CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• The Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have recently introduced the ASMITA Project, aimed at enhancing the availability of educational resources in Indian languages.
• Key highlights of the ASMITA Project:
  • ASMITA (Augmenting Study Materials in Indian Languages through Translation and Academic Writing) aims to develop 22,000 books in Indian languages over the next five years.
  • This initiative is a joint effort between the UGC and the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, a committee under the Ministry of Education.
  • The primary goal of ASMITA is to promote the integration of Indian languages into the education system, thereby enriching learning experiences and fostering inclusivity.
  • The project is part of a broader strategy to improve access to high-quality educational materials across various Indian languages.
  • Thirteen leading universities have been designated as nodal institutions to spearhead this project, collaborating with member universities from different regions.

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• The Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) recently issued a cautionary notice to potato farmers nationwide, alerting them to heightened risks of late blight disease due to changing weather patterns.
• Key details about Late Blight Disease:
  • Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is a severe fungal infection that affects both tomatoes and potatoes.
  • Transmission:
  • The disease spreads through infected transplants, volunteer potato or tomato plants, and certain weeds related to tomatoes. Spores of the fungus can travel long distances in storms and are spread by rain, causing infections.
  • Late blight thrives in cool, wet conditions and can persist if weather remains favorable.
  • Symptoms:
  • Infected plants develop lesions on leaves, petioles, and stems, which vary in color from dark green to purplish-black, resembling frost damage.
  • Underneath the leaves, whitish growths of spore-producing structures may appear at the lesion margins.
  • Potato tubers can develop rot up to 15 mm deep, with secondary fungi and bacteria often causing further decay during storage, transport, and sale.
  • Management involves timely fungicide applications, although rapid epidemics can occur once crops are infected.

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• Jerdon’s Courser, a critically endangered species, has not been sighted visually for over a decade.
• Key details about Jerdon’s Courser:
  • It is a nocturnal bird adapted for walking and running, endemic to the Eastern Ghats of India.
  • Scientific Name: Rhinoptilus bitorquatus
  • Once thought extinct from the early 20th century, it was rediscovered in 1986.
  • Habitat: Jerdon’s Courser inhabits open areas within scrub-forests.
  • Distribution: Limited to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

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• Recently, the Gujarat government reported six suspected deaths due to Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection in the state since July 10.
• Key details about Chandipura virus (CHPV):
  • CHPV belongs to the Rhabdoviridae family, which includes other viruses like lyssavirus (rabies).
  • It is transmitted by several species of sandflies such as Phlebotomine sandflies and Phlebotomus papatasi, and certain mosquito species like Aedes aegypti (also responsible for transmitting dengue).
  • The virus resides in the salivary glands of these insects and is transmitted to humans or animals through bites.
  • Once infected, the virus can affect the central nervous system, causing encephalitis (inflammation of the brain's active tissues).
  • Disease progression can be rapid, with symptoms escalating from high fever in the morning to kidney or liver complications by evening.
  • Symptoms include initial flu-like signs such as sudden fever, body ache, and headache, progressing to altered mental state, seizures, and potentially fatal encephalitis.

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• Recently, the Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence, has announced the fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) comprising 346 items. These items are slated for procurement exclusively from the Indian industry following specified timelines for achieving indigenous production, detailed in the list accessible through the Srijan portal.
• Key details about Srijan portal and Positive Indigenisation List (PIL):
  • Srijan portal is an indigenization platform developed by the Department of Defence Production.
  • It serves to identify items suitable for indigenization efforts by the private sector.
  • On Srijan, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), and Service Headquarters (SHQs) can list items currently imported or planned for import. These are potential opportunities for Indian industries to design, develop, and manufacture, either independently or in collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

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• According to a scientific survey report by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the current structure at the Bhojshala complex incorporates remnants from an earlier temple that once stood at the site.
• Key details about Bhojshala complex:
  • Located in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, the Bhojshala complex was originally constructed in 1034 AD by Raja Bhoja (1000-1055 A.D.), the prominent ruler of the Paramara dynasty.
  • Initially serving as a university, it attracted students from various regions who came to study disciplines such as music, Sanskrit, astronomy, yoga, Ayurveda, and philosophy.
  • Historical events include attacks on the complex: first by Alauddin Khilji in 1305 AD and later by Mehmudshah Khilji II in 1514 AD, who attempted to convert it into a dargah and encroached upon the Saraswati Temple land to build the 'Kamal Moulana' Makbara.
  • Notable inscriptions within the complex include hymns in the Prakrit language depicting the Karmavatar (crocodile incarnation) of Vishnu, as well as Sarpabandha pillar inscriptions detailing aspects of Sanskrit grammar.
  • Designated a monument of national importance in 1951 under the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) Act, 1951.
  • Currently protected by ASI under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

