• Ministry of Earth Sciences recently flagged off India’s first winter scientific expedition to the Arctic from the MoES headquarters in New Delhi.
• Indian scientific expeditions to the Arctic during the winter (November to March) will allow researchers to conduct unique scientific observations during polar nights, where there is no sunlight for nearly 24 hours and sub-zero temperatures (as low as -15 degrees Celsius).
• The first batch of the maiden Arctic winter expedition comprises researchers from the host NCPOR, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi; Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune; and Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru.
• This will aid in expanding understanding of the Arctic, especially climate change, space weather, sea-ice and ocean circulation dynamics, ecosystem adaptations, etc., which affect weather and climate in the tropics, including monsoons.
• Priority research areas include atmospheric, biological, marine, and space sciences, environmental chemistry, and studies on cryosphere, terrestrial ecosystems, and astrophysics.

FACTS

• Since 2008, India operates a research base in the Arctic named Himadri, Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic, which has been mostly hosting scientists during the summer (April to October).
• India has three research stations in Antarctica, namely Bharati (newest), Dakshin Gangotri (now a supply base) and Maitri.

ABOUT PACER SCHEME

• Indian scientific expeditions to the Earth’s poles (the Arctic and the Antarctic) are facilitated under the PACER (Polar and Cryosphere) scheme of the MoES, solely through the aegis of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, an autonomous institution of the MoES.
• It has four sub- schemes under it, namely, the Antarctic Program, Indian Arctic Program, Indian Southern Ocean Program and Cryosphere and Climate Program.
• Major objectives-
  • To ensure the country’s strategic and scientific interests in the Polar Region and the surrounding oceans.
  • To continue the long-term frontline scientific programmes in Antarctica, Arctic, Himalaya and Southern Ocean, which are pertinent to the national needs and having potential societal, strategic and global relevance.
  • Planning, coordination and implementation of the annual Indian Antarctic, Arctic, Himalayan, Southern Ocean expeditions.
  • Maintenance of Indian Research bases at Antarctica, Arctic and Himalaya.
  • Establishment of a state-of-the-art polar research and logistic facilities in the country.

• International Migrants Day is observed on December 18^th to recognise the contributions of migrants and highlight the challenges they face.
• The day sheds light on the socio-economic realities of migrants around the world.
• On 4 December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed December 18 as International Migrants Day.
  • On the same day in 1990, UNGA had adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
• The theme for International Migrants Day 2023 is “Promoting Safe Migration.”

• Goa Liberation Dayis celebrated annually on December 19^th.
• It commemorates the liberation of the state from Portuguese colonial rule.
• Goa Liberation Day marks the day- 19-12-1961 when the Indian Army freed the state from 451 years of Portuguese rule.

• India’s fastest solar-electric boat, Barracuda was launched at the yard of Navalt Solar and Electric Boats, located off Aroor in Alappuzha, Kerala.
• Named after the swift, long fish, Barracuda was designed by Navalt and can be deployed even in the rough seas as a workboat to ferry up to 12 passengers and cargo.
• The 14-metre-long, 4.4-metre-wide vessel can attain a top speed of 12.5 knots (23 kmph) and has a range of seven hours on a single charge.
• It has twin 50 kW electric motors, a marine-grade LFP battery, and 6 kW solar power, epitomising efficient and clean energy usage.
• The vessel was built for Mazagon Dock Limited which will introduce the eco-friendly vessel at its Mumbai dock.
• It is engineered to navigate through waves as tall as four metres and operates without noise, vibration and air pollution.

• India’s National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) held two joint meetings with the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (RATS-SCO) recently, focusing on restricting terrorism and extremism through the use of new technologies and the internet.

 ABOUT RATS

• The RATS is a permanent body under the SCO.
• It is headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
• It works on promoting cooperation of member states against terrorism, separatism, and extremism.

ABOUT SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION

• SCO originally known as the Shanghai Five, formed in 1996, by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
• SCO was officially established in 2001 with joining of Uzbekistan as a regional intergovernmental organization.
• Member States- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran.
• The primary objective of the SCO is to foster regional cooperation on diverse matters, encompassing security, economics, and cultural exchanges.

SCO AND INDIA

• India held the 22^nd summit of the SCO virtually earlier this year.
• It was New Delhi’s first time chairing the forum since joining the organisation in 2005 as an observer state and later becoming a permanent member in 2017.
  • The Chairmanship of SCO is by rotation for a year between member states.
  • India handed over chairmanship to Kazakhstan in September.

• Cotton prices, represented by “Cotton candy,” saw a decline which is attributed to reports of pink bollworm infestation in the cotton crop, causing a reduction in yields.
• Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) — regulatory body for processing of application for grant of registration of insecticides– has granted the registration of 50 insecticide formulations for the control of pink bollworm and bollworm complex.
  • CIBRC works under the purview of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
• Pink bollworm infestation is seen in all the cotton-growing areas of north, central and south zone across the country.

