• He was also the founding director of the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay. It is now called the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.
• He was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1951 and 1953-1956.
• He received his doctorate in nuclear physics in January 1933 after publishing his first scientific paper-“The Absorption of Cosmic Radiation”.
• He died on 24 January 1966 when Air India Flight 101 crashed near Mont Blanc.

Topic: Personality in News

8. Professor Saleemul Huq passed away in Dhaka.

• He was an eminent climate change expert and director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development.
• He was a Professor at the Independent University of Bangladesh.
• He was a lead author of the 3rd, 4th and 5th assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• He was affiliated with the UN Food System Summit for 2021 in the form of co-chair of the Action Track 5 on Building Resilience to Vulnerabilities, Shocks & Stress.
• He was a Senior Adviser on Locally Led Adaptation with the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA). Global Centre on Adaptation is headquartered in the Netherlands.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. PM Modi will launch a nationwide platform 'Mera Yuva Bharat' on Oct 31.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the 'Mera Yuva Bharat' platform on 31 October, which is the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• The 'Mera Yuva Bharat' platform will provide a new opportunity for youths to play an active role in various nation-building events.
• It is a unique platform to integrate the youth power of India in building a developed India.
• It will help in developing leadership skills among youth to make them social innovators and leaders in the communities.
• The youth in the age group of 15 to 29 years will get the benefits of this platform.
• Mera Yuva Bharat's website My Bharat will be also launched very soon.

Topic: State News/ Mizoram

10. Mizoram has the highest rate of cancer in India.

• According to a study, Mizoram has the highest incidence rate of cancer in India.
• Stomach cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths among men. In Women, lung cancer is the most common.
• Among the younger generation in Mizoram, cancer cases and mortality is growing.
• ‘Cancer awareness, diagnosis and treatment needs in Mizoram, India: evidence from 18 years trends (2003–2020)’ paper was recently published in The Lancet Regional Health — Southeast Asia.
• Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common types of cancer in men.
• Breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid cancer are the most common cancer among women.
• Cancer incidence and mortality data have been extracted from the Mizoram Population-Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) of the years 2003–2020.
• Lymphoid leukaemia (boys: 29.2% and girls: 24.2%) is the most prevalent among children of 0-14 years.

Topic: National News

11. 15th Tribal Youth Exchange Program has been inaugurated in Mumbai.

• The inaugural programme of the Tribal Youth Exchange Program was held at Mumbai University.
• The 15th Tribal Youth Exchange Program will be organized from 28th October to 2nd November.
• The programme’s main aim is to generate curiosity among the tribal youth and to encourage them to become part of mainstream development.
• It gave opportunity to tribal people to share their knowledge and intelligence among their community and peer group.
• 220 participants are participating in this progamme and participants will also get a chance to visit Vidhan Bhawan on 31st October.
• Participants will also visit the National Museum of Indian Cinema, Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Juhu Beach, and other famous places.
• The participants have come from tribal districts like Gumla, Khunti, Latehar, Seraikela-Kharsawan districts of Jharkhand state, Visakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh, and bhadradari district from Telengana state, and Jamui, Lakhisarai district of Bihar.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

12. India won historic 111 medals in the Para Asian Games 2023.

• India finished the Para Asian Games 2023 in fifth position with a record haul of 111 medals.
• India won 29 Gold, 31 Silver and 51 bronze medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
• Seven medals came from chess, four from athletics and one from rowing.
• China with 521 medals including 214 Gold, 167 silver and 140 bronze topped the medal tally.
• Iran and Japan won 131 medals and 150 medals respectively. Korea ended the tournament in fourth spot with 103 medals.
• This year, India sent its largest contingent, consisting of 303 athletes (191 male & 112 female).
• India competed in 17 out of 22 events and competed for the first time in rowing, canoeing, lawn bowl, taekwondo and blind football.
• This is the highest number of medals won by India in any major multisport event. Para Athletes surpassed the 107 medals record won at the Asian Games 2023.
• India had won 14 medals in the 2010 edition, 33 in 2014 and 72 in 2018. 
• Earlier, India surpassed the 100-medals mark at a major multisport meet was the 101 medals won at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010. 

 Topic: Agriculture and allied sectors

13. Government imposed a minimum export price of $800 per tonne on onion till Dec 31.

• The Government has decided to impose a minimum export price (MEP) of $ 800 per tonne on onion exports. This decision will come into effect from 29 October.
• Government has also announced the procurement of an additional 2 lakh tonnes of onion for the buffer.
• In the retail market, Onion prices have further risen to ₹65-80 per kilogramme.
• The MEP is there for all varieties of onions except Bangalore Rose and Krishnapuram onions.
• The DGFT notification added that certain onion consignments will be allowed to be exported without MEP.

Topic: International News

14. Competition Commission of India (CCI) becomes a member of the International Competition Network (ICN).

• Competition Commission of India (CCI) becomes a member of the prestigious 18-member steering committee of the International Competition Network (ICN).
• The steering committee is the apex body of the International Competition Network (ICN).
• The International Competition Network comprises 140 competition agencies.
• This is the first time that the CCI has become a member of the ICN's steering group and the membership is for two years.
• International Competition Network (ICN):
  • It was established in 2001.
  • It is an informal, virtual network that seeks to facilitate cooperation between competition law authorities globally. 
  • It is currently headed by Andreas Mundt of Germany.
• Competition Commission of India (CCI):
  • CCI was formed on 14 October 2003 under the Competition Commission Act, 2002.
  • It aims to eliminate practices that affect competition in the Indian market and protect the interests of the consumers.
  • CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6 members appointed by the Central Government.