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• The Solar Orbiter mission, led by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with NASA, recently captured the most detailed image of the Sun's entire disc and its outer atmosphere, known as the corona.
• Key details about Solar Orbiter:
  • Solar Orbiter is a dedicated satellite equipped with 10 scientific instruments, all designed to provide unprecedented insights into the workings of our Sun.
  • Its primary objective is to conduct close-up studies of the Sun and explore the inner heliosphere, which includes the uncharted regions closest to our Solar System.
  • This joint ESA-NASA mission is regarded as the most sophisticated scientific laboratory ever sent to study the Sun.
  • Solar Orbiter is capable of capturing images of the Sun from closer proximity than any previous spacecraft, including unprecedented views of its polar regions.
  • Launched on February 10, 2020, the mission unveiled its first images in June of the same year and began full-fledged science operations in December 2021 after utilizing gravitational assists from Earth and Venus.
  • It orbits the Sun in an elliptical path, with its closest approach (perihelion) reaching about 25 million miles (40 million kilometers) from the Sun—closer than Mercury's orbit.
  • Instruments aboard Solar Orbiter include six remote-sensing tools for observing the Sun and its corona, along with four in-situ instruments to measure the solar wind, energetic particles, and electromagnetic fields.
  • The mission's operational timeline is scheduled to extend until at least 2027, allowing for comprehensive studies of solar phenomena and their impacts on space weather and planetary environments.

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• Recently, a pregnant megamouth shark, an exceedingly rare and enigmatic deepwater species, was discovered washed ashore on a beach in the Philippines.
• Key details about the Megamouth Shark:
  • The Megamouth Shark, scientifically known as Megachasma pelagios, is an uncommon species found in deep ocean waters.
  • Its distribution spans across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, inhabiting regions between latitudes 40°N and 40°S.
  • This species is known for its infrequent sightings in the wild, with fewer than 60 individuals ever captured or observed by scientists.
  • Megamouth Sharks are characterized by their large size, reaching weights of up to 2700 pounds (1215 kg) and lengths between 425-515 cm. Females tend to be larger than males.

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• Recently, using the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), astronomers made a significant discovery of a new pulsar, designated PSR J1032−5804.
• Key details about Pulsars:
  • Pulsars are highly magnetized rotating neutron stars known for emitting pulses of radiation at incredibly regular intervals, typically ranging from milliseconds to seconds.
  • These neutron stars possess extraordinarily strong magnetic fields that channel jets of particles along their magnetic poles. These accelerated particles generate powerful beams of light.
  • Due to the misalignment of their magnetic fields with their spin axes, these beams sweep across space as the star rotates. When these beams intersect with Earth's line of sight, we detect periodic pulses of radiation.
  • Pulsars exhibit masses ranging from 1.18 to 1.97 times that of the Sun, with a common mass of about 1.35 times that of the Sun.

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• Recently, Google unveiled its newest and most powerful AI model, Gemini.
• Key details about Gemini:
  • Gemini represents a groundbreaking multimodal general AI model capable of processing and understanding various formats simultaneously, including text, code, audio, image, and video.
  • This AI innovation is now accessible worldwide through Bard, select developer platforms, and the latest Google Pixel 8 Pro devices.
  • Notably, Gemini can comprehend, elucidate, and generate high-quality code in leading programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, and Go.
  • The model is offered in three distinct sizes:
  • Gemini Ultra, the largest variant, tailored for handling intricate tasks.
  • Gemini Pro, optimized for scalability across diverse tasks, available for regular users globally through Bard.
  • Gemini Nano, designed for on-device applications, currently powering features like Summarise in the Recorder app and Smart Reply via Gboard on Pixel 8 Pro.
  • Initially, Gemini Ultra is exclusively available to select customers, developers, partners, as well as safety and responsibility experts for early testing and feedback.
  • Google's launch of Gemini signifies a significant advancement in AI capabilities, promising enhanced functionalities across multiple domains and platforms, from development environments to consumer applications.