ABOUT PINK BOLLWORM

• Scientific name- Pectinophora Gossypiella
• Originally native to India, it is now recorded in nearly all the cotton-growing countries of the world.
• It is considered possibly the most destructive pest on cotton
• Females lay eggs on cotton bolls; once hatched, the larvae eat the seeds and damage the fibers of the cotton, reducing the yield and quality.
• In certain parts of India, the pink bollworm is now resistant to first generation transgenic Bt cotton (Bollgard cotton) that expresses a single Bt gene (Cry1Ac).

• The fourth unit of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-4) in Gujarat, with 700 MWe capacity, started controlled fission chain reaction and thus became critical.
  • Kakrapar is situated about 80 km from Surat.

• The reactor’s first criticality was ascertained after it met all the conditions set out by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), India’s nuclear safety watchdog.

• The 700 MWe units are the largest indigenous nuclear power reactors to be built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
• These reactors are pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs), which use natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as coolant and moderator.

ABOUT NPCIL

• It is a public sector undertaking of the Department of Atomic Energy.
• The NPCIL presently operates 23 nuclear electricity reactors with a total capacity of 7,480 MWe.
• It has nine units, including KAPP-4, under construction while 10 more reactors, with a total capacity of 7,000 MWe, are in the pre-project phase.

• Molecules including methanol, ethane, and oxygen are present in gaseous plumes emitted from Saturn’s moon Enceladus, a re-analysis of data from the Cassini mission suggests.
• Scientists have identified presence of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), acetylene (C2H2), propylene (C3H6), and ethane (C2H6), and traces of an alcohol (methanol) and molecular oxygen.
• The Cassini spacecraft first discovered large plumes of material escaping into space from Enceladus’s southern hemisphere in 2005.

ABOUT CASSINI MISSION

• Launched in
• NASA’s Cassini spacecraft was the first to orbit Saturn, during its 13-year landmark exploration of the gaseous giant planet, its rings and its moons from 2004 to 2017.
• It was designed to explore the Saturn system, including its rings and moons, with a special focus on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.
• It carried Huygens lander, which landed on Titan in 2005.
• It was a joint endeavor of NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), and Italian space agency (ASI).

• The “Logistics Ease Across Different State (LEADS) 2023” report was recently released by Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• LEADS was conceived on the lines of Logistics Performance Index of World Bank in 2018.
• While the LPI relies entirely on perception-based surveys, LEADS incorporates both perception as well as objectivity thereby enhancing the robustness and comprehensiveness of this exercise.

ABOUT THE REPORT

• The 5th edition of the LEADS annual exercise – LEADS 2023 report, provides insights into improvement of logistics performance at State/UT level.
• It highlights an enhanced overall stakeholder perception and impact of various reforms, across States and UTs.
• This report is based on a pan-India primary survey covering over 7,300 responses across 36 States/UTs. Additionally, over 750 stakeholder consultations, facilitated by National, Regional, and State Associations, significantly contributed to this comprehensive evaluation.
• Major findings
  • 23 States/UTs have also notified their State Logistics Polices to align with the National Logistics Policy.
  • Further, 16 States/UTs have given industry status to logistics.
  • Length of National Highways increased by approximately 48% on back of sustained investment push by the government over the last decade.
  • Digital reform such as PM GatiShakti, Logistics Data Bank, Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), GST are propelling India’s improved ranking at global level.

Performance Highlights from LEADS 2023-

• India has strongly demonstrated the firepower of its Akash surface-to-air (SAM) weapon system, where a single firing unit simultaneously engaged and destroyed four unmanned targets during the recent Exercise Astrashakti 2023.
• India became first country to demonstrate the capability of engagement of 4 aerial targets simultaneously at 25Km ranges by command guidance using single firing unit.
• The Akash firing unit was deployed with Firing Level Radar (FLR), Firing Control Centre (FCC), and two Akash Air Force Launcher (AAFL) launchers having five armed missiles.

 ABOUT AKASH

• AKASH is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile System to protect vulnerable areas and points from air attacks.
• It can simultaneously engage Multiple Targets in Group Mode or Autonomous Mode.
• It has built-in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) features.
• The entire weapon system has been configured on mobile platforms.
• The Akash Weapon System is indigenously designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by defence public sector units along with other industries.
• Akash has been deployed by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army for the last decade.
• The Akash weapon system is also one of the indigenous defence systems that have bagged orders from international customers.
• Features-
  • Range of Operation :     5 km to 25 km
  • Altitude of Operation :     100 m up to 20 km
  • Guidance System            :           Command Guidance
  • Target types :           Helicopters, Fighter aircrafts, UAVs etc.
  • Fully automatic with quick response time from target detection to kill.
  • Open system architecture ensures adaptability to existing and futuristic Air Defence environments.
  • High immunity against active and passive jamming.
  • Road and rail transportable with quick mobilization and deployment capabilities.