Daily Current Affairs and GK | 9 October 2024

Topic: Sports

1. Ministry of Youth Affairs and sports has released the draft of the National Sports Policy 2024 for public feedback.

• The Ministry of Youth Affairs released the draft of the National Sports Policy 2024 for public consultation.
• Its main aim is to promote sustainable growth in India's sports ecosystem and national development.
• National Sports Policy 2024 aims to make India a global sports powerhouse through collaboration between the government, sports federations, the private sector and the public sector.
• NSP 2024 aims to support previous initiatives such as the NSP 2001, the Khelo India Scheme and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
• This policy will focus on building a robust ecosystem that will nurture talent from grassroots to upper levels.
• It also aims to use sports for economic development by fostering growth in tourism, manufacturing and sports technology sectors.
•  It aims to make sports a viable career and will expand access to sports infrastructure.
• NSP 2024 is based on these key pillars, which are given below:
  • Targeting excellence on the global stage
  • Economic and social growth
  • Embedding sports in popular culture
  • Integrating sports with educational policy

Topic: Sports

2. India will host World Pickleball Championship series in Mumbai from November 12th to 17th, 2024.

• The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) will host the Championship series.
• The championship will be held for the first time in India in 2024.
• Approximately 650 players from 6 to 7 countries will also participate in the World Pickleball Championship series in India.
• The competition was previously held in Vietnam and Bali.
• Elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis are combined in the Pickleball, a rapidly growing sport.
• All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) is the governing body for pickleball in India. It was founded by Sunil Valavalkar in 2007.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

3. Ustad Allauddin Khan Festival started in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh on 08 October 2024.

• This (year 2024) is the golden jubilee year of this music festival.
• The three-day Ustad Allauddin Khan festival is being organized till October 10.
• It is being organized jointly by the Madhya Pradesh Culture Department, Ustad Allauddin Khan Music and Art Academy and Maihar District Administration.
• India’s well-known personalities will perform at the festival.
• Two exhibitions are also being organized on this occasion. The first exhibition is named ‘Devi’.
• In the first exhibition, there will be a collection of miniature paintings based on 108 names of Goddesses.
• Under the title ‘Tantu’, an exhibition focusing on string instruments is being organized.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

4. India took part in 44^th session of Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU).

• The 44th session of the CCNFSDU was held in Dresden, Germany from October 2 to October 6, 2024.
• India offered insightful information on dietary reference values for infants six to thirty-six months old.
• India offered its assistance in developing unified probiotic recommendations for meals and dietary supplements.
• During the Codex Meeting, India pushed for improved nutrient requirements and probiotic guidelines. India received global support.
• During the session, FAO/WHO announced plans for a Joint Statement on Healthy Diet Principles and shared updates on reviewing the benefits and risks of Alternative Animal Source Foods (A-ASFs).
• The session was chaired by Ms. Martine Püster, with Dr. Carolin Bendadani as co-chair.

Topic: National News

5. MACE, Asia's largest and world's highest Imaging Cherenkov Observatory inaugurated by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) at Hanle, Ladakh.

• On October 4, Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary DAE & Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, inaugurated  the Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh.
• MACE is Asia's largest imaging Cherenkov telescope. Located at an altitude of ~4,300 meters, it is also the highest telescope of its kind in the world.
• This telescope has been indigenously built by BARC in collaboration with ECIL and other Indian industry partners.
• The inauguration of the MACE Observatory was a part of the Platinum Jubilee Year celebrations of the Department of Atomic Energy.
• The MACE telescope will observe high-energy gamma-rays, contributing to global efforts to understand the most energetic phenomena in the universe, such as supernovae, black holes and gamma-ray bursts.
• Established in 1954, DAE is an Indian government department with headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

6. John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics.

• The award has been given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences "for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks."
• The prize carries a cash prize of 11 million Swedish kroner ($1 million).
• Both Nobel laureates used tools from physics to develop methods that are the foundation of today's powerful machine learning.
• John Hopfeld created an associative memory that can store and reconstruct images and other types of patterns in data.
• Geoffrey Hinton invented a method that can autonomously discover properties in data, and perform tasks such as identifying specific elements in images.
• In 2023, three scientists—Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier—were jointly awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics “for experimental methods generating attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter.”
• In 1901, Wilhelm Röntgen received the first Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of X-rays.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

7. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a majority in 90-member Haryana Legislative Assembly.

• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained Haryana for the third consecutive term.
• In Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference and Congress alliance is set to make the next government.
• It surpassed halfway mark and secured 48 seats out of the 90-member assembly.
• In Haryana, BJP has won 48 assembly seats. Congress has won 37 seats. Indian National Lok Dal has got two seats.
• BJP leader and CM Nayab Singh Saini has won from Ladwa Seat.
• Wrestler Vinesh Phogat from Congress won from Julana constituency.
• Polling for 90-member Haryana assembly was held on 5th of October.
• In Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference got 42 seats, while its alliance partner Indian National Congress won 6 seats.
• Bharatiya Janata Party secured 29 seats in Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party won three seats.
• Polling for 90 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir took place in three phases on 18th and 25th of September and 1st of October.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

8. ‘Humsafar Policy’ has been launched by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

• This policy has been launched to improve national highway travel and boost wayside amenities.
• The policy will enhance the convenience of traveling on national highways. It will accelerate the development of wayside amenities.
• Mr. Gadkari said this initiative will benefit local marginal sections of society.
• He also emphasised how this scheme will help people have easy, secure, and enjoyable travels.
• Mr. Gadkari emphasised that this strategy, which was developed with cleanliness and ecology in mind, will be environmentally friendly.
• He further said that consideration was given to solar energy, garbage recycling, soil conservation, and water conservation when creating the policy.
• Commuters will gain from the "Humsafar" policy by having access to standardised, clean, and well-maintained facilities.
• With the "Rajmarg Yatra" app, commuters may quickly access information on relevant service providers in their area.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

9. India eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.

• As per the WHO, India has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.
• Trachoma is a bacterial infection that affects the eyes. It is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia Trachomatis.
• It is contagious and spreads through contact with the eyes, eyelids, nose, or throat secretions of infected people.
• WHO has termed Trachoma as a neglected tropical disease. It is mainly prevalent in underprivileged communities living in poor environmental conditions.
• It was one of the leading causes of blindness in the country during 1950–60.
• India has become the third country in the Southeast Asia Region to achieve this milestone.
• India has achieved this success due to the strong leadership of its Government and the commitment of ophthalmologists and other cadres of healthcare workers.
• Indian government worked with partners to ensure effective surveillance, diagnosis and management of active trachoma.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. Mindfulness India Summit will be organized from 17-18 October.

• The third edition of the annual Mindfulness India Summit will held on October 17 and 18 in Mumbai.
• Its main aim is to bring together leaders and professionals with essential strategies to create healthier, more empathetic work environments.
• “Thrive in the Age of Disruption” is the theme of the summit.
• It will be focused on the need for leaders to adopt mindfulness as a critical skill for navigating complex business landscapes.
• It will be organized by the Mindful Science Centre and led by global mindfulness expert Manish Behl.
• This summit will explore mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and neuroscience.
• Participants will participate in workshops designed to enhance both personal and professional well-being.
• This event will conclude with the prestigious Mindfulness Impact Awards.

Topic: Summit/Conference/Meeting

11. Prime Minister Modi will visit Vientiane for the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic on 10-11 October 2024, at the invitation of Prime Minister of Laos Sonexay Siphandone.
• During his visit, Prime Minister Modi will attend the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit, hosted by Laos, the current chair of ASEAN.
• Prime Minister Modi's visit to Laos comes on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of India's Act East Policy, which highlights the importance of relations with ASEAN as a cornerstone of India's regional strategy and Indo-Pacific vision.
• The objective of the ASEAN-India Summit is to evaluate the progress made in India-ASEAN relations under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and to chart out avenues for future cooperation.
• The East Asia Summit serves as an important platform for leaders, including India, to discuss strategic trust and regional issues with partner countries.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

12. Red Panda Programme of Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoo, Darjeeling Selected as Finalist for WAZA Conservation Award.

• The red panda programme of the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling has been selected as a finalist for the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Conservation Awards 2024.
• In collaboration with various institutions and the Government of India, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has undertaken several habitat restoration initiatives.
• Nine captive-bred red pandas—seven females and two males—were released into West Bengal's Singalila National Park between 2022 and 2024.
• The zoo's conservation efforts are strengthened by its biobanking and genetic resources facility.
• It preserves gametes, tissues and DNA of red pandas and other endangered species for future use.
• The winner of the WAZA Award will be announced at the 79th WAZA Annual Conference held at Tarongo Zoo, Australia on 7th of next month.

Topic: State News/Himachal Pradesh

13. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of $162 million to support tourism development in Himachal Pradesh.

• This loan amount will help in unleashing the state's tourism potential through the enhancement of cultural and heritage sites.
• It will help in creating new infrastructure to promote the tourism sector.
• The Sustainable and Inclusive Tourism Development Project will target the promotion of heritage and cultural sites in the Mandi and Hamirpur districts.
• Historic Naggar Castle in Kullu will be restored and public places will be improved.
• These initiatives aim to improve accessibility for the elderly, women, children, and people with disabilities.
• These projects will help in developing wellness centres, recreational facilities, an adventure sports hub, and a water park complex.

Topic: Important Days

14. World Post Day: 9 October

• World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October.
• It is observed to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland.
• In 2024, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
• In 1969, the Universal Postal Congress in Tokyo declared 9 October as World Post Day.
• “150 years of enabling communication and empowering peoples across nations” is the theme of this year’s World Post Day.
• The purpose of World Post Day is to create awareness of the role of the postal sector in people’s and businesses’ everyday lives.