Daily Current Affairs and GK | 9 January 2024

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

1. Artificial Intelligence will be used in detecting cancer.

• Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), India’s biggest cancer hospital, has started using Artificial Intelligence in the treatment of cancer.
• The hospital is utilising deep learning to create a cancer-specific algorithm that will help in early-stage cancer detection. It has incorporated data from 60,000 patients into the biobank.
• The main aim of this project is to create a repository comprising radiology and pathology images, outcome data, treatment specifics, and additional metadata.
• The multi-institutional project is funded by the Department of Biotechnology in association with IIT-Bombay, RGCIRC-New Delhi, AIIMS-New Delhi, and PGIMER-Chandigarh.
• This has been designed for the training, validation, and rigorous testing of AI algorithms.
• AI plays a key role in cancer detection by emulating the human brain’s information processing.
• To recognize unique features of various cancers, AI analyses radiological and pathological images.
• The creation of a tumour image bank includes segmenting and annotating images, outlining tumours, identifying different features, etc.
• This will help TMH to develop algorithms for different tumours and treatment responses will be assessed directly from images.

Topic: State News/Madhya Pradesh

2. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated Prasadam in Ujjain.

• Prasadam is India’s first healthy & hygienic food street. It is located at Neelkanth Van, Mahakal Lok, in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
• Prasadam is spread over an area of 939 square metres with a total number of 17 shops.
• It offers dining options for the 1-1.5 lakh devotees who visit the Mahakaleshwar Temple daily.
• It provides various facilities including drinking water facility, a kids’ play area, CCTV surveillance, public conveniences and seating spaces.
• Union Minister said Prasadam will connect common citizens in the country with pure and safe local and traditional food.
• He explored the vibrant stalls at the Eat Right Millets Melas.

Topic: Art and Culture

3. International Purple Fest 2024 started on 08 January 2024 in Goa.

• It is a global celebration of inclusivity and empowerment.
• It is organized by the State Commissioner’s Office for Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with the Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Goa.
• It is supported by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
• Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, served as the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony.
• Shri. Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, was the Guest of Honour.
• The objective of the festival is to showcase the talent of persons with disabilities through attractive performances in music, dance and entertainment during the inaugural ceremony.
• The performance of "Dhumal," the Purple Anthem, was the highlight of the Opening Ceremony.

Topic: Important Days

4. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: 09 January

• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated every year on 9th January.
• This day marks the contribution of the Overseas Indian community to the development of India.
• The day marks the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India South Africa in 1915.
• The inaugural Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was observed in 2003.
• From 2003 till 2015, the PBD Convention was held every year. After 2015, its format was changed to once in two years.
• The 17th PBD Convention was held at Indore in Madhya Pradesh in 2023.
• The theme of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023 was "Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India's Progress in Amrit Kaal".

Topic: India and Its Neighbours

5. India topped the list of source markets for tourism in Sri Lanka in 2023.

• In 2023, 1.487 million tourists reached to Sri Lanka, with India contributing more than 20%.
• Overall, more than 3 lakh Indian tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2023, followed by Russia, with a contribution of 1.97 lakh.
• Tourism occupies an important place in the Sri Lankan economy as the top foreign revenue source.
• Tourism contributed US$2.1 billion, up from US$1.1 billion achieved the previous year.
• With the resumption of air travel between Jaffna and Chennai in December 2022, connectivity between the two countries has improved compared to last year.
• Additionally, connectivity between Colombo and Mumbai has also improved with daily flights operating in the sector.
• Additionally, the commencement of ferry services between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai has also boosted the connectivity between the two countries.

(Source: DD News)

Topic: Defence

6. DRDO's anti-drone technology is ready, which is handed over to BEL and private companies.

• The counter-drone system developed by the DRDO is ready for production and has been demonstrated to the armed services and other internal security agencies with some orders already placed.
• DRDO is now focusing on high-end unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), while the industry has the capacity for smaller drones.
• DRDO is creating drone-based systems and anti-drone systems based on the requirements of user agencies.
• DRDO has developed a comprehensive integrated anti-drone system that includes the detection, identification, and neutralization of drones.
• The three services have already placed 23 orders with BEL for the technology developed by DRDO.
• Transfer of Technology (TOT) for the above technologies has been handed over to private industries, including BEL, Adani, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and ICOM.
• This technology is capable of countering all types of drone attacks, soft kill, and hard kill, including micro drones, which are being developed in DRDO.
• In addition, Tapas Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV developed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) applications is in the advanced stage of developmental trials.
• Archer, a short-range armed UAV for reconnaissance, surveillance, and low-intensity conflict, is being developed and developmental flight tests are in progress.

Topic: State News/Gujarat

7. India’s biggest global trade show will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar.

• It is scheduled to take place one day before the 2024 Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
• On January 9, 2024, at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, the PM is scheduled to have bilateral discussions with world leaders, including the presidents of Timor Leste and Mozambique.
• A road show led by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin outside the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on the evening of 9 January 2024.
• On January 10, 2024, he will inaugurate the tenth Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar's Mahatma Mandir.
• Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show is India’s largest-ever Global Trade Show. It is spread across an area of two lakh square meters.
• 100 countries will take part in the trade show as visiting countries. 33 countries will join as partners.
• Over 1,000 exhibitors in the research sector representing 20 countries will take part in the trade show.
• Nearly 450 MSME units will also take part in the Trade show. The trade show will feature 13 halls dedicated to various themes.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Reports and Indices

8. According to the SBI Research report, individual income inequality in India has significantly declined in the past 8 years.

