18th November, 2024 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
G20 Summit to begin in Brazil

• The 19th G20 Summit is set to start today at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro of Brazil. The heads of member states and representatives of international organizations will participate in the various sessions and deliberate on the priority areas of this year’s declaration.
• This year G20 summit starts with the theme of “Building a just and sustainable world”. And the sessions to be held in the 2 days are a reflection of that.
• India’s Sherpa to 19th G20 Amitabh Kant reiterated the inclusive approach of G20 and the complex negotiations that are still undergoing.

INTERNATIONAL
Valdecy Urquiza Elected New Secretary General of Interpol

• Brazilian Federal Police Commissioner Valdecy Urquiza has been elected as the new Secretary General of Interpol at the organization’s 92nd General Assembly, held in Glasgow, Scotland.
• Valdecy Urquiza is a seasoned police officer from Brazil with extensive experience in global policing and international law enforcement. Upon being elected, Urquiza expressed gratitude to the delegates of member countries for their trust and support. He emphasized his commitment to:
• Promoting equality and diversity within the organization.
• Strengthening international collaboration to ensure effective investigations and operations.
• Implementing capacity-building initiatives tailored to address regional policing issues.
• Urquiza’s election is seen as a step toward fostering inclusivity and innovation in Interpol’s operations.

US Returns $10 Million Worth of Looted Antiques to India

• The United States has returned over 1,400 looted artifacts worth $10 million to India as part of an ongoing initiative to repatriate stolen cultural items from South and Southeast Asia. Among the returned artifacts is a celestial dancer sandstone sculpture, which had been illegally smuggled from central India to London before being sold to a patron of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• India and the US signed their first “Cultural Property Agreement” aimed at preventing illicit trafficking of antiquities.
• The agreement formalizes the US’s commitment to repatriating stolen cultural property to India.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Architect of Pollen development & Seed formation identified

• Scientists have identified a novel gene that plays a crucial role in the development of stamens (male reproductive structure) including pollen grain and seed formation, in Arabidopsis flowering plants related to cabbage and mustard. The study opens up new possibilities for improving crop fertility and seed production.
• Pollen formation represents a very important developmental stage in plant life cycle. It represents the male gametophyte and its role is to deliver the genetic material to the embryo sac.
• The production and transfer of viable pollen grains to the stigma, germination of the pollen grains, growth of the pollen tubes down the style, and effective fertilization are necessary for the formation of a successful seed set. Thus, understanding the pollen development process not only elucidate the basic mechanism of sexual reproduction of flowering plants but also add valuable information for subsequent manipulation in crop production.
• Recent investigations on pollen development by Prof. Shubho Chaudhuri’s lab at Bose Institute, Kolkata, an autonomous institution of Department of Science and Technology, identified a novel gene named HMGB15, a non-histone protein that restructures chromatin, plays a crucial role in the development of stamens (male reproductive structure) in ArabidopsiS.
• Molecular analysis indicated that several developmental pathways like biosynthesis of phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA), apoptosis of tapetal cells and actin polymerization dynamics have been severely affected in the HMGB15 loss of function mutants.

SPORTS
Harbhajan & Sania Mirza Named Dubai Sports Council Ambassadors

• The Dubai Sports Council has appointed four global sports icons as its Sports Ambassadors, including former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh and renowned tennis player Sania Mirza.
• This initiative aims to enhance Dubai’s reputation as a global sports destination and strengthen its sports ecosystem by attracting prestigious international events, nurturing local talent, and promoting sports tourism.
• Promote Dubai as a premier sports destination globally.
• Strengthen Dubai’s sports ecosystem through the attraction of international events.
• Support local talent development and encourage sports tourism.