Current Context : Maritime partnership exercise (MPX) was conducted between India and Russia in St. Petersburg.

• Indian Navy’s frontline frigate, INS Tabar visit to participate in 328th Russian Navy Day Parade celebrations.
• Aims : to enhance naval cooperation, improve maritime security, and build interoperability between the navies of both nations.
• The MPX involved a series of complex naval manoeuvers, including communication drills, Search & Rescue tactics and Replenishment at Sea serials.

Current Context : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that two of the astronauts selected for its maiden human spaceflight mission, ‘Gaganyaan’,

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, were selected for the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station.

ABOUT AXIOM-4 (AXIOM SPACE MISSION 4)

• It is the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS. The assigned crew members will be approved to fly to the ISS by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP).
• Objective: To transport a crew of private astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) for conducting scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and other activities that advance space research and commercial spaceflight.
• Partnership with NASA: While primarily a commercial venture, Axiom Space collaborates with NASA and other international partners to ensure the mission aligns with ISS operations and safety protocols.
• Type: Commercial crewed spaceflight
• Scheduled Launch: October 2024
• Spacecraft: SpaceX Crew Dragon
• Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9 rocket
• Duration: last about 10-14 days

Current Context : Grinson George has assumed charge of the Director of the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).

• Previously heading the Marine Biodiversity and Environment Management Division at CMFRI, he has also held the position of Senior Programme Specialist at the SAARC in Dhaka.
• George holds expertise in areas such as fishery resource management, marine biodiversity, environment management, fisheries oceanography, remote sensing and climate change, with over two decades of experience,

ABOUT ICAR-CENTRAL MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (CMFRI)

• It is a premier research organization in India, specializing in marine fisheries.
• Founded: 1947
• Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala
• Affiliated with: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

Current Context : The National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT-C) has launched ‘Nivahika’, a cutting-edge web portal for data management.

ABOUT NIVAHIKA

• It is designed to facilitate efficient handling and organization of data within the institution.
• Launched by : National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT-C)

Features and objectives of Nivahika:

• Data Collection and Storage: Centralized storage for academic, administrative, and research data.
• Data Analysis: Tools for analyzing data to support decision-making and research.
• Reporting: Generation of reports for various stakeholders within the institution.
• Access Control: Secure access to data for authorized users, ensuring data privacy and security.

Current Context : The Mukhyamantri Maiyaan Samman Yojana, set to be officially launched by Jharkhand government.

• It is a major step towards providing financial assistance to eligible women across Jharkhand
• It was previously known as the Jharkhand Behan Beti Swavalamban Protsahan Yojana.

ABOUT SCHEME :

• It is a government scheme of Jharkhand.
• Objective: to honor and support mothers, particularly those from economically weaker sections, improving their social and economic status.
• Age Requirement: Women between the ages of 21 and 50 years.
• Income Threshold: The annual income of the beneficiary’s household should be less than Rs. 8 lakhs.

It is observed on 6 August every year.

This is the day when the atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• Date of the Bombing: August 6, 1945.
• Event: The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a Japanese city, at 8:15 AM local time.
• Bomb Name: The bomb was nicknamed “Little Boy.”
• Casualties: The immediate impact killed an estimated 70,000 to 80,000 people, with tens of thousands more dying from injuries and radiation sickness in the subsequent months and years.

IMPACT:

• End of World War II: The bombing of Hiroshima, followed by the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, played a crucial role in Japan’s decision to surrender, leading to the end of World War II.
• Nuclear Age: It marked the beginning of the nuclear age, highlighting the devastating power of nuclear weapons and their potential for mass destruction.

Current Context : Recently, a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court of India delivered a

landmark judgement that re framed the operation of the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) quota.

• Article 341 of the Constitution allows the President, through a public notification, to list “castes, races or tribes” that suffered historical injustices, particularly untouchability, as SCs. These groups are collectively accorded 15% reservation in education and public employment.

RELATED CONSTITUTIONAL ARTICLES:

• Article 15 – allows for special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the SCs and STs.
• Article 16 – Provides for special provisions for the reservation of appointments or posts in favor of SCs and STs to ensure their representation in public employment.
• Article 46 – The State shall promote the educational and economic interests of the SCs and STs and protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
• Article 341 – Scheduled Castes: The President may specify the SCs in relation to any State or Union territory by public notification.
• Article 342 – Scheduled Tribes: The President may specify the STs in relation to any State or Union territory by public notification.

Current Context : India remained world’s eighth largest exporter of agricultural products in 2023, despite a drop in agriculture exports to $51 billion in 2023 from $55 billion in 2022.

• This stability comes amid a general decrease in agricultural exports among seven of the top ten exporting nations.
• Top agricultural exporters, Brazil, the European Union, and Thailand increased their exports by 6%, 5%, and 0.2%, respectively, in 2023.
• The top ten exporters accounted for 9% of global exports in 2023”.
• Indian export Products: Major agricultural exports include rice (especially basmati), spices, tea, coffee, pulses, and fruits like mangoes.

Current Context : India is ranked 39th among 119 countries, according to the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024 .

• Report is published by the World Economic Forum.
• India is ranked 39th among 119 countries. India was ranked 54^th in the previous index published in 2021.
• The share of India’s International Tourist Arrivals in Asia & Pacific is 15.66% in 2022.

VARIOUS GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES FOR TOURISM:

• Incredible India Campaign: The government’s promotional campaign aims to boost India’s tourism profile globally.
• Tourism Policies: Initiatives such as the National Tourism Policy and various state-level tourism development plans focus on enhancing tourism infrastructure and services.
• Sustainable Tourism: Efforts to promote sustainable tourism practices and improve environmental management are being implemented to address the challenges.

ABOUT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM (WEF)

• It is a prominent international organization dedicated to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders from various sectors to shape global, regional, and industry agendas.
• Founded in 1971 by Professor Klaus Schwab in
• Headquarters: Cologny, near Geneva, Switzerland.

VARIOUS REPORTS PUBLISHED BY WEF :

• Global Competitiveness Report
• Global Risks Report
• Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI)
• Global Gender Gap Report

Current Context : KIIT Deemed to be University has been granted the distinguished Special Consultative Status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC), recognising the University’s substantial contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Out of 476 applications around the World, only 19 organisations, including KIIT DU, were selected for this prestigious honour.

ABOUT KIIT  UNIVERSITY

• Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
• Established: Founded in 1992.

UN ECOSOC SPECIAL CONSULTATIVE STATUS:

• UN ECOSOC Special Consultative Status is a designation granted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and entities.
• Purpose: Special Consultative Status allows NGOs and academic institutions to engage with ECOSOC and contribute to its work on economic, social, and humanitarian issues.
• Role: Entities with this status can participate in ECOSOC meetings, contribute to discussions, submit reports, and advocate for specific issues.