• The US has announced the creation of an enhanced naval protection force operating in the southern Red Sea in an attempt to ward off mounting attacks from Yemen’s rebel Houthis on merchant shipping.
  • Red Sea, one of the most significant shipping routes in the world, is seeing tensions rise as a spillover of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
• Other participants in the effort included Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.
• The new effort would be called Operation Prosperity Guardian.

• The International Gita Mahotsav 2023 commenced recently in Kurukshetra, Haryana.
• The event commenced with the Gita Aarti and worship of the holy scripture at Brahma Sarovar, echoing with verses from the Bhagavad Gita.
• The International Gita Mahotsav promises a holistic experience with global Gita recitations involving 18,000 students, cultural programmes organised by the North Region Cultural Arts Centre of Patiala and Haryana Art and Cultural Department, an International Gita Seminar, a saints’ conference, aarti at the Brahma Sarovar, Deepotsav, and cultural programmes at 164 locations.

• Bhutan plans to build a massive “international city” in an area of over 1,000 sq. km. on its border with Assam, Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck announced recently.
• This is projected as an “economic corridor connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia via India’s northeastern States”.
• This is the first official confirmation of what is known as the ‘Gelephu Smartcity Project’.
• It is expected to follow environmental standards and sustainability as a goal, and will aim to attract “quality investment” from “specially screened” international companies.
• India is building first India-Bhutan railway line to Gelephu, which would also connect with roadways and border trading and crossing points into Assam and West Bengal, and over time, give Bhutan access to Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Singapore.

• In what is being dubbed a groundbreaking archaeological discovery, an international team of archaeologists has found the world’s oldest known fort which dates back to 8,000 years in a remote region of Siberia.
• Archaeologists have long associated fortresses with permanent agricultural settlements.
  • However, this cluster of fortified structures reveals that prehistoric groups, hunter-gatherers, were constructing protective edifices much earlier than originally thought.
• The site is located along the Amnya River in western Siberia and includes around 20 scattered pit-house depressions which were divided into two sections – Amnya I and Amnya II.
  • Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the settlement was first inhabited during the Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age.

• NITI Aayog, in partnership with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Global Development Network (GDN), published a report, ‘A Green and Sustainable Growth Agenda for the Global Economy’.
• It is based on the proceedings of the G20 international conference held in New Delhi featuring 40 leading experts from 14 countries across the world.

MAJOR POINTS

• It emphasized on reforming the structure of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) for improving capital mobilisation, better project implementation and making sustainable infrastructure an asset class.
• There is a global requirement of USD 3 trillion over the next decade to finance green growth and hence there is an urgent need to mobilise both public and private finance.
• Efforts should be directed towards ensuring macroeconomic stability and promoting inclusive growth alongside effective transfer, adjustment and training policies.

• During the last five FYs (2018-19 to 2022-23) NCF has received Rs.3.70 crore from Non-Government Sources.

ABOUT NATIONAL CULTURE FUND (NCF)

• National Culture Fund (NCF) was set up as a Trust in 1996 under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890.
• It aims to mobilize extra resources through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) towards promoting, protecting & preserving India’s Cultural Heritage (Tangible & Intangible).
• NCF is managed by a Council and an Executive Committee.
  • The Council is chaired by the Minister of Culture and has members representing the corporate and public sector, private foundations and non-profit organizations.
  • The Executive Committee is chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Culture.
• Donations to the National Culture Fund will be eligible for tax benefit under Income Tax Act.

• The Indian Air Force successfully testfired its SAMAR air defence missile system.

ABOUT SAMAR DEFENCE SYSTEM

• SAMAR is a short-range air-defence system jointly developed by the IAF’s 7 Base Repair Depot (BRD) and 11 BRD in association with Indian private-sector companies Simran Flowtech Industries and Yamazuki Denki.
• The system provides air defence against low-flying aerial targets with a maximum striking range of 12 km.
• It can engage aerial threats with missiles operating at a speed range of 2 to 2.5 Mach.
• SAMAR employs the IAF’s shelf-life-expired Russian Vympel R-73E infrared‐guided air-to-air missiles (AAMs).
• The AAMs are refurbished and upgraded to perform surface-to-air roles and the missiles can be launched in both single and salvo mode.
• The system comprises launch beams, a fire-control unit, an electronic control unit, and auxiliary units including a self-loading knuckle crane, a power supply system, and a servo mechanism feedback unit.
• SAMAR is intended to replace the IAF’s Pechora systems, which have been in service since the 1970s.

• A new strain of Covid-19, named JN.1, has been detected in Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.
• This variant, is a descendant of Pirola, which has now already spread to 38 countries, including the US, China, and India .

• The discovery of this novel strain has sparked interest and raised concerns worldwide.
• The 1 variant differs from Pirola or BA. 2.86 by only a single mutation in its spike protein.
• While it shares similarities with previous Omicron strains in terms of high transmissibility and mild symptoms, there are some symptoms that individuals should be aware of, as they may not be as mild as
• other Omicron variants.
• According to experts, initial symptoms of the JN.1 COVID variant include fever, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and, in some cases, moderate gastrointestinal problems.
• Breathing difficulties may also be experienced by certain patients.
• Prevention
  • To prevent the spread of infection, it is essential to adhere to all necessary precautions, such as frequent handwashing, wearing masks, and maintaining social distance.

• A hands-on training on value-added fish products was organised by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) recently.

ABOUT MPEDA

• Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is a nodal coordinating, state-owned agency engaged in fishery production and allied activities.
• It was established in 1972 under the Marine Products Export Development Authority Act (MPEDA), 1972.
• It functions under Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Headquarters- Kochi, Kerala.
• Its mandate is to increase exports of seafood including fisheries of all kinds, specifying standards, marketing, processing, extension and training in various aspects.
• Functions-
  • Developing and regulating off-shore and deep-sea fishing,
  • Registering fishing vessels,
  • Fixing of standards and specifications for marine products, etc.
  • Provide training in the concerned field to Fisherman, Aquaculture farmers, Fish processing workers, Stakeholders
• Rajiv Gandhi Center for Aquaculture (RGCA) is the R&D wing of MPEDA.

CURRENT STATUS

• India exported more than 17 lakh tonnes of marine products to 129 countries during the last financial year, but only 10% of this was value-added products.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) recently added one of the world’s most underrecognised health challenges, Noma, to its official list of neglected tropical diseases (NTD).

ABOUT NOMA

• The name of the disease comes from the Greek word “nomē”, meaning “to devour”, as noma eats away facial tissue and bones if not treated early.
• Also known as cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis, it is a severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and face.
• Noma mainly affects children aged 2-6 years old and is found most commonly among those living in poor communities.
• It is also associated with extreme poverty, malnutrition and poor access to sanitation and oral hygiene.
• The NTD is frequently seen in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where it occurs almost exclusively among poor children usually aged 3-10 years.
• There is an extreme lack of awareness regarding the disease.
  • There are no reliable numbers of cases — the WHO website lists the ‘latest’ estimates 140,000 cases per year and a prevalence of 770,000 cases.
• Noma is associated with a number of risk factors, including poor oral hygiene, malnutrition, weakened immune systems, infections, and extreme poverty.
• While the disease is not contagious, it prefers to attack when the body’s defences are weak.
• The disease begins with gum inflammation and is thought to be caused by bacteria found in the mouth.
• It has a mortality rate of approximately 90 per cent.