• As per an economic research report released by the State Bank of India, individual income inequality in India has substantially decreased between the financial years 2013-2014 and 2021-2022.
• As per the study, the reason for the reduction is significant movement within the income categories at the lower end of the economic pyramid.
• The report is brought out by the Economic Research Department of SBI.
• As per the report, income inequality measured through the Gini coefficient of taxable income has reduced significantly from 0.472 to 0.402 during the financial years 2013-14 and 2021-22.
• As per the report, 36.3% of taxpayers have migrated from lower income to higher income tax bucket.
• The report shows that the top 2.5% of taxpayer’s income contribution has declined from 2.81% to 2.28% during financial years 2013-2014 and 2021-2022.
• The report reveals that the income disparity of people earning less than 3.5 lakhs rupees has declined from 31.8% to 15.8% during financial years 2013-2014 and 2021-2022.
• This means that the percentage of this income group in the overall income has climbed by 16 percent relative to the population.

Topic: Defence

9. For the first time, IAF C-130 with Garud commandos landed at Kargil ALG at night.

• Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130 Super Hercules tactical transport aircraft along with Garud Special Forces landed at the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Kargil.
• This is the first time that an IAF C-130 J aircraft made a landing at the Kargil airstrip at night.
• Earlier, this transport aircraft had made a landing during the day at this place.
• The ALG is located at an altitude of around 10,000 feet and is a restricted airstrip.
• The Kargil ALG is the only airstrip in this area and is strategically very important.
• In June 2009, the IAF took up a project to upgrade eight ALGs in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Garud Commando Force is the Special Forces unit of the Indian Air Force. It was formed in September 2004.

Topic: Personality in News

10. Franz Beckenbauer football player died at the age of 78 in Germany.

• Franz Beckenbauer was the greatest football player of all time.  He is known as “the Kaiser” meaning “the Emperor” in Germany.
• He played a critical role in some of Germany’s greatest sporting achievements.
• He was part of the team that had won the 1972 European championship and then the World Cup on home soil.
• During the mid-1970s, Franz Beckenbauer's Bayern Munich team was the best club side in the world.
• He was twice named European Footballer of the Year.
• He last appeared at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena in August 2022.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Day

11. Earth's Rotation Day 2024: 8 January

• Earth's Rotation Day is celebrated every year on 8 January.
• It is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the demonstration by French physicist Léon Foucault of the Earth's rotation on its axis.
• In 1851, Earth's rotation on its axis was accomplished by Foucault through an experiment using a pendulum, known as the Foucault Pendulum.
• The oscillating plane of the pendulum rotates with time, a phenomenon that can only be explained by the Earth rotating beneath it.
• In 470 BC, the Greeks claimed that the earth rotates on its own back.
• Earth Rotation Day is significant because it commemorates a major scientific discovery that provided clear, observable evidence of the Earth's rotation.

Topic: Sports

12. Indian shooters won the gold medal at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta.

• On January 8, Indian shooters made a great start to their campaign at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta, Indonesia by winning the gold medal in the men's 10m air pistol team event.
• The Indian team of Varun Tomar, Arjun Singh Cheema, and Ujjwal Malik secured the top position with a total score of 1740.
• While Iran won the silver medal, Korea won the bronze medal. Varun and Arjun have also made it to the individual finals.
• A total of 16 quota places are available for the Paris Olympics in the continental showpiece.
• There are four quotas and a maximum of three quotas available for Indian shooters in the men's and women's 10-meter air pistol events.
• As many as 385 athletes from 26 countries will take aim at the Senayan Shooting Range in Jakarta for 256 medals (84 gold, 84 silver, and 88 bronze medals), besides the Paris quotas.
• India has already won 13 Olympic quota places in shooting across rifle, pistol, and shotgun events.
• While all the quota places have been secured in rifles, a total of three quota places have been secured in pistols.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Corporates/Companies

13. ONGC starts oil production from its deep-sea project in the Krishna Godavari basin.

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has started oil production from its deep-sea project in the Krishna Godavari basin in the Bay of Bengal.
• ONGC has started producing from the Cluster-2 project in the KG-DWN-98/2 block. It will slowly increase output.
• Around 45 thousand barrels per day and more than 10 million standard cubic metres per day of gas will be produced.
• This project will add 7 per cent to current national oil production and 7 per cent to national Natural Gas production.
• This project is located nearly 35 kilometres off the coast of Andhra Pradesh at a depth of 300-3,200 metres.
• The discoveries in the block are divided into three clusters -- Cluster 1, 2 and 3. Cluster 2 is being put into production first.
• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation:
  • It was formed in 1956. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
  • It comes under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
  • Arun Kumar Singh is the Chairman & CEO of ONGC.
  • It was conferred the Maharatna status in 2010.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

14. As per a study, Chennai is the best city for women in India.

• In terms of inclusivity and conduciveness to working women, Chennai has emerged as the top Indian city for women in 2023.
• This study is based on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) firm Avtar Group’s Top Cities for Women in India (TCWI) 2023.
• The study ranked 111 cities based on social and industrial inclusion parameters towards nurturing a conducive ecosystem.
• Tamil Nadu cities topped in both categories- 49 cities in the million-plus population category and 64 cities in the less than a million-population category.
• Chennai topped the million-plus category and Tiruchirappalli emerged in the first spot in the less than a million category.
• The study has ranked cities based on a City Inclusion Score (CIS). The parameter is a composite of the three pillars Social Inclusion Score (SIS).
• Among 'category 1" cities with a population of more than one million, Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, Coimbatore and Madurai are the top 10 cities for women.
• Trichy, Vellore, Erode, Salem, Tirupur, Puducherry, Shimla, Manglore, Thiruvananthapuram and Belagavi emerged as the top 10 cities in category 2 cities with a population of less than one million.
• The TCWI study showed that Delhi has a CIS average of 21.59 which is less than Chennai’s 48.42.