NATIONAL:
1. Ken-Betwa River Linking
Why in news – Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) secured the final forest clearance.
Key Points –
• It is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for the interlinking of rivers.
• Water from the Ken River will be transferred to the Betwa River.
• Both these rivers are tributaries of the river Yamuna.
• Dams proposed - Daudhan Dam, Lower Orr Dam, and Kotha Barrage.
• Aim –
(a) to provide annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh hectares,
(b) drinking water supply to about 62 lakh people,
(c) generate 103 MW of hydropower.
• KBLP lies in the Bundelkhand region (13 districts of UP and MP), a drought-prone region.
• 4,206 ha area lies within the core tiger habitat of Panna Tiger Reserve.
• It was proposed by A B Vajpayee in 1999.
Previous River-Linking –
• Periyar Project (transfer of water from Periyar basin to Vaigai basin), Ravi-Beas-Sutlej etc.
• National Water Grid - transferring water from water-rich areas to water-deficit areas.
2. 359th Report on the Functioning of Archaeological Survey of India
Why in news – A parliamentary committee has recommended that the list of “minor” monuments should be “rationalized”.
Key Points –
• 3,691 centrally protected monuments (CPM) in India are “minor” monuments.
• The committee is headed by V Vijaisai Reddy (YSRCP’s Rajya Sabha MP).
• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the custodian of all centrally protected monuments (CPM) in India.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Five Eyes Alliance
Why in news – Five Eyes Alliance helped ‘lead’ Canada PM Trudeau to claims on Nijjar’s death.
Key Points –
• It is an intelligence-sharing alliance.
• Members - United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
• Parties are diverse societies, governed by rule of law and robust human rights and are bonded by a common language.
ECONOMY:
1. Humans of Bombay vs People of India
Why in news – Humans of Bombay approached the Delhi High Court, seeking a direction to the People of India to take down all of HOB’s works.
Key Points –
• POI tells stories of common people in a similar way to HOB.
• Delhi High Court held that this case involves claims of “copyright infringement” and “passing off”.
Value Addition –
• “Copyright” refers to the right given to creators of literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works and producers of cinematograph films and sound recordings.
• Copyright Act, 1957 considers creative works as intellectual property.
• Passing off – a form of deception or misrepresentation. Suppose a brand logo is misspelt in a way that’s not easy for the consumer to discern.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre (TCM)
Why in news – ISRO updated that Aditya L1 performed a Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre (TCM).
Key Points –
• The propulsion system was fired for 16 seconds on October 6 to correct its trajectory towards the L1 point.
• Aditya L1 is on its 110-day journey towards the L1 point which is 1.5 million kilometres away.
• It is the 2nd spacecraft by ISRO (1st – Mangalyaan) that has left the Earth’s sphere of influence.
• On-board Instruments –
(a) Magnetometer - It is meant to study the interplanetary magnetic field.
(b) Supra Thermal and Energetic Particle Spectrometer (STEPS) - to measure high temperature, energetic particles in the solar wind.
2. Lecanemab
Why in news – Lecanemab drug was approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2023.
Key Points –
• It slows the development of Alzheimer’s in its early stages.
• It’s been challenging to develop medicines against Alzheimer’s because researchers have yet to fully understand why brain cells die.
• Abnormal proteins in brain “amyloid” and “tau” cause cell death (necroptosis).
• Plaques – clumps of amyloid.
• Tau tangles – bundles of fiber-like tau protein.
• Plaques and Tau tangles produce a molecule called MEG3 which lead to brain cell death.
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. Nobel Prize in Economics 2023
Why in news - The Nobel Prize in Economics for 2023 was awarded to Claudia Goldin.
Key Points –
• Reason - for “having advanced our understanding of women’s labor market outcomes”.
• Goldin is only the 3rd woman to win this honor. (1st - Elinor Ostrom, 2009, (2nd - Esther Duflo, 2019).
Value Addition –
• A Nobel Prize in Economics was not one of the Nobel Prizes (1st - 1901) endowed by Alfred Nobel in his will.
• The first prize in economic sciences was awarded to Ragnar Frisch and Jan Tinbergen in 1969.
• It is formally called the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
STATES/UTs:
1. Beach Shack Policy
Why in news – Goa has recently approved the ‘Goa State Shack Policy 2023-2026’.
Key Points –
• It aims to regulate the erection of temporary seasonal structures, beach shacks, deck beds and umbrellas along beach.
• Beach shacks are typically built from bamboo, wooden poles and thatched palm leaves.
BIHAR:
1. Asian Waterbird Census (AWC)
Why in news – The bird count in the wetlands of Bihar has increased considerably in 2023 as compared to that of the 2022 census.
Key Points –
• Altogether 69,935 birds of 203 species were counted in 76 wetlands in 26 districts of the state.
• Most birds – Jamui (18,480), Bhagalpur (9,084), Buxar (8,126).
• 8 globally endangered and a dozen near-threatened species have been reported.
• These wetlands belong to 3 river basins of Ganga, Kosi and Gandak.
• Bihar set up a Bird Research Ringing, Monitoring and Awareness Center at Bhagalpur.
POINTERS:
• Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda inaugurated the 10-day-long tribal festival Aadi Mahotsav in which city - Jamshedpur.
• Who has unveiled their new flag during the annual day parade and flypast - Indian Air Force (IAF).
• India concluded historic Asian Games campaign 2022 with how many medals - 107 medals (28 Gold, 38 Silver, and 41 Bronze).
• Which country has unveiled nuclear-powered cruise missile Burevestnik capable of carrying nuclear warheads – Russia
• Three indigenous products from which state – Yak Churpi, Khamti rice and Tangsa textile – have been granted the prestigious GI Tag - Arunachal Pradesh.
• Which country announced the creation of the world's most powerful laser named “Vulcan 20-20” – Britain.
• ICC, BCCI, Ministry of Education and UNICEF launched which initiative with the aim of promoting gender equality between girls and boys - Criiio 4 Good.
• Which ministry launched the Phase II of the 'Amazon Future Engineer Programme' in 54 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) - Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Scientists have discovered the fossil of a large spider, named Megamonodontium mccluskyi which country - Australia..
• The first of its kind in the country, which state has launched the “Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashraya Yojana” – a scheme aimed to provide comprehensive support to orphans, specially-abled children, destitute women, and elderly - Himachal Pradesh.
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